No matter what anyone tells you, trying to lose weight is not easy. It requires consistency, determination, and a whole lot of willpower. Many turn to fitness coaches in gyms like Mountainside Fitness as well online programs for help.
If you’re thinking of spending money on subscription weight loss programs like Noom or Jenny Craig, this guide may be able to help you choose the right one for your weight loss journey.
But before anything else, understand that there’s no single best approach to weight loss. We are all different and what may work for one person may not necessarily work for you. Moreover, you need to make sure there’s variety. Diets have a higher chance of success when they offer variety of foods so you don’t feel like you’re missing out. Finally, choose a diet that is enjoyable and interesting so you’ll actually look forward to it every day instead of feeling miserable.
That said, here are the best weight loss programs around:
1. WW
WW, formerly known as Weight Watchers, is a weight loss program that has been around for decades. It will help you become more aware of how to make positive diet changes. It also offers plant-based diet plans, among its range of plans.
You can enroll in the Digital program which costs around $3.38 / week. There’s also the Digital 360 which costs $4.61 / week. And finally the Unlimited Workshops + Digital combo which costs $6.92 / week.
What makes WW one of the best weight loss programs out there is that their programs are sustainable and not perceived as restrictive. There are also group meetings and weigh-ins so you’ll be encouraged to keep going and become more accountable.
What we don’t like about the WW program is that it may encourage poor eating habits since it focuses more on calorie consumption and not the ingredients/nutritional content of what you’re eating.
2. Noom
Noom refers to itself as the “Weight Watchers for millennials.” It uses the the stoplight approach, and assigns colors green, yellow and red to foods depending on the quality of nutrition it offers. This app tracks your physical activity and food intake, and at the same time helps you shed pounds without necessarily restricting your food.
Noom’s prices depends on which payment plan you choose but we’ve been told it’s $59 if you prefer to pay each month but it can also go as low as $129 if you pay for 4 months in advance. There’s also a 14-day free trial.
Noom helps create a sustainable diet by logging your food and getting tips from weight experts. Plus it also has a strong online community in social media platforms. However it may not work for someone who is not active on social media or has an eating disorder since calorie prescriptions and food categorizations can create bad habits.
3. Nutrisystem
This done-for-you weight loss system offers premade meals and snack packages delivered straight to your doorstep. Pricing starts at $300/ month but could go much higher depending on which plan you choose. It’s very convenient and easy to stick to the program. However, Nutrisystem doesn’t seem to embody crucial elements required of successful weight loss and may not be something you’re willing to follow long-term. Moreover, we’ve been told the prepackaged meals have a lot of salt so be careful about your sodium intake.
4. Jenny Craig
Jenny Craig is also a done-for-you weight loss program, except that this one costs more than Nutrisystem. The cheapest plan they have costs $390/month for 2 meals a day. The Complete Weight Loss Plan package which comes with 3 meals and snacks plus some coaching is $690/month. If you want convenience and good portion-sized foods then this program is an option you may want to consider. However, it can be quite expensive.
Check out this Jenny Craig review: