Is Slimming World Worth the Money?featured

It’s common knowledge that a healthy diet and plenty of exercise is the key to losing weight. But as we all know, changing your diet can be a tricky thing to do, especially if you’re going it alone. For this reason, many people choose to join weight loss clubs in order to shed some pounds with the help of like-minded people.

However, if you’re on a tight budget, you may find yourself wondering whether these clubs are actually worth the money. As someone who first joined Slimming World member just over a year ago, I may be able to shed some light on this.

How much does Slimming World cost?

It usually costs £9.95 to become a Slimming World member. After that, each week you’ll have to pay £4.95 every time you attend a meeting.

However, you can often reduce the cost of the initial joining fee by tracking down a voucher or online discount code.

Many groups also offer members the chance to get 12 weeks for the price of 10.

It’s worth noting that if you ever miss a meeting, you will have to pay for that week upon your return.

How much weight could I lose?

I first joined Slimming World in October 2014. I started to notice a difference within the first couple of weeks of joining and within the first two months I managed to lose a stone without ever letting myself go hungry.

If I ever found my stomach rumbling, whether I was at home or work, I’d let myself eat something. There’s no point in starving yourself after all.

How easy is it to stick to?

Because the Slimming World diet is so flexible, it’s incredibly easy to stick to. In fact, I wouldn’t even call is a ‘diet’ as such. It’s more about changing your eating habits and living a more balanced lifestyle.

As a Slimming World member, you don’t have to count calories or weigh all your food. Instead, Slimming World is all about splitting certain types of food into categories, filling up on good stuff, and controlling the amount of bad stuff you eat. Bad stuff will have a ‘Syn’* value. You’re allowed 105 syns a week, and most people aim for 15 or less each day.

If you find yourself overindulging one day, there’s no need to panic. You simply make up for it over the next few days.

What can I eat?

You can eat pretty much anything. Slimming World is all about moderation. For me, a typical day sometimes looks like this:

Breakfast: A three egg omelette with chicken, chorizo, mushroom, peppers, and onion

Lunch: Huge jacket potato and cheese & a ham, lettuce, cucumber & tomato salad with a bit of salad dressing

Dinner: A fairly large portion of chilli and rice

Snacks: Mullerlight yogurt, banana, apple, pear

However, I like to mix things up as much as possible, and I can often be found tucking into delicious Thai green curries and sausage casseroles.

The Slimming World website is packed full of recipes and there are also recipe books available at fair prices.

How can I get good value for money?

Paying £5 a week to be a Slimming World member may seem like a lot of money. After all, it soon mounts up. However, if you’re keen to lose weight and adopt a healthier lifestyle, I really do think it’s worth it.

Besides, think about how much money you waste each week on unhealthy foods. I bet it’s at least £5 or above. For me, it was a hell of a lot more! Healthy eating has a reputation for being expensive, but if you cook from scratch and ensure nothing goes to waste, Slimming World can be really great value for money. Here are just a few tips to get the most out of your membership:
1. Stay for group

In order to get really good value for money as a Slimming World member, I really recommend staying for ‘group’ each week. Most people pay £5 a week to be weighed and then they sneak off home straight after. However, if you stick around, you can have a nice bonding session with all the other members, discuss your progress and learn new recipes and tips.

2. Cook from scratch

I highly recommend cooking as many meals as possible from scratch. This not only is a great way of preparing generous tummy-filling portions, it’s also a great way to save time and money. Cook a huge chilli when you get in from work, have one portion for tea, save some for lunch the next day, and freeze the rest for when you’re stuck for time.

3. Surround yourself with positive people

I really recommend following fellow Slimming World members on Instagram. They’ll inspire you, keep you going, share plenty of healthy recipes, and pick you up when you’re down. Find them by searching for hashtags such as #SlimmingWorld and #SlimmingWorldUK.

4. Get your friends and family involved

Slimming World is so much easier when you have the support of those around you. If you cook for family, why not make them healthy food too. If you’re in charge of the weekly food shop, make a few healthy switches to the content of your fridge.

It’s easy to fall off the bandwagon if your partner orders takeaways every weekend, so make sure your significant other is on your side. Whenever my boyfriend fancies a treat, he’ll buy a particular bag of sweets or packet of biscuits that he knows I don’t like. That way he can pig out without tempting me to steal his goodies.

5. Believe in yourself

Whether you have the support of those around you or not, ultimately, you’re the only one in control of your new healthy lifestyle. If you’re constantly telling yourself you won’t achieve something, chances are you’re right. You need to believe in your abilities and go for it. If you ever find yourself giving into temptation and pigging out, don’t worry. Simply pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back in the swing of things!

*Please note, the images used in this post have been taken from a stock photo website and I can therefore not guarantee how many Syns are in each one. I have used them to show that Slimming World member is all about having a balanced diet with the occasional treat. No food is off limits.