How does Slimming World work?

[DrivingRound1]

I put on a few pounds over Christmas so I'm calorie counting till they're off. My friend's doing Slimming World and she's been telling me she can have a jacket potato, cheese and beans every day for lunch and it's 'allowed'. It would wipe out over half of my calories if I ate that, but it's one of my favourite meals. Does Slimming World actually work? I've always thought it was a bit of a scam and still do really, but if it works and I can have a jacket potato, cheese and beans for dinner every day and lose weight I'd be tempted to give it a go. If it dies work, how does it?

Exactly. It only works if you hand over responsibility for your eating habits to someone else, go to meetings and get clapped, continue to do as you're told, then once they've taken your money you keep doing as you're told because the gods of slimming world said this is maintaining plans.

See I wouldn't see it like that. You are taking responsibility, because the 7 days between weigh in, the food choices are yours. Yes I find the clapping at class odd, but if it helps people stick to it what's the issue.

When you are maintaining it's free anyway. So, again, so what of getting weighed weekly at class helps you. It's each to their own.

I also found that class definitely do teach potion control. Especially since the plans changed and it's now based on a 3rd veg/salad.

They also support emotional problems/over eating encourage exercise.

The problem is who is running the class.

As for the business plan, let's be honest there are enough over weight people to keep these classes going for years. Not only that, but lots don't keep to it or only do it half heartedly. They do it for years or keep rejponing. But people been successful are what make others go.

No matter what eating plan you do, SW, rebel fit, WW, healthy eating, MFP....loads of people do it half heartedly or quit. Even the programmes that provide lots of support. Even when people are just trying to learn to eat better without a programme. You take a group of 10 people most will quit or not do it properly.

That's not SW.....It's people.

I joined Slimming World two years ago as I was 2.5 stone overweight and for me that was massively more than what I wanted to be. I love my food, have a particular love of crisps and red wine. I'd tried all kinds of low carb, low cal, eating chicken and veg every night but as soon as I stopped that the weight just went back on. After 8 months the whole lot was gone, the plan makes you focus on eating better (a third of your plate veggies) and limiting without stopping you enjoy your food. So id just have one piece of garlic bread instead of half a baguette or id not have another packet of crisps coz id already had my limit for the day. It stopped me overeating by filling up on my main meals, and stopped me buying that fatty meal from the canteen because id already prepared my slimming world friendly lunch the night before. For me it wasn't about a diet, it was finding what worked for me and meant me and my DP could have the same meals it just meant a few changes such as using less oil or butter, much less bread and switching to gin and tonic rather than red wine most of the time. Due to personal circumstances I stopped going and eating healthily so I've gained quite a bit back but that's not because I stopped going to slimming world it's because I stopped giving a shit and ate loads of crap as I didn't have time to focus on myself. The ones that go to my group who yoyo all the time and never really lose, their mindset isn't focused on losing weight so they don't stick to it. It won't work for everyone and I don't buy into the whole mullerlights or making pizza base out of cauliflower, I'd rather use syns on a real one and enjoy it! When I'm on holiday I don't stick to the plan I enjoy myself but when I'm not I listen to the principles and focus on eating lean meat, veg and swapping to the lower calorie options as essentially that's what syns are - higher calorie foods that make you put on weight if you eat enough of them on top of your staple foods.

boysI agree with you completely. The only proven way to lose weight is by taking in less than you expend. It doesn't really matter how you do it. It's the sticking to it that matters. Some people can stick to low carb. I couldn't. I didn't want to. I have stuck to Slimming World. I know why I overeat. It's because I have a terribly sweet tooth and love nothing more than eating out and sitting in a cafe with a cappuccino and a caramel slice. I used to have a coffee and a cake, a few biscuits with a cup of tea when I got home from work and another couple after dinner. I don't now because I'm more conscious of what I've eaten during the day and it's broken the habit. If you're not ready to commit to any change in habits, nothing will work.

I agree too about the snobbish Ness. Cauliflower pizza and cloud bread are low carb recipes. But if you're doing low carb, you can probably afford to eat quite a lot of high quality meat, so making an alternative pizza base out of cauliflower is oh so clever. But if SW tell you to do it, then it's stupid fat women with no self control doing it. They just need £30 an hour counselling sessions!

Yes it works for me. I've lost a stone in my first 2 weeks, this time around. Potato and beans are free foods, the cheese would have to be synned which means limited amounts. But I personally wouldn't eat the cheese, or I would have fat free cottage cheese which is free.
One third of your plate should be speed foods, so salad or vegetables should make up one third of your plate.

I lost a fair bit on SW and have kept it off. It taught me about prioritising veg and watching my sugar/fat intake and I’ve kept it up (but not as rigidly as plan)

I never drank Diet Coke or ate muller lights. I wouldn’t recommend either

I think the big thing is making slimming world work for you, not just eating it because it's free.
I'm mostly too lazy to do all the SW cheats like cloud bread and cauliflower pizza, so it's not much surprise I lose on a combination of meat/fish with veg and potatoes, baked potatoes with toppings, salads, strifes and porridge/overnight oats.
I never eat more than one anyway, but don't buy miller lights. I would rather have natural yoghurt. But I can see that if you're coming from a place of eating cheese cake every night you might substitute for sweet desserts still.
I also love healthy fats. So although lots of people use syns for sweet treats, I would rather use my syns for peanut butter, olives, avocado and a little butter or olive oil in my cooking or dressings. I think there are as many ways of doing SW as there are people doing it.
I can't do low carb, it's really bad for my MH. I find the groups weird, but attendance is just one part of it. You can follow the diet without going to the group.

The only problem I have is all the home cooking. I'm a convenience food fan so that's always my down fall.

I agree, Bumblebee. I've done SW too, and as much for the weigh in as anything.

I eat wholemeal carbs, fish, chicken, pulses and lots of veg and fruit. I also have some semi skimmed milk in coffee and small amounts of cheese (30g) when I want it. Sometimes a few squares of dark chocolate. Baked potatoes are fine.

I wouldn't touch Mullerlight or coke or any of those types of products, and many others wouldn't either. I've left in the past over those things, but actually you don't have to do it that way, nor is it written or expected anywhere. Those recipe ideas are included for those who do.

The thing with SW is that it offers you a framework on the whole to make sensible food choices and to limit unhealthy fattening ones.

The one thing I would add which helps a lot in my view is to focus on slow change and working on developing permanent and workable new habits a bit at a time. Those are the sustainable habits which see you through longer term weight loss.

Slimming world is what you make of it really. There are literally thousands of options for recipe ideas for “proper” meals

You can live on ready meals if you want

Or you can use the processed crap and cheats.

In my experience those who do well and keep it off generally follow mainly the home made proper option because then you are changing your habits not just trying to find replacements for old habits

Do you think you have a drink problem op? How many units are you having in an average week?

And I spend a good few of my syns on onken biopot yogurt and olive oil. I don't agree with fat free yogurt and I have Mediterranean diet tendencies, so I work SW that way.

It's definitely true that there are as many types of dieter as people at SW. It's just a framework for limiting calories, in terms of the food angle.

I am another one who does a low carb/good fats version of SW.

I can't eat pasta, rice, bread or white potatoes. Pasta, rice and bread stop me going to the toilet. I can't digest them and they give me stomach ache. White potatoes bloat me no end. So despite SW saying you can have as many as you want I don't.

I use Syns on olive oil, olives etc.

I feel fuller for longer and eat less.

Broadly people are over weight because they eat too much. I don't think anyone would disagree with that.

SW used portion control and allowances to make you review your eating habits. Most people - not all - but most will take advantage of a bit binge when out, or falling into the habit of wince/crisps/chocolate at night. Food should never be used as a reward. Frankly, the UK has a massive problem with its relationship with food, there is no need to eat breakfast/elevenses/lunch/mid afternoon tea/dinner/supper. No one needs to eat on the hoof walking down the street, no one needs to shovel popcorn at the pictures, no one ^needs a biscuit barrel. All those snack meals are eaten through boredom.

SW makes you step away and review those bad habits.

For the nay sayers who say "oh you'll only put it on again" - of course people do when they revert back to fatty food, fried food, sugary foods, over doing the cabs, not exercising and quaffing wine on the sofa every night.

You either opt-in to a life style change or you look for the quick fix that will equally quickly reverse its self.

Low carb isn't actually good for you.

Blow to low carb diet as landmark study finds high fibre cuts heart disease risk https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jan/10/high-fibre-diets-cut-heart-disease-risk-landmark-study-finds?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

It’s all very Marjorie Dawes with lots of clapping. “Oh Brenda, what went wrong? You gained this week.”
They push you for bigger losses (can cause saggy skin) when slow and steady wins the race.
I found the food suggestions quite strange, quark with highlights to make a type of chocolate mousse.
Each to their own but healthy eating, moderate portions and exercise is the key for me. A 1lb - 2lb loss per week is sustainable and healthy.

I like SW but hate there meetings. I have learned very little from any I have been to and he bored clapping my hands to this person lost x and that person lost y. The plan does work though and is pretty healthy eating.

“I found the food suggestions quite strange, quark with highlights to make a type of chocolate mousse.“

Really? Drinking chocolate and dairy to make a mousse is strange? It’s a pretty standard combination tbh...

Copying Sirzy because she pretty much said it for me:
^Slimming world is what you make of it really. There are literally thousands of options for recipe ideas for “proper” meals

You can live on ready meals if you want

Or you can use the processed crap and cheats.

In my experience those who do well and keep it off generally follow mainly the home made proper option because then you are changing your habits not just trying to find replacements for old habits^

I haven't experienced these kinds of groups myself, but I have observed the same people over years.

The worst yo-yoers with the poorest results are those who don't change their core habits and substitute and "cheat" where possible and on balance gain over time with only small loses in their cycles.

People who fare better are those who follow the plan to target as a sensible framework, but do drift back to old habits after and probably haven't addressed underlying issues. Over time the weight drifts back but at least it's better than never losing and continuing to gain.

Those who genuinely form a healthier lifestyle are most successful.

Ultimately different methods will suit different people better. Some may find the lists of food and structure of SW easier than eating a similar diet but weighing and logging on MFP. What really works in the end is eating a sensible balance of foods, of appropriate portions to your needs. Different plans give slightly different pathways and levels of accountability.

Do you think you have a drink problem op? How many units are you having in an average week?

No, I don't, but I appreciate your concern. My only problem is too many social engagements.

They push you for bigger losses (can cause saggy skin) when slow and steady wins the race.I found the food suggestions quite strange, quark with highlights to make a type of chocolate mousse.

See, I have never been to a group that does push larger weight losses. Slow and steady has always been the focus and not worrying about who loses what.

In fact I lost 10lb in 2 weeks and the consultant checked with me that I was ok and still making sure I ate enough etc. I was fine. I had not long had my second child and was starting to exercise and eat better, the baby weight fell off.

I don't like quack. But i dont see what's that bad about quack and hot chocolate to make a mousse.

I read on here somewhere that if we all concentrated on eating 10 a Day instead of the national 5 a Day, then we'd not have much room for eating a lot else!
I keep meaning to try it!

I do think it’s weird that people get really get up about SW in a way they don’t about other weightloss methods.

It’s all - well it doesn’t teach you portion control and unlimited potatoes won’t really help you lose weight...

I can tell you I did not get fat from big plates of baked potatoes with salad and beans

I got fat because I’m the person who used MFP and WW to work out how I could have a mars bar instead of the baked potato and still stay within my calories or points...

But you don’t see people getting annoyed about how they encourage you to do that...

Our group is good at asking questions so losing the focus of the "image therapy" we try to train new members into it... recipe ideas etc

I know two close friends who each lost 2.5 stone last year on SW. I've done MFP for a few months (on and off) with good results but decided to try SW as I have a stone to lose and thought it was time to try something different (also I got fed up of always feeling hungry on MFP!) I've done SW for 2 weeks now and lost 1lb. On MFP I'd be at least 3 or 4lb down by now. I know why - as I've been calorie counting for some time now I know perfectly well that I've overeaten on SW and gone way above the 1,200 cals I need to eat to lose weight. SW cuts out fat and instead allows you a bigger portion of pasta or whatever. But at the end of the day the only way to lose weight is to use more energy than you consume.

I also think SW seems to work better for people who have a large amount to lose in the first place. They seem to lose 3-4lb per week whereas others with less to lose will only see a 0.5 or 1lb loss.

I'd stick with MFP and regular exercise.

I got fat because I’m the person who used MFP and WW to work out how I could have a mars bar instead of the baked potato and still stay within my calories or points.

If you stayed within your calories then a Mars bar would not make you fat. In fact you could eat nothing but Mars bars and lose weight as long as you were still in calorie deficit.