How to Choose the Right Weight Loss Program

With more than fifty sites reviewed on No1Reviews.com relating to weight loss and healthy living we understand that it can be difficult to know which one is perfect for your needs. The following ‘Buyers Guide’ should give you a good idea what to look for (and what to avoid!) in a weight loss program, to help you make a decision about which one is right for you.

What are online weight loss programs?

Online weight loss programs are, in essence, a type of diet, fitness and healthy living plan that users follow using online materials and support. It is difficult to give a comprehensive guide to what every online weight loss program will be like, as there are a myriad of differences between all of the sites we review, especially those in our top ten. All sites however, offer a healthy eating plan that is based on a balanced diet or limited calorie intake, while many combine this with an appropriate fitness plan too. Other sites go a little further, and have turned their program into an entire online community which comes complete with a vast range of features including motivational support, expert advice, videos, demonstrations, recipe sharing and more.

Key Features

As we have indicated, there are a number of different elements that may constitute an online weight loss program, and not every site will include them all. To make choosing the right site for you even easier, we list here the most important elements to take into consideration, so that you can decide what’s most important to you.

1. Diet Plans

Diet plans form the backbone of almost all weight loss programs. Many programs rely on pre-existing diet plans that have been produced by many of the industry’s leaders. Other sites have hired expert nutritionists and dieticians to develop diet plans that are unique to a particular site, or loyal to the theme that a particular program works with. Many sites combine both of the above approaches, allowing users to have access to a wide range of diet plans which can be combined to produce the best results.

2. Fitness Plans

While not every site combines dietary advice with fitness advice, many of the programs we have reviewed do so. It certainly makes good sense to advise users on both fitness and diet, as they are inevitably linked when it comes to weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Many of the fitness plans that feature on the programs we have reviewed are developed by industry experts and are appropriate to any skill or fitness level. In particular, look out for programs that offer additional fitness features such as a ‘virtual trainer’ or ‘fitness appraisal’, which can help ease you in to regular exercise, especially if you are new to the gym!

3. Meal Delivery Plans

Meal delivery plans offer an easy way to follow a particular diet program, without the stress of following shopping lists or recipes, or even having to cook meals at all! While not all weight loss programs offer such services, they are essentially the same in all instances – you order food for the week from a pre-defined menu of meals and snacks, all of which is calculated to-the-calorie, and it is delivered to your door ready for you to heat and eat. Whilst this is not ideal for everyone, and can often be expensive, for many, it offers a fantastic way to stick to a diet plan without the temptation to stray!

4. Community Support

Many of our users report that one of the best features of a good weight loss program is that it still allows users to engage with one another, as they would if they were members of a community weight loss group. Users are supported by other members and can share their stories, tips and advice, in order to improve motivation and encourage success. Look out for sites that include such features, as we’re confident that they can help you to succeed.

5. Expert Advice and Help

Weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a complicated business, and, if you fail to follow appropriate advice, you can occasionally do more harm than good. We think it’s important that users can ask questions about their progress and get advice from experts in the industry, as such features mean that members are far more likely to succeed (and be healthy whilst doing so).

Benefits of Online Weight Loss

Many of our users may have already tried losing weight through a number of different methods, such as diet books or weight loss community groups. While these methods are often successful, they are not ideal for everyone, and there are a number of benefits specific to online weight loss programs that may help you decide if you would like to give it a go. Many users prefer the privacy that online weight loss provides – there is no need to attend community groups in person for weigh-ins, for example. This doesn’t mean that users don’t feel part of a community however, as many of the online sites have a number of community features. Similarly, users also report that online weight loss seems less time consuming, as users simply login from their own homes to update their information and follow the plan. With a constantly updating set of resources, many of our users report that online programs are more flexible and useful than diet books, and the combination with fitness and motivational features means that users of online sites feel that they have a real chance to succeed in losing weight.

Help and Technical Support

Although it’s unlikely you’ll encounter any substantial problems whilst using many of the larger weight loss programs, technical support does retain some importance. Look out for sites that offer technical support by email and phone, especially those that offer support 24/7. FAQs are also important to help you solve common issues.

Pricing

Naturally, as with many of the sites and products we review, there is a great deal of variation in the pricing structure and cost of the weight loss programs featured on No. 1 reviews. Generally, users should work on the assumption that the more features offered by a program, the more expensive it will be. This however, is not universally true, and the larger a site is, the more likely it is that the membership fee will be reasonable despite a burgeoning features list. Check out our reviews to get up-to-date ideas of what membership of a particular program will cost.

The Bottom Line…

As with most of the products we review, there is a significant difference between the sites in our top ten and those that don’t feature as highly, both in terms of features and price. We would advise all users to be sure of their long-term weight loss goals, and choose a program that has the correct blend of features in order to achieve them. Similarly, identifying your personal weaknesses (lack of time, or lack of motivation, for example) can help you in making a decision, as many sites will have features specifically intended to combat these problems and make the process of losing weight considerably easier.

Reviews of the Best Weight Loss Programs

How to Choose the Right Weight Loss Program