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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do slimming clubs actually work ?

103 replies

Thequeenisdeadboys · 11/02/2018 15:41

Decided I'm going to join a slimming group this week. Could do with losing a good couple of stone and simply can not do it alone. Which one is best SW or WW ? Tried researching and SW seems to sound good but unrealistic. I can't see me losing weight with the amounts you can eat !! and WW seems a bit complicated Shock !! What to do ? What do you folks reckon ?

OP posts:
Yukbuck · 11/02/2018 22:29

To be honest I've never heard of rebelfit so don't feel in a position to be able to make a comment on it.

I think you clearly have an issue with slimming world and that's fine, it's your opinion. But in my opinion, slimming world doesn't make people feel guilty for over indulging. It's ourselves that feel guilty.
And no, it isn't about the scales. To me losing weight is about how I look and feel. When I'm eating healthier it's because i want to feel healthier and slimmer. I still exercise.
Also you don't need to pay for slimming world plans. It's all online for free. I could list 3 websites off the top of my head where all the info is available. I've never been to a class either.

raisedbyguineapigs · 11/02/2018 23:07

Rebelfit costs £36 a month to join a Facebook group. You don't get much for free as far as I can see. I couldn't find any of the exercise regimes or healthy eating plans on the website. I'd quite like to do the exercise regime ( which is encouraged on SW. A wanky name but you get rewards for sticking to an exercise regime 3x a week for so many weeks)

raisedbyguineapigs · 11/02/2018 23:07

Rebelfit costs £36 a month to join a Facebook group. You don't get much for free as far as I can see. I couldn't find any of the exercise regimes or healthy eating plans on the website. I'd quite like to do the exercise regime ( which is encouraged on SW. A wanky name but you get rewards for sticking to an exercise regime 3x a week for so many weeks)

LooksBetterWithAFilter · 12/02/2018 04:38

Everyone I know that’s on sw are basically evangelical about how much pasta they get to eat and do cram their trolleysxwith muller lights. I haven’t seen or heard any actual evidence from people I see every day of portion control or particularly healthy eating. I’m not saying it’s not possible but it’s clear the message that people here are talking about is not the one getting through to many.

bluepears · 12/02/2018 04:49

weight loss is easy burn more calories than you take in. =weight loss

Jengnr · 12/02/2018 05:52

I’m doing it looksbetterwithafilter and I don’t each much pasta and rarely eat yogurts :D

I drink too much and, whilst I cook decent, healthy food, I eat too much shit and my weight has slowly crept up over the years. So far it’s going well. I’m managing my alcohol intake and eating loads of good stuff. I’m not denying myself anything but I am regulating so I’m not eating/drinking tons of empty calories on top of my food.

It’s coming off well. First stone down. It’s a process though, I’m not going to do it overnight.

UnicornRainbowColours · 12/02/2018 06:07

Yeah they do but they are a con because you have to keep going and paying because as soon as you get to your target etc you’ll stop going and put it all back on again!

Your better off eating healthy and joining a gym.

BarbaraofSevillle · 12/02/2018 06:56

Or you could continue as a target member and continue to attend for as long as you like, where they will help you to maintain your weight, for free.

InfiniteSheldon · 12/02/2018 07:35

I've been going free for ten years as a target member except that post Christmas 2012 we never talk about incident

Marcine · 12/02/2018 07:58

I love the mums net obsession with muller lights Grin

raisedbyguineapigs · 12/02/2018 08:05

Everyone knows they are better off healthy eating and doing exercise. If it was as easy as that, no one would be fat! If you stop healthy eating and doing exercise, you'll get fat. If you read the literature, it says what you need to do. It involves eating 1/3 of your plate of vegetables, 1/3 protein and 1/3 carbs. At my group that's what they say. If people are going, paying to be weighed in, leaving and stuffing their face with pasta and mullerlights, they're not committed to it and they will put the weight back on. You get out of it what you put in. I do think there is a lot wrong with slimming world but people who do it aren't stupid or brainwashed. It irritates me that any time anyone says they are on slimming world on here it's the same old trope and then healthy eating and exercise gets explained to you like it's a revelation, especially when that is exactly what you are told to do at slimming world.

InfiniteSheldon · 12/02/2018 08:24

I know what is it about Muller Lights? I've hardly ever heard them mentioned at SW but in here your think they were force fed to members Grin

Chugalug · 12/02/2018 08:29

Swimming world encouraged me to binge withall the free food I never lost any weight...ww I didn't have the smart phone to check the points ,so it always took ages.i know people who have spent years at both and are still the same size they started

InfiniteSheldon · 12/02/2018 08:44

Then you didn't follow the plan you did your own version SW says eat to your appetites things in moderation with 1/3 fruit or get you won't lose weight by just binge eating come on now that's not rocket science is it. The OP asked if clubs work. The answer is it you follow the plan eventful support can really help, SW WW Rosemary Conley all work but if you don't follow the eating plan no amount of support will help. And all those people still weighing the same? Not in any group I know SW has policies in place that specifically deal with members who don't actually follow the plan and they don't keep taking their money.

Yukbuck · 12/02/2018 08:51

Yes I also don't over fill on pasta. It's all about upping speed food. Plenty of spinach etc... I don't know why people think slimming world is unhealthy. I've never heard anyone on slimming world discourage exercise. It's about changing your diet AND exercising!

Bluesheep8 · 12/02/2018 08:55

If you see it as the start of a lifestyle change for the long term then yes. If you see it as a diet with a start and an end then no. I lost 6 stone with ww and have kept it off for over 10 yrs because pro points are ingrained in my head.

Teetotal2018 · 12/02/2018 08:58

I put on a stone on slimming world because of the massive portion sizes. I lost 3 stone on weight watchers - it’s brilliant 😊

Teetotal2018 · 12/02/2018 08:59

I’ve kept the weight off since 2013 by sticking with weight watchers - it’s a long term commitment changing your diet. Otherwise I’ll get fat again x

Marcine · 12/02/2018 09:02

Why did you eat massive portion sizes?

BarbaraofSevillle · 12/02/2018 09:08

But you don't have to eat massive portion sizes. The idea is to stop eating when you are full.

Free food means that there is always something satisfying you can eat, instead of other plans that advise gems like, if you are hungry, eat an apple, which people do, and then decide they are still hungry and move on to the tasty junk.

If you could just get some chicken salad or a baked potato in the first place, it is likely to fill you up properly, mean you eat less anyway at the next meal because you won't be so hungry, and keep you away from the crisps etc.

Also don't have to count and measure everything, which many find tedious and 'forget' to include everything they eat.

Teetotal2018 · 12/02/2018 11:05

Marcine My problem has always been big portions. Weight watchers has taught me how to eat normal portions. Slimming world worked for my sister but not for me 😊

NewYearNiki · 12/02/2018 11:08

The only thing that works is eating less and moving more.

You can do that at home or at a club

WhooooAmI24601 · 12/02/2018 11:17

I joined SW last Autumn and was 2 stone down by Christmas. I've managed another stone since and joined the gym 8 weeks ago. I feel incredible, have more energy, look better and love going to the gym (which I'd usually regard as utter bollocks but totally true).

SW can help in terms of the kick-start but genuinely taking better care of your health and nutrition isn't exclusive to SW. If you look at your diet and cram it full of fresh fruit and veg, eat lean meat and protein and cut out the junk, you'll lose weight.

My only bugbear with SW is that my consultant's knowledge of actual nutrition isn't great. So when I wrote a food diary and used my syns on olive oil (because Fry Light is bullshit that should be nowhere near a plate or kitchen) she insisted that Fry Light was better for my body. I refuse to subscribe to the thought that a low-cal version of something has to be better.

raisedbyguineapigs · 12/02/2018 13:44

I think it probably is horses for courses. I don't eat massive portion sizes but I do eat a lot of snacks and can't walk past a cake. SW helps with that because the snacks have to be healthy or restricted and so my problem area is addressed. I can't be bothered to count every calorie either so I wouldnt do well on WW or MFP either because I'd get fed up of it. Its taken me 6 months to get my head round the limited counting on SW!

HelenaDove · 12/02/2018 19:42

Filter i did the pasta and muller light thing the first time but the second time i did it more my way............ate full fat stuff but less of it and the weight came off..........slowly though but i also didnt have as much to lose the second time.

Dont assume that everyone on it is stuffing themselves with SW low syn/high sugar suggestions.