Michael Mosley’s son Dr Jack has named a simple snack he says can help you lose weight. Dr Michael is known to many as the pioneering figurehead of intermittent fasting, a programme that helped thousands of people lose weight.

After his tragic death in 2024, his son Dr Jack and his wife, Dr Claire Bailey Mosley, have carried on his father’s work with weight loss. Jack now leads the Fast 800 programme which promotes “rapid weight loss” over a 12 week period.

The programme combines an 800-calorie meal plan along with exercise to encourage weight loss. And Jack says anyone looking to lose weight can make some simple changes to help them along the way.

Speaking to the Mirror, he said: “If you’re looking for a couple of quick snacks, I really enjoy getting a can of chickpeas, throwing it in a tray, put a bit of soy sauce on it, a bit of olive oil and make a bit of garlic paste and they are really nice as a side for a meal or as a snack.

“You don’t have to eat those crisps and these are healthy and filling for you. I would always recommend simple swaps as well, for instance, if you are after that salty snacky treat, try to switch things like nuts, which are incredibly filling with plenty of healthy fats and really good for your health.

“Sometimes even peanuts are really good for you and for many years we were put off eating nuts because they were seen as full of calories and fats but they actually are associated with much better waistlines and weight loss.”

Jack says that sleep is also vital when it comes to picking what to eat. According to the NHS an adult needs anywhere between seven and nine hours of sleep a day, with age, health, and personal circumstances affecting how much shut eye we get.

Jack warns that if you find yourself lacking in the sleep department, it’s all too easy to fall into bad habits. He said: “I would say that sleep is absolutely vital and it is so important to look at your overall lifestyle and make some of these changes because we know there are studies where people who are sleep deprived ate up to 400 calories more per day, sleep can affect your mental health too.

“When we’re tired and stressed, we’re not reaching for the broccoli, we’re reaching for the carby snacks and getting that quick energy boost. So sleep is so vital and prioritising your sleep is so vital.”

Jack is leading The Fast 800 Online Programme which he says is a “lifestyle programme”. It offers three types of meal plan, the “Very Fast 800” which uses an 800-calorie plan to lose weight over 12 weeks, the 5:2 intermittent fasting plan, and a long-term Mediterranean diet plan.

It also offers exercise guidance through workout plans, using both high-intensity interval training and resistance exercises as well as educational content that covers the science behind weight loss.

Jack added: “The plan was based on a study that found that 800 calories a day for 12 weeks, this rapid weight loss, can reverse their diabetes, which was not thought possible before and if they kept 10kg of weight off, they could keep their diabetes in remission.

“It progressed from there to be this overall lifestyle support system for people who want to have this rapid weight loss and improve their metabolic health but also, there’s people who want to do it more gradually by fasting, like the 5:2, which my dad famously popularised.

“It’s also there to help people with other aspects that we know are so important in your health like exercise, including aerobic, and also mindfulness. It’s this real complete support system and helps provide people with a group of people to do it with who are on the same page.”