10 top tips to help you lose weight

10 top tips to help you lose weight

Top tip 1. Men should eat under 2000 calories a day, and women under 1500 a day. Every day. It is as simple as that.

The key? The amount you eat a day is much more important than what you eat.

Now for the longer answer. In this article we will describe how to lose weight. Sustained weight loss is better than fast.

So here are 10 top tips to help you lose weight. We will start with the basics.

1. Why lose weight?

This may seem obvious .. for your health. That is true. But as we all know, weight loss, especially sustained weight loss, is not easy.

But first of all, why is weight loss so hard? Whichever diet or method you use, it requires daily effort for long periods. You cannot do it for three days and have a week off.

This page describes the basic principles of weight loss, and will help you make that change. If you follow this advice over sustained periods, you will lose weight and keep it off. Promise.

2. So. Why does obesity matter? 4 big reasons

The reason is many medical and surgical problems are caused or worsened by obesity. These include:

1. Type 2 diabetes – which can lead to IHD, heart failure, strokes, chronic kidney disease, limb loss and blindness
2. High blood pressure
3. Liver problems – like fatty liver
4. Musculoskeletal problems – like the need for a hip or knee replacement.

2. How many calories do I have to eat to lose weight?

If you consistently eat less than 2000 calories a day (man) or 1500 (woman), you WILL lose weight. We promise. But it needs to be every day. For three months initially. And yes, it is that simple. But the calorie intake required depends on your age and gender (see below).

3. Ask yourself .. what is your calorie requirement (men)?

Calorie requirement decreases as you get older, and men need more calories than women:

• Men aged 18-30 years need 2,500-3,000 calories per day to maintain weight
• Men aged 31-59 years need about 2,500 calories
• Men over 60 years require 2,000-2500 calories.

4. Ask yourself .. what is your calorie requirement (women)?

These are equivalent numbers for women:

• Women aged 18-30 years need 2,000-2,500 calories to maintain weight
• Women  aged 31-59 years need about 2,000 calories
• Women over 60 years require 1,500-2,000 calories.

5. How to lose weight

For all of these reasons, it is good for your health to keep your weight under control, and Body Mass Index (BMI) under 30. If you want to lose weight, start by setting a target weight – and then follow these 7 ABCDEFG principles:

1. Alcohol – none, sorry. It is just too calorific
2. Be simple in what you eat – within reason, you can eat what you like, just reduce the quantity, and keep it simple. Try to increase protein, fruit and vegetables; and reduce carbohydrate (bread, potatoes, rice, pasta). For complex meals like pizza and curry, its often difficult to judge their content
3. Cans of drink – only if diet drinks. No non-diet fizzy drinks, smoothies etc. Drink water or diet squash or fizzy drinks. Minimum fruit juice and milk
4. Diet (what to eat) – in the end, all diets are about portion size and the average amount of food and drink consumed every day. Which diet you choose does not matter that much. There is more below about a calorie counting approach, if you choose that method
5. Eat less – 3 medium sized plates (not typical dinner plate) a day, at set times (say 7am, 12pm and 6pm) – or whatever fits into your day. But no starters, puddings or seconds. You will be hungry initially but that will fade when you get used to the reduced intake. Do not skip breakfast, or you will be hungry by lunchtime
6. Food, not snacks – no snacks between meals – especially biscuits, cakes and crisps. Eat simple food at meal times only. But if you do have a snack, keep it small (and less than 100 calories). Record them if you are using an app
7. Go for exercise – exercise does not make you lose weight. Full stop. Nonetheless, it is good to exercise for at least 30 mins 3 times a week, to maintain your fitness. It can be a long walk, or whatever you can do.

7. You need to monitor yourself

Weigh yourself on the same scales on the same day/time once a week. Keep going till you achieve your target weight. If you stick to a diet, you will lose about 1kg a week. Therefore it will take at least 6 weeks to lose a stone (6kg).

8. Are there any good calorie counting apps?

Yes. If you like the calorie counting approach, there are several simple and helpful free apps, on which you can record what you eat and drink.

https://www.mynetdiary.com/ is a good one. You need to eat 1500-2000 calories a day to lose weight, depending on activity levels. Record everything.

9. Weight loss – what the NHS can do

It is fine to attempt weight loss on your own. But if you have tried and failed in the past, it is a good idea to consult your GP or hospital consultant. They can guide you and refer you to a dietitian if necessary.

10. What about bariatric (weight loss) surgery?

But. If your BMI is over 40 (or 35-40 with long term diseases like Type 2 diabetes, and high blood pressure) and you have tried (and failed) various diets over the years, perhaps you should consider bariatric surgery. If you are referred to your local unit, you will see a senior doctor – a consultant or registrar – there, and a specialist dietitian.

Summary

We have described 10 top tips to help you lose weight = eat less than 2000 calories a day. Every day. But remember. It is a marathon, not a sprint. And sustained weight loss is better. You CAN do it.