To lose weight, eat fewer calories than your body needs. Any reduced-calorie diet will work as long as you follow it, says the Harvard School of Public Health. When it comes to finding a free online diet, look for one that includes a variety of foods you enjoy eating. Consult with your physician before starting any weight loss plan.
Calories Count
Calories Count is an online weight-management program designed by the Calorie Control Council. It helps you control your calorie intake by teaching you how to manage portions and make healthier food choices. The diet assessment tool helps you determine how many calories you need to eat a day to lose weight. Once you know your calorie limit, use the food calorie calculator and online food diary to help you track your intake. The Harvard School of Public Health says keeping a food diary makes you more aware of your intake. Calories Count also offers free calorie-controlled meal plans with recipes and shopping lists to help those who may have difficulty developing their own meal plan.
USDA MyPyramid Plan
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has turned its food guide pyramid into an interactive eating plan. The MyPyramid Plan creates a personalized diet based on your age, weight, height, sex and activity level. The diet includes calorie needs and recommendations on what to eat from each food group. It also offers information about portion sizes, low-calorie food choices from each food group and healthy meal preparations. The MyPyramid Plan also includes an online food diary to help you track your intake and stay focused. In addition to information on diet, the MyPyramid Plan also offers advice and suggestions on how to increase your physical activity.
The Daily Plate
The Daily Plate is another free online diet program. The Daily Plate calculates calorie needs based on your weight loss goals, whether you need to lose, gain or just maintain your current weight. The online diet program provides calorie information on over 600,000 food items and helps you track your intake with the online food diary. It also helps you track the number of calories you burn through your daily exercise. The Daily Plate offers recipes, meal ideas and online peer support to help you achieve your ideal weight. The Daily Plate also offers an online diet program for people with diabetes.
