Today I saw a commercial with Queen Latifah walking down a New York City street casually discussing how she is joining the ranks of celebs using the Jenny Craig Diet. Apparently, she is the new spokeswoman.

Kirstie's weight loss didn't really inspire me to want to go on Jenny Craig but watching Vallerie Bertinelli lose weight got my attention. Vallerie "looked" like a real woman before, during and after the transformation. She made weight loss "doable" for me.

As for Queen Latifah, well, frankly speaking...if she loses weight before I do, I am going to really be upset over it. Why? I really don't have an answer for that. I suppose it upsets me because she promoted herself as a "real" woman who was comfortable in her skin. Now, all of a sudden, she's on Jenny Craig!

Anyway, we have ALL watched Oprah battling the buldge but in the back of my mine, and I am sure many others, is the notion that SHE can afford to hire gourmet chefs and personal trainers to literally follow her everywhere she goes...and if she snacks on a crunchy treat, who'se to say that she doesn't have someone ready on the side lines calculating and planning her next strategic defense initiative!

I, like Oprah, love a crunch...and lots of texture in my foods. Her Snack Secrets (Go to Oprah.com) include a fat free , sugar free chocolate fudgescicle (for those of us who love chocolate) and hot green tea, a handful of almonds and slices of apple and Parmesan cheese in the afternoon to curb her cravings.

I look at her pictures and I say to myself, "I can do this". Furthermore, it is presented in a way that makes me feel as if I am being treated...pamperd...and I like that. I am ready to go out and buy myself a beautiful tea service set and treat myself like royalty!

I read an article that stated that Valerie Bertinelli snacked on radishes with Paul Newman's light balsalmic dressing (I am NOT a big fan of the radish) and three nights a week , she skipped her "packed" Jenny Craig diet meal and cooked "real" food, adding that she ate "more fruits and vegetables in the last five months than the last five years".

Unlike Vallerie, however, the elliptical machine was not my friend...I recently pushed mine out the front door and had my son drag that monster to the curb for trash pick up!

Kirstie, bless her heart, is not what I would say "supermodel" thin but she seems to be maintaining her new physique dispite the obvious need for either some plastic surgery and body contouring (she DID lose around 70 pounds)...

Her snacking secret? Fruit or low-calorie Jell-O with Fat Free Cool Whip. She has turned to an organic diet and claims to eat one Jenny Craig meal a day with a snack.

The Fresh Diet (i.e. Dr. Sears' Zone Diet Program), if you can afford it, is probably the healthiest , freshest prepared meal plan on the market. Its website claims that Cindy Crawford, Janet Jackson, President Bill Clinton, Howard Stern, Jennifer Aniston, Rick Fox, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock , Sara Jessica Parker , Winona Ryder, Bill Cosby, Demi Moore, and Brad Pitt are all on the 4/30/30 diet.

Once upon my lifetime, I lived in Los Angeles near a Zone gourmet kitchen and I recall hearing rummors that Jennifer Aniston was on the Zone Diet so I am inclined to believe this is true.

Unlike Jenny Craig and NutriSystem, the meals are never frozen, freeze-dried or vacuum packed...but, they ARE expensive. Afterall, "gourmet chefs" are preparing your food AND delivering them to your doorstep...

I wish I could convince myself that I can afford to have award winning chefs compete to prepare my food or stay at a Boot Camp for up to three weeks...because I am a firm believer that environment and stress reduction is imperative towards reaching my weight loss goals.

I am guessing that Kirstie, Valerie, and Queen Latifah were given Jenny Craig products to help them to lose weight. I can't imagine anyone eating Jenny Craig exclusively and paying for it.