KERESLEY SLIMMERS COME BACK TOGETHER AFTER MONTHS OF VIRTUAL SLIMMING
Slimmers from Keresley are making a ‘comeback’ as their Slimming World group reopens, with local Consultant Marie Allen saying she’s excited to be back helping members to lose weight and improve their health in person. Slimming World has been supporting members virtually in online weekly groups since March, when lockdown closed all of the organisation’s community groups. Now, following the current easing of restrictions in many areas, real-life groups are beginning to reopen step-by-step. And Marie at the Hare and Hounds in Keresley is putting measures in place to ensure groups comply fully with government and local guidance and that their members can return safely to their much-loved Slimming World.
Marie says: “I’m delighted to finally be back together with my members! Our virtual groups have been a vital lifeline of support and I’m so, so proud of how my members have been there for each other through these difficult months and continued to lose weight and get more active. There’s nothing quite like the magic of our real-life groups, though, and research of our members during lockdown has shown that while our members have loved attending their virtual groups they’ve missed the motivational power and accountability of meeting in person each week.”
She says the health and safety of members has been her top priority in planning the return of the group: “Members will find a few things have changed in our groups to ensure that everyone feels as safe, confident and comfortable as they possibly can. This includes appropriate social distancing, hygiene measures and shorter sessions, which we’ll be asking members to book in to before attending. What hasn’t changed is the gorgeous warm welcome, feeling of togetherness and the joy of being ‘in it together’ week on week.
“As well as looking forward to ‘that feeling’ of being back together with our existing Slimming World members, we can’t wait to welcome new members in Keresley to our groups too. Obesity is a huge issue in the news at the moment with evidence showing that carrying extra weight makes it harder for the body to fight COVID-19, and the Government announcing brandnew plans to tackle obesity across the UK - which Slimming World are very proud be part of. Plus, we know many people’s routines were turned upside down by lockdown and lots of us have been feeling more worried or anxious than usual, all of which can have an impact on making healthy choices.”
Marie, who has lost more than 3 stone herself, says: “I want anyone who’s worrying about their weight or health - especially if they’ve put on a few extra pounds during lockdown - to know that there will be absolutely no judgement at a Slimming World group - just lots of understanding and a very warm welcome. At Slimming World losing weight isn’t about going hungry - our eating plan is extra easy, very delicious and super generous. And moving more doesn’t mean running marathons - unless you want to, of course.
“Our groups are hubs of recipe-swapping, idea-sharing and problem-solving activity. Through our weekly sessions, you’ll discover how to identify the stoppers and potential pitfalls that could send you off track - or that have maybe prevented you from reaching your weight-loss goals in the past - and learn to develop strategies to overcome them. The new healthy habits you’ll discover will soon become habits of a lifetime, and there really is no better time to start afresh when it comes to developing new lifelong healthy habits around food and activity because, as many of the members of my groups have seen, when you lose weight you’re already doing one of the very best things you can to future-proof your health.” Maries’s Slimming World group in Keresley are open now. For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk or contact Marie on
05611 247553. Due to new safety measures, all members are asked to book into a group before attending and you can discover what a real-life Slimming
World group will look like with all safety measures in place here: https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/ blog/discover-keeping-you-safe/
*Slimming World is working to provide support to as many members as possible. With thousands of groups across the UK and Ireland, and different guidance and local regulations to take into account, there’s no universal approach when it comes to reopening, and where it’s not possible to open a real-life group will continue to offer support virtually. Visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk to find out if a local group is running in-person or virtually. For more information on this press release contact Nicci Montgomery on 07961931264
About Slimming World
Slimming World was founded by Margaret Miles-bramwell (OBE, FRSA) in 1969. There are now thousands of weekly groups across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Groups are run by a network of community-based Slimming World Consultants, who receive specific training in the role of diet and physical activity in weight management, as well as sophisticated behaviour-change techniques. Slimming World’s healthy eating plan, Food Optimising, is based on the science of satiety and energy density. Our phased activity programme, Body Magic, eases members into activity until it becomes an intrinsic part of their daily routine. Slimming World’s programme integrates practical, up-to-date advice with a highly developed support system based on care and compassion, and Consultant training focuses on facilitating, encouraging and empowering members to make changes in a supportive, warm and friendly group environment. Consultant training is delivered through the Slimming World Academy. Slimming World also invests in a comprehensive research programme to develop its support for long-term weight management. The group support provided by Slimming World is recognised as effective by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the NHS.