A healthy, effective diet doesn't have to cost you money. The Internet offers plenty of free weight-loss programs you can download or access. The main problem is figuring out which ones are good and which ones are fad diets you should avoid. As a general rule, always look for programs that don't promise huge amounts of rapid weight loss. Your goal should be to lose no more than 2 lbs. per week.
Food Pyramid
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's MyPyramid isn't meant as a weight-loss plan, but as a healthy eating plan. However, if you've been eating junk food or eating more than you should, adjusting your food intake should result in weight loss. The food pyramid doesn't have specific calorie recommendations. Instead, it suggests how many servings of each food group you should eat based on your current weight and your weight loss goals. For example, you should get between six and 11 servings of grains a day. If you're trying to lose weight, choose a lower number. You can also download the free Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 to use for diet planning.
Cutting Calories
If money is a problem, the easiest diet you can try is simply eating less. Cutting your portions in half or by a third will reduce the number of calories you eat and save you money. You'll also save calories and money if you make your own food, rather than eating prepared, processed food. For example, make your own whole-wheat pasta with tomato sauce instead of eating macaroni and cheese and you'll be saving calories, fat grams and money.
Online Diet Plans
A number of websites allow you to create a personalized diet plan for free. FreeTrainers.com, Diet.com and StartYourDiet.com are three examples. For these websites, you need to create a profile that includes your current weight, height, sex and other information. You also make choices for special dietary requirements -- for example, if you're a vegetarian or a diabetic. Based on the information, you then get a personalized diet plan to help you achieve your goal weight. The plan is based on real food, not prepackaged or prepared meals, so you shouldn't have to spend any more money than you normally would.
Low-Fat or Low-Carb Diets
Both low-fat and low-carb diets can be done without buying any special foods or supplements. Certain diets, like Atkins or South Beach, sell snack bars, shakes or special supplements, but you don't have to buy these foods to follow the diet. These two types of diets are simple to follow because you simply reduce the amount of carbohydrates or the amount of fats you consume. You don't need to buy books to follow a special menu. To follow a low-carb diet, simply cut down all sugars and simple carbs and eat small amounts of complex carbs, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables. For low-fat diets, cut down on fried foods and junk food snacks and switch to low-fat dairy.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Weight Loss: 6 Strategies for Success; December 2010
- "Eat This Not That! The Best (& Worst!) Foods in America!: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution"; David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding; 2009
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