Weight Loss Programs: Reviews

Weight Watchers is the top choice in reviews, and it has been subjected to the most clinical studies. This program encourages a sensible diet consisting of healthy foods, exercise and a positive attitude. Weight Watchers… is also flexible, which makes it easy to follow, and its cost is reasonable for a commercial program. In-person group meetings and weigh-ins are the cornerstone of the Weight Watchers diet plan. The food plan requires strict calorie control, but it does not require the purchase of prepackaged food. Weight Watchers offers high-carb and high-protein variations of its classic plan. Critics of the plan say the idea of counting dietary "points" does not necessarily encourage healthier eating. But overall, Weight Watchers has a vastly better long-term record than any other diet plan.

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If you need meals on the go or don't have time to prepare healthy foods, Slim-Fast shakes (or bars) are nutritionally sound, and the plan does produce weight loss -- at least in the short term. The trouble is that while… most people can stick with Slim-Fast for a few months, most can't adhere to it for longer than that. Following the full diet plan requires the purchase of prepackaged shakes and bars and then cooking one meal a day. The plan is convenient, but it can be costly and there's not a lot of variety.

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Reviews tap eDiets.com most often as the top online diet program. It's convenient and a good choice if the idea of weekly weigh-ins and group meetings makes you squirm. EDiets.com supports dozens of commercial diet… programs. It also provides plans for those with special dietary restrictions, access to community features like peer-group chat rooms (an extra $2 per week) and personal advice from registered nutritional counselors. Some supplemental programs may incur additional costs. On the downside, eDiets.com can feel overwhelming. Its website is busy and ad-heavy, and they're not very forthcoming about fees. We had trouble finding a page that outlined, in straightforward fashion, a list of all their plans and prices.

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Dean Ornish's plan is the best-known all-vegetarian diet out there. Originally designed to reverse heart disease, Ornish's diet has been extensively studied and recommended. It is low in salt, low in fat and high in… vegetables and whole grains. Experts say that you will likely need more fat in your diet eventually than is initially prescribed. On the downside, its menus and recipes can be dull. Non-vegetarians might find this diet requires too drastic a change in eating habits to stick with it.

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