293: Healthy Habits Are Contagious

Welcome to the car studio

0:00Hi, we're in the car. I would pip the horn, but probably not legal in a car park. What did you just call it? Pip the horn? Yeah, what do you do to the horn? Beep the horn. Honk the horn? Beep the horn? Pip the horn? Pip, pip. Oh no, I've never heard something. Do you

0:32know, I've often thought about the gender of a car is decided by its horn. I mean, I'm not one to judge, but really? Wow. The genders are available. I don't know, but anyway, it's just, I always like to name cars, and if it's got quite a high horn, I think, well, maybe that's more female. But anyway, this is not what this podcast is about, but I didn't beep the horn, but we are in a car. That's essentially what, that was a very long-winded way of saying

1:06welcome to the Moor Podcast. I am Claire. This is Anna. We used to record the podcast all the time in a car, because it's like your own portable podcast studio, where dogs, children, planes, sirens cannot interrupt you. Yeah, and the cars we've been through, you and I, in the recording process in the last eight nearly years, yeah? Yeah, pretty crazy. We don't need the bomb warmers on today, because actually the sun is shining in this car, and it's very, very warm. The one thing that could happen is, being cooped up in this kind of

1:41environment, if you have any kind of germs, I'm getting those germs. It could be contagious. I'm not snogging you, love. Do you see what I did there? I did. Oh, the journalist strikes

University of Bristol research

1:52again. We're talking today about the idea of behind the ripple effect, and this idea that when we make changes ourselves, sometimes we don't always recognise that these changes are kind of rippling out beyond us. It might be that within families, children making changes to how they're living, moving, eating, maybe even friends or flatmates or partners, maybe

2:24even our colleagues at work are noticing these changes we're making. And I guess many of us have probably felt this shift as we've been going through this journey for quite a while. But it's really interesting that now that has been shown in new research by the University of Bristol, where they surveyed some more members to kind of see the impact that the change had made to them. I mean, have you noticed in your world with your friends, with your family, that shift? I know

2:57you've been doing this for quite a long time. But the conversations you have with people around food and your relationship, they change, don't they? Yeah. And I see anecdotally, I guess, in my groups, you see that ripple effect and how, you know, mum maybe joins, but the husband and the children become fitter and healthier and lose weight as a byproduct. And, you know, or you bring your friends, you know, you lose weight and then your friends want to come or people make different choices. And to go and actually have this done as a like legitimate survey is so interesting,

3:32because I think it can be so under the radar and just happen so gently. Like, you know, I was thinking about my little girl is nine, she knows no other way of eating, but to food optimize. So actually, you know, the knock on effect of that is that she understands about nutrition, she understands how to put a meal together, she understands about the things that we maybe have less of, and why we do that. And that's a direct result of me having lost weight and doing this as a profession. But also

4:05just like my wider family, like my mum, my brother, my sister, they understand things that perhaps they wouldn't have had knowledge about or understood if I wasn't doing it. And I love to see how actually you get people come in who said, my grandma used to do this, or my aunt Susan lost six stone doing this. So actually, it's that that drip effect of, you know, seeing someone be successful, lose weight and make healthy habits actually can be really, really inspiring. Or it could be a dripping tap

4:36effect that actually, you just see those changes. And actually, you pick something different, because that's what you've always seen. It's fascinating to me. It's an interesting question that you can sometimes sit with and think, where did I learn about food, how to cook? Was that at school? Was it from following what my parents did? Maybe when I went to university, I remember I was kind of spying on loads of my housemates of like, what are they cooking for tea? How are they doing that? Like, where do we learn

5:06these things? And when you look at like, kind of global studies about this, one of the things that the University of Bristol professionals talk about, in this particular, you know, release, I suppose, of the research, they kind of looked at how global studies predict that one in three children, teenagers and young adults could be living with overweight, or obesity by 2050. That's a lot, isn't it? One in three. And research shows children with parents living

5:39with obesity are more likely to develop it themselves. So that's where I think the research wanted to see, when parents make these change, what impact does that have? And that's where they lent on the expertise, I suppose, of Slim and War members, and worked with them to kind of understand the habits that they have done, and what impacts that had. So if we just recap some of this, because this is this is pretty new stuff, really. So they talk about small changes,

6:13big family impact. So almost half of parents said their children were eating more healthily, more than one in four saw their children become more active. And among parents who were worried about their child's weight, 67% felt motivated to help after getting support themselves. And that's it, you know, when you make those changes, you understand a little bit more. I mean, here, it's also talked about how the survey, it was funded by the National Institute for Healthcare and

6:45Research. I'm saying these bits, because I think it's important to clarify the backing of this research, it's proper, you know, published research that was in the British Medical Journal. And there were 396 Slim and War members who had children aged five to 11. And that's where it showed that more than two thirds of those members who were concerned about their child's weight, felt more motivated to support them after addressing their own weight. And it's, you know, we often talk about our struggles with our

7:22weight, something that kind of happens inside is quite internal and insular. But I know you've talked before, haven't you about the impact of really wanting to protect Daisy from not having to go through some of the struggles that you went through. And that you've been through that journey and made those habit changes change those behaviours, so that then you can pass on to her those difference. And I suppose every parent, or partner or friend or, you know, family member wants well for their loved

Teaching children healthy habits

7:57ones. Absolutely. I think you're not, what I really wanted to instill in Daisy is the understanding about food, about fuel, about knowledge, but also how to cook. Because you know what you said about uni? I remember watching these amazing young lads that come to uni, didn't know how to put a kettle on, boil an egg, do anything. So they lived on takeaway and beer. And actually, well, that's fun to begin with. It's that knowledge and that understanding of how to construct a meal. But why? Why is this important? What is this going to do to me long term? But also making it fun. I never,

8:32ever wanted Daisy to feel the hang ups I did, and that she had to restrict or she had to do this, but learning about balance and learning about her being able to make good choices naturally, or healthier choices naturally. And I was thinking about how we work as a family and, you know, how it's not centred around all my family used to do when we got an opportunity to have some free time we'll be together, was eat. Was go and eat a big chocolate sundae or go and eat a fried meal.

9:02And actually now as a family, what we tend to do is go out and be active. Let's go to the forest, let's go scooting, let's go to the, you know, jump place, the trampolining place, so that we can get her to be more active. And that's a natural thing that I don't think would have happened if Phil and I hadn't been on our weight loss journeys. So naturally we do it. And I hope by that she has an understanding of the choices she wants to make. I mean, you know, she, like many young children, would devour crisps and chocolate all day long if she could, but she understands why that's not going

9:34to benefit her, which was really important for me and her dad to instill in her. Yeah, that idea about creating with future generations, definitely a more positive attitude towards food and wealth being, like normalising that, I suppose. I remember when I first got with Matt, my husband, and Matt grew up in a house where they were very used to cooking everything from scratch, you know, planning their food shop, creating a menu. And so cooking in that way was

10:09quite normal to him. I think maybe some of the ways that we kind of worked when we were growing up, because my mum and dad had jobs as well, we as a family relied a lot more on convenience food. And so one of the things I had to do in my Slimming World journey, almost like an education, I think, was change my relationship with food. And maybe where I thought convenience was like the normal default is switch that to more like an occasional. Whereas before I'd perhaps do the

10:42cooking from scratch, because I didn't really know what I was doing. It felt like it was new and that takes more time, more preparation. That was kind of an occasional thing. So over time, I think the biggest thing for me is building my confidence so that then I can kind of just make it feel like more normal and easier. But it's interesting then, because I think of someone like my mum. Hi, mum. And my mum really leans in on Slimming World Kitchen. And it's great that we

11:15share this because then when I visit my mum, she has a Slimming World Kitchen box in and then we can eat that fresh food together. So the ripple effect for me was having conversations of what I'd learnt with my mum and my dad, you know, and my friends as well. And even like, you know, doing tasters with friends or having friends over for dinner. They were like, wow, can you send us the recipe for this? I'm like, well, you know, yeah, it's a Slimming World recipe. And so that that kind of

11:48general, that's how the contagiousness, if that is a word, has rippled in my life, even though I don't have children. I'll never forget, as you said that, I remember sitting in an office, I worked in a hospital in an office and I had this huge lunch. It must have been pasta. And I remember there's another lady following a different eating plan. And she went, lent over and she was like, you can't be eating that and losing all that weight. And I was like, yeah. And I talked her through it. And I remember just looking at me. She's like, where do I sign up? Because she'd seen the volume of beautiful food I was eating. And actually she was really restricting herself. So that ripple effect

12:22was in the office. That ripple effect could be, you know, you go to a Zumba class and you talk about it. So actually sharing with people what you're doing can change other people's lives in a way that maybe you hadn't recognised. And I think I used to be quite shy and embarrassed about being on a weight loss journey and wanting to share. And now I shout it from the rooftops. You know, I'm food optimising. My family food optimises. We eat beautiful food and we're being healthy. All I want for my child is to be happy and healthy. And I know that starts from within and nourishing yourselves because,

12:55you know, a lot of what I'm going through health-wise now is from being overweight for such a long period of time, which is terrifying, isn't it? You know, I'm in my mid-40s and actually the repercussions of spending my teenage life and early 20s being obese has had an impact on things like my liver. So if I can help her to make brilliant choices and have a balanced view of food rather than a disorganised, chaotic, disordered way with food, then I feel like that's a really positive thing.

Support structures and lifestyle

13:24Yeah. And the idea that I think the number one thing for me is a lot of us, when we're wanting to lose weight, and maybe you'll listen to this and you're not a Slimming World member, you're just dipping your toe into this world to be curious and maybe you found this title and, you know, you've seen it and just hit play. I think for me, I knew that was the what, but I didn't know the how. And the key thing that I think I got from joining Slimming World was that that support structure is there to kind of show you how and help you do a lot

14:01of the thinking for you so you don't have to come up with all the answers yourself. You know, be that having the Slimming World food range at your fingertips, the recipe box that's delivered to your door, the seven-day menus ready to go. Even in the Slimming World magazine, it talks about the psychology behind Slimming World's plan and all of this over time. And you know what? We don't change everything overnight. These, whatever it is, you know, 396 members have done that weight loss over a longer period of time. They've taken their time

14:37with that. It's not all kind of quick fix done in a month, but it's those behaviour change habits that make the difference. I mean, it's not just about food, is it? It's also about how we move through the world, how we are able to move easier and lighter. And in this survey, it talks about how, you know, in the survey, they found more than a quarter said that their child had become more physically active. And that's another thing that I think a lot of people don't know about Slimming World.

15:08They think it's all just about a diet, weight loss and restricting your food. Actually, there's a lot of freedom within the food optimising plan in terms of the food that you can eat and can enjoy. But also there's support there around the activity lifestyle programme of building activity and slowly at your own pace. And that's something that you can get everybody in the family involved. How many people have we interviewed who said one of their motivations was they were feeling sad at

15:44watching their children go and do things from the sidelines when they wanted to go and get involved themselves? And the joy that brings that you can be active as a family, but finding the things that you love and being active with your friends, your co-workers, things like that, because actually it's the whole package, isn't it? It's moving more and eating in a different way. I was just thinking about something that really has helped me that people might not know about. The Slimming World YouTube channel do recipes and they cook and they show you how to cook them. And that's really helped

16:14me to watch with days like, shall we cook this? I'm just thinking if anybody's in that place where we might have been, don't know what to do. It's a really great way to start as well. But knowing that the choices you make, whether you realise it or not, have an effect on other people for the positive, which I think is lovely, because imagine how you could shape and change the people around you that may need some help and support. And I'll never forget when we interviewed Nick and he said that he just didn't want to make his children the members of the future. It really stuck with me.

16:48Yeah. Yeah. Is he an icon of the year last year, I think? Yeah. And how actually... He's a mechanic, wasn't he? Yeah. Really making sure that we make these changes so that other generations don't have to go through perhaps what we've gone through. Because we know we live in a society that is less active and is more convenience driven. We actually have to make a stance to make a difference, don't we? And actually knowing that we know that progressive weight management situations can come out of the family structure rather than having to have interventions,

17:20can actually be the most productive way of helping families and young adults manage their weight is through the family is a really important thing to address. If for any reason you're feeling a bit of resistance within your friends or family as you are a Slimmer World member and maybe they're not supporting you or on board, we definitely have episodes in our back catalogue that talk about how to have those conversations so that you can ask for the right support just as a bit of a side, by the way. And you mentioned Nick there. I remember with Nick's

17:53story how Nick was really going for a lot of the convenience food, lots of meal deals and things like that. And he talked about how he transitioned into planning ahead, cooking from scratch. Yeah. And always kind of having a bit of a, you know, a Slimming World food optimised hamper in his car when he was out on the road. Yeah. And we've interviewed people like truckers who had fridges in their trucks with Slimming World, Iceland range, you know, cherry tomatoes to snack on. It's knowing there is a

18:24different choice. It's whether you choose that different choice. And that's a really empowering thing to know. It doesn't have to be how it's always been. You can do something different. It's quite a different kind of vibe of accountability or responsibility, isn't it? Of like, sometimes, like I say, we kind of isolate our own experience and we think it's all happening inside our head. But, you know, the influence we have on the people nearby us is felt and noticed, even if words aren't spoken. And with my meditation teacher hat on, I was reading about this

19:01research where it explored how when you are more mindful and you practice things like meditation, just generally being more intentional and present and taking that time to really nourish yourself and your mind, how there's three degrees of impact. Oh, wow. Even if the other people haven't done any meditation. And I think with this, it's kind of quite similar, isn't it? That some people who, I mean, I think about colleagues, right? I remember I was on a night shift and I saw a

19:34colleague and they were like, really like, arsey with me, if I'm allowed to say that word. And I was like, wow, what? Like, I thought we were like on good terms. Anyway, it emerged later that we hadn't been on shift together for a while and they didn't recognise me because I'd lost so much weight in the time since I'd seen them. And then they were like, wow, how have you lost the weight? What are you doing? These kind of questions kind of emerge, right? And I think that's what I mean

20:05sometimes about those degrees of attention. There can be people who sometimes can be your biggest critics when you first begin, but secretly from afar, they're just observing how you do it and what that looks like. And can they do it? And do you know, previous to my weight loss journey, I'd looked at people with envy and I wish I could do that and wanting to know. And actually, it's because I didn't have the courage or wasn't the right time for me. So actually, you know, that's why I always try to be really warm, welcoming and understanding. If anybody asks me a question, I get it. I get what

20:38it's like. So I'm an open book. But it's really key, I think, to understand that anything is possible and just little habits do you stack up and actually it doesn't just affect you, it can affect all the

Expert views on family health

20:50people around you. Yeah. I'm just going to mention here, one of the people who is involved in this study, one of the lead researchers, is a professor in diabetes and metabolic endocrinology. Endocrinology. Endocrinology. Yeah. I only know that word because I've got, I see an endocrinologist. It's a big word, that, isn't it? It's all about hormones and the endocrine system. Oh, right. Well, anyway, he's professor of that. Professor Julian Hamilton-Shield.

21:21What a name. Really talks about highlighting the important role that parents can play in shaping healthy family habits. And so it talks about how weight management programs like Slim and World recognise and harness this family-wide benefit may potentially play an important role in creating healthier home environments and improving health outcomes for future generations. I mean, this is a professor, you know, and if we talk about things like diabetes, which

21:52we are actually going to be exploring more in the next couple of months, we're going to meet some of the people behind the Diabetes UK and Slim and World partnership to find out more about a tool that they're developing behind the scenes. This stuff, I think, is just so fascinating that these are some of the top researchers who are really exploring the impact of a plan like Slim and World and what that has. It gives you such reassurance, doesn't it? It gives me reassurance.

22:24You know, it's so fascinating, isn't it? Because we know that, you know, the injections and the tablets are certainly out there as a weight loss tool. And, you know, the key part, I suppose, that's emerging from that aspect is, but there needs to be this wraparound care and this support of you still need to make changes in your habits and your behaviour. And that, I think, is where

22:56a plan like Slim and World is a real leader with, you know, nearly 60 years of expertise in helping people do that aspect. And that's a really important thing to know. If you're listening and you didn't know, if you are someone who is taking GLP ones, that we offer that support system to help you create new habits, learn how to eat, cook and shop differently. And so that is something you're not kind of, you can come and join groups or the online system if you

23:26want to as well, because we know that you are, everyone's a slimmer. And that's what we've got to fundamentally change is habits and decisions and choices. And it's very, very difficult to do that on your own. Yeah, yeah. Regardless of whether you're on GLP ones or not, it is difficult. And, and this, I think, shows that, you know, perhaps if you're the rest of your family, you're thinking are also needing this shift and this change, having someone hold your hand to get you through making those changes

23:57and navigate, you know, how that kind of impacts other people. That's really key. I mean, I think about like this idea of people cooking lots of different meals for different people in their house. Yeah. Must be so challenging. But is there a way that these more family friendly recipes that Slimming World has can be enjoyed by everybody? Yeah. You know, like I make the same meal. I might do a few tweaks for days, you know, if we like it spicy and she doesn't. But fundamentally, 95% of the time we all eat the same thing, which is really

24:29exciting because then no, because I can clearly remember my mum sat at the dining table with a tiny lean cuisine meal and we're sat there and she's the odd one out and, and trying to lose weight in such a, you know, deprived way. Didn't want ever Daisy to feel or see that we balanced all together. Yeah. That idea of balance is interesting, isn't it? Because I definitely, when I first started out on the weight loss journey, never really thought about the word nutrition. I didn't really understand the idea of a healthy balance. I didn't really understand what calcium or fibre was, um, healthy fats,

25:04all this kind of language that I think Slimming World has helped me learn about so that now I eventually have the confidence where I can open, you know, my fridge or my cupboards and create from scratch a healthy balanced meal that has me covered. And, and I think you'll hear more in the next few weeks about this phrase quality weight loss, um, of making sure that as you lose weight, that you protect yourself from muscle loss, um, and that you make sure that you're nourished, that your body

25:39needs these vitamins and minerals and that you don't need to, um, deprive yourself in order to get to that weight loss. There is another way. And that is one of the major things that Slimming World can help you do, um, to help you lose weight, including if you are on GLP ones. Yeah. Be a strong version of yourself because I've been very, very thin before, very unhealthily. And this is about a body that's healthy, happy and thriving. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, this, um, this research is available. It's on,

26:13uh, the Slimming World members app. Uh, you can find it there. Slimming World ripple effect is shaping families. Uh, it has a couple of different, um, stories from members as well, who talk about the impact within their family. Uh, and if you're not a member, it's also on, um, our website, uh, simworld.co.uk. It's, it's in the, the newsroom section and on probably on the blog now as well, but just planting a seed really about what are the decisions that maybe I'm taking and how,

26:45how, how, how am I rippling? And sometimes I think, you know, when you feel a little bit stuck in your own journey, it's just noticing what impact that's having on around you could just be a bit of a boost, a bit of a motivation. And, uh, we often talk about finding the why, um, behind why you want to lose weight. And if, you know, being a better role model for your family is one of those reasons, then this is definitely something to explore a little more. Yeah. And look at the little bits

27:18because they will stack up. What do you mean by that? Like the little changes. I was thinking the other day, so it was plating up dinner and he's like, there's one third veteran here, Anna. And he went through it and I said, Oh, why do you do that? He said, cause that's what we do. Not quite sure why, but that's what we do. So he had learned, do you know what I mean? How we create the plate. He'd followed my lead. And that was a little thing that 25 years ago, he would have never have thought to do, but that's how we serve up dinner. You know, like we only have whole meal bread at home. We, you know, there's always fruit in the fridge and those kinds of things that you wouldn't

27:51necessarily have caught on that you do, but that's a habit that we've formed. And there's been a ripple effect that he grabs the fruit to go to work with, packs daisies, packed lunch. There's always that fruit in there, which perhaps he wouldn't have done as a younger adult. So watch out for the little things, you know, when days picks up raisins instead of a packet of crisps, that's a ripple effect. Small changes, big family impact. Yeah, but it is so true, you know, thinking about, you know, for puddings, we have fruit and yogurt or a low swift ice lolly. Actually, in my day, back in my day, that would mean a

28:24sticky toffee pudding and custard. That doesn't happen on a Wednesday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday night. Do you see? So it's just those little things that you may think are inconsequential are stacking up and they're, you know, they're building those habits, aren't they? Like little bricks of Lego. Would you say it is rippling? I would say it's rippling. Just to like come back to the message. Love that. Love that. I'm rippling. Yeah. Not tidal, just a gentle ripple. Just a gentle, consistent ripple. A small, gentle stream. Oh, that makes

28:57me want a wee. So no, just a small, gentle ripple. As always, Anna finishes an episode needing a wee. I'm a woman of a certain age. She says that every time. I know, but I am a woman of a certain age. Well, of course you are a woman of a certain age. You could say that at five or 50. But what I mean is a certain age of midlife. You don't need to clarify. Yeah, that's why I stopped myself. I was self-editing there, Claire. Self-editing. Anyway. I think this podcast finished about 90 seconds ago. Okay, goodnight. Anyway, before

29:31we need to beep our horn. I'm off to ripple. That sounds rude. No, ripple. Okay, she's

Sharing your weight loss impact

29:39dancing like a caterpillar. Yes. We'd be really intrigued. What impact has your weight loss had on the people around you? And that could be positive and challenging. I'm not going to use the word negative. But what has that felt like to your friends, your family, your work colleagues, maybe even your housemate? It doesn't necessarily have to mean if you have children. What has that felt like? And we'd love to kind of explore more of this, actually. If you can

30:10drop us an email, slimmingworldpodcastatgmail.com. It'd be really interesting just to hear how that's gone for you. I know me and Anna have talked about our experiences and sometimes it's good to remember that. Yeah. It's good to remember that, you know, we care about loved ones and we want them to feel good and be healthy too, don't we? So the differences that we can all make. Well, we'll be back next week with another episode. In fact, I'm just going to pull up what on earth are we talking? Oh, oh, the secret to lasting weight loss. If that is a teaser,

30:46I don't know what is. Isn't a teaser. Isn't a teaser. If that isn't a teaser. I don't know what is. That's how we finish each of the sentences now. Yeah. It's like a married couple now, isn't it? Do you know what I mean? Anyway, have a great week. We'll be back with a members episode next week and speak to you very soon. Goodbye. Bye for now.

31:16Bye.