Key points
- The programs that work best combine three things: changes in eating, more movement and support with habits, such as setting goals, keeping track and solving problems. Experts call this a behavioural program.
- Length and contact matter. In the trials behind the US Preventive Services Task Force advice, most of the programs studied lasted one to two years, with 12 or more sessions in the first year.
- Expect steady, modest results. On average, people in good programs lose a few kilos more than people without one, and they are about twice as likely to reach a 5% weight loss. That is enough to improve health.
- Free can be good. What counts is the content and the support, not the price. Watch for red flags such as promises of fast or effortless weight loss, pills and powders, or pressure to buy.
- Obesity Foundation’s program is free: an eating plan, workout videos in three levels (being filmed now), video meetings (in English) with our volunteers and a club account to track progress. Below is a 12-week outline for using it.
- Talk to your doctor first if you have diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure, take regular medicines or are pregnant.
What is a weight loss program?
A weight loss program is a structured plan that helps you change how you eat and move, with support over a set period of time. It can be a series of group meetings, one-to-one sessions, an online course or an app. Some are run by health services, some by companies and some by charities.
A program is different from a diet. A diet tells you what to eat. A good program also helps you work out why changes are hard for you, what gets in the way and how to keep going when life gets busy, you get ill or the scale stops moving.
The word “program” is used for very different things, from a supervised clinic to a 30-day challenge on social media. That is why it helps to know what the research says before you choose, or before you pay.
One more thing first. Living with obesity is not a matter of willpower: genes, biology, medicines, sleep and the food environment all play a part. A good program accepts that, and works with your body and your daily life rather than blaming you.
What makes a weight loss program good? What the evidence says
A good weight loss program combines healthier eating, more physical activity and practical behaviour support, and keeps in touch with you for months, not weeks. This is the finding of several large reviews of randomised trials, the strongest kind of evidence we have.
The US Preventive Services Task Force: intensive, multicomponent support
The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is an independent panel of experts that weighs the evidence for preventive care. It advises that doctors offer or refer adults with a BMI of 30 or higher to intensive behavioural programs that combine several elements. It gave this advice a grade B: it concluded with moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate.
The programs it looked at mostly aimed for a weight loss of at least 5%, through changes in food and activity. Most focused on problem solving, weighing yourself regularly, support from other participants and planning for setbacks. Many also handed out practical tools, such as pedometers, food scales or exercise videos.
The Task Force found the harms of these programs to be small to none. That matters: unlike crash diets or supplements, a well-run behavioural program is a low-risk thing to try. An update of this advice is in progress, but the current statement remains in force.
The evidence review behind it
The Task Force based its advice on a review funded by the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which included 122 randomised trials of behavioural programs and medicines. For weight loss, 67 trials of behavioural programs with about 22,000 people could be pooled: after 12 to 18 months, people in these programs had lost on average about 2.4 kg more than people in comparison groups.
That number sounds small, but it is an average across very different people and programs. Participants were almost twice as likely to reach a weight loss of 5%, and for every eight people who joined a program, one extra person reached that goal. Among people with raised blood sugar, programs cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by about a third.
The review also looked at programs for keeping weight off after losing it. People who had this kind of follow-up support regained about 1.6 kg less than people without it.
Cochrane reviews: why behaviour support and exercise both count
Cochrane, an international network that produces independent reviews of medical research, has looked at the separate building blocks. Its review of psychological approaches found that behavioural and cognitive behavioural strategies added to the weight loss from diet and exercise, and that more intensive support gave better results.
Cochrane’s review of exercise found that adding physical activity to a change in diet gave greater weight loss than diet alone. It also found that exercise improved blood pressure, blood fats and blood sugar even when weight stayed the same. In other words, movement is worth it for your health, whatever the scale says.
Programs in everyday health care
Trials run by specialist centres do not always work as well in daily practice. A review in The BMJ therefore looked only at programs delivered through family doctors’ practices: 34 trials in total. After a year, people in these programs had lost on average 2.3 kg more than people who received no program or minimal advice.
The best-known example of what a long, structured program can do is the US Diabetes Prevention Program. Over 3,000 adults with raised blood sugar aimed for a 7% weight loss and 150 minutes of activity a week, with regular support. Over an average of almost three years, the lifestyle group developed type 2 diabetes 58% less often than the placebo group.
Seven ingredients of a good weight loss program
Put together, the research points to a short list of things a good program offers. Use it as a checklist, whether a program is free or paid.
- Food, movement and behaviour together. Not just a diet, and not just workouts, but help with habits as well.
- Enough time. At least several months, ideally a year or longer, including support for keeping weight off.
- Regular contact. Meetings, calls or messages that keep you connected, for example every week or two at the start.
- Keeping track. A simple way to record food, activity, weight or other goals, and to look back at your progress.
- Problem solving and planning for setbacks. Holidays, illness, stress and plateaus happen to everyone; a good program helps you plan for them.
- Flexible, ordinary food. Meals you can buy, afford and enjoy, from your own culture, without banning whole food groups.
- Respect. No shaming, no before-and-after pressure, and goals that include more than the scale: energy, blood pressure, mobility, sleep and mood.
A program does not need to be expensive or fancy to tick these boxes. It needs a sensible approach, enough time and people who stay in touch.
How long should a weight loss program last?
Most programs that work well last at least several months, and longer programs tend to give better results than short ones. Twelve weeks is a useful first block, but it is best seen as a start, not the finish line.
A large British trial, called WRAP, tested this directly. More than 1,200 adults were randomly given brief advice and self-help materials, a 12-week commercial group program or the same program for 52 weeks. After one year, average weight loss was 3.3 kg with brief advice, 4.8 kg with 12 weeks and 6.8 kg with 52 weeks.
So the same program, simply offered for longer, helped people lose more. This fits what the USPSTF review saw: most programs lasted one to two years, and about a third had a core phase of 3 to 12 months, followed by 9 to 12 months of lighter support to help people keep the changes going.
The reason is biological as much as practical. After weight loss, hunger hormones and energy use shift in ways that push weight back up, as our page on why weight comes back explains. Ongoing support helps you deal with that pressure, instead of facing it alone after the last session.
How much weight can you expect to lose?
A realistic aim for a good program is a weight loss of around 5% within a year. Many of the effective programs in the USPSTF review were designed around that goal, and the USPSTF notes that the US Food and Drug Administration considers a 5% loss clinically important.
For a person weighing 120 kg, 5% is 6 kg. That may sound far from where you would like to be. But even a modest loss can bring real health benefits, as our page on the health risks of obesity describes.
Results vary a lot between people. In the AHRQ review, even the average weight change in the program groups ranged from 0.5 kg to 9.3 kg between trials. Within each program, some people lose more than average, some less and some gain weight. If you are in the last group, that says more about biology, life circumstances and the program than about you.
One obesity specialist, quoted by the Arthritis Foundation, puts it this way: a behavioural program that consistently helps people lose about 10% of their weight is doing well. Be careful with any program that suggests far more than that as normal.
Types of weight loss programs compared
There are four broad types of weight loss program: free programs from charities and public services, commercial programs, medical programs and online programs or apps. Each has strengths and limits, and the best choice depends on your health, your budget and the kind of support you like.
| Type | What you usually get | Cost | Evidence | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free programs from charities, NGOs and public services | Group or one-to-one sessions, eating advice, walking groups, online materials; sometimes run by volunteers | Free, or a small fee | Varies. Programs based on the elements in this guide follow proven principles, but most have not been tested in their own trial | Check who runs it, how long it lasts and what training the leaders have. Free help through your doctor depends on where you live |
| Commercial programs | Weekly group meetings or online support, a points or meal system, sometimes meal replacements | Monthly membership; extras such as food products can add up | A few programs have good trial evidence at one year; for most commercial programs, evidence is limited or short-term | Ask about total costs, how to cancel, and what happens when you stop paying |
| Medical programs | Care from a doctor, dietitian, physiotherapist or psychologist, sometimes in a specialist clinic | Covered by public health care or insurance in some countries; private fees elsewhere | Strong evidence for intensive behavioural programs; options differ by country | Best if you have health conditions, take several medicines or have a very high BMI. Ask your doctor what is available |
| Online programs and apps | Tracking tools, lessons, messages, sometimes video or chat contact with a person | Free basic versions; paid subscriptions for extra features | Online programs help on average; evidence for keeping weight off is weaker. App quality varies widely | In studies, fuller programs with extra components did better than basic versions |
Medical programs may also discuss prescription medicines or surgery for some people. Those are decisions for you and your doctor, based on your own health.
Whether medication is right for you is something to discuss with your doctor. Obesity Foundation does not recommend or promote weight-loss medication; our focus is good food, appropriate exercise and walking.
Hypnosis and acupuncture courses are sometimes sold as programs too; our check of hypnosis for weight loss compares them with better-proven help.
Programmes built for men, such as those run through football clubs, are described in our guide to weight loss for men.
What we know about commercial programs
A review in the Annals of Internal Medicine looked at 45 studies of commercial programs. Only a handful of programs had good evidence. At one year, the clearest benefits came from two programs: one gave at least 2.6% and the other at least 4.9% more weight loss than comparison groups that got education or counselling only.
Very-low-calorie programs produced fast weight loss at first, but where longer results were reported, the advantage partly faded after six months. For most other commercial programs, the reviewers simply did not find enough reliable data. A slick website is not the same as proof.
Commercial programs can suit people who like a fixed system and regular meetings, and some health services refer people to them for free. Just keep the costs in view: a program you can only afford for six weeks is unlikely to give lasting results.
Online weight loss programs and apps: do they work?
Online weight loss programs do help on average, and fuller versions tend to do better than basic ones. They can also be easier to fit around work, family and health problems than meetings in a building across town.
A review in Obesity Reviews pooled 84 studies of programs delivered via the internet, email, text messages and apps. People using them lost on average 2.7 kg more than people without a program. Programs with extra components or technologies did better than standard versions. There was not yet enough evidence that online programs alone help people keep weight off long term.
Apps are a mixed picture. When researchers rated 23 popular weight management apps, most included goal setting and tracking, which are useful. But the quality of the information they gave scored lowest of all areas, a median of 2 out of 5. Seventy percent of the apps were free to download.
How to choose an online weight loss program
- Look for a real person you can reach, by video, phone or message, not only a chatbot or automatic reminders.
- Check that the advice comes from a named organisation with qualified health professionals behind it, and that sources are listed.
- Make sure tracking is simple and private, and that you can download or delete your data.
- Read what is free and what is paid before you enter payment details, and check how to cancel.
- Choose a program that offers workouts at your level. Many online workouts are made for people who are already fit; if you have joint pain or little exercise experience, look for seated and low-impact options.
What does a weight loss coach do?
A weight loss coach helps you set realistic goals, plan small changes and keep going, usually through regular conversations. The term covers a wide range of people, from dietitians and nurses with extra training to people with a short online certificate, so it is worth asking about qualifications.
In the trials behind the USPSTF advice, the people running programs included dietitians, psychologists, exercise specialists, behavioural therapists and lifestyle coaches. What they had in common was not a title but a structured approach: goal setting, tracking, problem solving and regular follow-up.
Support from peers can help too, though the effect is smaller. A review of 65 studies of programs led by peers, lay people that participants could identify with, found a small extra weight loss of about 1 kg, a smaller waist and more physical activity.
Questions to ask a coach before you start
- What training and qualifications do you have, and are you registered with a professional body?
- Do you have experience with people living with obesity, joint pain or conditions such as diabetes?
- How often will we be in contact, for how long, and what does it cost in total?
- Will you work alongside my own doctor, and when will you tell me to see one?
- Do you sell supplements, shakes or other products? If so, am I expected to buy them?
If you have a health condition, take medicines or have a history of disordered eating, a registered dietitian or a team linked to your doctor is the safer choice. Questions about mood, binge eating or body image belong with a qualified professional; our page on psychological support explains the options.
Red flags: signs of a bad weight loss program
A bad weight loss program promises fast or effortless results, sells products as the solution or makes you feel ashamed. Consumer and health organisations warn about the same signs again and again.
| Red flag | Why it is a problem | What a good program does |
|---|---|---|
| Promises of rapid weight loss, such as “lose 10 kg in a month” | Very fast loss without medical supervision can be unsafe, especially if you take medicines, and the early advantage often fades | Talks about gradual, steady progress and what results are typical |
| “No diet or exercise needed” | No accepted treatment for obesity works without attention to food and activity | Helps you change eating and movement in ways you can keep up |
| Pills, powders, patches, teas or “fat burners” | Weight-loss supplements may contain harmful ingredients, and claims that products worn on the body cause weight loss are generally false | Uses ordinary food; any meal replacements are part of a supervised plan |
| Cutting out whole food groups | You may miss nutrients, and strict rules are hard to keep for long | Offers a flexible eating pattern with room for foods you like |
| Guarantees or “permanent” results | No method can guarantee lasting weight loss; regain is common without ongoing support | Plans for maintenance and helps you if weight comes back |
| Testimonials and dramatic before-and-after photos as the main proof | They show the best results, not typical ones | Shares average results, drop-out rates and the research behind its approach |
| “Clinically proven” or “doctor approved” without details | These labels are often unsupported or based on weak studies | Names the studies and the qualified people involved |
| Pressure to pay upfront, hidden costs or hard-to-cancel contracts | Money pressure keeps you in, rather than results | Is clear about all costs and lets you stop easily |
| Shaming, weigh-ins in front of others, or blaming you when results stall | Shame makes it harder to keep going and can put people off seeking care | Treats you with respect and celebrates more than the scale |
Also be wary of programs that push expensive tests or body scans you do not need, or that leave you hungry and exhausted all day. If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Our page on weight stigma explains why shame never helps.
Where to find a free weight loss program
Free weight loss help exists in many places, but what is on offer depends a lot on the country and region you live in. These are good places to look:
- Your doctor or general practice. In some countries, doctors can refer you to a free or reimbursed lifestyle program, a dietitian or a physiotherapist. Ask directly what is available and covered where you live. Our doctor visit checklist helps you prepare.
- Local or national health services. Some public health services run free group courses or online programs, especially for people with raised blood sugar or high blood pressure.
- Charities and patient organisations. Non-profits often offer free information, eating plans, exercise materials or support groups. Check that they are independent and do not sell products.
- Community groups. Walking groups, community centres, libraries and faith groups sometimes run free activities that bring movement and company together.
Our find help page has more tips on where to start. If you want to know how health services approach this, our page on lifestyle treatment is a good next read.
Free peer support, from local groups to a single buddy, is covered in our guide to weight loss support groups.
Obesity Foundation’s free weight loss program
Obesity Foundation offers a free program built from the ingredients research links to better results: an eating plan, workouts at your level, contact with people and a simple way to keep track. Everything is free, without a subscription or a paid upgrade.
We want to be honest about what it is and what it is not. Our program follows evidence-based principles, but it has not been tested in its own trial. Our volunteers are not doctors, therapists or professional coaches, and our help is general, not tailored medical advice.
| Part | What you get | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Free eating plan | A practical plan with ordinary, affordable food and room for your own tastes and culture; no crash diet or strict calorie counting | Available now |
| Workout videos in three levels | Start (seated and supported, joint-friendly), Build (regular workouts without jumping) and Strong (for when you want more challenge) | Coming soon: the videos are being filmed |
| Free video meetings | A friendly conversation with one of our volunteers about your situation, your questions and which help suits you | Available now, on request |
| Free club account | Log workouts and walks, keep a private weight record, set a personal goal, request help and choose whether to get tips by email | Available now |
The eating plan
The eating plan is built around a balanced plate, regular meals and simple swaps, using food you can find in an ordinary supermarket. You can read our sample week on the free eating plan page, or ask us to send you a plan by email.
The workout videos: Start, Build and Strong
Our workout series is designed for people who feel left out by most fitness videos. Level Start begins in a chair, Build adds strength training and longer sessions, still without jumping, and Strong is for when you are ready to push further. You can read how the levels work on our free workouts page.
The videos are still being filmed, so they are coming soon. Until they are online, walking is the best way to start moving; our walking plan builds up from a few minutes a day.
Video meetings with volunteers
In a free video meeting (in English) you talk with one of our volunteers. They listen, help you think through practical next steps, point you to reliable information and help you prepare for a conversation with your doctor.
The meetings are not therapy, not medical care and not professional coaching. For diagnosis, medicines, eating disorders or mental health problems, your doctor or a qualified professional is the right person to see.
The Obesity Foundation Club account
Your free club account is where you keep track. You can log workouts and walks, see your active minutes for the past week, save your weight privately and write down a goal that matters to you, such as walking to the shops without a break. Only you can see your progress.
Keeping a record is one of the ingredients that the USPSTF programs had in common. It does not need to be perfect: a few lines a week are enough to notice patterns and to see how far you have come.
Before you start: check with your doctor
Talk to your doctor first before you start any weight loss program, including ours. This is especially important if you:
- have type 2 diabetes and use insulin or other medicines that can cause low blood sugar, because eating less and moving more can lower your blood sugar
- take medicines for blood pressure or heart disease, or have ever had chest pain, fainting or severe breathlessness during exertion
- have kidney disease, liver disease or another long-term condition with its own food advice
- are pregnant, breastfeeding or have recently had surgery
- have, or have had, an eating disorder, or often feel that eating is out of control
- have severe joint, back or balance problems
Your doctor can check whether any medicines need adjusting as your eating and activity change, and can help you choose goals that suit your health.
A 12-week plan with our free resources
This 12-week outline shows one way to use our free resources as a weight loss program. Talk to your doctor first, go at your own pace and repeat any phase as often as you like. It is a guide, not a test.
| Weeks | Focus | Food | Movement | Support and tracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Get ready | Read the eating plan; note what you eat and drink on a few ordinary days, without judging | Short daily walks at an easy pace, using the first weeks of our walking plan | Join the club, write down one goal beyond the scale, and request a video meeting if you would like to talk your plan through |
| 3–4 | First changes | Pick one or two changes, such as water instead of sugary drinks or more vegetables at dinner | Keep walking and add a few minutes a week; try the Start videos as soon as they are online | Log walks and workouts once or twice a week |
| 5–6 | Build a routine | Make regular meals a habit; plan a simple shopping list for the week | Aim for a set time each day to move; add short strength or chair exercises twice a week | Look back at your log: what went well, and what got in the way? |
| 7–8 | Solve problems | Plan for difficult moments: evenings, weekends, eating out, stress | Swap one walk a week for a different activity you enjoy, or walk with someone | Book a second video meeting to talk through obstacles, if that helps |
| 9–10 | Step up gently | Try one or two new recipes from the eating plan | Lengthen your walks; if Start feels comfortable, look at whether Build suits you | Check your goal: is it still the right one? Adjust it if not |
| 11–12 | Look back and plan ahead | Keep the changes that worked; drop what did not | Settle into a weekly rhythm you can keep for months | Note what has changed: energy, sleep, mobility, mood and weight. Plan your next 12 weeks |
The movement column is deliberately flexible. While the videos are being filmed, walking is the backbone of the plan. Our walking page gives a week-by-week build-up and tips for joint pain, chafing and breathlessness.
How these weeks should feel
You should feel challenged but not punished. If you are hungry all the time, exhausted or in pain the day after moving, you are probably doing too much too fast. Ease off, and talk to your doctor if it does not settle.
Some weeks the scale will not move, or will go up. That is normal and says little about how you are doing. Look at the whole picture: are you moving more, sleeping better, feeling stronger? Our page on sleep, stress and mental health explains why rest and stress also affect weight.
After 12 weeks: keeping going
After 12 weeks, the most useful thing you can do is keep going with lighter support, because research shows that longer programs give better and more lasting results. Think of the first 12 weeks as building a base that you then maintain.
- Keep logging in the club, even if only once a week. Regular tracking helps you spot when things start to slip.
- Choose a new focus for the next block: perhaps moving up a workout level, adding strength exercises or cooking more at home.
- Stay in contact with people: a walking friend, a support group, our volunteers or your doctor.
- If weight starts to come back, act early and without blame. Go back to the basics that worked, and ask for help.
If, after a few months, you feel you need more than a free program can offer, that is not a failure. Ask your doctor about a professional program, a dietitian or other treatment options. Our help can sit alongside that care.
Start our free program today
You can start with one part or with all four. Nothing costs money, now or later, and you can stop at any time.
- Request your free eating plan: practical meals with everyday food, without crash diets.
- Sign up for the free workout videos: Start, Build and Strong. They are being filmed now, and we will email you when the first Start videos are online.
- Book a free video meeting (in English) with one of our volunteers to talk about your situation and which help suits you.
- Open your free club account to log walks and workouts, keep a private record and set your own goal.
Our program centres on good food, movement at the right level and walking, with people who treat you with respect. If you are just starting to read about this topic, our page on what obesity is and our overview of genetics and biology explain why weight is about much more than willpower.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a weight loss program that is completely free?
Yes. Some charities, public health services and community groups offer free programs, and in some countries your doctor can refer you to one at no cost. Obesity Foundation’s program is free too: an eating plan, workout videos (being filmed now), video meetings (in English) with volunteers and a club account, with no subscription or paid upgrade.
Are online weight loss programs as effective as meeting in person?
Online programs help on average: a review of 84 studies found about 2.7 kg more weight loss than without a program. Fuller online programs did better than basic ones, and evidence on keeping weight off is still limited. The best format is the one you will actually keep using for months.
Do I need a weight loss coach?
Not necessarily. What helps is regular support with goals, tracking and problem solving, which can come from a dietitian, a group program, an online program or people around you. If you have health conditions or take medicines, choose support linked to your doctor or a registered dietitian rather than a coach without health training.
How many sessions should a good weight loss program have?
In the trials reviewed for the US Preventive Services Task Force, most programs had 12 or more sessions in the first year and lasted one to two years. Group programs had a median of 23 sessions in the first year. Fewer, shorter contacts usually give smaller results.
What should I ask before paying for a weight loss program?
Ask what a typical participant loses and keeps off, how many people drop out, who leads the sessions and what training they have, and what the total cost is, including food or products. Also ask how to cancel and what support there is after the main program ends.
Are the Obesity Foundation video meetings a form of therapy or coaching?
No. The video meetings are friendly conversations with our volunteers, who help you think through practical steps and find reliable information. They are not therapy, medical advice or professional coaching. For those, please see your doctor or a qualified professional.
Can I join a weight loss program if I have diabetes or high blood pressure?
Yes, and many people with these conditions benefit, but talk to your doctor first. Eating less and moving more can lower blood sugar and blood pressure, so medicines such as insulin or some blood pressure tablets may need adjusting. Your doctor can also suggest goals that suit your health.
Sources
- US Preventive Services Task Force – Weight loss to prevent obesity-related morbidity and mortality in adults: behavioral interventions, recommendation statement (2018)
- LeBlanc ES, et al. – Behavioral and pharmacotherapy weight loss interventions: updated evidence report and systematic review for the USPSTF (AHRQ-funded), JAMA (2018)
- Shaw K, et al. – Psychological interventions for overweight or obesity, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2005)
- Shaw K, et al. – Exercise for overweight or obesity, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2006)
- Madigan CD, et al. – Effectiveness of weight management interventions for adults delivered in primary care: systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ (2022)
- Ahern AL, et al. – Extended and standard duration weight-loss programme referrals for adults in primary care (WRAP), The Lancet (2017)
- Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group – Reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes with lifestyle intervention or metformin, NEJM (2002)
- Gudzune KA, et al. – Efficacy of commercial weight-loss programs: an updated systematic review, Annals of Internal Medicine (2015)
- Hutchesson MJ, et al. – eHealth interventions for the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: systematic review with meta-analysis, Obesity Reviews (2015)
- Bardus M, et al. – A review and content analysis of the most popular commercial apps for weight management, IJBNPA (2016)
- Lim S, et al. – Peer-supported lifestyle interventions on body weight, energy intake and physical activity in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis, Obesity Reviews (2021)
- Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) – Fad diet red flags (2020)
- Obesity Action Coalition – Selecting a weight management program
- Arthritis Foundation – How to choose a weight-loss program