Dieting/ Slimming

Slimming World is a British company which runs over 5,000 weight loss classes a week across the UK. Adults who are seven or more pounds overweight may join a local Slimming World class and pay a weekly fee to attend classes. In 2005 the cost on joining was £10 and the weekly charge £4. more...

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25. Slimming World calls its diet plan "Food Optimising."

Classes are led by self-employed consultants. At each class members are weighed and the loss or gain is shared with the group. At no time is a member's actual weight mentioned. During classes members also share tips, experiences, and ask for advice. Prizes are given for the "slimmer of the week" and "slimmer of the month."

Consultants do not have quotas to meet for total weight loss among their membership, but do with class attendance, and there are financial incentives for achieving targets.

Slimming World was founded in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell, who serves as chairman. Caryl Richards has been managing director of the company since 2001. Slimming World has 215 employees in its head office.

Food Optimising

Food Optimising leads to weight-loss through a calorie-restricted diet. On the plan many foods, known as "free foods," which are judged to have a low calorie content for how filling they are or how nutritious they are, may be eaten in unrestricted amounts. Members are encouraged to eat four small portions per day of foods which are higher in calories, but which provide ample supplies of vitamins, minerals or dietary fibre.

The Food Optimising plan classifies each day as an original (or red) day or a green day. Many foods are classified differently depending on whether it is a red or green day.

The red day "free foods" include most fruits and vegetables, white fish, lean meats and eggs. The restricted "healthy extras" include milk, cheese, bread, grains, beans, potatoes and dried fruits.

The green day "free foods" include fruit and vegetables, grains, beans, pasta, tofu, and eggs. The "healthy extras" include milk, cheese, bread, dried fruit, nuts and seeds, meat, and fish.

All other foods are assigned a syn value by Slimming World based on their nutritional profile. Syn values are not simply based on calories, but

Exercise

Exercise is not a formal part of the Slimming World plan. They do encourage their members to be active, but the focus of the groups is placed on diet.

When people exercise while trying to lose weight they may make progress which is not reflected by weighing themselves. Muscle is denser than fat, so members may find that their weight loss slows or stops altogether when they exercise at the same time as following a diet plan, as fat stores are used up and muscles are strengthened.

The Slimming World literature acknowledges this and tells members not to be discouraged if they find that this is the case. Each member has a Food Optimising book in which to record their progress which also contains space to record changes in their body measurements (bust and waist). This enables and encourages them to see any change in their body shape even when there is a slow down in the weight loss.

Read more at Wikipedia.org