People used to believe that self help was something of a joke, that online weight loss couldn't possibly work, and that live diet meetings were the best approach to successful weight loss.

But now the stats are in, and an entirely different picture has emerged. The first thing we see is that weight loss programs that rely on diets or food plans simply don't work anyway. Less than 2% of people manage to maintain a healthy weight using that type of weight loss approach, and most people in fact actually put weight on because of dieting.

In addition we now know that online programs equal or outperform live programs, even when compared to having your own personal therapist or counsellor.

Of course people with serious issues like trauma or personality disorders will still require more intensive support, but for the overwhelming majority of people seeking help with weight loss, or smoking cessation, relationship problems, depression, anxiety, etc, online programs present the cheapest and best quality result that they can possibly get.

Any program, if it's to be effective, must build self reliance and individual accountability - online programs utterly depend on those factors and work to enhance those in each individual.

Not all online weight loss programs are equal. Be careful to avoid charlatans (use Google to discover their background) and disproven methods like hypnosis, dieting or eating plans, or new-age hocus pocus. Choose only those programs with proven results, run by qualified health professionals.

Just as new-age approaches are mostly ineffective, not every conventional treatment is worthwhile either. Talk therapy is all but useless in most cases, and the "gold standard" of therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, has almost no scientific proof behind it. In fact some studies show it to be no better than placebo.

Also, do not be sucked in by sites which provide copious testimonials in an effort to part you with your money. Professional therapists or clinicians don't use testimonials because it's regarded as unethical and a betrayal of the client/therapist relationship. In the world of health, testimonials shout out "amateur"! So instead of testimonials, look for a single modest statement, or a small set of case studies, and most definitely look for actual clinical research!

Why are testimonials not worth the paper (or screen) they're written on? Because they are in no way representative of the total population. They can be made up or paid for, and they can also represent purely a placebo factor. Protect yourself by totally ignoring testimonials.

So the bottom line is, we encourage you to use a self-help approach to freeing yourself from your weight problems, and at the same time we urge you to examine your chosen treatment method carefully to make sure you select a proven method, with good support facilities.

Would you like to learn about a lifestyle approach to weight loss that is easy to follow online? Luckily for you there are 2 free books that detail the crucial lifestyle mistakes that lead to overweight, as well as showing you just how incredibly easy it is to kill off those cravings. They're available at TopLifeSolutions.com amongst a whole range of great freebies. You have to join to get them, but that's free too! The aim? To give you better methods for achieving your health goals, so that you live bigger, better and brighter! TopLifeSolutions.com is part of the Kind Communities Initiative.