FrederickCooke:
Hello everyone! Tonight we will be chatting with Jenny Craig, founder of Jenny Craig, Inc., her wildly successful, eponymous weight-management plan. She is also the author of several cookbooks.

FrederickCooke:
We will also be giving away three copies of Jenny's most recent book, No Diet Required: Recipes for Healthy Living. Anyone who entered their email address before coming into the chat room is eligible to win. At the end of the chat, the names of three chat participants will be drawn at random and announced. Winners will also be contacted tomorrow morning by email. Good luck!

FrederickCooke:
Jenny has logged on, so please feel free to ask away about food, weight management, healthy living, etc.

FrederickCooke:
Welcome Jenny!

Jenny Craig:
Hello everyone!

Kenny:
Hi Jenny, I'm in the middle of losing weight, and I want to make sure I don't go too far. How can I tell what weight I should be shooting for? How do I know what my ideal weight should be?

Jenny Craig:
Hi Kenny. There's no such thing as an "ideal" weight. But most health experts use a formula called body mass index or BMI to determine a healthy weight range. Generally, a healthy BMI is in the 19-25 range. As your BMI increases above this range, so does the risk for serious health conditions. You can calculate your BMI by multiplying your weight in pounds by 700, divide the resulting number by your height in inches, and divide the resulting number again by height in inches. (And for those of you wondering about my BMI, it's a healthy 20.2.)

Kenny:
Jenny, just calculated my BMI, it's 28.24!!!!! So I guess that is close. I'm depressed just looking at this number.

Chloe:
Multiplying my weight by 700! I'm already depressed enough!! (just kidding)

Amy:
My BMI is 20.5!

Samantha:
Mine is 19.1! Yay!

Jenny Craig:
Kenny, don't be discouraged. Losing as little as 10-15 pounds can lower your BMI and make a big difference in your health and well-being.

Karen:
I'm a mother of three and I find myself eating whatever my kids leave on their plates (which is substantial). Do you have any special dieting advice for parents with young children?

Jenny Craig:
Karen, if your children are leaving food on their plates, maybe it would be helpful for both you and them to serve smaller portions. If they want more, they can always ask. That way, you teach them to be in touch with their physical hunger and you minimize tempting food cues.

Karen:
I guess it's only fair that if I'm going hungry, they can go hungry too. There's a certain perverse justice in that. I like it!

Amy:
Oh Karen, I think that's not what Jenny was saying!

Jenny Craig:
Karen, I didn't mean to suggest that your children go hungry. What I meant was to pay attention to how much food they typically eat and to match the portions you serve them. If your children don't seem to have a regular pattern, and there are sometimes leftovers, store them or discard them

Karen:
I guess I should have added a smiley to my comment :
-)

Amy:
or a winky ;)

alwaysonadiet:
Jenny, how can you keep slim if you eat at restaurants a lot? It's so difficult to know what to order.

Jenny Craig:
Hi always -- the secret is to ask questions. Ask about ingredients, ask how the food is prepared, and feel free to make special requests.

Chloe:
I'm so unhappy with my weight, but everything I eat is non-fat or low-fat. I swear, I check all the labels of everything I buy. How come I still gain weight?

Jenny Craig:
Chloe, while controlling your fat is an important part of weight management, remember that calories count as well. As does physical activity. It's also important that you keep active on a regular basis.

Savoy:
I'm SO GOOD when I'm at work. But when I get home I stuff my face from Friends through ER. I know all this snacking is bad for me, but I can't seem to stop -- what should I do?

Jenny Craig:
Savoy, One easy way to gain control of your eating habits is by stocking your kitchen with healthful foods instead of fattening ones. When shopping for groceries, select a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables instead of processed snacks. Select cuts of meat labeled "leg" or "loin", and remove all visible fat before cooking. When choosing ground meat, look for ground sirloin or beef with the lowest percentage of fat. And stock up on whole grains like bread, cereal, rice and pasta. Also, since you seem to be eating in front of your favorite TV shows, select a designated eating place -- like your kitchen table -- and eat consciously and avoid the distraction of the TV.

Kenny:
Jenny, what do you think about substitution of ingredients in recipes? And what would substitute cream and butter?