Welcome to the board
Slimming Worls is great and I would'nt even call it a diet. I feel like I am eating normally and losing weight on top. This is most definately a foodie "diet." You can choose from loads of "free" foods and it's these foods that fill you up. Free foods include pasta, potatoes meat etc..... depending on what day you're on. On top of that you have your measured healthy extras such as milk, cheese and bread etc. Then if that isn't enough, you can have between 5 - 15 syns a day..... example a curly wurly bar is about 6 syns
This is just a taster of slimming world. Read the books your friend gave you and keep an eye on this forum. You'll get loads of recipe ideas. I'm having pork, roast potatoes and loads of veg tonight. It's only the gravy I have to syn
Good luck
Hayley xx