When you seek help in your quest to lose weight you are invariably led into weight loss plans and programs that cost money. But what if you don't have the cash to spend on special weight loss diets or programs? And what if for the same reason the gym is closed off to you?

Here is a system that will put you on the road to losing the weight you want to lose, and it's what you might call a "free weight loss program".

There are two vital factors that heavily influence how much you weigh, and they are what and how much you eat, and what, if any, exercise you take. I want you to list in a notebook or diary what these are. Take a typical week and try to cover everything you eat and everything you do by way of physical activity.

Let's take food intake first. Your diet determines how many calories you take in each day, and if you are overweight then you should seek to reduce them. Note any fat intensive foods that you typically eat, such as sodas, candies, sugar-rich sweets and drinks, and other high calorie foods, and how many you of these you consume each week.

Start by reducing this number by just one or two in your first week. Replace them, if you can afford it, with a healthier food or drink, e.g . green tea instead of cola, oats instead of a sugary food. Cut down the number of high-calorie fatty foods further in your second week and replace them gradually with healthy foods.

With exercise and physical activity in general, your job is to gradually increase your workload. If you normally take no exercise at all then start by walking more. Perhaps you can manage 10 minutes a day if you presently do no walking at all to speak of. Or alternatively you could take the stairs instead of the elevator or lift. In your second week you can increase this, and you will find that your body will be able to take it.

If you currently do some degree of walking or other activity then put on some comfortable shoes and old, loose clothes and run around the block, or along some other nearby and fairly short route. Keep it very short to start with, and if you find it's too much then just walk for a while. The important thing is that there's no hurry. You'll find that you make progress, and become a little fitter, as your body adjusts itself to the new demands you place on it.

Remember, you can do all this without spending one single cent on a weight loss program or diet. Your diet changes will probably save you more money than it costs, and your walking or running exercises can all be done on public property rather than in a private gym or health club.

Try this free weight loss method for two or three weeks before deciding on a weight loss program. It will give you a head start and a far better chance of success.

And as for which weight loss program is right for you, check out this review of three leading and successful programs.

Copyright © 2009 Philip Gegan