Slimming World consultants with over 53 years of experience are here to help

For many of us, becoming slimmer, fitter and healthier will be at the top of the list of our New Year’s resolutions for 2023. More indulgent food choices and disrupted routines, have seen many healthy habits fall by the wayside over the last few weeks. And let’s not forget, getting into great shape is the very best thing that we can do for our long-term health.

If you’re ready to make 2023 the year that you take control, lose weight, get fitter and find your confidence, read on.

Your local Slimming World consultants in Crawley, Copthorne, Horley and East Grinstead have a combined experience of over 53 years!!! Each of them have also been on their very own weight loss journey and totally understand what it feels like to be overweight.Groups are run in Furnace Green, Gossops Green, West Green, Ifield, Maidenbower, Northgate, Bewbush, Southgate, Horley, Copthorne and East Grinstead on different days of the week.

Here are five top tips to help you taste the freedom, succeed in reaching your goals and make 2023 your healthiest and happiest.

1. Don’t go hungryTo lose weight you have to eat less, right? Well, not always. The kind of food you’re eating is much more important than the volume. Swapping high calorie, unsatisfying foods (think chocolate, alcohol, pastries) for foods that are lower in calories and more bulky, so they fill you up for longer, is key to losing weight in a way that’s easy to live with. Research shows that by basing your diet on foods relatively low in calories, like fruit and veg, and foods that are most filling – or satiating – like lean meat, fish, eggs, pasta and potatoes, you can actually eat a larger amount of food and feel more satisfied while losing weight.

Some quick and easy changes include using less fat when you cook, so you boil or dry fry instead of frying in oil, swapping full fat dairy products for low fat or fat free, ditching sugary drinks in favour of low calorie drinks and adding more fruit and veg to your daily meals.

Slimming World’s Food Optimising plan takes away the tedium of weighing, measuring and counting the calories in everything that you eat (and drink). Every week in their local group members learn how to make healthier choices to satisfy their appetite and lose weight beautifully, without hunger or guilt. It’s based on an understanding of the science of energy density, an area of research which Slimming World has been actively involved in for over 25 years. Evidence shows that eating more low energy dense foods (foods that are lowest in calories per gram) naturally limits energy intake, reduces hunger and results in better weight loss.

2. It’s OK to walk before you run!If it’s your goal to get fitter, remember you don’t have to become a professional athlete to get active - just making a commitment to moving more all adds up. Many people make the mistake of joining a gym, overdoing it in week one and quickly giving up, thinking ‘exercise isn’t for me’. Finding an enjoyable, achievable, and sustainable way of building new active habits into your routine is key – anything that gets you moving more, from heavy gardening or vigorous housework to brisk walking, dancing, cycling, or playing frisbee in the park, counts. What’s most important is making it a regular habit – as natural to your day as brushing your teeth. Slimming World groups are packed with motivation and ideas on how to get more active, and there’s a brand-new library of more than 50 on-demand activity videos to do at home. There’s everything from a gentle introduction to getting started with moving more to cardio workouts and dance routines.

3. Be kind to yourselfWe all start January with great intentions, but it’s all too easy to go off track. It’s what you do next that matters most – and the most important thing is not to beat yourself up about it. A Slimming World survey of 1,700 slimmers showed that when they did have a slip up, being self critical was more likely to lead to comfort eating and giving up completely, whereas when they were kinder to be kind to themselves (imagine how you’d talk to a friend who’s had a setback), they more quickly got back to healthy eating, lost weight and they kept it off. So, cut yourself some slack!

4. Set a goalIt’s hard to achieve a goal if you don’t clearly set it out in the first place! When thinking about your dream weight, don’t be afraid to be ambitious. In fact, Slimming World research found that slimmers who set ambitious targets lose twice as much weight as those who try to be ‘realistic’. At Slimming World groups, as well as setting an overall weight loss target, members set weekly mini goals, whether it’s to lose weight, get more active, or plan ahead, because setting goals is more likely to lead to success.

5. Don’t opt for a quick fixIt’s no secret that many people find losing weight far easier than keeping it off long-term. To avoid becoming trapped in a yo-yo diet cycle, it’s important to approach weight loss as a permanent change to your lifestyle – and focus on developing new healthy habits that are sustainable for life, as well as getting support to make those changes. Dr Jacquie Lavin, Slimming World’s Head of Research, says: ‘A group support approach is tried and tested - research shows that the more groups Slimming World members attend, the more successful they are. Based on their weight-loss over a year, the top 10,000 slimmers who attended their weekly weight-loss group regularly lost 30% of their body weight – around 5st each. In our groups, members are equipped with all the tools they need to stay slim for life, so that they can be confident that the changes they’re making are sustainable forever.’*Slimming World are recruiting consultants in the local area. If you are a kind-hearted individual that would love to help people lose weight, please get in touch with Hayley on 07735374922*Visit www.SlimmingWorld.co.uk to find your nearest group.