We are now in the final week of January 2026, and I know that many of us have been working hard on our New Year’s Resolutions (or at least trying to). A common resolution is Weight Loss. Nearly 34% of people had “weight loss” as their New Year’s resolution last year, according to a Forbes Health poll.
People choose to lose weight for different reasons. Some, for health reasons like reducing blood pressure, blood sugar, reflux, or arthritis pain. Others, to look and feel better. Everyone’s reason is different.
That said, I often discourage “weight loss” as a goal for patients because I don’t think it is very helpful. If I were to tell you to “lose weight today”, what would you do? You’d probably make a plan to diet and exercise. So “weight loss” is not something you “do”, it’s the result. “Eating well” and “exercising”, on the other hand, are things you can do, so I shift the focus to these instead.
The three pillars of weight loss that we’ll cover over the next 3 weeks are:
(1) Healthy Eating, (2) Exercise, (3) Medications (such as Wegovy, Mounjaro etc.) and Surgery
This week, we will focus on Healthy Eating
There are so many diets on the internet that trying to decide whether to follow a keto, high protein, low carb diet and/or intermittent fasting can be overwhelming and confusing. As a result, I have seen many patients who are not getting enough nutrients and are often starving. They are trying their best to get healthier, and that’s great! but…
Balance and Simplicity are key.
Balance – makes sure you have all your nutrients you need each day, and Simplicity makes sure that your diet is easy to do and is therefore sustainable.
Balance – for every meal you eat, half (½) of your plate should be vegetables and fruits, quarter (¼) should be protein (for example, chicken, eggs, or fish), and the other quarter (¼) should be starch (for example potatoes, rice or bread). If you eat/drink dairy products, do so in moderation.
Simplicity – Think ADDITION, NOT SUBTRACTION.
You don’t have to starve to lose weight, in fact, I encourage you not to. ADD vegetables and fruits to your meals. They have lots of fibre (which helps you feel full) and lots of nutrients, with relatively few calories (especially vegetables).
You will find that you will naturally start eating less unhealthy foods if you fill your plate with healthy options, because your stomach can only hold so much food at a time. Eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water each day, is a game-changer!
Start Small – If you are not eating 5 fruits and vegetables every day right now, it may be difficult to start doing so right away. Start small. Start by eating 1 fruit and 1 vegetable each day for a week or 2, then the next week add another vegetable. And keep going like that until you notice that you have 5 fruits and vegetables every day. If you do things gradually, you will be more likely to stick to it.
Control your environment – You WILL eat the food you have at home. It’s that simple. So if you want to eat healthier, try to put healthier foods in the cupboard and fridge.
*side-note* if it’s not good for you to eat, it’s probably not good for your kids to eat either.* Healthy eating habits start at home. We want to encourage kids eat well – not starve!
Behaviour change takes time – Be gentle with yourself and focus on keeping things simple and doing things gradually. If you eat well, that’s half the weight-loss battle won! You will also be more likely to keep the weight off because of the newer, healthier eating habits.
I hope you find this helpful! Remember, if you have any questions at all, remember, talk to your doctor. Next week we’ll talk about exercise. Until then, have a safe and healthy week!
Dr Rachel Thwaites-Williams,
Family Physician and Public Health Specialist
