X-PERT Health

03/09/2026

📏 Is your waist less than half your height?

We’ve updated our blog on waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) – a simple measure that can provide useful information about fat stored around the middle and associated health risk.

The blog looks at:
🔹 Why weight and BMI don’t tell the whole story
🔹 What waist-to-height ratio can tell us
🔹 How to calculate yours
🔹 The simple “string test”
🔹 What you can do if your waist is more than half your height

The take-home message? Try to keep your waist size to less than half your height.

Read the newly updated blog: www.xperthealth.org.uk/x-pert-blogs/monitor-waist-to-height-ratio

01/09/2026

This September marks an important milestone in the X-PERT story.

It’s 20 years since the X-PERT clinical trial was published in Diabetic Medicine.

The X-PERT story began in 2000, and the publication of the randomised controlled trial in 2006 provided important evidence for the approach.

The study involved 314 adults with type 2 diabetes and found improvements across a range of clinical, lifestyle and psychosocial outcomes.

But looking back 20 years later, it’s also the thinking behind X-PERT that stands out.

Rather than simply telling people what they should do, X-PERT was designed to help people develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed decisions about their own health.

A lot has changed since 2006. That principle remains at the heart of X-PERT today.

To mark the anniversary, we’ve looked back at the original research, what it found and why its underlying approach still matters.

Read the full story: www.xperthealth.org.uk/x-pert-clinical-trial-20-years-on

25/08/2026

💪 Could building muscle help with type 2 diabetes management?

When we think about managing type 2 diabetes through lifestyle, diet and weight loss often come to mind first. But there’s another area that deserves attention: muscle.

Having more muscle can increase the body's capacity to store and use glucose, helping to reduce the amount left in the blood.

And building muscle doesn’t have to mean becoming a bodybuilder or spending hours in the gym. Everyday activities that make your muscles work against resistance can count too.

Our latest blog explores why muscle matters, alongside two other lifestyle approaches to managing type 2 diabetes.

🔗 Read the full blog: www.xperthealth.org.uk/x-pert-blogs/blog-treating-type-2-diabetes

24/08/2026

NEW in Version 3 of our Weight & Wellbeing Handbook....

What really causes hunger?

Have you ever found yourself reaching for food when you're not actually hungry?
Many of us eat for reasons that have nothing to do with our body's need for energy. Stress, boredom, emotions and daily habits can all influence when—and why—we eat.

Our new chapter, Causes of Hunger helps you understand the difference between:
✓ True hunger – when your body genuinely needs nourishment.
✓ Psychological hunger – when emotions, habits or cravings drive you to eat.

By recognising your own hunger triggers, you can make more mindful choices, reduce unnecessary snacking, and build healthier habits that last.

In Version 3 you'll discover practical strategies to:
✓ Identify your personal eating triggers
✓ Break unhelpful habits
✓ Understand the science behind hunger
✓ Support sustainable weight loss and long-term wellbeing

Available now www.xperthealth.org.uk/product/x-pert-weight-wellbeing-handbook-version-3

19/08/2026

NEW in Version 3 of our Weight & Wellbeing Handbook....

Managing Setbacks & Relapses.

Nobody's health journey is perfect. Missing a workout, overeating at the weekend, or slipping back into old habits doesn't mean you've failed—it means you're human.

The difference between long-term success and giving up isn't avoiding setbacks... it's knowing how to respond when they happen.

Our new chapter on Managing Setbacks & Relapses is designed to help you build resilience and keep moving forwards, even when life doesn't go to plan.

Inside, you'll discover practical strategies to:
✓ Recognise common relapse triggers
✓ Create an "If... Then..." plan for challenging situations
✓ Replace self-criticism with self-compassion
✓ Learn from setbacks instead of letting them derail your progress
✓ Get back on track with confidence

Discover more: www.xperthealth.org.uk/product/x-pert-weight-wellbeing-handbook-version-3

14/08/2026

Help shape the next X-PERT Diabetes Handbook!

We’re starting to gather ideas for a future update to the X-PERT Diabetes Handbook, and we’d love to hear from the people who use it.

What would make the handbook even more useful to you?
💡 Is there a topic you’d like us to cover in more detail?
💡 Something that could be explained differently?
💡 Or something you find particularly useful and would like us to keep?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below 👇

Our current X-PERT Diabetes Handbook remains available and in use throughout 2026, while we work behind the scenes on the next edition.

12/08/2026

Treating type 2 diabetes: is weight loss the whole story?

People with type 2 diabetes are often advised to lose weight. While this can be beneficial, it’s not the only lifestyle approach that may help.

In our latest blog, Dr Sean Wheatley, Science and Research Lead at X-PERT Health, explores three important areas:

Reducing body fat
Reducing carbohydrate intake
Increasing muscle mass

And it’s that third one that can sometimes be overlooked.

Read the latest blog to discover how these different approaches can help tackle some of the underlying causes of type 2 diabetes – and why they can be used together.

Read our blog: xperthealth.org.uk/x-pert-blogs/blog-treating-type-2-diabetes

10/08/2026

Why have we included a new chapter on GLP-1 medications in our latest Weight & Wellbeing programme handbook?

GLP-1 medications are becoming an increasingly important part of conversations around weight management.

While medication may support weight loss for some individuals, sustainable outcomes still depend on healthy eating, physical activity and long-term behaviour change.

That's why the updated X-PERT Weight & Wellbeing Handbook now includes a dedicated chapter exploring GLP-1 medications alongside practical lifestyle support.

Every revision has been made with one goal in mind: helping people to achieve sustainable improvements in their health and wellbeing.

🔗ORDER NOW: www.xperthealth.org.uk/product/x-pert-weight-wellbeing-handbook-version-3

28/07/2026

💪 Did you know your muscles are one of the biggest users of glucose in your body?

While weight loss remains a key part of managing type 2 diabetes, our latest blog explores why muscle health may deserve equal attention.

The proposed tri-cycle hypothesis builds on Professor Roy Taylor's twin cycle theory, suggesting that healthy skeletal muscle can help improve blood glucose management by increasing the body's ability to use glucose effectively.

The takeaway? Alongside healthy eating and weight management, activities that build and maintain muscle—such as resistance exercise—may have an important role in diabetes prevention and management.

Find out more in our latest blog.
📖 Read here: www.xperthealth.org.uk/x-pert-blogs/blog-the-tri-cycle-hypothesis

While weight loss remains a key part of managing type 2 diabetes, our latest blog explores why muscle health may deserve equal attention.