Weight Loss Programs: Reviews

Updated January 2012

If you're overweight, losing just 10 percent of your body weight will help decrease your risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. To point you in the right direction of more healthful eating for life, ConsumerSearch evaluates all the hottest weight-loss programs to find the ones that can help you reach your goals.

Weight Watchers

Best weight-loss program overall

*Est. $30 to join, plus weekly fees

Estimated Price

Easily outshining the competition, Weight Watchers promotes a sensible diet, exercise and a positive attitude, and has been proven effective in a variety of scientific studies. The program can also be customized for those with special dietary needs, including gluten intolerance. In-person group meetings are the plan's cornerstone but they aren't mandatory; online support is available, as well (*Est. $19 per month). Dieters must keep strict track of their calorie intake via a point system, which puts more focus on whole foods and fiber-rich fruits and vegetables. Overall, Weight Watchers has a vastly better record than any other diet plan. Weekly fees vary based on location, but average $13 to $15 per week.

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Jenny Craig

Best prepackaged diet plan

*Est. $30 per month, plus food costs

Estimated Price

Finding the time to cook and follow healthy eating habits you're not used to are common obstacles for dieters. Jenny Craig remedies this by delivering prepackaged food to your home or office, and offers support from counselors and fellow dieters. Experts say dieters may regain weight once they stop purchasing Jenny Craig meals, but counselors can help with the transition. One of the biggest criticisms of the plan is its cost, which is estimated at $1,600 per 13 weeks. If you can afford it, Jenny Craig is a proven and very convenient weight-loss method. If cost is a concern, Slim-Fast (*Est. $20 per week for meal-replacement shakes/bars) is also effective, although users found the food hard to stick with for a prolonged period.

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"The Volumetrics Weight-Control Plan"

Best diet book

*Est. $5 for the book

Estimated Price

Although the Volumetrics books haven't received as much hype as some fad diets, experts and users alike praise this program for its sensible, sustainable approach to dieting. It encourages the type of healthy lifestyle change experts recommend for not only losing the weight but keeping it off long term, and readers are pleased with the focus on satiety. Volumetrics focuses on replacing dense, high-calorie foods with low-density foods such as fruits, vegetables, soups and stews. Most users appreciate the tips for reducing calorie intake without giving up favorite foods, and experts praise the recipes. If you can't stand calorie-counting, Bob Greene's "The Best Life Diet" (*Est. $6) also gets excellent reviews.

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eDiets.com

Best online weight-loss community

*Est. $19 per month

Estimated Price

Experts overwhelmingly favor eDiets.com as the best online weight-loss community. High points include its support of dozens of commercial programs, chat rooms for commiserating with other dieters and Q&A sessions with experts, and unlimited one-on-one counseling with a registered dietitian. However, some users complain that eDiets.com isn't always transparent about costs and fees. Although most experts reviewed just the online portion of this service, eDiets.com also offers a meal delivery program (*Est. $162 per week) that did very well in taste tests but draws criticism for its high price. SparkPeople.com is a free diet website that also gets high marks from experts and users, but it doesn't offer the same one-on-one counseling opportunities that eDiets.com does.

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