Online Weight Loss Diet Program Reviews

By WLR Guest Writer, Cara Frost-Sharratt

The number and type of weight loss programs available online has mushroomed in the last year or so. Weight loss sites offer everything from the latest exciting fad diet to the more down to earth (and arguably more effective) healthy eating/lifestyle approach.

Given so many varieties of online weight loss to choose from - how do you go about deciding which program is the best for you? It really comes down to personal preference but there are some easy comparisons to be made with regards to the level of features and customer service that each program offers to consumers.

See our Online Weight Loss Diet Programs Comparison Chart for a quick overview of nine of the most popular UK online programs.

The reviews below give more information about the approach, features and benefits of each weight loss program, along with some comments from users. Hopefully enough to help you make a decision as to which program will be the best and most effective for you.

Some of the programs offer a free trial offer and information about this is given in each review. The score given for each program is based on scoring used for the comparison chart.

Weight Loss Program Reviews

Weight Loss Resources (weightlossresources.co.uk) 31/34

This website offers a wide range of tools that are designed to help you lose weight by making changes to your lifestyle. The emphasis is on combining changes to your diet with a healthy exercise program, in order to achieve maximum results.

The site includes useful tools such as food and exercise diaries and a calorie counter, as well as a personal log for goals and results so you can check and update your information quickly and easily. There are an incredible 4,000 recipes on the database, as well as calorific values for over 50,000 food items. You can also access the site from your mobile.

Here are a whole host of articles from experts and guest writers on all aspects of health and nutrition and the members’ forum helps to keep people in touch and offers help and support while they lose weight and get healthy.  

Registration Fee and Price Plans

Weight Loss Resources is one of the few programs without a registration fee. There are four payment plans:

• £9.95 per month (if paid monthly);
• £8.95 per month (if paid quarterly);
• £7.95 per month (if paid half-yearly);
• £6.95 per month (if paid annually).

Membership can be cancelled at any time. Potential members can try out the site with a completely free trial that doesn’t require giving any credit card details.

Customer Services

Weight Loss Resources has a telephone help desk (01733 345592), unlike many weight loss programs. Lines are open from Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm and Saturday and Sunday, 10am-6pm. There’s also an email query address, which is helpteam@weightlossresources.co.uk

How long to answer an email query?
15 minutes.

Sainsbury’s Diets (sainsburysdiets.co.uk) 20/34

Sainsburysdiets.co.uk is an online diet website which offers two methods for weight loss or weight maintenance. When signing up to Sainsbury Diets online, you can select the method that you would like to follow, either food diary or meal plan.

Different people prefer different approaches. The Food Diary allows you to make your own food choices within a calorie target personally calculated for you, while a Meal Plan suggests what to eat.

You can personalise the meal plans available and can plan in a treat meal.

Like many other new online diet sites, Sainsburys Diets recognises that alcohol forms part of our diet, and they have also included an alcoholic drinks section.

Rate of weight loss is automatically calculated from the data you enter based on a rate of 2lb each week. You cannot manually alter the amount of calories for your plan if you wish to lose weight at a rate slower than 2lb per week.

Registration Fee and Price Plans

•   8 Weeks £24 – £3 per week
• 26 Weeks £50 - £1.92 per week
• 52 Weeks £75 - £1.44 per week

After this initial period, the cost of the diet plan changes to £12 every 4 weeks (£3 per week) until you cancel. Sainsbury’s Diets will often run reduced membership price incentives, plus nectar card points.

Customer Services

There is a dedicated customer help line number, available Monday - Friday, 9am - 5.30pm. 0800 234 6776 where you can ask questions about nutrition, fitness and exercise.

You can also send an email: customercare@sainsburysdiets.co.uk

How long to answer an email query?
2 hours

Rosemary Conley (rosemaryconleyonline.com) 23/34

Rosemary Conley is a bit of a legend in the weight loss world and her online program uses the tips and techniques that she has developed over the years. There are a number of plans that you can sign up for, mainly developed around versions of GI (glycaemic index) diets. These include the GI Hip and Thighs Diet and the GI Jeans Diet. The program includes a free diet profile and a food and exercise diary, as well as online personal trainers who are on hand to answer queries.

Registration Fee and Price plans

There are three sign up options available.

• Option 1 – 1 month membership - £27.00 registration fee and £12.99 for the month
• Option 2 – 3 month’s membership - £54.99
• Option 3 – 12 month’s membership - £89.99

After your initial sign up period is finished you can continue your membership at £12.99 per month.

Customer Service

There is a general enquiry phone line (01509 620 222), as well as an email addresses (pauline@rosemaryconley.com) There is also members’ live chat and a coffee shop forum where you can meet other dieters. Although staff try to cover busy times, there are instances where you will have to leave a message.

How long to answer an email query?

No reply after 48 hours.

Nutracheck (nutracheck.co.uk) 24/34

The Nutracheck slimming club uses an online food diary as the key selling point of its online weight loss program. There are no set meal plans and the idea is that you eat sensibly and lose weight naturally. A team covers all aspects of weight loss and nutrition, with a range of articles that aim to advise and motivate you.

Registration Fee and Price plans

There are four membership options:

• 30-Day membership is £9.99;
• 2 months’ membership is £15.99;
• 3 months’ membership is £21.99;
• 6 months’ membership is £36.99.

Once your initial chosen membership period has expired there are ongoing monthly rates ranging from £5.99 to £8.99, depending on how long you sign up for initially.

Customer Service

There is a Careline phone number (01159 694660) that’s open from Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm (excluding Bank Holidays). There is also a general email address: cusomercare@nutracheck.co.uk. 

How long to answer an email query?

20 minutes.

Weight Watchers (weightwatchers.co.uk) 17/34

Weight Watchers online offers all the tools you’d expect to find from this well-known weight loss program. There are diet plans, over 1,000 recipe and meal ideas and a weight tracker so you can focus on your goals and achievements to date. A range of interactive tools allows you to take a closer look at your personal exercise and eating habits in order to customise your Weight Watchers experience and adjust your meal plans accordingly.

The emphasis here is on a healthy diet and lifestyle and with the introduction of their ProPoints system there is now a greater flexibility in what you can eat.

Registration Fee and Price plans

There is a £29.95 registration fee, which is included in the first month’s payment. You can then opt for either a Standard monthly plan, which is £40.90 for the first month, then £10.95 per month; or the 3-Month Plan, which is £62.80 for first three months, then £10.95 per month. Regular discount incentives are detailed on their website.

Customer Service

Weight Watchers doesn’t have a telephone helpline and instead users are directed to online email forms with various support topics.

How long to answer an email query?

90 minutes.

Closer Diets (closerdiets.com) 14/34

An offshoot of Closer magazine, this online weight loss program aims to attract readers and like-minded individuals. There are 10 eating plans that are aimed towards specific dietary needs, health issues or weight loss goals. Once you’ve chosen your plan and answered some lifestyle and food preference questions, you are allocated a weekly food plan, as well as shopping lists for all the ingredients you’ll need. A team is available to answer queries and you can log your weekly weigh-in details online at a time that suits you.

Registration Fee and Price plans

There is no registration fee but if you only join for 1month it works out at a relatively pricey £19.99. If you opt for six months’ membership, it will cost £59.90 – so much less per month. There is also a year long option for £79.90. There are also additional costs if you want to access all of the sites information. For 75p a week you can join the recipe club and get recipes that have been shared by other members. And also for a fitness plan it is a further £1 per week. So in total if you opted for the 1 month plan with the recipe club and fitness plan included you would be looking at £21.74 per month.

Customer Service

There’s a customer phone line (0845 0822 442) that operates from Monday to Friday 8.30am-6pm and Saturday, 9am-5pm. There is also an online contact form, with all queries being answered within 24 hours (unless sent over the weekend). Members can also use live chat for queries.

How long to answer an email query?

40 minutes.

Tesco Diets (tescodiets.com) 13/34

This weight loss program branch of the supermarket chain offers a range of diet plans. They offer different types of diets depending on what you want to achieve. The idea is that you choose the diet that best suits your needs and your calorie allowance is then calculated.

Online tools include a calorie counter and BMI calculator and there are hundreds of healthy recipes as well as dieting tips. I however found that when I went to browse through their range of health - and diet related articles, many were discontinued and the links no longer worked.

Registration Fee and Price plans

The cost varies depending on how long you initially sign up for: from £12.90 for one month, £29.90 for 3 months, £49.90 for 6 months. It then renews at £9.90 per month thereafter.

Customer Service

There’s an online email contact form and online live help, where you’re connected to a customer support representative in real time. This is open from Monday to Friday, 8.30am-5.30pm, Saturdays 9am - 5pm.  There’s also a telephone support number (0845 0822 441).

How long to answer an email query?

50 minutes.

Slimming World Online (bodyoptimise.com) 11/34

This program promises to help you lose weight without having to stop eating your favourite foods. It’s very lifestyle oriented and offers a unique plan that allows you to eat as much as you like.

You can create your own daily menus from a database of about 1,200online recipes. These can be chosen by different criteria such as cooking time or key ingredient. The program comes with all the tools you’d expect, including a calorie counter and an online food diary. There’s also an activity program that aims to help you include physical activity in your everyday life and therefore boost weight loss.

Registration Fee and Price plans

There’s a £19.95 joining fee and then you pay £20 per month, with the first three months being payable in advance.

Customer Service

This particular weight loss program doesn’t offer any telephone customer support. There is an online contact form and various FAQ sheets for answering queries.

How long to answer an email query?

No response after one week.

Jenny Craig Diets (jennycraig.co.uk) 12/34

The Jenny Craig diet focuses on three key aspects: food, body and mind, and you can choose whether to get the whole package, just the food or just the consultation.

If you chose the full program, you get an advisor who will work with you to develop a personalised program to reach your goals. Each week, you’ll speak to them privately over the phone, helping to plan your menu and exercise and to discuss how you are doing. You order your meals directly through your coach and receive them either monthly or once a fortnight. Your personal program will also include activities tailored to suit your current level of fitness.

If you have chosen just the food option, then you’ll just get the meals- there is no personal advisor allocated to you. If you just chose the consultation, then you will not receive the food.

Registration Fee and Price plans

Membership is:

• The Jenny craig Programme - £11/day (food and consultation)
• Jenny Food £9.90/day (food only)
• Jenny Consultation £1.10/day (consultation only) 

Customer Service

The website itself is basic and leaves enough gaps so that you have to phone for information. All support is conducted over the phone.

Jenny Craig Coaches are available:

• Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm
• Saturday 9am to 6pm

How long to answer an email query?

40 minutes.