This September, as the children go back to school and everyone settles back into the their familiar routines, many mothers and fathers think about themselves, their health and their weight and fitness levels.
Around this time, many think about losing weigh, local Slimming World consultants urging dieters to ditch the fad diets and choose a weight-loss plan they can sustain.
“Faddy diets aren’t the answer. Lots of people start September with the best of intentions but by the end of the month so many of them have given up, defeated by hunger, boredom or feelings of deprivation. I want people to know that losing weight doesn’t have to be that way, that not all slimming attempts are doomed and not all ‘diets’ are the same. It’s easy to be wooed by the plans that promise the fastest loss, but it’s really important this September that Slimmers in Athlone think sensibly about which plan they choose and look at which offers the most chance of long-term success. Diets based on deprivation can be very unhealthy and are almost impossible to keep up, meaning you’re bound to throw in the towel and will probably be left feeling like a failure by October,” Pauline Bliss, who hosts the Slimming World group in St Kieran’s Community Centre in Athlone, states.
“The key instead, is to choose a realistic healthy eating plan and get support to make lifestyle changes”. And Sinead is urging slimmers to choose Slimming World after recent figures show that Slimming World is Ireland’s No 1 weight loss organisation. People found Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan easier to follow and simpler to stick with in the long run,” Sinead Morris who hosts the groups in The Shamrock Lodge, adds.
“Slimming World’s Food Optimising eating plan encourages members to satisfy their appetite on hundreds of healthy ‘Free Foods’, including fruit and veg, pasta, rice, potatoes, lean meat, fish, eggs, pulses and fat-free dairy, freely without the need for weighing, counting and measuring. It means they can enjoy all their favourite meals just by making small changes to the way they shop, cook and eat and still eat the same healthy dishes as the rest of their family,” Carol Doran Joyce, who runs the group in Kiltoom Parish Hall, comments.
“The beauty of Slimming World’s plan is that it addresses the psychological needs of slimmers: When people think about losing weight they expect to feel hungry and deprived, but since it began in 1969 Slimming World’s plan has always been about helping people to lose weight without feeling like that. Human nature means that the minute something’s forbidden you only want it more, so with Slimming World no foods, even high-fat snacks and alcohol, are banned, they’re just limited. Because you can satisfy your appetite on ‘Free Foods’ you don’t ever have to feel hungry and it’s easier to reduce the amount of unhealthy foods you’re eating so, over time with the right support, this new balanced way of eating becomes second nature,” Yvonne Briscoe, who hosts the groups in The Shearwater Hotel, remarks.
In fact Yvonne believes getting support is as important as changing eating habits.
“There’s no denying that changing the habits of a lifetime can be challenging and there will be times, perhaps when your weight loss slows down or a ‘bad week’ leads to a temporary gain, when it can be tempting to give up. That’s where getting support week in, week out to make changes and keep them up comes in. At Slimming World members develop the skills and tools to overcome the psychological and emotional challenges that every slimmer faces at some point, including learning to be kind to yourself and get ‘back on the horse’ when you do have a blip. Anyone who wants to lose weight this September will find a world of support at any of our Slimming World groups,” Yvonne concludes.
To find your local Slimming World group, see the advertisement in this paper, or log onto www.slimmingworld.ie or call 01 656 9600.
