Weight loss programmes can provide a helpful structure for your health journey when you feel out of control with unhealthy habits. They can also be a great way to join individuals going on the same journey, which can be incredibly motivating.
Everyone is different, and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to choosing a weight loss programme. It ultimately depends on what suits your individual needs and what fits into your lifestyle. Some people want rigid rules and a quick fix, whereas others like more flexibility and a long-term lifestyle change.
To save you tiresome research and help to answer some important questions, this guide compares two popular weight loss programmes; Slimming World® (SW) and Joe Wicks’ (a.k.a The Body Coach) plan (JW). You have the choice of face-to-face meetings or online plans with Slimming World®, whereas Joe Wicks’ 90-day plan is an online PDF that you can download.
Comparisons to the Second Nature programme are included. Second Nature is a digital programme that helps people lose weight in a healthy, sustainable way, by combining tracking technology with education and support.
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Trustpilot score
Trustpilot is a platform where consumers can leave reviews and scores reflect overall customer satisfaction.
| SW | JW | Second Nature | |
| Star rating |  |
 |
 |
| Score | 2.1 / 5 read reviews |
3.9 / 5 read reviews |
4.9 / 5 read reviews |
Signing up
| SW | JW | Second Nature | |
| Money back guarantee | Partial refund if cancelled within 14 days (dependent on the number of days since purchasing the programme) | ✗ | Full refund if cancelled within 14 days. After this point, any charges non-refundable. |
| Clear breakdown of costs | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Clear cancellation policy | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Length of programme | All plans ongoing | Core: 3 months
Graduate plan: 3 months |
Ongoing subscription (minimum 12 weeks) |
| Easy to cancel | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Refer-a-friend scheme | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Easy to include family | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
Nutrition
| SW | JW | Second Nature | |
| Dietary approach | Low fat | Rest days: low carb, high fat.
Exercise days: high carb, low fat. |
Lower carb |
| Caters to vegetarian | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Caters to vegan | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Supplements encouraged | ✗ (other than Vit D) |
✓ (including protein powder) |
✗ (other than Vit D) |
Support
| SW | JW | Second Nature | |
| Tailors the plan around diabetes | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tailors the plan around other health issues | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Face-to-face meetings | ✓ (if meeting plan chosen) |
✗ | ✗ |
| Access to registered dietitian or nutritionist | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Weekend support available | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
Programme features
| SW | JW | Second Nature | |
| Makes you take numerous body measurements | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ |
| App | ✓ (2 apps, 1 for planning and 1 online access) |
✗ | ✓ |
| Award/prize system | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Recipe videos | ✗ (Free recipe videos available on YouTube without signing up) |
✗ | ✓ |
| Exercise videos | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Weighing scales provided | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ (on tech plan) |
| Tracks sleep | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tracks steps | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Education of nutrition science | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Counting/point system | ✓ (Free Foods®, Healthy Extras®, and Syns®) |
✗ | ✗ |
| Food diary feature | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
Pricing
When programmes provide price plans in different formats, it can be hard to accurately compare prices. To make this easier, we have calculated the price of monthly digital basic price plans on each programme to show you how costs compare (as of March 2021). All admin fees are included in these prices.
For basic monthly plans, Joe Wicks®’ 90-day plan is the most expensive option. On the surface, Second Nature seems slightly more expensive than Slimming World®, however, your personal coach is a registered dietitian or nutritionist, rather than a customer service representative. You also have the same coach throughout the whole Second Nature programme that you can build a relationship with, rather than an ad-hoc response from a different coach each time (Slimming World® and Joe Wicks®).
Registration to a professional body requires a nationally recognised nutrition or dietetics degree. Weekly face-to-face sessions with a registered dietitian or nutritionist can be very expensive (£40-£100/hour). We have added a column representing this to compare costs (Weekly Nutritionist – WN).
Monthly (basic) digital subscriptions:
| SW | JW | Second Nature | WN | |
| Registered dietitian or nutritionist coach | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| The same, personal coach throughout the programme | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Price | £24 / month | £42 / month | $60 / month | £300 / month |
Example nutrition query response
Nutrition is a major part of any weight loss journey. Therefore, it is important to receive accurate and reliable nutrition advice. We asked each programme a common nutrition-related query to see how the information provided as an answer compares.
Q: Are eggs bad for your cholesterol? Should I avoid them?
Slimming World®’s answer:
“I’m not trained in medical queries I’m afraid, this would be something to ask your Health Care team.”
Joe Wicks®’ answer:
“Eggs are not bad but avoid them if you are worried.”
Second Nature’s answer:
“Eggs are a rich source of dietary cholesterol. It was previously thought that cholesterol-containing foods increase blood cholesterol and the risk of heart disease and strokes. However, this has not been shown to be the case as dietary cholesterol is poorly absorbed from the digestive system, and if cholesterol is absorbed, the body will produce less of it to balance out (and prevent blood cholesterol levels rising). Therefore, you do not need to be restricted unless recommended to do so from your GP/Healthcare professional. Eggs are among the most nutritious foods on the planet providing good quality protein as well as being loaded with vitamins and minerals.”
Take home message
- When choosing a weight loss programme, it is important to consider what would fit into your lifestyle and help you achieve your goals.
- Everyone is different and there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss.
- Joe Wicks and Second Nature are both online programmes, whereas Slimming World® has an optional face-to-face meeting plan.
- Slimming World® seems to focus on dietary restriction, while Joe Wicks focuses on exercise. Second Nature tackles weight loss from all angles (exercise, nutrition, sleep, mindset).
- Second Nature is the only programme where you get a registered dietitian or nutritionist personal health coach.
- Second Nature provides you with an education of nutrition and answers nutrition queries with the most up to date science.
