The best online diet tools and resources
Between the indulgence of the festive season to the lack of daylight wreaking havoc on morning exercise routines, many people feel the need to give their lifestyle an overhaul around this time of the year and try to wipe a few numbers off the scale with the help of a diet.
Forget fad diets and strict, unappealing meal plans; today the best diets help you make slow and steady changes to what you eat to reach your weight loss goals and help adopt a healthier lifestyle overall.
When it comes to dieting, different things work for different people – while looking after ourselves is always a worthwhile use of our time, it’s important to be positive and realistic about what you can achieve. The right diet will help you gradually make lasting changes and help you lose weight in a way that’s healthy and sustainable.
So whether you want to slim down a few pounds, find some new healthy meal ideas or are thinking of taking a radical new approach to your diet, these are the best online tools and resources to help you meet your goals.
NHS Weight Loss Plan
Developed in association with the British Dietetic Association, the NHS Weight Loss Plan is a free online weight-loss guide and step-by-step programme that lasts 12 weeks. This is perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to spend money on a diet plan or is motivated enough to stick to a diet without additional support once they have the tools they need. In addition to the plan, you can download supplementary guides like the Couch to 5K app along with online tools like the calorie checker to help you stay on track.
- Advantages: Free, physician-approved weight loss plan
- Disadvantages: No personalised coaching or diet advice
Weight Watchers
Weight Watchers is one of the biggest weight loss programmes in the world and its incredible popularity makes it a great choice if you want a bespoke diet plan that’s flexible enough to fit around your lifestyle. You can download the app to use on you tablet or smartphone, attend meetings and even buy branded foods at your local supermarket. Their revolutionary points system steps away from counting calories and makes it easy to keep track of what you eat. Plans start at £12.95 per month.
- Advantages: Tailored plans, expert support and personalised coaching makes it easy to stay on track.
- Disadvantages: Monthly plans can be costly and there is an additional sign-up fee. This programme is best for anyone looking to make long-term lifestyle changes with support.
Diet Plan
Much like Weight Watchers, Diet Plan is an online programme and support group to help you achieve your weight loss goals. Live weigh-ins help keep you motivated while a picture search function makes filling out a daily food diary fairly straightforward. The barcode scanning app also makes it easy to track your food and calories on the move, and tailored plans help you choose what’s best for you. If you want the tailored support of a paid plan without as much expense as weight watchers, Diet Plan is a great alternative.
- Advantages: Choose between a range of diet plans like reduced fat, vegetarian and higher fibre
- Disadvantages: Adding homemade dishes to your food diary can be fiddly and time consuming.
Have you ever tried an online diet plan? Let us know your experiences in the comments below.
Rachel - Silversurfers Assistant Editor
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