Best Diet & Weight Loss Programs

It can be tempting to buy into meal plans for weight loss that promise quick and dramatic results, but these don't always deliver the results you want. Knowing what to look for in diet and weight loss programs can help you achieve your personal goals and be one step closer to a happier and healthier you. Continue reading...

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Lite n' Easy
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Lite n' Easy

4.4 from 6,934 reviews

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CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet

CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet 🏆 2024

4.6  (2,045) Summary
theruraljuror
theruraljuror2 posts
 
My Muscle Chef

My Muscle Chef 🏆 2024

4.5  (3,049) Summary
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Steve
Steve
 
Disappointed againAlways missing something.. live chat is [Content Removed].. only ever the robot.. call centre they NEVER answer.. obviously don't care about the customers. Only off 10 dollars off the next order..
My Muscle Chef
My Muscle Chef   DM   
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Hi Steve, we sincerely apologies for this we have reached out privately to go through this together. Have a good day! - MYMC

Chefgood

Chefgood

4.4  (1,224) Summary
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Sonia
SoniaQLD4 posts
 
Lite n' Easy

Lite n' Easy 🏆 2024

4.4  (6,935) Summary
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Ken
KenQLD4 posts
 
Cohen's Weight Loss Clinic

Cohen's Weight Loss Clinic

4.5  (249) Summary
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Jean Foster
Jean Foster
 
Workout Meals

Workout Meals

4.4  (244) Summary
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Ashton
Ashton
  Verified
Back to Basics by Lyndi Cohen

Back to Basics by Lyndi Cohen

4.7  (88) Summary
Sarah P.
Sarah P.2 posts
 
Macros

Macros

4.2  (1,319) Summary
Tarit L.
Tarit L.2 posts
  Verified
A Life Plus

A Life Plus

4.3  (249) Summary
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Tanya R.
Tanya R.
  Verified
Yum Yum Yum!Absolutely love everything about A Life - the meals are delish and healthy, and it removes one of the most time consuming tasks of the week... dinner!! Show details ·  1
Garden of Vegan

Garden of Vegan

4.2  (102) Summary
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Jodi
JodiQLD4 posts
 
Tasty, fresh vegan mealsThe meals are fresh and good quality. I enjoy most of the meals and the flavours are good. Show details
Equalution

Equalution

4.0  (300) Summary
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Phoebe H.
Phoebe H.
 
An absolute scam, save your moneyIf I could give it, no stars, I would! SCAM
Refuse to give refunds and continuously debit you, even if you’ve asked for them to stop their customer service. Literally don’t give a S&!*
Cookie Diet

Cookie Diet

3.8  (105) Summary
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Gizzygirl
Gizzygirl
 
NewbieOrdered the variety pack (all four flavours). The box arrived with 3 x Oatmeal and 1 x Chocolate. I immediately emailed and got an immediate response asking for photos, which were sent. Now I am not getting any response and stuck with eating oatmeal cookies for a month. Just not good enough and won't be recommending.
The Ketogenic Switch

The Ketogenic Switch

4.0  (59) Summary
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Annie
AnnieVIC8 posts
 
So grateful and very happy I found this, has definitely worked for meThis is not a diet, it’s a program that actually teaches people how to feed their bodies for optimal health. I’ve lost weight and I’m feeling better than I’ve felt in years. I’m learning what foods to eat to help my body release weight sustainably. Very happy. Show details
Putting Health At The Top

Putting Health At The Top

3.8  (71) Summary
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Sarah Sadler
Sarah Sadler
 
28 by Sam Wood

28 by Sam Wood

3.5  (158) Summary
Rachael G.
Rachael G.VIC
 
Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program

Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program

3.3  (212) Summary
ken
ken3 posts
 
Tony Ferguson Weightloss Program SHIPPING TerribleTheir shakes are fine especial the espresso are great .But the shipping side of things are terrible they state on their web site Dispatched within 2-4 working days. You enquire where is my order reply waiting to be picked up, still haven't arrived its been a full 7 days now, Tony Ferguson fix up your shipping. Show details
Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers

3.2  (530) Summary
Steve L
Steve LACT8 posts
 
Be Fit Food

Be Fit Food

3.5  (79) Summary
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Bronte
Bronte10 posts
 
Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig

3.2  (247) Summary
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James D.
James D.NSW45 posts
 
Company has gone into voluntary administrationCompany has officially gone into voluntary administration. Be very careful when signing up you may not get what you pay for
Jenny Craig
Jenny Craig   DM   
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The Dukan Diet

The Dukan Diet

4.1  (26) Summary
Gillian S.
Gillian S.
 
Sharny and Julius

Sharny and Julius

3.1  (82) Summary
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Billi V.
Billi V.
 
The Gabriel Method

The Gabriel Method

3.8  (26) Summary
Kelly
KellyQLD6 posts
 
I cannot loginEvery time I go to login it tells me that I’ll 21 days are now unavailable. Frustrating because if one comes into my Gmail and when I open it it asked me to login. When I do that it says the meditations are all unavailable. Show details
Curves

Curves

3.0  (104) Summary
lommanv
lommanv5 posts
 
Boring same as 19 years agoIt costs so much money and the benefits are not there
I remember there use to be at least 30 Curves here in Adelaide Australia now there is only two
Waste of time and money Show details
CalorieKing

CalorieKing

3.3  (44) Summary
Hilary W.
Hilary W.VIC4 posts
 
Beware...Used to be Good but no longer for AustraliansI have been buying this Calorie King calorie counter for many years and, as I am Australian, I thought this 2022 version would be as good, Not so...it is US based and so I do not recommend it for Australians or New Zealanders. I am very unhappy to have wasted my money.
Ultra Lite

Ultra Lite

4.0  (20) Summary
Mum.mum.mum
Mum.mum.mumMelbourne4 posts
 
Atkins

Atkins

3.4  (36) Summary
Unhappy customer
Unhappy customer
 
SureSlim

SureSlim

3.3  (44) Summary
Annie
AnnieNSW2 posts
 
The absolute best plan!Expensive to sign up BUT so worth it. 20kgs lost in 6 months. Felt AMAZING, Smarter and energetic with the Serotonin boost along with sleeping like a baby. That was back in 2005. I plan on doing this again as I've gained quite a bit in the past few years due to emotional eating. Great plan for those with Hypothyroidism. Show details
Miyagi

Miyagi

3.5  (30) Summary
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Katja
KatjaNSW2 posts
 
A journeyThe best part of the program was the access to Clare my dietician for the journey. Being able to discuss when, what and how much to eat. Lost 9kg over the 6 months, 9 cm around my waist. I liked all the ask the Doc sessions, learnt something everytime. The pilates sessions are fantastic. A lot of information. Thank you to the whole team at Myagi. Show details ·  1
Dineamic

Dineamic

2.6  (70) Summary
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Madjaspa
MadjaspaVIC43 posts
 
Changing Habits

Changing Habits

5.0  (5) Summary
JJTaylor
JJTaylorQLD6 posts
 
It’s not easy but it worksIn 21 days I went from 67kg to 59kg. My regular headaches stopped and I had no feeling of bloating. It’s a really quick way to fit into old clothes in a short amount of time. Show details
Lite n' Easy
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Lite n' Easy

4.4 from 6,934 reviews

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A notebook and pencil on a table surrounded by healthy salads and a bowl of nuts.

Types of diet and weight loss programs

Meal replacement products

Meal replacement products are kiloujoule-controlled products - often liquid drinks - that are designed to assist with weight loss. These products generally try to help users shed weight quickly or do a detox or “cleanse” of their body. Because of this, they're typically only meant to be used over a short period of time, or to only replace 1 or 2 meals a day.

Weight loss drinks, such as the VLCD Optifast diet drink are often found at supermarkets, pharmacies, and health stores.

Ready-made meals

There are now a plethora of food delivery services that offer healthy, ready-made meals as part of a diet plan, however you may have limited access to these if you live in a more remote area.

If you want to save time and energy and forgo grocery shopping and cooking altogether, then ready-made meals, such as Jenny Craig meals, might be suited to you.

Recipes and meal plans

Recipes and meal plans are exactly what they sound like, programs that include recipes for meals that help you reach your health goals and plans for when you should be eating them.

For some, a weekly planner of what and when they should eat helps motivate them to achieve more long-term goals.

What to consider when choosing a diet or weight loss program

Your personal circumstances

If you already have a health condition, then make sure that your program is suited to your specific situation.

You may already follow a diet, such as a vegetarian or vegan diet, or have certain religious or cultural requirements when it comes to food; a good diet for you shouldn’t make you abandon these beliefs and preferences.

Your diet should also match your eating style and lifestyle. If a plan encourages only 2 meals per day but the 3 you eat currently still leaves you snacking inbetween meals, then it’s probably not suited for you. Similarly, if it recommends 2 hours of exercise per day and you’re a relatively sedentary person, then don’t assume you’ll be able to easily follow it.

Also consider whether your diet would accommodate eating out, and how much food preparation is involved - time-poor people may have less choice in weight loss programs.

The diet itself

Any Google search on weight loss will yield results on a bunch of popular diets, but just because a diet is popular, does not mean that it is safe, healthy, and effective.

A good diet should:

  • Meet your nutritional and health needs
  • Include a variety of foods from all the different food groups
  • Be realistic

Be skeptical of diets that:

  • Avoid entire food groups
  • Promise rapid weight loss without medical supervision
  • Recommend unusual foods or eating patterns (such as restricting food altogether)
  • Encourage the use of pills and tonics that are thought to help you lose weight

Here’s an overview of some common diets followed today.

  • Keto diet. A keto (ketogenic) diet is a low carb, high fat diet that’s designed for you to get more calories from protein and fat and less from carbs.
  • Paleo diet. This diet tries to emulate the same diet followed by hunter-gatherers before the development of agriculture. It emphasises lean protein, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and whole foods, while cautioning against grains, processed foods, sugar, and dairy.
  • Mediterranean diet. Traditionally followed by people living in the Mediterranean, this diet is rich in foods such as fruit, vegetables, seafood, and wholegrains, with dairy and poultry eaten in moderation. It’s widely considered to help prevent heart attacks, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.
  • Pritikin diet. This is a low fat, high fibre diet that limits red meat, processed food, cholesterol-rich foods, refined grains, and alcohol.

Not all diet programs will follow a specific diet. In fact, most healthy and effective programs take your dietary preferences into account so that you’re more likely to follow through with it.

The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet, for example, is a 12-week program that generally follows a high protein, low GI plan, but is still tailored to your specific diet personality. It not only includes a CSIRO diet plan that facilitates sustainable weight loss, but also includes simple weight loss workouts that you can follow at home.

Effectiveness

It’s easy to get sucked in by testimonial ads and dramatic before and after weight loss pictures, but try not to take a program for its word without doing your own research.

Reading reviews will help you see whether the program was effective for different people - this can refer to whether they’ve felt healthier or better about themselves, whether they’ve made steps towards their goal weight, or any other personal diet or health goals.

It’s also a good idea to see how easy or difficult reviewers found the program, and whether they enjoyed it. A simple-to-follow, enjoyable (and tasty!) program will help ensure that you can actually keep up the program and sustain any health results you achieve.

Support

Some people prefer to follow a diet program on their own, while others prefer extra support, such as from a dietician or similar professional, or a support group with others who have similar health goals to them.

Think about your own personal preferences and what helps motivate you. For some people, talking with someone about their progress, either online or in person, can help keep them accountable to their goals.

Price

Diet and weight loss plans can vary a lot in price, depending on what kind of food or exercise they entail. Make sure that any program you choose is one that you can afford in the long run.

You may even be able to find free online weight loss programs, however these often only give you limited access to a more comprehensive meal plan that you need to pay for.

Extra tips on choosing a meal plan for weight loss

  • Keep your doctor involved in your weight loss efforts. Before you start a program, speak with them so that they can check whether it’s suitable for you, your medical issues, and any medications you might be taking. They can also help dispel diet myths and help you seek additional support from a dietician or other health practitioner.
  • Choose a program that includes foods you actually like and would happily eat forever.
  • Supplement any diet plan with physical activity and exercise. If your goal is weight loss, then moving your body can help counter the muscle mass loss that occurs when you lose weight.
  • If it sounds too good to be true and promises rapid weight shedding with little effort, then it probably is.

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