Thanks to the public's obsession with weight, we see a lot of media on the supposed "best new things" in dieting. Many of these diet plans are little more than crash diets or hoaxes that temporarily flush water weight from your body.

In the same respect, every men and women's magazine seems to feature an "amazingly effective" new exercise every week. Some of these diet and fitness plans are only available through certain companies and most come at a significant cost.

Don't be discouraged if you can't afford the food promoted by the newest fad diet or a membership to a fancy gym. Time has proven that the most effective weight loss plans are simple and can be achieved through small changes to your eating habits and home exercise routine. There are many free weight loss programs that actually work; the real key to weight loss is will power.

If you need additional motivation to get you started, or find basic home exercises boring, consider purchasing a weight loss book or even checking one out at your local library. These books are full of helpful tips for free weight loss programs (apart from the price of the book of course).

Many of these diets have already been proven to be successful and are backed by scientific studies and celebrity testimonials alike. Here are just a few popular free weight loss programs:

The Atkins Diet

This diet was invented by Dr. Robert Atkins and focuses on breaking down stored fats by reducing refined carbohydrates and increasing protein intake. Atkins Diet followers can eat all the vegetables and meats they please but are advised to avoid anything that contains sugar, flour, or high-fructose corn syrups. Even fruit should be eaten in moderation. These foods encourage the body to burn glucose instead of fat.

Weight Watchers

This diet may be used alone or in conjunction with the company's many national support groups. The opposite of the Atkins Diet, it focuses on filling but healthy alternatives to high-fat foods and includes a diet rich in carbohydrates with moderate fat and protein intake. You can eat virtually anything you want as long as it falls within a point system that meters your daily calorie and fat allowances.

The DASH Diet

The DASH Diet (short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) offers benefits above and beyond weight loss. This diet is endorsed by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute as a means of reducing blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The DASH plan advocates a diet rich in whole grains, lean meats, and vegetables and advises dieters to avoid red meat, saturated fat, and sugar.

The Zone

This popular diet is based on a weight ratio of 40:30:30, meaning 40% of calories should be from carbohydrates, 30% from proteins, and 30% from fats with little to no focus on grains, sugar, or calcium. Later versions of the diet also promote a healthy balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.

These are just a few free weight loss programs that have demonstrated some success among dieters. You may find that one diet appeals to you more than another and are far more likely to be successful in your weight loss endeavors when you use a diet plan you can stick to.