13 tips to lose weight sustainably and successfully

Key Takeaways

• Goal-setting and tracking your eating and exercise habits can help promote successful weight loss.
• When thinking about how to lose weight sustainably and long term, changing your mindset is key.
• Sensible adjustments you can maintain, like switching white bread for whole wheat bread, can often be more effective than crash diets.
• Sustainable weight loss can be made more achievable by seeking the support of a professional weight management programme, like Oviva.

How much weight should you lose?

The best way to determine your long-term weight loss goal is to aim to lose 5 to 10% of your total body weight. This kind of weight loss has been linked with significant health benefits.

According to the NHS, the healthy range for most people is a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9.

It’s important to focus on healthy weight loss, rather than trying to find quick fixes. Aim for a sustainable weight loss journey where you lose around 0.5 to 1 kg per week, on average.

1. Set realistic goals

Setting realistic and achievable goals is an important first step to reduce weight – a good place to start is a target weight and a goal for the speed of your weight loss. 

Realistic is the key word here – if you set an unrealistic weight loss in a short time frame, you may become overwhelmed or disheartened. 

The NHS recommends a sensible weight loss goal of around 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lbs) per week, aiming for 5 to 10% body weight loss to achieve health benefits.

As you progress through your weight loss journey, you can use these initial goals as a guide. If you fall short of a weekly or monthly weight loss target, remind yourself that’s OK and think about where you can make small adjustments to your eating and levels of activity to ensure you reach your goal next time.

Tracking your weight loss in an app can help as you not only monitor your weight loss journey week to week, but also see the longer-term results. If you’re eligible for the Oviva programme and gain a referral from your doctor, you can use our app for this.

2. Prioritise balanced nutrition

Effective weight loss requires a focus on nutrition and a balanced diet for long term health. Fruit, vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains are all important and you should spread your meals out throughout the day. Don’t feel tempted to skip breakfast or lunch to reduce calories. 

Reading your food labels is a great place to start – it can help you become aware of the hidden ingredients in food. The traffic light labelling system on food packaging will tell you at a glance if the food has high, medium or low amounts of these nutrients (depending on the colour coding). You should aim for mostly green and amber per portion size.

Our 7-day healthy meal plan can help you get started – these meals prioritise protein and fibre to help with feeling full as well as overall health.

4. Stay hydrated

The UK’s healthy eating model, the Eatwell Guide, recommends 6-8 glasses of water every day, or around 1.2 litres per day.. While this includes tea, coffee, sugar-free drinks and low-fat milk, water is the best option when trying to lose weight because it’s calorie-free. 

We recommend carrying a water bottle around with you and setting reminders on your phone to ensure you’re drinking enough. Even mild dehydration can affect concentration and energy levels. If you struggle to drink water, consider sparkling water or adding a few drops of lemon juice.

6. Get enough sleep

Sleep plays a key role in weight loss efforts. Getting too little sleep can negatively impact your metabolism, while lack of sleep can also lead to poor dietary decision-making. 

Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule and aim for around 7 to 9 hours of sleep as often as you can. Create a relaxing bedtime routine and try to avoid using your phone immediately before bedtime. If you struggle to sleep, set aside half an hour beforehand to read a book and relax.

7. Manage stress

One of the best weight loss tips is to minimise stress. After all, stress is associated with comfort eating and can also impact fat storage in the body. 

You can take proactive steps to reduce stress, like exercising more, eating well and looking into what mindfulness habits work for you. For some people, that’s meditation, for others, it’s time outside, while for some, it’s quality time with loved ones. 

What makes you feel relaxed? Try spending five minutes writing down all the things you can think of. If you’re not sure, why not start by trying a few different things and seeing which you enjoy?

9. Limit sugary and processed foods

These foods often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt and sugar. So, one tip if you’re looking for the best diet for weight loss limiting sugary, processed and ultra-processed foods can help you to eliminate foods in your diet with high calorie content and poor nutritional value. 

A simple way to think about ultra-processed foods is foods that contain multiple ingredients you’re unlikely to find in a kitchen. Ice cream, sausages and crisps are all good examples. 

Some simple ways to do this are: 

• Choosing sparkling water or zero-sugar soft drinks over sugary drinks.
• Preparing as many meals as possible from scratch, using simple, nutritious ingredients.If you feel restricted on time, try batch cooking and choose recipes that only use a few ingredients and take under 30 minutes.

11. Change your mindset

Your mindset can make a huge difference to weight loss results. For instance, rather than focusing on easy weight loss, try to focus on sustainable behavioural changes.

It’s important to focus your mindset on consistency, rather than perfection. Steer clear of “all or nothing” thinking and try to embrace the idea of small changes you can stick to.

It can also be a good idea to visualise your future self, as this can provide extra motivation.

Start by identifying why weight loss is truly important to you. Be specific. For example, instead of saying ‘I want to lose weight to be healthier,’ say ‘I want to lose weight to reduce my risk of diabetes and feel more energised to play with my kids.’ By anchoring your goals in personal values, you’ll create a powerful motivation.

Imagine how your life will be different once you reach your weight loss goals,. Picture yourself confidently running a 5K or feeling comfortable in your clothes. This vivid image can serve as a guiding light, making the hard work feel more worthwhile.

Vicky Lawson, Clinical Lead for Psychology at Oviva

12. Consider professional help

If you’re living with obesity and have other health conditions, like asthma, type 2 diabetes, depression or sleep apnoea, or if you have a BMI over 50, you may want to consider asking for professional help. The best way to start this process is to speak to your doctor.

For most people, obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) over 30. You can calculate your BMI for free with our simple calculator.

There are a variety of treatment options available, including weight management support programmes and prescription weight loss medications, like Wegovy and Saxenda.

Support from a weight management service like Oviva may be worth considering if you’ve struggled to lose weight using other methods, such as calorie counting, increasing exercise, or adhering to a programme like Weight Watchers. It’s also a great option if you’re worried about diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or heart health more generally.

Find out if you’re eligible 

Losing weight fast: debunking the myths

• Ambitious weight loss targets can be daunting, so it’s better to break your long-term target down into manageable short-term goals. The NHS recommends a sensible weight loss goal of around 0.5 to 1 kg (1 to 2 lbs) per week. 
• Without the right level of support, very low calorie diets can be difficult to sustain and often lead to a situation where you regain weight. At Oviva, we do support people on very low calorie diets as one of the options for losing weight and we know seeing great results quickly can be motivating. However, crucially, we provide expert support and guidance over 12 months, so you learn the best way to lose weight and also how to keep it off.
• Quick fixes are not the answer when it comes to sustainable weight loss. The goal for long-term weight loss and management should be lasting behavioural changes. This includes choosing healthier food options and getting more exercise.
• Huge overnight changes to your eating habits are often harder to maintain than sensible adjustments. For example, rather than eliminating bread from your diet completely, try switching from white bread to whole wheat bread. If you enjoy jam on toast for breakfast, try mashed banana on toast instead. Switch from sugary drinks to sparkling water or, when necessary, zero-sugar soft drinks.

• Sources

  https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/application/files/2716/5842/0957/PI-73-Healthy-weight-loss-advice.pdf

  https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/

  https://www.royalsurrey.nhs.uk/news/foods-to-improve-your-mood-6765/

  https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/food-guidelines-and-food-labels/the-eatwell-guide/

  https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/self-help/guides-tools-and-activities/breathing-exercises-for-stress/

  https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-for-adults-aged-19-to-64/

  https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/physical-activity-guidelines-older-adults/