If you are among the in the U.S. who are overweight and want to make a change, a weight loss program could help.
But there are so many out there, and it’s important to choose one that fits your specific needs. So TODAY.com talked to several experts and put together a review of the best weight loss programs to help you decide what’s right for you.
The goal of most weight loss programs is to help you stick to a certain eating pattern with the intention of making long-term lifestyle changes. The word "diet" can refer to the eating plan a person follows on such a program, or just a person's general approach eating. “I would separate a ‘diet’ from a program, which basically helps you stick to that ‘diet,’” Evan M.
Forman, Ph.D., director of the Center for Weight, Eating and Lifestyle Science (WELL Center) at Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, tells TODAY.
com. “The dietary prescriptions that have been evaluated and compared are reduced calorie, or balanced calorie deficit, , and ,” Forman, who is also a professor of psychology and brain sciences, adds. Research shows that all these approaches can be equally effective, but the one that works best will depend on the person, he says.
“The main factor seems to be which dietary pattern allows a given person to feel satisfied and is sustainable over the very long term,” Forman explains. Ask yourself these four questions: Look for plans that include food you enjoy, but make sure the plans are balanced.