Slimming World’s recipe for health and happiness

DOTTED across the county are groups of determined and motivated people who meet weekly in our town halls, community centres and leisure facilities all armed with an incentive to achieve a common goal. That goal, is losing weight – or so I first assumed.

Quietly motoring away in the background, Slimming World has held its place in local society since 1969, helping members of the community achieve a healthier way of life.

Personally, without having any true understanding of what actually happens at meetings, I used to believe that Slimming World was an example of an out-dated and old fashioned attitude toward weight and dieting. How wrong was I?

However that falsity was soon put to rights once I spent the morning behind the scenes with Helen Gallagher and her Slimming World group at Strabane’s Presbyterian Church.

I soon came to discover that Slimming World is a warm, welcoming place and, somewhat ironically, they don’t attend primarily to become slim.

Visits to Slimming World are marked by a desire to feel confident, healthier and more importantly, happy – all while building life-long friendships and having a bit of craic – and boy do they have craic!

To enter the group (I also discovered) is to gain 20 new friends – each one nicer than the next, it seemed – and all of whom are committed to becoming healthier versions of themselves.

First I spoke to Helen, a kind, familiar woman who exuded nothing but passion for her role.

And while the group chit-chatted amongst themselves, the Strabane woman offered a brief rundown of her history with Slimming World before kicking off the session.

“I joined Slimming World as a member, because to be a consultant you have to have been a member and understand the journey. So I joined 15 years ago and lost two stone,” she said.

“And when I retired from my day job I remember sitting watching another consultant and I thought, ‘gosh, I would love to do that.’

Helen is now in her eleventh year with the group.

“I absolutely love it. There’s nothing nicer than someone I know walking in the door and trusting me with their weight,” said Helen earnestly.

Later taking the floor and addressing the group, Helen spoke inspiringly about the challenges of losing weight, whilst the group positively engaged.

It seemed to me that to speak so openly about something that can be a fragile topic, weight, would be a challenge unimaginable for many. But the environment fostered by Helen was so welcoming and safe, that the group were comfortable candidly discussing their own struggles, triumphs and journeys toward weight loss.

FOOD

Slimming World’s approach to food is useful – inviting the group to simply make their meals ‘the Slimming World way’.

You are encouraged to fuel your body, to give it energy and most importantly to continue eating foods you love.

And, instead of abiding by ridiculous and unsustainable fad diets where you fast yourself in an unhealthy way – and are doomed to fail – you are simply altering your eating habits to make smarter choices.

Choices like buying lower fat mince, checking labels and planning your meals for more success.

I happened to visit on a taste testing day – much to my delight – and the next part of the session was an open discussion on all the mouth-watering meals made by the group.

One woman made a ‘syn free lasagne’ and generously offered a play-by-play on how it was assembled.

Rather than calories, the group spoke about ‘syns’. You essentially get 15 syns per day, which are treats like biscuits, sweets and alcohol, while you can eat as many ‘Free Foods’ as you like – lean meat, eggs, fish, pasta, potatoes, fruit and vegetables.

Another woman had made a trifle which looked marvelously calorific, but was surprisingly not.

One thing I will say is, a counterproductive drawback to the food discussion was that I left the church hall ravenous!

THE GROUP

As the session moved on it focused on weight – discussions on emotional eating were had, as well as eating to help ease menopause symptoms.

Helen worked her way around each individual and outlined how much weight that person lost that week and as I sat watching I wondered how I might feel in contributing; embarrassed or uneasy?

But the group members themselves drew nothing but benefits from this exercise as they openly discussed their own triumphs and shortfalls – setting goals for the week ahead.

One woman who had a particularly tough week joked about succumbing to the temptation of a Pot Noodle, while others blushed with pride as Helen announced their triumphs.

Helen explained, “I think a lot of people see us as just a weight loss group where you go to get weighed whereas it’s actually about much more than that – we have a strong focus on health and well-being.

“Once you’re in the door you realise that it’s different. It’s seldom that someone comes in just to lose weight.”

Ultimately – and this I now appreciate first hand – Slimming World groups were established with weight loss in mind, they have evolved into hubs of camaraderie and friendship where people can find solace, comfort and fun.

Helen concludes, “You truly are amongst friends here at Slimming World.”

‘I met my best friend because of the group’

Muriel Kelly is reaping the benefits of the Slimming World in Strabane as not only did she meet a friend for life, she is also almost four and a half stone lighter.

The 65-year-old met her now best-friend Karen when group facilitator, Helen Gallagher, introduced them in March last year.

“Karen started the week after me and Helen introduced us as we were both sitting alone. Now, we ring each other every night and I’ve a great friend in Karen,” said Muriel.

“We never would have met if it wasn’t for Slimming World.”

Describing her relationship with Slimming World Muriel said, “I’ve been at Slimming World a few times before but to no avail. Basically it was my own fault because I had no patience and the weight wasn’t coming off quick enough.

“But this time I’ve nearly four and a half stone off.”

Muriel was recently awarded the second ‘Biggest Loser’ award, having lost the most weight in the group in 2023/24 after Caroline Lockhart.

“My attitude changed this time and my son was my main encourager. He really motivated me to stick at it,” continued Muriel.

“My health started to decline, I have arthritis, diabetes and a lot of other health issues, so I said I would do this for my son, for my health and I’ve two wee grandchildren aged five and two and I want to be around to see them grow up.”

Speaking about the benefits of her time at Slimming World, Muriel said, “I feel absolutely brilliant. I can now touch my toes for the first time in years; I could never even bend over to tie my shoes. But now I feel like a whole different person – I’m so much more confident!”

‘This is for me, not for anybody else’

CAROLINE Lockhart is a big advocate for the work of Slimming World, after she lost six stone in her time with the group.

Caroline, who turns 51 this year, was this years ‘Biggest Loser.’

“It’s fantastic to be the Biggest Loser,” she said. “I’ve been overweight since I was born – I’ve never been thin – and this is just amazing to have lost six stone.

“Me and my partner started together around two years ago – it was his idea to come; it wasn’t mine. I had tried everything – hypnosis, tablets – but nothing worked.

“But I went along anyway and remember thinking, ‘I really don’t want to stay here…’

“But I actually lost weight, I couldn’t believe it. I have six stone off now and I would like to lose another couple – maybe even join a gym.”

Caroline has attained a much more positive quality of life after having joined Slimming World and along with her four dogs, seven cats, two goats and four sheep, she’s kept on her toes.

“I have more confidence, even in the clothes I wear. I would wear more fitted clothes now, whereas before, I would have covered up everything and wore baggy clothes.

“I can go out for a walk now and not be breathless, I had high blood pressure and now I don’t – it’s amazing.

“Before I was always doing it for somebody else – to hold onto a relationship – it wasn’t for me,” continued Caroline.

“But then when I came here I realised – ‘I can do this’ – this is for me, not for anybody else.

“And I stuck at it.”

Caroline spoke highly of Helen, the group facilitator, and the environment at Strabane’s Slimming World.

“Helen is an absolutely brilliant consultant – she was a big motivator to stick it out. It’s not a job for her, she has a passion and she really cares.

“I’m comfortable here and the people here are while craic – we are like a wee family,” stated Caroline.

Caroline concludes by acknowledging that she will always have an addiction to food – but an addiction which she plans to keep under control with regular visits to Slimming World.

“It’s a life-long thing, and I know I will have to keep coming here for the rest of my life. People laugh at me when I say it, but it is an addiction. I have an addiction to food.”