Does Slimming World work?

Slimming World seems to work for most people but not for me. Weight Watchers seems to work for most people but not for me. What works for me is calorie counting, 1,200 calories a day. It's not easy, keeping count of every calorie, but it does work. I lose weight even faster on 1000 calories a day, but feel so ill and tired that it's not worth it.

I lost loads of weight easily with SW...and loved the eating plan.
I became a consultant and worked for the company for about 3 years.

Since having agoraphobia and other problems I have put on a lot of weight but that is my fault not SW.....never need to feel hungry on SW plan.

I have tried both SW and WW and neither worked for me I got to mixed
up with green day's and red day's with SW,I have lost the 2st I needed to
over the past 3 mths with British heart Foundation Plan and their eat well
plate,cut down on what fat I eat and some exercise,you can be recommended
by your GP or contact your local group and they are very good at fetting you a place on one of their programme's,you also get 3 mths free membership to a
gym,it is the local council gym and they will do a programme that you can manage easily or if you can't do the gym they have classes where you can do excercise from your chair.Some days if I don't want to go to the gym I go for a twenty minute walk,I have met some good friends who are all about the same age and we swop all our idea's etc and tell each other what we think works and what doesn't.Its been good fun

Give SW a go it has worked for me lost 3 1/2 stone a couple of years ago,I joined SW after loosing a lot with WW but had got into a rut and was sick of counting everything. I have just gone back to SW and lost 6lb my first week and doing the extra easy plan it is so easy no messing with red and green days it works if you stick to the plan and you are never hungry!

I'm a SW fan, like you glassortwo, I follow the extra easy plan. It took me four months to lose just over two stone and I have been 'in target' since September last year. I've never tried WW so cannot comment but would definitely recommend SW

I agree SW does work if you stick to it and you get to eat lots and lots but if you dont like fruit and veg you will be hungry.

I ABSOLUTELY stuck to it. I never cheated. I filled in the food diary accurately every day and it was checked every week. The weight didn't budge. I knew everyone was thinking I was cheating on it, but why would I? I'd only be cheating myself.

Melanie yes I am getting that from WW they want me to bring diary in with more detail now. I qualified City & Guilds etc in 1956 and could have been a dietian if there had been enough jobs and they took on women, so I understand science of food and have always eat healthily, organic etc. I was 6/7 stone until 55 and the change and weight just went very gradually up now 17 years later I am being treated like a lazy slob! I never stop, 10 committees, grandchildren, school, ballet, singing run etc. and very young doctor sat in her chair suggests I get an excercise bike!

Slimming World works for me - I have lost over four stone and DH one and a half stones. The reasons it works for me are
- everyone can eat these meals they are not slimming foods
- we can eat as much fruit, veg, lean meat, chicken, fish as we like
- eating this way our appetites have reduced and we no longer crave sweet things
- when guests come they dont realise its SW its just healhty eating
- you can have treats in moderation
- you dont have to stop going to restaurants or refusing to go to friends for meals.
I cant see us coming off this plan now we feel and are healthier and look better. I do recommend it.

Every plan should work if you stick rigidly to it! I lost 2 stone very easily several years ago on WW, but currently I am struggling to lose the extra 3 stone I gained whilst on medication (for an overactive thyroid) which slowed down my metabolism. I am counting the old-style WW points, which I know by heart, but keep cheating. I have an exercise bike but even if I watch TV I find my brain can't take more than 15 minutes on it at a time!
phoenixbfh I wish you well, whatever method you choose. Sometimes a programme which costs money is an added insentive to stick to it.

If you can add in exercise to the mix then reduction in calorie consumption will work well.
like grumpyoldwoman I also successfully lost weight with the now defunct Slimming Club and ran a group for a couple of years so I know all the answers on how to be a healthy weight and maintain it. Have not kept to the rules though and have at least a stone to lose to be considered healthy (not even slim!!) or else I could grow four inches
I think some people are helped by the 'group' and going to a weekly session keeps them on the straight & narrow!!! I eat healthy food (but too much of it) and my exercise regime is non-existent! I like to have a drink 'socially' but rarely on our own at home.
Check portion size..people are often shocked when they see what 2oz of meat /cheese/ butter etc looks like.

Thanks [susiecb] and [shysal] the doctor sent me to ww for high blood pressure and it is quite a drive away. I like the sound of Slimming World which is walking distance but would have to pay myself. Cost petrol may = fee so will enquire. I put the weight on living in small bedsit 9 years had to be either in or out, I was mostly out. But now in even smaller bungalow but with back and front door to outside. I lost stone and half moving in but so content have put back on again nearly...but also very cold winter here on north side of hill.

I have very small hips and rear but weight on bust and midriff so not sure bike would help. (plus my hips and joints painful) I walk a lot, one can't park anywhere near places here, long walk school and back, given up all committees last week following move and planning swimming more etc. and now the weather improved gardening etc.

I was eating all the right things for ww except their own products which are expensive and ugh. just had to cut milk and butter to min. and I was there. Thanks again for info very helpful.

I did SW and even now both me and Mr Phoenix (who never did it) still use some of the SW recipes and other bits!

I'm too resistant to rules (ex husband was a control freak in the extreme) to follow any diet plan to the letter, but my own version of SW worked, and continues to do so.

Little things, like mashing potato or swede with stock instead of butter, dry frying lean mince then draining any fat off before continuing with your shepherds pie, chilli, spag bol etc. However if I fancy a treat, be it a pasty, cream cake or whatever, I damn well have it!

I haven't been to a class in over a year, but have still managed to more or less maintain the stone and a half that I lost. (Could still do with losing another half stone or so, but ho hum)

I have tried Slimming World and Weight Watchers in the past. I have also been a vegetarian for the past 18 years, and found SW provided the most varied and satisfying regime. It is possible to avoid ever feeling hungry on this diet, although you may die of boredom! As we grow older, it is more difficult to keep the lost pounds off, and to be honest I feel a little resentful: "Why not enjoy that cake, you deserve it" says a little imp at the back of my mind. I have done well recently: because I had a viral "cold", I lost my sense of smell and taste and as a consequence ate less, and had no sugar or sweet food. Now recovered, I am determined to keep off the half-a-stone I lost, and lose a little more too if I can stick to it. I met a friend's sister on the beach recently, who had lost 4 stones just by eating sensibly and taking more exercise. So it is possible, but like everything it takes will power!

I have tried SW and WW, but calorie counting works better for me.
The concept of eat as much as you like form SW needed to be teste, so I actually gained weight,I think the plan works better if you have a lot of weight to lose
WW I found too fiddle and if I am constantly thinking of food I want to eat it,I just stick to a little of what you fancy,altered my meal times,and dish mine up on a small plate/bowl,I like plates with interesting shapes,which aoutomatically make food look more pleasing.....but savoury foods are my downfall I love crisps,and I am trying to not drink wine which is really making me bloated when I have it ,and haven't been able to eat bread for over 10 years,try not to overdo the carbs either,and not a big meat eater....could do with losing some weight ,but go by my waistbands on my clothes as I don't weigh myself anymore,I just have small portions of everything....good luck I wish I was taller,I don't think we get fatter as we get older.we shrink so we look compressed which causes the spare tyre and back fat

Bit late but Yes SW definitely works and on easy plan it is not complicated. I lost a stone with no trouble . I also took up swimming

Forgot to mention that I did not go to meetings, joined online but after a couple of months just went my own way

i am a member of slimmimg world.....i have lost my first stone,,,i got mixed up with red days and green,,,but just eat lots of fruit and veg..real food and cut down on some food portiones....no cake, its fattening,,,maybe a low fat buiscuit,,,no chocolate only 1 square,,,,,it does work but excersising helps enormously...i like swimming,,,my daughter has just joined too and she has lost 4 1/2 lbs in first week..she enjoys running,,,,if you dont like those things,,,then put your music on and dance around the house,,,,cut the lawn more often its all excersise....buy yourself a salad recipe book they dont have to be boring,,,,happy slimmimg,

i am a member of a dietitian team,its better to leave it with the professionals

Rosemary Conley classes are good as they include a 45 minute exercise class. My GP recommended that I lose weight to help lower my BP, so far have lost 10lbs. I find just the idea of being weighed every week keeps me on track.

i lost a couple of stone at slimming world but gave up AGAIN

I got on well with SW and have lost 2 stones and kept it off for 2 years on the Extra Easy Plan, which is very straight forward to follow. I think I succeeded because it features the kind of foods I like to eat - loads of fruit, veg and carbs such as spuds, pasta and rice. It is an extremely low fat diet, so you do need to eat lots of fresh veg and so on to fill up. It is a versatile diet and easy to adapt for others.

When it comes to maintaining the weight loss, my only real criticism is that SW doesn't teach you about portion control, the mantra being to eat until your hunger is satisfied. I think if I'd been able to do that, I wouldn't have put the weight on in the first place!

I love SW lost 4 1/2 stone and feel great

Joined SW 3 years ago and lost 2 st 4lbs. Was thrilled to bits and didn't find it difficult once I got into it. Also had a lovely group leader wth a great personality which helped a lot. After a few holidays and sloppy eating the weight came back gradually and I went back. Found it very difficult to lose any weight at all, even though I knew how the plans worked inside out. So tried WW and also had difficulty losing any weight. Gave up after a few weeks. Have now started the 5:2 eating plan. It doesn't cost any money to join and so far (about 3 weeks) have been very pleased with the results. Have also taken up walking 3 miles a day (also free).