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How to lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way
23rd August, 2026 09:40 AM
Losing weight is not simply about eating less or spending hours exercising. For someone looking to shed excess weight and maintain the results, the most important step is to make changes that can realistically become part of everyday life.
A healthy approach focuses on gradually creating a lifestyle in which the body uses more energy than it takes in, without resorting to extreme measures.
Set a realistic weight-loss goal
The first step is to have a realistic expectation of how quickly weight can be lost.
Trying to lose a large amount of weight within a few weeks can encourage unhealthy practices and make it difficult to maintain the results. The NHS recommends aiming for a gradual loss of about 0.5 to 1 kilogramme per week rather than trying to lose weight rapidly.
This also means understanding that weight loss will not always happen at the same rate. Some weeks may show a noticeable change while others may show little difference.
The focus should therefore be on making steady progress rather than chasing a particular number on the weighing scale.
Increase your physical activity
Becoming more active is one of the most important things a person can do when trying to lose weight.
This does not necessarily mean starting with intense workouts. Walking more often, cycling, swimming, jogging, dancing, taking the stairs and doing physically demanding household tasks can all increase the amount of energy the body uses.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), adults should aim for at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity. Muscle-strengthening activities are also recommended on at least two days each week.
Someone inactive can start with shorter periods of movement and gradually increase the duration and intensity.
Spend less time sitting
Exercise is important, but what happens during the rest of the day also matters.
A person who exercises for 30 minutes but spends most of the remaining hours sitting can still benefit from finding more opportunities to move.
Standing up regularly, walking short distances instead of driving where practical, moving around during breaks and doing household chores can help increase daily activity.
Physical activity includes movement during transport, work, leisure and household tasks, meaning people do not have to rely entirely on formal exercise to become more active.
Create a calorie deficit without extreme restriction
Weight loss generally occurs when the body uses more energy than it receives from food and drinks.
This does not mean starving yourself or skipping meals. Instead, the aim is to gradually reduce excessive calorie intake while remaining adequately nourished and physically active.
The CDC recommends a slow, steady approach that combines reducing calorie intake with increased physical activity, rather than relying on severe restriction.
This can involve becoming more aware of portion sizes, reducing frequent snacking and cutting back on foods and drinks that add large amounts of calories without providing much nutritional value.
Make the changes sustainable
A weight-loss plan is only useful if a person can continue with it.
Extreme exercise routines or highly restrictive programmes may produce quick results, but they can be difficult to maintain. Once the routine stops, the lost weight may return.
Instead, changes should fit into normal life. Someone can gradually increase their daily movement, establish a regular exercise routine and make sensible changes to eating and drinking habits without trying to completely transform their lifestyle overnight.
Track progress beyond the weighing scale
The weighing scale can be useful, but it should not be the only way of measuring progress. Changes in waist measurement, physical fitness, how clothes fit, and the ability to perform everyday activities more easily can also show progress.
Most importantly, weight loss should not come at the expense of health. Anyone with an existing medical condition, taking medication that affects weight or planning significant weight loss should seek guidance from a qualified health professional.
