Aligner

The weekly review call is the bit that made the difference for me. I've been with them on and off for about four years now, and the coach remembers what I told her last time without me having to repeat myself. When my knee flared up they moved my activity targets straight away without any fuss, which I didn't expect.

Swapped to the vegetarian meal plan for a week to see how it fitted with my training. Macros were spot on and the portions actually filled me up after a session.

I signed up for the meal planner in the spring and I'm glad I did. The recipes are simple, the shopping lists are laid out well, and I've been using them for my weekly food shop. The only small thing is that some of the ingredients are a bit harder to find in my local shop than I expected.

I'd been using a calorie counting app for years and it always felt like a chore logging every bite. Aligner's coaching side is a different thing altogether, because the plan adjusts when I tell them my week has gone off track. The check ins are quick and the advice is practical rather than preachy, and I've stuck with it far longer than I ever stuck with the apps.

After my husband's heart scare last year his consultant suggested we look at a proper eating plan rather than just cutting out biscuits, and a friend pointed me towards Aligner. I found the sign up straightforward enough, though the questionnaire took me longer than I'd like to admit. The meal suggestions are sensible and the portions are reasonable for two. Deliveries have arrived when they said they would, which I appreciate.

I needed a structured way to get my blood pressure down after my GP's appointment, and the diet side of Aligner has been very helpful. The materials came through the site in a clear layout, and the advice on portion sizes is sensible without being fussy. My coach answers questions properly, and I've noticed a real difference in how I feel after a few months.

Aligner is a bit cheaper than the other two programmes I looked at, and it gave me more of the structure I was after. The coaching is done through the app and the check ins are sensible, though I'd have preferred a phone call now and then. The meal suggestions work well for a busy household and I've kept most of them going since starting.

Honestly it does what it says, the meal plans are decent and the coach replies within a day. The price is on the high side compared with other programmes I looked at, and I'd have liked a bit more flexibility on the rest days. For a first go it's fine but I'm not sure I'd carry on at full cost.

Got the plan sorted in about ten mins and the coach was really chill about my weird hours. Stuff's easy to follow and I've actually stuck with it, which is a first for me.

Compared to the calorie apps I'd tried before, this felt much more like being told what to eat instead of counting everything myself, which suited me. Signing up took a fair while because I had to fill in a lot of health questions, and I was a bit annoyed that the first meal plan didn't arrive until the Thursday. Once it started I've been fine with it, though the price is a bit steep for what it is.