SubscribeFree Versus Expensive Diets
Some weight loss programs can cost thousands per year. Others are free (see 10 free tools here). So why pay anything? As in any product - cost is just one factor. Quality and service (particularly after the sale) are also very important factors to consider.
Many people are willing to spend hundreds of dollars because they feel that the "investment" will motivate them. If you see a charge appearing on your credit card bill every month, you are more likely to return the program than if you sign up for free and forget about it.
The Personal Touch
There is also another huge difference. There are a number of web sites who offer access to a set of on-line tools for free. This is tremendous, but it cannot match the personal touch. It's one thing paying for a product - it is another thing paying for a person's time.
Personal trainers, nutritionists and counsellors all cost money - but it can be money well spent. Some sites claim to offer this kind of service as part of their on-line program - but the reality falls far short of the claim. Many times counsellors are inadequately trained or are unavailable, and the on-line counselling amounts to nothing more than a monthly chat transcript with the "expert".
How Much is Your Health Worth?
When justifying costs for a diet - many people use this argument: Surely you cannot set a price tag on your health? This is true - when you lose your health - money and possessions quickly lose their lustre. Unfortunately the money you spend may be going to prop-up another corporate empire rather than having a direct impact on your health.
I believe that spending money on nutritious food is always money well spent. We have got so used to cheap processed foods, that we under-appreciate the true value of whole foods. This is why programs such as Jenny Craig always seem so dubious. You not only pay for "membership" fees, you also pay for highly processed foods.
What Do You Choose?
If you are a person who likes finding things out for yourself - I believe there is enough information out there to make your own plan. However it takes time and commitment to do the research.
On the other hand, if you have little time or inclination - you can opt for a prescribed eating plan and pay for it. The only trouble with this, is that you may follow the plan, but a time will come when you can no longer endure it! At this point, if you are not armed with nutritional 'smarts' you may well end up being derailed, and reverse any effects of the diet.
If you are going to pay for a program - don't let your money be wasted. Learn as much as you can, develop good healthy eating habits, and be prepared to change your habits for life. Don't get caught up in black and white thinking. If you trip up or make mistakes along the way of learning to eat better - don't give up! Failure isn't fatal.
UPDATE: See a collection of free weight loss tools here.
I absolutely love the idea that being healthy is free (or at least no more or less expensive than being unhealthy).
Of course some people have different requirements (for supplements, gym memberships, personal trainers, equipment etc) - but I always try to advise people not to make an economic investment in the hope that this will motivate them. If that is their only motivation (i.e. i will use the gym if i am paying for it) then it is more often than not doomed to failure as there is not enough of a strong reason behind this motivation.
It is always best, in my opinion, to make the reasoning as pertinent and as personal to you as possible i.e. what will following through on this mean to me? how will my life be better? etc.
That way, if you are making a money investment it will definitely be for the right reasons!
ReplyI follow the Atkins Diet. All it set me back was the cost of his book.
It doesn't matter what diet you do, you must take control of the program yourself. Sometimes when we pay others to help us lose we, we rely on their program to do it for us (almost).
Books are about education. There is a lot of free online forums out there for support as well.
ReplyEven though I sell an online program I heartily agree that the only value in anything is in what you do with it, whether it is free information or a paid program.
I make myself available for questions and support every day but to be honest I am astounded by how little anyone makes use of the service offered. Most people do not even ask one question... may be they get enough with the daily and weekly coaching messages I send... :)
It's just the same at gyms where most people pay the membership and rarely, if ever, go.
If only intentions matched actions, we would all succeed a lot faster...
Janice
ReplyI totally agree. Cost should never be barrier to someone losing weight. I have donated time to free time to those wishing to lose. There are fantastic sources like Fitday and mybodycomp to guide you through the statistical barriers to losing weight, and there are certainly enough free forums for every diet (like Atkins in my case) known to man that one should never feel isolated or that they are doing this alone. Excuses will ever be present on why it is too hard to succeed or unconvenient, but it is not until the user makes the personal commitment to it and perserveres will they ever succeed.
ReplyI have used a diet called "Lean for Life" by Dr. Stamper. You can find the book cheap online from addall.com. I had a friend who sold me the kit which was several hundred dollars and included all sorts of stuff, but all you really need is the book. I lost 30 pounds in a month and had no cravings. It is a pretty well balanced diet, too, and leads you towards eating correctly. My problem was I get stressed over a house fire and buying a new house and gained it all back in about a month a year and a half later. I am now going back to try again, but am searching for other ideas to add in to it! Atkins made me sick - too much fat - but LFL is low fat and low carb :)
ReplyMy parents are total WW junkies. They have spent hundreds of dollars on membership fees, materials, etc., since about 1982 (right after I was born and my mom wanted to lose the baby fat). They KNOW how to lose weight and probably have since the first time they were in the program. But they stopped "doing WW" whenever they got sick of eating healthy and exercising. They always had excuses for not going to the meetings, etc.
When I decided to lose weight, I had no extra cash to spare, but my parents were on their 9th or 10th WW kick...this time with the Points system. It interested me and I asked for a copy of the book with the Point values in it. That's all I needed to lose weight. To realize that what I was currently eating was about twice as much as I needed to be eating and that I was not exercising at all. I had the motivation of my friends at college, but no formal meetings and no pre-boxed fad food. Just common sense and a little information.
ReplyI have tried every diet imaginable, and have lost and gained the weight many times. I find I do just as well with the "free" diets. I know you have to make a lifestyle change for the weight to stay off. I feel the commercial, expensive, programs are all a rip off.
Reply9 or 10 WW sessions? No wonder WW dominates the weight loss world...
ReplyI agree with lowcarb_dave ("...you must take control of the program yourself") and Janice ("...the only value in anything is in what you do with it, whether it is free information or a paid program.") I have built in the assurance that prospective clients have completed a pre-diet profile that involves a nominal amount of effort. If they aren't willing to do this, they certainly aren't ready to follow the system.
I sometimes think that clients want me to do the diet and themselves to lose the weight. If you were to ask them if they expect to go to bed fat and wake up next morning slim, they'd say, "Of course not." But I believe they actually do expect such magic to happen to them.
ReplyJim: re your comment about prescribed, paid eating plans ("The only trouble with this, is that you may follow the plan, but a time will come when you can no longer endure it!") Please read "How You Will Know You're Hooked on Normal Eating", in Post 5 on my site.
ReplyI like what you say: "Food has assumed its proper place in your life. It no longer calls your name from every corner of the universe."
And indeed much of healthy eating is creating healthy habits. I do notice that many people signup to inline plans, but then ditch them a few weeks or months down the track. Some may have picked up some good habuts - but others are ready to return to old eating.
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