Joining SW as a (relatively) smaller woman

[ItLiterallyJustSaysFoldInTheCheese]

I'm only 5ft, size 8-10, but my weight has shot up to 9st 8... in terms of BMI it's firmly in the overweight category and I feel really unhealthy, unhappy.

Thing is, in clothes, I look 'ok'. I don't look overweight, and I've got a petite frame. So I'm really paranoid that if I join a SW group, I'll be laughed out the room, or dismissed somehow. Do you think this is the case, or am I just too paranoid?

I love the idea of a group because of the accountability and the support you get from others in person. I'm just nervous about what to expect 😟

I have no experience with SW but I think if they work out your BMI, and you are in the overweight category, there will be no issue with you joining. I presume that is the yardstick used for eligibility rather than how much weight you have to lose.

Best of luck with it.

I was the same as you (I’m probably back there, I just haven’t weighed myself but my jeans are telling me I’ve put on weight) and it was fine - they were very supportive and weren’t dismissive at all. SW gets a lot of hate on MN but I found it easy to follow. It’s basically low carb, low fat, high protein and lots of fruit and veg.

What on earth are you talking about? Are you worried you'll be the tiniest woman in the room? Really?

I used to go to SW.

I probably wouldn't notice you, but if I did, I'd probably just think you were a long-standing member who was maintaining.

But honestly, no one will look twice at you. No one cares.

1 started 4 weeks ago and similar build to you. There’s plenty of smaller framed people there and everyone is lovely. I’ve found it a really positive experience and have lost nearly a stone already.

Do myfitnesspal. It's free and much less complicated

Not at all.

I'm just nervous about trying to sign up as a new member in Group and them laughing me out of the room.

Thanks for the positive feedback. It's totally my paranoia, my self esteem issues, so good to hear I can expect to feel supported.

If only I had the willpower! I need the accountability and group mentality unfortunately!!

Good going, congrats!

In my experience with weight loss group, most people don’t look over weight who attend.

im a size 18 and one of the biggest people there at my ww group. Most people are a size 10

I rejoined SW recently as a 5ft 5 10st 6.5 pounds female. They were lovely though one of the ladies did joke she would love my starting weight especially after Christmas. It was light hearted though so just laughed.

I have lost 7 pounds and have another 7 to go. I prefer to be about 9st 4 as I have a petite frame and a medical condition that is aggregated by any extra weight I carry. There is ladies and men of all sizes go. Everyone is welcome.

Well done for twisting the context of OP's post and being an a**hole

The problem with slimming world is that it will be too much food for you to lose weight

In the same size and weight and have to eat 1000 cals a day to lose .

Slimming world is excellent for larger people who eat alot as the idea is you fill up on lower calorie food but it's still going to be too much for you.

Download nutra check and follow the rules on that. Basic Calorie counting and prioritising protein will work better .

That’s not true - I was the same weight as the OP (although I’m an inch taller at 5’ 1”) and I lost weight. I just followed the guidelines and lost 1-2lbs a week.

@SirChenjins I would guess you were eating under your bmr following SW rules then .

Sw is just calorie counting anyways so you may as well save your money.

No idea - I just followed their guidelines. I find calorie counting a faff and was happy to pay the monthly fee, but if cc works for you then great.

If you do SW online, I guess it is just calorie counting and you could use fitness pal or any other app.

But.. I think what you pay for either SW is the whole thing - the plan, the support, the monitored weigh ins. I have no willpower on my own, I've proven that time & time again.

I’m the same - I found the whole package really helpful. At the time I did it they were doing 1:1 weigh ins and support over Zoom which I really liked.

Yes, just in case there’s nasty little witches like you in it.

Op in the one I used to go to there was a lady who was UNDERweight! She joined at 14 stones. Hit her target weight, but then carried on too far. They were helping her to eat healthily and come up to a more healthy weight. There will also be people who are at a healthy weight, but continue to go to Sw for support and to help stay on track.

No it won't, I have friends who are at target and still go to SW to stay on track .

Just go OP 😊

Just because you overeat so much on it that you can’t maintain a low weight, it doesn’t mean that’s the same for everyone. I stick to it just to be mindful of what I’m eating. You can eat a huge amount of food on sw and still lose or maintain a weight when you’re already small

What on earth do you mean it’s ‘too much food’? Have you been following it wrong? You do know there’s not a minimum amount to eat? I eat about the same amount, but except for a fried egg and sausage butty for breakfast, I’ll have scrambled egg, tomatoes, smoked salmon and grilled mushrooms. Lunch and dinner will be the same size, but itll be grilled and seasoned chicken/fish with a load of steamed veg and a jacket, instead of pizza/kievs/chips I can grab out the freezer. The group meetings give you the motivation to put some effort into your life which struggled to do before. I’m not eating more or less, I’m eating less shit, and I’ve gone from obese to the lower side of my recommend weight for my 4ft11 height

I'm the correct weight thanks .. I don't overeat ..

I'm saying it's easy to overeat on slimming world and that it's just calorie counting wrapped up in a different way .

Each to their own

I'm happy being 9.7 stone . I've got an awesome hourglass figure ✅

It doesn’t matter what it is - do whatever works for you.