Are Weight Loss Programs Worth the Money?
It’s officially a New Year, and many of us are setting goals for ourselves. Aside from the financial goals I’ve set (save more, cut my food costs, plan my wedding on a tight budget), I’m also setting a goal of losing 30 pounds. Since weight loss is a common goal for people around the New Year, I wanted to do the math to find out if weight loss programs are worth the money.
According to MSN Money, the diet industry rakes in over $30 billion a year. But why do people spend that much money on weight loss?
There’s no shortage of options when it comes to weight-loss programs. The key is finding a program that fits your lifestyle and budget. Of course, you could always go the old-fashioned route, reducing calories and increasing exercise, but many dieters benefit from added structure and support, not to mention the accountability that accompanies an organized program. (There’s nothing like a little peer pressure to keep you motivated.)
The MSN Money article goes on to compare the cost of losing 30 pounds with the most popular weight loss systems in the US. For Jenny Craig, the cost is $399, not including your food. For NutriSystem, the cost is $1,199.80. Some food is included in the cost, but you still have to buy produce. Weight Watchers is $214.80 to $299.80, depending on where you live, and the costs do not include food.
None of these programs fits my budget, so I am sticking with the tried and true method of eating less and exercising more. I found a free diet journal online that lets me track how many calories I consume, and then it tells me how many calories I’ve burned with exercise. Web MD also has a free food and fitness planner to help you calculate how many calories you need to eliminate in order to loose weight according to your current lifestyle.
The one thing that these free websites don’t provide is peer support and accountability. That’s why a friend and I are taking the New Year’s challenge together. Each week we’re going to be e-mailing each other our stats to keep each other on track. We both have very different fitness goals, but having a friend hold me accountable is definitely going to be the key to my success.
How about you? In your experience, are weight loss programs worth the money? Or have you been successful with a DIY approach to dieting? I’d love to hear any suggestions you have.
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During my lifetime, I have tried weight watchers meetings, weight watchers online and DIY. I also had a roommate who used Nutrisystem. For me, DIY is the most effective but weight watchers online is probably second. I used sparkpeople when I did myself online and I found it the most helpful. It included both a community and free online tools. Honestly, a weight loss program only works if you are willing to work it. You can order Nutrisystem both if you don’t eat it is waste.
Serena: First, congrats on making the commitment to be healthier in 2009. I lost 40 pounds 5 years ago (a combination of Jenny Craig and the influence of Jeanine’s good food habits). Over the years I’ve gained back 15 of it. I continue to struggle with food every day. It seems to get harder too – the older we get. It boils down to eating better and eating less.
I agree with Liz, that sometimes the DIY method works best, but in my opinion you still need a buddy to be accountable to and buddies can be free. If Jenny Craig is the buddy, she’ll cost you. The free buddy can be equally effective. Write down everything you eat and report in to someone every day (either an online forum or to your partner)… this was the only thing that seemed to work for me.
Good luck with this goal! I’m right there with you trying to lose 15 pounds in the New Year.
P.S. Maybe we should be food buddies!? Jeanine has grown weary of being the food police…
With the onset of winter and cold weather, though I haven’t gained any weight, I’ve lost several pounds of muscle. While at school, I no longer feel pressured to get in my six or so hours a week of climbing because I don’t have friends I’m meeting three times a week.
In the same vein, my former physics teacher, whom I’ve kept in touch with, is now also working on losing a tremendous amount of weight (he weighed over 350 lbs and was told he’s at high risk for a heart attack) as quickly as possible. He is employing a professional service, but noted that the true strength of the program is in the mandatory weekly meetings and the mandatory check-in. With the constant supervision, he says he’s had no problem staying on track.
Liz – thanks for the link to Sparkpeople. This looks like a really useful resource and I will definitely be looking more into it.
Nina – thanks for the support. Food has always been an issue for me. I was anorexic all through junior high and high school. I have clearly swung in the opposite direction now – I LOVE food and cooking. I put on the weight during culinary school. They should put that in the orientation – you’ll gain 30 pounds learning how to cook. I dropped 20 pounds when I went vegan and was vigilant about it. This is going to be my strategy, along with daily exercise.
Elizabeth – I hear you about needing friends to motivate you to exercise. And when you’re outside of your regular routine, it’s a challenge. I just ordered the Core Rhythms Latin Dance videos with my Christmas stocking money. I’m going to work it into my daily routine – right after 2 cups of coffee and watering the garden.
In late summer 2001, I stopped eating as much of the comfort food and started swimming a few times a week.
This was my pre-fitness regimin. I lost about 10 pounds. No one noticed but me.
Then I did a program called the Six Week Body Makeover. Meetings with trainers 3-5 times a week at the gym, a gym membership, and eating 6 times a day on a tailored diet that was basically higher protein and lower carbs. Most carbs were for lunch.
I lost about 25 pounds. 15 in the first six weeks, and the rest later on.
The cost for the program was $600, which included the gym membership for 3 months and 6 of the trainer tandem sessions. At that time, it was $25 an hour for each additional session.
So it cost me about $1,000 and I lost inches in all the right places and gained them in good places too (I’m a guy).
I kept that weight off for 4 and a half years. So it was really worth it.
Right now I’m more flab than fab after a few major life changes and an injury, but, like you, I’m looking at what would work right now.
The in-person program costs a lot more after all these years, but there’s an online, DIY version where they send you a book to map your goals and tailor a menu yourself. You can Google to check it out. I think it’s under $150 and there’s an online community so you can ask questions of people doing the same thing.
I’ve also heard that Weight Watchers has an online program with point counters and support, too. I’m not a big fan of the WW diet, so it looks tempting until I think about food.
Well as a Health Coach I’d have to say yes they are. Many folks need to learn portion control and they need support in transitioning to a healthy way of eating. Additionally weight problems are a lot of the time not just about food and a good coach will provide a well rounded program and support.
I didn’t believe I could lose weight so I put off dealing with my increasing weight since I started to gain in my 30’s. I’ve been ‘curvaceous’, ok ‘pleasantly plump’ since then!
Last year though, my blood pressure became borderline (probably a combination of overuse of decongestants, surgical menopause and advancing age), and, given I am tired of having lost my waistline, I tried Medi-fast. The year before, btw, I tried Nutri-System, which wasn’t something I could stick to at all (the food sucks in my opinion).
The Medi-Fast is the first plan to work for me. I lost 22 lbs. in the fall. Stopped right before the holidays because it does get ‘boring’ too, to a point. I am starting Medi-fast again in the next week or so to lose the other 25-30 lbs. I need to lose. Started to gain a few too over the holidays, but that’s not bad considering.
I am horrible at keeping up with my exercise (I am building a business and I’m working too many hours). So Medi-Fast is working for me at this time. The convenience is really helpful.
Once I lose what I need to, I am sure unless I drastically change my daily activity I’ll be always having to be vigilant. You can use Medi-fast for maintenance too.
BTW, I am not an affiliate or receiving any commission from Medi-fast for sharing all of this info!
Good luck to everyone in finding a plan that works for them. Even if it stretches your budget a bit, if it works for you, consider it. Now that I found something that is ‘realistic’ for me to follow, I am succeeding and the confidence I gained by losing the initial 22 lbs will help me do the rest. Also – going to shop for clothes and seeing my size drop 4x’s was cool too!
Also – I just have to say that I started feeling so good after losing some of the weight and my blood pressure is normal again too!
You get what you pay for – the great thing about the systems that are already out there is that you save time having to pull it all together yourself. For example, with medi-fast i can get online and use their resources, i can call their coaches and my personal coach and the plan makes it simple to grocery shop as most of your meals are sent by them.
As I’ve rediscovered my waistline, I am feeling sexier too! hehehehe
Barb, congrats on doing something to get your health back. Best of luck meeting your goal. It sounds like you’re right on target.
Gib, congrats to you, too. It sounds like you found a really great fitness program.
Pam, you have a really good point about portion control. That really is the key. Most people have misconceptions about how much meat is a realistic portion. A healthy portion of meat is 3-4 ounces, or about the size of a deck of cards, not these huge burgers and steaks you get when you eat out.
Well yes restaurant portions are insane. And as Barb says the Take Shape for Life (Medifast) system covers all the bases. I’m delighted for Barb! I’ve found it very rewarding to be a health coach with Take Shape for Life.
Hey I’m 17 and in the tristate area. Can anyone tell me where I can find a good program to lose weight. I’m trying to look for something that can keep the weight off. All I know is that there is a weight watchers not far from me, but other than that I don’t know. Im wishing to find other more effective programs.
Ps: good luck serena =)
Another thing that works well is to remove all unhealthy foods from the house.Obviously a handful of fuit or nutscan stay, but ice cream,chips and candy ect. must go!
Recently online weight loss programs have gained a lot of popularity. You can work from the privacy of your own home and save on gas and commuting time to the gym. I was particularly impressed by this one and appreciated the free information. Check out their extensive library of articles by registered dietitians and other fitness experts on the behavioral psychology of weight loss. I liked the “eating style makeover”. There are other articles such as how you may be sabotaging your weight, keys to permanent weight loss, why we eat when we shouldn’t, and what to do when diet and exercise aren’t enough. They also post for free hundreds of NASM exercises with animated computer modeling that require minimal equipment. If you need the next level of motivation or are looking for feedback, they can help you put together an individualized plan that will suit your body type and lifestyle (not free but inexpensive). They have other services which include the option to add a body monitoring device, personal coaching options (not free, but inexpensive) and (coming)a social component which is great for keeping on track. I was amazed at the scope of this site and the multidimensional approach offered to health, fitness, weight loss, etc. It is very get and stay fit.