For those of you who lead busy busy lives and who can think of loads of other things to do apart from cooking and food shopping then perhaps these diet plans are right for you. So, if you are a busy executive type or someone who detests cooking and food shopping perhaps you are in for a treat.

There are a number of similarities between the Jenny Craig Weight Loss Programme and The Nutrisystem Diet Plan. They both cost approximately the same amount i.e. $10 per day however Jenny Craig does ask for a membership fee which can vary depending on what special offers are available. For example, they do a special offer of "$35 for 6 weeks." For this however Jenny Craig does offer personal support in the shape of a local councillor who you can meet up with you on a weekly basis or can discuss your needs by telephone. With Nutrisystem you can only contact the councillor by telephone or online and not in person. I personally would appreciate someone to meet up with and discuss issues I may be having with the programme. In the past when I went to Weightwatchers and went along to a class every week where the councillor was always very positive and motivational. I feel that you need all the support you can get when trying to lose weight.

Jenny Craig and Nutrisystem offer a similar system in that they both provide a wide variety of meals which are pre prepared and packaged for you. They come with the correct amount on protein and are low on carbohydrates and calories. You will find that the portions are probably smaller than you eat normally but that is because we all eat too much!! On both plans you are allowed to eat certain things in between, like fruit and veg or low fat yoghurts. (Remember though that a lot of low fat yoghurts have a lot of sugar in them so be careful! Try natural yogurts with fresh or tinned fruit.)

These plans are very convenient and save on food preparation time, and you will find you don't spend as much time at the supermarket and therefore spend a lot less money as you won't buy all the unnecessary goodies that you normally buy - you know the ones - yip you guessed it - the ones that make you fat!! However if you have a husband/partner and three kids then you will probably still have to shop for them. Don't then give in to the temptation of buying things you like yourself. You have to really want to lose weight and stick to these programmes to be successful.

In conclusion and from our research we favor Jenny Craig - why? Because the meals are less bland and whilst it does cost a little more there is the major benefit of being able to discuss problems with/be motivated by your councillor. Remember, the success of any diet plan will depend on its suitability for YOUR circumstances and most important your perseverance and commitment - you'll also most certainly attain better results if you twin with a buddy.