Exercise and diet for weight loss – a guide to healthy weight reduction

Exercise and diet for weight loss – a guide to healthy weight reduction

Losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way is not about quick fixes or extreme methods, but about making gradual changes to your diet, exercise, and lifestyle that you can maintain over time. In this article, we explore how diet and physical activity work together, and how small adjustments in your daily life can contribute to better long-term health.

Calorie deficit – the foundation of weight loss

To lose weight, you need to maintain a calorie deficit, which means that your body uses more energy than it takes in. Achieving and maintaining a calorie deficit often requires planning, patience, and commitment. But with a realistic plan, clear routines, and support when needed, you can gradually reach a lower weight in a sustainable way.

Different ways to create a calorie deficit

There are many ways to reduce your energy intake, and the best approach depends on who you are and what your everyday life looks like.

For some, it may mean cutting back on snacking between meals or in the evening. Others may need to look at portion sizes or reduce sweets, soft drinks, or alcohol. Eating more regularly can also help, so that you do not get overly hungry and end up eating more than planned later in the day.

Small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference over time – especially when they are realistic and easy to stick with.

Do you need to follow a specific diet?

You do not need to follow a specific diet to succeed with weight loss. The most important thing is to understand how energy intake and satiety affect the body, and to establish habits that you can maintain long-term. What works well for one person might not suit another, which means there is no single “best” diet.

By, for example, keeping a food diary and reflecting on your eating habits, it becomes easier to identify patterns and discover which changes could have the greatest impact. Step by step, you can replace or add foods that fit your goals and lifestyle. This increases the likelihood of developing a sustainable way of eating that works for you in the long run – without drastic changes.

Diet or exercise for weight loss?

When your goal is to lose weight, diet – what you eat and drink – is the most important factor. Exercise on its own does not have as large an effect on weight during the weight loss phase, but it plays a crucial role in other ways.

Being physically active helps you preserve muscle mass, strengthen your body, and improve your wellbeing. Exercise also reduces stress and lowers the risk of several diseases. In the long term, regular physical activity makes it easier to maintain a lower weight.

The best results come when dietary changes are combined with exercise and general daily movement (1). It’s the overall lifestyle that makes the difference.

‍Diet – how to eat for success

A kick-start can boost motivation

Research shows that people who get off to a good start on their weight-loss journey often lose more weight overall. A quick start can boost motivation and make it easier to keep going (2).

For people with obesity or severe overweight, a low-energy formula diet, known as a VLED (Very Low Energy Diet), can be a way to kick-start weight loss. For a limited period, all meals are replaced with nutritionally complete formula products providing no more than 800 kcal per day, often resulting in a rapid weight loss of about 1.5–2.5 kilos per week.

A short-term VLED can usually be done independently if you are healthy, but for longer treatments – beyond about eight weeks – or if you have medical conditions, it should be carried out with medical supervision or in consultation with healthcare professionals. A clear plan for how to gradually reintroduce regular food afterwards is always important (3).

Protein – for satiety and muscle preservation

When trying to lose weight, it is wise to give protein a central role in your diet. Protein is the nutrient that provides the best satiety and helps keep hunger in check. Perhaps most importantly, protein – in combination with strength training – helps preserve muscle mass, which is crucial for both health and maintaining metabolism (4,5).

Good protein sources include chicken, fish, lean meat, eggs, beans, lentils, cottage cheese, low-fat cheese, quark, low-fat Greek yoghurt, tofu, tempeh, and protein powder.

Try to include protein in every meal. Breakfast and snacks tend to be low in protein, so these are good opportunities to choose more protein-rich options.

Filling foods

Filling foods are often high in protein and fibre, have a large volume, and a low energy density. Protein-rich foods such as fish, eggs, and low-fat dairy products provide good and lasting satiety. Fibre – especially soluble fibre found in oats, beans, and fruit – also helps food stay longer in the stomach, prolonging fullness.

Foods with a high water content, such as vegetables, fruit, and soups, fill the stomach and make you feel full without adding many calories. The act of chewing also matters – foods that take longer to eat, such as wholegrain bread or raw vegetables, help you eat more slowly and give your body time to register fullness.

Examples of filling foods include boiled potatoes, beans, lentils, porridge oats, and quark – foods that provide a lot of satiety for relatively few calories.

Maximise nutrition

When eating less, it becomes even more important that your food is nutrient-dense so your body gets what it needs. Every meal counts a little more when your energy intake is reduced.

That means cutting back on foods high in sugar, fat, salt, refined carbohydrates, sugary drinks, and alcohol. Instead, focus on nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, fruit, root vegetables, wholegrains, lean protein sources, and fish.

Nutrient-dense foods tend to be more filling, helping you maintain stable energy levels throughout the day. A simple way to increase nutrient intake is to think in colours – the more colourful your plate, the more variety you’ll get in your nutrition.

If you are reducing portion sizes or eating a limited variety, you may sometimes need to complement your diet with supplements. It’s a good idea to consult a dietitian or another qualified healthcare professional to get advice suited to your needs.

Balance your plate

A good way to build a balanced meal is to think about how food is distributed on your plate. A well-composed meal should include a mix of vegetables, protein, and carbohydrates – but the proportions can vary depending on your goals and needs.

If you train frequently, you may need a slightly higher proportion of carbohydrates for energy, while if you want to lower your energy intake, you can let vegetables take up more space. In this way, meals can easily be adjusted to suit different needs and goals.

Quench your thirst the right way

Water is the best choice to quench your thirst, but you can vary with sparkling water or flavour it with, for example, lemon, cucumber, orange, or mint.

If you want something sweeter, light or zero-calorie drinks are good alternatives. However, it’s best to avoid calorie-containing drinks such as alcohol, sugary soft drinks, juice, or caffè lattes, as they provide a lot of energy but little satiety.

Sometimes, thirst can be mistaken for hunger. If you feel slightly hungry between meals, try drinking a glass of water first to see if the feeling passes.

Small changes make a big difference

You don’t need to change all your eating habits at once. Small steps can make a big difference over time – especially when the changes are realistic and sustainable.

It might mean swapping higher-fat foods for leaner options, adding more protein and vegetables, or choosing wholegrain varieties. By making small adjustments, your meals become more nutritious and satisfying – while you can still enjoy the foods you like.

Often, it’s the small steps that make the biggest difference in the long run.

‍Exercise – how to move for success

Can you lose weight without exercise?

Yes, it is possible to lose weight through dietary changes alone – but it is not ideal. Without exercise, you risk losing more muscle mass than fat mass. A combination of physical activity and a healthy diet is therefore the most effective and sustainable way to lose weight.

Regular exercise also improves fitness, strengthens muscles, and helps establish habits that support long-term weight management.

Exercise improves results during weight loss

Regular movement is important for both health and wellbeing, and it also affects how effective your weight loss will be. During weight loss, both fat and muscle mass decrease, and losing too much muscle can slow down your metabolism – making it harder to maintain a lower weight over time.

Sustainable weight loss is therefore not just about seeing the numbers on the scale go down, but about reducing body fat while maintaining as much muscle mass as possible.

Strength training is a key component

By doing regular strength training, you signal to your body that it should preserve muscle mass even when you are in a calorie deficit – and it can even increase muscle mass, especially in people with overweight or those new to resistance training (6).

Muscles burn more energy at rest than fat tissue, which means that a body with more muscle mass has a higher energy expenditure. You don’t need a gym to do strength training – it’s just as effective to train at home using your own body weight or simple equipment. The key is to challenge your muscles beyond what they are used to.

Strength and cardio training both play important roles

Many people believe that cardio exercise is the most effective way to lose weight, but it actually has a smaller effect on weight loss itself. However, research shows that strength training produces better results in terms of body composition.

A large review of several studies on adults with overweight or obesity shows that strength training can reduce body fat while helping to preserve muscle mass (7).

Strength training also has positive effects on blood lipids, insulin levels, and inflammation markers, making it an effective way to improve health – not just weight, but overall wellbeing.

Does that mean you should skip cardio? Not at all. Cardio exercise has many important benefits, especially for the heart and blood vessels. Those who can combine strength and cardio training gain the most health benefits.

If time is limited, it’s a good idea to prioritise strength training and complement it with everyday movement – such as walking or cycling. Ultimately, the most important thing is to train regularly and choose an activity you enjoy.

Combine with a protein-rich diet for best results

Combining planned weight loss with strength training and a nutrient-rich, protein-rich diet gives you the best conditions for preserving muscle mass, maintaining metabolism, and improving your overall health throughout your weight loss journey.

‍Don’t forget sleep and recovery

Sleep and recovery are also important parts of sustainable weight loss. When you sleep too little, the hormones that regulate hunger and satiety are affected, making it harder to stick to your eating plan or make mindful choices. Try to get enough hours of sleep each night and establish bedtime routines that allow your body to rest properly. Finding balance is more important than being perfect. Regular sleep, recovery, and healthy habits over time make a bigger difference than temporary efforts.

‍New possibilities with better conditions

Body weight is influenced by many factors such as genetics, hormones, lifestyle, and environment – it does not depend solely on how much you eat or move. That’s why the simple advice to “eat less and exercise more” is rarely enough for long-term change.

Modern medications for overweight and obesity have therefore transformed the possibilities for weight loss in a revolutionary way. Medical treatment provides better conditions for making the lifestyle changes needed to lose weight and maintain a lower weight over time.

How modern weight-loss medications work

The most common medications today are GLP-1 analogues and combined GLP-1 and GIP analogues. These resemble the body’s own satiety hormones, which are released after eating and help regulate appetite and blood sugar.

These medications slow down gastric emptying and also affect how hunger and satiety are regulated in the brain. Many people experience that the constant “food noise” quiets down, making it easier to resist cravings for sweets. Altogether, this leads to eating less and making more conscious food choices, which reduces energy intake and supports weight loss.

What weight loss can you expect?

Large clinical studies have shown that modern medications can reduce body weight by an average of 15–20 per cent (8,9) – levels previously seen mainly after bariatric surgery.

Clinical experience shows similar results, often with slightly lower doses than those used in studies. How much weight you lose depends on several factors – including your starting weight, how strongly the medication affects hunger and satiety, and how well you manage to make lifestyle changes.

Everyone responds differently to treatment, and the weight-loss journey is individual. It’s therefore important not to compare your results with those of others.

See medication as support – not the whole solution

Although these medications are an important aid, they don’t do all the work on their own. To lose weight, you still need an energy deficit – consuming fewer calories than you burn.

Medication helps by reducing hunger and increasing satiety, but your own effort remains essential. Actively working on your eating habits, exercising regularly, and being patient are key factors for success.

The Yazen model – a holistic approach for better results

At Yazen, you gain access to medical treatment combined with a full team of licensed specialists. The treatment is complemented by personal coaching, support for sustainable lifestyle changes, and the opportunity to connect with others in our digital community – all gathered in one app.

There, you’ll also find inspiring content and tools designed to make it easier to reach and maintain your goals.

‍Summary

Losing weight in a healthy and sustainable way is about creating balance between diet, exercise, and lifestyle – not about quick fixes. The foundation is a calorie deficit, where the body uses more energy than it takes in. This can be achieved in various ways, such as by reducing portion sizes, snacking, or energy-dense foods and drinks – but the most important thing is to find a method you can maintain over time.

Diet has the greatest impact on weight, while exercise plays an important role in preserving muscle mass, strengthening the body, and improving health. A combination of nutritious, protein-rich food and regular strength and cardio training provides the best results for both weight and wellbeing.

Small changes in everyday life often make a big difference over time. By planning meals, eating mindfully, and staying active, you can gradually build new habits that last.

Sleep and recovery are also key parts of the process. Sufficient sleep helps regulate hunger hormones and makes it easier to make conscious choices around food and activity.

For some, modern medications – such as GLP-1 and GIP analogues – can be a helpful support in weight loss. They influence hunger and satiety and can improve your chances of success, but they do not replace the need for lifestyle changes.

Ultimately, sustainable weight loss is not only about reaching a lower weight, but about maintaining it – while feeling good both physically and mentally.

References‍

1. Cox, C.E. (2017). Role of physical activity for weight loss and weight maintenance, Diabetes Spectrum, 30(3), pp. 157-160.
2. Nackers, L.M., Ross, K.M. och Perri, M.G. (2010). The association between rate of initial weight loss and long-term success in obesity treatment: does slow and steady win the race?, International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 17(3), s. 161-167.
3. Saris W. H. (2001). Very-low-calorie diets and sustained weight loss. Obesity research, 9 Suppl 4, 295S–301S.
4. Tagawa, R., Watanabe, D., Ito, K., Ueda, K., Nakayama, K., Sanbongi, C. and Miyachi, M. (2020). Dose–response relationship between protein intake and muscle mass increase: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Nutrition Reviews, 79(1), pp. 66–75.
5. Ellinger, S., Amini, A.M., Haardt, J. et al. (2024). Protein intake and body weight, fat mass and waist circumference: an umbrella review of systematic reviews for the evidence-based guideline on protein intake of the German Nutrition Society. Eur J Nutr 63, 3–32.
6. Liu, X., Gao, Y., Lu, J., Ma, Q., Shi, Y., Liu, J., Xin, S., & Su, H. (2022). Effects of Different Resistance Exercise Forms on Body Composition and Muscle Strength in Overweight and/or Obese Individuals: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Physiology, 12, 791999.
7. Clark J. E. (2015). Diet, exercise or diet with exercise: comparing the effectiveness of treatment options for weight-loss and changes in fitness for adults (18-65 years old) who are overfat, or obese; systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of diabetes and metabolic disorders, 14, 31.
8. Wilding, J.P.H. et al., (2021). Once-weekly semaglutide in adults with overweight or obesity. New England Journal of Medicine, 384(11), pp.989–1002.
9. Jastreboff, A. M., Aronne, L. J., Ahmad, N. N., Wharton, S., Connery, L., Alves, B., Kiyosue, A., Zhang, S., Liu, B., Bunck, M. C., Stefanski, A., & SURMOUNT-1 Investigators (2022). Tirzepatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Obesity. The New England journal of medicine, 387(3), 205–216.

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