10 myths about losing weight with Slimming World

This is a collaborative post with Bidvine

That photo? That’s me before I joined Slimming World, and then again after I lost almost 6 stone in a year to get to my target weight. After having a baby and a brain haemorrhage at the start of 2018 (one event definitely more positive than the other!!), I’m currently sitting at a stone above my original target and I’m staying there for a while as I feel more than comfortable.

I’d guess most people have probably heard of Slimming World – many may even have tried it before, or tried to do it from home. What I know for a fact is that there are plenty of myths going around about how it works, and what you’ll need to do to get the amazing weight losses that you’ll often see on social media and in the press.

The word “myths” is key here – basically, Slimming World is sensible, healthy eating that can be maintained for life. And I’m so passionate about it that I now run my own Slimming World group, helping people on their own weight loss journeys – come join me at 6.30pm at Ashton Park School on Thursday evenings (details and more info on my Facebook page) if you want to start the journey to your dream weight!

Here are 10 of the myths about Slimming World that I hear most often – and explanations of why they’re just not true…

1. I don’t want to have to eat meal replacements

Well…then don’t. Slimming World isn’t a SlimFast-style quick fix – there are no shakes, bars or weird powdered meal replacements here. Sure, there are Slimming World branded ready meals, soups etc that you’ll find in Iceland branches – but they’re all made with real ingredients, and all the packs have the recipes on them so you can make them at home. The focus is on healthy, homecooked dishes that taste amazing.

2. I’ll be constantly hungry

A common misconception is that to lose weight, you need to reduce your portion sizes. At Slimming World, it’s not about reducing portion sizes: it’s about making sure you have the right things on your plate to lose weight.

As an example – these three plates of food have the same energy density as that single plate of pie and chips, and they’re the sorts of things that our members will eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner…

3. I’ll have to give up my favourite foods

Wrong! When you follow Slimming World, NOTHING is banned – it’s all about enjoying everything you love, but in moderation. And if there are particular dishes you love that aren’t particularly healthy, there are plenty of recipes for ways of making them healthier. Burgers and chips, pies, curries, desserts – there’s always a way to make it healthier…

4. I won’t be able to lose weight if I don’t exercise

Not true. Many of my members don’t do any exercise, and they’re losing weight beautifully. Others (like me) just walk – and they’re finding that’s getting easier and that they can walk further as the weight comes off. Others have found that they now have the confidence and/or the energy to exercise now that they’re losing weight. Whether you decide to exercise or not is up to you – but if you do, make sure you do it at your own pace. Services like Bidvine – which puts you in touch with local private personal trainers based on your exact requirements, giving you the chance to choose which best suits your needs, will ensure that you’re exercising at a level you’re comfortable with.

5. I won’t be able to go out and eat/drink

Definitely not true! I still managed plenty of meals out while I was losing weight – and on my journey to target, I lost weight every single week. You’ll be given ideas and tips when you join to make sure you still lose weight…without losing your social life!

6. A group environment isn’t right for me

Part of what makes Slimming World so successful is the group setting: an environment in which members can celebrate successes, share ideas, tips and recipes, and get the support they need. I was never able to lose weight on my own, but the group environment helped – and I’ve made so many friends outside of group as a result too.

7. It’s harder for me to lose weight as I’m older

I’ve had members in their 70s losing 2 stone or more to get to target – with one member in particular telling me they found it very easy to do! This is one of those myths that – in all honesty – is often used as an excuse…

8. I’ll only put the weight back on once I stop following it

That’s true of short-term, quick-fix, very restrictive “diets”, yes. But Slimming World isn’t a diet – it’s the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, and it’s designed to be followed for life. That might sound scary, but it’s basically teaching its members about healthy eating: it’s a calorie-controlled diet without actually having to count any calories. And once a member gets to target, they’ll get their own customised guide to how to stay at their target weight for life.

9. It costs too much

This myth crops up in two different ways: the cost of Slimming World’s membership fees, and the cost of healthy eating. Actual membership costs £4.95 per week (less for seniors and younger members) – significantly less than the cost of a takeaway, a tub of premium ice cream, a pastry every morning on the way to work…you get the idea. And it’s also possible to get a 12-week referral from your GP if they believe you could benefit – you just need to ask if you’re eligible, and they’ll consider you for a voucher that will give you 12 weeks of Slimming World membership without paying a penny.

And in terms of healthy eating costing too much…well, it’s simply not true. Fruit and veg are more than affordable (especially if you buy loose and from a greengrocer or market, rather than prepackaged from a supermarket), and cooking in bulk can save a LOT of money. Plus there are tons of affordable Slimming World recipes, designed to feed the entire family on a small budget.

10. It takes too much time to make healthy food

Again, not true. Some of my favourite meals take no time at all to make: pan-fried salmon with noodles and stir fried veg; simple pasta dishes; steaks – even just bunging a jacket potato in the oven and having it with some defrosted chilli con carne from one of my batch cooking weekends.

There are plenty more myths out there, but these are the ones I hear the most often. Are there any others that you’ve heard that you want debunked? Let me know – either here, on my Slimming World Facebook page, or via my Slimming World Instagram account.