Weight loss programs promise big results, but which ones really work? First and foremost, you do have to keep in mind that many weight loss programs work so long as you A) are committed to it, and B) do not cheat. In short, nearly any program can work, but you have to find the one that works best for you and keeps you focused on your long-term weight loss goals. Here are three main types of programs that are commonly packaged and sold to those desiring to shed some pounds. 

Pre-Portioned and Pre-Packaged Meals

If you find that you overeat, or eat to excess, it might help to have all of your meals and snacks pre-portioned and packaged in the amounts they should be consumed. This type of program is fairly common; you only have to walk through the frozen foods section or the dieter's aisle in your grocery store to see the packaged meals and snacks. It will cost you anywhere from ten to twenty dollars a day if you are buying all of your meals and snacks separately this way. Still, having things in controlled portions helps you limit how much you eat, and for anyone with an overeating problem, that is a big step in the right direction. 

The Counseling Programs

Finding out what your food triggers are, what foods you reach for, and why you want those foods helps you change your relationship with food. Counseling programs for weight loss delve into the reasons why you eat what you eat, and how you can shift your thought processes and patterns of behavior over from what you are accustomed to, to new thought processes and new patterns of behavior. You may notice that the weight begins to creep off when you are not stress-eating pans of mashed potatoes and gravy, or depressed-eating your way through a calorie-dense pint of ice cream every day. You typically meet weekly, or a couple times each week, until you can establish new eating patterns. 

The Exercise Programs

Some people just love to eat. There is so much physical and emotional satisfaction in eating what you love to eat, but the problem is that you need to be moving enough to stop calorie conversion to fat stores. That is where exercise plays a big part. If you want to eat more, you have to move more. This is often tricky for people who work jobs and have to take care of their families, but when you want to eat what you like, you find a way to work it off and work out to burn it off. Trainers and dietitians can help formulate your perfect exercise plan.