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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

With ten years, over a million members, and almost 6 million pounds lost, eDiets has seemingly become the internet's hottest diet site. This is probably due to the reliance of the stability and proven nature of existing weight-loss programs. There is a wide variety of offerings in the diet category, including eDiets Weight Loss Diet, Slim Fast Optima™ Diet, Eating for Life™, Mediterranean Diet™, and many more.
Originally focused on diet alone, the site has expanded to include a fitness component. Membership helps you determine which already proven diet is best for you, and provides you with a fitness program that will fit your lifestyle and interest. Membership is required but there are at least 8 choices for membership, ranging in cost from $1/week for the eDiets support program to $4.99/week for the Diet, Fitness & Recipe Club. In between is the any combination of diet, recipe and fitness memberships ranging from $2-3.99 per week.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (4)

The strength of eDiets is in their personalized (although algorithmic rather than human-based) diet assessment. You fill out a diet profile, which takes into consideration your current weight, health, nutrition needs, and exercise preferences. eDiets will then provide you with the diet(s) that best fit your desired weight loss and lifestyle.
Once a weight-loss plan is established, eDiets has the tools to help you start and maintain that specific diet. They have also introduced the Healthy Living Program, which provides prepared meal plans for dieters with specific needs, such as vegetarians, high cholesterol, hypoglycemia, heart disease, lactose-intolerant, and more. The one downfall of this site is that it tries to be all things to all people, and in doing so it can be difficult to navigate around and understand everything, like it would be with one single diet.
There are no storefront eDiets centers, as everything is done online. But the site does provide assistance in the form of support boards, forums, and live chats. You can order food, meals, supplements, and even fitness DVDs and accessories. There is opportunity to ask a dietician or trainer specific questions, and the site provides recipes, a dining-out guide, and even workout music choices.

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Exercise/Fitness Component (5)

Again, a personalized fitness plan is included in eDiets. The plan is formulated based on your likes and dislikes and weight loss goals. You can join a monthly membership plan that includes a fitness component and have access to a personal trainer online, as well workout plans and videos. You can purchase fitness equipment and DVDs on the eDiets site, as well.
In addition, eDiets has recently included Bob Greene's "Get with the Program!" Fitness Plan. Bob Greene is famously known as Oprah's personal trainer, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on how Oprah's waistline looks at any given time.

Food (4)

There are two choices in the eDiets program when it comes to food. You can enroll in the Healthy Living Program, which is a prepared meal delivery service or you can prepare your own food, based on the diet that fits your personal needs best.
The prepared meal delivery service offers over 100 selections, none of which are freeze-dried or powdered. Full of lean protein, fruits and vegetables, and/or "smart" carbs, the meals are calorie- and portion-controlled. The plan covers 3 meals plus 1 snack per day, with choices such as muffins or French toast for breakfast; flatbread pizzas or chicken for lunch; fish, chicken or lasagna for dinner. Each delivery contains one week's worth of meals. Plans start at $19.95 day, and while you get full, freshly prepared meals this does add up. At a cost of $600/month, that would translate to $2400 for a family of 4, which is about 4 times more than an average family would spend per month.*
If you choose to prepare your own meals, you primary source of food will be the grocery store. The amount or money and time you spend and the complexity of meals is based on the specific diet that is chosen for you. Menus, recipes, and dining out guides are available to assist.
*Based on 2007 U.S. Census median annual income of $50,233 with a national average of 14% of income spent on food.

Ease of Use (5)

Once you figure out how the site works, and complete your diet and fitness assessments, the site does most of the work for you. Diet and fitness plans are assigned, meal delivery service or meal plans are provided, as is a fitness regiment. A dietician and personal trainer are available, as are live chats and forums to answer specific questions.

Cost (per month) (3)

Membership: Yes. Varies by plan from $4-20, billed quarterly
Food: $600 for the Health Living Meal Delivery Program; insignificant or small increase in food costs if using other diet programs
Other: Books, DVDs, supplements, etc. available but not necessary

BistroMD (formerly known as Diet To Your Door) was designed by Dr. Caroline Cederquist, a medical doctor who specializes in weight management. The director of the Cederquist Medical Wellness Center in Florida, she also hosts "Get the Skinny," a radio health segment available nationally. Dr. Cederquist has also appeared on the Dr. Phil Show, and BistroMD has been endorsed by the famous doctor himself, calling it the "best home meal delivery available." In addition. BistroMD is the official meal provider for the popular reality show, The Biggest Loser.
The BistroMD weight loss plan, originally based out of the Florida Wellness Center, went national in 2005 and has been well received. BistroMD takes the guessing out of dieting and meal preparation by doing all the work for you. You decide on a delivery plan, key in your likes and dislikes, and gourmet, portion-controlled meals show up on your doorstep, helping you to lose weight in a health way.

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

The approach of BistroMD is to provide you with good tasting, well-balanced food that allows you to lose weight, proving that you do not have to live on rice cakes and steamed veggies or powdered shakes and protein bars for months on end. It is designed for dieters who are busy or who do not like to cook, but do enjoy eating gourmet food.
Clients begin with the free diet profile evaluation, which helps to personalize a plan. Next step is the Order section where you choose from one of BistroMD's customized weight loss plans. Ordering meals is easy, either online or by phone. Then sit back and wait for delivery. No counting calories, carbs, points or keeping track of 6 meals per day. The daily calorie count varies from 1,100 to 1,400 calories and it is unlikely you will feel starved or deprived while on the BistroMD meal plan.
Losing weight comes from minimizing calorie intake. BistroMD believes that you need nothing more than what is provided in their daily meal plan, and that you can lose one to three pounds per week, merely by sticking to the food provided. Should you choose to add in an exercise program, weight loss could increase.
There are special sections for women's needs (losing the baby weight, menopause weight gain, treating eating disorders) and for seniors (multiple topics). Registered dieticians are available for clients to help with weight loss. You can actually talk with them by phone or online. There are no storefront centers or offices, unless you live within distance of the Cederquist Medical Wellness Center in Florida, so interaction is solely online or by phone.

(2) Exercise/Fitness Component (0)

There is no exercise or physical fitness component to this weight loss system.

Bistro MD Gourmet Diet Delivered To Your Door. It’s a proven strategy that works! Losing Weight Has Never Tasted So Good!

(3) Food (4)

BistroMD provides doctor-designed, portion-controlled gourmet meals that are prepared with fresh ingredients and then frozen and delivered by FedEx. The meals are formulated to help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, improve heart health and kick-start your metabolism.
Plans start at $129.95/week for the Work Week Plan, which includes 3 meals a day for 5 days. You can add 2 snacks/day for $15/week. If you want the Full Week Plan, which includes 3 meals a day for 7 days, the cost is $159.95. Add in snacks to this plan and you get the highest priced plan at $179.95. This averages out to about $25 per day (and over $700 per month for the most extensive plan), about 4 times more than America's average* and one of the costliest meal delivery weight-loss plans.
Weekly menus, which are rotated and can be customized, primarily contain lean proteins, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. You can enjoy mixed-berry crepes for breakfast, French Dip with caramelized onions for lunch, and grilled Moroccan chicken for dinner. The food looks appetizing and there is a good range of flavor profiles from around the world. Customization is offered for diabetics, low sodium, vegetarians, etc. and you can select specific likes and exclude specific items (such as seafood or dairy).  Meal preparation is easy, just take out of the freeze and heat in the pouch in boiling water or in the microwave.
*Based on 2007 U.S. Census median annual income of $50,233 with a national average of 14% of income spent on food.

(4) Ease of Use (6)

The BistroMD site is very self-explanatory. It walks you through the few necessary steps to choose a plan and meals. Membership allows you to further customize the offerings. There is no regular grocery shopping, recipes to read or meals to cook. You do not have to count calories/carbs/points.
While meals are on auto-renewal until you decide you do not want them anymore, you are not locked into a one-month, three-month or six-month membership.

(5) Cost (per month) (3)

Membership: none
Food: $520 to $720 plus incidentals
Other: none

The Medifast program, founded in 1980, set out to break the popular myths about dieting by helping the prospective dieter understand the true pitfalls and how to avoid them, and providing the tools and prepared meals to achieve weight loss. Rather than promoting a crash diet, weight loss is targeted at up to 20 pounds per month. With almost thirty years in existence, the Medifast program has been recommended by over 20,000 doctors and helped more than 1 million people.
Medifast Weight Loss Plans are customized for men, women, and diabetics. There are also specific guidelines for teens, seniors, nursing mothers, patients with gout, and those who have undergone bariatric surgery. The plans include portion controlled, nutritionally balanced, low-fat meals, snacks and drinks.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

Medifast is marketed not only as a weight-loss program, but also as a lifestyle change. Initially, dieters begin with the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan. On this plan you eat 5 Medifast prepared meals and 1 self-prepared “lean and green” meal per day. Depending upon your health and your lifestyle, Medifast offers 6 different 5 & 1 Plans: Standard, Men, Women, Diabetes, Meatless, and Exerciser.
These plans are designed to put your body into mild ketosis, a fat-burning state which helps you achieve your goals quicker. Typical results on this plan are a loss of 2-5 pounds per week, which seems attainable given the severe calorie limit of the Medifast plan. Typical daily 5 & 1 plans provide only 800 to 1,000 calories per day. This is probably one-half to one-third of what a typical American consumes in an ordinary day.
The Medifast website offers free help in many tangible forms, as well as program enrollment and package deals for purchasing their meals and drinks. Most notable of the free support is the ability to sign up to receive a free session with a Health Coach; not a physician, but a mentor that can stay with you throughout the program if you enroll in their “Take Shape for Life” program.

Exercise/Fitness Component (1)

Exercise is also encouraged as a “necessary component of weight management and overall health.” While Medifast provides a 26-page Exercise Guide, available for pdf download from their site to help you get started, or maintain, an appropriate exercise program, there is not proper fitness component included in this program.

Food (3)

The Medifast diet is comprised of Medifast meals that are individually portioned and calorie-controlled. The bonus here is that you get to eat 6 meals per day, so you are, theoretically, never hungry. Called the 5 & 1 Plan, you eat 5 Medifast prepared meals (with over 70 choices) and 1 self-prepared “lean and green” meal per day. Depending upon your health and your lifestyle, Medifast offers 6 different 5 & 1 Plans: Standard, Men, Women, Diabetes, Meatless, and Exerciser.
The meals, most of which are freeze dried, are designed to provide you with all the nutrition you will need in a day, including the proper ratio of protein and carbohydrates. Each meal is easy to prepare and easily transported, which is of benefit to those who work and have busy lifestyles. In addition, Medifast bars, shakes, and snacks are available, also portion and calorie controlled. The downside here is that these are not freshly prepared meals, not even frozen. It's more like those meals you take camping, so these may not appeal to everyone.
Meal cost runs about $11/day per person, or $299.50 when you buy Medifast Variety Packages. In addition, you will need to foot the bill for (and prepare) your daily "lean and green" meal. This translates to about $14/day, and for a family of 4, that would total a whopping $1600+ per month, 60% more than an average American family spends.*
Once you have achieved your goal, Medifast has a Transition Plan, which spans 8 weeks and takes you from the 5 & 1 Program, down to a more normal 3 & 1. It also adds additional fruits and veggies to round out meals. After the 8-week Transition, there is also a Maintenance Guide to help you keep that weight off.
The Medifast website has detailed lists of food suggestions, a meal planner, and recipes which will help you adhere to the low-fat, low-carb, low-calorie system. You may also use their free weight loss tracker.
*Based on 2007 U.S. Census median annual income of $50,233 with a national average of 14% of income spent on food.

Ease of Use (5)

There is not a whole lot of thought required on this diet. The majority of meals are easily ordered and come pre-prepared. You just add water and heat or refrigerate. You will have to shop for, and prepare, the "lean and green" meal. There are also Medifast Weight Control Centers in 6 states, where you can get a health profile review with personal counseling and purchase Medifast meals.

Cost (per month) (3)

Membership: None
Food: $300-400
Other:

The Sonoma Diet, created by Connie Gunderson R.D., Ph.D., is a weight loss plan that promotes using smaller plates and portions to enjoy Mediterranean-style foods as the way to a slimmer waist and healthier lifestyle. The diet is not meant to be one of deprivation and avoidance. You can still enjoy a glass of wine and many of your favorite foods, just in a more moderate amount.
The premise of the Sonoma Diet is based on the eating habits and foods of the Mediterranean. It “emphasizes eating a generous variety of foods that boost your vitality, protect your heart, and improve your overall health.” You eat wholesome, fresh food inspired by Southern European cuisines, that is easy to find and prepare, rather than nutrition bars, protein drinks, and frozen prepared meals.
There are no Sonoma Diet Centers, but there is an informative online site, The Sonoma Diet book (also available on CD), and a cookbook available to help you in following this weight loss plan.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

The diet is managed in three phases, or “waves.” Wave 1 is the kickstart to the diet and lasts for 10 days. This is probably the most difficult part of the diet, learning to eat differently in smaller portions, but it also claims to be the wave with the fastest weight loss, which gives you immediate gratification and impetus to move to subsequent waves.
Wave 2 is the eating plan that is considered the long haul. You will continue on the second wave until target weight is achieved. This is the slow and steady weight loss portion. You will be retraining your palate, learning to eat new foods in new ways, and adjusting to portion control. Once you reach your desired weight, the third wave or maintenance phase begins.
During Wave 3, you will continue to eat similar foods to Wave 2, but with those occasional indulgences and variations.
You have the choice of the classic book or CD approach, including an additional cookbook that is available, or a sonomadiet.com membership. Either approach has plenty of information to help you transition to a healthy diet with portions that will help you manage your weight.
There is a “free analysis” online which requires that you provide your personal information: height, weight, age, gender, target weight, and answer some basic questions about your eating habits and history with diets. They then provide you (gratis) with your body mass index compared to the healthy index for your peer group and invite you to become a member. If you become a member, you will have access to their 14 online tools: Meal Planner, Printable Shopping Lists, Over 500 Recipes, Food Diary, Weight Tracker, Recipe Search, Eating Guides, Wine Guide, Portion Guide, Day-by-Day Support, Message Boards, Weekly Q & A, Exclusive E-mails, and Online Dietitians.

Mediterranean Diet Plan: Eat well and get fit. Get 500 recipes, 14 tools and advice!

Exercise/Fitness Component (0)

There is nothing on the site about exercise or fitness in the Sonoma Diet. The book touches on the topic briefly, but this is not an essential or required part of the program.

Food (5)

The Sonoma Diet does not provide you with either frozen, fresh, or freeze-dried prepared meals. There are no protein shakes or snack bars. It will be your responsibility to buy and cook each meal on your own, but you also have the ability to eat out within reason.
The Mediterrean diet concept focuses on lean proteins, hearty grains, and fresh vegetables prepared in a way that doesn't feel restrictive and allows joy with what you are eating. You should not feel deprived, and while there is portion control for some foods, the calorie restriction is better than most—in the 1200-1400 calorie range.
During the first wave carbs and sugars are restricted, but that is for the short term only. Once you enter the second wave, your plate will be full and you can enjoy the occasional glass of wine and piece of chocolate, as well as more fruit.
There is also the concept of "Ten Sonoma Diet Power Foods," items that are low in calories and high in nutritional value. The recipes revolve around these power foods, most of which are common in Mediterranean cooking: whole grains, almonds, bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, grapes, spinach, blueberries, strawberries and olive oil.
All food is readily available at your grocery store. There is really no increase in the cost of your food bill, and in fact there could be a decrease as you will not be buying prepackaged foods, cookies, ice cream, and other high-fat, high-calorie, overprocessed items. The website is full of recipes, and both the Sonoma Diet book and Sonoma Diet Cookbook provide ample easy-to-prepare dishes. Both also have helpful pull-out diagrams of plates and percentages for each type of food.

Ease of Use (5)

Once you read about the diet and understand the three waves you are about to undertake, the diet is easy to follow. You should rarely feel hungry. There will be a learning curve on the foods to choose and portion control, as well as preparing and combining them in a healthy manner.

Cost (per month) (5)

Membership: $20
Food: no increase
Other: Sonoma Diet Book or CD, Sonoma Diet Cookbook

As with any diet program, do your research first. Go to the library, s

The South Beach Diet is a weight-healthy lifestyle designed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a cardiologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of Miami. Originally developed as a weight-loss plan for his overweight heart patients, he found additional health benefits that led to further diet research and refinement. Thus the South Beach Diet was born.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

There are three basic “phases” to the South Beach Diet:  (1) Eliminate Cravings and Kickstart Weight Loss; (2) Lose Steadily, and (3) Maintain for Life. In the first phase, which lasts two weeks, you will eliminate cravings for sugar and refined starches and jump-start your weight loss. This is done by eating nutrient-dense, fiber-rich foods, including lean meats, low-fat dairy, veggies, and eggs. This is similar to the Atkins Diet, where carbs play a very reduced role in the diet.
The second phase of the South Beach Diet is where you will lose the weight. You will incorporate some “good” carbs into your protein-rich diet, still be able to snack, and can either prepare your own food, use South Beach diet recipes, or buy commercially prepared South Beach diet foods. This phase lasts until you have reached your weight loss goal.
The final phase is maintenance, adopting the South Beach lifestyle for life. This kicks in once you have reached your weight loss goal. You take what you learned in the second phase—making smart food choices, assessing portion control, learning to cook in a healthy fashion—an apply it to your everyday life. This phase is less restrictive on carbs, but still dependent on a low-carb, high-protein diet. You should be able to maintain your weight loss in this final phase.
Unlike Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig, there is no storefront or office or meetings. There is a comprehensive website, which allows you to join discussion groups, find a diet buddy, and read success stories. The site also has Nutrition Counseling in the form of online dieticians who can answer questions.

Exercise/Fitness Component (5)

As part of your South Beach Diet, you will need to incorporate exercise. To this end, there is the South Beach Diet Fitness Club. You will be provided a complete fitness routine that emphasizes core, cardio, strength, and flexibility — all the moves you need for a fit and healthy body. Features of the Fitness Club include a daily walking routine and Pilates-based core movements (with pictures and step-by-step video instruction). There are exercises for every level and there is no need for fancy equipment or an expensive gym membership, although you can utilize both if you have them.

Food (5)

A bonus of this diet is the website. As a member you will get daily meal plans and food suggestions. You will also have access to a recipe widget and large inventory of recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. South Beach Living food products are available in most grocery stores throughout the country and include cereal/snack bars, meal replacement bars, pizzas, wraps, and cookies. South Beach has also teamed with Kraft Foods and has lists of recommended food items that can be used for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks or dessert, expanding your range of food and making it easier to incorporate into family-style meals.

Ease of Use (4)

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 what is a good and bad carb, counting those carbs.

Cost (per month) (5)

Membership: No cost
Food: slight increase (South Beach diet foods and snacks are higher priced than traditional foods, and the elimination of many cheaper “bad” carbs)
Other: book, cookbook

The Zone Diet, created by Dr. Barry Sears, is a somewhat scientific approach to dieting, which at its core focuses on controlling the hormone levels in your body that are key to weight control and health. The basic tenet, in bold headlines on the Zone Diet website is that it "… is not a diet. It’s a healthy, balanced lifestyle."
The concepts behind the diet take some time to understand (Zone Blocks, SuperZone vs. Zone foods), but there is plenty of straightforward information to walk you through it on their free online site. It focuses on the components of food and how they should be consumed for optimum health and weight control.

Basic Diet Tenets/Nutritional Philosophy (5)

The Zone Diet is about balancing your hormones within a specific range to control hunger on fewer calories while still getting the proper nutrients your body needs for long-term health. It is a moderate carbohydrate, moderate protein, moderate fat diet that has approximately 1 gram of fat for every 2 grams of protein and 3 grams of carbohydrates (also known as the Zone 1-2-3 Method™). These ratios represent the newest dietary recommendations from the Joslin Diabetes Research Center at Harvard Medical School for the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
With the right balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats, you can control three major hormones generated by the diet – insulin, glucagon and eicosanoids.

• Insulin – A storage hormone. Excess insulin makes you fat and keeps you fat. It also accelerates silent inflammation.
• Glucagon – A mobilization hormone that tells the body to release stored carbohydrates at a steady rate, leading to stabilized blood sugar levels. This is key for optimal mental and physical performance.
• Eicosanoids – These are the hormones that ultimately control silent inflammation. They are also master hormones that indirectly orchestrate a vast array of other hormonal systems in your body.

The Zone Diet website is a large, comprehensive site that lets you diet cheaply from the information it provides. There will be some ramp up time if you are new to the clinical principals the diet is based upon, so plan on spending some time reading the book or cruising the website before beginning your new diet.
With a free membership come all the resources of the site: recipes, meal planner, body fat calculator, forums, newsletters, tips and more. You can also shop online for Superzone foods, Zone foods, and supplements.

Exercise/Fitness Component (1)

Exercise, 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, is also recommended as part of the Zone lifestyle balance. While there are encouragements on the site in the form of a sample workout, testimonials, and articles on fitness, there is no structured program or component.

Food (4)

The balance of food for a Zone meal starts with a palm-size portion of low fat protein, adds twice as much favorable carbohydrates and a little good fat. Generally this equates to 1/3 of your plate being protein and 2/3 of your plate being fruits/vegetables/good carbs, with a splash of healthy fats thrown in. Low-fat protein examples are skinless chicken, turkey, fish, very lean meat, and tofu. Favorable carbohydrate examples are most fruits and vegetables, oatmeal, and barley. Good fat examples are olive oil, almonds, avocados, and fish oil.
The way that the Zone Diet meal plan works is that you have "food blocks." This reminds of the Weight Watchers counting points system. The system assigns you the number of blocks available for a meal. For an average woman's lunch that would be 3 protein, 3 carb, and 3 fat blocks. This is reasonable for the protein portion, which would equate to 3-4 ounces of meat, but the carbohydrate portions seem a bit out of whack. If you were to choose 3 blocks of artichokes, you would have to eat 12, with broccoli - 9 cups, brussel sprouts – 4.5 cups, cauliflower – 12 cups, or alfalfa sprouts – 30 cups. This could pump up your food bill considerably, what with the cost of artichokes at $1/per.
There are SuperZone and Zone foods and supplements available, however they can be costly. The majority of the Superzone bread products—bagels, breakfast rolls, sandwich rolls—come in a five-pack and cost $12.50. Five packages of pasta or pizza crust will set you back $25. Snacks (5 to a package) are also $12.50. Zone Nutrition Bars (in 9 flavors) and shakes (in 6 flavors) ring in at $35.95 per 14-pack.
For the most part you will be responsible for preparing your own food. There is guidance through recipes, meal planners, and the website offers tips and suggestions to make it easy for you to dine out, so you are not restricted to eating at home. There are even food suggestions for eating at many fast-food restaurants.

Ease of Use (3)

The 1-2-3 concept is not difficult, but employing food blocks and determining meals can be complicated. There are no prepared meals. Once you spend time on the diet, these things should become easier to manage and be more routine.

Cost (per month) (5)

Membership: Free
Food: slight increase when purchasing a portion of Zone products each month
Other: Over a dozen books are available for purchase

Diet to Go isn't a specific diet plan, but instead a food preparation company that provides a meal delivery service of foods based on a variety of diets. Begun in 1991, it has shipped almost 1,000,000,000 meals to homes across the United States. The meal plans are nutritionally balanced, prepared fresh, and delivered to your door, removing temptation, allowing you to focus on other lifestyle changes, and eliminating the need to count calories.

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

Diet to Go aims to provide you with healthy, tasty, lower cost prepared food options to help you meet your weight loss goals. The meal programs are compatible with traditional weight loss programs, such as Weight Watchers, Atkins, and South Beach.
Meals are assembled fresh with high quality ingredients. Food is within the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association recommended maximum daily salt intake of 2.4 grams (with a few small exceptions), stays under 16 grams of saturated fat per the USDA, and contains adequate protein. The meals are a bit low on fiber however, with the sample menu I reviewed having between 11 and 20 grams, whereas the average woman needs 25 and man 38.
On the average, Diet to Go customers lose from 2 to 3 pounds per week while on the full meal plan. Many start out on the 1200-calorie plan and as they reach their goal weight they transition to the 1600-calorie plan. Once they know they can maintain their weight loss, they can start cooking on their own. The Diet to Go program provides them with the knowledge of what food is healthy, tasty, falls within calorie boundaries and there is a clear sense of portion control.
When placing your first order, Diet to Go evaluates whether you are trying to lose weight, eat healthier, save time or achieve some other objective. Second, they check on any dietary restrictions such as allergies or taste preferences. Based on that and any other pertinent information, one of their meal counselors will recommend an appropriate and healthy food plan for you.
Diet to Go meals can be shipped to all 50 states, and there are 5 pick-up area for consumers in Greater DC Metro, Virginia, Baltimore or Philadelphia/NJ metro areas, or San Francisco Bay area. Checking on available locations in the SF Bay Area yielded 33 physical pick-up sites, making it pretty easy for anyone in this geographic zone, from northern Sonoma County to southern Santa Cruz County and all those in between.
Diet to Go has a nice blog with some great posts, tips, and hints. There is also a community forum, and they are active in social media (both Facebook and Twitter).

(2) Exercise/Fitness Component (0)

Diets to Go is strictly a meal-based program, with no exercise or fitness component.

(3) Food (6)

Food is the heart of the Diet to Go program which supplies freshly prepared diet meals, along with all the little extras like fruit, juices, side items and condiments. You have the choice of Low-Fat, Low-Carb, Vegetarian & Diabetic plans, all with a 5-week rotation, allowing for variety.
The Diets to Go Low Fat Diet Meal Plan and Low Fat Vegeterian Meal Plans follow dietary guidelines set by the American Heart Association, American Cancer Society and the USDA Food Pyramid, and they are available in 2 calorie levels _ 1,200 & 1,600. The Low-Carb Meal Plan is similar to an Atkins-style plan, averaging 1,200 calories per day or less and 30 net carbs per day. A Diabetic Meal Plan based on the low-fat diet is also available and follows guidelines set by the American Diabetes Association.
Meal plans come in 5- or 7-day increments, either full meals (3x/day) or lunch and dinner only. Diets to Go claims that the average customer spends about $90 per week on their meal plans. The lowest cost option is Low-Fat, 1200 calories, 5 days/week, lunch and dinner only. The price: $83.99. The highest is Low-Carb, 1200 calories, 7 days/week, full meal plan at $149.99.
Low-cal breakfasts include blueberry pancakes/syrup/turkey sausage, fruit & granola parfait/muffin, egg quesadilla/potato cake/citrus cup. Lunch options are roasted tomato basil soup/corn & spinach salad, curry chicken salad/mandarin oranges, chicken alfredo melt/roasted veggie salad. Dinner is a bit heartier with such fare as chicken stroganoff/broccoli and carrots, chicken pizza/angel food cake with strawberry cream sauce.

(4) Ease of Use (5)

Sign up for the program. Choose your meal options. Wait for delivery. Heat and eat. That's pretty simple. For those on the full meal plan, 7 days/week, there is no grocery shopping, no weighing of ingredients, no counting of calories. For those on the limited 5 days/week, lunch and dinner only option, there will be trips to the grocery store and some meal prep.

(5) Cost (per month)(3)

Membership: none
Food : $336-$600
Other: none