If you google the words “best weight loss program,” you receive approximately 3,450,000,000 results. YIKES! 😵‍💫

What features and benefits should the programs have, and what should you avoid while looking for the best weight loss program for you?

Talk about an overwhelming abundance of information on the internet! With all of the information available to us, how do you really KNOW what to look for in top weight loss programs? Here’s the truth – The best weight loss program for YOU is the one that helps you lose weight and maintain that weight loss for years! It’s probably going to be different than what works for your sister or your best friend, and that’s okay! 

Check out 5 of my best tips to help you pick the top weight loss program for you:

Is the weight loss program customizable? Does it fit with your lifestyle and your preferences?

The only way you’re going to lose weight and keep it off long-term is to choose a weight loss program that fits your lifestyle and your preferences. Here are some examples to highlight what I mean – If you are a vegetarian, choosing a high protein diet that emphasizes animal products (like the Atkins diet) probably won’t be sustainable for you long-term. Or, if you find that you are ravenous in the mornings, choosing an Intermittent Fasting program where you can’t eat until 12 noon might work for awhile, but it probably isn’t something you can do for the rest of your life. In a similar way, if you’re a busy mom who works a full time job and takes care of most things around the house, chances are you don’t have time every week to attend a one-hour in-person weight loss meeting. Be sure that the structure of the program itself, along with the daily actions and habits of the weight loss program you choose align with the types of foods you enjoy and when you like to eat. 

At Strong with Sarah weight loss coaching, we pride ourselves in creating a unique program for you, based on your lifestyle and your preferences, so that you lose weight while building sustainable habits to keep the weight off long-term. We personalize your daily actions so that no matter how busy you are, you’re still able to make progress towards your weight loss goals.

Is the program extremely restrictive, and does it lead to a poor mental relationship with food?

Many diets and weight loss programs out there demonize certain foods or food groups. On some programs, you must keep your daily carb intake extremely low (to less than 25 grams per day, or the equivalent to less than one apple of carbs per day). On other programs, certain foods like desserts or alcoholic drinks are “worth” so many points that you become afraid to ever eat them. Sure, most of us can follow an extremely restrictive diet for a short period of time… But can you really eat that way forever? The best weight loss programs will prioritize healthy, nutrient dense foods most of the time, but still allow you to enjoy ALL foods (including carbs and desserts) occasionally. 

At Strong with Sarah, ALL foods fit into our weight loss programs. In fact, we encourage all of our clients to enjoy desserts (and other favorite foods) in moderation to help create a healthier mental relationship with food while still losing weight.

Does the weight loss program include any sort of accountability?

Did you know that you’re 95% more likely to reach a goal if you have a standing appointment with someone specifically to discuss that particular goal? 🤯 That statistic is insane! The best weight loss programs offer some level of accountability to help you reach your goals. Whethet be regular check-ins, coaching calls, group meetings, or any other form of accountability, you drastically increase your chances of losing weight by having some sort of accountability. I recommend avoiding weight loss programs that simply tell you what to do, and don’t include any level of support or accountability. 

At Strong with Sarah, we offer multiple levels of accountability, depending on how many touch points you feel you need to be best successful. From looking at your food diary every day in real time (whether that be counting calories and macros in MyFitnessPal or by using a photo/written food diary), to weekly text messages and coaching calls, we provide a high level of accountability to help you celebrate the wins and troubleshoot the challenges that happen on your weight loss journey.

Does the weight loss program involve more components than simply focusing on food?

Here’s the truth – We are all human! That means that at times, food (and drinks) are important parts of connecting with others! We celebrate many of our birthdays by enjoying cake, and many anniversaries by enjoying indulgent meals or champagne. This is a normal and an important part of life, both for our mental health and for our relationships with others! 

However, there are times when many of us use food or alcohol to escape the stress or unpleasant emotions of daily life. The best weight loss programs go beyond only focusing on the foods you eat. They also begin to uncover the emotions or the intentions behind why you eat the way you do. This is a crucial step for maintaining your weight loss because it involves a shift in mindset and in your daily habits. If emotional eating, stress eating, or mindless eating is something that you struggle with, I recommend choosing a weight loss program that addresses these issues in addition to discussing the foods you eat.

Does the program teach you how to transition to maintenance?

This may be the biggest and most important factor when choosing a weight loss program! Let’s be honest - NO ONE wants to put in the work to lose weight, only to gain it back down the road because the program you chose didn’t teach you how to maintain your new weight. In order to lose weight, you must create a calorie deficit. In order to prevent re-gaining the weight, you must learn the strategies and tools to safely and effectively return to a calorie balance, instead of a calorie deficit. This process, oftentimes called a reverse diet, slowly increases your caloric intake back to a maintenance level, without regaining the weight back that you just lost. Most weight loss programs fail to teach you these skills, leaving you on your own to figure out how to achieve a caloric balance (versus being in a calorie deficit). 

At Strong with Sarah, we carefully and methodically walk our clients through the reverse diet process, constantly monitoring habits with results, so that the weight loss results achieved with us are sustainable, long-term. We also help our clients pull away from tracking or logging their food, so that they are confident they can maintain weight loss for the rest of their lives. 

With thousands of weight loss programs out there, it’s hard to figure out the best weight loss program for you. At the end of the day, what’s most important is that you find a program that aligns and resonates with your nutritional preferences, that leads to the results you want (and teaches you how to maintain those results), and that fits into your lifestyle.

Click here to learn more information about how our weight loss coaching programs are one of the best online coaching programs available!