Search
How Laura lost 18kg after a diabetes diagnosis
Xyla’s NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is a free 12-week service for people living with obesity alongside diabetes or high blood pressure. Hear about Laura’s experience of the programme.
When Laura received a diabetes diagnosis in early 2024, she wanted to respond in a way that felt sustainable rather than overwhelming. She joined the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme the same month and approached it not as a set of instructions to follow, but as a toolkit she could adapt to her own life and circumstances.
Life before the programme
Laura knew what she wanted from the programme and what she didn’t. She had been wary, in the past, of anything that felt prescriptive around weight and was conscious that without being fully onboard the changes wouldn’t stick. The diabetes diagnosis gave her a reason to engage on her own terms and that sense of agency was something she carried through the twelve weeks.
She also lives alone and manages severe spinal pain, both of which shaped how she approached the programme. There was no one at home to negotiate meals with, which made dietary changes more straightforward, but her physical condition meant that conventional exercise wasn’t an option.
What the programme involved
A new approach to meals
Laura made substantial changes to her diet from the outset. She cut free sugar immediately to help manage her diagnosis, restructured her main meals around a 50% vegetables, 25% wholegrain carbohydrate and 25% protein balance, removed highly processed foods from her home and began cooking far more from scratch.
Coaching that felt personal
The coaching was important to her, particularly because she had chosen not to share the full picture with many people in her personal life. Having a coach who was consistently encouraging and who engaged with her progress as an individual rather than a case to manage, made a real difference to how she felt about the process.
Finding a way to move that worked
Movement was a different challenge. Given her spinal condition and chronic pain, Laura focused on what she called micro movements, small amounts of activity built into her day wherever possible. Her average daily step count more than doubled over the course of the programme, something she tracked through her smart watch.
Late in the programme, Laura experienced a setback when discovering low-calorie junk food triggered old habits around snacking. Rather than treating it as a failure, she identified the likely causes, went back through earlier programme modules and spoke openly with her coach about what had happened. She resolved the aspect she had most control over and moved on without losing sight of how far she had come.
“In the past, the voice of my inner critic has been fairly unforgiving […] Having another person to speak to, who is endlessly encouraging, really cemented the positivity of making these changes.”
Laura’s results at a glance
18kg lost, more than 10% of starting body weight
Long-term dietary changes sustained, including removing free sugar and highly processed foods
Evening blood sugar averaging 5.1, reduced testing from daily to weekly
Resilience when facing setbacks, identifying triggers and returning to the programme without losing progress
Average daily step count more than doubled
A realistic, self-directed approach to managing a new diabetes diagnosis
She described the programme’s approach as one of its greatest strengths, specifically the absence of judgement, no labelling of foods as bad and a pace that allowed each new habit to become embedded before the next was introduced.
“I can honestly say it’s been more than worth it. […] It promotes information and slowly and steadily creates a toolkit for lasting changes, at a pace that the user can tailor to their own lifestyle and circumstances.”
Could you be eligible?
The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is free. It’s available to adults who are 18 or over, have a BMI of 30 or above (or 27.5 or above if you’re from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background) and have a diagnosis of diabetes (type 1 or type 2) or high blood pressure.
If you’re ready to take the next step towards a healthier lifestyle, we’re here to help.
Visit our website to learn more about the support available, or speak to your GP or local pharmacist to check your eligibility and get referred to the programme.
Learn more about out Digital Adult Weight Management programme
Related case studies
Share this case study
Contact us
Have any questions about our services? Whether you’re wondering about how we can help your health goals, or assist your healthcare organisation, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch