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Weight management courses based on Australian guidelines

Six practical courses on energy balance, meal planning, cravings, emotional eating and keeping weight steady, built on the five food groups rather than quick fixes.

  • 6 courses
  • Tools in every course
  • Certificate included

The first of the Australian Dietary Guidelines is about weight: be physically active and choose amounts of nutritious food and drinks to meet your energy needs. In Australia, energy is shown in kilojoules (kJ) on the Nutrition Information Panel. One discretionary serve, such as 2 to 3 sweet biscuits or a 375 mL can of soft drink, is about 600 kJ, so regular swaps from discretionary choices to the five food groups can add up over a few weeks.

Our courses explain how energy balance works, how to plan meals and portions with serves, why cravings and emotional eating happen, and how to stay on track after the first few months. You will not find rapid weight-loss promises, very low energy plans or before-and-after photos here. Bodies respond differently, so the focus is on habits you can keep, not on a number by a set date.

Some people should talk to their GP before trying to lose weight, including anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, living with diabetes or kidney disease, with a BMI of 40 or more, or with a past or current eating disorder. Questions about prescription weight-loss medicines also belong with your GP.

All weight management courses

Focused

Weight Management

Calorie Deficit Explained

Energy balance made clear: estimate your needs in kJ, plan a gentle deficit and track progress without crash dieting.

  • 2 hours
  • 4 tools
  • 6 modules
A$27.99Buy
Focused

Weight Management

Meal Planning for Weight Loss

Steady, realistic meal planning for a healthier weight: a 7-day planner, portion plate, shopping list and snack swaps. No crash diets.

  • 2 hours
  • 5 tools
  • 6 modules
A$32.99Buy
Focused

Weight Management

Emotional Eating and Weight Loss

Understand your triggers and respond differently, with a trigger journal, urge-surfing card and weekly reflections. No diets, no kJ counting.

  • 2 hours 20 min
  • 5 tools
  • 7 modules
A$32.99Buy
Foundation

Weight Management

Understanding Food Cravings

Understand your cravings and respond calmly, with a craving log, a craving type checker, delay cards and satisfying swaps.

  • 1 hour 10 min
  • 4 tools
  • 5 modules
A$19.99Buy
Focused

Weight Management

Healthy Midlife Weight Management

Realistic midlife habits for food, strength, sleep and alcohol, with a waist tracker, protein tracker and 7-day meal plan.

  • 2 hours 20 min
  • 6 tools
  • 7 modules
A$32.99Buy
Focused

Weight Management

Preventing Weight Regain

Keep your progress steady with a maintenance energy calculator, weekly check-in, high-risk situations planner and a recovery plan.

  • 2 hours
  • 5 tools
  • 6 modules
A$27.99Buy

Related topics

Pick the course that fits where you are

What the weight management tools do

  • Energy needs and maintenance calculators: estimate your daily energy needs in kJ, with calories alongside (1 kcal = 4.184 kJ). They do not show a target for anyone in the groups listed above, and explain why.
  • Meal planners and a portion plate template: plan a week around the five food groups, with fewer discretionary serves.
  • Craving log and trigger journal: record when urges hit and what was going on, so patterns become clear.
  • Weekly progress and waist trackers: look at the trend over several weeks rather than day-to-day changes on the scales.
  • Relapse recovery plan: decide in advance what you will do after a holiday, a celebration or a hard week.

When to talk to someone first

See your GP before you start if any of the groups above apply to you, or if you notice weight loss you cannot explain.

If eating feels out of control, or you are skipping meals, making yourself sick or exercising to make up for food, you do not have to manage it alone. Talk to your GP or call the Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 (weekdays, 8am to midnight).

If you are in crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 at any hour. In an emergency, call 000.

Weight management courses: your questions

How many kilojoules are in a discretionary serve?

About 600 kJ. Eat for Health gives examples such as 2 scoops of regular ice cream, a 40 g slice of plain cake, 12 fried hot chips or a 375 mL can of soft drink.

Will the courses tell me how much weight I will lose?

No. Everyone's body responds differently, so we do not promise a set amount of weight loss. The courses help you build habits and track your own trend over time.

Do I have to count kilojoules?

No. Counting is one option, and the deficit course explains how to do it. Others prefer to plan with serves and a portion plate, which the meal planning course covers.

How much physical activity is recommended?

For adults aged 18 to 64, the national guidelines recommend 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity a week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, with strength work on at least 2 days.

Can I take a weight course while pregnant?

Pregnancy is not a time for weight-loss dieting. RANZCOG gives healthy weight gain ranges based on your weight before pregnancy, and your midwife or GP can talk them through with you. Our pregnancy courses cover eating well instead.

I take a prescribed weight-loss medicine. Can I still use the courses?

The courses are general education about food habits. Keep following the plan agreed with your GP, and check with them before making big changes to how much you eat.

Official sources

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Start with one swap this week

Open the cravings course, log three cravings and try the 10-minute delay card before reaching for a sometimes food.

Browse coursesHow it works