Losing weight by eating healthier doesn't have to break the bank. In fact, many effective diet plans are completely free to use. The key is choosing the right one that will integrate smoothly into your current lifestyle. For instance, a diet that completely eliminates sugar may not be the ideal choice for someone with a sweet tooth. A diet plan that suits you over the long term is the best choice.
Considerations
The Mayo Clinic suggests discussing your new dieting approach with your doctor before getting started. Some people, such as diabetics, may require special dietary needs, and so not all diets will work well for everyone. Your doctor can help weed out the diets not suitable for you, so you can make a more informed choice on the diet that makes the most sense for you. Other suggestions include choosing a diet plan that promotes physical activity, steady weight loss, a balanced meal plan and flexibility.
MyPyramid
Designed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), MyPyramid.gov features a customized diet plan that is completely free to use. You simply enter your age, gender, height/weight and physical activity level into the MyPyramid online calculator, and it takes care of the rest. It will show you exactly how many calories to target each day, what foods to eat, quantities of foods and physical activity recommendations. It also gives you sample meal plans and recipes to use.
DASH
The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet was designed to help a dieter lower her blood pressure, but it has also been shown to help the user lose weight. It's recommended by the American Heart Association and USDA. Its focus is on increasing intake of vital nutrients, such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, protein and fiber, while reducing intake of sodium and saturated fats. The DASH diet is available in several caloric levels ranging from a 1,600-calorie plan up to a 3,100-calorie meal plan.
HHS
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offers a free, basic dieting option for an adult looking to lose weight fast. This diet offers suggestions that limit most adult women to consume as few as 1,000 to 1,200 calories per day, and 1,200 to 1,600 calories for men. The focus is on eating nutrient-dense foods, such as vegetables, fruit, lean meats/beans, whole grains and low-fat dairy products. The key to this low-calorie diet is eating small portions; each meal consists of 300 to 400 calories on average.
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