Are you ready to take 'losing weight' off your New Year’s resolution list?

The failure rate for New Year’s resolutions is 80%…but don’t worry, it’s not your fault (1).

There are many reasons why New Year’s resolutions fall by the wayside before Valentine’s day.

Some people blame the word ‘resolution’ and when you stop and think about it...it’s not very inspiring is it?

Especially when it comes to losing weight…do you feel resolute?

Or do you feel anxious because you’ve tried to lose weight (many times) before and failed? Deep down are you afraid this will be yet another disappointment? Another failure in the bag alongside Slimming World and the crossfit membership card.

That’s why we wanted to give you a few pointers to help you achieve your New Year’s goal and lose 5% of your body weight (goals are more successful if you have a clear outcome...of course you don’t have to choose this as your number!).

The natural approach to weight loss

We know you’ve tried this. You’ve already been told sooooo many times to eat less and move more. We understand that losing weight is much more complicated than that.

But learning how to give your body the nutrition it needs and the movement it needs is critical for long-term health, so it’s worth investing time and energy into getting it right. The NHS have a great guide here if you need one.

Bariatric surgery

Surgery should be a last resort. You shouldn’t consider this unless your BMI is above 40 or you have a BMI over 35 and a serious medical condition that could be improved with weight loss (2). If lifestyle changes aren’t working for you, it’s better to try something less invasive first, if it’s safe for you to do so.

Medication

The medication route is not for everyone and it should not replace a low calorie diet and exercise. In fact, the best results are seen when people combine both.

Saxenda -  a UK licenced appetite suppressant

Saxenda came about when scientists noticed that a new drug for Type 2 Diabetes was causing significant weight loss.

Clinical trials followed and Liraglutide was licenced for weight loss under the brand name Saxenda. (3)

Saxenda is licenced as an appetite suppressant, which means you don’t feel as hungry.

Interestingly, in a set of experiments where scientists measured brain activity, overweight people who were given Saxenda were less excited by food images than they were before (3).

If you get excited when looking at food then this could also help manage your calorie intake.

Saxenda might also be a good option if you start to feel really hungry when you’re losing weight on a calorie restricted diet, preventing you from regaining the weight you lose.

Let’s talk numbers…

Does Saxenda really work?

Saxenda won’t work for everyone as we are all different, but clinical studies have shown significant results.

Liraglutide (Saxenda) was given to a group of overweight people taking part in a lifestyle counselling programme, and their weight loss was compared to other people in the programme who did not take Saxenda.

The group taking Saxenda lost more weight in total. More than half (63%) of the participants lost more than 5% of their original body weight and 25-33% of participants achieved a 10% loss (approximately 10kg).(4)

While Saxenda is not a miracle drug, it is another tool in the box when it comes to tackling excess weight.

Plus the folks at Saxenda know what you need to get your excess weight off.

This is why they offer a free lifestyle app when you start your weight loss journey with them to help you track and monitor your health and lifestyle goals.

They also offer health coaching at no extra cost - simply submit your question through the app and a Liva health coach will get back to you within 48 hours. (5)

If you think Saxenda might be something you want to learn more about, then it’s worth reading our diary of a yo-yo dieter series where you can follow a Weight Watchers Coach and her experiences trying Saxenda.

You can also add these to your reading list: Is sugar the new enemy and Saxenda: the newest recruit into the battle against obesity.

Looking for a review of Saxenda? You’ll enjoy our diary of a yo-yo dieter series.

References

1. Forbes The top 3 reasons new years resolutions fail and how yours can succeed [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2019/12/21/the-top-3-reasons-new-years-resolutions-fail-and-how-yours-can-succeed/?sh=4fbb3b656992
2. NHS. Treatment : Obesity. [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/obesity/treatment/
3. Ladenheim, E. Liraglutide and obesity: a review of the data so far Drug Design, Development and Therapy. 2015. [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4386791/pdf/dddt-9-1867.pdf
4. Whitten, S et al Liraglutide (Saxenda) for Weight Loss STEPS New Drug Reviews. 2016. [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.aafp.org/afp/2016/0715/afp20160715p161.pdf
5. Saxenda [cited 26/11/20] Available at: https://www.saxenda.com/home.html