3 Fat Chicks on a Diet
3fatchicks.com
Started in 1997 by, quite literally, three fat chicks on a diet, this website began as a simple blog to record the weight-loss achievements of Suzanne, Jennifer and Amy Barnett, sisters from the southern United States. To their astonishment, it caught on, and has now grown into a great little site with an array of info, recipes, forums and diet book reviews.
Best features
It's free. Aside from that obvious benefit, 3 Fat Chicks (3FC) reviews new diets, and has active journals, mentoring and chat rooms just crawling with opinions on everything from stomach stapling to fat discrimination. 3FC members are devoted to their website and enthusiastic about supporting the overweight sisterhood they embody.
If 30,000 opinions don't help, the excellent weight-loss and fitness calculators could do the trick. Along with the standard body mass index (BMI) calculator, 3FC boasts a Hip to Waist Ratio tool, as well as a fun Your Weight on Other Planets guide (for instance, 150 pounds on Earth is a sylphlike 136 pounds on Venus).
Other features include diet and fitness tips, a good recipe archive and a fast-food guide. The Barnetts have just released their upbeat, eponymous diet book, 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet: Because We're All in It Together (St. Martin's, 2006, $28.95).
Cost
Free.
Weight Watchers
weightwatchers.ca
Over the years, Weight Watchers has changed its approach, look and tools, but the message has remained the same: small changes to your life can mean big changes in your weight. Its simple one-day-at-a-time attitude has helped countless women worldwide in their battle with the bulge.
Best features
So what's new? If you're not the weekly meeting type, Weight Watchers now offers its TurnAround program online. Choose between the Flex Plan (keep track of what you eat to accrue daily points) or the Core Plan (a general, healthy-choices approach). Members also get the 27,000 item food Points Tracker; the Core Food List, which includes choices from restaurants; a newsletter; meal plans; articles; and access to the chat rooms.
Cost
The online membership will set you back $85 for the first three months and $22 for each additional month. If you're already a Weight Watcher and just want to use the online tools, you'll pay $40 for the first three months and $18 for each month after that.
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 | This article was first printed in the February/March 2007 issue of Homemakers Magazine. Click to subscribe online and never miss an issue. |
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