Joining a weight loss support group like Slimming World can be the key to successfully shedding the pounds
If you’re looking for ways to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle as a New Year’s Resolution, you’re not the only one. Anticipating the start of 2019, it’s natural to want positive change. For many people, the number one change they want to see is an improvement in both their appearance and their fitness.
But if you’re hoping for an easy way to lose weight, prepare to be disappointed. There are plenty of slimming pills and food supplements which are supposed to boost weight loss, but most have little or no real effect. Many which claim to suppress the appetite and boost the metabolism simply contain huge doses of caffeine, which could be harmful.
You may think a crash diet is the way to lose weight fast, but that isn’t the answer either. They can work in the short term, but then the body adjusts its metabolism to the dramatically lower calorie intake. As soon as you start eating normally again, you’re more likely than before to put on weight.
So what is the real secret to success? The best weight loss programmes involve long-term lifestyle change, with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Making that change can be difficult, especially when well-meaning friends and family members tell you your current weight is fine, and try to tempt you away from your healthy eating plan.
The good news is that while going it alone can be challenging, there is plenty of evidence that having a weight loss support group, run by an experienced and knowledgeable leader, leads to a much higher rate of success.
Amy Baker runs a Slimming World group in Weston Super Mare. She originally joined as a member in 2008, and lost five stone in her first year. She is now a Consultant, helping others to achieve their weight loss goals.
“I understand exactly how it feels to want to lose weight, including the pressure that we put on ourselves to do it,” she said. “As a member I’d never tried anything like Slimming World before, and absolutely it was the support of a group that made the difference, knowing that you weren’t alone and that others understood what you were feeling. Even now as a consultant I attend a group as a member.
“I run a fabulous and friendly group. Everyone is there for the same reason, and will always offer support and motivation to help you all the way to achieving your dream target weight, and beyond.”
Slimming World members benefit from tried and tested advice on diet and exercise. They receive hundreds of recipes for easy dishes that simply don’t look or taste like ‘diet’ food, and many are suitable for freezing. The Food Optimising scheme means members never feel hungry or deprived, and are still able to eat as a family and enjoy meals out.
Amy said Slimming World is entirely suitable for diabetics, and in fact some of her members reversed their diabetes by food optimising. The range of Slimming World ready meals includes gluten-free options.
Members also receive plenty of tips on becoming more fit and active, without any gruelling exercise regimes. Body Magic, Slimming World’s unique activity programme, helps members take small steps towards a more active lifestyle.
Every meeting also includes a powerfully motivating session called IMAGE Therapy. IMAGE stands for Individual Motivation And Group Experience. Members share their experiences and help each other to break bad habits, plan the week ahead, find what could be slowing weight loss, get more out of their exercising – anything that has benefited one member will be shared with the others. This is also the time for boosting the confidence and will-power of anyone who may be feeling discouraged.
New Year 2019 will certainly see countless people asking, “How can I lose weight? How can I start to get healthy? What weight loss programme really is the best?” The answer to all these questions is: Join a supportive Slimming World group, and find out for yourself what weight loss success really looks and feels like.
For more information, visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk
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