What The Bleep Is Slimming World?

what-is-slimming-world

While I envy the results of those on paleo diets and doing the whole30 challenge, I want to make eating healthier budget friendly and make meals both of us can enjoy together – and he will not go for missing out on key foods (key to him at least).  Slimming World is well known in the UK and most people I know have done well on it.  It focuses on whole foods but gives you some wiggle room too so you don’t feel like you are on a diet.  I lost a pile of weight on it previously, but last year let my healthy eating habits go and want to get back on track.  A few people have asked what Slimming World is, so I thought I would give an overview for those interested.

Choose unlimited Slimming World Free Foods

Most of your food each day should come from the Superfree and Free Foods lists.  They are called Free Foods because you can eat as much of them as you like. There’s no need to weigh, count, or measure these foods in any way. No fuss, just fill up any time on great-tasting, filling food.  Yes, I am aware that this teaches nothing about portion control, but if you are going to overeat, it is better to do it on vegetables or chicken breast than bread, sweets and other processed food.

Slimming World’s Superfree foods include most fruits and vegetables – but not when processed into smoothies etc and every meal should be optimized to include a minimum of 1/3 plate of Superfree foods.  Free foods should make up the rest of your plate and include

  • Lean meat and poultry
  • Fish and seafood
  • Starchy vegetables, peas, and beans
  • Rice, pasta, and grains
  • Eggs
  • Fat-free dairy products (greek yogurt, Quark, cottage cheese)
  • Vegetable proteins, eg Quorn and tofu

Choose three Slimming World  Healthy Extras

In addition to all the Slimming World’s Free Foods you eat to satisfy your appetite, each day select three choices from our list of Healthy Extras. Designed to help give your body the vital vitamins, minerals, and fiber that you need, Healthy Extras include milk and cheese for calcium and whole-wheat bread and breakfast cereals for fiber.

Each day, you get three Healthy Extras, two from A (dairy foods that are high in calcium) and one from B (breads and cereal that are high in fibre, nuts, seeds and select soups r 1 tbsp olive oil).  Personally I would love to swap them as I love my B choices more than dairy, that is where Slimming World’s Syns come in:

Choose 10 Slimming World Syns

On top of all that (if you still have room!), enjoy even more foods with their unique Syns system, designed to take the guilt right out of eating. All food that isn’t Free has a Syn value (including extras of the Healthy Extras), you simply choose how many Syns a day you’d like to enjoy, between 5 and 10, and how to use them, add some more milk, use more oil, a sauce or even some candy!

While Syns can vary, especially if there is high fibre, sugar or alcohol involved, you can guestimate at 20 calories per syn – so you get 100-200 calories to play with for the day.

Check out a free 7-day meal plan or sign up for Slimming World here

They currently have a special sign up plan, 3 months’ personalized weight loss support for just $35 (regularly about $25 per month) – ends Feb 1, 2015.

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2 Replies to “What The Bleep Is Slimming World?”

  1. Allison Whitmore says: Reply

    Good luck with you new routine!

  2. Vesper Meikle says: Reply

    I think I will stick with eating healthy, trying to get exercise – difficult in the winter – and not weigh myself

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