Weight Loss Isn’t Health

I’ve known for a long time that health and longevity aren’t built on weight alone — or even exercise alone. At The Chickpea Hub, the foundations of wellbeing are always the same: sleep first, then nourishment, then movement, alongside social connection, purpose and a sense of belonging. These are the factors most consistently linked to living a longer, healthier and happier life.

And yet, despite this understanding, weight loss has become the dominant measure of “health.” We’re surrounded by step counters, calorie trackers and wearable devices that promise better wellbeing if we just move more. This narrow focus is something I see reflected again and again in conversations with individuals and families who feel they’re “doing everything right” and still not feeling well. Brian MacKenzie, Andy Galpin and Phil White articulate this tension far better than I ever could in Unplugged.

Dr Andy Galpin

They describe how many people buy wearables with the best intentions — to lose weight, improve their quality of life and take control of their health. At first, it often works. Steps increase, weight drops and the technology feels like a success. But then comes the plateau: the point where simply walking more no longer leads to further weight loss.

That’s usually when frustration creeps in. People question the device, their motivation or their discipline. But as Unplugged makes clear, the deeper issue is this: we’ve reduced health to a single outcome — weight loss — and relied on a single strategy — low-intensity movement.

Some people hit their daily step targets consistently and then reward themselves with sugary snacks or drinks — probably knowingly, but potentially unknowingly undoing the energy deficit they’ve just created. Others move more but never change their nutrition, sleep habits, stress levels or muscle mass. In some cases, weight stays the same or even increases, leaving people feeling confused and defeated despite “doing everything right.”

This way of thinking is particularly visible in the UK. Around two-thirds of adults live with overweight or obesity, and health is often framed as a personal responsibility rather than the outcome of sleep deprivation, ultra-processed food environments, chronic stress, time poverty and limited support. At the same time, the weight-management industry continues to grow, reinforcing the idea that shrinking the body is the primary route to better health — despite poor long-term success rates.

What Unplugged highlights — and what aligns closely with how I work at The Chickpea Hub — is that fitness, strength and daily capacity matter more than the number on the scale. You can fall within a so-called “normal” weight range and still be unwell. Conversely, people living in larger bodies who are physically active and strong often have better long-term health outcomes than those who are thinner but sedentary.

The authors reference evidence showing that markers such as aerobic capacity and grip strength are stronger predictors of longevity than body weight, and in some cases even stronger than blood pressure alone. This reinforces something I return to often in my work: health is not something to micromanage or punish into submission, but something to build gradually through everyday habits.

Weight loss can be a meaningful goal, and sometimes a helpful outcome. But it is not the same thing as health. When we chase the scale instead of strength, energy, sleep quality and confidence around food, we risk missing the bigger picture. At The Chickpea Hub, the focus is always on what the body can do, how people feel day-to-day, and how food and routines can support life rather than dominate it.

As Unplugged so clearly argues, the most sustainable improvements often come not from fixating on weight, but from pursuing capacity, resilience and function — and allowing body composition to change, or not, as a secondary outcome.

Credit & Inspiration

This reflection is inspired by Unplugged by Brian MacKenzie, Andy Galpin and Phil White — a book that challenges the idea that weight loss equals health and reframes wellbeing around strength, fitness and human resilience.

Curious about a more holistic approach to nutrition?

At The Chickpea Hub, I support individuals and families who want to step away from weight-focused thinking and towards sustainable, everyday health.

My approach centres on the foundations explored here: sleep, nourishing food, movement, strength, routine and real life. There are no rigid plans or perfectionist rules — just practical, flexible support designed to fit around you and your family.

You’re very welcome to explore my services or get in touch to see whether this approach feels like the right fit.

Email:info@chickpeahub.co.uk