Weight is about far more than willpower. Stress, sleep, feelings, habits, health and the world around you all play a part. There are many ways to help, from tapping and mindful eating to gentle food and movement changes, and medical help when you need it. Pick what’s going on for you and we’ll show you where to start.
What’s going on for you?
Three things to try in the next ten minutes.
- Step 1 · Check what kind of hunger it is
The hunger check
Ask: when did I last eat, and is my stomach rumbling? If not, it may be a feeling, not hunger. Wait ten minutes.
- Step 2 · Tap on the craving
EFT Tapping
Rate the craving out of ten, then tap through the points while you name it. Rate it again.
- Step 3 · Get curious about it
Mindful eating
Notice where you feel the urge in your body and watch it rise and fall, like a wave.
Not quite right? See every method for weight loss
For when food has become the way you cope.
- Step 1 · Write down food and mood
Food and mood diary
For a week, note what you ate, when, and how you felt. Look for the pattern, not the calories.
- Step 2 · Make a comfort list
Comfort without food
Write five things that soothe you without food: a walk, a call, music, a bath. Try one first next time.
- Step 3 · Tap on the feeling underneath
EFT Tapping
Tap on the stress, boredom or sadness itself, not just the craving.
Not quite right? See every method for weight loss
Small, kind steps that add up.
- Step 1 · Pick two small goals
Small, steady goals
Write down your why, then pick two or three specific goals, such as a walk after lunch. Aim for slow and steady.
- Step 2 · Fill half your plate with plants
Filling, everyday food
Add vegetables, fruit, beans and whole grains rather than banning foods.
- Step 3 · Move in a way you enjoy
Movement you enjoy
Start with a daily walk and build up to 150 minutes a week.
Not quite right? See every method for weight loss
For when it is less about food and more about what is behind it.
- Step 1 · Eat without autopilot
Mindful eating
Slow down, put the fork down between bites and notice when you feel satisfied.
- Step 2 · Look at where it started
Inner Child Healing
Food as a reward or a comfort often begins in childhood. Gently meet that younger you.
- Step 3 · Get a proper check-up
See your doctor
A doctor can look for health causes and talk you through every option, including a dietitian.
Not quite right? See every method for weight loss
Every method for weight loss
Many alternative methods haven’t been studied much yet. That doesn’t mean they can’t help; it means there’s less evidence so far.
Tapping & energy work
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EFT Tapping
Tap on acupressure points while naming a feeling; in two trials it reduced food cravings. [6] [7]
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Thought Field Therapy
Problem-specific tapping sequences designed to reset an emotional reaction in minutes.
Mind, beliefs & emotional eating
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Mindful eating
Slow down and notice taste, fullness and urges; it reduced binge and emotional eating in studies. [8]
Guide soon
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The hunger check
Before you eat, pause and ask whether you are physically hungry or feeling something else. [5]
Guide soon
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Comfort without food
A short list of things that soothe you without food, such as a walk, music or calling a friend. [5]
Guide soon
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NLP
Neuro-Linguistic Programming techniques for changing patterns of thought, language and behaviour.
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Inner Child Healing
Reconnect with and re-parent your younger self to heal old wounds.
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Theta Healing
A meditative process for finding and replacing limiting beliefs.
Food, movement & habits
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Food and mood diary
Note what you eat, when and how you feel, to spot the link between mood and food. [5]
Guide soon
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Small, steady goals
Know your why, set two or three specific goals and aim for slow, steady change. [4]
Guide soon
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Filling, everyday food
More fruit, vegetables, pulses and whole grains; fewer sugary drinks and salty snacks. [2]
Guide soon
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Movement you enjoy
At least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, such as brisk walking, plus some strength work. [3]
Guide soon
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Intermittent fasting
Eating within set hours or on set days; in trials it worked about as well as other diets, not better. [9]
Guide soon
Conventional routes
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See your doctor
To check for health causes, review your medicines and discuss every option.
Guide soon
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A registered dietitian
A qualified food expert who can build a plan around your health, culture and budget.
Guide soon
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Weight-loss medicine (via a doctor)
Only on prescription, alongside healthy eating and activity; some weight usually returns when you stop. [11]
Guide soon
Coming soon: Hypnosis, Instant Self-Hypnosis, Visualisation, Psycho-Cybernetics, Meditation, Havening, Sedona Method, Qi Gong.
Learn more
About weight loss
What it is, why it happens and what helps. Contents:
- What affects your weight?
- How common is it?
- Emotional and comfort eating
- Quick help for a craving
- Why shame doesn’t help
- Does intermittent fasting work?
- Habits that help
- Eating disorders and pregnancy
- Conventional help
- Supporting someone
- FAQs
What affects your weight?
Weight is not simply about willpower. It comes from a mix of things around you, your body, your genes and your habits. [1]
Many places make healthy, affordable food hard to find and safe activity hard to fit in. The World Health Organization says tackling this is a shared responsibility, not only a personal one. [1]
Feelings matter too. Stress, boredom, tiredness and loneliness can all push us towards food. [5] That is why this page covers cravings, comfort eating and mindset as well as food and movement.
How common is it?
You are far from alone. In 2024, about 2.6 billion adults worldwide, 45% of all adults, were living with overweight. Of these, 940 million were living with obesity. [1]
Emotional and comfort eating
Emotional eating means eating to feel better rather than because you are hungry. It is often sweet, fatty foods, and it can follow stress, money worries, tiredness, conflict or boredom. Everyday hassles set it off more often than big events. [5]
The relief doesn’t last. Guilt can follow, and guilt can lead to more eating. [5] Breaking the cycle starts with kindness, not blame.
Physical or emotional hunger?
If you ate a few hours ago and your stomach isn’t rumbling, you are probably not physically hungry. Give the craving time to pass. [5]
Quick help for a craving
- Pause. Ask yourself whether you are hungry or feeling something else. [5]
- Tap on it. A round of EFT tapping on the craving takes about 10 minutes. In trials, tapping reduced food cravings. [6] Learn how.
- Get curious. Notice where you feel the urge in your body and how it changes. Mindfulness has helped people with emotional eating. [8]
- Do something else for ten minutes. Walk, call a friend or put on music. [5]
- If you still want it, have some. Eat it slowly and enjoy it. Strict bans can make cravings stronger. [5]
Why shame doesn’t help
Being judged for your weight is hurtful, and research shows it backfires. Studies link weight stigma with more binge eating, avoiding exercise and putting off seeing a doctor. [13]
So be on your own side. Talk to yourself as you would to a friend. After a slip, forgive yourself and start again the next day. [5]
Does intermittent fasting work?
Intermittent fasting means eating only within set hours, such as 8 hours a day, or eating very little on set days.
A 2026 Cochrane review pulled together 22 trials with nearly 2,000 people. Fasting may make little or no difference to weight loss compared with standard diet advice, and the evidence is low in certainty. [9] A year-long trial found the same: adding a time window to a lower-calorie diet did not lead to clearly more weight loss. [10]
So it is not magic, but some people find a time window easier than counting. If it suits you, it is one option among many. Talk to a doctor first if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have diabetes, take regular medicines or have had an eating disorder.
Habits that help
- Know your why. Write down your reasons and keep them where you can see them. [4]
- Go slow. Losing about 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kg) a week makes you more likely to keep it off. [4]
- Small losses count. Losing just 5% of your weight can improve blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar. [4]
- Add before you take away. Aim for at least 400 g of fruit and vegetables a day, and cut back on sugary drinks and foods. [2]
- Move most days. Build up to at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, with strength work twice a week. [3]
- Reward yourself without food. Celebrate progress with something you enjoy. [4]
- Be patient. In one UCL study, new habits took 66 days on average to feel automatic. Missing a day didn’t undo the progress. [15]
Eating disorders and pregnancy
Eating disorders are serious illnesses that can be life-threatening. They can affect people of any age, sex or body weight, and people who look healthy can be very ill. [12]
Warning signs include eating large amounts in a short time and feeling out of control, eating in secret, feeling ashamed or guilty about eating, very strict dieting, making yourself sick, using laxatives or exercising too much. [12] If this sounds like you, please see a doctor before trying any weight-loss method. Eating disorders can be treated, and early help matters. [12]
Pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding? Don’t start a weight-loss plan on your own. Your doctor or midwife will help you set healthy weight goals, often with a dietitian. [14] Weight-loss medicines must not be used in pregnancy or when planning one. [11]
Conventional help
A doctor can check for health causes, look at any medicines that affect weight, and talk you through your options. A registered dietitian can help you build an eating plan that fits your life. Support from health professionals is part of the CDC’s advice on losing weight. [4]
Weight-loss medicines are only an option through a doctor. They may be offered to adults with a BMI of 30 or more, or 27 or more with a condition such as type 2 diabetes. They work best with healthy eating and activity, and most people regain some weight when they stop. [11] Never buy them online without a prescription.
If emotional eating feels out of your control, a therapist can help you understand it and build new ways to cope. [5] Many people combine conventional help with the alternative methods on this page.
Supporting someone
Don’t comment on their body or what is on their plate, even kindly. Shame tends to make things worse. [13] Instead, suggest things you can do together, such as a walk or cooking a meal. If you notice signs of an eating disorder, gently encourage them to see a doctor. [12]
Frequently asked questions
Does tapping help with weight loss?
Tapping has been shown to reduce food cravings in two trials. In the larger, later trial it worked as well as CBT for cravings, but weight itself didn’t change. [6] [7] It may be most useful alongside food and movement changes.
Is intermittent fasting better than other diets?
Probably not. A Cochrane review found it gives about the same weight loss as standard diet advice. [9] It may still suit some people.
How fast should I lose weight?
About 1 to 2 pounds (0.5 to 1 kg) a week. Slow and steady is more likely to last. [4]
What about hypnosis?
Hypnosis is popular for cravings. Our full guide is coming soon.
When should I see a doctor?
Before you start, if you have a health condition, take regular medicines, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are losing weight without trying. See one too if you think you might have an eating disorder. [12]
The best videos on weight loss
Hand-picked and checked one by one: explainers, guided tapping, mindful eating and movement.
Understand it
Tap through cravings
Eat mindfully
Move more
Videos are chosen by Self Help Supermarket and hosted on YouTube by their creators. They are for information and are not a substitute for professional care.
Books on weight loss
Free resources
Experts to follow
Get help
See a doctor before making big changes if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a health condition or take regular medicines, if you are losing weight without trying, or if you think you might have an eating disorder.
This hub is for information, not a substitute for medical or psychological care.
Sources
- World Health Organization, Obesity and overweight: fact sheet
- World Health Organization, Healthy diet: fact sheet
- World Health Organization, Be healthy: physical activity
- CDC, Steps for losing weight
- Mayo Clinic, Weight loss: gain control of emotional eating
- Stapleton, Sheldon, Porter & Whitty (2011), A randomised clinical trial of a meridian-based intervention for food cravings with six-month follow-up, Behaviour Change 28(1)
- Stapleton et al. (2016), Food for thought: a randomised controlled trial of Emotional Freedom Techniques and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in the treatment of food cravings, Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being 8(2)
- Katterman et al. (2014), Mindfulness meditation as an intervention for binge eating, emotional eating, and weight loss: a systematic review, Eating Behaviors 15(2)
- Garegnani et al. (2026), Intermittent fasting for adults with overweight or obesity, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
- Liu et al. (2022), Calorie restriction with or without time-restricted eating in weight loss, New England Journal of Medicine 386(16)
- NIDDK (US National Institutes of Health), Prescription medications to treat overweight and obesity
- NIMH (US National Institutes of Health), Eating disorders: what you need to know
- American Psychological Association, Monitor on Psychology (2022), on the research into weight stigma and health
- Mayo Clinic, Pregnancy and obesity: know the risks
- UCL News (2009), How long does it take to form a habit? (Lally et al.)
Last reviewed 25 October 2026 by the Self Help Supermarket editorial team. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.