As much as we love summer, we know that it can be a difficult time if you’re worried about your weight. At Slimming World we understand that everyone has different triggers that can send them off track and lead to eating or drinking things that could damage their weight loss – and not everyone will be aware of what they are.
In your nearest group, we can help you to discover your individual danger zones and put personalised support in place to help you over every summer hurdle. In the coming months, we’ll be taking a deep dive into the unique strategies and tools that can be tailored to you – so you can enjoy a summer of fun and still lose weight!
You’ll also find yourself surrounded by support from your fellow members, who will have their own tips and ideas for slimming through the sunny season. Here some of our members share their own struggles and how they deal with them…
Summer stress
This time of year should be full of fun, however for some it can be stressful. If you have children at home for six weeks or are busy trying to organise trips away, feeling overwhelmed can be par for the course.
Slimming World member Lucy struggles with emotional eating and has strategies in place to help her get back on track. She says…
“It’s weigh day and I know I will have a gain this week but I’m fine with it. I’ve had a stressful week and I’m an emotional eater so I know where I’ve gone wrong. I’m already in a much better frame of mind today – I’ve prepped dinner for after my weigh-in and I’ve made enough to have leftovers for lunch for a few days. I’ve got rid of everything in the house that I turn to if I’m stressed, so I have no triggers, and I’ve done a food shop. There’s no stopping me from having a perfect week!”
More for members: Discover three summer holiday strategies here
Change in routine
Falling out of our usual day-to-day routine can make it feel more difficult to stick to healthy habits. The Slimming World plan has been designed to be fully flexible, helping you to make simple changes which fit in with your lifestyle – with ongoing support to deal with any challenges that might crop up.
Longer days and lighter nights can push mealtimes later and later… something that Slimming World Consultant Sarah tries to avoid. She says:
“I know that eating late is one of my triggers, so I’ve prepared chicken fried rice for after group with plenty of leftovers for lunches too.”
More for members: You’ll find 12 ways to summer-proof your slimming here
Weather woes
The heat can be a sticking point for many of us, especially when it comes to getting active. Our Body Magic programme is unique as it focusses on supporting you to move more at your own pace, in a way that suits you. If you struggle to exercise when the weather hots up, we’ll help you to find alternatives, such as trying one of our activity videos at home (with fans poised and ready!).
Many of our members look to more refreshing activities in summer, such as swimming or watersports. We also encourage our members to fit extra activity into their day-to-day life, so planning an active day out can be a way to boost that Body Magic in a way that doesn’t feel like exercise at all!
More on the blog: Discover 11 ways our members enjoy activity when the weather hots up
Seaside trips
Our flexible Food Optimising plan is easy to follow whether you’re at home or away, and we’ll support you with personalised strategies so that you can continue slimming wherever you are.
Slimming World Consultant Hayley used to struggle with service station stops when travelling. Her solution is to take along a low Syn noodle cup (to top up with hot water at the services), plus fruit for the journey. She says:
“Family pit stops are always a major trigger for me. I know in the past, if I don’t choose wisely then it sets a “I’m on holiday so forget Food Optimising” tone for the week. And I genuinely don’t want to do that because I will feel yuk. Also…. I actually don’t enjoy things like McDonald’s or similar fast food choices anymore. And I absolutely don’t want a sad looking service station sandwich.”
More for members: Simple swaps and savvy treats to make it easy to stay on plan at the seaside
Alfresco food
When you’re Food Optimising, you absolutely can enjoy delicious alfresco dining and cooling sweet treats – and still lose weight.
Our members have access to more than 2,000 tried and tested recipes, plus endless ideas and inspiration in group, so you’ll never have to say no to an alfresco feast.
Sian has lost 3st 7½lbs with Slimming World, while enjoying all the exciting events that summer brings. She says:
“We had a big picnic today and I stayed fully on plan with a cheesy lentil bake, veggie scotch eggs, crustless quiche, lemon houmous and potato salad – and they were all Free!”
More on the blog: Pack a delicious Slimming World picnic with these recipe ideas
