What does losing weight mean?
Losing weight means reducing your body weight, usually through a combination of reduced fat mass, fluid and sometimes muscle mass. From a health perspective, it is primarily a reduction in body fat, particularly abdominal fat around the internal organs, that is associated with improved metabolic health.
At the same time, rapid weight loss can lead to a loss of muscle mass. That's why it's important to combine weight loss with sufficient protein intake and regular strength training to help preserve muscle and metabolism over time.
The goal of sustainable weight loss is therefore not just a lower number on the scales, but improved body composition and better health in the long term.
Lose weight sustainably through small changes and physical activity
Sustainable weight loss is based on long-term lifestyle habits and small changes that can be maintained over time. The goal is to create a stable energy deficit while making sure your body gets enough nutrients, recovery and physical activity.
Protein-rich foods
Protein from foods such as fish, eggs, poultry, dairy products or pulses can help you feel fuller and preserve muscle mass during weight loss.
Fibre-rich foods
Vegetables, pulses and wholegrain foods can help support steadier blood sugar levels and improve feelings of fullness, which may make it easier to regulate appetite and reduce snacking.
Regular physical activity
Strength training helps preserve muscle mass and metabolism during weight loss, while everyday movement and cardiovascular exercise increase overall energy expenditure and support cardiovascular health.
Sleep and recovery
Sleep and recovery affect the body's hormonal systems involved in hunger and fullness. Regular sleep habits and sufficient recovery can therefore be important factors in long-term weight management.
Common methods for weight loss
There are many different methods for losing weight, including calorie counting, intermittent fasting, low-carb high-fat diets and low-GI diets. What most methods have in common is that they aim, in different ways, to reduce overall energy intake and create a long-term calorie deficit.
However, research shows that there is no single diet that works for everyone. The most sustainable strategy is usually one that works in everyday life and can be followed over time without creating unnecessary restrictions or stress around food.
For some people, more structured approaches, such as low-calorie diets for limited periods, may be an option as part of healthcare. For long-term results, however, weight loss usually needs to be combined with sustainable lifestyle habits, regular physical activity and good recovery.
Lose weight with medication
Medical treatment for weight loss works by affecting the body's systems involved in hunger, fullness and blood sugar regulation. Modern medicines, such as GLP-1-based treatments with semaglutide and tirzepatide, mimic the body's natural satiety hormones and can help reduce appetite, increase feelings of fullness and lower energy intake over time.
The treatment affects both gastric emptying and the appetite centres in the brain, which for many patients can reduce the constant focus on food and food cravings, sometimes described as "food noise". This can make it easier to establish and maintain healthy lifestyle habits over the long term.
Medication is used as medical support in the treatment of overweight and obesity and is combined with changes to diet, physical activity and lifestyle for the best possible long-term results.
Weight loss tablets
There are also medicines in tablet form available today for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and, in some cases, overweight. One example is Rybelsus, which contains the active ingredient semaglutide, the same substance used in Ozempic and Wegovy.
Semaglutide belongs to a group of medicines called GLP-1 receptor agonists and works by affecting the body's systems involved in hunger, fullness and blood sugar regulation. Treatment can help reduce appetite, increase feelings of fullness and support weight loss in some patients.
Tablet treatment requires good adherence for the medicine to be absorbed properly by the body. Rybelsus is usually taken daily on an empty stomach with a small amount of water, according to the instructions.
The choice of medicine and form of treatment is made following an individual medical assessment based on the patient's health, treatment goals and needs.
Why am I not losing weight?
It's common for weight loss to plateau after a while, even if your diet and exercise remain the same. The body gradually adapts to a lower energy intake by reducing energy expenditure and increasing signals associated with hunger and appetite, a process sometimes called metabolic adaptation.
As body weight decreases, the body also needs less energy than before. This means that an energy intake that previously resulted in weight loss may eventually become enough to maintain your weight.
Other common reasons why weight loss may stall include:
- Unintentional energy intake
Snacking, drinks containing calories or larger portion sizes than you realise can affect your overall energy intake. - Reduced everyday movement
When you're in an energy deficit, the body sometimes spontaneously reduces movement and physical activity, which can lower overall energy expenditure. - Not enough sleep and recovery
Sleep and recovery affect the body's hormonal regulation of hunger, fullness and energy balance.
Sustainable weight loss is therefore often about long-term lifestyle habits and patience rather than rapid changes on the scales.
Benefits of losing weight
Even moderate weight loss can provide significant health benefits. Studies show that losing around 5 to 10 per cent of your body weight can help improve blood pressure, blood sugar regulation and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
A reduction in abdominal fat is particularly associated with improved metabolic health, as visceral fat around the internal organs affects the body's hormonal and inflammatory systems.
Many people also experience improvements in everyday life, such as increased energy, better sleep, less strain on the joints and improved physical function. Weight loss can also help relieve weight-related conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnoea and joint pain.
The goal of treating overweight and obesity is therefore not simply a lower number on the scales, but improved health and quality of life over time.
How Yazen can help you lose weight
Yazen combines evidence-based medication with individual support from registered doctors and health coaches to treat overweight and obesity. Treatment is based on a comprehensive assessment of the patient's health, lifestyle habits and medical circumstances.
As a patient, you'll undergo a medical assessment that may include a health questionnaire, blood tests and a review of your medical history to determine which treatment is suitable and safe.
Yazen follows the principle of the lowest effective dose, with treatment tailored to each individual to achieve a good effect with the lowest possible risk of side effects. In addition to medication, patients receive support with diet, physical activity and long-term lifestyle habits through digital follow-up and ongoing contact with the healthcare team.
The goal is to create the right conditions for sustainable weight loss and improved health over time.
Frequently asked questions about losing weight (FAQ)
Do I have to exercise hard to lose weight?
No. Weight loss is primarily driven by a long-term energy deficit, which means diet often has the greatest impact on weight. It is therefore possible to lose weight without intense exercise.
Physical activity does, however, have many important health benefits and can make sustainable weight loss easier over time. Strength training in particular helps preserve muscle mass and metabolism during weight loss, while everyday movement and cardiovascular exercise contribute to increased energy expenditure and improved fitness.
The goal doesn't need to be intense exercise. Regular movement and activities that can be maintained over time are often more important for long-term health and weight management.
What foods are best for keeping me full while dieting?
Foods that are nutrient-rich and filling can make it easier to maintain an energy deficit over time. Protein-rich foods, such as fish, eggs, poultry, dairy products and pulses, can help you feel fuller while also helping to preserve muscle mass during weight loss.
Fibre-rich foods, such as vegetables, pulses and wholegrain foods, can also help you feel fuller for longer by affecting gastric emptying and blood sugar regulation.
A balanced diet containing protein, fibre and nutrient-rich foods can therefore make it easier to reduce hunger and snacking during weight loss.
How do I know what a healthy weight is for me to aim for?
A healthy weight isn't just about the number on the scales or a specific BMI. It's also about how your body functions and how you feel. Factors such as blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, physical fitness, sleep and quality of life are often more important measures of health than an exact target weight.
When treating overweight and obesity, the goal is usually to reduce body fat, particularly abdominal fat, while preserving muscle mass and physical function. Losing around 5 to 10 per cent of your body weight can already provide significant health benefits, such as improved blood sugar regulation and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
A sustainable and healthy weight is therefore usually one where your body functions well, medical risk factors improve and everyday life feels manageable over time.
Can stress and poor sleep prevent me from losing weight?
Yes. Stress and lack of sleep can affect the body's hormonal systems involved in hunger, fullness and energy balance, which in some cases can make weight loss more difficult.
Tiredness and stress also affect behaviours related to food and physical activity. For example, many people experience more snacking, stronger cravings for energy-dense foods and less motivation to exercise and recover during periods of high stress or insufficient sleep.
Sleep and recovery are therefore important parts of sustainable weight loss, alongside diet, physical activity and long-term lifestyle habits.
Why does medical weight loss work better than conventional diets?
Traditional diets often rely on the individual trying to resist hunger and restrict their energy intake over a long period. At the same time, overweight and obesity are influenced by biological systems that regulate hunger, fullness, energy expenditure and reward signals in the brain, which can make long-term weight loss difficult to maintain.
Modern weight loss medicines, such as GLP-1-based treatments, work by affecting these biological systems. Treatment can help reduce appetite, increase feelings of fullness and reduce food cravings, which for many patients makes it easier to follow healthy lifestyle habits over time.
Medication doesn't replace diet, physical activity or lifestyle changes, but it can provide medical support for people whose biological factors make weight loss particularly challenging.
Can you target fat burning and lose fat specifically around your stomach?
No. You can't target fat loss in specific areas of the body through particular exercises, such as sit-ups or abdominal exercises. When the body is in an energy deficit, fat loss occurs across the body as a whole, and where fat is lost first is largely influenced by genetic and hormonal factors.
Training a specific muscle group can strengthen and build muscle in that area, but it doesn't mean the body will burn fat from that specific area at the same time. Reducing abdominal fat instead requires a long-term combination of dietary changes, physical activity and sustainable lifestyle habits that lead to an overall reduction in body fat over time.
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