Online Weight Loss Support: Overview & Reviews of the Best Resources
Online weight loss support will drastically improve your chances of reaching and maintaining your weight loss goals, but only if you choose to work with the best websites. We have reviewed them all and have good news… the best options are all free!
- In-person or online weight loss surgery support – which is better?
- The 3 categories of online support
- Top FREE websites in each category
In-person or online weight loss support for bariatric surgery: Which is better?
Online weight loss surgery support has four significant advantages over face-to-face meetings:
"Regular use of user-friendly and robust online tools will lead to better weight loss."
- Regular use of user-friendly and robust online tools will lead to better weight loss. Online tools help you easily and efficiently set goals, track your post-surgery progress, create and follow diet and exercise plans and keep a journal of your feelings, challenges and accomplishments. These tools will make your weight-loss journey much more goal-oriented and will provide invaluable information when working with your dietician, psychologist and other bariatric professionals.
- Receive advice and encouragement right when you need it without having to wait until your next in-person weight loss surgery support group meeting.
- If you do not have in-person support groups near your home, online weight loss support groups provide a way to interact with other patients without any geographical restrictions.
- Easy regular access to the most up-to-date bariatric research. Regardless of how knowledgeable your bariatric doctors are, it would be impossible for them to keep up with the ongoing research related to all areas of weight loss surgery. Utilizing the right tools for ongoing education will keep you at the forefront of “what works” and provide you with important questions and discussion points for future meetings with your bariatric professionals.
Despite these advantages, nothing can replace the effectiveness of an in-person weight loss surgery support group. In addition to the personal connections made, regular participation in face-to-face groups has been proven to lead to significantly more weight loss.
"The most effective philosophy is to combine the best of both in-person and online weight loss support. "
The most effective philosophy is to combine the best of both in-person and online weight loss support.
To earn the highest likelihood of reaching and maintaining your weight loss goals, continue regular attendance at your in-person support groups and compliment them with the following online weight loss support (more about each below)…
- Regular use of online diary and food journals, diet planning/tracking and exercise planning/tracking tools
- Participation in online forums/chat rooms for ongoing encouragement and to get answers to your questions in between face-to-face group meetings
- Ongoing weight loss surgery education from official sources
The 3 categories of online weight loss support for bariatric surgery patients
Before getting into our recommendations in the next section, let’s review the purpose of the 3 categories available to you for online weight loss support…
- Diary and food journals and planning/tracking tools overview
- Forums and chat rooms overview
- Ongoing education and research updates overview
1. Diary and food journals, diet planning/tracking and exercise planning/tracking online weight loss support tool overview
"...patients who self-monitor their progress are less likely to regain any weight following bariatric surgery."
Online tools, diaries and food journals are an invaluable resource for several reasons and we strongly recommend that you use one:
- You will be more likely to achieve and maintain your weight loss goals. For example, a recent study showed that patients who self-monitor their progress are less likely to regain any weight following bariatric surgery.1
- Many of the best online tools are absolutely free to use (including our picks further down the page).
- Save all of your information for future reference and automated tracking.
- Best method for accumulating detailed information about your daily activities, diet issues, exercise routine and even your daily mood and feelings. Not only is this information important for keeping you on track to reach and maintain your goals, but giving your bariatric doctors access can help them identify and correct any problem areas.
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In the next section, we will review the top two online weight loss support tools specifically designed for bariatric surgery patients.
2. Forums and chat rooms online weight loss support overview
Online forums and chat rooms allow you to ask questions, post responses and browse information posted by other members.
Some are more elaborate than others, but in general they are organized in the following way (use the scroll bar to the right):
- They operate 24/7. With the larger forums, you can usually find members logged on around the clock from locations across the country and around the world. This means that you can receive/provide advice and encouragement when and where you need it (as long as you have a computer and internet access).
- You can usually create an account and participate for free by signing up via the forum’s home page (we’ve provided links in the next section)
- Search for questions/answers from others.
- Browse categories of Forum Topics to find your area of interest. (i.e. “Gastric Bypass”) If there is no topic available for your issue, you can create a new one via the “New Topic” button on the main forum page. Within each category, find and click the Forum Topic link that applies to your area of interest (i.e. “Gastric Bypass Diet”). Each forum topic usually lists at least two useful numbers, including…
- Threads – the number of questions/issues posted within the forum topic. Each time you ask a brand new question, you will do so by creating a new thread.
- Posts – the number of total contributions from members within each forum topic, including questions/comments posted as a new thread and all responses to those threads from other members. In other words, every time a member submits information to a forum topic, a new post is created. (Sometimes “Replies” is used instead of “Posts”, which simply lists the number of responses a topic or thread has received)
- Chat rooms, which are not offered by all forums, allow you to have a written conversation with other members in real time. Chat rooms only work if the person you are “chatting with” with is also online.
The above information should be sufficient to get you started at the forums. Forums and chat rooms are extremely easy to use after you get the hang of things, so jump in and give one a shot!
Advice Received at Forums or Chat Rooms
Be careful when receiving advice at online forums or chat rooms. While other patients usually have the best of intentions, you should not rely on their feedback as medical advice.
Before acting on any information you receive online, confirm its validity with your bariatric doctors.
3. Ongoing weight loss surgery-related education overview
Bariatric surgery is a constantly evolving science. New research is conducted every month that reshapes the weight loss surgery community’s understanding of best practices.
In addition to the procedures themselves, ongoing research focuses on every area of the bariatric patient’s life… from preparing for surgery to post-surgery diet and exercise to long-term maintenance.
Unfortunately, even the best bariatric doctors simply don’t have the time to stay up-to-the-minute on the latest research. Even after they are made aware of it via their required continuing education, it may be years before they have the time and resources to train their staff and update their systems.
"...even the best bariatric doctors simply don't have the time to stay up-to-the-minute on the latest research."
Staying in touch with the latest research will allow you to:
- Have the information necessary to improve your chances of achieving and maintaining your long-term goals.
- Ask the right questions to your surgeon, dietician, psychologist, personal trainer and other bariatric professionals to help guide your treatment.
- Share important information with your in-person bariatric surgery support group.
Now that we’ve covered the three categories of online weight loss support and you have a better understanding about why each is necessary, let’s get into the top websites for each category…
Top websites in the 3 Online weight loss support categories
Each of the three online weight loss support categories is extremely valuable, and we highly recommend using at least one website in each category on a regular basis.
If all of the above information has made you feel a little overwhelmed, please don’t be. We have signed up and reviewed all of the resources below, and each is very user-friendly. To keep things manageable, learn to use one before moving on to the next…
- Diary and food journals and planning/tracking tool recommendations
- Forums and chat rooms recommendations
- Ongoing education and research updates recommendations
1. Diary and food journals, diet planning/tracking and exercise planning/tracking online weight loss support tool recommendations
There are 2 online weight loss support tools that clearly lead the pack for bariatric surgery patients: FitDay and Focus28. Following is a comparison of the free and paid services and tools offered by each…
| Overview | FitDay |
Focus28 |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Disclaimer: Features, products and prices may change at any time, so check with each company for updates. | ||||
| Features/Products Overview |
diet, exercise and weight loss journal and tools |
diet, exercise and weight loss journal and tools,
online store for planned meals, snacks and supplements |
||
| Non-computer-related products |
none |
bariatric meals, foods, snacks and vitamins/supplements | ||
| Advertisements displayed while using online tool | yes (free version only) | no | ||
| Paid only, free only or both free and paid features |
Both free and paid features/products | Both free and paid features/products | ||
| Free Membership Features |
FitDay | Focus28 | ||
| Charts, logs and database for tracking diet, fitness and feelings | extensive and integrated | meal section is robust, but reporting for all areas is relatively basic and not integrated | ||
| Diet and fitness planning tools | basic | extensive | ||
| Educational resources and interactive tools | no | yes, for your health, diet and fitness | ||
| Weight and body measurements tracker | yes | yes | ||
| Goal setting/tracking |
extensive and integrated | relatively basic and not integrated | ||
| Interactive calendar for planning/tracking |
diet/fitness/ journal/mood all integrated into one calendar, but no ability to set recurring meals/activities (must input activities separately for each day) |
basic - diet and fitness calendars not integrated, but both have
ability to set up recurring meals/activities |
||
| Food journals |
Easily add foods by searching
well-organized and complete food database (foods are all broken out
into individual components; no recipes available). Includes detailed nutritional information of most foods (and has ability to customize nutrition info for each) and add details to your journal for tracking. |
Easily add foods by searching well-organized food
database. Does not include as many foods, but has several
recipes, meals and Focus28 foods to choose from and add. Includes detailed nutritional information (and has ability to customize nutrition info for each) and add details to your journal for tracking. |
||
| Recipe suggestions and/or database |
no |
yes, recipes are incorporated into meal plans and include list of
ingredients, preparation instructions and nutritional information. |
||
| Meal planner |
no |
yes, based on one of several available plans that can
be recommended
based on the Lifestyle Questionnaire or chosen by you. Meal plans are
calorie based and include: - Daily meal/snack planner - Allows meal/snack suggestions to be replaced by other meals/recipes from their list, Focus28-sold foods, "leftovers" or "eating out". - Shopping list - Dining out guide |
||
| Activity journal |
Easily
add activities to your journal by searching well-organized and complete
activity database. Choose activity, input time spent and/or distance and tool automatically calculates calories burned. Also compares calories eaten (from food journal) with calories burned. |
Only includes workout-specific items (i.e. activities
that can be done in the gym). Choose workout exercise, input time spent and/or distance and tool automatically calculates calories burned. Also compares calories eaten (from food journal) with calories burned. |
||
| Activity/Exercise planner |
no |
yes, with daily and weekly views. Tool starts with a blank
slate and allows you to: - Add an exercise from a long drop-down list of workouts that include body parts and various techniques (i.e. yoga) - Provides detailed instructions for each exercise, including written instructions and very well-done online video instructions - Add details about each exercise, including frequency, number of sets, number of repetitions and the weight you are using - Provides detailed warm-up, stretching and cool-down exercise instructions for each body part |
||
| Weight journal |
yes - input and track weight, body mass index and
change statistics and evaluate them against goal weight. |
yes - input and track weight and change statistics via "Weekly
Weigh-ins" and evaluate them against goal weight. |
||
| Take notes/make journal entries |
yes - includes its own journal entry tab |
yes, but journal entry ability seems like an afterthought (only a
tough-to-find small box below your nutritional log) |
||
| Mood tracker | yes - includes a separate Mood tab with drop down boxes
for your various levels of happiness, stress, anger, energy, clarity,
hunger and health, then converts your input into an overall happiness
level. Also allows you to track how your daily mood coincides with your diet and exercise routine. |
no | ||
| Are computer tools online only, software for your
computer or both |
Free version is online only; computer software
available for a fee |
Online only | ||
| Other notable features |
- Dashboard
overview page with high level stats/charts/info, including calories
eaten, weight change, overall nutrition chart by vitamin/mineral and
average daily calorie balance (calories eaten vs. calories burned) |
- Somewhat detailed Lifestyle Questionnaire required
during sign-up
that customizes your eTools experience. |
||
| Paid Membership Features/Products |
FitDay | Focus28 | ||
| Fee(s) |
FitDay Premium - $5.49
per month ($64.95 per year) FitDay PC - $29.95 one time cost |
Online support tools are all-encompassing and free (as mentioned
above). Paid items are limited to Focus28's meals, snacks, supplements and packaged meal plans which are meant to coincide with their online meal planner. Note that you can purchase Focus28's foods/shakes separately (you do not need to use their tool to purchase their products) |
||
| Additional features of paid service/products (in
addition to free services/products) |
FitDay Premium: - Removes advertising from FitDay.com - Customized tracking allows you to track any statistic - Provides access to advanced reports - Synchronize online data with FitDay PC (if you choose to purchase it) FitDay PC: - Allows tracking and synchronizing with online data for easier input and offline usability |
- Bootcamp PowerSurge, Jump/Quick Start Weight Loss and Maintenance
food/drink/supplement packages range from $109 to $202 - Purchase individual meal/snack items from Focus28's online store. - After choosing your package, you are automatically enrolled in the Focus28 membership program, which automatically enrolls you to receive (and be charged for) ongoing packages. - Online tool allows you to substitute/remove/add items within each package to change the price. - Packaged plans receive a 15% discount off of the itemized prices |
||
| Synchronize computer saved info with online info | yes |
n/a |
||
| Track customized statistics | yes |
no |
||
| Advertisements displayed | no (premium service removes ads) |
n/a (web tool is free with no purchasable upgrades) |
||
Decided which free online weight loss support tool fits you best?
- To sign up for FitDay (left column above), click here.
- To sign up for Focus28 (right column above), click here.
After signing up and getting to know your tool of choice, come back and let us know what you think in the rating polls below. You can also click here to jump to the next category: Online Forums and Chat Room Recommendations.
Still not sure
which tool is right for you? Here's a summary of
each tool...
FitDay is a much better diet, fitness and mood tracking and reporting tool, but lacks the all-important planning and educational resources. You should choose FitDay if you have:
- A very specific diet and exercise plan in place
- Are partnering closely with your dietician, fitness adviser and other bariatric professionals, and/or
- No need for additional planning, meal preparation or exercise advice.
FitDay requires some initial work up front, but after you input all of your information the tool becomes extremely easy to use, and the integrated diet/fitness/journal/mood tracking tools, calendar, statistics and graphs are second to none.
Click here to sign up for FitDay's free online weight loss support tool.
Focus28’s tool should be your choice if you need help planning your meals and exercise routine. Their diet/fitness/journal/mood reporting and tracking capabilities are not nearly as robust or integrated as FitDay’s, so you may find it tougher to use their tool to track every aspect of your progress.
However, their inclusion of recipes, meal planners, workout planners, a virtual trainer and educational resources make their tool an extremely viable option, especially if you are not working closely with a dietician and fitness adviser. And while you don’t need sign up for their online tool to purchase their convenient meal replacements, snacks, shakes and supplements, it is nice to have those options integrated.
Click here to sign up for Focus28's free online weight loss support tool.
2. Forums and chat rooms online weight loss support recommendations
Evaluating online weight loss support groups and chat rooms is not as objective as the online tools… your personal preferences will dictate which one to use.
The forums listed below each have a solid membership base dedicated to online weight loss support for bariatric surgery patients. Sign up for each and take the time to browse topics, questions and answers from members to find the one that best fits your style and needs.
While browsing, consider the following…
- The total
number of members in each forum and topic area. For
example,
if you are primarily interested in talking with other duodenal switch
patients, find the total number of members in the duodenal switch group
at each of the following forums.
The more members, the more likely you will be to have someone online when you need support and the better your chances of finding someone you enjoy talking with. - The total number of threads and posts and the dates of the most recent posts in your topic of interest. High numbers and recent dates mean that the forum topic is active and that you are likely to get a response when posting questions.
- When considering numbers, keep in mind that you may like the feel/intimacy of the smaller forums, so don’t rule them out until you try them.
- How important are chat rooms? In other words, do you want the ability to ask questions and receive responses live? If so, go with the forum that has that capability.
The top 5 online weight loss support forums/chat rooms (in no particular order, click the website names to go to their forums) include…
| Forum/Chat Room | Total # of weight loss surgery members | Total threads (original questions/ comments) related to weight loss surgery | Chat Rooms Avail- able? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disclaimer: Numbers are approximate – check with each website for updated statistics. Features of each site are subject to change; check with each website for updates. | |||
| Obesity Discussion | n/a (over 6,800 total members for all obesity-related topics) | Over 150 | No |
| Yahoo! Health Groups (type your specific area of interest into the search box once on Yahoo’s site) |
n/a (Over 100 separate obesity surgery related groups ranging from 1 member to over 5,400 members) | n/a | No |
| DiscussWLS | Over 1,150 | Over 4,450 | Yes |
| Renewed Reflections | Over 18,700 | Over 23,000 | Yes |
| Vertical Sleeve Talk (for gastric sleeve surgery only) |
Over 1,300 |
Over 2,850 |
Yes |
3. Ongoing weight loss surgery-related education recommendations
While Bariatric Surgery Source does not currently provide online tools or forums/chat rooms, we have you covered in the education department. In addition to browsing the topics down the left hand side of each of our pages and using our search boxes (at the top left and bottom of every page) to find answers when you need them, consider signing up for the following (both FREE):
- The Bariatric Examiner FREE monthly newsletter:
- Tracks all ongoing bariatric-surgery-related research and summarize important findings
- Keeps you up-to-date on the latest trends
- Brings useful new Bariatric Surgery Source website content and features to your attention
Complete the below form and we’ll be sure to include you in the inaugural release.
- The FREE
Bariatric
Surgery Blog – set up as an RSS feed, the
Bariatric
Surgery Blog will save you time by letting you know when new content is
posted to our site. Click below for more info and to sign
up...
Subscribe To
The Bariatric Surgery Blog
For additional research, search for your topic of interest...
Also see...
Back to Bariatric Surgery Source Home Page from Online Weight Loss Support
References for Online Weight Loss Support
- Odom J, et al. Behavioral Predictors of Weight Regain after
Bariatric Surgery
Obesity Surgery. June 2009. DOI 10.1007/s11695-009-9895-6
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