Reach a healthy weight, gently

A steady weight loss plan built on NHS and NICE guidance, with a calculator for each step.

The plan, in 5 steps

  1. 1Find your healthy range
  2. 2Check your waist too
  3. 3Work out your everyday energy number
  4. 4Pick a pace you can live with
  5. 5Keep meals filling

Step by step

Five steps, in this order

Each step takes a few minutes. You do not have to do them all today, and you can skip any number you would rather not look at.

  1. Find your healthy range

    Start with a range, not a single number. For most adults it spans about 17 kg, so there is a lot of room in it, and the lower end is lower if your family background is South Asian, Chinese, Black African or African-Caribbean.

    Open the healthy weight calculator

  2. Check your waist too

    Waist size says something BMI cannot: where weight sits. NICE suggests keeping your waist under half your height. A piece of string is all you need.

    Open the waist to height ratio calculator

  3. Work out your everyday energy number

    This is roughly what keeps your weight steady now. Everything else is a small step down from it, and the calculator will not suggest anything below a safe floor.

    Open the calorie calculator

  4. Pick a pace you can live with

    The NHS suggests 0.5 to 1 kg a week (about 1 to 2 lb). Slower still counts. This checker tells you if a plan is gentle, steady or faster than advised.

    Open the healthy weight pace checker

  5. Keep meals filling

    Protein and fibre help meals last longer. This gives you a daily protein range, then the food tools help with fibre and sugar.

    Open the protein calculator

What the NHS suggests

Small changes that add up

The NHS advice is refreshingly unglamorous. Eating about 600 kcal a day less than you use is a common way to lose 0.5 to 1 kg a week, and the changes that get you there are small ones repeated, rather than big ones abandoned in February.

  • Build meals around the Eatwell Guide: about a third fruit and veg, about a third starchy foods (wholegrain where you can), plus some protein and dairy.
  • Aim for 30 g of fibre a day. Most of us manage about 20 g, so beans, oats and veg skins are easy wins.
  • Swap sugary drinks for water, milk or no added sugar drinks. Drinks are where a lot of sugar hides.
  • Check labels: the traffic light colours on the front of packs make comparing two options quick.
  • Plan treats rather than banning them. Planned treats are easier to fit into a normal week.

Moving more

Activity that suits you

The UK Chief Medical Officers suggest 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus something that works your muscles on two days. Brisk walking counts. So does gardening, dancing in the kitchen and carrying the shopping home.

For weight, activity helps most with keeping weight off once it has gone, and with mood, sleep and blood pressure along the way. You do not need a gym, and you do not need to earn your food.

Start small

A 10 minute brisk walk after lunch is a fine first step. Add a few minutes a week.

Count steps if it helps

Steps are a handy nudge, not a test. Use the step tools to set a goal that is a little above your normal.

Make it social

Walking with a friend, a parkrun walk or a local class makes it easier to keep going.

Free NHS help

You do not have to do it alone

The free NHS Weight Loss Plan app is a 12 week programme that helps with goals, calories and activity. If you live with diabetes or high blood pressure and your BMI is 30 or more (27.5 or more for some ethnic groups), you may be able to join the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme through your GP surgery or pharmacy.

Your GP can also talk about other options, including local weight management services and, for some people, medicines or surgery. Asking is not a failure; it is using the service you already pay for.

Check first

When to talk to someone before you start

  • You are pregnant, breastfeeding or under 18.
  • Your BMI is already under 18.5, or you have lost weight without trying.
  • You take medicine for diabetes, as eating less can change how much you need.
  • You have a long-term condition, or have had an eating disorder.

Worried about eating, food or weight? Beat, the eating disorder charity, has a free helpline on 0808 801 0677 (England, weekdays 3pm to 8pm), with lines for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on their website.

Questions

Common questions

How fast should I lose weight?

The NHS suggests 0.5 to 1 kg a week, which is about 1 to 2 lb. Losing faster usually means losing muscle and water as well as fat, and it is harder to keep off. Slower than that is still progress.

Do I have to count calories?

No. Calories are one way of seeing what is going on, and some people find them helpful for a few weeks. Others do better with plate portions, swapping drinks and planning meals. Both work if you can keep them up.

Why has my weight stopped going down?

As you get lighter you use a little less energy, so the same plan loses more slowly. Weight also moves by a kilo or two from day to day with water and salt. Look at the trend over a few weeks before changing anything.

Is BMI the only number that matters?

No. BMI is a quick screen. NICE suggests using waist to height ratio alongside it, and blood pressure, blood sugar, sleep, fitness and how you feel all matter too.

What is the lowest weight these tools will suggest?

None of the tools here will set a target below a BMI of 18.5, which is the bottom of the healthy range. If you are already near it, they will tell you.

Sources

Last checked 21 October 2026. Every calculator on this page links to its own sources too. More in Body and weight and Food and drink.

A word with your GP

If you would like support, or have a condition or medicine that weight changes might affect, your GP surgery or practice nurse can help you make a plan. If you have lost weight without trying, please book an appointment.

Other goals

Got a different goal?