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NHS GG&C - New Year New you sound familiar?
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde continues its wellbeing series to help people become fitter and healthier in 2023.
One of the biggest challenges after the Christmas and New Year period is to get back on track with healthy eating. Most of us tend to relax with what we are consuming over the festive break and really want to make positive changes to our weight and health in the New Year.
In order to take steps in the right direction, it’s helpful to consider what we should be eating and doing more of on a daily basis - every small step can make a big difference.
That is why NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde want to help people who are looking to make realistic changes to their lifestyles through their weight management services, physical activity and local cooking programmes.
There are many benefits of making small changes to your lifestyle including:
- Increased energy levels – consuming the right foods can help bolster energy levels throughout the day Small simple swaps like choosing diet soft drinks or a smaller fun sized chocolate bar will reduce your calorie intake
- Weight loss – having a target weight you want to achieve is a great way to get started and to aid motivation
- Improved mood or mental wellbeing
- Improved sleep – having between 7-9 hours’ sleep provides a range of health benefits including boosting your immune system and increased productivity
- Reducing the risk of several health conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease
The Community Weight Management service has grown in the last couple of years. In partnership with Weight Watchers, they now offer 93 workshops across the whole of NHS GGC and 4 weekly virtual workshops that are available to all who are eligible to the service.
NHSGGC Weight Management Services also support individuals with existing health conditions that could be improved by losing weight. If you have Diabetes, Heart Disease or have previously had a Stroke and are overweight then you can self-refer by the means below.
To find out more information about our weight management services please visit Manage your weight - NHSGGC or call 0141 211 3379 (Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:00 pm)
Depending on your criteria (BMI; health conditions) you will be referred to the most appropriate service for you, either the Community or Specialist service. Visit to calculate your BMI.
If you are trying to lose weight but don’t meet the criteria for referral to our services, why not check out our Self-Management resource and other services which could support you Self-Management – NHSGGC.
Advice, tips & recipes
Healthy eating doesn’t need to be expensive, time consuming or complicated. Here are our top tips to start you off:
- Try to eat a balanced diet with lots of colours and focus on foods that keep you full and energised.
- Eat a variety of vegetables with most meals; they are lower in calories and contain essential vitamins and minerals
- Small simple swaps like choosing diet soft drinks or a smaller fun sized chocolate bar will reduce your calorie intake
- If you plan to go out, pack a healthy snack to have when you are hungry. This can save money and calories.
- Be mindful of drinks which may contain a lot of added sugar.
Food Budget tips:
- Plan ahead if possible and try to use a shopping list- you can often find templates online.
- Avoid shopping when you are hungry. We have all done it and let’s face it, we end up buying more than we need!
- Use supermarket own brands
- Bulk out dishes with tinned or dried beans, peas and lentils; they are cheap, full of protein and make meals go further. For example adding lentils to a Bolognese or curry.
- Buy frozen or tinned fruits/vegetables (in juice not syrup) to avoid food waste
- Avoid buying pre-chopped or cooked foods (it could be cheaper to buy 2 single carrots rather than 1kg if you only need 2 for the week).
- Use a microwave/slow cooker if possible to save energy costs.
Food labelling
It is a good idea to have a look at the front of pack food labels as this can be a simpler way of making healthier choices. Try to choose foods with more green and amber labels however remember our food choices should be balanced so a few reds now and again won’t hurt.