The NHS has a number of free exercise videos that people can use to boost their weight loss
10:36, 26 Jan 2026Updated 10:36, 26 Jan 2026
The NHS workouts have been created by fitness experts (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
People could lose weight without signing up for a gym using a little-known NHS plan. While fitness fans might already know the NHS website offers lots of advice for people looking to lead a healthy life, it’s not just healthy eating tips and recipes that are available.
The NHS fitness studio includes a series of videos that people can view online for free. With a range of workouts available, people can choose from aerobic, strength and resistance, and pilates and yoga videos. There are 23 instructor-led videos created by a fitness expert, and the workouts range from ten to forty-five minutes – meaning people can choose exercise from home without forking out for a gym membership.
Created by InstructorLive, each video lists the workout’s intensity and gives an overview of what’s involved. The video offers a visual demonstration, and an audio description is available.
Working out consistently can help people lose weight and tone up. The NHS explains: “There are exercises to tone your abs, raise your heart rate, and tone your upper arms.
“You will also find workouts suitable for new mums, such as postnatal yoga, or health problems, such as pilates for back pain. Plus, there’s the Wake up workout, Vinyasa flow yoga, and Belly dancing for beginners to get you moving.”
There are over twenty vides to choose from (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
Being physically active could help people lead healthier, happier lives. The NHS explains: “Exercise can reduce your risk of major illnesses, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and cancer, and lower your risk of early death by up to 30%.”
As such, the NHS shares physical activity guidelines for people of all ages. For adults aged 19 to 64, it is recommended to:
- Do some type of physical activity every day
- Do strengthening activities that work all major muscle groups at least two days a week
- Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week
- Reduce time spent sitting down and break up long periods of inactivity with movement
People can complete the workouts at home or at the gym (stock photo)(Image: Getty)
If you’re looking to lose weight, healthy eating is an important part of your plan. The NHS explains: “You’re likely to put on weight if you eat and drink more calories than you use. This is because your body stores the extra energy as fat.”
The number of calories you need each day may be different based on your age, weight, height, and exercise schedule. Typically, an average man needs 2,500kcal a day and an average woman needs 2,000kcal a day.
The NHS says the average person should aim to reduce their daily calorie intake by about 600kcal if they are trying to lose weight, so 1,900kcal for men and 1,400kcal for women.