in thinking that a slimming group leader who is supposedly following the programme but appears to be gaining weight

[minifingerz]

... undermines the confidence of the group regardless of how good a leader she may be in other ways?

Our slimming group leader has put on several stone over the past few years. She wasn't slim to start with and is now probably obese. She still talks enthusiastically about how she follows the plan and all the tips and strategies she uses to eat more healthily. But she's still getting bigger....

I would have thought it was a policy for group leaders to be losing or maintaining if they profess to be following the programme, otherwise it's damages to confidence of members that the programme is effective and sustainable.

Or am I being unfair? She's very good in every other way.

[UterusUterusGhali]

Is she Marjory Dawes?

Tbh you are being unfair.
You have no idea of her personal life, health, medication etc.

She's not an HCP, but a franchise owner.

If it genuinely affects you, join a different group.

[specialsubject]

so either the plan makes you fat, or she is a liar. Neither are good, really.

it is just possible she has a medical problem which is adding weight, and doesn't want to talk about it. (clutches at straws..)

[specialsubject]

but of course she isn't doing the group for her health, or yours - she's doing it for an income and won't want to lose that.

[FiveShelties]

Many years ago I worked for WW, if we went more than 5 pounds over our goal weight we were not allowed to take classes. I used to dread the weigh in after a holiday!

I think I would struggle to have confidence in a plan if the leader was not slim.

[ElderlyKoreanLady]

YANBU. An obese person being paid to teach people how they can lose weight is odd.

[amazonqueen]

A work colleague has been doing SW for years ( although not as a class leader)and has gained weight all through that time. She was overweight when she started and is now very obese. I would say about size 26. She denies this and wears size 18-20 stretchy dresses and leggings.

But she talks a very good talk about SW. She knows exactly what every bit of a meal consists of and where it fits into the plan. She takes photos of her #fantasticfreefood# meals every day and posts them on instagram. She loses perhaps a stone or so every year and then puts it all back and more. But she still goes to the classes and hopes that soon it will kick in. I would never say anything about any of this to her though. Its up to her what she does but it makes me wonder if she shouldnt stick to this as its obviously not for everyone.

[MushroomMama]

I agree with undermining the whole ethos of the group yanbu but there could be a variety of factors to contribute to her weight gain.

Personally I just don't understand slimming world some of the meals are not what I would deem healthy personally

[minifingerz]

"Is she Marjory Dawes"

We do refer to the club as 'fat fighters' at home.

I know her outside of the club. She's a lovely person and works very hard. I suspect that the stress of running slimming groups is stopping her with her weight loss. Ironic really.

[Marue]

Knowing what to do is the easy bit.

Putting it in to practice is the difficult part.

I don't know why anyone goes to these things. I've watched a friend go from obese to thin back to obese + with lighter life.

[G1veMeStrength]

Amazonqueen I work with someone just like that. She really seems oblivious to how pointless it is. Everything she eats gets assessed and analysed and yet every week she puts another pound on.

I think either it doesn't work, or she is also secretly scoffing a ton of crap.

[HeySoulSister]

I'd have no confidence either

But then again, slimming world is odd. Nobody seems to keep any lost weight off and they have a very weird concept of 'free' and 'unlimited' foods..... And a very unhealthy obsession with muller light yogurts!!!

[G1veMeStrength]

some of the meals are not what I would deem healthy personally

Some of them are FOUL. I keep politely declining various versions of 'quiche' made out of ham instead of pastry. And curry made out of mushy peas is NOT nice.

Just eat a salad and do some exercise FFS.

[minimalistaspirati0ns]

Does it matter what size she is and if she's getting bigger or smaller? What she like as a group leader?

[G1veMeStrength]

Oh god YES the endless discussion of yogurts. Whenever a 'new' yogurt is 'launched' I want to slash my wrists.

And Alpen Fecking Light Bars but not the cherry bakewell as they've changed the recipe, but the lemon drizzle has changed size now, and blabablablafeckingbla [shoots self]

[WorraLiberty]

Does it matter what size she is and if she's getting bigger or smaller? What she like as a group leader?

I think what matters here is that she professes to be following the programme.

Therefore, she's clearly showing that it's not working for her.

[G1veMeStrength]

I wouldn't buy a product from someone who said they used it, but demonstrated that it didn't work.

[minifingerz]

I'm not actually following the programme, just taking on the basic ideas of less fat and sugar, more fruit and veg. Have lost 10lbs in 4 weeks.

Ate a tiny chunk of one of the bars yesterday and couldn't believe how sugary it was. I'm astonished that a slimming club is promoting a product with so much sugar in.

[minifingerz]

Having said I'm not following the programme I do enjoy the meetings.

[Crazypetlady]

SW does work ime. She is either scoffing/not following correctly/has a medical condition.

If she is on ww I have no idea.

[MmeGuillotine]

We had this in our fat club Slimming World group (I don't do it any more because the weird recipes almost broke my spirit plus as a vegetarian, I couldn't join in all the weird wanking over Muller Light) - the leader just got bigger and bigger and bigger and the bigger she got, the more tyrannical and nit picky and critical and nasty she was with everyone else even though we were losing weight and didn't really need a weekly shaming session from her about the fact that I was avoiding pasta on the green plan when she thought I should be eating buckets of the fucking stuff.

Apparently she got ousted in some way just after I left as they started leafleting our area again and making a big deal about how there was a new leader and the old one wasn't there any more. Obviously in the hopes that it would entice people back again.

I didn't judge her for not sticking to the programme as it can be really tough but I did feel mildly confused by the fact that I was apparently supposed to be taking weight loss advice and 'leadership' from someone who very obviously wasn't sticking to it herself.

[manicinsomniac]

I think it would be fine if she admitted that she wasn't following it and taught a 'do as I say, not do as I do' approach. It's a job for her after all, she shouldn't necessarily have to be doing it herself. I assume thin slimming group leaders aren't restricting their calories.

But if she says she is doing it alongside you but is gaining weight then that's not okay. And that's the case whether she is pretending to do it but cheating or, even worse, genuinely doing it and it not working.

[ExConstance]

I've been to two slimming world groups where this has been the situation.
Both leaders very good in presenting the diet etc. but getting larger and larger as the weeks went on ( size 20 -22). I've always thought it would be a good idea if the leader weighed in with the group.

[flyrobynfly43]

But then again, slimming world is odd. Nobody seems to keep any lost weight off

Agree with this.
If it worked, why do people have to keep going back?
If it really worked, you would go once (twice at the most) and you would be sorted for life.
But I know people who have joined lots of times.

SW and the other one, take people for a load of mugs and we fall for it every time.
In the meantime they are making a ton of money out of our stupidity and laughing all the way to the bank.

[WorraLiberty]

"I couldn't join in all the weird wanking over Muller Light"

OMG. I don't think I'll ever eat another white yoghurt again!

[flyrobynfly43]

Wanking over Muller Light

Only on MM