The Best Weight Loss Programs for 2024 | Fortune Recommends Health (2024)

Successful long-term weight loss isn’t about following a fad diet, cutting out foods you love, or extreme workouts. It’s about making small changes that work for your lifestyle and staying consistent with them.

Following a weight loss program that focuses on building a healthy relationship with food, exercising, and managing stress is more likely to lead to sustainable, long-lasting weight loss. ( 1 ) To help you, our team has spent hours researching and testing dozens of popular programs to narrow down those that are safe, supportive, and effective.

To evaluate your risk of an eating disorder or disordered eating, take the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) free assessment . For additional support, please contact the NEDA helpline at 1-800-931-2237.

Medical disclaimer: This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. For health advice, contact a licensed healthcare provider.

Our picks for the best weight loss programs

• Best overall: Noom Weight
• Best for fasting: Simple App
• Most flexible: WeightWatchers
• Best for seniors: Nutrisystem Complete 50
• Best with coaching: Future
• Best plant-based: Trifecta Plant-Based Meal Plan
• Best app: Cronometer
• Best for women: Fuel Meals Weight Loss Plan
• Best for men: Personal Trainer Food

Compare weight loss programs

Best weight loss program overall: Noom Weight

Why we like Noom Weight as best overall

Noom Weight is a smartphone-based weight management program that uses behavior change strategies to help you form new habits to support long-term success. It includes educational lessons, virtual coaching, food and activity tracking, and community support.

You begin by taking a 10- to 15-minute quiz that asks basic questions about your gender, age, height, current weight, and goal weight. You’ll then answer specific questions about your activity habits, health status, current diet, and experience with dieting and weight loss.

Using this information, Noom will create a customized weight loss plan with a recommended daily calorie intake and personalized daily lessons. The plan is typically for around 16 weeks, but you can adjust that timeframe depending on your health goals.

One of our testers stopped using the app because it triggered past disordered eating habits. Closely tracking food—whether with Noom or a different weight loss program—has the potential to resurface unhealthy feelings that can impact your relationship with food. People with a history of disordered eating or eating disorders may want to avoid using online weight loss programs and instead work directly with a credentialed professional who is better suited to support their health needs.

Noom encourages all users to track what they eat, focusing on caloric density. Foods are divided into three groups—green, yellow, and orange—based on how many calories they have. Noom recommends that you get around 45% of your calories from yellow foods, 30% from green foods, and 25% from red foods.

Here are some of the foods that fall under each group:

• Green : Spinach, broccoli, bananas, strawberries, whole grain bread, brown rice, non-fat yogurt, and canned tuna
• Yellow : Grilled chicken, turkey breast, lean ground beef, fish, eggs, avocado, low-fat cheese, and black beans
• Orange : Nuts, seeds, oils, nut butter, raisins, red meats, desserts

One of our testers found that focusing on food colors and calorie intake was surprisingly helpful in improving her eating habits and overall protein intake.

“The color-coding system helped me be more mindful of my food choices,” she said. “It also helped me make sure I was eating enough protein, which I wasn’t doing before.”

Each Noom lesson is interactive to help you understand the root causes of your eating habits and set realistic goals. This treatment approach is based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which uses various strategies to change how you think and behave. Research suggests CBT can help people implement lifestyle changes that result in weight loss. ( 2 )

While Noom coaches go through a structured health and wellness coaching program, they aren’t required to be registered dietitians. People looking for more clinical support have the option to combine Noom Weight with Noom Med, which pairs eligible patients with a board-certified physician or a physician-supervised nurse practitioner.

What customers are saying

Noom Weight has received 63,522 reviews on Trustpilot. Users who are happy with Noom Weight enjoy the science and psychology behind the program, finding the daily lessons and personalized coaching especially helpful. Many users have reported weight loss and an improvement in mindset and the ability to build healthy habits.

Negative reviews mentioned technical issues with the app, the food logging system being time-consuming, and poor customer service/billing issues. Some people also felt conversations with their coach were scripted.

Verified reviewer Sarah H., who has used Noom for over two years, found the daily lessons to be the most helpful.

Although she lost weight using the program, she didn’t find her coach to be helpful. “The coach aspect is intended to be personalized, but it really is just copy and paste things they say to you.”

Verified reviewer Chloe D. reported experiencing issues with billing and customer service. “I asked for a refund in April, which they never processed. Good luck if you need help,” she commented.

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Best fasting program for weight loss: Simple App

Why we like Simple App as best for fasting

Simple is an app designed to help you stay consistent with your intermittent fasting journey. Intermittent fasting—limiting the amount of time you eat each day or week—has shown to be effective for weight loss in people who are overweight. ( 5 )

I recommend the Simple App for those new to fasting because it is easy to follow and provides fasting-time reminders, personalized daily guidance, and education.

You can track your meals, water intake, and exercise to help build accountability and awareness. Users also have access to Avo™, an AI-powered chatbot that has been trained by dietitians, health coaches, and medical doctors to give you science-based answers 24/7.

Simple is unique because it uses advanced technology. You can easily log your food intake by typing in the foods you ate, using your voice, or taking a photo. After logging your food, Simple’s Nutrition Scores system will provide a score of low, fair, good, or optimal based on the food’s nutrient content.

However, it’s important to mention that the nutrition scores provided by Simple are only an estimate and assume average portion sizes. For example, if you don’t add details—like how many eggs or whether it was brown or white rice—the nutrition score may not be accurate.

If you’re not paying attention to your portion sizes and end up consuming more calories than your body needs during your eating window, you may not lose weight.

The app is free to download, but many features, including personalized insights, require a premium subscription.
Although it can be an effective weight loss strategy, intermittent fasting isn’t safe for everyone. People with existing health conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, or kidney disease, should talk to a healthcare provider before starting intermittent fasting. ( 6 )

What customers are saying

The Simple App has over 200,000 reviews on the Apple App Store and 18,587 reviews on Trustpilot.

Positive reviews mention improvements in eating habits, diet quality, and weight. People also like that the app is easy to use and teaches them how to build healthier habits.

Negative reviews mention dissatisfaction with AI features, food logging, and difficulties getting refunds or canceling subscriptions.

Verified reviewer Graham D. found the chatbot helpful but voiced the need for improvements in the accuracy of food logging.

“The AI chat is good for helpful advice and recipe/food ideas,” he wrote. “The AI food logger is not so great, though. It doesn’t recognize a lot of food or scores items incorrectly, making it an inaccurate guide to your daily intake. For example, even logging something as ‘high protein,’ it can score that item as lacking in protein.”

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Most flexible weight loss plan: WeightWatchers

Why we like WeightWatchers as most flexible

WeightWatchers is a community-based weight loss program that focuses on tracking foods and building healthy habits. Millions of people have used it to lose weight and improve their health. Membership includes personalized nutrition and fitness advice from a registered dietitian and fitness trainer and ongoing check-ins with your clinician.

Research supports WeightWatchers effectiveness in maintaining modest, long-term weight loss. ( 7 ) A 2021 WeightWatchers-funded study showed that, on average, participants lost between 6.3 and 11.6 pounds over 7 months. ( 8 )

The program uses a flexible, points-based system to encourage healthy eating habits that promote weight loss. Each food is assigned a points value based on its calories and nutrient content, with more nutritious choices being lower in points. Over 200 foods, including chicken breast, eggs, and non-starchy vegetables, are ZeroPoints foods and do not require tracking or measuring.

You’ll have a personalized point budget based on your age, height, weight, gender, and weight loss goals. Any food can be enjoyed as long as it fits into your daily points allotment—this makes it easier to stay on track when you’re dining out.

The app allows members to track activity, food, water, and weight. Membership also includes access to on-demand workouts, recipes, educational resources, and 24/7 live coaching.

To keep things simple, the WeightWatchers app syncs with several activity trackers, including:

• Apple (Watch and Health)
• Fitbit
• Garmin
• Google Fit
• Withings
• Misfit
• MapMyRun

For additional support, WeightWatchers offers plans with unlimited in-person and virtual workshops with your WeightWatchers coach. The company also recently launched its virtual WeightWatchers Clinic, which gives eligible members access to telehealth weight loss management and board-certified clinicians who can prescribe weight loss medications.

One of our product testers tried WeightWatchers for 30 days and lost around 5 pounds. More importantly, she noticed some non-scale victories.

What customers are saying

WeightWatchers has 122 reviews on Trustpilot.

Despite the less-than-ideal rating, many users have reported weight loss with the program. Verified user Fran found the coach-led workshops offered on the premium plan particularly helpful.

“I was given a month free and the helpful rep explained to me that they have virtual meetings,” she commented. “I decided to give the in-person meetings a try and am happy I did.”

Verified user Aimee W., who has been using WeightWatchers on and off for years, finds the program effective as long as you follow the plan. However, she warns that stopping the program can lead to weight regain.

Several users have reported difficulty canceling their membership, including verified user Dave, who said WeightWatchers has been billing his credit card for three years after canceling.

However, verified user S. Duncan felt the cancellation steps to be easy to follow and had no issues canceling his wife’s membership. “My wife and I started the program. I liked it, but she didn’t. We actually READ all the emails about cancellation and followed the EASY to UNDERSTAND steps. It isn’t fine print. It’s actually spelled out clearly.”

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Best weight loss program for seniors: Nutrisystem Complete 50

Why we like Nutrisystem Complete 50 as best for seniors

Nutrisystem Complete 50 is a dietitian-designed weight loss plan for men and women aged 50 and above. Like Diet-to-Go, Nutrisystem Complete 50 delivers ready-made meals to your doorstep. You’ll have the choice of receiving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack five to seven days a week.

Sarcopenia—the age-related decline in muscle mass, endurance, and strength—can start as early as 40 years old. ( 9 ) It is associated with a greater risk of falls and poorer quality of life. All meals on Nutrisystem Complete 50 are high in protein to help maintain lean muscle mass and functionality as you age.

Meals are also high in fiber and designed to provide more calories and carbohydrates earlier in the day, which can promote satiety and reduce the risk of weight gain. ( 10 )

The program advertises a slow, sustainable weight loss of one to two pounds per week, in line with guidelines set forth by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) . ( 10 )

The program encourages 30 minutes of daily activity and 64 ounces of water daily. You can track your water intake, exercise, weight loss, and food with NuMi, Nutrisystem’s app designed to help you stay on track. NuMi also provides daily inspiration, weight loss tips, and recipes to supplement your Nutrisystem meals.

The average diet plan provides between 1,200 and 1,500 calories per day, which may be too low for some people. For a more personalized approach, users can try NuMi SmartAdapt, which is found in the NuMi app. It sets a calorie goal based on your height, age, gender, and activity and provides meal plans that integrate with your menu.

I like that Nutrisystem Complete 50 allows flexibility. Once you complete your first week, the plan introduces “flex meals” into your diet. These are meals you cook at home or eat at a restaurant that follow Nutrisystem guidelines.

While Nutrisystem does give users access to weight loss coaches that provide motivation and answer questions about meals, they are not qualified healthcare professionals.

What customers are saying

Nutrisystem has 2,169 reviews on Trustpilot.

Customers like the program’s convenience and variety of meals offered on the plan.

Negative reviews mention the food wasn’t worth the price, reporting that some meals taste overly processed and bland. Some customers weren’t aware of the $125 cancellation fee charged if you cancel after 14 days but before paying for your second shipment.

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Best weight loss program with coaching: Future

Why we like Future as best with coaching

Research shows that combining exercise with a healthy diet is more likely to result in sustainable, long-term weight loss. ( 11 ) That’s why Future is an excellent option for people seeking additional guidance in developing consistent fitness habits.

Future is a fitness personal training app that connects you with a personal trainer who creates a customized workout plan based on your goals, fitness level, and equipment.

After completing a brief survey, Future will recommend several coaches based on your answers. You’re also able to bypass the recommendations and choose your own coach.

After selecting your coach, you can schedule a FaceTime call with them to dig deeper into your history and goals. They’ll also help walk you through the setup process. Our testers liked this feature, highlighting that the additional guidance was a great way to kick things off. They were very satisfied with their coaches and liked that they could easily communicate with them through the app.

Our testers found the app—available for iPhone and Android users—to be incredibly user-friendly. They also liked that the app uses video and audio cues to guide them through each workout.

But, your coaches don’t watch you work out. They only talk to you during the workout through pre-recorded blurbs. Our tester felt this may be a problem for people who struggle with accountability.

However, we found it helpful that you can record your workouts and send them to your coach to assess your movements and offer corrections. Furthermore, our product tester appreciated how her coach was able to accommodate her workouts for vacations and injuries.

While not required, Future highly encourages users to use a smartwatch. Pairing a compatible smartwatch with the app allows you to easily navigate through your workout by tapping a button on your watch, which our testers found super convenient.

You can pair the Future app with Apple products, Android devices, and the following watches:

• Google Pixel Watch
• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 and 5
• Montblanc Summit 3

While the app doesn’t include nutrition tracking or meal planning, coaches can provide high-level nutrition guidance or macronutrient recommendations based on your goals. So, if you’re looking to fine-tune your diet, you may consider pairing Future with guidance from a registered dietitian.

We were disappointed that there was no live chat option or a number to call for support. However, when I emailed customer service, I received a response within an hour.

A month-to-month Future membership costs $199, which is cheaper than hiring an in-person personal trainer. And, you can try it risk-free for the first month and get a full refund if you decide to cancel.

What customers are saying

The Future app has 99 reviews on Trustpilot.

Customers love the app’s ease of use, its coaches, and the variety of workouts offered by Future. People also like the accountability from having regular check-ins with their coach and the audio cues during the workouts.

Negative reviews mention not having nutritional support, and a few people felt like their workouts weren’t personalized to their fitness level.

For example, verified user Jack found the app helpful in learning the basics of strength training. However, he was disappointed that his trainer didn’t remember to personalize his plan following a minor injury.

“I’ve had a minor injury, and it took weeks for my trainer to remember to exclude exercises that would make it worse (like running and jumping), the same with some other basic requests for things I could not do,” he commented.

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Best weight loss program for plant-based eaters: Trifecta Plant-Based Meal Plan

Why we like Trifecta Plant-Based Meal Plan as the best plant-based

Trifecta’s Plant-Based meal delivery service offers a quick and easy way to enjoy plant-based, macro-balanced meals at home. All dietitian-designed meals are ready to eat and high in protein with moderate amounts of carbs and fat.

You can choose to receive seven to 21 meals each week, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I like that you can pick your own meals from the menu or choose Chef Selected meals. But if you’re a picky eater, I recommend choosing your own meals since you can only exclude one ingredient (eggs, sesame, impossible meat, vegan chicken, whole mushrooms, tree nuts, spicy ingredients) per week.

While our product testers didn’t get to try the plant-based meals, the meals they did try had small portions. One tester found the meals to be hit or miss on taste. However, one of our team product testers, Kate Meier, enjoyed the flavor of her meals.

All meals are free of preservatives, gluten-free, and made with organic ingredients whenever possible. They can be stored for seven days in the fridge, or you can freeze some if you don’t plan to eat them within a week.

All customers have free access to nutrition coaches by chat, e-mail, or phone. Trifecta also has a free app that allows you to create a personalized plan and track food, activity, and weight. It features a large library of educational content, workouts, and recipes to help you guide you towards healthier choices.

If you’re unsatisfied with your meals, Trifecta offers a money-back guarantee for up to seven meals on your first order.

What customers are saying

Trifecta’s Plant-Based meal delivery has 47 reviews on Trustpilot.

Many customers were unhappy with the quality of meals and had trouble canceling their subscriptions.

Verified customer Evan R. also advises against the plant-based plan, citing small portion sizes.

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Best weight loss app: Cronometer

Why we like Cronometer as the best app

Cronometer is a comprehensive health and fitness app that logs and tracks your calories, nutrient intake, and exercise. It also tracks various biometrics, including weight, sleep, mood, heart rate, and blood pressure.

After inputting your weight, height, sex, and activity level, you can choose a weight loss goal. Then, Cronometer will set your recommended daily calorie needs. Protein, fat, and carbohydrates are automatically set to a macro ratio within the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR). ( 12 ) However, they can be customized based on your individual needs and preferences.

Unlike many other nutrition apps that only log calories, protein, and fat in meals, Cronometer can track up to 84 micronutrients. This feature helps you identify nutrient gaps in your diet and encourages a healthy, balanced diet.

The free version includes all of the app’s basic features, but you’ll have to upgrade to access tools like long-term data tracking, customized health charts, and recipe sharing.

With the paid subscription, you can also dive deeper into how specific nutrients and biometrics correlate. For example, you can create a custom chart to see how your fiber intake affects the quality of your bowel movements.

The paid subscription also suggests foods to help complete unmet targets and match your daily nutrient goals without going over any limits.

The app syncs with many other apps and devices, including Apple Health, Samsung Health, Fitbit, and Garmin.

I have used the Cronometer app and found it extremely user-friendly and easy to navigate. However, all of the tracking options may be overwhelming for someone starting out.

One of our expert product testers and a certified nutrition coach agrees.

What customers are saying

Cronometer has over 57,000 ratings on the Apple App Store.

Many users love that the app syncs with their fitness tracker, has an extensive food database, and improves their diet quality by tracking important nutrients.

Negative reviews mention bugs and glitches within the app and difficulty reaching customer service.

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Best weight loss program for women: Fuel Meals Weight Loss Plan

Fuel Meals is a meal delivery service that brings fresh, fully prepared meals to your door. They offer two meal plans—weight loss and muscle gain—for women and men.

On the female weight loss plan, you’ll receive high protein, portion-controlled meals that are low in calories and carbohydrates. This plan averages about 1,500 calories daily, enough for most women to safely lose weight. ( 13 ) However, women who exercise frequently or have more weight to lose may need additional calories.

I like that the meals are high in protein, providing an average of 150 grams per day. Research shows that high-protein diets can aid in weight loss by boosting satiety and metabolism while preserving lean muscle mass. ( 14 )

You can choose to receive seven to 28 meals weekly or biweekly. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner options are available. Your meals will automatically be selected based on your chosen quantity, but you can make substitutions based on your preferences. Shipping ranges from $9.95-$39.95 but is free if you choose a subscription plan.

All meals arrive fresh and are cooked to order. However, our testers found that the meals were mediocre and didn’t always live up to the hefty price tag.

Our testers also didn’t like that, despite the large meal selection, there aren’t many options for dietary restrictions. There are dairy- and gluten-free choices, but they can’t be customized to accommodate most dietary allergies. There are no vegan options.

Furthermore, our product tester found the portions too small.

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Best weight loss program for men: Personal Trainer Food

Why we like Personal Trainer Food as best for men

Personal Trainer Food is a meal delivery service that delivers high-protein, frozen meals directly to your door. On the program, you are encouraged to avoid calorie counting and eat three meals and two snacks per day. You’re also advised to avoid intense exercise and over-exercising to lose weight faster.

Personal Trainer Food offers two meal plans: standard protein and protein plus. The protein plus option includes double protein portions and one vegetable per meal, which may help meet the higher protein and calorie needs of men. ( 15 )

However, even on the Protein Plus plan, some days’ breakfast, lunch, and dinner equaled out to fewer than 1,200 calories. This is very low for a man and can lead to nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, and a slower metabolism. ( 16 )

If you want a higher calories meal plan, you can customize your menu and mix and match entrees and sides. You can add breakfast and snack options and choose between seven-, 14-, or 28-day plans.

With your order, you’ll receive Personal Trainer Food Guidelines to Success, which includes daily exercises, tips, and guidance to help you build short and simple routines. This weight loss plan encourages you to walk 20 minutes—or around 2,000 steps—per day.

E-mail support, weight loss coaching, and daily text messages are available for those who want additional guidance.

This program is relatively restrictive, which may make it difficult to stick with. All meals are low in carbohydrates, so it’s unlikely that you’ll see whole-grain rice or pasta on any of their menus. However, some meals include breaded chicken or a small portion of red potatoes.

Weight loss guidelines are provided for when you’re out at a restaurant or aren’t eating Personal Trainer Meals. These guidelines recommend unlimited portions of animal foods like eggs and meat, leafy greens, non-starchy vegetables, and butter/oil.

I don’t like the language used by the company throughout their website. For example, foods are sometimes categorized as bad or good, and many foods are restricted. In some, this can create a fear of food, binge eating, and cravings. ( 17 )

Once you reach your goal weight, a Personal Trainer Food weight loss coach can work with you to add carbs to your diet.

If you find the plan too restrictive, I recommend incorporating more carbs throughout the day. This will help support your activity and keep you engaged with your meals. For example, you may add fruit with breakfast or a side of brown rice, quinoa, or whole-grain pasta to lunch and dinner.

What customers are saying

Personal Trainer Food has over 3,000 reviews on Trustpilot.

Most customers seem impressed with the quality of the meals, reporting that they are flavorful and taste fresh. Customers who stick with the program also report weight loss from following the company’s diet and exercise guidelines.

Verified customer Patrick says he began feeling better just 10 days after starting the program. “My belly seems to be shrinking, and I don’t have cravings. I eat a lot less, and my physical activity is picking up,” he says.

However, he did admit that the first few days were tough, saying, “My old habits wanted to kick in.”

Negative reviews mention the food not being cold upon arrival and poor packaging. Verified customer Peter H. from Florida reports that his packages were barely cool when delivered. He also didn’t like the substitutions he was given.

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Our weight loss program testing methodology

We recognize that hundreds of weight loss programs are available, many of which aren’t safe or sustainable. We also know that everybody’s body is different, and what works for one person may not work for you.

To help you, our team compared dozens of weight loss programs to find the best program for your needs. All of the weight loss programs in this article were thoroughly researched and medically reviewed by industry experts. Any health claims were fact-checked to ensure they were based on trustworthy scientific evidence.

Scores were provided by our testers and a team of experts based on the following metrics:

Program design—30%

A nutrition program should match the established principles of human health and leave room for your individual needs and preferences. Our testers have been in the field long enough that they know the real thing when they see it. Here’s what they look for:

• Explanation
• Adaptability
• Sustainability
• Realistic expectations

Value—30%

The internet is packed with nutrition programs, ranging from free recipes to personalized coaching that costs thousands of dollars. We want to connect you with a plan that feels worth it from the first day you start until the day you decide to go off on your own.

Here’s what we factor into a program’s value rating:

• Fair price
• Tracking capabilities
• Tools and recipes

Extra options—20%

We give extra points to the nutrition programs that go above and beyond with bonuses like:

• Coaching and community support
• Education
• Workouts

Customer experience—20%

We want you to avoid buyer’s remorse and find a program you’ll look forward to following. Here are some of the little things that make a big difference:

• Reliable technology
• Reviews
• Customer service
• Free trial periods

FAQs