Five Easy Changes To Lose Weight

Creating healthy habits can be one of the most daunting aspects of your weight loss journey, but it doesn't have to be. Even simple daily lifestyle changes can make a big difference to your results. The key to long-term weight loss is having a routine you can stay consistent with, and we're here to help you build it. Let's see what our experts recommend.

How does weight loss work?

It’s easy to overcomplicate weight loss, but in a nutshell, it comes down to using more calories than you consume. This is called a calorie deficit. Maintaining this deficit long-term is essential for lasting results, so it's important you create realistic, sustainable habits instead of trying restrictive fad diets that are harder to stick to.

Five healthy changes for weight loss

Here are some simple tips you can add to your everyday routine to set yourself up for success on your weight loss journey.

1. Practise mindful eating

Learning to listen to your body can help you create a healthier relationship with food on your weight loss journey. Understanding how your body feels when it's hungry versus when it's full can help you recognise the difference between your natural appetite and emotional food cravings. Eating slowly can help you appreciate your meal and prevent overeating, as you give your stomach more time to let your brain know that it's full. [1]

Portion control can help you manage the calories you're consuming, making it easier to stay in a calorie deficit. Small, balanced meals spread throughout the day can help you maintain steady energy levels while supporting your weight loss goals.

These tips can help you stay consistent with portion control:

• Check food labels for recommended serving sizes.
• Use smaller plates and bowls and try to avoid large, unportioned packets.
• Measure your food using measuring cups, scales or other visual cues.
• Prepare meals and snacks in advance to manage quantities and make sure you always have healthy options ready to go.

It's also just as important to fuel your body when it's telling you that it's hungry. Not eating enough, or setting unrealistic goals with your diet plan, can make it harder to stick to healthy eating habits. There's no need to avoid snacking, for example. If you naturally get hungry between meals, try reaching for healthier snacks like nuts, fruit and vegetables.

2. Increase your protein and fibre intake

Eating a balanced diet from a variety of food groups will help you get all the nutrients your body needs while losing weight. Protein and fibre are two of the most important nutrients you should prioritise while following a weight loss plan.

Protein will help you prevent muscle loss while losing weight. When you're eating fewer calories, your body may start breaking down muscle for energy. Your muscles burn calories, even while you're resting, so it's important you maintain muscle mass to maximise your energy use and preserve your strength. [2]

Protein also creates a feeling of fullness, which can help keep you satisfied between meals. [3] Try to include a healthy protein source in every meal. These include:

• Leaner meats, like poultry and fish
• Greek yoghurt, eggs and low-fat cottage cheese
• Plant-based foods like tofu, leafy greens, beans and legumes

Increasing dietary fibre intake while losing weight can not only support your digestion, but also help control your blood sugar levels, which in turn can reduce hunger levels between meals. [‌4] The recommended daily intake of fibre in the UK is 30g. [5] You can add more fibre to your diet with foods like:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Wholegrain cereals, wholewheat pasta and wholemeal bread
• Beans and legumes

3. Add more movement to your routine

Because weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you eat, increasing your physical activity is essential. The NHS recommends adults aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, spread over four to five days a week. [6]

It's easier than you think to add moderate aerobic exercise into your routine; any movement that raises your heart rate and makes you breathe faster counts. That includes: brisk walking, cycling, dancing and even household chores. Strength training can also help you preserve muscle mass while you're losing weight, which is important for maintaining your metabolism. [2] It’s recommended that you aim to do at least two strength training sessions per week.

4. Stay hydrated throughout the day

The NHS Eatwell guide recommends you drink six to eight glasses of fluids throughout the day to support your overall health, and doing this can aid weight loss too. [7] Our bodies sometimes mistake thirst for hunger, causing you to snack or overeat, but drinking plenty of fluids promotes feelings of fullness and prevents this. Water, lower-fat milk and tea or coffee all count as part of your daily intake; just remember to account for the higher calorie content of sugary drinks like juices and fizzy sodas.

Being hydrated can also help with digestion and help with the side effects of weight loss medications, like nausea, constipation and headaches.

5. Get plenty of sleep

Sleep is closely linked to weight loss. Not getting enough sleep can increase levels of ghrelin, your body's hunger hormone. [8] It can also lower levels of leptin, a hormone that tells your brain you're full. [9] This hormonal imbalance can increase your appetite and lead to overeating.

Aim to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Try going to bed and waking up at the same time each day and limit use of electronic devices for at least an hour before bed to prepare your body for sleep.

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References

1. Hawton K, Ferriday D, Rogers P, Toner P, Brooks J, Holly J, et al. Slow Down: Behavioural and Physiological Effects of Reducing Eating Rate. Nutrients. 2018 Dec 27;11(1):50.
2. Restivo J. Can you increase your metabolism? - Harvard Health [Internet]. Harvard Health. Harvard Health; 2024. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/nutrition/can-you-increase-your-metabolism
3. Halton TL, Hu FB. The Effects of High Protein Diets on Thermogenesis, Satiety and Weight Loss: A Critical Review. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2004 Oct;23(5):373–85.
4. Reynolds AN, Akerman AP, Mann J. Dietary fibre and whole grains in diabetes management: Systematic review and meta-analyses. Ma RCW, editor. PLOS Medicine [Internet]. 2020 Mar 6;17(3):e1003053. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7059907/
5. NHS. How to get more fibre into your diet [Internet]. NHS. 2022. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/digestive-health/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/
6. NHS. Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64 [Internet]. NHS. 2024. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/
7. Public Health England. The Eatwell Guide: how to use in promotional material [Internet]. GOV.UK. 2016. Available from: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-eatwell-guide/the-eatwell-guide-how-to-use-in-promotional-material
8. Salamon M. Snooze more, eat less? Sleep deprivation may hamper weight control [Internet]. Harvard Health. 2022. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/snooze-more-eat-less-sleep-deprivation-may-hamper-weight-control-202204042718
9. Dornbush S, Aeddula NR. Physiology, Leptin [Internet]. PubMed. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK537038/