Weight Loss journeys in the SW mag.....

[jojothejo]

I might get bashed for this but here goes...

Is it just me who gets kind of annoyed when you open up the magazine and see a three page spread about somebody who lost like 1 and a half stone? To me, going from a curvy size 12 to an 8 (whilst a good achievement) doesnt really warrant being in the mag, and surely a weight loss journey takes longer than 3 months?

In my eyes, you were thin before, and it's kind of like they select quite good looking people (cos lets face it - they usually are) and stick them on the cover as if to say "you could look like this" but the girls werent usually that bloody big in the first place.

I'm not saying you have to lose a great amount of weight to be worthy of getting in the mag, but those people dont inspire me at all.

And it's not all the features, some of the people have truly stunning losses and I'm amazed at the transformations, but some, I have to admit, I just look at think puuuuuuuuuuuuuulease!

aaaaaaand rant over lol

 

[jaylou]

I won't bash you but I do disagree. I lost 3 stone, it was hard work and it made a huge difference to me and my life. I think fair play to the girls (and guys) who lose a stone or two or three. The hardest part is going to group the first week!

I'd be a bit disappointed if I didn't inspire people with my 3 stone weight loss really but most of all, I inspire myself to continue to maintain it.

 

[evilpenguin]

I completely agree Jo, a lot of the weight loss stories are unimpressive. On the other hand though, they do put some amazing stories in there like 12 stone losses and that couple who lost about 20 stone between them, so it's not all just 1 - 2 stone losses.

 

[jaylou]

Also, the journey isn't just losing the weight, it's keeping it off - one of the girls said she gained 13lb which taught her she needed to keep going to a group - a valuable lesson in target maintainance I think! I always say losing the weight is the easy bit, these people have managed to maintain their weight losses too.

 

[jojothejo]

Jaylou, 3 stone is double what I mentioned. I think it's a significant amount of weight to lose, and yay you!

I'm talking more about the people who have lost like 1st something and I cant see hardly difference in the before and after. I want to open that magazine, see amazing transformations and think 'Wow'. Every weight loss means something to the individual, and I'm not trying to discount that, but such small losses, don't inspire me, because I can't relate to them at all.

 

[jaylou]

Fair enough, but don't you think though that if the mag only featured big weight losses, that we wouldn't ever get any new members wanting to lose half a stone, a stone or a bit more?

Can you imagine only needing to lose a stone and the mag only featuring big losses, you'd never want to go to a group as you wouldn't think it was for you.

 

[Going2be*fab*at40]

Personally, no matter how much or how little weight someone has lost, it is really interesting to read about different people's approaches and hope that I can pick up something new.
Yes, I do think 'lucky them', but it does not make it any less valid to me.

 

[louisedan]

I'm just glad they use real stories. A few years ago they only used models for the front cover and everyone moaned that if people lost weight they deserved to be on the cover not the professionals.Well it got changed. I just think that if we have set criteria then the mag will get boring. I admit thinking they were skinny anyway but some people have health probs and can't afford to get too big without being really ill so their stories can help others like them.

 

[avisk]

The magazine is a commercial enterprise. It is not just for members but is sold in shops in competition with other slimming magazines, and the cover and contents have to have instant appeal, or people won't buy them. So of course they put good looking people on the cover, because their market research will have told them what sells and what doesn't.

Personally, I have never read any of the stories in the magazine and consider them a waste of space. I buy the magazine for the recipes and food information.

 

[jojothejo]

I didnt say they were a waste of space.

And as for the cover, I see what your saying, but I think as a magazine that's for an organisation like Slimming World, it would be nice to see somebody a bit more real on there. Unrealistic yes, but it would be nice. It just always seems to be some small pretty thing and I don't think that's great representation of all it's members.

It's only my preference, and everybody else is entitled to theirs. I would just rather see stories about a wider range of people. I just sometimes look at it and think of all the acheivements of all it's members, is that really the best?

 

[avisk]

I didnt say they were a waste of space.

I know you didn't. I did. Only my opinion.

In fact I confidently expect everyone to disagree with me!

 

[Morgawr]

Picked up the magazine this evening - haven't had a chance to read it yet, but just in the contents section it would seem that there are stories from people who have lost between 1 st 11 lbs and 4 st 3 lbs - seems like fairly good, representative range.

previous issue was between 1st 3 lbs and 7 stones.

I know alot of people have more to lose (I myself when I started this had about 7st + to lose) but for what I suspect is the majority of people out there it seems a pretty good range, in my humble opinion.

 

[snuggle69]

personally I think one of the women in this months mag has lost to much weight and really doesnt look good for it....just my opinion though

 

[cocktailprincess]

There was a point in my life when I was 'only' one and a half stones overweight, and that increased gradually to being 8 stones overweight.

I think it is a million times more impressive for someone to realise and act sooner and just lose a small amount and get their weight under control before long-term lasting damage is done, than to do what I did and allow my weight to get completely out of control, life threatening and damaging to my health before I got off my backside and did something. I know my weight loss story makes for better, more impressive photos, but every day I regret allowing myself to get so fat that I had to lose 8 stones in the first place. I truly admire people who had the will and foresight to act before the problem got as out of hand as mine

xxx

 

[jaylou]

Here here CP! xxx

 

[Devon Dolce]

CP we love you! xxx

 

[judimac]

I think the thing that gets on my nerves is that so many of the stories are about consultants.

 

[jojothejo]

Yeah that annoys me too, the amount of consultants in there....I suppose they're a good advertisment for the groups though.

I think it's great they do a magazine and most of the content is fab (although very women orientated - which urks the men in my group)

All I want, is a greater representation of all it's members, which I personally think is lacking from it at the moment.

And CP, you do make a good point. It's probably the cynic in me, and you are of course right with what you're saying....but I just get a bit weary, issue after issue looking at gorgeous girls with perfect bodies, who to me, looked perfectly fine before as well as after. Their before is me now, after all the work, and I look at them and think it must still not be good enough. It's like they don't recognise that some people have targets that are higher than a size 10.
You see it in every other magazine and I think I would just like to see something different....

I can't say I'm right in this, it's just what I think when I open up the magazine...

 

[alwyn]

I'm one of those people who "doesn't have a lot to lose". I started off *just* above the normal BMI range, and set myself a target to lose 2st 4.5lbs.

Now, when I've lost nearly a stone (so not even half way towards my target) people in group say to me "oh, you must be pleased to be so close to target". I have to say "no actually, I've still got another stone and a bit to go".

I think it's easier to look at bigger people and say that they've still got a long way to go, but it works both ways as well. Our personal achievement target is just that. Personal.

And another thing, being smaller to start with makes your journey just as much of a struggle as larger people's journeys. You don't often (well I don't anyway) see large weight losses week in, week out to keep you on track. You have to be really motivated to get the weight off.

I also agree with Jaylou and CP. Not only have they lost the weight, they've kept it off for a significant amount of time and they've taken control of their weight gain before it's spiralled out of control.

 

[Littleslimmingbee]

Quite frankly I want to see someone who isnt slim. What about the ladies who have gotten to target and are happy being a 12.. 14.. 16?

I picked up a lads mag ( oh bought it i think, cant even remember what it was..) and it had 5 ladies in. the issue was about who had had plastic surgery and the lads had to guess by looking at their picture.


one of the girls was proberly a size 20. the rest were an 8 possibly 10. She looked so confident stood in her black pants and bra and i was dead proud that she had the guts to do it. Turned out shes had a gastric band and was really flipping happy with her weight. They didnt mention how much she'd lost, but i suspect a fair amount.

my concern is all new members will think target means you got to be a skinny minny.. i know plenty of ladies who have gone from a size 24+ and are now 14/16's and are at target. Why arnt they in there.


i LOVE the mag, (think the recipes and 7 day plans are getting a bit slack) but i do have to agree to a degree about the 'smaller' weight losses. Every loss is as equally important to the next, and i genuinly respect the people who managed to get it under control before they had more than a stone or so to lose. . but the bit that gets me is when they'v done it in 3 months. Fair enough one of the girls who looks fab in this months mag, and is now a consultant said she put back on 13lbs.. and had to get it back off.. which i think was brave of her to say so, esp as it was when she became a consultant.. but sorry, i think they should have had to be at target for a fair while, if their actual 'journey' was only a matter of months before they qualify for the mag. They'v got critera for the national competetions. Dont see why there isnt for the mag.


sorry, bash me also if you like.. but remember..


I love you all!