What is Slimming World's philosophy?

How do you encourage Behaviour Change?

How much weight do slimmers lose?

What is Club 10?

Do you help members maintain their weight loss?

Are members’ weights read out in the group?

Can men attend Slimming World?

Are members encouraged to exercise regularly?

Q: What is Slimming World's philosophy?

A: As an organisation we believe passionately that dieting alone is not a solution to long-term weight management. We invest hundreds of thousands of pounds to provide a level of training to our Consultants that enables them to deal effectively with this hugely complex area. No one understands better than we do. All Slimming World Consultants, managers and trainers have themselves lost weight in a Slimming World group, often after many failed attempts on other diets. We are all very much aware of the barriers to weight loss. We have studied the psychology of dieting and dieters and our training programmes are directed specifically at the motivational and behavioural issues surrounding weight loss.

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Q: How do you encourage Behaviour Change?

A: Individual support to make initial changes to eating habits and behaviours is key to our whole approach at Slimming World. At the heart of every Slimming World group is a unique and tremendously positive support structure, which we call IMAGE Therapy. It stands for Individual Motivation And Group Experience. As well as giving individual guidance and additional mid-week support, Slimming World Consultants are professionally trained to use a number of advanced psychological and behavioural modification tools in a warm and powerfully motivating group setting. Our methods address deep-seated psychological issues and motivational barriers to successful weight control. Members develop practical skills needed to implement effective long-term changes to eating habits and lifestyle. They are encouraged to develop strategies to situations that may hinder behaviour change. Above all, members are encouraged to rebuild their self-confidence and self-worth in a genuinely warm and caring environment where criticism, blame and disapproval are completely discouraged. This approach is extremely effective and unique to Slimming World and, we believe, why so many members find the lasting success that has previously eluded them for years.

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Q: How much weight do slimmers lose?

A: This depends on how much weight they want to lose. Hundreds of thousands of Slimming World members have found success with Food Optimising, and losses range from 7lbs to 10 stones or more.

With the help of their Consultants, members choose their own personal target weight (as long as this does not fall below a BMI = 20kg/m²). Interim targets are also encouraged and a 10% weight loss is very much recommended (Slimming World acknowledge this achievement with Club 10 membership).

We encourage a healthy rate of weight loss of an average of 1-2lbs per week. However, everyone is different and people will lose weight at different rates, this is influenced by factors such as gender, physical activity and how much weight members have to lose. It is not unusual to see larger losses in the first few weeks of slimming, mainly due to the loss of body water and especially if members have a lot of weight to lose. Our research shows that irrespective of initial starting weights, for the majority of people, weight loss soon settles to an average of 1-2lbs a week.

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Q: What is Club 10?

A: Maintenance of a weight loss is the most under recognised achievement in weight management. Slimming World recognises this in its 5,500 weekly groups by awarding “Club 10” membership and a free week to slimmers who lose 10% of their starting weight and maintain or better this loss over a 10 week period.

Club 10 also acknowledges the important achievement of more modest amounts of weight loss, highlighting the many health benefits that can occur without a member's ‘ideal weight’ needing to be reached.

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Q: Do you help members maintain their weight loss?

A: Yes, as part of the company’s strategy to encourage and support weight maintenance, members are invited to continue to attend free of charge for life once they reach their personal target weight. Slimming World currently welcomes 12,000 target members to the group every month totally free of charge.

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Q: Are members’ weights read out in the group?

A: Absolutely not! That's part of Slimming World’s promise to our members. We will never announce their weight in the group, only their weight change (and if members would prefer that not be known, they only have to ask their Consultant not to announce it to the group).

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Q: Can men attend Slimming World?

A: Yes, definitely - as members and Consultants. We welcome 9,000 men to our mixed and men-only groups every month. Food Optimising is an ideal slimming solution for men, offering an extremely generous and flexible dietary approach which takes into account individual needs and preferences to suit all tastes. In addition to personal targets and interim targets, waist circumferences is also considered, particularly where BMI may not be an appropriate tool.

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Q: Are members encouraged to exercise regularly?

A: Yes. Body Magic is Slimming World’s support system designed to help build members’ confidence and expertise in building up their levels of regular physical activity. Regular activity brings many health benefits in addition to the important role in weight management, for example helping lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, reducing stress and anxiety and raising self-esteem. Body Magic has been developed in collaboration with Professor Ken Fox of the University of Bristol and is in line with current government initiatives and objectives to help raise awareness of these benefits and encourage people to become more physically active.

Body Magic recognises time committed to exercise, rather than specific fitness levels, using a unique framework of awards to maintain motivation for lifelong good heath.

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*References on this page:
1 Lavin et al. Feasibility and benefits of implementing a Slimming on Referral service in primary care using a commercial weight management partner. Public Health (2006) 120, 872-881.