It takes a team

By Tyler, editor and reviewer

You know that feeling when you've been working all day and you fight traffic to get home and all you want to do is sleep once you get home? I drive for a living; I get this feeling almost every day. And, it's going to be getting dark even sooner in just a few weeks and the feeling is only going to increase. 

But, I know I can't just come home and veg because it's not good to go from sitting in traffic during the day to sitting on the sofa at night. Some days I just need a little motivation to get moving, to eat better, and to just be healthier. Here are just some of what helps me keep going towards a better me:

My awesome little kiddos who deserve more.
They need me getting outside with them and taking them to the park, the school, or somewhere indoors if it's raining. They need to have memories of our adventures, not just what we watched on TV. I'm glad I have them to push me to get out more in those times when it would be so much easier to just lay around. It really seems to be much easier for me to stay on track when I'm accountable to the people around me, and they're great little motivators when I want to give in to laziness.  My better half.
I've known for a while that I wanted to be in better shape, but it was too easy to put it off when it was something I only said to myself. So, for that reason I'm grateful to have my wife to get back in shape with on the Jenny Craig program. She's the one who grocery shops and packs my lunch every night with everything laid out that I need for the day even though she's got a million other things that she's juggling. I don't tell her often enough how that little act makes it so much easier on me each morning when I'm running out the door and on the road all day. Having her on my team to bounce ideas off of, to help me plan ahead for bumps in the road, and to just talk about our goals and our progress makes a huge difference. Now that we're committed to improve together, it makes it so much easier to keep motivated. Our active lifestyle.
I know being on-the-go is sometimes a detriment to eating healthy, but being so busy can also be an awesome opportunity to get in exercise and just stay moving. We try and walk wherever we can, even if it's as silly as parking at one store and refusing to move the car again until all of our errands are complete and we get in all of our steps. As an added bonus, I find that these walks together not only get us out and moving, but it also allows my wife and I to have those real conversations that always seem to get interrupted at home. Since the kiddos love every chance to ride their bikes, play games, and get outside, it's been a win for everyone.

The Jenny Craig Team.
I'm also happy to have the consultants at Jenny Craig to keep me on track. Even with all the support at home, it's great to have a whole team of people at our local Jenny Craig office to have impartial opinions and expert advice on how we're integrating these changes into our lifestyle.  I will admit that when I first heard that we were going to meet once a week to see how we were progressing and to get new foods, I was a little hesitant. But, it turns out we really enjoy stopping by, not only for the accountability aspect, but also for the new information they have for us each visit and the positive way they go over everything with us. I really feel that having their team is a big part of what makes the program work for us. The Jenny Craig Program.
When something is so plainly laid out that literally anyone could follow it, it makes me really happy. Sure, we could calorie count and learn how to menu plan for our specific goals in our evenings, but as we’ve said before, we’re pretty busy. And, did I mention we have absolutely no background in nutrition? For us to do it just doesn’t make sense, and I love that there are programs like Jenny Craig that can help us “reset” and learn to look at foods differently, get better at portion sizes, and get a plan going forward. The team aspect.
Feeling like you're not doing it alone makes it easier in every aspect, and I’ve got to admit my “team” is pretty amazing. I’ve got accountability at every step, a partner who is going through everything with me, and the best little motivators there ever was.

So, here’s what you’re all waiting for – my 4 week progress {approximately}:
Starting weight:             too much
Week 1:                        - 3.80
Week 2:                        – 4.80
Week 3:                        -1.30
Week 4:                        -1.40
Total                             – 11.30*

Are you already on Jenny Craig and want to spread the word about your experience? You could get free food as part of their Pay It Forward program. Bring in a friend who joins the program, and you get $25 off of food for each referral! Ready to join? With 600 company-owned and franchised centers in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Puerto Rico, there just might be an office near you. There are two plans to choose from: All Access or As You Go. Food costs vary but typically range between $15 – $23 per day, plus the cost of shipping.

For more information, please visit jennycraig.com

*Results not typical. Members following the Jenny Craig program can expect to lose, on average 1-2 lbs per week. I received promotional consideration.