Weight Watchers without a doubt is perhaps one of the world’s most popular diets – with former followers including celebrities like Oprah Winfrey. One of the reasons it’s so successful is the diet’s famous “Smart Points” structure which allows you eat whatever you want as long as you stick within your daily points limit.

In short: healthy foods like vegetables are normally zero points, with more indulgent foods racking up higher points. You can calculate your points allowance at a Weight Watchers meeting in-person, or alternatively online. Plus, it’s worth noting you can gain extra points depending on the amount of exercise you do.

So while Weight Watchers undoubtedly works, it’s still worth checking out your other options. Here are 4 other fantastic alternatives to Weight Watchers.

1) NUTRISYSTEM

The Pro’s:

– You don’t need to cook each meal
It’s great for diabetics and vegetarians
– Get your money back if you don’t lose weight in the first 2 weeks

The Con’s:

– Most of the food is frozen
Requires organisation to order food online (which takes several days to arrive)

Diets get a bad rap with most people associating their eating plans with restrictive eating. Yes – many diets are restrictive, but NutriSystem definitely isn’t one of them. With over 150 pre-made meals to choose from, you’re encouraged to eat as many as 6 meals per day meaning you won’t go hungry. Each meal is designed by a nutritionist, so you can rest assured you’ll eat good food and lose weight in the process. In fact, if you don’t lose weight in the first 14 days you can ask for your money back.

But it gets better. NutriSystem also comes with a convenient app designed to sync with popular health apps like Apple and Fitbit so you can factor activity levels into your new lifestyle plan. Plus, it’s worth being aware of the fact you can choose between a regular favourites pack of pre-made meals or a custom menu. One downside to NutriSystem is the delivery timeframe – it takes roughly 4-10 business days for your food to arrive, so you need to be organised.

All in all, like Weight Watchers, NutriSystem is designed to help you manage what you eat with smaller regular portions of food.

2) THE MAYO CLINIC DIET

Unlike other diets, The Mayo Clinic promotes a relatively high carb eating plan – well, as far as diets go. This diet was created by one of the world’s most prestigious medical research centres so rest assured, your weight loss is in good hands.

The Pro’s:

– Very affordable

– 24/7 customer support line

– Helps build a healthy maintainable eating habits

The Con’s:

No in-person meetings

No pre-made meals

With The Mayo Clinic you’re given a personalized diet plan as well as dietary advice, 24/7 customer support and exercise plans for only $5 per week. However, you don’t count points so you’ll need to be ok with tracking your servings and portions of food. Exercise also plays a larger part in this diet plan as do carbs as you don’t completely restrict your carbs or sugars intake.

If you’re ready to change your eating habits for long-term weight loss success, then this perhaps is the option for you.

3) THE SOUTH BEACH DIET

If you’re a fan of more meats and less carbs, then The South Beach Diet definitely ticks a few boxes. With its eating plan you’ll focus on revolutionising your long-term health while maintaining your target weight. Not only is this healthier than extreme restrictive diets, it’s easily maintained as you consume valuable nutrients from fruits and carb-rich vegetables.

The Pro’s:

– A great diet for those with heart health issues

– 3 regular meals per day (with optional snacks)

– You can eat more fruit and carbs than other diets

The Con’s:

– Fatty foods like butter and fat meats are restricted

– Lots of frozen food required

– High protein diet ie. it isn’t a great option for vegetarians

However, the 4-week meal plan (as part of the diet) is frozen. Followers also need to cut out gluten, starches and sugar in the first phase of this 3-phase 4-week long plan. Once you’ve done this you’ll gradually introduce carbs back into your diet.

Like NutriSystem and The Mayo Clinic, this diet also doesn’t involve counting points. You simply eat what you’re told you to eat, exercise a little and stick to the plan to get the results. Better yet, it’s a fantastic option for anyone that’s heart health conscious as The South Beach Diet was designed by a cardiologist. In essence, it’s a eating plan for those who are willing to cut carbs, eat more protein, lose weight and improve their heart health in the process without having to count calories or “points”.

4) BISTROMD

With BistroMD you won’t need to cook at home as you’ll enjoy 3 catered meals per day. Better yet, each meal is designed by a registered dietician. Unlike Weight Watchers there’s no calorie or points counting, just eat the meals and trust the weight loss process. Plus, it’s a well known fact that the pre-made meals are delicious making the BistroMD journey to weight loss convenient, easy and enjoyable.

The Pro’s:

– Very limited cooking required

– Over 150 pre-made meals to choose from

– Created by medical doctors

The Con’s:

– Isn’t suitable for vegetarians or vegans

– Doesn’t come with single meal options

It’s simple. You pick between a full 5-day or 7-day program or a 5-day and 7-day lunch and dinner program. When you hit your goal weight you’ll move onto a maintenance phase where you’ll cook your own meals with guidance, tips and recipes from BistroMD.

Yes, it costs more than Weight Watchers but BistroMD definitely is a great option for time poor dieters ready to change their lifestyle (and waistline) for good.

THE FINAL VERDICT

It goes without saying – there’s a reason why Weight Watchers is one of the most popular diets in the world. With more than 40 years of experience under their belts, this company has quite the cult following (and for good reason). That being said, there are other equally as good diets out there for anyone who isn’t keen on the “points” system. At the end of the day, it’s all about finding what works for you and sticking to it.

 

DISCLAIMER: The information featured on our site is based on research, but should not be treated as medical advice. We recommend that you consult with your physician or other professional healthcare provider before beginning any new diet plan. Please be aware that results may vary based on your health, adherence to the meal plan you choose, and other factors.