By Alex Nunez on January 2, 2010 in
With the arrival of each new year comes a fresh batch of resolutions. For many people, dropping some extra pounds will be a key goal for 2010. Experts say that if you're serious about losing weight, skip the diet pills and fad diets -- the former simply don't work and the latter aren't healthy. Ideally, you'll want to start a weight loss program that's flexible, based on real foods and that supports and encourages a healthier lifestyle.
To that end, Weight Watchers is considered the best weight loss program overall, boasting a good long-term record of effectiveness. Not all experts are sold on the program's signature "points" system, however, saying that it doesn't truly promote a broader lifestyle change centered around healthy eating. Plus, Weight Watchers' weekly fees can add up quickly. Diet plans based on prepackaged foods and shakes aren't considered to be optimal, since they generally don't result in better eating habits over the long term. That said, they can be effective in the short term, and they are convenient to use. Slim Fast is the best-reviewed weight loss program that uses prepackaged foods. Its shakes and bars are nutritional, but there's not a lot of variety and at around $40 per week, the program is expensive.
Dean Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less program (*Est. $10 for the book) is all-vegetarian and was designed to combat heart disease. It's been deemed very effective at promoting weight loss and overall cardiac health, but buying into it means you'll need to make a dramatic lifestyle change. Ornish's program is very strict and its recipes lack variety.
Read more about these and other weight loss programs in our newly-updated full report.