I'm always trying out new weight loss programs. I think that, between me and my friends, we've tried them all... Atkins, Sugar Busters, The Zone, Cabbage Soup Diet, Skier's Diet, Master Cleanse, and more! We've all learned from our weight-loss attempts that some work, some don't. Some I love and some I hate... So, here are my** five favorite weight loss programs** that I've seen be really the best!
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Weight Watchers ...
Weight Loss: 1-3 pounds per week
Cost: Registration and weekly meeting fees vary by location, but average is $25-$35 to join and $13 a week. This does not include the cost of any food... just for meetings.
What I Think: I've been on Weight Watchers several times, and so have lots of my friends. Basically, you use a point system to determine how much you can eat each day. I think Weight Watchers is great for a lot of reasons. First of all, I love it because all foods are allowed... since there aren't any forbidden foods, I'm not tempted to cheat on those things I'm not supposed to have.
Also, a lot of companies are partnering with Weight Watchers, so they put the points right on the labels, which makes it easy for me to make the right choices. Also, saving points is really neat... I have saved points for the weekend before if I knew we were going out to eat somewhere great.
But, the downside of this program for me was the point calculations... I had to carry the little booklet and paper calculator in my purse all the time, and keeping up with the points got confusing for me. Also, the weight loss on this program has always been slow (but steady) for me and my friends... between one and three pounds a week. Learn more at the Weight Watchers website.
NutriSystem ...
**Weight Loss: **3-5 pounds per week
Cost: $10 per day, or about $300 per month, for food program, plus cost of extra food like produce.
**What I Think: **My husband and I went on NutriSystem a few years ago before I had my daughter, and we had a lot of success using it! My husband lost 20 pounds, and I lost 35 pounds... which of course I gained back when I got pregnant! What I loved about this program was the convenience, convenience, convenience!
All your breakfasts, lunches, dinner entrees, and snacks are shipped to you each month, and everything is microwaveable. It was so super easy to stick to this diet... all we did was add a little milk, fruit, and salad in addition to the prepackaged food, and we were done! It was also really easy to stick to it at work because it was so easy to grab and go with the little microwaveable meals.
The downsides for us were that you really can't go out to eat... there was no way for us to really stick to the plan at a restaurant. Also, we thought it was a little expensive... it was about $800 for both of us by the time we ordered two boxes of food and bought produce and dairy at the store. Read more about it at NutriSystem.
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Jenny Craig ...
Weight Loss: 1-2 pounds per week
**Cost: **$359 per year membership, plus cost of food (between $12-$18 per day)
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**What I Think: **I tried Jenny Craig one time, and I did lose about 15 pounds on it. Jenny Craig is a program very similar to NutriSystem where you eat prepackaged foods mixed with some fresh items. You also go to meet with a counselor, kind of like Weight Watchers.
I liked the food in the Jenny Craig program... some of the frozen entrees were really, really good. I loved the cheesecake! I also thought the vitamin supplements were really healthful, too. Bottom line on this program? I thought it was too expensive to only lose one pound a week.
It does work, and I did lose weight on it, but it took me about three months to lose fifteen pounds, and I really don't need to pay a big fee for that kind of weight loss. I've had several friends that have been on Jenny Craig, and they've all had the same results, but two of my girlfriends just love the program and wouldn't do anything else. Read about it yourself at Jenny Craig.
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Medifast ...
Weight Loss: 4-7 pounds per week
**Cost: **$275 per month
**What I Think: **I tried Medifast for only about a month after I had my daughter, and I lost seventeen pounds during that month. Medifast is similar to NutriSystem in that you order prepackaged foods and you don't have to go to meetings. I liked Medifast because it allowed me to eat several small meals throughout the day.
I ate five Medifast meals, meaning prepackaged foods only, and one "lean and green meal", meaning a prepackaged entree with salad and/or vegetables. I liked eating the little meals every two to three hours because it kept me full, and I felt like I was getting a lot to eat. I also did lose about the average of what Medifast advertises... they say you can lose 15 - 30 pounds a month, and I probably could've lost more if I exercised.
Why did I quit Medifast? I really didn't have time to eat those six little meals once I went back to work after my maternity leave. I just couldn't squeeze in the little meals throughout my work day... so, I wound up skipping them, getting really hungry, and cheating on the plan. So, if you've got a job where you can make time to microwave your little meals three or four times during your work day (or if you don't work), Medifast would be something to think about. Check it out at Medifast's website.
Slim Fast ...
**Weight Loss: **3-5 pounds per week
**Cost: **Six cans of Slim Fast shakes cost around $8.00, so about $2.50 per day plus food.
**What I Think: **I've gone on Slim Fast several times throughout the past ten years. I really like the convenience and ease of the Slim Fast plan! What I do is drink a shake for lunch, a shake for dinner, a small snack (maybe a Slim Fast bar), and a sensible dinner. I like Slim Fast for a lot of reasons.
One, it has a lot of fiber in it, so it fills me up and keeps me regular! Also, it is so super easy for me to grab a shake and go... I love being able to drink that quick breakfast as I'm running out the door. Some of my friends think the shakes are gross and taste powdery, but I love the taste! The chocolate and vanilla are my favorites. Actually, now that I'm writing this review, I think I'll go back on Slim Fast!
There are a few drawbacks... I would get bored after a month or so of just drinking the shakes for lunch, and I'd want to eat what my friends were eating at the lunch table. Also, sometimes my sensible dinners were not so sensible! But, overall, I love Slim Fast, and many of my friends and I have lost weight on it. Learn more about it at Slim Fast.
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Okay, those are my five favorite weight loss programs. I've lost at least fifteen pounds on each of them, and I know they all work. Try one and see which you like best! Do you have a favorite program that I haven't tried? Post it below and I'll give it a shot!
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