I’m Tracey! I am a Slimming World Consultant in Tallaght but most importantly I am a Slimming World member. I have lost five stone following the plan and words cannot convey just how much it has changed my life in every single way. I was a comfort eater, a secret eater and miserably unhappy for all of my teenage life.

Since becoming a parent something clicked for me. I want to be around for my son for as long as I can be. I don’t want him to grow up seeing food as the enemy and as a reason to hide his emotions. Slimming World has changed everything for me and I want to help others do the same.

One of my favourite things about the Slimming World plan is just how easy it is to follow. Over the years I have tried to lose weight on several different plans and I found them way too restrictive or far too complicated.

All of the counting and mathematics gave me a headache and I found that unrealistic long-term. Slimming World places a focus on Free Foods which gives you a great sense of liberation around food.

Free foods are everyday foods that have great filling power as well as slimming power. They are foods that make you feel satisfied while tasting delicious and being low in calories at the same time.

The great thing about free foods is that you don’t have to weigh or measure anything. You eat until you are full and satisfied and when you fill your plate with lots of delicious Speed Free Foods the weight losses are phenomenal.

There is very little weighing and measuring on this plan and that is why so many people find Slimming World to be a long-term lifestyle change. Once it clicks it becomes second nature and the results speak for themselves.

That does not mean that a little planning doesn’t go a long way though.

The key to a great week on Slimming World is to have some kind of a plan, in my opinion. A plan will help you make the most of the plan. It will encourage you to enjoy your syns on the right things and it will help you feel in control.

Many people credit this feeling as one of the greatest tools for weight loss. You’re eating delicious food, having a social life and staying in control of your weight loss at the same time.

It’s a great feeling to put thought and care into something that positively impacts your life so much.

I like to look at my week straight after weigh-in that week. I look ahead and make a list of the social occasions I have coming up and any difficult situations I might encounter.

I might notice that I need to save a couple of syns for an occasion or it may be a week to batch cook and keep dinner leftovers for lunches the next day. Looking at the week as a whole gives me an opportunity to spot where I might struggle and to make a plan to prevent that from happening.

Knowledge is power and it is empowering to spot your weaknesses and counteract them ahead of time.

Food diaries are a great way to stay on track and keep your plan in mind. It helps people to visually see what they have eaten and what they plan to enjoy.

It’s also a great tool to look back on as you can replicate a week where you got a brilliant weight loss if you are looking for a boost.

When I make a plan at the start of the week I know what I need to pick up at the shops. It also offers me choices to really make the most of the plan. For example on Fajita night I can make the choice to save my healthy extra B for a wrap that evening (there are several you can use.

I love the Fitzgeralds 37g Multiseed and Cereal Wraps). It’s worth it but without a plan I might end up just having the extra wrap and going over my syns. The very same goes for my treats. If I usually enjoy a mid-morning sweet treat with my coffee I might have to change that if I have a cinema trip planned that night. It’s about looking at the situations and seeing where I will miss it the most.

When you make a plan for the week you really take control of your weight loss. Every single obstacle has a solution and it is a great feeling to face it head on, enjoy yourself and get a fantastic result on the scales that week.