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Optifast is a serious weight loss program for individuals who need to lose 50 pounds or more. Developed by Sandoz Nutrition (now Novartis Nutrition), it is a medically-based, liquid diet that has proven results, with over 80 clinical studies and 1+ million participants since its inception in 1974.
Optifast is not just a food-replacement diet, it encompasses lifestyle changes, counseling, and exercise. The success of the program not only shows an average weight loss (52 pounds in 22 weeks), but a decrease in cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure. Success rates vary but a five-year follow-up study showed that over 50 percent of participants who completed the Optifast Program kept enough weight off to improve their long-term health.

(1) Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

Optifast is administered through clinics staffed with physicians trained in obesity management and is intended for use in patients that need to lose 50 or more pounds. Clinics can be found across the United States and in Canada and Australia, oftentimes in hospitals, clinics and within doctor’s practices. Patients receive a comprehensive consultation with a physician to determine an individual treatment plan, including blood tests and EKG (if necessary). Ongoing support from the clinics includes counseling sessions, group discussions, and a customized activity plan suited to your fitness level.
Optifast users receive ongoing medical monitoring during the initial phase to assess progress, primarily due to the quick loss of a significant amount of weight. They also receive guidance and support in nutrition, behavior and exercise. Upon completion of the program, weight management assistance is offered when needed.
This is a three-phase program. During the Active Weight Loss Phase, which is portion controlled, calorically precise, and nutritionally complete, patients consume only meal replacements supplied by Optifast, five times per day. These come in the form of shakes, nutritional bars and soups. This is an 800-calorie per day program that contains all the vitamins and minerals as recommended by the USDA. This phase continues until weight loss goals are achieved.
The Transition Period following Active Weight Loss will last about 4-6 weeks, where meal replacements are gradually replaced by self-prepared meals. Menus and food recommendations are supplied to help you during this transitional phase.
Once the Transition is complete, Long Term Weight Management Program kicks in. This will be the basis of a healthy lifestyle, utilizing a diet rich in produce, grains and low-fat proteins.

(2) Exercise/Fitness Component (3)

Exercise and fitness are part of the Optifast program and are considered to be essential to successful weight loss management. Customized activity plans appropriate to your fitness level and schedule and provided and monitored. They recommend a balanced fitness program that covers 3 components: aerobic, or cardiovascular exercise; flexibility, or stretching; and muscle strength and endurance.
There is little available on the site on fitness. No fitness demos, videos, or the ability to chart progress.

(3) Food (4)

During the first phase you will rely only on Optifast products: shakes, soups and nutrition bars. Optifast Shakes come in both ready-to-drink boxes or in powder form in French Vanilla, Chocolate, and Strawberry flavors, 160 calories per serving. Optifast Soups come in both Chicken and Garden Tomato flavors and can be used as a substitute for a shake up to twice per day. These are powdered soups which are added to hot water. They weigh in a about 160-170 calories For those who need to chew on occasion, Optifast makes nutrition bars in three flavors: chocolate, peanut butter-chocolate, and berry with yogurt, all 160-170 calories. Costs vary, but prepared shakes and bars run about $4 per serving x 5 per day = $20/day or $600/month.
During the Transition phase, you will start preparing meals and replace shakes several t times per day, weaning off of them by the end of the stage. This will require meal planning, shopping and cooking. In the final phase, all food is planned and prepared by you.
There are recipes on the site in a variety of categories: beverages, smoothies, main dishes, soups, snacks. There is also a referral section for additional food choices, recipes and how to eat out.

(4) Ease of Use (4)

For the most part this is an easy weight loss plan, as it is monitored by a physician, you participate in groups, and food is supplied (in the form of shakes) during the long initial phase allowing you to remain outside the kitchen and away from temptation. That can also be the downside of this program however, as the shakes can become repetitious over such a long period of time. Physical activity is required, but personalized fitness plans are provided to you.

(5) Cost (2)

Membership: No “membership” per se
Food: During the first phase, $400-600/month, tapering off during the second phase
Other: This must be medically supervised in an Optifast clinic. Cost of the clinic and medical tests vary due to length of program, but typically run into the thousands of dollars. You can check with your insurance provider to see if some or all of the treatment is covered under your policy.

Curves, known as the larges fitness franchise in the world, started out as every woman's answer to exercise, providing a safe place for women to work out to a set 30-minute routine that burns an average of 500 calories. Beginning in 1992, the chain blossomed, opening 6,000 fitness centers in the first ten years and now boasts 4 million members in 70 countries. What began as a fitness regime has blossomed into more, with diet and weight loss programs incorporated into the Curves philosophy.
The brainchild of Gary and Diane Heavin, Curves was at the forefront of the express fitness pheonomenon. They believe a healthy lifestyle has three components: effective exercise, good nutrition, and a supportive environment to keep you on track. So to complete the picture for members, they introduced Curves Weight Management Plan.

1. Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (4)

The Curves Weight Management Plan is a 30-day diet plan that revs up your metabolism, allows you to eat all day long, and keeps you from getting bored with your food choices. It is meant to be utilized along with the Curves 30-minute workout for optimal effect.
The meal plan includes 5 small meals per day, which helps to keep hunger pangs at bay. The first week consists of a low-calorie phase, then you move into the second phase that will last 3 weeks. After the 30-day interval, you take a short break to maintain your current weight and boost your metabolism. Then should you need to lose additional pounds, you can invest in another 30 days on the plan.
Curves also provides free weight management classes with the Curves 30 Day Diet Plan. Begin with the Start-Up Class, progress to the Phase 3 class, and there are also special topic classes offered to help you stay on the diet, get practical tips, and move forward. There is also an online community-MyCurves.com-that comes with your membership and offers health content, exercise tips, recipes and tools to help you succeed.
Note: Each Curves is owner-operated and part of the Curves franchise. While all studios are basically the same, the knowledge of the owner and staff may vary.

2. Exercise/Fitness Component (5)

This is where Curves excels. The Curves 30-minute workout exercises every major muscle group and burns up to 500 calories through a proven program of strength training, cardio and stretching. It is performed in a Curves studio, which means that membership is required, but the studio has everything you need, along with a wealth of support from both staff and other members.
The workout itself can be toned down or amped up, so no matter if you are 17 or 70, 120 pounds or 320 pounds, the Curves workout will work for you. The machines used at Curves are made by Quickfit and are based on hydraulic resistance, meaning there are no weights to move around or pins to change out. You can drop in any day of the week, and workout as often as you want. In addition, there is CurvesSmart, a personal coaching system that uses radio frequency ID to recognize and tailor a customized workout for each member. The program provides feedback, motivation and progress reports.

3. Food (3)

You have your choice of a high-protein (carbohydrate-sensitive) or high-carbohydrate (calorie-sensitive) diet solution, with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. The Curves diet solutions recommended limiting intake of refined carbohydrates and sweets, but they say that “no foods are off-limits.” You will eat 3 meals and 2 snacks per day from a list they provide, and there is a food exchange system that makes it easy to substitute or build meals that appeal to you. No calorie counting, but you will need to shop and prepare foods. There is some guidance and recipes available.
There are no prepared meals or snacks, but there is a protein shake and supplements available.

4. Ease of Use (4)

The exercise and fitness component couldn't be much simpler. You show up to the Curves studio and follow a 30-minute circuit. The 30-day diet makes it easier to swallow due to a limited time frame, and it can be repeated until your desired weight loss is achieved. There could be more guidance on the food/diet aspect of the program.

5. Cost/per month (4)

Membership: $149 Initiation fee + $29-39/month (one-year commitment)

Food: no increase in cost




Other: Vitamins, supplements and protein shakes are available, as are the popular Curves books.

This popular television reality show has been both difficult and inspiring to watch, allowing us to cringe, laugh, and cheer all in each two-hour episode. Overweight individuals—most defined as morbidly obese—spend time competing on the Biggest Loser Ranch where they learn how to eat properly and train a zillion hours a day under the watchful eyes of Bob and Jillian. Some stumble and fall, some break through mental and physical barriers they had long given up on, and most come out stronger, more confident, healthier individuals. Most importantly, these brave contestants show us that weight loss is possible.
The show has spawned a diet program and a “Know Your Number Health Score” which is a complex health risk assessment that gauges exact disease risk, identifies “internal age,” life expectancy and estimated preventable medical expenses. There is also a Biggest Loser Resort, a weight loss destination that offers the same elements of the diet and exercise plan that are utilized on the television show.

(1) Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (4)

The Biggest Loser Club is the online version of the television show, essentially an interactive nutrition and exercise program focused on eating healthy in proper proportions and including fitness into your everyday routine. You can match what the contestants eat, learn to exercise properly, set fitness goals, and learn to make better choices. This is as much a lifestyle program as it is a weight loss one, offering tools that can change the way you eat, think and feel.
You can set personalized goals, based on height and weight and receive guidance from the many experts on the site. Customized meal plans and fitness routines are available, as are informative articles from the experts and past contestants. There is an online component, which allows you set up your goals and access them from anywhere you might be. Club participants can input food choices/calorie counts, fitness routines, and keep a personal journal. There are community forums, message boards, chats to allow you to compare notes, ask questions, and share your successes with others. There is even a Buddy system, which allows you get and provide support and challenge your buddies to a weight loss duel.

(2) Exercise/Fitness Component (5)

Anyone who has watched the television show knows that exercise is a large part of the Biggest Loser program. While you won’t have Bob or Jillian yelling at or encouraging you, there is plenty to help you get started and stay on track. The site has expert fitness advice and tips, video demonstrations, and can tailor a plan just for you, no matter your ability, fitness level or budget. There are workouts you can do in a gym or thousands of exercise How-Tos for those who choose to exercise at home. There is even a mobile app so there is no excuse to keep up while you are on the road.

(3) Food (5)

The focus is on healthy food—fruits, vegetables, lean protein, whole grains—in appropriate quantities and calorie counts. There are a wide variety of foods that you can choose from on this diet. There are no frozen, fresh, or freeze-dried prepared meals to order. There are no protein shakes or snack bars. The primary source of your food will be the grocery store, meaning planning, buying and preparing your own meals. All food is readily available at your grocery store and there really should be no increase in the cost of your food bill.
The site does have easy to follow meal plans, easily customized based on preferences and allergies. There are recipes, meal ideas and shopping lists to make the task easier.

(4) Ease of Use (5)

Both the food and fitness components are laid out for you and come with expert and community support. Both can be modified to your particular needs and lifestyle. You will have to learn portion control, measuring and weighing food at first until you get accustomed to amounts. Overall, the guidance and the program seem easy to follow.

(5) Cost/per month (5)

Membership: $19.98 (with auto renewal every month)
Food: no increase
Other: books (see list below)

SparkPeople, considered by some to be one of the world's leading health and fitness online portals. It was founded just 10 short years ago by Chris Downie, a successful internet entrepreneur. Having benefited from being an early eBay employee, he and his wife have taken their wealth and are now “using their earnings…to make the world a healthier place.” Which explains why the services on this site are completely free.
With 6 million members in 150 countries, SparkPeople offers diet and nutrition advice, fitness tools and services, along with motivation and support for people looking to lose weight. They even have separate sites for teens (SparkTeens) and pregnant women (BabyFit).

(1) Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (4)

This is a one-stop shop for people looking to lose weight, become fit, and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It doesn't subscribe to one type of diet or program, but rather encompasses a wide variety, helping you to find what works best for you. The site also keeps you up to date on the latest general health news, has an A-Z health dictionary (created by the faculty of Harvard Medical School), and Conditions Centers-which are in-depth guides to a variety of health conditions, making it a good all-around site for all your health needs.
There are personalized diet and fitness plans, most of which are easy to follow. SparkPeople also employs a team of professional dietitians, fitness coaches and chefs to help you reach your goals. Each weight-loss success, big or small, is viewed as a "spark" or incentive to continue in the weight loss journey and as a metaphor that problems can be overcome. This is part of why this program is so beloved, because it excels in its motivational format-cheering you on at every turn.
SparkPeople is also big on community, with forums, message boards, blogs, and success sotries. They have a Woo Hoo! button to announce your triumphs and a Panic button for emergency use.There is also online help with tools for tracking calories and physical activity, healthy recipes, as well as diet and recipe applications for iPhone, Android, and Blackberry phones.

(2) Exercise/Fitness Component (5)

There is a strong exercise component on this site, which features fitness plans, a workout generator, workout tracker, and both videos and exercise demos.
There is a personalized fitness tracker that allows you to set goals and then input your daily steps and mileage walked, strength training, cardio training and then provides you with daily and weekly totals. There are also fitness maps where you can create your own routes or go in and trace a route you have walked to get total distance. You can then calculate your speed and calories burned. Overall, a very cool feature I have not seen on other sites.
The site has a good number of exercise videos and demos, from beginner to advanced, home and gym workouts, with everything from simple calf stretches using a chair to more advanced upper body weight lifting.

(3) Food (4)

The site provides you with your own page for Nutrition Goals. You can set it up to track calories, carbs, fat, protein, cholesterol and whole host of nutrients. At the end of the day it tells you how you did, whether you came in under calories, over carbs, or were low on folate. It also tracks your progress week by week.
You can use SparkPeople's Meal Plans, based on dietary restrictions (sodium, vegetarian, now fish, etc.) to set up personalized meal plans (although no prepared meals are provided, you must shop and prepare your own food). Within those meal plans you can modify and substitute either a whole meal or individual items. Don't like tilapia? No problem, you can substitute salmon or one of 60 other items to take its place. Don't want to schlep a meal to reheat at work, then choose from one of the pita sandwiches or fresh salads to make. Then based on the meal plan you choose (including substitutions), a shopping list is generated for you for the while week.
Also available is a Dining Out Guide to help make smart choices at popular chain restaurants and a pretty comprehensive Recipe Finder with over 245,000 recipes. The Recipe Finder allows you to do a typical search for recipes based on a food item (chicken, broccoli), but goes a step further allowing you to further drill down options by choosing cuisine type (Asian, Mexican, Italian, etc.), dietary restriction (vegetarian, low-cal), calorie count, prep time, cooking time, and more.

(4) Ease of Use (4)

There is a lot to take in on the site, as it has so many different components. It will take a significant amount of time to become acquainted with all it has to offer to and determine those facets that best suit your needs. I also found that the site was slow to load on the three different occasions that I accessed it. But if you are patient, you should be able to find what you need, from the calorie count of a banana to a 6-minute butt-blasting workout.
This site is set up to be accessed at least once, if not multiple times per day: to check the daily meal plan, and input water consumption, food consumption, exercise and activity. Some may find this difficult, while others may benefit from seeing tangible results, exactly how many calories they are taking in and expending.

(5) Cost/per month (5)

Membership: none
Food: none
Other: Book, The Spark (optional)

The Duke Diet is a self-care plan comprised of four components: diet, fitness, behavioral strategies, and medical expertise.
The Duke Diet is an online weight-loss program based on the established Duke Diet and Fitness Center Residential Program founded in 1969 in Durham, North Carolina. While it can cost in the neighborhood of $7,000 (plus accommodations) for a month’s stay at the Duke residential program, you can buy the book and sign up online and be on your way to an average 3-pound weight loss per week. In addition to losing weight, this program is designed to improve your overall health, utilizing and integrating four components: diet, fitness, behavioral strategies, and medical expertise.

(1) Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy

Touted as more of a self-care plan than a diet plan, much of what comprises the Duke Diet are common sense factors backed by guidance and information from experts in each of the four weight-loss components. The healthy diet is personalized to each participant based on their needs. You will have access to a meal planner and recipes to help you integrate foods into your lifestyle.
The fitness component encourages the use of predetermined fitness routines that can be modified. Exercise is a crucial component to weight loss and overall health and is strongly encouraged as part of the Duke Diet program. Behavioral strategies that have been proven to work and help you mentally break the barriers that led you to weight gain are the third component. In addition to access to experts, there are online forums for support and inspiration and weight loss tools available that can help keep you on track. Medical experts provide additional guidance and advice based on recent weight-loss studies and findings.

(2) Exercise/Fitness Component

The Duke Diet has a strong fitness component and exercise is an integral element to the overall program. Regular exercise is both expected and encouraged. You can choose from pre-determined fitness plans that can be modified based on your needs, ability or lifestyle. Routines typically incorporate cardio exercise and flexibility and strength training, and sample exercise videos, as well as a full exercise library, are available to guide you through the learning stages.

(3) Food

The primary source of your food will be the grocery store and you will be responsible for preparing each meal. The Duke Diet offers two eating plans to choose from; the traditional Duke Diet and a Moderate Carbohydrate Plan (and you can switch between the two for variety). With both diets you will be reducing fat and carb intake, and eliminating items such as white bread, most sweets and fast foods; however, nothing is off-limits completely, but moderation, portion control and lower-calorie versions are employed.
The Duke Diet utilizes six food groups: proteins, healthy fats, healthy carbohydrates, dairy, veggies and fruits. Meal plans include 3 meals per day, as well as 1-2 snacks. The team of experts at Duke does all the meal planning, developing a daily meal plan that is based on your nutritional needs. Additionally you can learn how to customize your own plans to vary meals and utilize available local and seasonal ingredients. The web site offers over 400 healthy recipes to choose from and to keep from getting bored.
Over a period of time on the diet, you (re)learn healthy habits. Your intake of calories will be reduced and you will adjust to the requirements of the diet. This should serve you well long term, making it easier to choose healthy food options.

(4) Ease of Use

There are four components to integrate into your life, and it may take the average person at home some time to utilize all four in a meaningful manner. You are also responsible for cooking your own meals, rather than buying commercially prepared diet foods, but the meal planning and recipe database will assist you. Overall, you should have a pretty easy time if you do your homework, read the book, and use the web site to its full extent.

(5) Cost (per month)

Membership: minimum $20/mo, additional cost for personal coaching
Food: no increase
Other: Available on the Duke Diet site

The Atkins Diet Plan gained popularity in 1972 with the publication of Dr. Atkins Diet Revolution. Dr. Atkins, the founder and former Executive Medical Director of The Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine, was one of the first vocal proponents of a low-carbohydrate diet. Long a voice for nutritional medicine, that first book has spawned newly revised versions as well as diet variations such as the South Beach Diet.
The diet’s popularity has waxed and waned over the last several decades and has come under fire from certain parts of the established medical and nutrition communities, due to its higher intake of cholesterol and calories from fat. But is has proven fairly effective for those that have followed the diet faithfully.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

This Atkins Diet weight loss (and weight maintenance) program is based on the theory that your body needs more protein and less carbs. It is rooted in the science of eating fewer refined carbohydrates and refined sugars – what we refer to as ‘bad carbs.’”
The Atkins Diet Revolution gives you the tools to change your eating habits, adopting a permanent lifestyle change that helps you lose and maintain your weight without having to count calories (although you will have to learn to gauge carb counts). Dr. Atkins believed that you would feel better, look better, and be re-energized by following the basic tenets of the diet.
There are 4 stages of the Atkins Diet Plan:
•    Induction: lasting for 2 or more weeks, very restrictive
•    Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL): lasting until your weight loss goal is within 5-10 pounds
•    Pre-Maintenance: occurs during the last 5-10 pounds of weight loss
•    Lifetime Maintenance: once desired weight is achieved
While the program is somewhat restrictive in the initial stages, this allows your body to slowly ramp up and adjust to a new way of eating. The food you eat allows your body to target fat stores to be used for energy, rather than carbohydrates. Carbs turn to glucose to fuel your body. If you restrict your intake of carbs, the body will look elsewhere for that fuel, which means that energy will instead come from the fat stores in your body.
While you don’t count calories on Atkins, you also don’t eat unlimited amounts of calories either. There still needs to be some control, as the whole idea of taking in as many calories as you expend still holds true. You are just going to get those calories from different sources. The difficulty here is finding and adjusting to those foods. This includes the time it may take for shopping and preparation, as well as providing variety so you don’t get stuck eating eggs every morning for breakfast.
Unlike Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig, there is no storefront or office, no counselors, no meetings. There is a comprehensive website, which allows you to join for free and receive their newsletter, use their forums, and get support from the Atkins Community.

Exercise/Fitness Component (0)

While there is no specific exercise regimen or fitness component, Dr. Atkins believed that exercise, as well as nutritional supplements, were vital to the success of the diet. Exercise is critical to your overall health and well being, and if you read any of the books on the diet, this will be reinforced. But it is up to you to find what works. The books and site do not tell you what to do or how to do it.

Food (5)

The primary source of your food will be the grocery store. Atkins does have some snack foods (Atkins Day Break Bars, Atkins Advantage Bars,  Atkins Endulge Bars),  nutritional drinks (Atkins Advantage Shakes), and two low-carb cooking products (Atkins All-purpose Baking Mix, Penne Pasta), most of which are available at your local grocery and through the website.
The official Atkins book and website all have food guidance areas, as well as recipes. You can also easily find cookbooks at the library and bookstore and recipes online in various places. It is not difficult to follow or find products you can eat, and due to mandatory labeling of food, you can easily determine carb counts of food items.
All this means that your monthly grocery bill will not skyrocket due to expensive meal plans or frozen dinners, although it may increase somewhat due to the higher intake of higher valued protein items. Most of the dishes you prepare can be eaten by the whole family, so no additional or separate meal necessary. Eating out is not terribly difficult. Restaurants are happy to replace starches with veggies, and even fast food outlets like In ‘n’ Out make protein-style burgers, wrapped in lettuce.

Ease of Use (5)

Once you read about the diet and understand the phase you are about to undertake, the diet is easy to follow. You rarely feel hungry. The downsides:
•    You have to cook your own meals, rather than buy commercially prepared diet foods, but there are shortcuts which can be easily found.
•    Learning to count carbs

Cost (per month) (6)

Membership: No cost
Food: slight increase
Other: book, cookbook

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Weight Watchers is another of the old-time standby diet programs, with over forty years in the business and an estimated 1 million followers across the globe at any given time. One of the reasons this weight loss plan has continued success is the focus on overall health: mental, emotional and physical.
Weight Watchers provides the tools and guidance to change the way you eat and live. Rather than tell you exactly what to eat, they provide the information, knowledge, tools and motivation to help you to make healthy food decisions and engage in an active lifestyle.
Group meetings are held worldwide to help you through the weight loss process, but even if there isn’t one near your home or place of employment, you can find community and support online.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

The four tenets of the Weight Watchers program are Eat Smart, Move More, Helpful Habits, and Get Support. In the Eat Smart category, Weight Watchers provides common sense advice, Weight Watchers PointsPlus program that allows you to choose what you want to eat, and prepared meals available for purchase at supermarkets, online, and in Weight Watchers Meeting Locations. There is also an extensive listing of recipes and meal suggestions available in books, at meetings, and online.
Helpful Habits are built on learning what is best for you body, nutritionally and otherwise. By changing the way you live, and developing healthy eating habits and exercise routines, you can take the weight off and keep it off long term. Weight Watchers wants you to sustain the weight loss, not bounce up and down on the scale.
Support is offered to help you reach your Weight Watchers goal. Members are encouraged to attend weekly meetings that include confidential weigh-in, information about weight loss and healthy habits, and will allow you to share with other members and gain insight and ideas into weight loss.
If you do not live near a Weight Watchers center, you can follow Weight Watchers Online, which is a customized online weight loss plan that you follow-step-by-step.

Exercise/Fitness Component (2)

Weight Watchers recognizes exercise can be a very important part of the weight-loss journey While on the plan you can earn additional PointsPlus values by exercising. Weight Watchers Online offers workout ideas, sample exercise demos, articles on basic fitness and exercise modalities and tips to learn to love exercise, an important component of the program.

Food (4)

Weight Watchers employs a PointsPlus program and assigns values to hundreds of foods, both prepared and fresh, based on protein, fat, fiber, and calories. You use these PointsPlus values to keep track of what you eat. It's not too terribly complicated or different from counting basic calories or carbs, but it does require you to be vigilant and stay within your points "budget." The new PointsPlus program is based on new scientific research and means that most produce—both fruits and veggies—will count as zero PointsPlus values. This means you can snack on grapes, enjoy juicy mandarins at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and double up on the lettuce for your salad.  The PointsPlus Program encourages the addition of more fruits and vegetables into the diet, which are healthier and can help fill you up faster and better than other low-calorie foods. In addition to the healthy produce, the plan emphasizes lean meats and whole grains, both components of any healthy diet.
Another feature, to help you plan and shop—and keep within your PointsPlus target—is the addition of “power foods.” Weight Watchers makes it easy for you to find these easily in the supermarket by providing detailed options in every section of the store, from the cereal aisle to the dairy case. Over 40,000 real life branded products are listed on the site, helping you to choose the items that are lowest in points and healthiest for you.
Weight Watchers allows your to prepare your own foods utilizing their extensive recipe collection, or you can purchase prepared foods at your supermarket, Weight Watcher meeting location or online. There is also a Dining Companions (a book for members) and phone applications to help you track PointsPlus values at restaurants, including items at national chains like Applebees, Olive Garden, Quiznos, Dunkin Donuts, and McDonalds, among others.
Prepared food includes chilled ready meals (available at Hannaford Markets, Stop&Shop and Giant Food stores), cheese, yogurt, frozen ice cream items, cookies/brownies/muffins, bread/English muffins, pita, and frozen Smart Ones meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner options).

Ease of Use (4)

You have the choice of meetings or using Weight Watchers Online to help you learn all the things necessary to follow the program and change your lifestyle and eating habits. All-encompassing, you will to relearn about food, how to calculate PointsPlus values, and the motivation to stick with it.

Cost (per month) (5)

Membership: Yes, fee varies.
Food: Slight increase. $
Other: none