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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Slimming world supporting weight loss injections. Aibu?

127 replies

Ontobetterthings · 14/08/2026 16:14

I see that slimming world is now supporting and welcoming people to groups that do weight loss injections.

I feel that this is quite misleading and unfair to participants not doing injections. I have done slimming world years ago and now do weight loss injections only. I wouldn't feel right going to a group where some aren't doing jabs.

The whole slimmer of week is based on pounds only as well, not percentages. I feel the injections give a big advantage. Also, I dont think this works for a group of people.

Also, when I see huge losses for sw being posted I wonder if its the jabs.

I feel it's gone its all quite misleading and a bit unfair on people who still go to group.

What do you think?

OP posts:
modgepodge · 14/08/2026 20:32

DorsetMermaid · 14/08/2026 20:22

There's a whole part of SW that's about exercise. In the book you're given when you start there's a large section about moving and weight bearing exercise. There's a system of monitoring how you increase your exercise over the weeks and awards for achievement. The SW magazine also covers exercise every month and my consultant talks about it every week.

Show quote history

Do they still call it ‘Body Magic’? They used to make me cringe so hard. It was like they didn’t dare call it ‘exercise’ cos everyone will be scared of that, so came up with a new name to hide what it really was 😂

i do agree the leaders talk about it and the benefits of it frequently though, at both SW and WW.

Jakadaal · 14/08/2026 20:33

I have attended SW on and off for years with varied success but mainly staying stagnant! I started Wegovy tablets 4 weeks ago and have told my consultant. As a WL medication user I am not allowed to participate in any in class competitions or slimmer of the week and neither would I want to as I know other members would deem it unfair. I am still attending SW for the weigh in and accountability to myself, for the eating plan (high protein, fibre etc) and also for the input of the group for meal ideas. I am slightly embarrassed as I feel as if I’m ‘cheating’ but I need the structure of the group and the plan whilst still maintaining a healthy approach to weight loss. Taking WL medication is not an easy fix as you still need to put in the work

DorsetMermaid · 14/08/2026 20:39

modgepodge · 14/08/2026 20:32

Do they still call it ‘Body Magic’? They used to make me cringe so hard. It was like they didn’t dare call it ‘exercise’ cos everyone will be scared of that, so came up with a new name to hide what it really was 😂

i do agree the leaders talk about it and the benefits of it frequently though, at both SW and WW.

Show quote history

I know what you mean about Body Magic but I do the weighing at my group and can't tell you how many people come along who are intimidated by the mention of exercise so perhaps there's method in their cringeyness.

TragicMuse · 14/08/2026 20:55

youngwhippersnapper · 14/08/2026 20:08

I think it used to be many years ago but now it’s around a third of your plate advised at most.

It’s changed a lot over the 23 years that I’ve been a target member. It’s just normal healthy eating these days.

Show quote history

I was a member back in the 90s when it was red days and green days and I can promise you the central message was eat as much as you want.

Red days were high protein and low carb, green days were high carb and low protein.

So you could have a washing up bowl of pasta but god forbid you had more than a prawn or two.

Or dice up a whole tin of corned beef as a snack on a red day.

Eat a chicken breast! Have 2, have 3! DON’T EVEN LOOK AT THAT POTATO.

One of our local butchers made sin-free sausages long before the porky lights land-grab (and yes, SW spelt it like that before they came up with the retrofit bollocks about it being ‘synchronicity’, they were actually labelling food as sinful). Have 6 if you want. No mash though, tsk tsk.

And that’s before we even get to the frozen muller lights, back when they were free.

Or the Scan Bran.

It really was as mad as that! And the main message really was ‘eat as much as you want, eat till you’re stuffed, as long as you follow the red or green rules.’ Coupled with some merry little asides about ‘you aren’t eating enough/starvation mode’ as any of us were ever going to be in starvation mode with the fat reserves we had…

It makes no sense now, but it didn’t then either!

modgepodge · 14/08/2026 20:58

DorsetMermaid · 14/08/2026 20:39

I know what you mean about Body Magic but I do the weighing at my group and can't tell you how many people come along who are intimidated by the mention of exercise so perhaps there's method in their cringeyness.

Show quote history

Yeah I’ve always guessed that was the reason behind it but honestly I always thought it was so patronising. As if people couldn’t work out that body magic was secretly exercise.

TragicMuse · 14/08/2026 21:00

Mind you, I also recall the 1980s WW which allowed you no more than 5 slices of bread a day…

youngwhippersnapper · 14/08/2026 21:06

Whiteleaftrainers · 14/08/2026 17:03

There are some very odd comments on this thread!

“I feel that this is quite misleading and unfair to participants not doing injections”

Unfair? It’s not a competition! How does it hurt me of someone else at my group loses more?

I also agree with YoungWhipperSnapper the SW diet is absolutely not low fat/high carb, it’s hard to know where you would get that impression.

“Slimmer of the week” is a recognition of consistency, not of who has lost the most in any one week. That’s why you can only achieve it if you have been in class the week before and lost weight. It’s not really a “competition” no one is striving to win it! It’s just a nice way to celebrate someone who has stayed on track. Same with “Slimmer of the month” it’s not about most lost.

As for SW leading to disordered eating ! Everyone in the class has disordered eating, that’s how they gained weight in the first place.

SW recommends filling your plate at least a third full of vegetables with the rest made up of protein and a smallish amount of carbs.

They recommend cooking from scratch, drinking enough water, increasing your in take of fruit of vegetables, making sure you get enough protein and sensible amounts of healthy fats and calcium. The plan is perfectly healthy and balanced.

The reason people cycle back through SW and WW is not that there is anything inherently wrong with the plans, it’s that people with disordered eating often fall back into disordered eating and then have to start again.

There is no fail safe lose it once and you are done for ever way to lose weight.

As a long time successful SW member, I agree with every word of this.

WarthogWoman · 14/08/2026 21:07

MirrorMirror1247 · 14/08/2026 16:24

The jabs have come up in discussion a few times in my group. As far as I know no one in my group is taking them and our consultant has talked about the side effects and pointed out that many people put the weight back on after stopping the jabs. On the other hand the SW plan helps with changing eating habits, which those who are on the jabs may need support with once they get to target.

Which is hilarious really because most people who do slimming world also put the weight back on

youngwhippersnapper · 14/08/2026 21:23

WarthogWoman · 14/08/2026 21:07

Which is hilarious really because most people who do slimming world also put the weight back on

Show quote history

I’ve often wondered what the statistics are for regaining weight. I’m amongst an increasing number of target members in my SW group.
Could you tell me the source of your statement as it’s something that interests me: is it independent research?

liquoriceallsortfamily · 14/08/2026 21:31

I’ve done the jabs along side slimming world. I was always upfront about it and not allowed to win any awards including slimmer of the week which is completely fair enough.

Viperregency · 14/08/2026 21:42

youngwhippersnapper · 14/08/2026 21:23

I’ve often wondered what the statistics are for regaining weight. I’m amongst an increasing number of target members in my SW group.
Could you tell me the source of your statement as it’s something that interests me: is it independent research?

Show quote history

You can google its 97 percent regain rate.

Popadomorbread · 14/08/2026 21:44

You aren’t eligible for the awards if you are on GLP1s apparently.

Viperregency · 14/08/2026 21:45

youngwhippersnapper · 14/08/2026 20:08

I think it used to be many years ago but now it’s around a third of your plate advised at most.

It’s changed a lot over the 23 years that I’ve been a target member. It’s just normal healthy eating these days.

Show quote history

Nope. They still say eat as much as you wish.

https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/what-can-i-eat

Welcome to Slimming World’s healthy eating plan  | Slimming World

With Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, you can lose weight enjoying the food you love. Discover what to eat for weight loss that lasts.

https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/what-can-i-eat

Viperregency · 14/08/2026 21:46

And here it is without the link :

Fill up on Free Food
Free Food is your new best friend and the hero of every great Food Optimising plate. Slimming World’s Free Food includes hundreds of everyday foods you can eat without counting, without weighing or measuring and without a shred of guilt. They’ll fill you up, slim you down and help you build those important new healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime. Free Foods include lean meat, eggs, fish, pasta, potatoes, plant-based proteins, fruit and vegetables. They’re filling and low in calories for their weight – so you can eat as much Free Food as you like!

MyPantsAreFartCentral · 14/08/2026 21:48

TragicMuse · 14/08/2026 20:55

I was a member back in the 90s when it was red days and green days and I can promise you the central message was eat as much as you want.

Red days were high protein and low carb, green days were high carb and low protein.

So you could have a washing up bowl of pasta but god forbid you had more than a prawn or two.

Or dice up a whole tin of corned beef as a snack on a red day.

Eat a chicken breast! Have 2, have 3! DON’T EVEN LOOK AT THAT POTATO.

One of our local butchers made sin-free sausages long before the porky lights land-grab (and yes, SW spelt it like that before they came up with the retrofit bollocks about it being ‘synchronicity’, they were actually labelling food as sinful). Have 6 if you want. No mash though, tsk tsk.

And that’s before we even get to the frozen muller lights, back when they were free.

Or the Scan Bran.

It really was as mad as that! And the main message really was ‘eat as much as you want, eat till you’re stuffed, as long as you follow the red or green rules.’ Coupled with some merry little asides about ‘you aren’t eating enough/starvation mode’ as any of us were ever going to be in starvation mode with the fat reserves we had…

It makes no sense now, but it didn’t then either!

Show quote history

Yes I remember joining SW in the days of Red and Green. The Consultant (how I hate that word!) started by saying that we could go home and eat a whole chicken 😲

Craftycariad · 14/08/2026 22:09

TragicMuse · 14/08/2026 20:55

I was a member back in the 90s when it was red days and green days and I can promise you the central message was eat as much as you want.

Red days were high protein and low carb, green days were high carb and low protein.

So you could have a washing up bowl of pasta but god forbid you had more than a prawn or two.

Or dice up a whole tin of corned beef as a snack on a red day.

Eat a chicken breast! Have 2, have 3! DON’T EVEN LOOK AT THAT POTATO.

One of our local butchers made sin-free sausages long before the porky lights land-grab (and yes, SW spelt it like that before they came up with the retrofit bollocks about it being ‘synchronicity’, they were actually labelling food as sinful). Have 6 if you want. No mash though, tsk tsk.

And that’s before we even get to the frozen muller lights, back when they were free.

Or the Scan Bran.

It really was as mad as that! And the main message really was ‘eat as much as you want, eat till you’re stuffed, as long as you follow the red or green rules.’ Coupled with some merry little asides about ‘you aren’t eating enough/starvation mode’ as any of us were ever going to be in starvation mode with the fat reserves we had…

It makes no sense now, but it didn’t then either!

Show quote history

It might have made no sense but it worked for many of us. The two plans cut out a major food group hence the weight loss. The red diet was akin to the atkins diet at the time. I know worked I lost 7stone and was the slimming world slimmer of the year for my area in 1994. Hated it when they changed to mixed days as it wasn't so easy to understand. I can understand why people in the jab or the tablets want a group to help monitor their progress easy to cheat yourself if no one actually weighs you.

Moreholidaysthanjudithchalmers · 14/08/2026 22:42

I’m a slimming world member and no one is openly on them that I speak to at group.
I know lots knock sw but it suits me and the group support is invaluable. I’m a couple of pounds off target and will go to maintain.
It’s much easier if you are busy than calorie counting. I eat lots of protein and veg. I’m not stuffing carbs in. For my healthy extras I have things like wholemeal sourdough, avocado and cheese.
The thought of trying to game slimmer of week makes me smile. It’s a basket which people put a tin of tomatoes or a piece of fruit in. We had a tin of chickpeas that was re donated every week. A man we never see usually wins ours so they raffle it (you have to stay to group to get the prize)

montysmaw · 15/08/2026 00:40

An advantage?
Who cares. It's not a competition.

JMSA · 15/08/2026 05:22

MirrorMirror1247 · 14/08/2026 16:24

The jabs have come up in discussion a few times in my group. As far as I know no one in my group is taking them and our consultant has talked about the side effects and pointed out that many people put the weight back on after stopping the jabs. On the other hand the SW plan helps with changing eating habits, which those who are on the jabs may need support with once they get to target.

Sorry, but you are completely wrong. Mounjaro has helped with my eating habits more than Slimming World (unlimited pasta!?!) ever did.
You can’t just jab up and not make changes to what you eat. It doesn’t work like that.

clickyteeclick · 15/08/2026 05:53

Whiteleaftrainers · 14/08/2026 17:03

There are some very odd comments on this thread!

“I feel that this is quite misleading and unfair to participants not doing injections”

Unfair? It’s not a competition! How does it hurt me of someone else at my group loses more?

I also agree with YoungWhipperSnapper the SW diet is absolutely not low fat/high carb, it’s hard to know where you would get that impression.

“Slimmer of the week” is a recognition of consistency, not of who has lost the most in any one week. That’s why you can only achieve it if you have been in class the week before and lost weight. It’s not really a “competition” no one is striving to win it! It’s just a nice way to celebrate someone who has stayed on track. Same with “Slimmer of the month” it’s not about most lost.

As for SW leading to disordered eating ! Everyone in the class has disordered eating, that’s how they gained weight in the first place.

SW recommends filling your plate at least a third full of vegetables with the rest made up of protein and a smallish amount of carbs.

They recommend cooking from scratch, drinking enough water, increasing your in take of fruit of vegetables, making sure you get enough protein and sensible amounts of healthy fats and calcium. The plan is perfectly healthy and balanced.

The reason people cycle back through SW and WW is not that there is anything inherently wrong with the plans, it’s that people with disordered eating often fall back into disordered eating and then have to start again.

There is no fail safe lose it once and you are done for ever way to lose weight.

It never used to be though. Red day - as much meat as you want. Green day - as much pasta as you want. Yes they’ve changed this over the years but it definitely triggered disordered eating in many people.

TorroFerney · 15/08/2026 06:52

TragicMuse · 14/08/2026 20:55

I was a member back in the 90s when it was red days and green days and I can promise you the central message was eat as much as you want.

Red days were high protein and low carb, green days were high carb and low protein.

So you could have a washing up bowl of pasta but god forbid you had more than a prawn or two.

Or dice up a whole tin of corned beef as a snack on a red day.

Eat a chicken breast! Have 2, have 3! DON’T EVEN LOOK AT THAT POTATO.

One of our local butchers made sin-free sausages long before the porky lights land-grab (and yes, SW spelt it like that before they came up with the retrofit bollocks about it being ‘synchronicity’, they were actually labelling food as sinful). Have 6 if you want. No mash though, tsk tsk.

And that’s before we even get to the frozen muller lights, back when they were free.

Or the Scan Bran.

It really was as mad as that! And the main message really was ‘eat as much as you want, eat till you’re stuffed, as long as you follow the red or green rules.’ Coupled with some merry little asides about ‘you aren’t eating enough/starvation mode’ as any of us were ever going to be in starvation mode with the fat reserves we had…

It makes no sense now, but it didn’t then either!

Show quote history

Oh yes corned beef! My mum was a leader in probably the late eighties and used to take me with her to help. Which is one of the many reasons I’m bonkers about my weight. I remember red and green days and the women who were back for the xth time losing the same weight they’d lost before. My mum was (and is) into exercise though and I remember her doing an exercise segment and promoting that. She’d been overweight after she had me and as a teenager and had a blown up photo of her at the biggest at the front of the class in her 70’s frock.

pouletvous · 15/08/2026 06:56

They’re desperately trying to cling on as increasingly becoming outdated and irrelevant

why pay for SW if already paying for medication? Seems pointless

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 15/08/2026 07:33

TorroFerney · 15/08/2026 06:52

Oh yes corned beef! My mum was a leader in probably the late eighties and used to take me with her to help. Which is one of the many reasons I’m bonkers about my weight. I remember red and green days and the women who were back for the xth time losing the same weight they’d lost before. My mum was (and is) into exercise though and I remember her doing an exercise segment and promoting that. She’d been overweight after she had me and as a teenager and had a blown up photo of her at the biggest at the front of the class in her 70’s frock.

Show quote history

It had an awful renaissance circa 2017 when Instagram exploded too. All these SW Instagram accounts pretending scran bran cakes were delicious and getting upset that porky light sausages were more ‘syns’ (😳) than they had been led to believe.

Most of them all deleted their accounts when the weight went back on.

OnlyMabelInTheBuilding · 15/08/2026 07:36

MirrorMirror1247 · 14/08/2026 16:24

The jabs have come up in discussion a few times in my group. As far as I know no one in my group is taking them and our consultant has talked about the side effects and pointed out that many people put the weight back on after stopping the jabs. On the other hand the SW plan helps with changing eating habits, which those who are on the jabs may need support with once they get to target.

a SW leader trying to put people off something which actually works, which will harm their own business model…. Shocked I tell you!