We’ve most likely all heard of GLP-1s, but what exactly are these ‘weight loss injections’? For our final Weight Loss 360° podcast episode of the series, Dr Anju Verma speaks to Helen to demystify these treatments and give us the facts.

She tells us what GLP-1s are, how they work in the body, who they are suitable for, and what side effects are commonly experienced.

Dr Anju Verma is Clinical Lead for Weight Loss and Menopause Advisor at Boots Online Doctor. She is SCOPE certified (international gold standard for obesity management) and a member of the Association for the Study of Obesity.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars

Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Dr Sam Wellappili
In-house nutritionist: Ruth Taylor
Special Guest: Dr Anju Verma
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Sam and Helen delve into what it might mean to take a break from your weight loss journey. They reveal the advantages of allowing yourself to relax a little, enjoy celebrations and festivities, and take stock of the changes you’ve been making.

Whether for a special weekend, a family occasion or even a holiday, they advise on how you can plan for a break and approach it mindfully, get the most out of it, and – most importantly – feel secure in getting back on track and returning to your new lifestyle habits at the end of it. Dr Sam is Lead GP for Lifestyle Medicine at Boots Online Doctor, as well as a coach and mentor, author, and nutritional and yoga therapist.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars

Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Dr Sam Wellappili
In-house nutritionist: Ruth Taylor
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Producer: Oli Seymour
Executive Producer: Izzie Clarke
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

Boots Online Doctor offers access to confidential, expert advice and prescription treatment, all without the need for an appointment or trip to the doctor.

Access to treatment is subject to an online questionnaire reviewed by a clinician to assess suitability. Subject to availability. Charges apply.

The Boots Online Doctor Service is provided by Boots Digital Health, company number 12561320, with registered address 1 Thane Road West, Nottingham, England, NG2 3AA. Boots Digital Health is registered with the Care Quality Commission with Provider ID 1-10153778719.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Self-sabotage, getting in your own way, excuses. We all do it, and it’s often part and parcel of a long-term weight loss journey. That’s why we’re bringing you this episode, to help you identify the obstacles you might be facing and ways to manage them. And to remind you that it’s not just you – most people will experience hiccups along the way.

In this final episode, host Helen Thorn will be joined by our original co-hosts: Boots Online Doctor’s Dr Sam and nutritionist Ruth. Together, they’ll discuss common obstacles people experience, and how to overcome them. They’ll also explore how things like blood sugar balance and pathways in the brain can hinder and help our efforts to stay on track. Finally, they’ll talk about weight loss plateaus: what they are, how they happen and what to do about them.

Dr Sam is Lead GP for Lifestyle Medicine at Boots Online Doctor, as well as a coach and mentor, author, and nutritional and yoga therapist. Ruth Taylor is a BANT nutritionist and registered nurse, who works alongside Sam on the Boots Online Doctor weight loss team.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars

Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Food and mood diary https://tinyurl.com/food-mood-diary

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Dr Sam Wellappili
In-house nutritionist: Ruth Taylor
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Producer: Oli Seymour
Executive Producer: Izzie Clarke
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

Timecodes:

00:00 Welcome to Weight Loss 360°

00:30 Meet the experts

01:04 Intro to today’s topic

01:50 Common obstacles

04:49 Being aware of your blood sugar balance

06:38 Remembering your ‘why’

07:30 Weight loss plateaus

09:01 Focusing on different markers of success

10:48 How self-sabotage happens

14:38 How to reduce cravings and snacking

18:42 Top tips for success

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a lot of attention on what we eat during a weight loss journey, but less talked about is the role alcohol can play. In this week’s bonus short, Dr David Gwynne joins Helen once more to discuss the variety of ways drinking can impact our weight loss efforts.

Dr David takes us through what alcohol is, the way it works in the body, and the influence it can have on our decision-making and healthy lifestyle choices. Helen and David also discuss the joys of waking up without a hangover, and how socialising can still be fun without the booze.

Dr David Gwynne is a GP and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Boots Online Doctor.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars
Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Dr Sam Wellappili
In-house nutritionist: Ruth Taylor
Special guest: Dr David Gwynne
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Water, fizzy drinks, wine, juice. When it comes to drinks, there’s so much choice out there and it can be overwhelming. That’s why we wanted to dedicate a whole episode to hydration and why it’s a more important factor in our weight loss journey than we might think.

This week, our host Helen will sit down with Dr Sam as always and Dr David Gwynne from Boots Online Doctor to talk all things hydration. They’ll deep dive into how staying hydrated helps with weight loss, and what to consider when drinking (spoiler alert: not all drinks are created equal). Plus, get tips and advice on increasing your water intake.

Dr Sam is Lead GP for Lifestyle Medicine at Boots Online Doctor, as well as a coach and mentor, author, and nutritional and yoga therapist. Dr David is a GP and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at Boots Online Doctor.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars

Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Food and mood diary: https://tinyurl.com/food-mood-diary

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Dr Sam Wellappili
Special guest: Dr David Gwynne
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Producer: Oli Seymour
Executive Producer: Izzie Clarke
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

Timecodes:

00:00 Welcome to Weight Loss 360°
00:14 Meet the experts
01:08 Intro to today’s topic
01:47 What to consider when hydrating our bodies
02:26 The problem with diet drinks
04:14 How does hydration help with weight loss?
06:03 How to increase your water intake
07:17 Let’s talk about tea and coffee
10:01 Helen’s journey with hydration
12:11 Helen’s tips for staying hydrated
13:30 How to stay on track when you’re socialising
15:57 Understanding drink labels
17:06 A word about alcohol
18:17 Top tips for success

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this bonus short episode, Dr Sam and Helen talk all about how finding a simple daily gratitude practice can have enormous benefits for your mindset, wellbeing and weight loss journey.

We can all find it hard to feel grateful at times, especially when struggling with something like health or weight management. Helen and Dr Sam break it down and offer guidance on how to get started, and Helen shares her own tips and experiences of using this tool on her weight loss journey.

Dr Sam is Lead GP for Lifestyle Medicine at Boots Online Doctor, as well as a coach and mentor, author, and nutritional and yoga therapist.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:
Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars
Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Ruth Taylor
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Producer: Oli Seymour
Executive Producer: Izzie Clarke
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever felt like how you’re feeling affects your weight loss efforts? That’s because it does. Stress, mental health and mood can all impact our weight in different ways, and it’s important to remember it’s normal and you’re not alone.

This week, our host Helen Thorn and resident co-host Dr Sam will be joined by Dr Neera Dholakia, the lead mental health specialist at Boots Online Doctor. Together, they’ll explore how stress affects us and impacts our weight, as well as how food affects our gut and what it does to the brain. Plus, they’ll share tips and advice for managing short and long-term stress, and what we can do to support ourselves on the weight loss journey. Because it’s not just about the physical.

Dr Sam is Lead GP for Lifestyle Medicine at Boots Online Doctor, as well as a coach and mentor, author, and nutritional and yoga therapist. Dr Neera is Lead GP for Depression & Anxiety at Boots Online Doctor, as well as a safeguarding expert. Dr Neera is also clinical governance trustee for mental health and addiction charity We Are With You.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars

Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Food and mood diary: https://tinyurl.com/food-mood-diary


Mediterranean diet information: https://tinyurl.com/med-diet-info

Core meal plan: https://tinyurl.com/core-meal-plan

Progressive muscle relaxation hand out here from the NHS: https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Progressive-muscle-relaxation.pdf

The Holistic Anxiety Handbook by Dr Samantha Wellappili: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Holistic-Anxiety-Handbook-Step-Step/dp/173933504X

Your Better Mental Wellbeing podcast: https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/podcasts/your-better-mental-wellbeing/

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn

Co-host: Ruth Taylor

Special guest: Dr Neera Dholakia

Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams

Producer: Oli Seymour

Executive Producer: Izzie Clarke

Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

Timecodes:

00:00 Welcome to Weight Loss 360°

00:19 Meet the experts

00:46 Intro to today’s topic

01:56 Helen’s experience with mental health and food

04:07 The gut-brain connection

07:23 A word on inflammation

10:52 What happens when we’re stressed

13:51 The link between mental health and obesity

16:33 Using a food and mood diary

20:40 The importance of relaxation

23:45 How to manage negative thoughts

26:33 How to break the cycle of stress in food and weight management

29:22 Top tips for success

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’ve all heard the term ‘sleep apnoea’ doing the rounds, but what does it really mean? And what does it have to do with weight and weight loss?

Helen is joined in this bonus short episode by sleep specialist Dr Mark Perera, who tells us exactly what sleep apnoea is, who might be affected, and what you can do about it. He explains how being overweight can increase your chances of experiencing this condition, and just how beneficial achieving a healthier weight can be for your sleep and overall health.

Dr Mark Perera is a GP and Men’s Health and Sleep Medicine Lead at Boots Online Doctor.

Free resources from Boots Online Doctor:

Weekly live webinars on weight loss from our friendly, expert team https://tinyurl.com/WL-webinars

Online 10-week weight loss programme https://onlinedoctor.boots.com/weight-loss/10-week-weight-loss-programme/

Credits:

Host: Helen Thorn
Co-host: Ruth Taylor
Special guest: Dr Mark Perera
Boots Online Doctor Producer: Leah Sienna Williams
Producer: Oli Seymour
Executive Producer: Izzie Clarke
Music composed by: Leah Sienna Williams

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.