Following some ideas from other Ciao-ers have a new online shop - www.cafepress.co.uk/devonbelle . ...
Following some ideas from other Ciao-ers have a new online shop - www.cafepress.co.uk/devonbelle . Just starting out... will review it sometime soon.... :)
Member since:30.12.2008
Reviews:47
Members who trust:2
Slimming World is a members club that advises and encourages members to lose weight. Members join for a variety of reasons - the vast majority have tried to lose weight previously on their own and join because they are promised a method of eating that will make the process easier and, most importantly, without the need for hunger pangs!
I joined Slimming World in January 2008, then dropped it after six months due to family and work commitments. In the six months I was a member I lost a stone, although it is very likely I would have lost more if I had been a little more attentive to the plan and a little less inclined to experiment with the guidelines! I have recently discovered that my wedding dress doesn't fit properly, so I've dug out the SW books and I'm having another go. This time I can't make it to the meetings so I'm going it alone, but there are lots of people I know who have tried it before and liked it, so I'm going to be looking to them for support.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Slimming World works in two ways. Firstly they show you how to 'Food Optimise' so that
you are eating foods that are more easily digested together and make you feel fuller for longer. Depending on the day you choose (green or red) you have a list of foods that you can have an unlimited amount of, plus the 'healthy extras' which you can use to top up your nutrient count and make food taste better. The healthy extras are usually higher fat items of which you are given a specific amount of each day, therefore limiting the amount you have, leading to lower calorie intake. Clever, huh? There are Syns too - these are the points that are awarded to common foods and you can use these in addition to the free foods and healthy extras. Again, you have a limited number of these each day to limit the number of calories you consume. Secondly, the Slimming World leaders are trained to lead the 'image therapy' groups, which form the meetings that members go to each week. Members meet up to get weighed (which is completely confidential) then talk about the week they have had (food-wise) and swap tips and recipes amongst themselves to keep the food tasting good and encourage each other when the going gets tough. Sometimes there are tasting sessions where members bring dishes to share - these are great when you've been a really good week and want to feel a bit naughty but safe in the knowledge that everything you eat has been carefully Syn counted.
When you join you are given a pack which includes your guide to food optimising and syn counting. The layout of the books in the pack are really user friendly, although the syn section can be a bit confusing until you figure out how everything has been classified. I use little markers to remind me where my favourite items are in the book. You are also encouraged to use a food diary for a few weeks so that your group leader can check that you're following the plan properly and that you are not losing weight unhealthily fast. The plan also encourages members to take up exercise and rewards are given to people that consistantly do a certain amount of exercise each week. This can be anything from a daily half hour ramble in the park to regular swimming, aerobics and weight training. Everyone is eligible for something after just a little effort!
The website is also pretty good - you can use this to check the syns in products and get inspiration from other people's experiences. There are recipes to try, articles to motivate you and hints for getting the most out of your excersie regime.
THE GOOD BITS
This is an easy way to start a healthy eating plan. The book shows you how to make the most of the food allowances on each day and gives you lots of encouragement in the early stages. And it works! I managed to lose a stone and I have very little willpower - there was enough flexibility in the plan that if I needed to splurge on something unhealthy it wasn't the end of the world, I just compensated on the days following. You make some really good friends at the group and you get mesmerised by other people's stories - nothing makes the group feel better than a member who had a problem that your suggestions helped to solve. The leaders are trained really well and generally bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the group.
THE BAD BITS
You need certain skills to be able to do this plan 100%. You need to be organised, have a certain amount of time on your hands and be inventive with the ingredients available on the day (red or green) that you choose. The food bill can mount up due to the large amount of fruit and vegetables, and complete lack of ready meals and conveneince foods. Tinned goods are always useful. If you are a little short on time at home it can be difficult to make time to cook things that comply with the plan and if (like me!) you are culinarily-challenged it can be a trial eating food that would taste so much better if it was fried in butter, drenched in oil or topped with a thick layer of cheese. There is a cost involved - at each meeting you pay your membership fee before weigh-in and there are products from Slimming World that are brought by the leader for members to try at home. These are often quite good value though, I haven't regretted the things I bought at the meetings. In fact, the puddings recipe book was a godsend....... You need a lot of willpower, as with any eating plan, and if you miss a meeting or two it can be difficult to get back on track.
SUMMARY
I really like this plan because it suits the way I eat and the way I cook - herbs and spices are unlimited so you can really experiment with flavours. (not always advisable when I'm in charge of the hob but great when the fella's in control!) The support you get from your group is fantastic and the leaders are really well trained and help with any questions you may have. It can be a bit expensive if you stay as a member for a long time, but whether you lose a pound, half a stone or reach your target you know that not only do you get a great sense of achievement, but that your group will be cheering you on as well. Even when you do it on your own, because of all the other ex-members that will help you.
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Whether you're cooking up breakfast on the run a packed lunch a lazy weekend brunch a ... more
perfect Sunday roast or an informal midweek dinner party this book shows you how--without forgetting your diet plan. Gone are the days of feeling as though you are missing out. Instead here are more than 120 delicious recipes that are anything but typical dieters' food including spicy beef fajitas with salsa Moroccan-style tagine cinnamon and apple crumpets seafood cakes with fennel and orange salad and chocolate caramel cheesecake. Illustrated with stunning photographs throughout this will be a must-have purchase for dieters everywhere.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
With more than 120 recipes, this book shows readers how to whip up delicious meals without ... more
straying from the "Slimming World" diet plan. It caters for breakfast on the run, a packed lunch, a weekend brunch, a Sunday roast or an informal midweek dinner party.
A mouthwatering new collection of slimming recipes - over 120 dishes from all over the ... more
world. This new book from one of the UK's leading slimming organisations takes in all manner of international cuisine. You'll be able to indulge in Italy's irresistible plates of pasta, India's spicy curries, China's noodle and stir-fry dishes as well an an array of mouthwatering recipes from Thailand, Greece, Morocco, the USA and Mexico. Packed with all the nutritional, diet and lifestyle information you need if you're following the Slimming World food optimising plan.
The Slimming World system gives you plenty to eat and no forbidden foods. This approach ... more
has enabled hundreds of thousands of members to reach their target weight. No foods are banned there is no calorie counting and there are hundreds of 'free foods' which can be eaten in unlimited amounts. So how can it possibly work? Slimming World defines its highly successful weight-loss technique as 'food optimising' encouraging you towards a healthier style of eating for life rather than simply for short-term weight loss. But if you ever thought this would be difficult or time-consuming think again. In the same time it takes to heat a pre-prepared meal Slimming World Fast Food shows you how to prepare quick delicious meals for yourself and your family. It is packed with advice and contains no less than 120 fast and effective recipes designed to set your tastebuds tingling. Every one of these recipes takes less than 30 minutes to create and food values are calculated for you so you can easily make Slimming World food a part of your daily life.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Food Optimising by Slimming World enables you to make the most of healthy yet delicious ... more
food. No foods are banned there' s no calorie counting and there are hundreds of ' Free Foods' which can be eaten in unlimited amounts. Food Optimising was originally designed for Slimming World members to make slimming easier and more enjoyable. Now for the first time this book makes it available to everyone. Packed with nutritional lifestyle and diet information as well as over 120 wonderfully healthy recipes simply follow this healthy eating plan and see the weight fall off - and keep off.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
The people at Slimming World know that all slimmers want plenty of gorgeous food - but to ... more
deny yourself is not the way to get slim and stay slim. This unique approach to slimming is based on a revolutionary concept - that of 'Free Foods' - foods you eat in any quantities whenever you're hungry. And they aren't just typical diet staples such as lettuce and low-fat cottage cheese. Free Foods include pasta rice lean meat fish poultry and fresh fruit and vegetables. Fancy a big plateful of vegetable curry with unlimited rice or a pile of pasta with a spicy tomato sauce? How about a monster jacket potato with a tin of baked beans? Or a meaty tuna steak with a heap of ratatouille? Recipes such as Farfalle and mixed bean salad Mild and creamy chicken curry Fragrant pilaff and many more besides can be eaten as Free Foods when you are Food Optimising. Gone are the days of feeling as though you are missing out!
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
At last here's the book we've all been waiting for: curries that are healthy low in fat ... more
and absolutely mouthwatering! The Slimming World approach to food optimising means that you never have to deny yourself or miss out - you can indulge your wildest curry fantasies and cook quick and easy exotic meals every day of the week. "Slimming World's Curry Feast" takes in dishes from across India Thailand and Malaysia with dishes both sweet and spicy fresh and fragrant and delicious and decadent. With soups and starters such as Thai green curry soup and Onion bhajis you can recreate all those restaurant favourites at home. Main-course curries feature such classics as slow-cooked lamb rogan josh red-hot beef madras and mild creamy chicken korma. There are plenty of fish and seafood options too like aromatic Goan prawn curry or Kerala-style fish steamed in banana leaves. Or for a lighter option try refreshing lemongrass and prawn salad or chicken tikka with red onion. For vegetarians lentils rice and pulses make fantastic dishes including tarka dhal chana masala spiced beetroot with coconut and Mumbai aloo (cumin-scented potatoes).And an Indian banquet wouldn't be complete without accompaniments such as lime pickle and coconut pickle. Whether you want a simple one-dish supper at home or a feast for family friends this exciting selection of authentic tasty recipes makes for the perfect meal.
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Presents recipes for curries that are healthy, low in fat and mouthwatering. This book ... more
takes in dishes from across India, Thailand and Malaysia, with dishes both sweet and spicy. The recipes include those for: soups and starters; main-course curries; fish and seafood options; and for vegetarians with lentils, rice and pulses.
At last, here's the book we've all been waiting for: curries that are healthy, low in fat ... more
and absolutely mouthwatering! The Slimming World approach to food optimising means that you never have to deny yourself or miss out - you can indulge your wildest curry fantasies and cook quick and easy, exotic meals every day of the week
Postage & Packaging:refer to website Availability:in stock
Apr 3rd, 2009
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