After our Weight Watchers at Work program ended in November, so did my calorie-counting for awhile. But last month I re-upped at Jenny Craig ... again.
Word on the diet circuit had it that Jenny had a new gimmick: an armband that "monitored you day and night and tattled on you." (Not my words, but those of a Jenny buddy who had already heard the sales pitch.)
Turns out, it's one of those armbands that monitor physical activity like the BodyBuggs worn by contestants on "The Biggest Loser."
Jenny's new Metabolic Max program combines the BodyMedia Fit armband with BodyMedia Fit software to help dieters form a self-monitoring, personalized, weight-loss plan.
If you're not familiar with it, the armband looks like an inch-wide, stretchy, Ace bandage centered with a small, square, metallic monitor. You wear it day and night on the upper left arm.
The armband has sensors that record your activity for the week in ways that vary from skin temperature and amount of perspiration you're emitting to the number of steps taken. This little computer is so smart it can even tell the difference in whether you're just lying down or actually sleeping!
During the week, the dieter logs onto an accompanying synchronized website and enters foods eaten to keep a running calorie count.
At the end of the week, you pop out the monitor, download its information into the website and print out your calories consumed vs. calories burned.
That's where the tattling comes in: If you haven't gotten much exercise, the computer won't lie for you. It's there in black and white on the printout.
This technological wizardry could be mine for just $149 since I was already a Jenny client. (New customers have the higher sign-up fee to include.) The accompanying computer program is free for six months, then $6 a month thereafter. Those fees are in addition to buying the weekly Jenny groceries.
But I was so impressed with the sales pitch, the impulse buyer in me said "Sure!" and signed up on the spot.
I was already having second thoughts before I got home.
Did I really think I was going to take the time to log onto the computer to fill out a food diary when I didn't even make myself pencil in the daily paper chart hanging right in front of me on the refrigerator?
Second, did I really need a computer program to tell me I wasn't exercising enough or not sticking to the Jenny food plan? If I weighed in and didn't have a loss, wouldn't that accomplish the same thing?
Third, it was $149. Maybe I'm still trying to live prerecession economics, but for what we pay each week in Jenny groceries, I thought the monitor should have been thrown in as part of the re-up deal, or at least offered half-price.
However, when I searched online to see if I could find the armband/computer program cheaper, I learned the Jenny price was still less than retail.
But I just couldn't justify that expense, and I canceled my order. I'll just continue to fill out the old-school paper food diary.
Jenny girls, I'd like to hear from you. Do you feel that the investment for the monitor is worth it? Has it made you more diligent in sticking to the Jenny plan?
Please e-mail me your comments.
One final note: As I mentioned in my last column, math was never my forte. And I proved that with my incorrect breakdown on the sodium used in the taco soup recipe's seasoning packets. As several of you noticed, those amounts were per serving.
So I have to eat crow - lightly salted.