When it comes to setting goals, people often get overwhelmed and are unsure of where to start, preventing them from starting at all. Research shows that small, manageable changes are key to building habits and achieving long-term success.1
Start with 1-2 small goals and set a timeframe to evaluate and reassess how you’re feeling. When the goals start becoming a natural part of your day, ramp up the difficulty.
Obsessing over calories can mean you miss the bigger picture.
A balanced diet emphasises a range of different nutrients that keep you feeling energised, healthy, and ultimately hitting your health goals. That's why it's crucial to prioritise foods that give you nutritional value over low-calorie alternatives.2
Our motivations for losing weight have a significant influence on the outcome of our goals. There are different types of motivations, which fall into two categories: extrinsic and intrinsic.
Motivation is fuelled by rewards or to avoid punishment like if a doctor has said you should lose weight for your health. This is a motivator coming from someone else, not you. This will motivate you because you feel pressured.
These motivators are driven by what’s most important to you, such as increasing energy or self-esteem. You're invested in the process and motivated to reach the goal for yourself. These work without a reward.
Whilst extrinsic factors are driven by external rewards, intrinsic motivation comes from within. It's thought that these deep-rooted inner motivations are more likely to provoke real long-term change.3
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Calorie counting is no longer seen as a long-term solution for weight loss.
Here are some of the reasons why:
Quality over quantity: Low-calorie foods might lack nutritional value. A diet focusing solely on calorie content may overlook vital nutrients, leading to hunger and increased food intake.
Packaging inaccuracies: Calorie information on packaging can deviate by up to 20%. An item marked 100 calories might range between 80 and 120.4
Every body is different: People process calories differently due to variations in digestion and absorption. For instance, research on almonds has shown that the calories absorbed can vary significantly between individuals, highlighting how unique our metabolisms can be.5
A balanced diet provides your body with the essential nutrients it needs to function at its best. Here’s a simple guide to the key components of a healthy diet.6
Protein
Aids your metabolism and helps you build muscle. You’ll find plenty of protein in poultry, fish, dairy products, legumes, and nuts.
Fibre
This helps you feel full, staving off hunger pangs and regulating your appetite. Apples, pears, broccoli, carrots, lentils, chickpeas, and almonds are all rich in fibre.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are an important part of any balanced diet, but try to focus on getting starchy carbs in your system such as quinoa, oats, brown rice, and wholegrain pasta.
Unsaturated fats
Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, avocados, and olive oil all contain unsaturated fat and are a vital part of any diet.
Whole foods
In general, the closer a food is to its natural state, the better it is for you. Go for minimally processed and whole foods over heavily processed stuff.
Water
Try to cut down on alcohol, fizzy drinks, and fruit juice. Instead, aim for 6-8 glasses of water a day.
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Losing weight is tough, so it’s only fair that you reward yourself when you make some progress. It may be tempting to set your sights on your ultimate target weight but you should celebrate every win, however small. This includes a week of healthy eating or hitting the gym consistently. Finding pleasure in the small wins will instil motivation and boost enjoyment along the way.
Most importantly, you’ve got to be consistent. When it comes to weight loss, implementing small, sustainable habits is the key to lasting change.
With Numan’s health coaching, you’ll receive expert guidance to maintain momentum and build lifelong healthy habits. Our health coaches are here to support you in developing practical routines that fit your lifestyle.
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The benefits of exercise reach far beyond weight management. A lack of movement increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.7
And you don't have to be an Olympic runner to benefit from it. Any movement is good movement, including walking and seated exercises. Finding a physical activity that you enjoy can help keep you happy, energised, and motivated to lose weight.
Simple, evidence-based ways to lose weight through exercise.
Desk exercises
Breaking up sitting time with light activities like desk exercises can boost calorie burn and improve metabolic health. Studies on active workstations show that small movements during sedentary periods help reduce sitting time and support weight loss goals.⁸
Standing
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle then you’re likely to be sitting a lot. Replacing one hour of sitting with standing at work can lead to small but significant improvements in body composition. Incorporating more standing into the workday is a simple step towards better health.⁹
Walking
Walking is a simple and effective tool for weight loss and healthy aging, reducing risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Brisk walking for 30 minutes daily boosts calorie burn, improves metabolism, and supports long-term health, making it an accessible option for maintaining a healthy weight.¹⁰
Running
Regular running significantly improves body composition by reducing body weight, body fat, and visceral fat, making it a powerful tool for weight management.¹¹
Swimming
Swimming has been shown to provide significant health benefits, particularly for sedentary older women. Research highlights its effectiveness in supporting weight loss, improving body fat distribution, enhancing cholesterol levels, and boosting insulin sensitivity over time.¹²
Cycling
Cycling has been shown to effectively support weight management and improve body composition. A study on French adults linked cycling over 1.5 hours weekly to lower body weight, waist circumference, and body fat percentage, highlighting its role in obesity prevention.¹³
Stress and poor sleep can significantly impact your ability to lose weight. At Numan, we approach obesity as a multifaceted disease that requires addressing stress and sleep alongside other factors.
Achieving sustainable weight loss requires more than just willpower - it requires the right tools and support.
Numan’s Weight Loss Programme combines cutting-edge treatments with personalised coaching, addressing both the physical and behavioural aspects of weight management. By empowering you with clinically-proven solutions and expert guidance, we ensure you have everything you need to succeed.
¹ Espinosa-Salas, S., & Gonzalez-Arias, M. (2023). Behavior modification for lifestyle improvement. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK592418/
2 Harvard Health Publishing. (2020, October 1). Stop counting calories. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/stop-counting-calories
3 Liljeholm, M., & O'Doherty, J. P. (2012). Contributions of the striatum to learning, motivation, and performance: An associative account. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 16(9), 467–475. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2012.07.007
4 Food and Drug Administration. "Guidance for Industry: Guide for Developing and Using Databases for Nutrition Labeling." FDA, www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/guidance-industry-guide-developing-and-using-databases-nutrition-labeling.
5 Novotny, J. A., Gebauer, S. K., & Baer, D. J. (2012). Discrepancy between the Atwater factor predicted and empirically measured energy values of almonds in human diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 96(2), 296–301. https://doi.org/10.3945/ajcn.112.035782
6 Cena, H., & Calder, P. C. (2020). Defining a healthy diet: Evidence for the role of contemporary dietary patterns in health and disease. Nutrients, 12(2), 334. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12020334
7 Wilmot, E.G., Edwardson, C.L., Achana, F.A. et al. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and death: systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia 55, 2895–2905 (2012).
8 Josaphat, K.-J., Kugathasan, T. A., Reid, R. E. R., Begon, M., Léger, P.-M., Labonté-Lemoyne, E., Sénécal, S., Arvisais, D., & Mathieu, M.-E. (2019). Use of active workstations in individuals with overweight or obesity: A systematic review. Obesity, 27(3), 362–379. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.22388
9 Danquah, I. H., Pedersen, E. S. L., Petersen, C. B., Aadahl, M., Holtermann, A., & Tolstrup, J. S. (2018). Estimated impact of replacing sitting with standing at work on indicators of body composition: Cross-sectional and longitudinal findings using isotemporal substitution analysis on data from the Take a Stand! study. PLOS ONE, 13(6), e0198000. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0198000
¹⁰ Ungvari, Z., Fazekas-Pongor, V., Csiszar, A., & Kunutsor, S. K. (2023). The multifaceted benefits of walking for healthy aging: From Blue Zones to molecular mechanisms. Aging Cell, PMC10643563. https://doi.org/10.37495893
11 Kutac, P., Bunc, V., Buzga, M., Krajcigr, M., & Sigmund, M. (2023). The effect of regular running on body weight and fat tissue of individuals aged 18 to 65. Journal of Physiological Anthropology, 42, 28. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40101-023-00348-x
¹² Cox, K. L., Burke, V., Beilin, L. J., & Puddey, I. B. (2010). A comparison of the effects of swimming and walking on body weight, fat distribution, lipids, glucose, and insulin in older women—The Sedentary Women Exercise Adherence Trial 2. Metabolism, 59(11), 1562–1573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.metabol.2010.02.001
¹³ Menai, M., Charreire, H., Galan, P., Simon, C., Nazare, J.-A., Perchoux, C., Weber, C., Enaux, C., Hercberg, S., Fezeu, L., & Oppert, J.-M. (2018). Differential associations of walking and cycling with body weight, body fat, and fat distribution—The ACTI-Cités project. Obesity Facts, 11(3), 221–231. https://doi.org/10.1159/000488532
14 Chao, A. M., Jastreboff, A. M., White, M. A., Grilo, C. M., & Sinha, R. (2017). Stress, cortisol, and other appetite-related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6-month changes in food cravings and weight. Obesity (Silver Spring), 25(4), 713–720. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21790
15 Papatriantafyllou, E., Efthymiou, D., Zoumbaneas, E., Popescu, C. A., & Vassilopoulou, E. (2022). Sleep Deprivation: Effects on Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance. Nutrients, 14(8), 1549. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14081549
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