Weight Loss
The why, how and what behind the appetite suppressing drug called Semaglitude.
Medically reviewed by Madeleine Hawkes
PGCert Obesity & Weight Management
GLP-1 prescription medication for appetite suppression
Weight loss looks different for everybody. From the rate in which they reduce their body weight to the practices put in place to help them reach their weight loss goals, it’s important to note that every individual’s journey is unique. Here at Manual, we’ve facilitated weight loss for many of our patients. Our weight loss information and guidance surrounds scientific facts, case studies, and medical opinions. With that in mind, here is everything you need to know about weight loss so that you can begin your weight loss journey informed, motivated, and prepared.
Whether you are trying to lose weight for your health or confidence, reducing overall body weight has a wealth of benefits.
Losing weight when the body is under strain can:
With 63.8% of UK adults being classified as “overweight,” it shines a light on the potential reasons that 4.3 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes, along with 2.4 million people being at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Over the past year, 62% of the UK population have adjusted their diet for health reasons.
However, the obesity rate continues to grow.
This suggests that, while people are adapting and trying to lose weight, they are not receiving the support and guidance they need to reduce their overall body weight.
The most common challenges for weight loss are:
While there are evidently numerous barriers standing in between you and achieving your weight loss goals, the good news is that they can be overcome with determination, perseverance, and hard work.
One of the key causes of unsuccessful weight loss attempts is due to an unhealthy strategy toward achieving your target weight.
It is critical to acknowledge and understand that weight loss can be harmful if approached in an improper way.
Healthy weight loss ✅
Gradual weight loss: expecting weight loss overnight is both toxic and unrealistic. Weight loss is a long-term journey and needs to be achieved in phases. Medical professionals advise that you should not be losing more than 1-2 pounds (0.45 – 0.9 kg) per week.
Incorporates a diet that includes foods from all five food groups: isolating an entire food group will deprive your body from nutrients. On top of this, you will struggle to maintain this way of life, causing your motivation to reduce and an early end to your weight loss strategy.
Reduces foods that are high in saturated fats, added fat, glucose and sodium: while the ideal is to eliminate these types of food, it’s important to do so gradually. These types of food do nothing to nourish your body and cause far more harm than good.
Sticks to a regular eating schedule: eating all 3 meals throughout the day but doing so mindfully, selecting your meals strategically for weight loss, is a healthy approach to weight loss.
Routine exercise with a gradual increase in intensity: exercise is critical for weight loss. However, hyper-normal physical activity puts excessive strain on your heart and can cause damage. Instead, exercise should reflect your weight loss strategy as a whole: gradual, steady, and improving over time.
Unhealthy weight loss ❌
Rapid and intense weight loss: weight loss should be approached as a long-term strategy. Rapid weight loss in a short amount of time indicates you are depriving your body of key nutrients and over-exerting yourself.
Skips meals: it’s important to stick to a routine eating plan where none of your three daily meals are skipped. Each meal serves a nutritional purpose, and by skipping certain meals, you are also more likely to give into your unhealthy cravings.
Not eating at all: this is an exceptionally dangerous way to approach weight loss and could result in an eating disorder. Plus, when you starve your body of food, enzymes that store fat increase while your metabolism decreases as a way to preserve your body.
Cutting out whole food groups: you should aim for a balanced diet rather than one that is completely overshadowed by a certain food group(s).
Juice-only cleansers: there is currently no formal evidence that supports the notion that juicing helps with weight loss. When you consume juice exclusively, your body is nutrient-deficient and desperate for fibre. During the juicing process, fibre is stripped from the fruits. This method may also result in muscle and bone loss.
Low-carb diets: once a well-practiced dietary approach, a low-carb weight loss plan can actually be harmful. A lack of carbohydrates can cause a loss of water weight rapidly, which creates loose and sagging skin. This diet can also result in a lack of particular vitamins and cause digestive conditions.
Very low calorie diets (VLCDs): calories are important, but VLCDs can be extremely harmful to the body. These types of diets encourage you to consume 800 calories (or fewer) per day which results in high levels of hunger and low satisfaction. Clinical trials that studied this diet found that there were many negative side effects such as low energy, constipation, diarrhea, and nausea. On top of this, gallstones are commonly contracted when on a VLCD.
Before developing your own personal weight loss plan, it’s essential to understand these weight loss fundamentals:
Calories Count
To lose weight effectively, you will need to create a calorie deficit first. Calorie-counting can be met with resentment and frustration, but understanding how to leverage calorie-specific meal planning will result in a creative approach to dieting.
Prioritise High Fibre and Whole Foods
Selecting your meals strategically for weight loss means you are prepared and knowledgeable about how you are nourishing your body. High-fibre foods will become a staple to your diet because they are high in volume and take a longer time to digest, which results in feeling fuller for longer (while consuming fewer calories.) Whole foods have been minimally processed, meaning they have no nasty additives. These also help you feel fuller for longer, along with giving you clear signals that you don’t need to eat more than you need.
Portion Control Matters
Calorie counting is counter-productive if portion sizes are too significant for weight loss.
Diet Alone Won’t Provide Significant Results
Many people who are attempting to lose weight find that dieting is an easier adjustment than physical activity. That said, significant weight loss demands exercise. Without it, your weight loss will be modest.
Hydration Is Key
No matter what strategy or weight loss plan you follow, hydration is absolutely essential. Switch out energy drinks or sugar-filled beverages for water.
Consuming Alcohol Leads to Weight Gain
Giving up alcohol is another barrier that weight loss seekers find challenging to jump over. You do not need to give up alcohol entirely. However, you should be aware that alcohol has a high number of calories and will lead to weight gain.
Meal Planning Should Be Routine
Meal planning when trying to lose weight is not as simple as determining what meals to prepare every week based on what you crave. Instead, you’ll need to assess the number of calories, whether each recipe provides a balanced nutritional value, and whether it will satisfy you. Meal planning is critical to stick to a balanced and healthy diet for weight loss.
Don’t Underestimate The Importance of Sleep
Finally, you should acknowledge the importance of sleep and rest when trying to lose weight. Studies have found that having too little sleep results in people eating bigger portion sizes to gain more energy. This, of course, leads to weight gain. Studies have also suggested that too little sleep can lead to cravings of high-carbohydrate, energy-dense foods.
For a sustainable and healthy approach to weight loss, you should comprehend the basics of calories.
Calories measure the amount of energy inside a food or drink; the energy is then used by your body to function.
In order to maintain your weight, your body requires the same calories as the number of calories you consume through food or drink.
More calories thank your body uses:
You will put on weight due to the surplus energy being stored as fat.
Less calories than your body uses:
You will likely lose weight as stored fat is used for energy.
The average man requires 2500 calories per day, while the average woman requires 2000 calories per day to function.
That said, there are variables that will cause the required daily calories to adjust, such as:
Remember, too, that physical activity will adjust your daily calorie intake. The more energy you exert through exercise, the more calories you are burning, which should then be reflected in your meal to balance them out.
Understanding calories is key so you are able to interpret and comprehend calorie and nutritional values stated on food packages. This is often located under the “energy” section.
As stated above, the number of calories you will need to consume to lose weight will vary from person to person based on certain criteria.
Calculating this by yourself leaves room for human error. Plus, it can be challenging and time-consuming.
Using a weight loss calculator allows technology to calculate the appropriate number of calories you need to consume in order to achieve your target weight.
These online weight calculators often allow personalisation in order to display an accurate result, requesting details such as:
| Lifestyle | Physical activity level |
|---|---|
| Sedentary | bare minimum physical activity; desk jobs, simple cooking |
| Lightly active | light exercise for 1-3 days per week |
| Moderately active | exercise for 3-5 days per week |
| Very active | hard exercise for 3-7 days per week |
| Extra active | very hard exercise and a physical job |
After completed, it takes a matter of seconds before you are provided with the accurate number of daily calories needed in order to achieve your weight loss goal.
A weight loss tracker is not the same as a weight loss calculator.
A weight loss tracker is a resource used for people who want to track and monitor their weight loss progress (or lack thereof.)
There are many weight loss trackers available both as digital files and apps and weight-loss notebooks. However, you could always simply keep track of your weight loss in a simple notebook you already have at home.
Using a weight loss tracker:
Weight loss trackers are subjective to your own personal tastes and styles. For some, it’s more accessible to log their progress on a spreadsheet. For others, a simple ‘pen-and-paper’ approach works best.
However, if you’re looking for an online weight loss tracker or an app, consider the following:
Reducing body weight can be confusing when you first embark on your weight loss journey.
You are not alone, and every successful weight loss story began feeling the same way as you do.
To reduce the confusion, here are the most frequently asked questions surrounding weight loss and their answers:
It’s important to note that rapid weight loss is often unhealthy and can be harmful. For successful weight loss that is kept off after your plan comes to an end, you should focus on gradual loss over a significant period of time.
To lose weight as quickly as possible while doing so in a healthy way, you should:
It’s important to acknowledge that weight regain after finalising your weight loss plan is extremely common.
In fact, it’s considered normal to gain back 2 – 5 lbs from the end of your diet’s lowest weight.
Show yourself self-compassion. While it can be frustrating after your hard work, it is normal.
There are ways to avoid this weight regain, though. It’s best to have a “end of process” plan, where you map out how you will maintain your new body weight.
Losing a stone in one month is challenging. However, it is achievable.
Again, healthy weight loss revolves around a gradual decline in body weight over a considerable amount of time.
Nonetheless, if you wish to lose a stone in one month, you should:
For many commercial diets, the rate of weight gain after the plan has concluded are fairly extortionate.
While a large number of patients are able to lose weight during the weight loss plan itself, they often find it challenging to “keep it off” afterwards.
To avoid weight gain after dieting, you should:
When searching for guidance and diet plans for weight loss, you will encounter the names of various diet plans. From ketogenic to raw food, the Cambridge diet and plant-based (vegan) living; learning about the various diets available can feel overwhelming and confusing.
Everybody is different and every body is also different.
As such, you should be selecting a diet that works for you, is implementable to your life, and will not make you feel like you are sacrificing too much for weight loss.
There are many diet plans to choose from, some of which are effective while others may be harmful.
To choose the right diet plan for you, you should select a diet plan that is:
While the “best diet” is subjective and based on the individual, Manual has assessed the process, angle, and results of many diets.
On the whole, these are the best diets for weight loss:
The Mediterranean diet is well known for being overall nutritious and healthy for the heart.
Leveraging foods of tradition from a number of countries that border the Mediterranean sea, you’ll find meals from France, Greece, Italy and Spain.
Mediterranean diets make use of high-fibre foods, which aids in digestion. Rich in healthy fats but extremely low in unsaturated fats, this diet results in people consuming more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes.
While foods like eggs, cheese, and yoghurt are accepted as part of this diet, they need to be consumed sparingly.
This diet also encourages people to cut back on salt, using herbs and spices instead to create deeper flavours and lower sodium levels.
Studies show that, when on the Mediterranean diet, you could lose 5 – 10% of your body weight over 12 months (so long as you are also exercising.)
The most common foods found in the Mediterranean diet are:
| Vegetables | Tomatoes, kale, spinach, onions, peppers, cauliflower, carrots, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes. |
| Fruits | Apples, bananas, grapes, melons, figs, strawberries, pears, dates, peaches and oranges. |
| Nuts and seeds | Almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almond butter, macadamia butter and peanut butter. |
| Whole grains | Brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole grain pasta, oats, corn and buckwheat. |
| Seafood and fish | Tuna, prawns, clams, crab, mussels, trout, salmon, oysters, and sardines. |
| Poultry | Chicken, turkey and duck. |
| Herbs and spices | Garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, rosemary, basil, mint and sage. |
| Dairy | Cheese, yoghurt and milk. |
| Healthy fats | Avocados, avocado oil, olives and extra virgin olive oil. |
| Beverages | Water, coffee and tea (limited sugar or cream), red wine (sparingly, small amounts and only with a meal), fresh fruit juices with no added sugar. |
| Snacks | Nuts, fruit, Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, hummus and carrots. |
The DASH diet stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
While originally designed to encourage and support people with controlling high blood pressure levels, it also leads to significant weight loss.
On top of facilitating weight loss and blood pressure management, the DASH diet is extremely good for the heart, helping to reduce cholesterol levels which are linked to heart disease.
The DASH diet can result in a lower risk of heart disease and stroke as well as significant weight loss when implemented alongside a routine exercise plan.
A signature component of the DASH diet is the extremely low sodium levels.
When preparing meals for this diet, you are limited to 2300 milligrams of salt per day.
That’s roughly 1 teaspoon of salt.
The DASH diet is successful due to the balanced meal approach. Foods are always:
HIGH IN:
⬆️ Fibre
⬆️ Protein
⬆️ Potassium
⬆️ Calcium
⬆️ Magnesium
LOW IN:
⬇️ Saturated fat
⬇️ Sodium (salt)
The DASH diet places emphasis on plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low fat to no-fat dairy products.
Studies show that, over a 12 week period, people sticking to the DASH diet diligently lost a huge 6.3% of their body weight. Along with a strong exercise plan, there is a considerable opportunity for significant weight loss over time.
The DASH diet does not recommend specific foods; rather specific servings of different food groups.
| Vegetables | All vegetables are permitted. Examples include broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, and spinach |
|---|---|
| Fruits | Fruits are a heavy influence for this diet. Some fruits include berries, pineapple, pears, peaches, and apples. |
| Dairy | Dairy is allowed on this diet but it’s important that your diary products are low (or free of) fat. Skimmed milk, for example, will be required over whole milk. Other dairy products may include certain cheeses and low-fat yoghurts. |
| Meat | Meats should be lean cuts. Red meat should be consumed sparingly; no more than twice per week. |
| Seeds, nuts, and legumes | For the DASH diet, this food group may include sunflower seeds, kidney beans, lentils, flaxseeds, peanuts, walnuts, and hazelnuts. |
| Fats and oils | When cooking with oil, the DASH diet recommends using vegetable-based oils. You should also switch your mayonnaise from full-fat to low-fat and use only light salad dressing. |
| Whole grains | Whole grains may include whole-wheat or whole-grain bread, brown rice, and quinoa. |
| Sugary snacks | With the DASH diet, you will be unable to have any unrefined sugars. Any sugary snacks consumed will need to be kept to a minimum. These include sweets, fizzy drinks, and sugar in your hot beverages. While this diet doesn’t cut out this food group entirely, it is allowed very rarely. |
The Weight Watchers diet is well-known in modern culture and millions of people have joined it to lose weight.
Unlike the previous two diet plans covered, the Weight Watchers diet is based on a point system.
Each food is given a number of points which stems from the number of calories, saturated fat, sugar and protein inside.
Tailored to you as an individual, you are assigned a “points budget” which is based on your food and activity preferences.
So long as you are within your points budget, you’re free to select anything to eat within that range.
Weight Watchers also offer ZeroPoint foods, which include some fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, fish, tofu, eggs, beans, and chicken breast.
WeightWatchers is a paid membership for weight loss. There are two tiers to select from based on your weight loss goals.
At the lower level, you will have access to a point tracking app and digital support.
At the higher tier, you will also gain unlimited access to virtual and in-person workshops as well as a personal weight loss coach.
A study in 2013 demonstrated that dieters who were assigned to a Weight Watchers diet were more than 8 times more likely to lose 10% of their body weight over six months than those who dieted on their own.
Weight Watchers offers a calorie-centric approach to weight loss. However, it’s important to note that weight loss can also encourage you to leverage support from others who are in the same position as you.
Having the support and motivation from others is extremely beneficial and will aid in weight loss.
With Weight Watchers using a point system, you will select your meals based on your points budget. The updated Weight Watchers point system include the following:
| ZeroPoint or low-Points | Lean meats (eg: skinless chicken breast or turkey), beans, peas, lentils, corn, popcorn, eggs, salmon, fruits, tofu, yoghurt oats, pretzels, almond milk and avocado. |
| High Points | Fatty meats (eg: bacon, cheeseburgers), cheese, crisps, oat milk, or sugary cereal. |
In order to select the best diet plan for you as an individual, the meals available should be exciting and pleasurable.
Compare the Mediterranean diet, the DASH diet, and the Weight Watcher’s diet in the table below which suggests your 7-day dinner diet plan for each.
| The Mediterranean Diet | The DASH Diet | The Weight Watchers Diet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Chicken breast with orzo and tomatoes | Slow cooked chicken and chickpea soup | Lasagne |
| Day 2 | Spinach ravioli with artichokes and olives | Roasted salmon, chickpeas and greens | Mushroom stroganoff |
| Day 3 | Roasted salmon with courgette, bell peppers, red onions and tomatoes | Slow cooked vegetarian bolognaise | Albondigas (Mexican meatballs) soup |
| Day 4 | Mushrooms stuffed with tomato, mozzarella and basil | Fig and goat’s cheese salad | Margherita pizza |
| Day 5 | Chicken thighs with gnocchi, tomatoes and Brussel sprouts | Salmon cakes | Vegetarian black bean chilli |
| Day 6 | Green shakshuka with spinach, chard, feta and an egg | Chicken skewers with mediterranean couscous | Beef and vegetable stew |
| Day 7 | Chicken breast and asparagus pasta in a lemon and parmesan sauce | Creamy lemon pasta with prawns and chillies | Teriyaki chicken (sheet pan) |
While exercise and lifestyle changes are important when attempting to lose weight, your diet is fundamental.
Not only will a more calorie-considered, nutrient-dense diet lead to weight loss, but healthy meals can also protect you against many harmful diseases (heart disease, diabetes and cancer).
Healthy meals are also a key factor in maintaining weight loss after your target weight has been achieved.
The NHS recommend that a safe and sustainable weight loss rate should be between 0.5 to 1 kg per week. On average, they state to reduce your energy intake by roughly 600 calories per day.
To assist you with weight loss, the NHS will need to calculate your BMI (body mass index.)
The NHS guidelines for BMI are:
| BMI Range | Result |
|---|---|
| 18.5 or below | Underweight |
| 18.5 – 24.9 | Healthy weight |
| 25 – 29.9 | Overweight |
| 30 – 39.9 | Obese |
| 40 or above | Severely obese |
The NHS offer their own BMI weight calculator online, where you will be asked to specific your sex, height, current weight, and age.
The NHS have a free Weight Loss Plan app which will aid in:
Your NHS GP can also assist you with weight loss.
Your healthcare professional will need to first assess your weight. They will begin by calculating your body mass index, however it’s important to know that, even if your BMI states that you are a healthy weight, further tests may need to be carried out. For example, if you are carrying excessive stomach fat, you may be at a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, or diabetes. Your GP will perform tests through a blood sample and measuring your blood pressure.
This is followed by assessing your current lifestyle, exercise and eating habits. You might be asked to keep a food and exercise diary which will be evaluated during your follow-up session. Your GP may recommend wearing a pedometer to measure the number of steps you are taking every day.
After assessing your current physical state for weight loss, your GP will work with you to set bespoke goals tailored to you and schedule follow up sessions.
If, after making changes to your lifestyle, diet and physical activity levels, you do not see weight change, your NHS GP may recommend weight loss medications.
In extreme cases, weight loss surgery may be offered on the NHS. This is often a last resort and requires very strict suitability criteria.
What you feed your body will have an enormous impact on your weight loss rate and quantity.
While there are numerous diet plans available to guide you, should you wish to diet yourself, ensure you are consuming the following foods to maximise your chance of significant weight loss:
Whole fat Greek yoghurt is packed with probiotics that support your gut’s good bacteria, which is fundamental for weight loss. The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) promotes fat burning.
On top of this, whole fat Greek yoghurt is rich in Amino acids, vitamin D and calcium, which speeds up the rate in which your body burns fat.
In one study that evaluated how effective Greek yoghurt was for weight loss, a group of participants were given just over 500 g of Greek yoghurt every morning. This group lost a staggering 81% more stomach fat than those who were not given the Greek yoghurt.
Broccoli is one of the best fat-burning foods for weight loss.
Cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and broccoli are all extremely high in fibre and key nutrients that encourage your body to burn fat.
On top of this, these power-vegetables contain calcium, which is linked to healthy bones and joints alongside weight loss.
These vegetables speed up your metabolism and reduce bloating after consuming a salty meal.
It’s best to steam these vegetables when you cook them in order to lock in the nutrients. Boiling them will not provide the same nutritional value, and frying them will result in a higher number of calories.
While surprising to many, dark chocolate – when consumed sparingly – is a strong addition to your meal plan for a healthy snack.
Dark chocolate will reduce your sugar cravings and leave you feeling fuller.
It also sparks your metabolism into action through it’s monounsaturated fatty acids.
You should not over-indulge on dark chocolate, though. It is best to leave this for your “sweet treat.”
Chicken breast is a lean protein source, and it’s also extremely versatile.
When consuming chicken breast, your body requires more energy to digest it than other simple carbohydrates do. With the necessary energy used for digestion, this energy is burnt in the process and your metabolism speeds up.
During a calorie deficit, chicken breast also works to protect your muscle mass. This means you are more likely to burn calories than fat.
Chicken breast also stimulates satiety. After eating, the nutrients tell our body we’re full.
Salmon is a protein-rich food. With high levels of protein, your body must leverage extra work and energy to digest it, which uses more calories.
The Omega-3 found in salmon results in fatty acids that reduce weight and a stress hormone called cortisol.
Not only will salmon reduce stress levels, but cortisol is linked to fat storage, resulting in weight loss, too.
The best nuts for weight loss are almond nuts, but the vast majority of nuts are effective.
Nuts are high in magnesium and healthy fats, which are critical for weight loss.
Also high in protein, your body needs to use more energy and calories for digestion, boosting the metabolism rate in the process.
A study evaluated overweight participants who included almonds as a part of their low-calorie diet.
When compared to those who did not consume nuts, it became evident that almonds are an excellent food for weight loss.
The participants who consumed almonds as part of their low-calorie diet lost 50% more fat overall. The group that did not consume almonds lost only 11% of their fat overall.
Most beans can encourage weight loss. The best type of beans to eat if you’re trying to lose weight are cannellini beans.
Cannellini beans are white beans, which act as alpha-amylase inhibitors.
This means that they help your body slow down the absorption of carbohydrates by blocking the enzymes you need for digestion.
Beans of most kinds (other than tinned baked beans) will not result in a high blood sugar spike post-meal.
Avocado is a source of healthy fats.
It stimulates leptin, the appetite suppressing hormone, leaving you feeling more satisfied and fuller for longer.
Nonetheless, the key for avocados is “little and often” due to their high fat levels.
Apple cider vinegar can prompt the sense of fulness. By feeling full, you will not feel the need to snack, which decreases your calorie intake.
Apple cider vinegar also reduces the speed in which your food leaves the stomach.
This method is not suitable for those who have Gastroparesis (delayed stomach emptying.)
Apple cider vinegar also:
Green tea is a well-known weight loss aid. This thermogenic (fat-burning) beverage is full of the anti-oxidants epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which are responsible for speeding up the metabolism.
On top of this, green tea contains a small amount of caffeine which aids the anti-oxidants in increasing metabolic rate and fat burning if drunk before physical activity.
Weight loss demands routine physical activity, which is a leading reason as to why a significant number of people give up on their weight loss strategy.
However, when approaching exercise gradually and strategically with a knowledge of the impact of each session, the tasks become considerably more manageable.
The key components to remember when exercising for weight loss are:
Exercise also aids with metal health and stress levels through the release of endorphins post-workout.
Different types of exercises will burn a different number of calories.
When creating an exercise plan, you should:
✅ Choose exercises or sports that you enjoy
✅ Vary the setting (don’t exercise exclusively at the gym)
✅ Consider a group or paired workout session for support
✅ Ensure your exercise plan aligns with your lifestyle
✅ Understand and map out the number of calories you will burn in each session (taking into account the intensity and duration of each session.)
Running is an effective exercise for weight loss and it’s an easy-to-implement task into everyday life.
When done properly, running can aid with:
However, running is not particularly beginner friendly.
It’s fundamental to increase and vary intensity and duration. Create your plan and stick to it, beginning gently and working your way up to a longer, more challenging run over time.
Cycling is a personalised experience and its difficulty can rely on your own progress.
This aerobic workout can aid with:
When cycling, you could burn up to 600 calories per hour depending on your weight and fitness levels.
If you have joined a gym, you should try to alternate between “real-life cycling” and spinning.
Spinning is classed as a high intensity exercise which puts more stress and strain on the body. This is effective for weight loss, but should be spread out and balanced with low intensity exercise (like “real life” cycling.)
Walking is extremely beginner-friendly and often undermined as a weight loss exercise.
Yet walking is one of the simpler exercises to do as well as to implement into daily life.
Walking will aid you with:
You should vary the pace in which you are walking and the duration each time, providing rest days, too.
Selected as a weight loss exercise for those with joint pain or injuries, swimming is low-impact but high-results.
Swimming for one hour 3 times per week can:
Start with a shorter duration time of 15 minutes every other day until you reach 60 minutes three times per week. The key is a gradual increase over time with enough rest for your body to recover.
Weight training – otherwise known as “strength training” – will result in built and maintained lean muscle tissue.
This additional lean muscle tissue will result in weight loss. The more muscles you have, the more calories you will burn daily during workouts and during rest.
If you have hit a weight loss plateau, weight training is an excellent method to overcome it.
Known most commonly to balance stress levels and promote positive mental health, yoga can also lead to weight loss.
Weight gain can be triggered or exemplified by stress. By reducing your stress levels, you will also be reducing your weight.
Furthermore, the physical activity of yoga can lead to weight loss.
FOR A HIGHER CALORIE BURN
Vinyasa
Ashtanga
FOR A SLOWER-PACED CLASS
Yin
Restorative
For some people attempting to reach their goals, changes to lifestyle, diet and exercise are not resulting in a loss of significant body weight.
This can feel frustrating and draining.
There are, however, weight loss aids that can help you reduce your overall body weight.
From pills to supplements to injections, there are a range of weight loss tools that may be able to assist you on your weight loss journey.
Weight loss tablets may be your ideal aid.
Oral medications are favoured by some people due to an easier ingestion process. With oral medications, a routine may be simpler to follow.
Equally, for patients who are anxious about needles but desire a medical solution, weight loss tablets may be a more favourable tool.
Orlos is an oral medication that helps you to lose weight by lowering the fat levels absorbed into your system during digestion.
Unlike alternatives in the form of injections, Orlos is not an appetite suppressant. Instead, it uses its active ingredient, Orlisat, to reduce the amount of fat absorbed from your diet into the body.
Once ingested, Orlistat blocks the effect of lipase – an enzyme that is responsible for breaking down fat from your food which is then absorbed into the body.
By blocking this enzyme, Orlistat prevents your body from absorbing roughly one quarter of the fat from your diet.
Instead of being absorbed, the fat passes through your body and is excreted through bowel movements. As a result, less calories are absorbed.
It’s for this reason why Orlos weight loss pills can aid in more rapid weight loss.
Results of weight loss from taking Orlos have been clinically proven as a loss of 50% more body weight than dieting alone.
Essentially, for every 2 kg you lose via diet and physical activity, Orlos can assist with an additional loss of 1 kg.
Prescriptions generally instruct patients to take Orlos three times per day within an hour of each meal and are available only in a 120 mg dose.
Xenical is the branded version of Orlos.
The two weight loss tablets contain the same active ingredient: Orlistat.
This is also available only in a 120 mg dose and should be taken three times per day within an hour of each meal.
The only difference between Xenical and Orlos is that Xenical has a wider reputation through marketing efforts. As such, it carries a higher price tag.
Due to it being an identical medication to Orlos, it works in the same way: blocking the effect of lipase and preventing roughly 1/4 of the fat ingested through your diet, resulting in fewer calorie consumption.
Alli’s active ingredient is also Orlistat. Yet, Alli is not a prescription-only drug.
These over-the-counter weight loss tablets are available at a 60 mg dose. Higher dosages – such as a 120 mg dose – would need to be prescribed in the form of Orlos or Xenical.
Alli is approved by the FDA for use in adults with a body mass index of 25 and above.
However, it’s worth noting that weight loss when taking Alli – even with the necessary dietary and exercise changes – will be modest.
The lower dosage means that losing weight through this medication will be a considerably longer process.
When considering weight loss medications, it’s important to discuss your goals, motivations, and concerns with a healthcare professional.
Weight loss injections are effective tools but remember that medication – whether that takes the form of injections or tablets – is not a magic solution.
The impact of the following weight loss injections may be effective in some patients while ineffective for others. Everyone loses weight differently, and there are a variety of factors that will influence whether a medication is both suitable and effective for you.
That said, there are a number of weight loss injections available on prescription.
Limited weight loss injections are available on the NHS and they are prescribed only under strict criteria and circumstances.
As such, weight loss injections are not widely accessible on the NHS.
If suitability criteria are met, the following weight loss injections are available on the NHS:
| NHS Suitability Criteria | |
|---|---|
| Wegovy | To be prescribed Wegovy on the NHS, you must: |
Wegovy is a prescription-only weight loss injection.
Its active ingredient is semaglutide which functions to regulate your appetite and keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Mirroring a naturally occurring hormone, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), semaglutide sends signals to the brain that you feel satiated for a longer period of time. It also reduces the pace of your digestive system, reinforcing the sensation of fullness.
Furthermore, Wegovy significantly reduces the number of cravings you experience, encouraging you to stick to your eating schedule more effectively and routinely.
When taken in tandem of a reduced calorie diet, a healthier lifestyle and additional exercise, Wegovy is an effective weight loss injection which will result in sustained weight loss.
This medication is self-injected once per week and follows a gradual increase of dosage every month.
As this is a strong medication, you will need a prescription to access Wegovy.
There are a variety of side effects that you may experience when taking Wegovy; the most common being nausea, vomiting, constipation and diarrhoea.
As with any medication, there are severe side effects and risks that you must consider before selecting a Wegovy treatment plan such as allergic reactions, pancreatitis, gall stones, and hypoglycemia.
It’s for these reasons why you must discuss this medication with your healthcare providers to ensure suitability and to limit unwanted side effects.
When diligently self-injected, you can expect to see a loss of 1 – 2 pounds (or 0.5 – 1 kg) weekly, so long as you are adjusting your diet and engaging in routine exercise.
Wegovy is not effective for everyone, but this medication has been clinically proven to work for a large proportion of its users.
In clinical trials, a huge 90% of participants saw a loss of a minimum of 5% of their starting body weight after six months of use.
After an additional six months, 60% of these participants lost more than 15% of their body weight, with 40% losing more than 20% of their starting body weight.
Ozempic, like Wegovy, is a once-weekly self-injected medication.
While FDA approved for the management of type 2 diabetes and blood sugar levels, Ozempic is prescribed off-label for weight loss.
Ozempic’s active ingredient is semaglutide – just like Wegovy – which works to regulate your appetite.
Realistically, Ozempic and Wegovy are the same drug.
The differences between Ozempic and Wegovy are:
As with Wegovy, your Ozempic dosing schedule will gradually increase over time until you have reached your maintenance dose.
In terms of how much weight you can expect to lose with Ozempic, it highly depends on your further weight loss strategy (diet, exercise and lifestyle changes.)
For some, Ozempic will not be effective at all. However, for many, Ozempic can result in significant weight loss.
In clinical trials that monitored weight loss in patients who took Ozempic diligently, conclusions were drawn that, after 12 months of treatment, up to 63% of patients lost at least 5% of their starting body weight with 27% of participants lost 10% or more.
Protein powder and protein shakes can help you feel fuller for longer as well as help you build lean muscle. These powders can also help to support your metabolism.
When choosing a protein powder or shake, be aware of its ingredients. Different types will contain different types and quantities of nutrients.
Just as you should read food labels and select meals based on nutritional and caloric quantity, you should mirror this when selecting protein powders for weight loss.
Protein powders can result in less cravings throughout the day and help to fill you up for longer periods of time, leading to less calorie intake.
In one small study of 9 women with obesity, it was proven that protein powder actively reduced appetite and cravings.
Weight loss supplements are suitable for some patients when trying to lose weight.
These supplements are a herbal remedy for weight loss and are, therefore, not regulated by the FDA.
It is important to study the ingredients list of any weight loss supplements to ensure suitability and impact.
There are conflicting views about the impact of weight loss supplements due to some being ineffective. However, when backed by science, certain supplements can allow you to feel fuller for longer, curb cravings, help resist snacking and, as a result, lead to weight loss.
Consider weight loss supplements that contain the following ingredients:
Weight loss gummies – otherwise known as “slimming gummies” – are marketed as a “natural way to suppress appetite and lose weight.
It’s important to note set realistic expectations when considering using weight loss gummies.
The weight loss you see will be modest and exceptionally gradual, and without the necessary lifestyle, diet and exercise changes, you may not see any results.
As weight loss gummies do not contain medicine and are, instead, herbal remedies, you do not need a prescription to use them. Consider the ingredient list carefully, though, and set realistic weight loss goals that do not rely substantially on the slimming gummies.
Creating your own personalised weight loss plan and program may be effective with research, experience and experimentation.
However, achieving those components takes time and could result in improper weight loss methods.
Relying on a pre-existing weight loss plan may be more appropriate for beginners. Entering a weight loss plan or program also provides accountability and marks a long-term commitment, which can be highly effective for motivation levels.
The NHS released a free weight loss app on Thursday 1st July 2021. The app was funded £12 million by the government in order to tackle the obesity crisis in the United Kingdom.
The NHS weight loss app is available on both Apple App Store and Google Play and is compatible with most smartphones or tablets.
Its prime focus is to:
After downloading the app and setting up your profile, your weight loss plan will be split into 12 week increments for better management and avoiding overwhelm.
Your plan will include bespoke:
Guidance begins gentle and, over time, ramps up in terms of intensity and duration of exercise alongside eating habits.
Healthy weight loss revolves around gradual change, which the NHS free weight loss app encourages. This, as a result, should maximise your chances of maintaining your post-diet weight, too.
Selecting a weight loss program requires research and consideration.
With a wide variety available, you should select a weight loss program that suits your daily routine and matches your weight goals.
With that in mind, there is no one “best” weight loss program as it is subjective to the individual.
That said, there are a range of weight loss programs that produce excellent results.
Weight Watchers is one of the most widely-known weight loss programs out there.
In the US, it has been voted as first place for the best diet for weight loss nine years in a row. Worldwide, Weight Watchers has grown to over 4.6 million members.
For members who are accountable and diligent with their weight loss plan (including exercise,) you can expect to lose an average of 1 – 2 pounds per week.
Weight Watchers provide a customised plan and “points budget” which is customised to you based on:
This “points budget” is then spent – so long as you are within budget – on any foods you’d like under the Weight Watchers database.
Weight Watchers offer over 3400 recipes and a restaurant database, making it more straightforward for strategic, points-based meal planning.
With tiers available, Weight Watchers offer an upgrade of attending in-person or virtual coach-led workshops, allowing you to surround yourself with likeminded people who have the same goal. This can encourage and motivate you, bettering your chance of weight loss success.
You will also be granted access to the Weight Watcher’s social network, Connect, via their downloadable app.
In this app, you are free to communicate with both other Weight Watchers members for support, accountability and encouragement, as well as professionals for further guidance.
When searching for a weight loss app, you will likely encounter Noom’s weight loss program.
Noom encourages and guides you to adopt healthier habits in order to lose and maintain your post-program weight.
Through the app, your weight loss plan is customised to your bespoke weight goals and fitness needs. This is calculated after a short online assessment.
Noom is not a free weight loss app. However, for your monthly subscription, you receive:
Food tracking and selection is made simpler through Noom’s colour-coding system which represents levels of nutritional value.
Noom’s website claims that users can expect to see a weight loss rate of 1 – 2 pounds per week.
Get Slim is a platform that offers a range of weight loss programs and plans. These include:
While these plans are not customised to suit your bespoke weight loss goals, the plans above can be selected to mirror your overall focal point.
Get Slim’s platform provides you with a number of resources that revolve around making healthier and more sustainable changes.
There is also a community chat room that can be used for support from other members as well as professional guidance.
A diet and exercise tracker is available, too.
Hundreds of exercise videos for all abilities alongside a recipe library of 3000+ recipes with 600 being plant-based are accessible via the platform.
Creating your bespoke weight loss plan may be favoured to revolve around your own goals.
When developing a personalised weight loss plan, ensure you consider the following:
Fasting for short periods of time can produce a state called ketosis.
This is when your body does not have the necessary amount of glucose to convert it to energy.
As a result, it targets fat and breaks this down instead.
Alongside weight loss, there has been research that suggests intermittent fasting can benefit your body in many ways.
Fasting can even help to reduce diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, and aid cardiometabolic health along with enhancing weight loss.
It’s crucial to consider the quantity and quality of what you consume when you have an eating window, though, to nourish your body with the necessary nutrients.
Fasting improperly may lead to a poor relationship with food alongside toxic eating habits, so do so after understanding the right and safest practices.
Fasting, when implemented safely and properly, can reduce your body weight by 3 – 8% over a period of 3 – 24 weeks.
The rate of weight loss when fasting may be an approximate 0.55 – 0.65 pounds (0.25 – 0.75 kg) per week.
Over 10 weeks, the typical amount of weight lost with intermittent fasting is from 7 – 11 pounds.
Statistics and clinical trials prove that fasting is an effective weight loss strategy.
Nevertheless, it’s fundamental to do so safely. Starving yourself entirely will cause extreme harm to your body.
Should you be further along in your weight loss journey and attempted:
… and you have still seen little to no results, you may be considering more extreme weight loss methods.
Bariatric or metabolic surgery (aka: weight loss surgery) can lead to a considerable amount of weight loss.
It also helps to better obesity-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
Weight loss surgery, though, is a major operation and should be taken seriously. The surgery requires after-care and you will need to be given a general anaesthetic.
Weight loss surgery is available on the NHS but used as a treatment in extremely sparse circumstances. The nature of the operation requires a strict eligibility criteria:
Private weight loss surgery is also available, yet this can be extremely costly.
There are 3 main types of weight loss surgery:
| Description | Recovery Period | Aftercare | Type of Surgery | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gastric Band Surgery | A band is placed around your stomach. This means you do not feel the need to eat as much before you become full, allowing you to consume fewer calories while remaining satiated. | Hospital for 1-3 nights after the operation. |
Normal activities resume 4-6 weeks post-operation. | Diet plan
Regular exercise
Follow-up appointments and evaluations
| Keyhole surgery (open surgery in some cases) | | Gastric Bypass Surgery | Your upper stomach is adjoined to your small intestine, allowing you to feel fuller quicker. As such, you do not need to consume as many calories and your hunger cues and cravings are reduced. | Hospital for 2-5 nights after the operation.
Normal activities resume 4-6 weeks post-operation. | Diet plan
Exercise plan
Blood tests (testing for vitamin or mineral deficiencies)
Follow-up appointments and evaluations | Open surgery / laparoscopy | | Sleeve Gastrectomy | Some of your stomach will be removed so that you are unable to eat as much as you could before. With smaller portion sizes, you will lose weight without feeling hungry. | Hospital for 2 nights after the operation.
Normal activities resume within 4-6 weeks post-operation. | Diet plan
Exercise plan
Medication review
Blood tests (testing for vitamin or mineral deficiencies) | Keyhole surgery |
It’s critical to note that weight loss operations are major surgical procedures and not a magic fix. You will need to continue with a healthy eating and exercise plan to avoid weight regain and potential health conditions tied to obesity.
As with any operation, there are risks involved with weight loss surgery:
Your healthcare provider will explain the risks involved with any weight loss operation and assess your eligibility to ensure the risk is as minimised as possible.
If you have noticed that you have lost weight but you have not been attempting to, it’s important to let your healthcare providers know.
While this weight loss could be harmless, unexplained weight loss – particularly when your eating or exercise habits have not changed – could be a symptom of a condition. This may be:
Hormonal imbalances may also cause weight loss along with high stress levels.
Ensure you discuss any unexplained weight loss with your healthcare provider to investigate the root cause.
Motivation is a key factor for successful weight loss.
When you feel motivated, you are more likely to stick to your diet plan, exercise regularly and make the appropriate healthier lifestyle changes.
To find your weight loss motivation, there are steps you should take:
Before beginning your weight loss journey, start by asking yourself “why am I trying to lose weight?”
For a large number of people, they are determined to lose weight for their health. For others, it may be for a boosted confidence.
Consider what your life will look like when you have met your weight loss goals.
Mental health and weight loss have many direct correlations.
Keep a journal tracking your progress. If you encounter days that are more challenging than others, you will be able to reflect on your progress and motivate yourself to continue persevering.
Whether you have reached your short-term, mid-term, or long-term goals, you should reward yourself.
When setting these goals, write down what you will reward yourself with once they have been met. This will provide extra motivation when needed.
The people you surround yourself with will have an influence on your motivation levels.
Be sure to select your company wisely, avoiding those who do not show confidence, belief, or support for you.
Weight loss is not a straight line. Instead, there will be highs and lows.
Understanding and accepting that – at some point in your weight loss journey – you are likely to make at least one mistake allows for less self-resentment and anger.
Show yourself self-compassion and frame the error as a learning opportunity.
Weight loss can be emotionally and physically taxing. At the beginning, you will discover levels of fatigue due to the lessened number of calories alongside increased physical activity.
It is key to prioritise rest and sleep, promoting a healthy bedtime routine and sticking to it.
This will aid with mental and physical health.
Hypnotherapy or hypnosis can be used for weight loss.
While this is not a quick fix or instant solution, for some patients, it requires the additional support they need in order to lose weight.
Clinical trials have concluded that hypnosis can result in weight loss. One such trial monitored the impact of hypnosis for weight loss by studying 120 people with obstructive sleep apnea.
60 of these participants were exposed to 2 forms of hypnotherapy alongside a diet and exercise plan.
After 3 months, all 60 participants had lost 2-3% of their body weight. At the 18-week follow-up, they lost an additional average of 8 pounds.
A weight loss plateau feels like you have “hit a wall.”
Despite the diet and exercise plan you have implemented suggesting positive results initially, your weight loss tracker is providing the same result consistently. This is a weight loss plateau.
While challenging, you should not be discouraged. Though frustrating, a weight loss plateau is extremely common.
Rapid and intense drops in weight at the beginning of a weight loss plan are typical. While you lose weight, you are losing muscle and fat.
Muscle aids the working rate of your metabolism. While you reduce your body weight, your metabolism, too, slows down.
A weight loss plateau occurs when the calories you burn equate to the calories you consume. This can be overcome by:
Approach diet with a nutritional focus. Consider the nutritional value of each meal, taking into account the calories you are consuming and will need to burn with exercise to achieve your target weight.
****************Exercise purposefully, selecting activities that suit your abilities, fitness levels, and lifestyle.
Remember to provide rest days and gradually increase in intensity and duration.****************
**************************Set your own realistic expectations, ensuring you track your progress over time.
While providing yourself a challenge, your long-term weight loss goal should be achievable within the time-frame you have allocated yourself.**************************
Meal planning is essential for effective weight loss.
A meal plan, when executed properly, can support you with creating the calorie deficits you need to lose weight without depriving your body of the essential nutrients for healthy and safe weight loss.
An effective meal plan will:
When building your meal plan, you can use apps, online websites, or a simple pen and paper.
Consider the calories within each meal and intertwine this with any planned exercise from your activity tracker.
When shopping for ingredients, make sure you create a list and stick to it.
To lose weight effectively, you should avoid consuming any of the following:
After completing your weight loss plan and successfully reducing your body weight, you may experience loose or sagging skin.
Firstly, know that having excess skin after successful weight loss is normal. Secondly, this will go away with time.
After 4 – 8 weeks, your skin should have tightened and sagging skin will be in the past.
There are methods to reduce the amount of loose skin after weight loss. You should begin implementing this while you are still working on your weight loss plan to tighten skin as you lose weight.
Extreme methods to reduce sagging skin post-weight loss are only recommended if enough time has been granted for the skin to naturally adjust to your new frame. However, in extreme circumstances, the treatment options are:
***LS, 18th July 2023
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This is my second month on the Ozempic for weight loss. I have lost 5kg. Not as fast as I would like but steadily loosing. The support from Manual is fantastic. Email reminders and updates to orders are timely and informative. The additional support through WhatsApp messages is prompt and understandable. All my questions have been answered. I have found all those responding to be thorough and polite.
*********************************************************************Annette, 17th July 2023
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You can contact them at anytime and someone will respond back to you they also have call conversation if you need to speak to someone. I love the idea that you can go into there fitness page to help with exercise to go long side as you lose weight. The company is very efficient and helpful.
Housetohome, 16th July 2023
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From the very start I felt this company were conscious about who they were selling to and why. Good communications and questions answered. Shipped and received when they said it would.
After reaching your target body weight, your new goal becomes maintaining it.
For many, this is a challenging step and weight regain is exceedingly common.
Just like beginning your weight loss plan, ending it should be a gradual decline to normality.
At the start of your maintenance plan, stick to the 80/20 rule. For 80% of your week, you will continue eating and exercising as you did while practicing your weight loss plan. For the remaining 20%, you should rest and eat (mindfully) what you’d like.
Over time, reduce these percentages. The best method is to do so slowly, though, reducing no more than 5% per week.
Your weight loss journey will be comprehensively unique.
While it can appear daunting and confusing at initiation, keep in mind that changes to diet, lifestyle, physical activity and medication should happen gradually for the safest method of weight loss.
63.8% of UK adults are classified as ‘overweight’; 4.3 million people have been diagnosed with diabetes and 2.4 million people are at high risk – GOV.uk
62% of Britons have altered their diet – British Nutrition Foundation
Short sleep duration is associated with eating foods high in carbohydrates – National Institutes of Health
Exploring the relationship between the Mediterranean diet and weight loss maintenance – National Institutes of Health
A calorie-restricted DASH diet reduces body fat – National Institutes of Health
A randomised controlled trial of a community-based behavioural counselling program (Weight Watchers) – The American Journal of Medicine
Obesity – Treatment – NHS
Is consuming yoghurt associated with weight management? – National Institutes of Health
The effect of almonds on anthropometric measurements and weight loss – National Institutes of Health
FDA-approved Weight Loss Aid – Alli
Once-Weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity – New England Journal of Medicine
Whey proteins reduce appetite, stimulate anorexigenic gastrointestinal peptides and improve glucometabolic homeostasis in young women – National Institutes of Health
NHS weight loss app – NHS
Effectiveness of intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding compared to continuous energy restriction for weight loss – National Library of Medicine
Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea – National Library of Medicine