I'm considering joining slimming world but I have a few questions?

[Monr0e]

I've steadily put on weight over the last few years, a combination of massively reduced activity due to a chronic condition and, well, just eating crap. I don't particularly look overweight mainly due to being tall, but I feel sluggish and unhealthy and just really want to get the whole family back on track.

I've heard really good things about slimming world but just have a couple of questions?

I work shifts, do you have to attend on certain days / times?
What's included in the price? Do you get recipes / meal plans?
Is it family friendly? Easy to follow? Any good for shift work? Packed lunches?
Also, and I know this sounds daft, is there a minimum weight you need to lose?

Thanks for any advice

You can attend any Group you like, once a week, it doesn't have to be the same Consultant. If you tell the Group you join you are a shift worker this will be taken into account

The price is for getting weighed but mainly for Image Therapy. Loads of people at my Group get weighed and run, can't see the point of that but saying is optional.

You don't get recipes or meal plans as such but Image Therapy is where you get all the ideas from, such as struggling for pack up ideas, family meals etc

You set your target weight yourself and can change it if necessary. SW have a minimum weight they will allow you to set to stay healthy though

HTH, good luck with your journey if you go ahead x

Thank you, I guess I feel that as I don't particularly look overweight people might query why I'm there but I definitely want to lose at least one stone, ideally more

Also, what is Image therapy? Never heard of that before.

I "only" lost 2 stone to get to my target weight but never would have done it by myself and needed that support. No one will think anything of how much you have to lose, everyone there is in the same boat; they don't feel comfortable in themselves

Image Therapy is the bit after everyone has weighed in and we talk in turn about how much we've lost this week/in total, what sort of week we've had, if there's any support we need for things coming up during the week. This can be daunting for some if it's a big group but you can just tell your consultant you don't want to speak up if you aren't confident until you get to know people. Your existing weight is never mentioned, only your weight loss/gain that week and so far in your journey x

Tell them your a shift worker when you join and will make sure you don't pay for the weeks you can't get to class because if your shifts

I work shifts, do you have to attend on certain days / times?

I tend to go to the Thursday one local to me but if for whatever reason I can't go then I go to another local one on a Wednesday/ That is fine.

What's included in the price? Do you get recipes / meal plans?

You get a book when you first join that explains how the diet works. Then it is up to you to use the book to make meals and snacks that you like/fit in with your lifestyle. You can buy additional recipe books or you can look them up for free on their website.

Is it family friendly? Easy to follow? Any good for shift work? Packed lunches?

I find it very family friendly. It is easy to follow but it does require a bit of planning/thinking about to start with. However, I now do it without much thought at all. I make packed lunches for work - mainly a bit tub of salad. But that is what I prefer. You could make anything really.

Also, and I know this sounds daft, is there a minimum weight you need to lose?

When you join you set your own target. It can't be too low for your height - they have a chart. I have set interim targets and worked towards those - then reset them once I have reached them.

I went to a group once to try it out but didn't join (it was a bit of a hard sell from the consultant and that put me off) and due to the meeting times I would only ever have been able to weigh in at the morning meeting then leave to get to work - the evening group in our town also clashes with sonething else. To be honest I would probably have hated Image therapy too.

So I joined online instead, using a voucher code, in September, aiming to lose 1lb a week, I lost a stone by mid December and still have several to go. My DCs have no idea I'm doing it, it is very easy to work into family meals and I'm very happy with it.

Thank you very much everyone

I didn't realise you could do it online as well, does it work out more or less the same price?

The standard price is I think £5/week same as in groups but there are offers. I paid £45 for three months instead of £60, then when that time was up you can either sign up for another block payment or go back to the standard price. I've cancelled mine at the moment as I felt I had got to grips with it pretty well and there are lots of helpful MNers to answer questions - I have to say the website and app aren't as good as I had hoped. I log my weight on Fitbit as well as SW website so I've still got my history.

Love SW met all sorts of interesting people.
Lost a stone and a half and feel so much better about myself.

I do it online. I'm never gong to go to a group but online I can follow. It can be harder because you have to work out things that you would otherwise ask in group, but, there are lots of fb groups and failing that a quick Google will usually answer your question.

I work shifts and it's working well for me! Yes you can go to different groups - the one where you join is classed as your 'main' group but as long as you have your card and book you can attend once a week. Have a look at the website to see if there's groups nearby. They do also take shifts into consideration. I find it works okay with shifts as long as I plan ahead. I take stuff like homemade soup, overnight oats and plenty of fruit. There's loads of recipes online or via the app which you can access once you're a member.

Personally I need the support and encouragment of the group. Online is fine if you're disciplined but I don't think I would be on my own.

Thanks everyone, sounds good

I've had a look and there are a few groups that run local to me so will look into them. Do you call ahead first or just turn up?? I have visions of walking into a packed room and everyone staring at me!

Also, is it expensive? How does it fit in with shopping on a budget? Thank you

Just turn up at the start time for the meeting. They are geared up to welcome new members at the start.

I find I'm saving money actually. I shop weekly - I meal plan carefully and batch cook healthy meals I can freeze. Obviously buying plenty of fresh fruit and veg costs money but not buying processed foods or doing extra trips to my local co-op to buy extras all the time has definitely saved me money!

Oh I'm thinking of joining online...

Online works well for a lot of people Lucielu! It's that I know when I did WW and could only go once a fortnight I couldn't keep a handle on it. That's just me though!

I work shifts and did slimming world. I just let the consultant know beforehand if I could make it to next week or not so she could input it on the computer.

When you first go you will be directed to the new starters table where the consultant will give out the new members talk whilst everyone gets weighed. Free that you can sit in for image therapy. This varies from group to group but tends to have a going round the group discusses losses/gains and it's a bit happy clappy. There is no shaming if you gain and no one will know your weight apart from the consultant and the person doing the weighing.

I find I save money when I'm following plan because you have to plan ahead so we have less wastage.

You have to have at least half a stone to lose in order to join and you can't set your target to below healthy bmi.

I was always secretly jealous of the people who only needed to lose a little bit, it meant they'd done something about their weight before it got out of control unlike me who needed (and now needs to again) lose a lot.