Explain Slimming World to me please

[BG2015]

I need to lose a stone, maybe stone and a half. I've done Weight Watchers loads in the past with good success. I recovered from cancer in 2022 and have had subsequent health issues which meant I was on steroids for long periods of time, struggled to exercise and the weight has crept on. I'm also 56, post menopausal and taking cancer related drugs which don't help.

My health is now much better and I've started swimming and walking again. I wondered whether SW could give me a bit of renewed motivation but I'm not sure how it works.

When I'm in 'the zone' I lose weight easily, but my age is definitely an issue.

Does this help?

https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/health/how-sw-works/food-optimising.aspx#:~:text=Food%20Optimising%20is%20Slimming%20World's%20healthy%20eating%20plan.&text=The%20concept%20of%20Free%20Foods,can%20be%20eaten%20without%20restriction.

Very basic explanation is there are foods that are unlimited, this would include vegetables and fruits, lean meats and fish, pasta rice and potatoes. The idea being that these foods fill you up and keep you satisfied so you’re less likely to eat other foods, so there’s no need to weigh or calorie count them.

You then have a daily allowance for foods that are limited, that would be bread and cereals, milk and cheese.
After that you have a Syn allowance which is for things like chocolate, alcohol etc.

With all that in mind you could have eg jacket potato with tuna and salad, as much as you want but what you can’t do is add heaps of mayonnaise. Spaghetti bolognaise would be ok if made with lean mince but you couldn’t eat garlic bread with it.
Slimming World magazine has recipes in it, if you flick through a copy you’d see the kind of thing you can eat or have a look on Instagram.