One of our vegan friends recently signed up for Slimming World and we were interested to learn that she has been able to make it work for her as a vegan.
Our site is not about diet (veganism is much more than a diet) or weight, but it is about going vegan, being vegan, and living vegan, and this is likely to be of interest to some people. This is what our friend told us:
"I have lost 4 pounds in 3 weeks. So... you don't lose fast, but so far it's the only system where I am losing and not gaining back, week after week...
I am actually doing Slimmimg World, as a vegan. I went to a meeting because I had previously joined two Facebook groups: Vegan Slimming World UK, and Slimming World Vegans. These two groups are my temple for chats, support, ideas, sharing victories and defeats. People are fantastic. There is a lot of guidance there but I decided to join up and go to the actual Slimming World meetings. I paid £10 to join to attend a first meeting and get the book, instructions and recipes.
I go every week, get weighed, and then I don't stay for the actual meeting (because I find that a lot of the discussion is about non-vegan things). I get the support I need from the vegan Facebook groups. If you can stomach the animal based recipes it might be good to sit through the meetings to show that vegans can do it!
The plan is strict high-carb, low fat (and I mean low, so you are counting your avocados, your seeds and even your nooch, no matter if you class them as "healthy fats"). It's a points system but you get to eat "free", unlimited: fruit, veg, potatoes, pasta and rice, lentils and beans, quinoa and couscous. You want 1/3 of your plate to be veggies if possible. To make sauces: tinned and pureed oil free tomatoes are free. You can use, free, oil spray to coat your pans for shallow frying. Tofu, Dee's sausages, vegan quorn, follow your heart vegan egg, and rosemary linda maccartney sausages are free.
Now, you ask, why do I still join SW? Because on top of your free food you get 15 points a day to use as you wish. And SW has a huuuuge database with thousands of items and brands which tell you how many points are in, for example, Frys sausage (0.5), 1 tablespoon of nooch (1), butter, yoghurt, biscuits, wine... everything. So as long as you are a member, you get access to the database. It is £4.99 a week for the weigh in and access to the database. I won't join forever, but the idea of points has given me control and freedom at the same time. I am eating more and losing. And its working for me.
I have learned a lot using the database. Like half an avocado is 10 points! I was eating 3 a week before! Now I have them, but I am more aware of what I am eating. I would say, join the Facebook pages first of all, they don't ask you if you are a member of SW or not. Have a suss and see what you think. On the Slimming world website it says "find a group near you", and you just go, no need to book or anything, just turn up.
Hope this inspres folk.