Our Top Ten Weight Loss Tips

Obesity is the term used to describe a person who is very overweight with lots of excess body fat. It is a common problem in the UK, with 1 in every 4 adults affected.

It is, therefore, not surprising that weight loss has become a very topical subject over the years, not only for the obvious cosmetic reasons but also due to increasing awareness of the health risks to people who are overweight. There have been proven links between people being overweight and the development of conditions such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke as well as some cancers, such as breast and bowel cancer.

That being said, losing weight is often easier said than done. There are many different diets and plans which are being advertised online, most of which the promising the achievement of results which everyone desires.

Then why do people find it so hard?

Many of these diets and plans are not sustainable and people with busy lives just don’t have the time or commitment to stick to them. It is a common mistake that people make, jumping from diet to diet but never really losing any weight or keeping the weight off.

So, back to basics, what causes obesity?

More often than not, weight gain is simply caused by consuming more calories (via food and sugary drinks) than is burned off with physical exercise. If the body does not burn off the calories that it is being filled with, then those calories simply turn to fat. And here lies the problem.

There are of course medical reasons for weight gain, such as hypothyroidism, but the important thing to remember here is that if these conditions are controlled and treated correctly, then weight gain can be controlled also.

So what can be done about weight loss?

We have compiled our TOP 10 TIPS for successful weight loss. Follow these and you should be on your way to a happier, healthier lifestyle.

  1. Plan your meals

This is the key to a healthier lifestyle. It is important that you eat three healthy meals every day to prevent you snacking on junk food in between. By planning out your meals for the week, there is less chance that you will pick up that unhealthy ready meal or quick fix dinner, as you will know what is in your fridge already. It will, of course, take a little bit more time than simple putting a ready meal in the microwave, but the end goal will be much easier if you plan and prepare.

It doesn’t, however, need to be difficult or overly time consuming; there are lots of websites which give ideas on tasty, low cost and easy to prepare meals.

The NHS website gives good healthy recipe ideas for adults:

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/healthy-recipes/Pages/Healthy-recipes.aspx

and for children:

https://www.nhs.uk/change4life/recipes

  1. Eat a healthy protein filled breakfast

There is a lot of truth in the saying “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. What you eat for breakfast can determine how the rest of your day is going to go. The best advice on breakfast is to eat something which will stop you feeling hungry until lunchtime. This will prevent you from reaching for an unhealthy snack to fill you up. Ensuring your breakfast has some protein in it will ensure that you will not feel as hungry throughout the day. Examples of protein source that could be eaten at breakfast include: eggs, cheese, milk, nut, seeds, beans and pulses.

Examples of healthy breakfasts can be found at:

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/Healthybreakfasts.aspx

  1. Make daily exercise part of your day to day life

This is another key element to weight loss. Daily exercise does not need to be going to the gym or lifting weights, it could simply be walking to work, or taking a 20 minute evening brisk walk after you finish work. This will differ from person to person and needs to fit into your lifestyle. A general guide on how much exercise should be done by adults on a weekly basis can be found at

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/fitness/pages/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults.aspx

Find a way to fit exercise into your life and you will see the benefits in your overall health and wellbeing.

  1. Drink more water

This may not seem important to aid weight loss but it really is. Water helps remove waste from the body, helps regulate body temperature, aids metabolism and can act as an appetite suppressant. You should aim to drink at least two litres of water per day. If you find plain water hard to drink, try adding fresh mint, lemon or lime for a bit of flavour.

  1. Avoid sugary drinks

Sugary drinks contain a lot of sugar, and can be one of the main causes of weight gain. In fact one can of cola, can have as much as nine cubes of sugar. By avoiding these sugar filled beverages, we can significantly reduce our daily sugar intake, which is turn will help you see weight loss results. It is best to stick to water if possible, however if you do want to drink a fizzy style drink, opt for diet versions instead as these contain less, if not no sugar. 

  1. Reduce your alcohol intake

Alcohol has more calories than most people realise and could be preventing you losing weight. One glass of wine contains the same calories as a standard chocolate bar. It also interferes with the normal metabolic pathway which could prevent fat burning. It is not necessary to stop drinking alcohol altogether, but reduce your weekly intake as part of your new healthy lifestyle and you will see the results in your weight loss. 

  1. Eat healthy snacks 

It is unrealistic to say you should cut out snacks altogether. Everyone feels hungry at different rates, so being prepared with healthy snack options will prevent you eating on junk food to fill you up. Different ideas for healthy snacks including how to use fruit nuts and seeds to fill yourself up between meals can be found at following websites:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/healthy-snack

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/surprising-100-calorie-snacks.aspx

Health Eating

  1.  

Get more sleep 

Lack of sleep could be affecting your weight loss. Studies have shown that people who do not get good full nights sleep often suffer from increased weight. This is not because sleep directly affects weight gain, but it may have an effect on your stress levels (which can lead to increased appetite) and your ability to stick to exercise regimes and diets. Aim to get 8 hours sleep per night. Further advice can be found on good sleep habits here:

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/insomnia/Pages/insomniatips.aspx

  1. Read the nutrition labels on food

This may seem like an obvious point but always checking the back of food you are eating can help you keep track of the calories you are eating. Foods we eat are often higher in calories and sugar than we realise so a quick check could be the difference between eating something healthy or unhealthy. The recommended calorie intake for a female is 2000 calories and for a male is 2500 calories. Further information on average daily intakes can be found here:

https://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/reference-intakes-RI-guideline-daily-amounts-GDA.aspx

  1. Consider medical weight loss pills

For some people, a combination of diet and exercises does not provide adequate weight loss. For patients with a BMI of over 30 or over 28 if you have other risk factors such as diabetes, there are medical options available which may help you to lose weight. These medications prevent you from absorbing around a quarter of the fat from your food, therefore will aid weight loss when combined with a healthy diet and exercise plan.

Please see the options available on our website:

https://www.simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk/online-doctor/weight-loss/

When starting a weight loss plan, one of the most important things to remember is to never give up. Everyone has “off” or “bad” days where they have not adhered to their weight loss plan and feel as though they have failed. It is important to remember that this happens to everyone and you should just write the day off and start a fresh the next day. Whatever happens, don’t give up! Start again tomorrow!