With the U.S. continuing to suffer from record-high levels of obesity and many of us gaining unwanted pounds during the lockdown, demand for weight loss programs has never been higher. After all, everyone wants to be in better shape and to be a healthy weight, as being overweight or obese greatly increases the risk of you developing countless unpleasant and sometimes terminal illnesses.
However, finding the right weight loss program for you is often far from straightforward, as there are dozens of programs to choose from, each with different prices, features and plans.
Read on to find out how you can find the best weight loss program for you and discover some of our top picks towards the end of this article.
What is a Weight Loss Program?
A weight loss program is a tailored regimen designed with the purpose of helping people lose weight and sometimes achieve other, secondary fitness goals.
These programs set out diet and exercise guidelines for participants to follow, and some are more restrictive than others. Some programs even send out packaged meals or ingredients with recipes to make it as easy as possible for participants to get the right nutrition on a daily basis.
In addition to setting out an exercise and diet plan, some weight loss programs also have active communities, such as forums and Facebook groups, which allow members to interact with one another to exchange tips and report their progress to help motivate others.
How Much Does a Weight Loss Program Cost?
Some of the more barebones programs cost as little as around $15 a month, while the ones which include meal kits typically cost several times this (there’s a lot of variation, as some plans just include protein bars and shakes, while others send out ingredients for 3 meals a day.)
As with most things, when it comes to weight loss programs you get what you pay for, so scrimping is ill-advised.
Top Picks
Now that we’ve explained exactly a weight loss program is and how much they typically cost, we can point you to our three top picks.
Beachbody
Beachbody has some of the most comprehensive weight loss programs on the market, with on-demand video workout tutorials, virtual live workout sessions, and a meal planning service with hundreds of dishes to choose from.
The cost varies depending on what kind of plan you want. For example, it just costs $99 to get access to their on-demand workouts for a year, but this can quickly increase to around $100 per month if you bundle together a few of their other services.
Herbalife Nutrition
Herbalife Nutrition is another established weight loss program. They offer an impressive array of products, including herbal tea concentrates and healthy meal replacement shakes, to name a few.
Their cheapest weight loss program starts at around $120 per month and offers plenty of value.
Slimfast
For roughly $75 per month, you can join Slimfast’s weight loss program. They have their own line of weight loss smoothies which can help you replace a meal or two each day, in turn greatly helping you reduce your intake of calories each day while not missing out on important nutrition.
They also sell products which are gluten-free and suitable for diabetics, so they are definitely worth a try.
A Quick Summary
- With the United States continuing to suffer from an obesity crisis, weight loss programs remain as important as ever.
- These programs can help you lose weight by following their meal plans and exercise regimens.
- Some plans even send out the ingredients required for their meal plans to make it as easy as possible for you to stick to your diet.
- Cost varies massively depending on the type of plan you purchase, but if you’re just interested in a barebones program it’s possible to get one for around $15 per month.