Blog

Weight Loss Programmes – How is Slimming Medics different?

7th May 2020 by Slimming Medics

Firstly, you will see a fully qualified doctor with years of training and experience whom you’ll see on a confidential one-to-one basis, plus we are regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Secondly, we do not promote starvation diets as these can lead to yo-yoing. Our programmes will allow you to eat between 1300 – 1500 calories a day, which with the help of appetite suppressants, is quite manageable. We aim to help you develop good eating and drinking habits, but recognise that we all enjoy the occasional meal out, a few drinks with friends and the odd weekend away, party or wedding.

Thirdly, we don’t promote the latest fad in juices, shakes or expensive diet meals, but encourage you to prepare your own healthy meals and to eat regularly which leads to gradual, consistent weight loss. We’ve seen it work hundreds of times.

To find out more, call or text us on 07775 940255. You can also contact our Reading clinic on 0118 9680811 or High Wycombe clinic on 01494 611096.

5 Tips to Jump-Start Your Summer Weight-Loss

13th April 2021 by Daniela Jacques

Eat breakfast – To get your metabolism in gear as early as possible and burn more calories.
Move more – Whatever exercise you fancy, lockdown restrictions are easing and the weather is improving (unsure emoji) NOW is the time to ease into a more active lifestyle.
Change up the takeaway – We all know the greasy and carby varieties are no good for weigh-loss. Find new, lighter options such as Japanese or Thai, which you can enjoy and feel much less guilty about.
Glug Water – Water is magical! It stops hunger pangs and helps you limit your food intake. This is on top of keeping you hydrated and healthy!
Get Spicy – Hot peppers and chillies contain capsaicin, which is linked to weight loss. So it is time to put a little extra kick into your cooking.

Obesity Key to Covid Toll

15th March 2021 by Daniela Jacques

Hundreds of thousands of Covid 19 deaths could have been avoided if obesity had been tackled was the comment in late February 2021 of the World Obesity Federation.(WOF).

9 in 10 Covid-19 deaths are linked to obesity in those countries with high obesity rates. This includes the UK which has the world’s third-highest death rate and the fourth highest obesity rate. The report says the death rate is 10 times higher in countries where half or more of the population is overweight. Compare the death rates of the UK to that of Vietnam. 2.2 million of the 2.5 million deaths so far were in countries with high levels of obesity.

Quick Guide to GI

12th March 2021 by Slimming Medics

Find out what the GI is and how it can help you to make healthier diet choices.

GI – Stands for Glycemic Index. The GI ranks food by how quickly the carbohydrates they contain are broken down. The rate at which carbohydrates break down (are digested) affects how quickly blood sugar levels rise.

Low to Hight GI

Low GI Foods: 0-55 – produces a gradual release of sugar.
Medium GI Foods: 56–69 – produces a moderate release of sugar.
High GI Foods: 70-100 produces a rapid release of sugar.

Low GI Foods	High GI Foods
Beans/legumes	White Bread
Vegetables	White Rice
Most Fruits	Potatoes

Several factors affect whether a food ranks high or low on the index. These include, how refined the carbohydrate is, the type of sugars it contains, it’s nutrient content and whether the food is cooked or raw. With fruit, its ripeness is also a factor.

Low GI foods are digested more slowly, helping you feel fuller for longer. The gradual release of sugars can help energy levels remain more constant and prevent rapid peaks of blood sugars.

A Handy Tool

The GI only indexes foods containing carbohydrates and it can sometimes fail to reflect a food’s overall healthiness. Some fruits and vegetables rank higher than chocolate. This is because the fat and protein in the chocolate slows down the absorption of the carbohydrates.

Familiarising yourself with where foods sit on the index can help you make healthier choices. Low GI foods, unsurprisingly, are largely obviously healthy – Most fruits and vegetables are low on the GI index. Beans and pulses and nuts are also low and provide a good source of protein.

Starchy foods will naturally rank higher on the index and too many carbs can sabotage your weight-loss. But we all need a certain amount of carbohydrates for energy and cutting out carbs completely is a very hard slog. Choosing complex, low GI carbohydrates over refined ones will be better for when you are watching what you eat.

The GI index can be a handy tool when deciding between certain foods like deciding on your bread for a sandwhich. Choosing wholewheat sourdough over a baguette will give you a slower release of energy and help you feel fuller for longer.

	GI
Soya and Linseed	(36)
Whole Wheat	(49)
Sourdough Wheat	(54)
Wholemeal	(74)
Sliced White	(80)
Baguette	(95)

Example – Bread

To read more on GI visit this information in our Patient Section.

For help and support on your weight-loss journey Request a Call-back

Keto Craze – Just Another High Protein Diet?

31st January 2021 by Daniela Jacques

In the last few years, there has been a growing following of the Ketogenic Diet. After seeing it everywhere from glossies to Facebook, it got me thinking maybe the new Keto Craze could work for me but is it just another low protein diet?

Low protein diets have been popular for at least 40 years. Every ten years or so a new diet tribe hails there regime as working where nothing else has.

I have often been amazed by the weight-loss results of friends who have followed different high-protein or low-carb diets. Whether it be the Atkins, The Dukan or the newest Ketogenic. After enviously admiring how great they look, I’ve rushed out to get whichever book. Unfortunately, it has never really got further than that for me.

But Do Low Protein Diets Work?

There is a lot of research to suggest that a higher-protein diet will help overweight and obese people to lose weight. Part of the science behind success is hormones. Hunger signals to the brain are largely controlled by hormones and upping your protein intake can change the levels of the hormones responsible.
It also takes more energy to metabolise and digest proteins. This is termed a high ‘thermic effect’. So, protein calories are more efficient for losing weight and keeping you feeling full.

So What Is The Keto Diet?

The Ketogenic diet is actually a very low carbohydrate and high-fat diet. It was developed a hundred years ago as a treatment for epilepsy. Following this strict diet was found to trigger a biochemical process in the body ’Ketosis’, which could reduce seizers in people with epilepsy.

Ketosis happens when the body is forced to override its natural use of carbohydrates for energy. By replacing most carbohydrates intake with fat the body starts to use fat instead, it can also help speed up the use of body’s fat stores.

The Ketogenic diet gaining popularity in the mainstream may be surprising. It takes a very high level of commitment, especially in the beginning when trying to trigger ketosis in the body. Which will be hard for many people to follow or maintain long-term.

Sometimes I have wished I had the dedication and organisation needed to follow these diets. Of course, all weight loss takes some dedication. However, I’ve accepted that complicated meal planning with lots of rules and restrictions is just more than I can get my head around let alone integrate into my life. I’ve learnt that diets don’t work for me.

Deep down I know what I need to do – move more, eat less and have a balanced diet. I also know if I can summon a fraction of the will-power and focus it takes to follow an extreme diet, I will be well on my way!

Losing weight is tough, but there is help

10th November 2020 by Slimming Medics

You would like to lose some weight, but you are struggling to find the time with balancing looking after the kids, running the house and working, you just can’t put the effort in.

There is help, Slimming Medics offer a doctor led weight loss programme in Reading Berkshire and High Wycombe. By working with our fully qualified doctor we can help manging your weight loss using our unique and established programme. It’s simple and easy to use, if you are worried have any questions just contact us as we here to help, you are only a phone call away from a new you.

About Us

Based in Reading and High Wycombe, Slimmingmedics are one of only sixty specialist doctor led weight-loss clinics in the UK, regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and members of the Obesity Management Association (OMA). With years of experience, we have helped hundreds of people like you become the persons they want to be.