Weight Loss
Think of the Web as your personal nutritionist. On it you'll find weight loss tools for evaluating your current food intake, exercise patterns, and health and weight status, along with weight loss plans, tools, and techniques for improving your weight and overall health.
Expand All Guide SectionsStart Losing Weight
When it comes to losing weight, it can be confusing to think about where (or how) to start. Use the following sites to help you evaluate your current level of fitness, and then get some tips to help get you started.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Before you start thinking about losing weight, consider whether your current weight is a healthy and reasonable one for you. The number on the scale can be deceiving. By using the tools listed below, you can use some basic calculations to determine whether you should try to lose or gain weight, or simply make some improvements in the quality of your diet.
- On many sites, advertised content is tailored to you based on the content you are viewing. In the case of viewing content about losing weight, you may see advertisements for weight loss solutions, quick fixes, or other products. Be very cautious of any drug, product, or other online weight loss system and make sure that you check with a physician about potential dangers before you buy any product or system.
- Not all physicians are qualified to counsel patients on nutrition. Always ask for background and credentials.
- It's helpful to have good role models to follow when you're trying to achieve a goal. Bill and Jim Germanakos are twin brothers who starred in the third season of the reality television show The Biggest Loser. They each lost approximately half their weight, a total of 350 pounds, over the eight months of the contest. To learn how they did it, visit their Web site, Weightlosstwins.com.
- Losing a lot of weight, like the Germanakoses did, requires different strategies than losing just a few pounds. If you are obese or think you might be, take a look at the findingDulcinea Obesity Web Guide to learn about potential health issues and different treatment methods.
Dulcinea's Picks
To help you understand your current level of fitness ...
MyPyramid
lists current nutrition recommendations from the government. Take a look at the "MyPyramid Tracker" where you can enter foods eaten and physical activity performed. The Tracker then generates a report on the nutritional adequacy of your diet and fitness.
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
has a free Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator that measures body fat based on height and weight. Start by determining your BMI, then assess whether you're overweight or at risk for obesity by learning about the other tools used in assessment.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Web site offers separate BMI calculators for adults and youth, as well as a helpful discussion of BMI and other health measures.
To help you get started losing or managing your weight ...
The Weight-control Information Network
has publications with tips and information about getting active, eating right, and controlling your weight. There are also resources available in Spanish.
The National Women's Health Information Center
has an obesity and weight loss section that provides some insight about finding the safest ways to lose weight, steps to take for a healthier diet, as well as the USDA-approved drugs and surgical options available.
The National Weight Control Registry
Web site has a great way to get you inspired for your weight loss program: a "Success Stories" section filled with photos and stories of others who have lost significant amounts of weight-and maintained the weight loss.
Diet Plans
The best way to choose a diet plan is to take a look at a wide range of plans so that you can choose one that best suits your lifestyle and health needs. Online you'll find a variety of sites that list the different plans available.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Since there are many online sites to choose from and their prices vary significantly, you should choose a site that offers you the most customized diet possible for your money and time investment. If you are simply looking for a place to review nutrition information and evaluate your current diet and log your intake, you may not need a site with sophisticated features.
- Even fee-based sites usually allow the customer a trial period during which you can test the plan or program for free. Take advantage of these if you are "diet shopping." You can try a few different sites and then purchase the tool from the site that you found easiest and most helpful.
- Many popular diets have online counterparts. For example, if you pay to join Weight Watchers, you can use its Web site to access support and information or as a supplement to the in-person meetings.
Dulcinea's Picks
DietTelevision
helps you choose a diet to fit your tastes and lifestyle. Use the "DietFinder" by adjusting the importance of certain parts of your diet (like eating red meat or the ease of eating out). It will return results based on your answers along with user reviews of the diets. Knowing what other people say are their most and least favorite aspects of certain diets can help you choose if it's right for you.
eDiets
is a gateway to a number of different diets, some more nutritionally sound than others. Each diet is described with its basic philosophy or approach, foods that aren't allowed, risks, and a sample meal plan. Visit the "News" tab for interesting articles on topics like metabolism, dieting as a couple, and the health benefits of olive oil.
Diet Detective
offers diet news and advice and a number of blogs (some more credible than others) on nutrition topics. Its creator, Charles Stuart Platkin, is the author of the Diet Detective, a nationally syndicated column, and holds a Master's of Public Health. The Diet Detective site offers free access to its articles and database but a customized diet plan costs $49.95 a year.
Diet.com
is a free resource for planning and tracking your diet, participating in an online community, and learning about nutrition and exercise topics via articles and podcasts. The site is quite busy with advertisements for commercial diet plans that require the purchase of special foods and supplements, and it offers meal plans and workout videos for sale. However, there is plenty of free content available so take the time to browse before you purchase anything here.
Choosing the Right Diet
A plan may seem great in theory, but we all have to take into consideration the special needs of our own bodies. Before you start any online diet, determine that it is sound enough to keep your body in good working order using the following sites and the advice of your physician.
Dulcinea's Insight
- To be sure that you are choosing a sound diet, look for the Registered Dietitian (RD) credential behind the name of the creator of your site, or at the very least, the designer or supervisor of your diet plan. Some MDs have nutrition training and experience, but do not assume that all MDs are qualified to provide nutrition information and advice. Look for background and credentials on your site and verify them using other sources.
- Verify the credentials of any "experts" quoted on product advertisements. Verify the legitimacy of any claims made about diet products. Often, the "tests" that are quoted about a product's effectiveness were performed by the product manufacturer itself, using a very selective sample of people. See the findingDulcinea Health Web Guide for its section on evaluating the legitimacy of health claims.
- If you are a diet novice or someone who has found diets challenging in the past, you may want to consider visiting a Registered Dietitian (RD), an accredited nutrition professional, who can set up a personalized diet plan for you and offer continual knowledge and support.
- A few of the sites from the "Start Losing Weight" section of this guide can be helpful for choosing the right diet. For example, MyPyramid.gov has nutritional guidelines that can be useful for determining if a diet is suitable for you.
Dulcinea's Picks
For general dietary guidelines ...
Helpguide
contains straight talk about the Food Guide Pyramid and other nutrition recommendations, and offers special information for groups such as women and seniors. Read about the importance of water intake, recommended calories per day, and some general guidelines for healthy eating.
Nutritionwerks
is a growing Web site that offers a number of user-friendly pages on general nutrition, as well as healthy eating specifically tailored for men, women, children, adolescents, and infants.
The National Women's Health Information Center
is a government guide with information on women's nutrition. It is straightforward, easy to use, and question-and-answer based. Discussions of the different types of fat in food, how to determine portions, and how to read food labels are helpful and informative.
The Center for Science in the Public Interest
(CSPI) has food safety news, information about food additives, food safety tips, and other food safety-related studies and legislation information. CSPI is an advocacy group that encourages legislation to keep consumers safe and healthy. This group was involved in getting legislation passed to require foods to carry nutrition information labels and to put warning labels on alcoholic beverages.
For information about weight loss products ...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) site provides information on dietary supplements and diet aids, including those containing ephedrine alkaloids (ephedra). Choose a supplement from the drop-down menu at the top left of the page for information issued by the FDA.
To locate a qualified nutrition professional in your area ...
The American Dietetic Association
's official Web site offers access to a national nutrition network that allows you to locate an RD near you by entering your city and state.
Eating Healthier
In order for your body to run like the efficient machine it can be, you have to fuel it properly. You can learn about food and how it nourishes (or harms) your body from a number of Web sites.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Do not start an intense exercise routine or make a drastic change in diet without first consulting your physician. Use the tips on Web sites merely as suggestions or loose guidelines; each person has specific health considerations that Web sites can't take into consideration.
- If you have special food allergies or lifestyle considerations to make when choosing a diet, see our findingDulcinea Food Web Guide. The Food Guide has additional resources for those with diet restrictions such as keeping kosher, food allergies, and vegan or vegetarian lifestyles.
Dulcinea's Picks
For healthy recipes ...
Lime
has a food section complete with informative videos, recipes, articles, and a news feed that gathers news items from other sources. Lime reviews the products they like and offers additional resources on how to live a healthy lifestyle. If you're interested in "healthy, fresh, organic, locally grown, vegetarian, vegan, raw, allergen-free, eco-friendly, low fat, high protein, natural foods, or the slow food movement," you'll find it here.
FoodFit.com
has a collection of healthful food recipes and guides. Find information about seasonal fruits and vegetables, a "Cook It Safe Calculator" to make sure you are cooking your meats for the correct amount of time, and healthier twists on favorite recipes.
Meals For You
allows you to search for recipes by nutrition information, ingredient, name, or by course. Build a shopping list by choosing the recipes you'd like to make; Meals For You then inserts the proper ingredients and amounts on the list so you can print it and make shopping a breeze.
The World's Healthiest Foods
is a collection of recipes and tips from a nonprofit organization. Get meal ideas with their daily menu of healthy foods to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Learn what their "food of the week" is and why.
To find healthy alternatives to the food you love ...
NutritionData
provides an incredibly detailed nutritional breakdown of food. Find healthier substitutes for the food you eat at restaurants, or see how balanced a specific food is. This site also has a daily calorie counter, a tool to find foods that meet your specific nutrient needs, a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator, and a nutrition glossary.
Dr. Gourmet
gives you some healthier alternatives from the menus of popular fast food spots. If you must eat it, here's what Dr. Gourmet thinks you should choose.
Who knew?
wiseGEEK
shows you pictures of what a 200-calorie serving looks like in a variety of foods. From avocado to vinegar, the serving sizes may surprise you.
Weight Loss Management
Since the needs of every dieter are different, you will want to choose a diet that best fits your personal needs. You also may benefit from a resource that can help you track your progress. When selecting a fitness tracking site, consider the following: Do you need access to this site/program long-term? Are you just looking for a few tips on improving your diet? How much online support do you need?
Dulcinea's Insight
- As basic as it sounds, much of your success with an online diet depends upon the consistency with which you log in to the site to enter your intake, exercise time, and weight, and to receive feedback and support. Because your site is taking the place of a real nutritionist, you need to enjoy logging in and interacting with your site. For most people, this means that the site should be uncluttered and user-friendly, with few advertisements to distract you from your main purpose.
Dulcinea's Picks
For user-friendly diet and exercise planning and tracking ...
SparkPeople
won Business Week's 2006 "Best of the Web" Health Site Award. The site offers a free community meeting place for those interested in diet and fitness and has tools like a diet tracker, membership in an online support community, and a personal Web page where you can highlight your interests and weight loss goals.
FitDay
is instantly impressive due to its simplicity and lack of advertisements. This site offers a free online diet calorie counter and weight loss journal. Or you can purchase a $29.95 software package that includes personalized information and feedback, such as diet balance and weight loss progress reports.
StartYourDiet.com
offers a free diet tracker and goal setter, and also a more elaborate "Deluxe" package that costs $29.95 for a year. The package includes a personal diet blog, a "Buddy Finder" feature, a database with more than 12,000 foods for meal planning ideas, and a progress tracker. The site is pleasantly uncluttered and easy to navigate.
© 2009 Dulcinea Media, Inc.
