Losing weight doesn't have to cost you a fortune. Forget buying the latest gimmicky tools or books or joining an expensive diet group or program. The truth is that you can learn what you need to lose weight and keep it off right at home and without spending a penny. Whether you prefer to work online or off, free resources abound.
Forums and Online Communities
Of all the free weight loss sites out there, forums and interactive community websites might be the most effective. Not only can you find updated information on those sites, but you can also get support from other members, ask questions and look for references or recommendations. Before you join a site, make sure there are no hidden fees or that the website doesn't promote a particular diet or weight loss philosophy. This will keep you away from commercial sites that are basically just trying to sell you something or that might promote unhealthy behaviors. Good sites to try include Spark People, which runs a newsletter, has an article database of weight loss and fitness tips and offers a forum. Or look into Fitness.com for more exercise-related information and Wellsphere for a very active community-based website.
Government Resources
The FDA runs the My Pyramid website, where you can find information about balanced eating plans, menu planners, interactive tools and food databases where you can check the nutritional content of different foods. Materials can be printed out if you prefer to carry them around and there are special sections for healthy eating for kids and seniors. Audio, video and animation resources make it easy to understand the concepts shown and you can even calculate your recommended calorie intake and ideal weight.
The Federal Citizen Information Center is a government agency that publishes a free booklets and pamphlets on a number of topics, including weight loss. For large orders, there's a shipping and service fee of $2 as of 2010, or you can choose to download all the booklets for free in PDF form. Examples of publications offered include "Weight Loss for Life," "Do You Know the Health Risks of Being Overweight?" and "Road to a Healthy Life."
Printables
If you'd rather take the weight loss tools with you, there are a number of sites that offer free spreadsheets and tables. Choose among weight loss logs and charts, weekly trackers, diet journals, fitness progress charts, weight graphs and food logs. Losing It My Way offers a number of tracking printouts as well as visual incentives, inspirational weight loss ebooks and a 10-week diet and exercise log. Vertex42 focuses on Excel spreadsheets such as weight loss logs for both men and women and a weight loss chart where you can graph your weight loss over time.
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