Slimming World is a British company which runs over 5000 weight loss classes a week across the UK. It was founded in 1969 by Margaret Miles-Bramwell who is still the company director as of 2004.

Adults wishing to lose weight (provided that they have at least 7 pounds to lose without going below a healthy weight) may join a local Slimming World class and pay a weekly amount to attend classes. In 2004 the cost on joining was £10 and the weekly charge £3.95. In return they are given the information they need to follow Slimming World's diet plan, called Food Optimising, and the support of their consultant and the other class members.

Each class involves being weighed, sharing that loss or gain with the group (but at no time is a slimmer's actual weight mentioned) and a time to share tips, experiences and ask for advice.

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 calorific content for how filling they are or how good they are for you, may be eaten in unrestricted amounts. Slimmers are encouraged to eat four small portions per day of foods which provide vitamins, minerals or dietary fibre, and which are higher in calories, these are called healthy extras. All other foods need to be measured and have their syn value counted against a daily allowance.

The plan is divided in two: original (or red) days, and green days. Many foods are classified differently on two different kinds of days.

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

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

The "syn" value of all other foods is calculated by Slimming World based on its nutritional information. A food's syn value cannot be known simply by checking how many calories it contains; members have to check the food's value in a book produced by Slimming World.

Exercise

There is no formal exercise programme as 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 slim they may make progress which is not reflected by weighing themselves. Muscle weighs more than fat, so a person 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 are muscles strengthened.

The Slimming World literature acknowledges this and tells slimmers not to be discouraged if they find that this is the case. However, the only measure that Slimming World records is weight loss. Prizes are given for the "slimmer of the week" and consultants, who run the classes, have targets of weight loss among their membership and class attendance to meet, and financial incentives to do so.

Health and pregnancy

The Slimming World plan follows the UK government's healthy eating guidelines. Following a pilot scheme in 2001-2 with Derby Primary Care Trust, Slimming on Referral was launched to encourage GPs to refer patients to Slimming World classes. Under the scheme the patient has their first few class fees paid for them as an incentive to join.

Pregnant women may continue to follow the Slimming World plan as long as they get permission from their midwife, and new mothers are able to come to class from six weeks after the birth, even while breast-feeding.

Company history and products

The weekly classes are at the heart of the Slimming World business, however they do offer other products and services.

The company sells recipe books and other books to accompany their diet plan. For people unable or unwilling to attend classes, they offer postal membership and a newly-launched online programme called BodyOptimise. BodyOptimise costs more than the classes, but offers more support than postal membership and is more flexible than attending classes.

In January 1998, Slimming World Magazine was launched, and sold exclusively to members. It went on general sale to the public in January 1999 and now sells in excess of 255,000.

In January 2004 Slimming World adjusted several aspects of the diet (adding a fourth "healthy extra" per day and recalculating the sin-value of many foods). The naughty-but nice foods which had been given sin-values were instead given syn-values (note the spelling change), short for synergy. The company had long been criticised by some people who found the idea of foods being sinful as negative and offputting. Weight Watchers in the UK, Slimming World's main competitor, even advertises under the slogan "where no food is a sin". Slimming World always said that "sins" were intended to be seen as tongue in cheek, but members and non-members alike were divided over whether they found it the idea of "sinning" fun or discouraging.

The fact that the new syn values are not all the same as the old sin values means that many members' books (SW recipe books, or lists of sin values) which they have purchased over several years are now out of date.

See also

• dieting
• list of diets
• Weight Watchers company.

External links

• Slimming World official website
  • BodyOptimise Slimming World's online service
• ciao.co.uk customer reviews of the Slimming World diet