Weight gain and weight loss are very personal journeys and there is no one way to go about it. Last year saw most of us gain a few pounds, but congrats to those who changed their philosophy and actually got fit. For the rest of us good news is that 2012 just started, which means that we all can open a new page and start over.

However many pounds you have to lose, doing it completely on your own is not easy, so our suggestion is to join a diet or a dieting club for delivered meals and guidance as much as for support of the likeminded community. Before you shell out a fortune on any of them, read this article and consider one of these top 5 diets.

At the end of the day losing weight is as important as keeping the weight off and enjoying the process. Don’t compare your progress with anybody else, because our bodies are different and thus our weight loss journey is uniquely ours. A lot depends on how much weight do we have to lose in the first place, how fast our metabolism is, how active we are, and our ability to stick with a program.

Here are the diets that work for most people and offer best results:

1. Nutrisystem

This program has been around for over 50 years and is continuously evolving to become more personalized and customizable. This diet is all about nutritionally balanced meals that are delivered right to your door. They offer low calories and fat, but high protein and fiber. The meals come in monthly or weekly supplies and are ready-to-eat or microwavable. This means that you won’t have to do much shopping and virtually no cooking, but you will have to stick to relatively bland frozen dinners for a long time.

The weight will drop rapidly with Nutrisystem, especially at the beginning, but the program does virtually nothing to encourage lifestyle changes and exercise. This is why many people lose lots of weight and end up gaining it back once they return to the real world and its food. Eating out and home cooking are not really calculated into the program and staying with frozen meals without break is not very realistic.

We love Nutrisystem because all the thinking and calorie counting is done for us, making dieting easy. There is also a good plan for type 2 diabetes patients and everybody can choose from 160 + 25 new meals, so it’s never boring. And best of all, it costs just $8-$10 per day to stay with the program and lose weight.

2. Noom

This diet is widely dubbed as the best program for millennials who are glued to their phones. Noom doesn’t include delivered meals, but is focused on individual approach to dieting. Participants have to log everything they eat, their physical activity, and weight, which works great for some and can be annoying for others. Dieters have to be accountable only to their own selves and might not always find in-depth nutritional guidance. If you are trying to limit your phone usage time, this program is definitely not for you.

The app also has workout routines, healthy recipes, and health related articles. You can even virtually talk to a health coach. The best feature of this program is that aims to change the way you eat and move, prompting long term sustainable weight loss. Noom is rooted in psychology, understanding which will help you set healthy goals and actually achieve them.

The program is only $59 per month, so it’s definitely one if the most affordable options out there.

3. BistroMD

This diet is similar to Nutrisystem and delivers your dietary meals right to your door, so no thinking, shopping, or cooking is needed. Besides the meals you will be getting your personal dietician who will help you keep track of your progress and will answer your questions should you have any.

BistroMD also offers a big library of articles that can help you eat better and fitness coaches who will encourage you to exercise in addition to dieting.

You can customize your meal plan however you want or choose 7 or 5 day deliveries.

4. HelloFresh

This program is more of a meal kit delivery service than a diet, but it works great for those who want to eat better and drop pounds. You won’t have to go to any grocery stores to make fresh and healthy meals at home. All HelloFresh meals are healthy and some are low-calorie, so it’s up to you to pick what not only looks good, but can aid you on your weight loss journey.

Many people end up eating unhealthy meals simply because they don’t have time to shop and come up with their own healthy recipe ideas. HelloFresh eliminates both of those problems, so all you have to do is dedicate 30 minutes to cooking.

HelloFresh offers portion control and fits various diets. They have vegetarian options, low-calorie plans, piscatarian meals, and quick preparation recipes.

5. Jenny Craig

Last, but not least there is Jenny Craig. The diet has been around for a while and is known as easy to follow and nutritionally balanced. The diet plan includes ready-to-eat meals that are delivered to customers’ doors. Jenny Craig offers healthy recipes for small portions and calorie control and personal coaches for even more personalization.

Jenny Craig is big on fitness and encourages lifestyle changes that all dieters can benefit from. Changing one’s behavior is vital for long term results and thus is an important part of the program. Participants lose 2 pounds per week on average and pay about $12.99 a day for meals.