Being a healthy weight is one of the most important things you can do for your blood pressure. Losing weight doesn’t need to feel like a struggle, even losing a small amount, 5 or 10% of your body weight, can make a big difference, and there’s lots of simple changes you can make to get started.
How does losing weight help lower your blood pressure? If you are overweight, losing weight will lower your blood pressure because your heart doesn't have to work so hard to pump the blood around your body. It lowers your risk of many other health problems, including stroke, diabetes and heart disease, and can make you feel better too, giving you more energy to do the things you want to.
How do you know if you’re a healthy weight? Your doctor or nurse will be able to talk to you about whether you’re a healthy weight or not and give you ideas to get it under control. Your BMI and your waist circumference are both good measures of whether you are a healthy weight, and you can check these for yourself as well by using an online calculator.
What your BMI means Less than 18.5 - Considered underweight and you may need to gain weight 18.5 - 24.9 - You are in the healthy range. 25 - 29.9 - This is considered overweight and losing weight will help you lower your blood pressure 30 - 35 - this is considered obese. Losing weight will definitely improve your health over 35 - This is considered very obese. You should visit your doctor for a health check.
Your waist circumference A waist circumference of 94cm (37in) or more in men, and 80cm (31.5in) in women is linked to a higher risk of health problems. Simply use a tape measure to measure around the narrowest part of your waist, just above your tummy button.
How to lose weight healthily The calories in your food and drink give your body the energy and nutrients it needs. Weight gain is generally caused by eating and drinking more calories than you burn off, as the extra energy is stored as fat. Our modern lifestyles don’t help, as they often involve sitting for many hours a day, commuting, and eating cheap, convenient foods which tend to be high in fat and sugar.
Make small changes you can stick to Make small changes to what you eat and how active you are so that you can keep them going for life. It’s more about changing your lifestyle for the long term than going on a diet.
Pay attention to what you're eating It’s very easy to take on calories without really thinking about it, but it takes a lot of time and effort to burn off the same amount.
Be careful of high fat foods Eating too many high-fat foods or foods with lots of added sugar can lead to weight gain and make it harder to lose weight. By making healthier choices you won’t necessarily need to eat less and some simple swaps can make a real difference.
Make simple swaps If you drink sugar-sweetened drinks, swap them for water which you flavour naturally – try adding fruit such as lemon, orange or pineapple, or cucumber and mint, to save on unnecessary calories. Or swap crisps for home-made unsalted popcorn.
Eat more fiber Most of us don’t eat enough fiber, which is contained in fruit, veg, pulses and wholemeal and wholegrain foods. High fiber foods take longer to digest than sugary or refined foods so you will feel fuller for longer.