It’s sometimes easier to lose hope than it is to lose weight. The weight loss industry is a massive one and it seems like every week there’s a new diet trend claiming to be the best way to slim down. However, no matter what you see on Tik Tok or Facebook, science has already told us exactly how to maintain a healthy body weight. Losing weight and keeping it off is all about adopting long-term lifestyle habits that you can keep up with. Known as weight management, the goal is to find methods of healthy living that suit your lifestyle and are easy to stick to.

Effective Weight Management Techniques

Weight loss medications simply won’t work if you don’t eat a better diet and regularly exercise. The same rules apply to losing weight without medications. It can be hard to make changes, but with a little determination you’ll soon find it easier to stay healthy than you thought. A few techniques to try include:

1. Avoiding calorie dense foods
2. Finding a hobby or distraction
3. Practicing sleep hygiene
4. Intermittent fasting
5. Set smaller goals
6. Control your food

Avoiding calorie dense foods

Eating sweets is fun, but they’re packed with sugars and calories that won’t satisfy any hunger pangs. You’ll end up eating more later on than you would have if you’d eaten a more nutrition and filling snack or meal.

Finding a hobby or distraction

All of us are guilty of eating out of anxiety or boredom or snacking while idle, like when we’re watching TV. Eating when you aren’t hungry adds calories to your day that you don’t need. Learn to identify when you’re actually hungry and find a task to occupy your mind and hands until the urge passes.

Practicing sleep hygiene

Sleep hygiene is all about having a healthy bedtime routine so you can get restorative rest each night. When you’re tired, your body craves foods like carbs for the energy it needs. Staying up late at night also makes you more likely to have midnight snacks. The later you eat, the less time your body has to properly digest your food. This can lead to excess fat being stored up in your body.

Intermittent fasting

Following on from the dangers of late-night snacking, fasting after a certain point in the evening has shown to have several health benefits. It helps to maintain blood sugar levels and may reduce the risk of conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and stroke.

Set smaller goals

Crash diets and trying to lose a significant amount of weight quickly won’t work in the long run. Accept that losing weight can take time and set yourself small, attainable goals to keep you motivated.

Control your food

Taking in your own lunch and cooking your meals gives you more control over what you eat. Another way to manage the types of food you have available to you is to shop online where there are fewer temptations. You’re less likely to pick up random snacks or unhealthy foods if you’re shopping from home.

Taking Weight Loss Medications

Those who are significantly overweight or classified as obese sometimes find it difficult to lose weight. When diet and exercise isn’t enough and you need a boost to get your weight loss journey started, there are medications that can help. Weight loss medications will only work alongside a healthy diet and exercise. They’re not for people looking to lose a few kgs, but instead are for those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher. People with a BMI of 28 or higher are also able to use these medications if they have a risk of developing a weight related disease like type-2 diabetes.

• Orlistat: Xenical Capsules, sold under the brand name Orlistat, is an oral medication helps you lose weight by absorbing some of the fat you eat. When used alongside a healthy diet, you can lose a significant amount of body fat.
• Wegovy: Wegovy will soon be available in the UK. It’s an injectable weight loss medicine that works by supressing your appetite and slowing down digestion. This leads you to feel fuller for longer.
• Ozempic: Ozempic is the brand name for a generic weight loss medication called semaglutide. An injectable medication, it works by supressing the appetite, so you’ll eat less.

Losing Weight Permanently

There’s no one way to lose weight permanently and what works for one person may not work for another. The key is to find a weight loss management plan that suits your lifestyle and goals. You may need to try out a few different methods before discovering which one is most effective for you. Don’t get discouraged! If there was a magic trick to lose weight, then everyone would be doing it. Being patient, committed, and open to change is essential to success. In the end, the best diet for you is one that’s as healthy as it is easy for you to stick with.
A more restrictive diet is all well and good in theory but won’t help you maintain a healthy body weight if you can’t stick to it. Learning long-term skills like forming positive relationships with food will help you with how to maintain healthy body weight. It’s not uncommon for people who have lost weight with trendy diets to soon gain the weight back. Diets that are too restrictive or unusual are difficult to stick with for long periods of time. Studies have shown that the people who keep the weight off follow these basic principles:

• Eating a healthy breakfast to boost the metabolism and prevent overeating later in the day.
• Filling your plate with low calorie, high fibre foods.
• Keeping a food diary so you can physically see what you’ve eaten and adjust accordingly.
• Staying physically active and spending less time in front of screens.
• Having a friend or support group for encouragement and accountability.

Combining these skills with weight loss medications can help you lose even more weight. If you think weight loss medications are right for you, contact us. By taking this short assessment you can get our expert advice and kick start your long-term weight loss goals.