Weight Management
This guide is designed to help if you are looking to lose weight and/or improve your diet and lifestyle.
Step 1 - Important Background Information
We highly recommend that you watch the following videos to help get you started. For some, this may be enough to get you started on your journey. For others you may feel you need further support, in which case continue through the steps.
Do not proceed to the next steps until you have watched these videos.
The videos cover the following topics:
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The Dieting Cycle
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Regular Eating
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Triggers to Eating
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Diet Myth Busting
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Balanced Eating
Step 2 – Readiness to Change
The behaviour change wheel below shows that before any change can happen, a person needs to believe there are benefits to making the change and must be prepared to put an effort into making this happen by deciding when, what and how to do it.
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Ask yourself ‘Am I truly ready to make changes to my diet and lifestyle?’
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Have a look at the behaviour change wheel and think about what stage you are at now with changing your diet and lifestyle.
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When you have decided what stage you are at, find the heading below and read the advice.
Pre-Contemplation or Contemplation
If you are in one these stages and the answer to the above question is ‘no’, ‘probably not’ or ‘not yet’, then think about why, and make a note of this.
Ask yourself what you need to happen to be ready to make changes. Come back to this page when you are ready, this is usually when you are in the preparation stage.
Preparation
If the answer is ‘yes’ and you feel you are ready, then ask yourself the following questions, and make a note of your answers.
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What is your short-term goal? (Within the next 3 months)
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What is your long-term goal (12 months and beyond)
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What do you need to do to get to your goal?
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What support do you need to help you to do this?
Download or print this document with these questions listed with space to write your answers
Action or Maintenance
If you are in the action or maintenance stages, then carry on what you are doing! The following video about healthy eating may help to ensure you are following a balanced diet:
Your guide to the Eatwell Guide!
Relapse
This is a normal part of behaviour change, the videos in step 1 may have helped you to understand this better. Think about what caused you to relapse, and what needs to happen to get back to what you were doing. Read the advice under the other headings above to help you.
If you feel you need further support then continue to the next step.
Step 3 – Body Mass Index
BMI (Body Mass Index) is a simple calculation using your weight and height. It helps us understand how we can best support you as most services use BMI to help them decide who is eligible.
Please calculate your BMI by following the link below and then find your BMI category in step 4 to find out what is available to you.
Step 4 – Available Services
Find your BMI category below, and see which services are available to you.
Please note: there are two different BMI categories, one for BME (Black and Ethnic Minorities) populations and one for others. This is because people from BME backgrounds have a higher risk of developing conditions like diabetes and heart disease, so the NHS recommends using lower BMI cut-offs for these groups.
BMI<24.9 (<23.5 for BME)
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Your BMI is within the healthy category
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If you want to improve balance in your diet, check out the following resources which will help guide you. It is very unlikely that you need to lose weight.
Healthy Eating | British Dietetic Association (BDA)
Your guide to the Eatwell Guide! - YouTube
BMI 25-29.9 (23.5-27.5 for BME)
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Your BMI is within the overweight category.
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You may find the NHS Weight Loss Plan Helpful (this uses an app to guide you through a 12-week programme) – find more information here: NHS Weight Loss Plan
BMI 30-34.9 (27.6-32.5 for BME)
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You qualify for the NHS Weight Loss Plan (this uses a mobile phone app to guide you through a 12-week programme)– find more information here NHS Weight Loss Plan
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If you have Type 1 or 2 diabetes, and/or high blood pressure, you also qualify for the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. You need a referral from a health professional to access this.
BMI 35-39.9 (32.6-37.5 for BME)
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You qualify for the NHS Weight Loss Plan (this uses a mobile phone app to guide you through a 12-week programme)– find more information here NHS Weight Loss Plan
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If you have Type 1 or 2 diabetes, and/or high blood pressure, you also qualify for the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. You need a referral from a health professional to access this.
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If you have any long-term health conditions, you may also qualify for bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery). You need a referral from a health professional to access this.
BMI 40-49.9 (37.6-47.5 for BME)
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You qualify for the NHS Weight Loss Plan (this uses a mobile phone app to guide you through a 12-week programme)– find more information here NHS Weight Loss Plan
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If you have Type 1 or 2 diabetes, and/or high blood pressure, you also qualify for the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. You need a referral from a health professional to access this.
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You may also qualify for bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery). You need a referral from a health professional to access this. Please make an appointment to discuss further if you want to find out more about this option.
BMI 50+ (47.5+ for BME)
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You automatically qualify for bariatric surgery. You need a referral from a health professional to access this. Please make an appointment to discuss further if you want to find out more about this option.
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If you have Type 1 or 2 diabetes, and/or high blood pressure, you also qualify for the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. You need a referral from a health professional to access this.
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You qualify for the NHS Weight Loss Plan (this uses a mobile phone app to guide you through a 12-week programme)– find more information here NHS Weight Loss Plan
Step 5 - Links to further resources
Recipe Finders
Recipes - Healthier Families - NHS
Recipe finder - British Heart Foundation
Recipe finder - Enjoy Food - Diabetes UK
Better Health (particularly good for families with children)
Breakfast Recipes (particularly good for families with children)
Eating on a Budget
British Heart Foundation – Healthy Eating on a Budget
British Dietetic Assocation – Eat Well Spend Less
Food Banks
NHS Healthy Start (vouchers for foods, baby milk and vitamins)
Step 6 – Get a referral (if you feel you need further support)
If you think you need help from a dietitian, contact your surgery, requesting an appointment with the dietitian.
It is important that you feel ready to make changes and are open to suggestions from the dietitian. They may also suggest one of the services listed above and can refer you on.