Why Slimming World and Weight Watchers Don't Work- In my opinion
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I recently did a poll on weight watchers and slimming world to see if any of you had success long term with them. Many well known ‘diet clubs’ promise quick results but often fail to deliver long-term.
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Let’s break down in 5 minutes why these diets may not be the answer, and what to try instead.
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Slimming World Struggles
While the Slimming World diet emphasizes low-fat foods, the carb-heavy approach doesn’t work for everyone. The limited food options may leave you feeling restricted, hungry and deprived over time. Not to mention we need some healthy fats in our diet for hormonal health, skin health, brain function & mental wellbeing and much more.
Slimming World promotes high carbohydrate foods such as white potatoes and pasta as ‘free foods’ that you can fill your boots with. White potatoes are rich in carbohydrates (sugar) which can spike blood sugar levels and cause weight gain – I recommend opting for sweet potatoes instead as they are less likely to do so and also contain essential nutrients such as beta-carotene.
My biggest concern with Slimming World is their description of some foods as ‘syns’ (sins). This is an unhealthy way to view eating of any kind – are we sinners if we eat some chocolate? If that’s the case then I’m going straight to hell with a belly full of Dairy Milk. For a diet club that promises no foods are off limits or forbidden, it seems a contradictory message to then call some foods ‘syns’.
When I worked in HR, I remember a colleague telling me excitedly that her new Slimming World diet allowed her to have sugar free sweets and diet fizzy drinks because they had ‘zero syns’ but a fruit smoothie was not allowed (because of the fruits’ natural sugar content). I was flabbergasted that they were promoting sugar free confectionary and diet drinks as superior to wholefoods such as fruit. I’d go for the fruit smoothie every time.
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Weight Watchers Woes
The WW website is promoting their upcoming launch of prescribed weight loss medications alongside their normal Points system for shedding the pounds. Common weight loss drugs include injectable GLP-1 obesity medications such as Wegovy, Saxenda and Aqualyx which target appetite suppression and dissolving fat (as an alternative to liposuction). My concern with this approach is that it seems to be ‘a pill for an ill’ view of weight management instead of getting to the root cause of the weight gain. Moreover, without proper guidance and education around healthy eating, exercise and weight loss, users may believe these medications are a sufficient intervention for healthy weight management and not make any if the required changes to their diet and physical activity levels.
The NHS states that these weight loss drugs are only effective if used alongside other interventions such as dietary changes, increased exercise and behavioural support. Wouldn’t it be better to use drugs as a last resort and prioritise national education on more sustainable (and healthier) dietary & lifestyle changes that help us to lose weight? After all, no amount of obesity medication will have the desired effect if the person’s diet remains unchanged. Even if they increase their exercise – you can’t out exercise a bad diet.
Whilst some short-term success may be seen with diet clubs, I hear story after story of weight being regained after the initial success due to the flawed nutritional foundations and unsustainable approach. Having said all that, I do see value in the community aspect of diet clubs whereby that invaluable peer support is in place through the group meetings. I’d recommend teaming up with a friend to be each other’s health buddy & encourage each other to stay on track and do activities together for accountability.
领英推荐
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How do I lose weight if I don’t go to my usual diet club?
In a nutshell, we want to balance blood sugars & ensure we’re focussing on a wholefood diet that contains adequate protein, fibre & healthy fats. That might look like this:
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Sustainable Success
Let go of past frustrations and embrace realistic methods to achieve the lasting results you deserve! A nutrient-rich wholefood diet provides the body with the tools it needs to function optimally, and the fibre & protein intake will keep you fuller for longer & support blood sugar control – an essential part of healthy weight management.
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Let me know what you thought of this week’s Nutrition in 5 or what topics you want covered next!
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8 个月In the 70's it was sins. It meant sins too. I remember my auntie being on the diet. It may have changed to syns but the inference is still the same.
experienced flexible in various security roles
8 个月I would like this type of diet to help me reduce fat especially visceral fat but gain muscle as I have already dropped 7 stone in 3 years, can it work for me? I am a regular gym goer and swimmer
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8 个月Hi, I have been going to Slimming World for many years and it has helped me to maintain a healthy weight. When I first joined I needed to lose a stone which I did to get to target. I eat salmon fillets at least once a week and we are encouraged to eat plenty of fruit and veg. Re your comment on the fact that Syns is a bad words to refer to treats, I should point out that it is short for synergy and not sins. I look forward to the weekly meetings to swop recipes and to help me remain focussed on my eating plan and daily activity. ( I'm 75).?
Relationship Management Expert | Leveraging neuroscience & a behaviourist approach to optimise performance | Accredited Life & Workplace Coach | Mental Health First Aid & Mindfulness Instructor
8 个月You really should research a subject before writing about it. Syns in Slimming World have absolutely nothing to do with sin or being a bad food. Syn is short for synergy - foods that can be eaten in moderation but are higher in calories, sugar & fat and have less nutritional value than the foods SW call "free foods". The reason that blended fruit has a syn value is because of how you consume and digest it. You might eat a whole banana in one sitting, but you're not likely to then reach for another one, plus an apple and a handful of blueberries at the same time. By blending the fruit you are losing out on chewing and digesting, and therefore losing out on the filling power of eating whole fruits.
Owner Of 3001 Web
9 个月If you are going to write about a subject, please do your research first. 1. There is NO food off the table in Slimming World, just replacing unhealthy ingredients with healthier alternatives and cooking methods, which more often than not taste better. The choice of meals is Huge. My wife and I eat a massively more varied diet than we did previously. My wife lost 2? stone and has maintained that for over 4 years because we eat a balanced, healthy diet. This is not a “Diet club” done correctly, it is a healthy change for life, not some fad temporary diet. I have lost nearly 8? stone and am just 2lb from my target, there is NO food I don't eat now that I ate before. I have had multiple health issues vanish and feel 15 years younger. 2. Now let's get to Syns, had you actually done some research instead of publishing an uninformed opinion piece, you would have discovered that SYN is short for Synergy it has NOTHING to do with sins. I suspect you are trying to sell your own weight loss ideas here. If you truly believe in your methods, then perhaps you would not be disparaging something that has and will continue to improve the lives and health of thousands of people.