to think online weightwatchers and slimming world are really expensive

[Magrathea]

DH and I have decided its time to bite the bullet and lose some weight. I reckon I have about 1.5 stones to lose and he has about 2.5. We arent massively overweight (I'm a getting tight size 12) but there is a need to do something.

We need some kind of plan and I have been looking online but think 60-80 quid for what amounts to some recipes and a graph is steep to say the least. Fatfighter style classes and groups would be my idea of one of the inner circles of hell and I know DH would flatly refuse to go - also chilcare/ work wouldnt be conducive to classes.

Are these programmes worth the money or can anyone recommend something cheaper (or better still free)?

I have friends who swear by the 'Biggest Loser' site; I loved the tv programme and it's apparently really good. I'm thinking of joining to lose a stone or so.

There's another site that's free, I think it's called 'FitnessPal' or something like that.

I did WW and SW a while ago, I didn't use either online site properly.

Biggest Loser is apparently £8-10 per month depending for the period you sign up for.

Weightwatchers online is not £60-£80 pounds so dont know where you get that - its £32.95 to register which you generally can get free with a code or offer then it works out at around £10 a month, bargain if you ask me. WW uses a points ystem and online you can type any weight of food in and it works out the points for you.

Weight watchers is only £32 for three months online? SW is more

You could just find a calorie calculator and work out how many calories you need to lose weight for each of you and do it that way, no fancy plan required!

It's a lucrative business. I bought WW magazine recently and it was crammed with stories about women who tried to lose weight without WW but failed, etc, etc, interspersed with millions of recipes which made me feel hungry. It feels like a bit of a cult.

Myfitnesspal seems to have all the info you need to know to lose weight like calories in foods and calories used by exercises.

Oops, slow cross post there!

Thanks supersal, I've been looking for a free website like that. Looks just as good as Weight Loss Resources, which I used to use.

My fitness pal is the best, free to use, use on smartphone and on web, great results

Some dietitians (like myself) do online consultations with monthly packages or a set number of consultations. You get qualified support and arent tied in long term. I cant say we necessarily have the glitz and glamour of the weightwatchers and slimming world resources due to their huge income stream but you get good support and professional advice. Even seeing someone near you in person could be an idea.

ive just paid 12.95 for the first month at WW, afterwards I think its about £19 so not too bad at all

Moneyextra have some vouchers for Weightwatchers.

if you are looking for a free site. spark people is excellent - has an online community with mini challenges etc. lets you track all your nutritional intake (not just calories) and has loads of recipes and an excellent ap.

I did WW classes along time ago and did WW online last year. i thought it was very expensive as in the classes you got free booklets each week whereas you had to download your own from the site and also had to track all your points online which isn't so easy if you don't have an i-phone.

I spent £1.50 on Paul McKennas I can make you think book and CD at a charity shop recently and find that a lot more realistic for long term weight loss than WW, full price its around £10.00

I do WW online only (no meetings, just from home) and it's £6.95 a month. I personally think that's good value for the online blogs, trackers, calculators, articles for helping, and 1,000's of recipes. Just my opinion.

I have an android phone and have downloaded a free 'WW diary' and propoints calculator. You'll need to understand the system before you can use them, but I got advice from WW friend and also some of the forums are open to anyone.

I used SparkPeople online very successfully until I got pregnant!

Now that they have an app, I'm looking at it again!

I signed up to Weight Watchers online for the first time at the start of the year and found it revelationary; everything was so simple to record, and I could keep track of points rather than having to write everything down. Great value!

Then I decided to swap over to Slimming World for the different style diet. Signed up there on line and it's truly awful - really clunky and difficult to record things. I've hardly used it and feel decidedly swindled. SW seem to approach a lot of things oddly and miss a number of tricks due to a peculiar approach to customer-focus.