www.slimmingworld.com/health weight & health now Summer 2009 Facilitating behaviour change through Slimming World’s Image Therapy Welcome to the latest issue of Weight & Health Now, Slimming World’s quarterly newsletter for health professionals. In this issue you’ll find an in-depth explanation of the psychology behind Image Therapy, our unique group support system for members. Providing members with the motivation and tools for long-term behaviour change, Image Therapy sits alongside our Food Optimising healthy eating plan and Body Magic activity programme as a key pillar in the Slimming World approach to weight loss. As the only national slimming organisation to support expectant and breast-feeding mums, we have recently been working with midwives to provide support to overweight pregnant women in Cardiff. Details of the initiative, which scooped the award for ‘Innovation in Midwifery’ from the Royal College of Midwives, are also in this issue. As always, we’d welcome any feedback or ideas for future issues of Weight & Health Now so please do contact us at the address overleaf if you require more information or to subscribe to the newsletter. Best wishes Dr Jacquie Lavin, R.Nutr Nutritionist and Health Partnership Manager Anita Parton lost 4st 10lbs with Slimming World in Stoke-on-Trent. I never miss a week at Slimming World and always stay to Image Therapy. I think it’s the most important thing you can do: if you just ‘weigh and go’ you miss all the support and the advice, which is what Slimming World is all about. Image Therapy was the key for me! Image Therapy stands for Individual Motivation And Group Experience. Based on a deep understanding of the psychology of overweight people, this unique support system is at the heart of Slimming World’s approach. It’s designed to increase the confidence and self-esteem of our members, while equipping them with tools to develop lasting behaviour change. Image Therapy is based on Slimming World’s belief that the burden carried by overweight people is two-fold. There is the burden of excess weight itself, but there is also a far heavier burden to be lifted – that of guilt, self-criticism and poor self-esteem. For many overweight people, successful long- term weight loss can only be achieved by tackling these deeper emotional issues. Slimming World recognises that enormous support and motivation is needed to lift individuals out of this spiral of overweight and low self-esteem and support is only effective when it is delivered with compassion, empathy and genuine understanding. There is no criticism or judgement in Image Therapy, quite the opposite. Criticism and judgement of any kind are totally contrary to our philosophy. ➣
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www.slimmingworld.com/health
weight&health now
Summer 2009
Facilitating behaviour change throughSlimming World’s Image Therapy
Welcome to the latest issue of Weight & Health Now, Slimming World’s quarterly newsletter for health professionals.
In this issue you’ll fi nd an in-depth explanation of the psychology behind Image Therapy, our unique group support system for members. Providing members with the motivation and tools for long-term behaviour change, Image Therapy sits alongside our Food Optimising healthy eating plan and Body Magic activity programme as a key pillar in the Slimming World approach to weight loss.
As the only national slimming organisation to support expectant and breast-feeding mums, we have recently been working with midwives to provide support to overweight pregnant women in Cardiff. Details of the initiative, which scooped the award for ‘Innovation in Midwifery’ from the Royal College of Midwives, are also in this issue.
As always, we’d welcome any feedback or ideas for future issues of Weight & Health Now so please do contact us at the address overleaf if you require more information or to subscribe to the newsletter.
Best wishes
Dr Jacquie Lavin, R.Nutr
Nutritionist and Health Partnership Manager
Anita Parton lost 4st 10lbs with Slimming World in Stoke-on-Trent.
I never miss a week at Slimming World and always stay to Image Therapy. I think it’s the most important thing you can do: if you just ‘weigh and go’ you miss all the support and the advice, which is what Slimming World is all about.
Image Therapy was the key for me!
Image Therapy stands for Individual Motivation And Group Experience. Based on a deep understanding of the psychology of overweight people, this unique support system is at the heart of Slimming World’s approach. It’s designed to increase the confi dence and self-esteem of our members, while equipping them with tools to develop lasting behaviour change.
Image Therapy is based on Slimming World’s belief that the burden carried by overweight people is two-fold. There is the burden of excess weight itself, but there is also a far heavier burden to be lifted – that of guilt, self-criticism and poor self-esteem. For many overweight people, successful long-term weight loss can only be achieved by tackling these deeper emotional issues.
Slimming World recognises that enormous support and motivation is needed to lift individuals out of this spiral of overweight and low self-esteem and support is only effective when it is delivered with compassion, empathy and genuine understanding. There is no criticism or judgement in Image Therapy, quite the opposite. Criticism and judgement of any kind are totally contrary to our philosophy. ➣
Weight & Health now is published quarterly. If you’d like to receive future copies, please email your name, job title and address to [email protected]. Your details will be used for this purpose only and will not be shared with anyone else.
For more information on the scheme please contact [email protected]
Slimming World initiativewins top midwifery award
Members of Slimming World’s Cardiff group for pregnant women
Two midwives who worked with Slimming World to set up a support group for overweight pregnant women in Cardiff have won an award for ‘Innovation in Midwifery’.
Consultant Midwife Karen Jewell and fellow midwife Susan Jose scooped the 2009 award from the Royal College of Midwives after working with Slimming World to set up a healthy eating initiative for pregnant women, with the group led by Consultant Nikki Bowlden.
Slimming World is the only national weight loss organisation to support pregnant and breast-feeding mums. Obesity in pregnancy is known to be linked to a number of problems including diabetes, high blood pressure and diffi cult deliveries.
Karen Jewell said: “We’re delighted to have won. Our emphasis
is not on weight loss, but encouraging women to eat healthily to take control of their weight gain in pregnancy and become more active.”
Slimming World’s Dr Jacquie Lavin added: “By making positive lifestyle changes mums are setting the foundations for a healthy life right from the beginning. Our lifestyle programme of healthy eating and activity is safe and suitable for everyone.”
A multi-layered approachImage Therapy is a unique system that combines individual attention and group participation in a forum where memberscan discuss their experiences, identify their own (often self-defeating) patterns of behaviour and, with support from their group Consultant and each other, discover new ways of overcoming barriers to change.
It is tailored to meet the needs of individual slimmers, based on the recognition that every overweight person is different. Their psychological commitment to change has been shaped by a complex equation of individual factors including weight, body shape, lifestyle, dieting history, opinions on food, daily habits, personality, income and family background.
For some people, perhaps those who don’t have very much weight to lose, the group discussion around food and the sharing of practical advice on healthy eating may be just the support they need to switch to a healthier way of life. For those who have more deep-seated issues around food, more deeply ingrained patterns of self sabotage and low self-esteem, a deeper level of motivational support is needed and given.
Through a process most closely resembling motivational interviewing, Slimming World Consultants begin to understand each member’s individual motivators and goals, reassuring them that they’re accepted for who they are and that everyone in the group understands. With gentle guidance members embark on a process of guided self-discovery, they become aware of their own individual obstacles to healthy eating and activity and develop personal strategies to overcome them. Public recognition and unconditional support while they work through this process reinforce their desire to change. Consultants are trained to remain highly attentive, responding to the member’s body language, tone of voice and subtle self criticism to ensure they set realistic goals and identify changes they can commit to.
Rewarding changes and celebrating success
Goal setting and rewarding success are vital to Image Therapy as they give the member a focus and help them to feel good about themselves. Every achievement is praised by the group, including new thinking and new decisions even where there is no weight loss to celebrate, reaffi rming the member’s belief that it has been worth the effort. Members who have not lost weight get support by sharing experiences with people who have gone through similar things and through receiving praise for their continued commitment.
Slimming World’s award system helps the member to stay motivated throughout their journey by breaking down their overall goal (one that can seem enormous at the beginning of the journey) into mini targets and rewarding gradual changes in behaviour.
Practical advice for healthier lifestyles
As well as providing members with motivation and behaviour change tools Image Therapy gives them practical skills to bring healthier habits into their daily lifestyle.
Based in local community venues, the weekly groups encourage members to buy everyday healthy foods and to cook from scratch for themselves and the family. Members share favourite recipes, best buys and special offers at local supermarkets and help others by talking about how they have avoided potential pitfalls.
The power of this group support is a vital part of the motivation process, and most of our members cite it as the key reason why they achieve success at Slimming World when they have been failed by other weight loss programmes.
Image Therapy is unique among slimming clubs. It enables the Consultant to facilitate long term behaviour change from a genuinely caring and empathetic position, without judgement, criticism or desire to control. Changes are gradual and results are steady as psychological barriers to change are broken down and, with the ongoing support of the group, behavioural commitment to new healthier habits and routines is built, so that these changes become intrinsic.
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