Weight Loss Programs

Weight Loss Programs
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Weight Loss Programs

If your weight loss program doesn’t include eating less and exercising more, it’s not going to work no matter how scientific the claims are. Here are some of the more popular weight loss programs:

  1. Weight Watchers - People have been losing weight healthily since 1963 with Weight Watchers. Weekly meetings gives emotional support–a key component of weight loss–to those who need it. The Weight Watchers easy-to-follow point system allows flexibility and choice. In addition to weekly meetings, Weight Watchers has evolved with technology and offers online counseling and food tracking. Visit Weightwatchers.com for more. (In 2005 I went from 220 to 185 following the weight watchers program. As you can tell by my handsome photo at the top of the page, I’ve kept most of it off).
  2. The Biggest Loser Club - You’ve probably seen the TV show. You may have even been inspired. You may also be skeptical; after all, the people on the show have personal trainers, isolation, and a support group. According to its website, the Biggest Loser Club gives you the next best thing: “a customized menu and activity plan, including recipes, perfect portion sizes and exercise routines that have been carefuly designed based on how, when,, and what you like to eat and do.” Active message boards and buddy challenges provide an online support group.
  3. Nutrisystem - The key to Nutrisystem’s success is it’s a plan. You plan out a 28-day menu. They deliver the food. The program comes with a free online community and weight tracker.

More Weight Loss Programs

  1. The Zone - The secret to the Zone diet is hormonal balance. The Zone recommends foods that produce hormones that produce satiety and eliminate foods that produce hormones that produce hunger. Chances are if you’re not hungry, you won’t eat as much.
  2. Jenny Craig - Jenny Craig combines the support group concept of Weight Watchers with the strict diet planning of Nutrisystem to help people lose weight. The good folks at Jenny Craig provide a weekly consultation and help dieters transition from the plan to “real life.”
  3. The Pizza Diet - Normally the words pizza and diet do not go together. The owner of a pizza shop in Florida got tired of people at the gym ragging on him for handing out pizza coupons at the gym, so he created the pizza diet. The pizza diet involves one hour of intense exercise six days a week. It also involves eating one slice of pizza–wheat crust, low fat cheese, and vegetable toppings recommended–every three hours. The diet’s creator lost 30 pounds in just over a month. He then rode his bike from Florida to New York City to promote it.

Even More Weight Loss Programs: Online Programs

  1. Livestrong.com - Lance Armstrong knows a little bit about fitness and overcoming challenges. He’s created a website to help you do the same. Although Livestrong.com is not a specific weight loss plan, it contains thousands of articles from health professionals that can help you apply the fundamentals of weight loss. The site contains healthy recipes, a food tracker making tracking what you eat almost fun, a data base of thousands of food, over 20,000 recorded exercise loops with the ability to create your own loops, and numerous other weight loss support gizmos. For competitive individuals, Livestrong.com allows you to accept dares for motivation. And while your there, feel free to donate to cancer research.
  2. Sparkpeople.com - Chris Downie, although not as famous as Lance Armstrong, has the same goal as Lance–to help you achieve your weight loss and fitness goals. The site is absolutely free and contains a calorie counter, meal planner, fitness programs, a motivation system, feedback reports, and thousands of articles. The Daily Spark, Sparkpeople’s blog, provides daily tips and motivation to keep you going strong. Sparkpeople can also help you with your finances, teenage fitness, and baby fitness.
  3. Cyberdiet.com - Cyberdiet provides many of the same tools as the other two sites. You can sign up for a free diet profile, evaluate your eating and fitness habits, follow a personalized exercise plan, and learn how to handle emotional eating, stress, and motivation.

Which Program is Best?

The best weight loss program is the one you’re going to stick with. Research different plans before choosing one. Use these suggestions for choosing the right plan:

  1. Find the company’s website. You can find information and reviews for practically any weight loss program. Find the best fit for you.
  2. Ask someone who’s tried the program. Perhaps you have a friend who’s succeeded with a weight loss goal. Find out what he or she did.
  3. Find one that allows you to eat the foods you eat. If you love pasta and the diet plan you choose prohibits pasta, you’re probably going to fail.
  4. Have a support group. Find people who will support you, even if they’re online people.