Losing weight is easier than you think

The tabloids were recently full of nonsense about metabolic rate, diets, weight loss, obesity…hold on…when are they not full of nonsense? The latest story claimed that it’s twice as hard to lose weight than current guidelines suggest. Is it? Here’s what the NHS has to say on the matter.

It also offers advice on the best way to lose weight and suggests that shedding just 5% of your body mass, if you’re overweight can reduce high blood pressure and lower your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The NHS also links out to the NIH online weight simulator tool, which allows you to input your age, gender and weight and then calculates how many calories you need to cut from your diet in order to achieve a target weight loss. It is actually a research tool and includes no advice on diet or exercise, so it’s useful but not a substitute for personal medical advice on diet and weight loss.