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Health Coach in Weight Loss: How They Can Help You

Written by healthwords.ai's team of doctors and pharmacists based in UK | Updated: 08 Jan 2026 | 3 min read

Weight loss is a complex journey that often requires more than a singular solution. While medications and diet adjustments play crucial roles in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight, the incorporation of a health coach can elevate the effectiveness of the overall strategy.

In this article, we'll explore why the combination of a health coach, particularly through Liva Healthcare, alongside medication surpasses the outcomes of using medication or diet alone. Liva puts a dedicated health coach in your pocket, offering ongoing support, motivation, and guidance. We'll delve into the evidence supporting this approach and explain why Healthwords.ai has chosen to partner with Liva for their unique and effective health coaching services.

The Limitations of Solo Approaches

A. Medication alone

While medications like Wegovy show promising results in promoting weight loss, relying solely on medication has limitations. Medications may address physiological aspects of weight regulation but often fall short of addressing the behavioural and lifestyle factors contributing to weight gain. A comprehensive weight loss strategy should consider both physiological and behavioural aspects.

Studies, such as the SCALE Obesity and Prediabetes trial, highlight the efficacy of Wegovy in inducing weight loss, but sustained success often requires addressing broader lifestyle factors.

B. Diet alone

On the other hand, adopting a diet-centric approach may lead to initial weight loss, but it may be challenging to maintain over the long term. Diets often neglect the importance of behavioural change and personalised guidance, crucial elements for sustaining weight loss.

Long-term adherence to restrictive diets is challenging, as demonstrated by the high relapse rates observed in studies like the DIETFITS trial.

The Role of a Health Coach

A. Behavioral support

A health coach plays a pivotal role in providing personalised behavioural support that goes beyond what medication or diet plans alone can offer. They address the root causes of weight gain, helping individuals develop sustainable habits and coping mechanisms. Research in the Journal of General Internal Medicine suggests that interventions involving health coaches significantly improve weight-related outcomes by focusing on behaviour change.

B. Accountability and motivation

Health coaches offer ongoing support, accountability, and motivation, crucial elements for maintaining consistency in a weight loss journey. This personalised approach fosters a sense of commitment and empowerment. A meta-analysis in the Journal of Medical Internet Research indicates that interventions with coaching components are associated with greater weight loss and adherence compared to interventions without coaching.

The Evidence-Based Advantage of Combined Approaches

A. Enhanced weight loss outcomes

Combining a health coach with medication has demonstrated superior weight loss outcomes in a program, like the Healthwords.ai x Wegovy weight loss program, compared to solo approaches. The synergy between behavioural support and physiological interventions contributes to sustained success. Research published in Obesity Reviews suggests that combining medication with behavioural interventions leads to more significant weight loss compared to medication or behavioural alone.

B. Improved adherence

The personalised guidance provided by a health coach enhances adherence to medication and lifestyle changes. This integrative approach addresses barriers to adherence, fostering a more holistic and sustainable weight loss journey.