When looking to reach a healthy weight and improve your overall health, there are certain things you should keep in mind before choosing a weight loss program. You will need to follow a healthy eating plan meaning your meals are satisfying and nutritious. Healthy foods can not only contribute to your goal to lose weight but also provide general health benefits such as proper blood pressure, blood sugar and more. There are many weight loss programs available right now, from app-based subscriptions to personalized coaching, finding the one that best fits your needs and goals can be confusing.
We looked at various weight loss programs and spoke to nutrition experts to learn what a good weight loss program should look like and what red flags you should watch out for before signing up for a program. A recent CNET survey shows that 77% of US adults are experiencing the biggest sticker shock with the price of groceries, so it's important to know which programs are worth the cost before investing in the food and the subscription. Here's everything you should know about signing up for a new weight loss program this year.
Our Picks
What is the best overall weight loss program?
I dove deep into each of the weight loss programs on this list and crowned WeightWatchers as the best overall weight loss program. WeightWatchers makes the top of this list due to its general nutrition and wellness education, choices for those with diabetes and who are vegan or vegetarian, the on-demand workouts and 24/7 support.
Editor's note: Weight loss programs aren't recommended for those with a history of disordered eating. Consult your doctor or nutritionist before beginning any diet or weight loss program.
Best weight loss programs for 2025
Best overall weight loss program
Pros
- Accountability from group meetings (with an in-person option) and weigh-ins help with sustainability
- Flexibility with ZeroPoint foods
- Personalized food plans
Cons
- Takes time to track and plan meals -- Not for someone looking for convenience
- Not for someone who struggles with portion control
- Low points don't always equal high nutritional value
WeightWatchers has been around for decades. The program is known for telling its customers that "no food is off limits." Though clients follow a system that assigns a certain number of points to various food items, there are 350-plus ZeroPoint foods that are allowed.
WeightWatchers often tops lists of "best diets," with a primary reason being the education provided to help users make positive diet changes. The popular weight loss program also offers diabetes-tailored, vegetarian and plant-based diet plans.
Membership options
WeightWatchers offers several membership plans. There are introductory discounts when you sign up for a three- or 10-month plan.
- Points Program membership: The one-month plan is $23 with a $20 starter fee. The three-month plan is currently $15 per month, while the 10-month plan is $10 each month. It includes access to the WeightWatchers app; a program based on intake quiz results and goals; and a 24/7 chat service.
- Workshops: This includes coach-led workshops, either in person or virtually. This monthly cost is $45 with a $20 starter fee. The three-month cost is $30 while the 10-month plan is $25 per month.
- Weight-Loss Medication: Normally $74 a month, it's currently on sale for $49 for the first month. This doesn't include the cost of prescription medication, which will vary and depend on a patient’s insurance. However, certain non-GLP-1 medications are included in the cost of the membership. Pricing may also vary depending on the length of the membership you choose.
Best psychology-focused weight loss program
Pros
- Focuses more on your behavior than the food
- Lots of educational resources available on the app
- Doesn't ban food groups such as sugar or fats
Cons
- Noom isn't for someone who doesn't like social media or doesn't want extra screen time
- No in-person time with your coach
- The weeklong free trial will turn into a paid subscription if you don't cancel
Noom is a relative newcomer to the weight loss game. Calling itself "WeightWatchers for millennials," this app-based program uses the stoplight method, assigning colors (orange, yellow and green) to foods based on their nutritional quality. Noom is also known for using a psychology-based approach by educating clients on healthy habits and lifestyles, as well as changing the way they think about food.
Its app tracks your food intake and physical activity and helps you lose weight with no restrictive dieting. Noom typically has all diet plans: low-carb, DASH, low-fat diet, Mediterranean and flexitarian.
Membership options
- Noom is about $70 per month. The longer you commit, the lower the cost. Noom will recommend the duration of your program based on your weight loss goals.
Best traditional weight loss program
Pros
- Premade meals are delivered to your door
- Shipment every four weeks with free shipping
- Available meal plans for vegetarians, partners or those with diabetes
Cons
- Sodium intake can be high with prepackaged meals
- Very expensive, and you must factor-in the cost of extra groceries
- Coaching isn't one-on-one
Nutrisystem is a traditional weight loss program that features premade meals, shakes and snacks delivered to your home. The program focuses more on providing meals for you rather than strategies to maintain weight loss. It provides breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert.
In addition to your prepackaged meals, you'll still have to buy kitchen staples and some other items.
Membership options
Nutrisystem offers two membership plans for women, two for men and two for partners. The prices range from $10 - $16 per day ($200+ a month) and include food for five or seven days a week, access to the app, coaching, over 100 menu items and essential nonperishable items.
Best community-focused weight loss program
Pros
- Convenient and easy to follow
- Gives you access to a personal coach and a community of others on a weight loss journey
- Lean-and-green meals may encourage healthy eating after the program
Cons
- More expensive than other options and contains lots of Optavia-brand processed foods
- You could start relying on Optavia "fuelings," which won't set you up for healthy eating habits later on
- Optavia-brand food isn't known for tasting the best
Optavia is a weight loss program that relies on shakes, bars and other Optavia-branded packaged foods, called "essential fuelings" to produce results. These fuelings include cookies, puddings, bars, cereals and soups that are shipped directly to your door. In addition to the fuelings, Optavia provides recipes for "lean-and-green meals" that you're responsible for cooking with fresh ingredients.
Membership options
Optavia offers three membership plans.
- Optimal Weight 5-and-1 Plan: This plan costs $321 a month.
- Optimal Weight 5-and-1 Active Plan: This plan costs $366 a month.
- Optimal Weight 4-and-2 Active Plan: This plan costs $320 a month.
- GLP-1 Nutrition Support Plan: This plan costs $261 a month.
- Optimization Plan: This plan costs $261 a month.
- Optavia Active Bundle: This plan costs $152 a month.
Factors to consider when choosing a weight loss program
There isn't a diet that will work for everyone. Consider these factors and choose a diet that will work best for you.
Variety and freedoms
While you may need to eat fewer calories to lose weight, you don’t have to eat fewer types of foods. Diets are often most successful when they offer a wide variety of foods and we feel less restricted. Don’t choose a diet that is very restrictive or makes you feel like you are missing out on something.
How enjoyable it is
The word "diet" has such negative connotations because of the way it's thrown around regarding weight loss, but diets don't have to be a negative experience. Try to find an eating pattern that's enjoyable and interesting enough to stick to. Even the most popular diet won't help with weight loss or weight management if you're miserable.
Your motivation
What do you really want to gain from weight loss? What really motivates you? No matter what plan or diet you are following, unless you are motivated, it's going to be very difficult to follow.
If you are motivated by coaches or a community, look for programs that offer one-on-one counseling or accountability. If you are motivated on your own, you won’t need the extra push.
Your budget
Diets can be expensive. If the price tag on a program looks intimidating, make sure to also consider the price of food on top of it (if the program doesn’t already include a meal plan). Find a program that fits your budget.
How we tested the best weight loss program
I considered each weight loss program's price, support, exercise advice, nutritional value, overall wellness and convenience. I dug deep into WeightWatchers and Noom and had the opportunity to taste-test Nutrisystem, Optavia and Jenny Craig. The latter underwent a direct-to-consumer makeover since I tested it, so it has been removed from this list. Before creating this list, I tested each program's website, app or supportive content. I also tapped experts to determine what makes a weight loss program successful and what factors to avoid.
Advice from experts about the best weight loss program
Working one-on-one with someone who knows your lifestyle, medical history, and eating habits is an ideal way to lose weight.
We consulted experts to help make sense of a successful diet and weight loss journey. How do you find the right program for you? Here's what they had to say.
What makes a diet successful?
The best diet program for you will be the one that meets you where you are at in life. It must be "realistic, sustainable and flexible," said Jamie Nadeau, a registered dietitian. "Learning to eat healthy consistently truly comes down to learning how to build healthful habits into your life."
"If a diet program is too rigid or strict, it's unlikely to work for most people," she said. "If it's asking you to do things that aren't realistic for you or require tons of effort and change all at once, it's not going to work."
Dietitian Amelia Ti takes a different approach to the question. "I define a successful program as one that allows members to choose from a variety of foods without restriction and [one that] measures progress by how its clients/participants feel (their mood, energy levels, sleep, etc.)," she said.
Ti added, "A successful diet program should improve one's relationship with food and their body, not worsen it." Nadeau agreed: "The most successful diet programs are the ones that involve learning how to eat a normal, well-balanced diet that includes all food groups (and fun foods too)."
Dieting red flags
It is easy to fall for a weight loss program's empty promises. Our two experts told us how to spot the red flags from miles away.
Nadeau said to watch out for "any program that requires you to buy their specific products or foods to be successful. If you have to buy their bars, shakes or prepacked foods, run. The minute you don't have their food to rely on, any weight that you lost is going to return."
In addition to the food, a program may tell you to eat, watch out for programs that are too restrictive. Ti said, "If a diet program instructs you to cut out various foods or food groups, red flag! A few others include if they label foods as 'good' or 'bad' and promise immediate results."
Who should steer clear of weight loss programs?
Dieting programs are not for everyone — especially those at risk of developing eating disorders. Nadeau recommends working with a registered dietitian over a diet or weight loss program. She said, "Working with a registered dietitian means you'll be getting individualized advice from a credentialed professional with experience working with people just like you."