A thrifty bargain hunter has found a way to get onto Slimming World for free.
Weight loss can be a tricky battle for people to face, especially if they’re on a budget.
With so much conflicting information out there and confusion about which foods are the ‘right’ ones to eat, sometimes shedding the pounds can feel like an impossible minefield.
However, many people have found success by connecting with like-minded people and being held accountable with regular ‘check-in’ sessions.
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That’s why weight loss support groups such as Weight Watchers, now known as WW, and Slimming World have proven to be so popular for years.
Even ITV presenter Lorraine Kelly took on WW diet and has shredded 11 pounds.
Those on a budget may be put off by the weekly or monthly fee which comes with the membership of such groups, but one savvy member of money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk has shared her top tip for making a massive saving.
Carole-Anne Clark said: "I'm doing Slimming World and they're currently doing a scheme with my local council whereby you can self-refer if your BMI is over a certain weight, you don't have to go through your doctors as you used to.
"You just call them with your NHS number, height and weight and tell them which group you want to attend (or they'll tell you your nearest) and they then email you and the consultant a code for free joining plus 12 weeks fee.
"After this, so long as you have attended a minimum of 10 of those 12 weeks and have lost at least 3 percent of starting weight you can then get another 12 weeks free.
"Weekly fee is usually £6 I think so you're saving an initial £72 on the first 12 weeks then another £72 if you do the second 12 weeks so it is a fab saving. I've lost 20.5lb since the beginning of January."
Tom Church, Co-Founder of Latest Deals, said: ‘Carole-Anne has done really well to make this fantastic saving - I wanted to find out what other support is out there for those wanting to lose weight, but who may not have access to this great deal.
"Weight Watchers is often running a promotion on its website - for example, at the moment it’s giving new members 9 months for the price of 6, where they will save £50.
"You can also self-refer if you meet the eligibility criteria, such as having a Know Your Risk score of 16+ or a HbA1C reading of 42-47.
"Many local GP surgeries will be able to provide referrals to Slimming World or Weight Watchers depending on where you live, but if you don’t want to see a doctor it’s worth having a look on your local council website to see what’s available."