Running small group weight loss support sessions

A small weight loss support group works with a fixed weekly time, a limited number of places, one theme per session and clear ground rules on confidentiality. Keep the group small enough that everyone can speak — six to ten around a table, for example — and structure each hour the same way: a short round of how the week went, a practical theme, then each person names one thing to try before next time. Offer groups as a lower-cost complement to one-to-one follow-ups, not a replacement for them, and let clients book each place online.

Changing habits is lonely. In a group, clients hear that others struggle with the same evening snacking, the same office cakes, the same family dinners, and they trade solutions that work in real life. The regular meeting also acts as a commitment: knowing you'll see the group on Thursday is a reason to keep going on Tuesday. For you, a group lets you support more people in the same hour and offer a lower price per session.

State them at the first session and remind new members: what's said in the group stays in the group; no comments on anyone's body or food choices; everyone can pass their turn; advice is shared as experience, not as instructions. Say also what the group isn't: not a medical service, not a place for extreme diets. Anyone with a health condition should keep their doctor or dietitian informed.

A quick round: one thing that went well, one that was hard. Keep it short and even — a timer helps — so the loudest voice doesn't take the hour.

Choose one practical topic per week and announce it in advance: planning meals for a busy week, eating out, handling weekends, reading labels, emotional eating, starting to move more, getting through holidays. Bring a short input, then open the discussion to the group's own experiences and tips.

End with each person naming one small action for the week. Write them down and open the next check-in with them.

Some weeks, someone arrives discouraged or stays silent. Don't put them on the spot in front of the group; check in briefly after the session, and suggest a one-to-one follow-up if they need more time than the group can give. If what they share goes beyond habits — low mood, signs of disordered eating — encourage them to see a health professional.

Public weigh-ins can motivate some and drive others away. If you offer weighing, do it privately before or after the session and never announce results to the group. Let members track other measures if they prefer: habits kept, energy, how clothes fit.

On Book, each service has a name, a price and an optional description shown on your public page. Create a group session service and open a weekly slot with a capacity equal to the number of places, repeated on the chosen weekday until a date. Each member books one place; when the group is full, the slot is hidden from your page, and the public page doesn't show how many places are left. Regular members can book several weeks ahead, or you can book them yourself from your calendar. Keep one-to-one services alongside, with their own slots.

Durations and prices are examples: set your own. In the service description, give the address, the ground rules in one line, and the theme calendar if you have one. Clients can't move bookings online: they contact you, you reschedule or cancel from your bookings list and tell them yourself, since Book doesn't email clients about changes. Book costs €5/month, everything included: unlimited services and bookings, no commission, no contract.