Tips for losing weight

Many diets referred to as 'fad diets' are not sustainable in the long run.

These unsustainable diets often need a very low-calorie intake. This may help you lose weight in the short term but in the long term, it can be hard to maintain as the weight often comes back on when you return to your usual eating patterns.

Generally, once you start eating normally again you can't maintain the weight loss. This is because it involves an increase in the amount you eat and so more calories.

Other 'fad diets' suggest removing entire food groups, such as carbohydrates, or only eating particular types of foods.

Instead of strict dieting, it can help to think about making small, healthy changes to your eating and activity habits.

A helpful mindset to have about changing your eating to lose weight could be:

"Don't diet — eat healthy instead and include physical activity."

Tips for achieving a healthy weight loss

Eat regular healthy balanced meals

The NHS EatWell Guide shows what sorts of food you should eat, and in what proportions, to have a healthy, balanced diet.
It has recommendations for the various food groups. This includes fruit and vegetables, starchy foods (carbohydrates) and meat, fish and alternatives.

Try to include a mix of these food groups in your meals each day.

See a summary on what a healthy, balanced diet looks like by using the Eatwell Guide.

Do more physical activity to raise your breathing rate

Activity that raises your breathing rate is also known as cardio or aerobic exercise. It includes brisk walking, riding a bike, running, and swimming.

Try to move more in ways you enjoy. Even small increases in activity can make a difference.

Learn more about recommended levels of activity - it's very effective at burning calories.

Implement portion control

Portion control is also important when you're trying to lose weight and keep it off. Eating large portions can leave you feeling lethargic and uncomfortable from bloating.

You can try eating from a smaller bowl or plate and try not to eat while distracted. Be mindful of what you are eating and know when you feel satisfied.

Eating slowly and stopping when you are full can also help.

Find out more about portion control.

Get enough sleep

Sleep can affect the hormones in our body responsible for hunger and the feeling of fullness.

The number of hours of sleep isn't the same for all. But it's recommended that adults try to get between 6 to 9 hours per night.

Getting enough rest can help you manage your weight and feel energised.

Eat more protein

Eating enough protein is also vital to successful healthy weight loss. Adding protein to your diet is one of the easiest and most effective ways to lose weight.

Eating more protein increases levels of the hormones linked to our feelings of hunger. It also helps us feel fuller for longer. This means we don't reach for high energy snacks when we get hunger pangs.

Try to include a source of protein with each meal, like eggs, beans, tofu, fish or lean meat.

Get some tips on how to eat more protein at Following the Eatwell Guide at home.

Do strengthening exercises

As with physical activity that raises your heart rate, strengthening exercises burn calories too. Strengthening exercises include carrying heavy shopping, heavy gardening or yoga.

They help increase muscle size and can help increase the number of calories we burn when resting.

More muscle means your body burns more energy, even when you're not moving.

See the NHS examples of beginner strength activities you can try at home. You can also find out more about recommended levels of activity.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre. These are three essential ingredients for successful weight loss.

They help you feel full and are packed with nutrients. Try to include them in every meal to support healthy eating and weight loss. 

Get tips on how to add more fruit and veg into your diet at Following the Eatwell Guide at home.

Research also shows we tend to eat the same volume or weight of food every day, regardless of its calorie content.

So, if we want to lose weight, it's crucial to stick to lower calorie foods to make up this volume..

Make small changes you can live with

It's most helpful not to think about a 'diet', but rather an approach that fits into the routine you have already.

This way, you're more likely to keep up healthy eating, exercise, and weight loss over the long term.

Losing weight doesn't have to involve making huge changes to your life. Often it is the many small changes you make that add up to help you shed the pounds.

Start with small steps that can feel manageable. These are more likely to last and lead to long term success.

It can be helpful to remember that losing weight isn't just about food and movement. Your thoughts, feelings and environment all play a part. This way you're more likely to stay motivated and feel in control by being kind to yourself, getting support when you need it, and celebrating small wins.

See the NHS 12 tips to help you lose weight.

Limit Ultra-Processed Food (UPFs) 

Because UPFs tend to be high in calories, fat, sugar and salt and low in the nutrients our bodies need such as fibre or protein, they don't fill us up for long. This can lead to eating more than we need and make it harder to manage our weight.

Calories and energy balance

Understanding how our bodies use energy is one part of supporting a healthier lifestyle. Weight is influenced by many factors - including biology, environment, mental wellbeing, and access to healthy food and activity.

Why do we gain weight?

Weight gain can happen when the energy we take in from food and drink is more than the energy we use. But it's not just about willpower or simple maths - our bodies, habits, and environments all play a role.

Some people may find it harder to maintain a healthy weight due to medical conditions, medications, stress, sleep, or limited access to healthy food and safe spaces to be active.

What are calories?

Calories are the measure for the amount of energy in an item of food or drink. Our bodies use this energy to keep us alive and moving.

Not all calories are equal. Choosing foods that are rich in nutrients, like fibre, protein and healthy fats can all help us feel fuller for longer and support overall health.

When we eat and drink more calories than we use up, our bodies may store the excess as body fat. If this continues, over time we may put on weight.

The more we eat and drink the more calories we take in. To put it simply:

More energy IN than OUT over time = weight gain

More energy OUT than IN over time = weight loss

How many calories do we need?

As a guide, an average man needs about 2,500kcal a day and a woman about 2,000kcal a day to maintain a healthy body weight. But these values can vary depending on a person's age, size, health conditions, and levels of physical activity.

When trying to manage your weight, remember that small, sustained changes to your eating and activity habits can make a big difference over time, but there's no one-size-fits-all approach.

To maintain a healthy weight, the energy (calories) we eat needs to be roughly the same as the energy we use (through being active).

To lose weight, we need to lower the number of calories we eat or significantly increase our activity. The more we move when doing activity, the more energy (calories) we use.

When trying to lose weight, the general rule is to reduce your daily calorie intake to 500 fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your current weight. This will help you lose about 1 pound (0.5 kg) of body weight per week. Learn more about calorie and energy balances.

Are calories and fats different?

It's important to use your calorie or energy intake wisely and choose healthy foods that benefit your body and health.

Knowing the calorie content of food and drink can ensure you're not consuming too much energy. You'll find this information listed on the food labels on prepared foods and drinks.

These labels help you make choices about what to eat and drink to achieve a healthy weight. As well as energy, also listed on the labels are the amount of fats, sugars and salt that the food contains.

Eat out and still lose weight

It can be difficult to stay on track when eating out or getting takeaways . There's often a range of high fat, sugar and salt food options available, which can lead to poor food choices.

But recently it became compulsory for most larger restaurants, cafes and takeaways to put calories on menus. This makes it easier for you to make healthy choices.

We've listed some tips to keep in mind the next time you eat out or buy a takeaway to try to stay on track with achieving your healthier weight. You may like to use some of these ideas when thinking about a 'plan of action' for the coming week. 

Tips for eating out and ordering takeaways

Plan your meal choices in advance

Almost all restaurants have their menus available on their website. So you can find out what options are available in advance.

Take a few moments to read and select a healthy option for each course (starter, main, dessert).

If you have the option to pre-order before you go, even better. That way temptation cannot change your mind when you arrive! When ordering meals to takeaway, the same applies - a little planning helps!

Keep dressings and sauces on the side

Often sauces and dressings are high in fats, salts and sugars. You may be able to ask to have the dressing or sauce that accompanies your dish served on the side instead.

Dipping your food into the sauce will be healthier than drenching your food in it.

Don't be afraid to ask for changes to your dishes

The kitchen can usually make changes to parts of meals for you to make them healthier. You don't always have to stick with food as per the menu description.

For example, you could ask to have cheese removed from your burger, or a garden salad instead of chips or crisps. There is also often an option to write a note for the kitchen if you're ordering online.

Don't assume salads are the healthiest option

Salads that only include vegetables and fruits like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and onion, are a healthy option. They're also a sure way to help towards your 5-a-day.

But beware: some salads have high fat or calorie dressings, or high calorie toppings. For example, a salad might contain cheese, bacon bits, fried or breaded chicken. 

Consider the options for the last course

A dessert can be enjoyable at the end of a meal, and if eaten once in a while, will not ruin your weight loss journey.

If you choose to have a dessert, remember that not all desserts are the same when it comes to calories.

Think about ways you can make your dessert choice a healthier one. Could you share a dessert with someone, or ask to take half home if it's a large portion?

You could also pick a particularly healthy dessert option such as sorbet or fruit salad.

Be aware of portion distortion

If you're on a journey to reach a healthier weight, you may have learned about and be exercising portion control.

When you prepare food at home you are in control of your portions, yet when eating out or having a takeaway, you may lose some of that control.

Almost always restaurants, cafes, etc. allow you to take any leftover food home, so you can eat it at another time. If you have food delivered to home, you could always keep a small portion for lunch the next day if it's a particularly large portion.

Choose side orders wisely

Once you have selected your main course, there is often an array of extra side orders to choose from.

Fries, coleslaw, mashed potato, the list is endless. Chips or potatoes? Salad or garlic bread? You may consider skipping a side altogether.

If you do opt for one, consider choosing ones that are lower in fats or cooked in healthier ways. For example, boiled potatoes or a salad with the dressing on the side.

How many courses?

Are you ordering from a set menu or do you have the option to choose two courses or even just a main?

If the option is a two-course menu, choose whether it may work best for you to order a starter and main meal instead of a main meal and a dessert.

Limit your alcohol

An alcoholic drink with your meal may not impact your long-term healthy weight  plan. But these drinks do often contain high calorie levels.

Moderation and making supportive choices are key. Aim to swap out  sugar or cream-based cocktails for lighter options. Order drinks with options of 'slim-line' tonics,  soda, 'diet', or 'zero sugar' mixers instead.

You could also order yourself a non-alcoholic sparkling drink. Keeping yourself hydrated with water can help you to avoid a common mistake of confusing thirst with hunger.

If you're interested in your drinking habits, take our alcohol quiz.

Food descriptions

The words used to describe your meal can tell us a lot about the calorie content and how healthy that meal may be too.

If you see words such as deep fried, cream-based, or breaded, then to stay on track with your weight loss, these meals are best consumed only in moderation.

Understanding menu descriptions

When it comes to choosing a meal, how it's described can tell us a lot about the calorie content and how healthy it may be.

It's not only the food type you are choosing, it's the way it's prepared and cooked that can add calories.

Below we list some particular words you might spot when deciding on your meal choice.

Cooking or preparation methods

If you see these words, you might want to consider alternatives to these foods for most of your meals:

• Breaded: a food coated with a breadcrumb mixture or batter that is then baked or fried
• Creamy: a smooth and rich texture that usually comes from the incorporation of a dairy product
• Fried (or deep fried): food cooked in hot oil which usually makes it crispy and golden brown
• Honeyed or caramelised: a sweet or candied taste that can come from cooking the food in honey or sugar
• Rich: a full, heavy flavour, often used to describe foods containing cream
• Velvety: a smooth and rich texture

You might want to choose foods described with these terms instead:

• Blanched: a food cooked quickly in boiling water to soften it before being moved to cold water to stop cooking
• Broiled: a food cooked with intense radiant heat, in an oven or on a grill
• Charred: food that's grilled, roasted, or broiled to give it a blackened appearance and a smoky flavour
• Marinated: a food covered in a liquid like vinegar or oil, flavoured with herbs and spices
• Poached: food cooked in nearly boiling liquid to make it tender and moist
• Roasted: food cooked with dry heat in an oven or over a fire

Sauces

We've listed some common words which describe the sauce used within a dish. These are ones which you may wish to mostly avoid if you're trying to achieve a healthier weight:

• Aioli: a flavoured mayonnaise, often made with garlic
• Au gratin: cooked with butter and/or cream and topped with cheese or breadcrumbs
• Béchamel: the base of most white sauces, made by stirring milk into a butter-flour roux (see below)
• Beurre blanc: made with a wine, vinegar and shallot reduction and butter
• Bisque: a thick, rich soup usually made with cream
• Carbonara: this includes cream, eggs, Parmesan cheese and bits of bacon
• Hollandaise: made with butter, egg yolks and lemon juice
• Roux: a mix of flour and fat (butter, dripping or pork fat) used to thicken mixtures such as soups and sauces
• White sauce: this can be a cream or roux-based sauce

Salad dressings

Here are some descriptions of the dressing which may go with your salad or similar choice. These are ones to swap out if you're trying to achieve a healthier weight:

• Ranch: usually made from butter or milk, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs, and spices. They're mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil-based dressing. Sour cream and yogurt are sometimes used
• Blue cheese: a combination of blue cheese, mayonnaise, and buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt
• Thousand island: a mayonnaise-based dressing. It can include olive oil, cream and tomato puree or ketchup
• Caesar - its ingredients include olive oil, egg and Parmesan cheese

You might want to choose these instead:

• Olive oil and lemon dressings
• Balsamic vinaigrette - balsamic is a dark, intensely-flavoured vinegar originating in Italy
• Honey mustard vinaigrette - olive oil, honey, and Dijon mustard
• Italian vinaigrette - vinegar or lemon juice, vegetable oil

For more about a healthy balanced diet, see Healthy Eating: the Eatwell Guide. 

Weight loss myths

There isn't a one-size-fits-all when it comes to achieving a healthy weight and then maintaining it. However, there are many myths people can hear when they're on their healthy weight journey! We've taken the opportunity to set the record straight on five of them.

Myth 1: you can turn fat into muscle

It's a myth that you can turn fat into muscle. The reverse is also true: your body can't turn muscle into fat.

This is because they are two entirely different tissues inside your body. But what you can do is lose fat and gain muscle mass.

Myth 2: missing meals means faster weight loss

Eating fewer calories than you're burning will often result in weight loss, but you can't maintain a healthy weight by missing meals. There's a risk you'll miss out on much-needed nutrients from meals that you choose not to eat.

Losing weight by missing meals also isn't sustainable longer term. It may leave your body low in energy, meaning you may crave high fat and sugar snacks for an immediate energy boost.

Myth 3: carbs make you put on weight

Any food can cause weight gain if you eat too much. If you frequently consume more energy than your body uses, you're likely to gain weight.

Wholemeal carbohydrate (starchy) foods won't make you put on weight if you eat the right portion size in a balanced diet.

Often it is the fats you can add to carbohydrate (starchy) foods that can lead to weight gain. For example, butter in mashed potato or creamy sauces on pasta.

Myth 4: 'reduced fat' or 'diet' foods aid weight loss

Reduced-fat foods may generally contain fewer calories than the 'normal' versions. But it's important to remember that 'reduced fat' does not always mean 'low fat'.

It's also common that 'lower fat' versions of foods are often higher in sugar, as they have to compensate with something to achieve a similar taste. If you're on a healthier weight journey, you might be be looking to avoid both sugars and certain fats.

It's key to check the food label and ingredients lists on these marketed 'diet' products. Find out more about food labelling.

Myth 5: as long as I stick to the recommended calorie intake I'll lose weight

Not all calories are the same and they won't all have the same effect on your health and weight. A calorie from fat (chocolate) isn't the same as a calorie from protein (lean chicken).

Proteins can increase metabolism, reduce appetite and improve how weight monitoring hormones work. It's important that the calories you do choose to eat are from healthy sources.

You can achieve healthy weight loss through a healthy, balanced diet and regular physical activity. If you want to know more about your current eating habits and activity levels, take our healthy eating quiz or physical activity quiz.

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