Embarking on an exercise journey is not just about shedding pounds; it's a holistic approach to well-being. The benefits to our physical and mental health are vast, but how do we know what is enough exercise and where do we even start? In this blog, we’ll outline the benefits of physical activity, and how you can begin to include it in your life for a healthier, happier you.
Why is Physical Activity Important?1
Regular physical activity provides immediate and long-term health benefits. These may include:
How Much Physical Activity Do I Need?1
The exact amount of physical activity needed to maintain a healthy weight varies greatly from person to person as it is dependent on so many factors.
It is recommended that to maintain your weight you should aim to work your way up to 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity each week. This could be brisk walking 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, or you could try swimming laps for 25 minutes, 3 times a week, for a more vigorous form of exercise. However, this is a recommendation, and it’s important to adapt this to what feels right for you.
In order to lose weight, you may need to do more physical activity. Through the development of a balanced lifestyle, you should look to include exercise and maintain a healthy diet which promotes positive changes and leaves you feeling satisfied.
What Do Moderate- and Vigorous Intensity Mean?1
Moderate intensity refers to exercise which causes an increase in breathing and heart rate, however you can maintain a conversation. This might include:
Taking it up a level, vigorous intensity refers to exercise which causes a substantial increase to your heart and breathing rate, making conversation difficult. This may include:
Activity: Starting to Exercise for the First Time
Download our How to Start Exercise Worksheet to set yourself up for exercise achievement through planning and understanding what will work for you the best!
Remember, physical activity is about more than just losing weight and burning calories, it’s about making exercise a sustainable part of your lifestyle. Exercise should be something that you enjoy and leaves you feeling good. If dancing around the house or kicking around a football with your kids is what brings you joy, then get yourself involved! As part of your weight loss journey it’s important to reflect on the new activities you can engage in, rather than just focusing on the number on the scale.
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Welcome to Week 3 of the SheMed Weight Management Programme. This week, we are going to explore how to develop a healthy relationship with exercise. There is so much chatter about how good exercise can be, but often we don’t get down to the nitty gritty of why physical activity can have such a profound impact on weight management, as well as improving your health and wellbeing.
There are so many benefits surrounding exercise, and keeping these in mind will help you to stay motivated even on the most sluggish day. Let’s explore them together…
When you engage in physical activity, your body expends energy, leading to calorie burn. Regular exercise can increase your metabolic rate, meaning you'll burn more calories even when at rest. This makes it easier to create a calorie deficit, a fundamental aspect of weight loss.
Losing weight isn't just about shedding pounds; it's about losing fat while preserving muscle. Exercise helps in achieving this balance. Strength training, in particular, aids in building and maintaining lean muscle mass, which can contribute to a higher resting metabolic rate1.
Exercise has a remarkable way of regulating hunger hormones. After a good workout, endorphins will be flowing and this will motivate you to sustain healthy habits and eat in a way that compliments the hard work you have put in through exercising2.
Stress and emotional eating are common culprits for weight gain. Exercise is a natural stress-buster, releasing endorphins that improve your mood and reduce stress levels. When you feel better mentally, you're less likely to turn to comfort foods2.
Exercise improves your body's ability to use insulin effectively, helping to keep blood sugar levels stable. This can reduce the risk of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, both of which can make weight management more challenging3.
Contrary to what you might think, exercise doesn't deplete your energy; it replenishes it. Regular physical activity increases your cardiovascular fitness, making daily tasks feel less exhausting. This, in turn, encourages you to stay active and maintain a healthy weight1.
Many diets lead to short-term weight loss, but maintaining that loss can be challenging. Exercise plays a vital role in keeping the weight off by helping you build sustainable habits and preventing the dreaded yo-yo effect.
Quality sleep is crucial for weight management. Exercise can improve sleep patterns, ensuring that you get the rest you need for optimal health and weight control.
Exercise is often the catalyst for positive lifestyle changes and you may find yourself naturally making healthier choices in other aspects of your life, including nutrition. Exercise can also improve cardiovascular health, which is especially important for people with diabetes as they are at a higher risk of heart disease and stroke3. Regular physical activity can help lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications5.
Seeing progress in your fitness journey can be incredibly motivating. The sense of accomplishment and increased self-esteem can spill over into other areas of your life, helping you stay committed to your weight management goals.
Incorporating regular exercise into your life is a powerful tool for weight management6. Remember, it's not just about the numbers on the scale; it's about feeling healthier, more energetic, and confident in your own skin. Exercise shouldn’t be a punishment, but a form of movement that makes you feel good. So, lace up those trainers, find an activity you enjoy, and start reaping the numerous benefits of exercise on your journey to better weight management. Your body and mind will thank you for it!
Download our Benefits of Exercise worksheet to understand the personal benefits to you, allowing you to stay motivated and on track with your weight loss journey.
Losing weight and keeping it off long-term can be a challenge, but it doesn’t need to be. Often, people make drastic changes to their life, causing them to slip back into unhealthy habits and fall short of their goals. However, with self-compassion, effort and commitment, lasting change is possible. In this blog post, we’ll explore evidence-based strategies to kick bad habits to the curb and adopt new, healthy behaviours that support sustainable weight loss.
What are Habits?
Habits are behaviours we automatically engage in. Habits can be thought of as mental shortcuts that our brains use to conserve energy and streamline decision-making. Over time, these behaviours become instinctive when they are repeated, but they are not always positive. Beneficial habits, like taking your shoes off when you get home, can stick around. However harmful behaviours, like mindless snacking, are behaviours we should aim to change in order to support our health and wellbeing. Even though bad habits have negative consequences, they can be hard to break1.
Bad Habit Myths
When it comes to breaking bad habits, people love to share their experience. When it comes to weight loss people often share how it didn’t work for them. In order to keep you motivated, let’s look at some common weight loss myths to keep you enthusiastic about your journey ahead.
Myth: Going cold turkey is the best way to break a bad habit.Fact: Research shows that a gradual approach is often more successful long-term. Slowly reducing a bad habit makes it more sustainable and keeps you motivated by experiencing small wins1.
Myth: You just need willpower to stop a bad habit.Fact: Willpower alone often isn't enough. Strategies like identifying triggers, controlling your environment, and finding alternatives will also help you to break bad habits.
Myth: Replacing one bad habit with a good one works.Fact: Substituting a bad habit with a good one, like chewing gum instead of smoking, can help in the short term. But it may not address the root cause long term. Unpicking what the bad habit provides you will allow you to understand how to knock it in for good.
Myth: You can't teach an old dog new tricks.Fact: The brain can form new neural pathways at any age. While it may take longer, you absolutely can break lifelong bad habits.
Myth: Slip-ups mean you have failed.Fact: Slips are normal and expected when breaking habits. Getting back on track by speaking to others and finding coping mechanisms to navigate setbacks will allow you to prevent bad habits from spiralling.
The truth is, habits persist because of a trigger, a response, and a reward. This happens in a loop, and the more this loop occurs, our brain remembers it and it becomes automatic. For example, if every time you make a coffee you reach for a chocolate bar, your brain remembers the tastiness of the chocolate and after a few times you are automatically reaching for the chocolate without even realising2.
Helpful Techniques
In addition to the activity above, you can use these techniques to enhance your ability to ditch the bad habit and encourage your weight loss journey. Additionally, you can use these if your motivation starts to wander in order to keep yourself on track.
1. Keep a Journal and Monitor Progress:
Maintain a journal to track mood shifts based on eating patterns, exploring emotions, overeating triggers, and life circumstances. This aids in identifying triggers and developing coping strategies for the future. Additionally, regular check-ins with an 0--provide inspiration and an opportunity to note positive changes, fostering motivation for the journey3.
2. Eat Mindfully With Variety:
Maintain a varied diet by stocking up on fruits, veggies, and nuts for convenient healthy snacks. Ensure your meals include a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats4, consumed in moderation to curb cravings and avoid potential binges. Practise mindful eating, savouring each bite, and stop when you feel satisfied5. Slowing down allows your body to signal fullness, fostering a healthier connection between your stomach and brain.
3. Stay Accountable:
Staying committed to the SheMed Weight Loss Programme provides accountability and a supportive community, fostering motivation crucial for your weight management journey. Consider sharing your progress with a supportive friend to enhance mutual encouragement and gain valuable insights along the way6.
4. Establish Routines and Be Consistent:
Keep your goals in mind while allowing yourself enjoyment; avoid excessive restrictions, aiming for a balanced approach to savouring life and maintaining health. Incorporate changes into your daily routine, such as packing a healthy lunch each evening or taking a 15-minute walk before lunch, to transform them into habits.
5. Deal With Setbacks and Avoid “Quick Fixes”:
Navigate setbacks with compassion; forgive yourself for slip-ups and swiftly return to your path instead of dwelling on mistakes. Steer clear of "quick fixes" by prioritising sustainable habits for long-term well-being. Remember, this journey encompasses more than weight loss – it's about gaining a healthier life, a process that takes time with limitless opportunities.
Ultimately, habits are automatic behaviours that go unnoticed most of the time. However, despite the automatic nature, with effort and time they can be changed. Be compassionate with yourself and focus on one habit at a time, focusing on practising the new behaviour until it becomes instinctive and we don’t even have to think about the alternative!
Activity: Breaking Bad Habits Practice
Download our Breaking Bad Habits worksheet to understand your bad habits, their triggers, and how you remove them from your life!
Losing weight is a challenging process, both physically and mentally1. Many people experience a level of anxiety when starting new journeys in life due to the unknown. You may begin to question “why am I feeling anxious when this is something I want to do, and will provoke positive change?!” It’s common for weight management to provoke anxiety, stemming from worries around failure and the difficulties ahead2.
The SheMed Weight Management programme supports you throughout your journey, guiding you in a structured manner to minimise anxiety while achieving your goals. To prepare for your weight management journey, this blog highlights ways to manage your apprehensions allowing you to embark on your weight management journey in a healthy, sustainable way.
Myth: I have to change my entire lifestyle and diet all at once or I won’t lose any weight.Fact: Too much change at once can trigger anxiety, overwhelm and feelings of failure. Small, gradual steps are best for forming sustainable new habits to help you achieve your goals and stay motivated on your journey.
Myth: If I'm anxious and stressed, I won't be able to lose weight. Fact: Anxiety may make weight loss feel harder, but it’s still possible. Using techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and positive self-talk can help manage stress.
Myth: I shouldn't tell anyone about my weight management journey in case I can't follow through and will look like a failure. Fact: Firstly, this is a journey and like with any journey there will be bumps in the road. Having a supportive community will allow you to talk about challenges you may face, implement strategies to overcome them, whilst maintaining motivation and accountability.
Myth: The process needs to be perfect or it's not worth it. Fact: There will be setbacks on any weight loss journey. Being flexible and accepting imperfection prevents further anxiety. Progress over perfection is the goal.
Myth: If I don't see results immediately, I should just give up. Fact: Meaningful change takes time. Staying patient and focusing on small milestones can keep us motivated for the long-haul.
Anxiety related to weight loss often stems from fear of not seeing results, falling short of goals, or backsliding into old habits3. People may worry about being judged if they struggle or don't lose as much weight as they had hoped. Perfectionistic thinking and "all or nothing" attitudes can also trigger anxious thoughts around weight loss. A good way to process these anxieties is using the Worry Decision Tree to help you identify whether you need to focus on the worries you have4.
Download our Worry Decision Tree activity to shift your mindset so you can focus on the things you can control, and let the other worries work themselves out.
1. Set small, achievable goals each week so progress feels manageable. Don't try to change everything at once.
2. Focus on behaviours within your control, like eating nutritious foods and moving your body.
3. Communicate openly with supportive friends and family to manage expectations, navigate challenges and feel encouraged.
4. Develop self-compassion through mindfulness, self-care practices, and positive self-talk.
With patience and proven strategies, you can stay motivated and manage anxiety on your weight loss journey. Losing weight takes time and commitment, but you have the power to build healthy habits over time. Stay focused on your goals, be kind to yourself, and know that small steps make a big difference.
1 Stevens, J., Truesdale, K.P., McClain, J.E. & Cai, J. (2006) The definition of weight maintenance. Int. J. Obes. (Lond) 30, 391–399
2 Castelnuovo, G., Pietrabissa, G., Manzoni, G.M., Cattivelli, R., Rossi, A., Novelli, M., Varallo, G. and Molinari, E., 2017. Cognitive behavioural therapy to aid weight loss in obese patients: current perspectives. Psychology research and behaviour management, pp.165-173.
3 Metzgar, C.J., Preston, A.G., Miller, D.L. and Nickols-Richardson, S.M. (2014). Facilitators and barriers to weight loss and weight loss maintenance: a qualitative exploration. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 28(6), pp.593–603. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12273.
4 Butler G. and Hope T. (1995), Managing Your Mind: The Mental Fitness Guide
Goal setting is crucial when it comes to making lifestyle changes, such as sustained weight loss. It is important that you spend time thinking about what goals are right for you, and ensure they are achievable to maintain your motivation. To help you out, we’ve put together some recommendations to consider when you are setting your own goals:
1. Have Clear Goals, Big and Small:
Motivation can come in waves and often your weight management journey may feel long and out of reach. By implementing small, achievable steps to provide focus and “small wins”, you will feel continuous success during your weight management journey which will contribute to your final goal and help you to overcome challenges and setbacks.
2. Stay Accountable:
Sharing your goals with others and tracking your progress through weekly eMed check-ins will help to keep you on track. Having the support of others will help you stay responsible, maintain healthy behaviours, and make decisions focused on your future.
3. Make Your Goals Measurable:
Tracking your progress over time allows you to stay motivated and reassured that the hard work you are putting in is paying off. You could monitor your weight, the way your clothes feel, or the new activities you can experience which were a challenge before.
4. Celebrate Your Achievements:
No matter how big or small they seem, celebrating your weight management milestones will provide positive reinforcement to keep you motivated and looking forward towards your next goal.
5. Keep Your Goals Realistic:
Your weight management journey is exciting, but in order to maintain your success you should avoid drastic changes that won’t last. Speaking to our weight management clinicians can help you set manageable yet rewarding goals to avoid frustration, disappointment and overwhelm.
6. Take Your Time:
This is the start of your journey, not the start of another failed diet fad. Be compassionate to yourself during these changes and reflect on what you have achieved and what was a challenge. Bring these experiences to your check-ins to ensure your efforts are supporting you for life-long success.
Goal setting is pivotal in your weight management journey. Clear and realistic goals serve as milestones, shaping a transformative path toward a healthier and happier you. Keep them in focus, adapt as needed, and celebrate each step forward. It's not just about reaching the destination but relishing the fulfilling journey of self-improvement.
Here’s to setting, achieving, and surpassing the goals that define your remarkable weight management journey!
Activity: How to Set Goals
Complete our goal setting activity to kick start your weight loss journey with clear goals in mind, helping to keep you motivated and on track.
Download our Goal Setting Worksheet to kick start your weight loss journey with clear goals in mind, helping to keep you motivated and on track.
SheMed Co-Founders: Olivia Ferro (25), Chloe Ferro (23)
In a world where weight management is too often reduced to fad diets and fleeting solutions, Chloe and Olivia Ferro, co-founders of SheMed, are rewriting the rules. Recognising the rising popularity and potential misuse of GLP-1 medications, they are leading the charge to ensure these drugs are prescribed responsibly by qualified medical professionals.
Their mission is to create a safer, evidence-based system that prioritises the well-being of women who need these treatments the most.
Since the advent of beauty columns, women have been caught in a cycle of cabbage soup diets, juice cleanses, and no-carb plans. These approaches have left millions of women frustrated, exhausted and unhealthy. Studies reveal that women spend an astonishing 6 to 17 years of their lives on diets.1,2 However, most diets are abandoned within just five weeks.3
Chloe and Olivia’s vision for SheMed was to disrupt this pattern with a bespoke, science-backed approach to weight management. SheMed provides a space built by women, for women, where individual health needs take centre stage. Their direct-to-consumer medical weight-loss programme is grounded in compassion, personalisation, and clinical expertise. From comprehensive blood analysis to data-driven insights, SheMed ensures each treatment plan is tailored to suit individual health requirements.
At the heart of SheMed’s mission lies a commitment to educating women about their health—starting with GLP-1s. These medications, which mimic hormones that regulate appetite and digestion, offer a promising solution for sustainable weight loss without the extreme restrictions of traditional diets. Research demonstrates their ability to stabilise blood sugar levels, making them a valuable tool for women seeking a healthier, more balanced approach to weight management.
GLP-1 medications are not without risks. When accessed by individuals who may not meet eligibility standards, these medications can lead to complications. In the UK, online pharmacies often provide GLP-1 drugs after minimal screening, such as a brief questionnaire or a photo submission—and sometimes without verifying the individual's weight at all. As a result, people may be left to administer their weekly doses without adequate support or oversight. This can lead to unmanaged side effects, which are crucial to address for safe and effective treatment.
Despite recent strides in women’s health, significant gaps in care persist. The UK government’s Women’s Health Strategy, launched in 2022, highlights these disparities and the urgent need for tailored healthcare solutions.4
“Many women feel that their health concerns are dismissed or overlooked,” says Olivia Ferro, Co-founder and CEO of SheMed. “We wanted to create a space where women’s health is the priority—not an afterthought.”
Through their work, Chloe and Olivia aim to empower women to take control of their health journeys while addressing how weight impacts overall well-being. The core basis of their strategy is to offer discrete, digital and immediate access care tools for women to use for UTIs, yeast infections, GLP-1 use and more.
Effective weight management has far-reaching benefits for women’s health:
SheMed’s comprehensive five-step process makes weight management accessible, supportive, and sustainable:
“Our mission is to empower women with the science, insights, and support they need to truly own their health journey,” says Chloe Ferro, Co-founder and CGO of SheMed. “We’re putting an end to fad diets and replacing them with evidence-based solutions that deliver real, lasting results.”
To learn more about how SheMed is transforming women’s health, visit shemed.co.uk and take the first step towards real, lasting wellness.
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