The Best Weight Loss Programs of

Best Weight Loss Programs for Different Demographics

Best Weight Loss Programs for Women

There are a few key attributes that distinguish the best weight loss programs for women from all the rest. Ideally, a diet plan for women would meet most, if not all, of the following criteria:

• Nutritionally balanced: The best weight loss programs for women keep you nourished and energized as you lose weight. Beware of diet programs that eliminate entire food groups or are overly restrictive—they can leave you sick, exhausted or unable to comply.
• Personalized: To maximize your results and enhance your experience, the program you choose should be tailored to you, taking into account factors like your age, lifestyle, activity level, health conditions, food preferences, dietary restrictions and more.
• Convenient: Ultimately, the best weight loss program for you is the one you can stick to. The more easily it integrates into your lifestyle, the more likely you’ll be to adhere to it.

• Affordable: If a weight loss program exceeds your budget, you won’t be able to stay with it long enough to achieve your goals. The right program won’t leave you stressing over financials so much that you have to cut it short.
• Sustainable: There are plenty of quick fix programs, which get you noticeable results fast. But if you hope to sustain your weight loss results long-term, you’ll need a program that empowers you with the knowledge and skills to maintain a healthy lifestyle—and a healthy weight.

Nutrisystem for Women checks all these boxes, offering a comprehensive and nearly fool-proof solution that includes personalized meal plans featuring pre-portioned, dietitian-designed meals and snacks delivered to your door. This leading weight loss program also includes unlimited expert guidance and support, plus a user-friendly tracking app packed with healthy living tips and tricks, recipes, workouts and more, all designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge you need to maintain your results long-term—even when you stop ordering the food.

The New Jenny Craig weight loss program is another excellent option that includes both food delivery and expert support.

For those who prefer a bit more autonomy, programs that don’t provide actual food but instead offer education, guidance, support and accountability tools, may be a better fit. Noom is one such program. An app-based behavioral change program, Noom gives you the knowledge and support you need to achieve and maintain safe and healthy weight loss results. It is designed to help you better understand and improve your relationship with food, and become more mindful of your habits so you can create lasting change.

WW is another great choice for women who want to lose weight, but prefer to prepare their own food. WW assigns foods points based on their calories and nutritional value, and every member gets a customized points “budget.” You then use their dedicated app to keep track of your daily points each day. Like Nutrisystem and Noom, WW provides members access to an expansive recipe database plus workouts, information and more.

Best Weight Loss Programs for Men

As with women’s programs, the best weight loss programs for men are nutritionally balanced, personalized, convenient, affordable and sustainable. And, because men typically require more calories and higher concentrations of certain nutrients than woman, they also ensure you are eating enough to stay healthy and strong as you lose weight.

Nutrisystem for Men is a convenient, nearly fool-proof weight loss solution that satisfies all of these requirements. It eliminates the headache of having to plan, shop for and cook healthy meals by sending dietitian-designed, pre-portioned meals and snacks delivered directly to your home. The plans are personalized and customizable, and come with unlimited expert support and guidance, plus access to helpful tracking tools, recipes, workouts and a robust library of nutrition and health articles for each stage of the weight loss journey. These resources help during your program, and set you up for sustained success once you stop ordering the food. Nutrisystem also offers maintenance plans for those ready to transition off the full program, plus a la carte options so you can continue receiving your favorite foods on an as-wanted basis.

Factor, FlexPro Meals and Fuel are other great options for men who prefer to skip the meal planning, shopping and preparing, but want healthy and hearty meals delivered. Although not technically weight loss programs, they offer a wide variety of meal plans catering to a range of diets and healthy lifestyles (think calorie conscious, high protein, keto, low carb and more). With all of these programs, you can choose a specific plan or you can customize a menu that best suits your health goals.

For men who prefer more of a DIY diet, complete with expert guidance and accountability tools, it’s hard to beat the app-based behavioral change program Noom, which helps you get to the root of your unhealthy habits—and then change them.

Best Weight Loss Programs for Seniors

As you age, your body loses both muscle and bone mass. The best weight loss program for seniors doesn’t just promote weight loss, it also provides the right mix of nutrients and includes an exercise component to preserve bone quality and build muscle. Personalization is also important since health conditions, taste/texture preferences and dietary restrictions can all impact adherence.

Out top pick for seniors is Nutrisystem. Nutrisystem sends nutritionally balanced, perfectly portioned meals and snacks right to customers’ homes, making weight loss super simple and virtually fool-proof. The brand offer programs specifically geared toward women and men over the age of 50, called the Complete 50 Plans. These comprehensive weight loss plans are designed to help seniors lose weight in a safe and sustainable way while promoting overall health, mobility and strength. The women’s program helps older women lose weight, reduce harmful belly fat, and get the right nutrition at the right time. The men’s program is the brand’s highest protein plan, and is personalized to a man’s age and activity level. It helps older men burn fat while maintaining lean muscle.

For seniors interested more in eating healthy than following a prescribed diet plan, a program like HelloFresh for Seniors is a great option. The company delivers pre-measured, high-quality ingredients and easy-to-follow recipes for delicious, home-cooked meals tailored specifically to seniors. This convenient service enables older adults to enjoy delicious, balanced dinners without the hassle of hunting for recipes and navigating crowded grocery stores.

Best Weight Loss Programs for Specific Health Needs

Best Weight Loss Program for Diabetics

The best weight loss program for diabetics provides the right nutrition to keep blood sugar levels stable as the weight comes off. It should also include access to diabetes experts who can provide specialized guidance and support throughout the journey. WW (formerly WeightWatchers) offers an excellent diabetes-tailored plan for those with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The plan includes weight loss coaching, a support community, recipes and on-demand workouts, plus carefully curated food lists developed by nutrition and diabetes experts. With this plan, you get access to manual blood sugar tracking tools, or you can connect a compatible continuous glucose monitor, enabling you to track patterns and changes in your glucose levels throughout your weight loss journey and adjust as needed.

While not technically a diabetes program, the New Jenny Craig’s Low Carb Plan may also work for those who prefer to do their own carb counting and glucose tracking. Of course, if you have diabetes, you should always consult with your doctor prior to beginning a new weight loss program. 

Best Weight Loss Program for Menopause

Menopause can lead to weight gain due to hormonal changes, so a program focusing on balancing hormones and helping women maintain a healthy weight is essential. Nutrisystem offers a weight loss plan for women over 50 who might be dealing with menopause weight gain. The plan, called Complete 50, is designed to promote weight loss and burn belly fat, reduce symptoms and weight gain associated with menopause, increase energy and fuel your metabolism.

Noom is another solid choice for women going through this transition. The customizable program is tailored to your specific needs, and offer strategies to keep you on track. It includes daily lessons from experts that help women understand and address common menopause issues like stress eating, sleep disturbances and unique weight loss challenges. 

Best Weight Loss Programs Covered by Insurance

Weight loss programs that provide access to prescription weight loss medications like Ozempic are sometimes partially covered by insurance, reducing their cost significantly—although it depends on the provider. One of the best options is WW (formerly Weight Watchers). WW’s weight loss program provides access to board-certified clinicians who can prescribe clinically-proven weight loss medications, plus access to Registered Dietitians, fitness coaches and dedicated Care Coordinators, who help you maximize your insurance coverage.

Ro is another excellent choice. With Ro, you’ll work with a licensed healthcare provider who will determine if you are a candidate for weight loss medications like Ozempic, Wegovy or Zepbound. If you are, they’ll connect you with an insurance concierge to understand your coverage options and to navigate the insurance process.

Best Online Weight Loss Programs

Best Online Weight Loss Program

There are many great weight loss programs that don’t involve in-person meetings. Nutrisystem is a top pick for anyone who wants a comprehensive plan that pairs online resources like tracking tools, recipes, workouts and expert guidance with perfectly portioned meals and snacks delivered to your door. WW and Noom are best for those who prefer to make their own healthy meals for weight loss. Both offer a wide variety of online resources and tracking tools that can be used to get you the results you’re after without having to attend any meetings.

Best Online Weight Loss Prescription Program

WW and Ro are both top online weight loss programs that provide access to weight loss medications for those who qualify. Both pair these medications with a wide variety of resources designed to maximize your weight loss results and teach you how to maintain them long-term. 

FAQs

What is the best weight loss program for over 60?

Nutrisystem’s Complete 50 plans are a great option for anyone over the age of 60. They help seniors lose weight in a safe and sustainable way while promoting overall health, mobility and strength by delivering nutritionally-balanced and dietitian-designed meals and snacks directly to customers’ homes. The women’s program helps older women lose weight and reduce harmful belly fat, increase energy and reduce menopause weight gain—especially around the middle. The men’s program is the brand’s highest protein plan, and is personalized to a man’s age and activity level. It helps older men burn fat while preserving lean muscle.

For those over 60 who prefer a little more flexibility and autonomy, Noom is one of the best choices. It’s an app-based, behavioral-change program that helps you identify and address the unhealthy habits that are holding you back from reaching your weight loss goals.

What is the best weight loss program for over 50?

For individuals over 50, the best weight loss programs are those that not only promote weight loss but also enhance overall health and wellness. Nutrisystem’s Complete 50 program checks both those boxes. Seniors get nutritionally balanced, perfectly portioned meals and snacks delivered right to their homes, plus expert support and guidance, tracking tools and resources for maintaining results long-term.

What is the best online weight loss program with medication?

If you’re considering an online weight loss program that incorporates medication, WW and Ro are great options, both offering access to licensed healthcare providers, GLP-1 prescription weight loss medications, plus expert support and guidance along the way.