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If my membership is paid for, do I have to pay for recipe books? Do I have to be a certain weight to join? Do I have to cook separate meals for myself while I’m slimming? I have diabetes. Can I still Food Optimise? I'm having difficulties registering with bodyOPTIMISE Where can I buy Slimming World magazine? How can I subscribe to the magazine? Can I buy hifi bars on bodyOPTIMISE? I'm unable to login to the members section of bodyOPTIMISE or I'm being logged off immediately. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Is Food Optimising suitable for me? Can my children Food Optimise too? How much weight can I expect to lose? Can I really eat as much Free Food as I want? What is a Healthy Extra? How much does it cost? Can my child join bodyOPTIMISE? I've got an under active thyroid, my doctor has prescribed Thyroxine. Will I still be able to lose weight? I'm getting an e-mail address error when registering I’m not losing weight. What should I do? Does bodyOPTIMISE provide details of Mix2Max and Success Express? Can I buy a Food Optimising book? How do I start/ what do I do? The website doesn’t recognise my e-mail address What is Club 10? Does bodyOPTIMISE include exercise? I’m breastfeeding, can I still join bodyOPTIMISE? I’m on HRT, will I still be able to lose weight? How does bodyOPTIMISE's support work? Is the magazine available to bodyOPTIMISE members at a reduced price? I work shifts - will Food Optimising be suitable for me? Can I add to or edit my food diary from previous days? I haven't received a reply to my email enquiry. I have coeliac disease and need to follow a gluten-free diet. Will Food Optimising be suitable for me? The images aren’t displaying online Do I get a book that explains the Healthy Eating Plan? What are Free Foods? The edges get cut off when I try to print from the website I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), can I still lose weight? How do dietary supplements fit within Food Optimising? Can I change my 'weigh-in' day? I want to stop smoking, but I'm scared of putting on weight, can you help? I've forgotten my password I have Acrobat installed but it will not open a pdf Do I have to eat all my Healthy Extras every day? Can I have extra Syns if I exercise? Please can you tell me the difference between bodyOPTIMISE and Postal Membership? I can't get PDFs to download - can you help? I don't live in the UK - will I be able to Food Optimise properly? How do I find out more? What is Food Optimising? What type of support will I receive? Does bodyOPTIMISE have message boards? I have a food allergy/intolerance. Can I Food Optimise? I can't open any pdf documents (Free Food/Healthy Extra lists) Is Food Optimising the same as Food Combining? What are Syns? How do I know how many Syns to have? Will Food Optimising suit me? How does the special offer work? I have joined bodyOPTIMISE and have been charged £59.95. Where is my free month? What are flexible Syns? Is it complicated? Does Food Optimising work? Can I save up my Syns for the weekend? I’m going out to a restaurant for a special meal, what can I do? How does it work? How do I find the Syn value of food? I have high cholesterol. Do I need to Food Optimise differently? I haven’t received any emails from bodyOPTIMISE. Why are they called Syns? How long will it take? Do I have to eat all my Healthy Extras every day? I can't find a particular recipe - can you send it to me? Is it similar to anything else I might have tried? What can I eat on this diet? Do you produce ready meals? Is there a formula for working out Syns? Why is Ryvita listed twice as a Healthy Extra? Will I have to make drastic changes to the way I eat? What happens if I miss a weigh-in? I'm going on holiday - what happens now? Will I be hungry? When does my 7-day menu change? How can I make Free stock? How much can I eat? Can I still eat chocolate? Can I put my membership on hold? I’m a member of a Slimming World group and have been given a password for the website, where do I register? Can I still have a drink? I am a vegetarian, will the diet be suitable? I’m pregnant, can I join bodyOPTIMISE? Do you have set menus? Why can't I login to bodyOPTIMISE? I know my details are correct! I am a vegan, will the diet be suitable? What other types of membership are available? Does Slimming World run groups outside the UK? Can my children join bodyOPTIMISE with me? Is target membership free once I reach my goal? How can I pay for bodyOPTIMISE membership? Q: If my membership is paid for, do I have to pay for recipe books? A: As a member of bodyOPTIMISE you'll have unlimited access to over 1400 recipes in our searchable recipe database. We also have recipes in our Menu planner facility as well as the starter menu. Buying recipe books is separate from membership, and details of how to buy them are shown in the members' only bookshop.    Q: Do I have to be a certain weight to join? A: Membership will only be offered to those with a BMI over 23. People with a BMI below this level are at a safe weight according to their height and at the lowest risk of diabetes. Once you become a member, no one at BodyOptimise will tell you what weight you should be - at any time. We can show you the latest recommendations for your height and health, take a look at our Weight Range chart or BMI Calculator, but the final choice is yours and yours alone.    Q: Do I have to cook separate meals for myself while I’m slimming? A: No, the whole family can benefit! Meals based on rice, pasta, potatoes, or lean meat and fish, with plenty of fruit and veg, are great for everyone's health, so it's fine for children aged five and over to eat the same healthy meals as you do.    Q: I have diabetes. Can I still Food Optimise? A: Yes. Food Optimising provides a healthy, balanced diet. Diabetes UK suggests that people with diabetes follow the same healthy, balanced diet recommended for the population as a whole. In general it is recommended that people with diabetes base meals and snacks around plenty of starchy foods. This is easily achieved when Food Optimising. Many of our members with diabetes have found their blood glucose levels and general health have improved significantly since Food Optimising and a number also report that they require less medication now they have lost weight. As with all medical conditions, it is important to follow the medical and dietary advice given by your health care team. For example some people with diabetes may be given specific advice on the amount of certain foods they should eat, so it is important to bear this in mind when choosing your Free Foods. If you choose to join bodyOPTIMISE, you’ll be asked to inform us if you have diabetes. As part of your membership package you’ll receive further information about Food Optimising with diabetes. You can read our medical policy here… “Fourteen months ago I was told by my doctor that I would soon be injecting insulin if I didn't change my eating and drinking habits. Thanks to Food Optimising I now take no medication at all!” From John Ritchie    Q: I'm having difficulties registering with bodyOPTIMISE A: Please check your browser’s privacy settings. If you’re using Internet Explorer this can be located by clicking tools > internet options and clicking the privacy tab. Your setting needs to be medium or lower. Some PC software can create problems. If you have Norton Internet Security and Zone Alarm, a personal firewall software, there could be a conflict between your PC and the website. In Zone Alarm, please select privacy>site list and uncheck the third party web bugs setting. If you are using a TV internet service, you may be restricted when browsing the website. If you would like to join BodyOptimise, you will need to register and logon using a PC or Mac.    Q: Where can I buy Slimming World magazine? A: Slimming World Magazine is available from your newsagent (ask them to order you a copy if they don't already have a copy in stock) or take out a subscription via our Credit Card Hotline: 01795 414862 (9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri)    Q: How can I subscribe to the magazine? A: You can contact our credit card hotline on 01795 414862 (9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) or email galleon@galleon.co.uk. The price for a year's subscription (seven issues) are as follows:- UK - £15 Eire and Europe - £24.10 Overseas - £36.05    Q: Can I buy hifi bars on bodyOPTIMISE? A: hifi bars are only available to Slimming World’s group members and the reason for this is, because bodyOPTIMISE is an international website we have had to look into the cost of postage, insurance, and we also have to take into consideration that hifi bars are food products, so different countries’ food safety laws apply too. We have carried out extensive research into these issues, and have concluded that we won’t be in a position to sell hifi bars to our bodyOPTIMISE members. So that you can still enjoy cereal bars as part of your Healthy Extra ‘b’ choices, once you become a bodyOPTIMISE member, you’ll see that there are some branded cereal bars on the members’ Healthy Extra list that are widely available in shops and supermarkets.    Q: I'm unable to login to the members section of bodyOPTIMISE or I'm being logged off immediately. A: Some PC software can create problems. If you have Norton Internet Security and Zone Alarm, a personal firewall software, there could be a conflict between your PC and the website. In Zone Alarm, please select privacy>site list and uncheck the third party web bugs setting. If you are using a TV internet service to browse the site, you may be restricted to the public area. To logon, you will need to use a PC or Mac.    Q: I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Is Food Optimising suitable for me? A: Yes, Food Optimising is ideal for women with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. We have discussed PCOS with medical and dietetic experts who inform us that, in general, it is recommended that people with PCOS follow the same sort of healthy diet and lifestyle changes recommended to the population as a whole. That is to limit fat (especially saturated fat), sugar and salt intake, and include plenty of fruit, vegetables and starchy carbohydrate food. Weight loss can certainly be of real benefit. Food Optimising is based on these current healthy eating guidelines, and is an ideal way to eat a balanced diet, lose weight and maintain your new weight long term. For balanced nutrition in line with current guidelines, we do recommend members include both Green and Original choices within a week or follow the Food Optimising Green choice solely to provide a healthy intake of carbohydrate. However, as with all medical conditions, we would always recommend you follow any medical or dietary advice given by your doctor, which may be tailored to your individual needs. The great news is, because Food Optimising is extremely generous and flexible and allows you to choose the foods you want to eat; it is suitable for practically every dietary requirement or preference. You can read our medical policy here… “I suffer from PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) and Endometriosis. It’s hard to lose weight with these conditions; I’ve never lost more than a few pounds before, but with Food Optimising I’ve lost 1½ stones so far! I want to let other women with these conditions know that it isn’t hopeless –Food Optimising really works!” From Sarah Churchill    Q: Can my children Food Optimise too? A: While it’s fine for children aged five and over to eat the same healthy meals as you do, younger children, especially under-twos, should not have reduced fat dairy foods: give them full-fat yogurt, spreads, milk and fromage frais. As children’s stomachs are quite small, too much high fibre food may fill them up without providing all the nutrients they need, so don’t give them high-bran cereals, crispbreads etc. As with adults, depriving children of favourite treats like crisps and sweets can be counter-productive. But try to avoid giving sugary, salty or fatty snacks every day and always have lots of healthy alternatives to offer.    Q: How much weight can I expect to lose? A: This depends on how much weight you want to lose. Hundreds of thousands of slimmers have found success with Food Optimising, and weight losses range from 7lbs to 10 stones or more. We encourage a healthy rate of weight loss of an average of 1-2lbs per week. This is a realistic, achievable goal for the majority of people and helps them have realistic expectations. However, everyone is different and people will lose weight at different rates, this is influenced by factors such as gender, how active you are and how much weight you have to lose. It is not unusual to see larger losses in the first few weeks of slimming, mainly due to the loss of body water and especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. For the majority of people, however, weight loss usually settles to an average of 1-2lbs a week over time. According to medical advisors, it can be perfectly healthy for someone with a lot of weight to lose to lose more than 1-2lbs a week – as long as they are eating plenty and having balanced diet. It’s important not be too restrictive on your food intake (crash dieting) aiming for unrealistic rapid weight losses. Being too restrictive and losing more than 1-2lbs a week on a regular, long-term basis can result in you losing excess muscle tissue as well as body fat as well increasing the likelihood of you regaining your lost weight. Taking part in regular physical activity can help you maintain muscle tissue as you lose weight.    Q: Can I really eat as much Free Food as I want? A: Yes, you really can! The stroke of genius behind Food Optimising is its concept of completely unrestricted Free Foods. There really is no longer a need to deny yourself or eat guiltily - you are in fact freed from the fear of hunger and the urge to overeat will disappear. Decisions about food become real not enforced; control comes from choice power, not cast-iron will power. With Food Optimising you can satisfy your appetite on foods you love, and still lose weight!    Q: What is a Healthy Extra? A: As well as the hundreds of Free Foods that will be filling your plate, every day we ask you to choose measured portions of 'Healthy Extras' - more long lists of foods that boost your fibre, vitamins and minerals, especially calcium. These include wholemeal bread, high-fibre breakfast cereals, soups, and dairy products, and again you'll find there are a wide variety of foods to choose.    Q: How much does it cost? A: Membership of bodyOPTIMISE gives you access to a wealth of recipe ideas, a personal progress chart and weekly support, online food diary and much, much more and it costs just £19.95 to join. The monthly fee is £20 – that’s less than a morning newspaper each day! (Initial subscription is for a 3 month period). Click here to discover how much you could save with our fabulous special offer…    Q: Can my child join bodyOPTIMISE? A: No, sorry. bodyOPTIMISE is only available to adults aged 18 and over.    Q: I've got an under active thyroid, my doctor has prescribed Thyroxine. Will I still be able to lose weight? A: Treatment with Thyroxine helps correct a slow metabolic rate and prevent further weight gain. Although Thyroxine treatment will not induce any weight loss by itself, once treatment has started just Food Optimise as normal and you'll soon see the weight coming off. You can read our medical policy here… “I have an under-active thyroid so I always thought it would be hard for me to lose weight. As soon as I began Food Optimising I was pleasantly surprised. I am absolutely elated to discover an eating plan that actually works! I’ve lost 1st 1lb so far and am really enjoying the meals.” From Amanda Lea Jackson    Q: I'm getting an e-mail address error when registering A: If you share your e-mail address and the person you share it with has already become a member of bodyOPTIMISE, you will need to use a different e-mail address. The website recognises each member by their individual e-mail addresses so it won’t let a second person register with the same details. If you would like an e-mail address specifically for the purposes of using bodyOPTIMISE, Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.co.uk) and Hotmail (http://www.msn.com) both supply free e-mail addresses.    Q: I’m not losing weight. What should I do? A: We’d really like to help you with your weight loss goals We often find the main reasons for not losing weight are: genuinely believing something to be a Free Food when it’s not inadvertently underestimating Syn values not checking Syn values before we eat (especially where branded products and convenience foods are concerned as these do vary enormously) or not weighing or measuring foods accurately where you need to. It’s amazingly easy for one or more of these little things to temporarily slow down your weight loss. When it happens, it helps to go to go back to basics with Food Optimising, double checking that Free Foods are in fact free and double checking measurements and Syn values. We suggest that you print off a paper food diary to help you remain aware of your food intake throughout the day. The paper food diary can be found via the ‘getting started > using a food diary’ link. Although it’s tedious, it usually helps tremendously to write down everything you eat and drink on the food diary for a few days. With absolutely everything that passes your lips measured (if not Free) and written down, it often only takes a day or two to discover the problem. Making sure you eat plenty (and we mean plenty!) of Free Food and your Healthy Extras means you are more likely to ‘control’ the riskier Syns element! We recommend that you fill up on loads of Free Foods and look out for the ‘speed/super speed foods’ on your Superfree/Green/Original Free Foods pdf lists, as these are great for boosting your weight loss. Keep experimenting with different recipes from our recipe archive, and have a good look around our searchable ‘useful features’ section. You will find two of our features really helpful – ‘Speed Foods’ and ‘From maintain to back on track again’ – to find them type ‘speed foods’ and ‘back on track’ into the search box. If you’ve maintained your weight for a week or more, it’s worth getting the old tape measure out. Quite often we’re still losing inches even though our weight doesn’t seem to change. Make the most of the support offered after you next weigh in. It may take a little longer than usual but the results will be worthwhile, as our online support goes way beyond learning what to eat and when to eat - it’s about heightening your awareness of where things could go wrong and helping you to develop strategies for life-long success. Each week we ask you to enter your new weight details, and depending on your progress you’ll be offered a series of online personalised supportive and helpful choices to help you through the next week, celebratory awards for every 7lbs/3kg lost, plus support emails to help you achieve your personal target weight. We recommend you stay online after you next enter your weight details and accept the additional support that’s offered – you’ll be able to choose from many features and tools, all developed to help you achieve a great weight loss.    Q: Does bodyOPTIMISE provide details of Mix2Max and Success Express? A: Yes! All the essential information and a step by step guide is available in the 'Getting started > what's next?' area of the site.    Q: Can I buy a Food Optimising book? A: All the information you'll need to start Food Optimising is included in the Members' area of bodyOPTIMISE in a downloadable/printable format. Because bodyOPTIMISE is a totally online service, we don't provide books as part of your membership, and the Food Optimising book isn't available to purchase - it is only available to Slimming World group members. Many other fabulous recipe books and directories are available to buy as a bodyOPTIMISE member. Once logged into your homepage, use the quick links on the bottom left-hand navigation to visit the bookshop.    Q: How do I start/ what do I do? A: All the essential information about Food Optimising is accessible in the Flash new member talk on your homepage and the 'Getting started' link on the navigation. This will take you through information about Free Foods, Healthy Extras and Syns plus downloadable lists to keep with you or stick on the fridge door. These include pdfs of Free Food on the Original choice, Free Food on the Green choice and Superfree foods (those that are Free on both Green and Original). The Free Food on Green days includes unlimited vegetables, fresh fruit, eggs, potatoes, pasta, pulses, grains and rice with measured amounts of ‘Healthy Extras’ (such as cheese, milk, lean meat, poultry and fish, cereals, bread and soup) to supplement these foods. Free Food on Original days includes unlimited lean meat, fish, poultry, fresh fruit and most vegetables, plus Healthy Extras again (such as cheese, milk, potatoes, pasta, beans, cereals, bread and soup). A good start to get the hang of Food Optimising would be to follow our 7 day starter menu. Our Menu Planner (via the 'Recipes and menus' link) is a great way of planning a whole day’s menu and we have loads of helpful advice for handling those difficult times, through all our food features in the searchable 'Useful features' section.    Q: The website doesn’t recognise my e-mail address A: If you’re trying to login to bodyOPTIMISE, please make sure you have already registered. If you have registered and gone through the membership process, did you receive a confirmation e-mail from us? If not, it sounds as though our record of your e-mail address may be incorrect. To help us solve this problem, please use the contact us form, stating your full name, correct e-mail address and membership number (this would have appeared on your payment confirmation page during the registration process). We will be happy to change your e-mail address on your behalf. If you are experiencing this problem during registration, it may be that your e-mail address has already been used. If you share your e-mail address and the person you share it with has already become a member of BodyOptimise, you will need to use a different e-mail address. The website recognizes each member by their individual e-mail addresses so it won’t let a second person register with the details. If you would like an e-mail address specifically for the purposes of using BodyOptimise, Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.co.uk) and Hotmail (http://www.msn.com) both supply free e-mail addresses.    Q: What is Club 10? A: Because losing just 10% of your body weight - and keeping it off - can bring amazing health benefits we offer members the chance to join Club 10. There's no charge to join this prestigious group, in fact membership is automatic. All you have to do is lose 10% of your weight as a member of BodyOptimise and you'll be given a Club 10 award. Discover 10 great reasons for losing just 10% of your weight here...    Q: Does bodyOPTIMISE include exercise? A: Yes, we encourage you to combine healthy eating with an active lifestyle. Being active can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure as well as help protect against osteoporosis and diabetes. It can have positive effects on mood, self-esteem, stress and anxiety levels, and improve sleep, energy levels and general fitness. However, Food Optimising doesn’t rely on you sweating every evening at the gym or training for the marathon from day 1! Food Optimising properly without exercise will result in a weight loss – we guarantee it! Food Optimising with exercise will bring even greater results. We call this ‘match made in heaven’ Body Magic. If you’re not a member of BodyOptimise yet, you can discover more about Body Magic here.    Q: I’m breastfeeding, can I still join bodyOPTIMISE? A: We are delighted to welcome breastfeeding mums as members of bodyOPTIMISE 6 weeks after the birth of their baby. Why the 6 week delay? We recommend members consult their doctor or health visitor for advice before beginning to slim after giving birth. As long as they are happy for you to start slimming (this is usually after your 6 week post-natal check up), we will be delighted to help support you in reaching your weight loss goals. And, breastfeeding uses up a significant number of calories, so as long as you’re eating a healthy diet, breastfeeding can certainly help you lose weight. While nature’s on your side, you don’t need the help of a slimming website! We do suggest new mums increase their Healthy Extra choices whilst breast feeding. The number of Healthy Extra choices will vary depending on the age of your baby and this is all explained in our ‘Food Optimising and breast-feeding’ fact sheet, which you will have when you join bodyOPTIMISE. We’ll see you in 6 weeks’ time!    Q: I’m on HRT, will I still be able to lose weight? A: Yes. We have many, many members who are losing weight successfully while on HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy). While some women feel taking HRT may have slowed their weight loss, it has not prevented them from losing weight and there is absolutely NO convincing evidence that HRT causes weight gain. You can read our medical policy here…    Q: How does bodyOPTIMISE's support work? A: Unlike other online slimming websites, bodyOPTIMISE offers a unique form of support that goes way beyond learning what to eat and when to eat. bodyOPTIMISE’s unique support system is based on over 30 years of deep understanding of how it feels to be overweight and how hard it is sometimes to remember that you are a person with unique and wonderful qualities, who deserves to be the very best you can be. These lead you to the tools and information that should really help you accomplish a wonderful weight loss during the weeks ahead and feel great about your stunning achievement. But more than that, bodyOPTIMISE’s support is about heightening your awareness of where things could go wrong and helping you to develop strategies for life-long success. Each week, starting 7 days after you join, you'll be reminded to enter your new weight details. Depending on your progress you'll receive personalised help, support and encouragement to help your achieve your personal target weight. You'll select from motivational support tools, insightful features and unique concepts, including visualisation and flexible Syns. Throughout the website, which is updated weekly, you'll find a wealth of support features that focus on Food Optimising meals, snacks and menus, slimming strategies, seasonal suggestions (from easter eggs and summer holidays to Christmas and New Year celebrations) and much more. If you're feeling a bit stuck from time to time or in need of a motivational top-up, visit the support top-up page and choose from the list of unique tools.    Q: Is the magazine available to bodyOPTIMISE members at a reduced price? A: Not at the moment, but this is something that we're looking into. In the meantime, you can subscribe to Slimming World Magazine by ringing our credit card hotline on 01795 414862 (9am-5.30pm Mon-Fri) or email galleon@galleon.co.uk. The prices are as follows:- UK - £15.00 Eire and Europe - £24.10 Overseas - £36.05 This includes seven issues.    Q: I work shifts - will Food Optimising be suitable for me? A: Your shift patterns should cause no problems at all with Food Optimising. The beauty of Free Food is that you can eat as much of it as you want, therefore it doesn’t matter if you end up eating more than the regular ‘three meals a day’ or at unusual times of the day! If you become a member of bodyOPTIMISE, check out the searchable 'useful features' section for ideas for snack foods, ‘eating at work’ tips and loads of quick and easy recipes that are perfect for lunchboxes, flasks and microwaves!    Q: Can I add to or edit my food diary from previous days? A: You can add to or edit your online daily food diary entries within the current week, by clicking on the arrow on the drop box marked ‘today’. You can select either 'today' or the previous 6 day’s diaries. We recommend that, during the first 4 weeks of membership, members print out the downloadable diary and carry this with them to write down everything they eat or drink at the time. We encourage members to achieve long-term success by discovering how to fit Food Optimising into their personal routine. Using the paper diary in this way is an effective method of learning about Food Optimising, that is used online and in Slimming World groups. Whilst we supply a food diary to help new members, we encourage Food Optimisers to become relaxed and comfortable with their new pattern of eating rather than obsessively recording their food intake long-term. Many members find that a more satisfying way of using the diary is to record particular meals they’ve enjoyed, or days full of Free and Speed Food, to use for future reference.    Q: I haven't received a reply to my email enquiry. A: If you have contacted us with an enquiry, please check our Frequently Asked Questions section in the public and members’ areas. Please note, we are unable to respond to enquiries that are answered in our FAQs. These are updated regularly, so keep clicking back. If you have contacted us with feedback, this will be forwarded to the relevant department and used to update and develop the website. Many thanks for sending your thoughts to us. If your correspondence isn’t answered on the website, it will be passed to the relevant department. We aim to reply to you as quickly as possible, however, due to the high volume of emails we receive it can occasionally take up to 7 working days before we can respond. (We are open Monday to Friday - except Bank Holidays)    Q: I have coeliac disease and need to follow a gluten-free diet. Will Food Optimising be suitable for me? A: Certainly, you can still Food Optimise. You will probably need to make some adjustments to your Healthy Extra choices and as part of your membership package you’ll receive further information about Food Optimising with coeliac disease. Please note, we are unable to provide any specific advice regarding coeliac disease and would recommend that you always follow the advice and specific dietary recommendations suggested by your doctor or dietitian. You can read our medical policy here…    Q: The images aren’t displaying online A: Please check that your internet settings are set to show pictures. If you are able to see some images, but not others, it may be because your PC does not have Flash installed. Flash can be downloaded freely from Macromedia’s website. Please use the following links: Macromedia Flash for PC (Microsoft Internet Explorer/AOL only) Macromedia Flash for PC (Netscape/Mozilla/Opera/Compuserve only) Macromedia Flash for Mac OSX (Microsoft Internet explorer/Mozilla/Opera/Safari/Netscape) Macromedia Flash for Mac OS9 (Microsoft Internet explorer/Mozilla/Opera/Safari/Netscape) Other operating systems    Q: Do I get a book that explains the Healthy Eating Plan? A: Everything you need to understand the Healthy Eating Plan is online. In the members' section you’ll discover downloadable/saveable and printable pdfs featuring Free Food, Healthy Extras and Syns via the 'Getting started' link from your Homepage.    Q: What are Free Foods? A: Free Foods are just one of the many features of Food Optimising that sets it apart from other ‘diets’. We recognise that to lose weight healthily, comfortably and with life-long success, slimmers need and want to eat lots of 'real' food, not diet food! A plate of food when you are Food Optimising will certainly be full - as full as you like - but it is what it is filled with that will help you lose pounds, not pile them on. There’s an incredible choice of hundreds of Free Foods for you to choose from - this list contains a massive variety of delicious, satisfying foods that you can eat as much of as you like. There's no measuring, weighing or counting – no kidding! These lists change depending on your choice of Green or Original day, but whichever day you choose, you need never be hungry again!    Q: The edges get cut off when I try to print from the website A: To print normal web pages from BodyOptimise, we recommend that you set your printer to print in portrait mode and normal quality on A4 sized paper. If, in this format, the edges are being cut off, please check your margin settings and reduce them slightly. Your printer’s instruction manual should show you how to change these settings; I’m afraid we’re unable to provide assistance. If this still doesn’t work, please change your printer settings to print the pages in landscape format.    Q: I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), can I still lose weight? A: Yes, Food Optimising is an ideal way to eat a healthy diet to lose weight. Many of our members with IBS have found the condition and their general health have improved significantly since beginning to Food Optimise. IBS is a very common condition (around one-third of the population are likely to suffer from it at some time) however, the term IBS covers a number of conditions and there is no single cause or treatment for it. Food Optimising allows you to choose the foods you want to eat, so you will be easily able to avoid or limit and foods your find aggravate your IBS symptoms. As with all medical conditions we recommend that you consult your GP and always follow any treatment suggested by your doctor or hospital. You can read our medical policy here…    Q: How do dietary supplements fit within Food Optimising? A: Dietary supplements should not affect weight loss if you are following Food Optimising. Supplements also do not need to be counted as Syns when Food Optimising. Even oil capsules (e.g. cod liver oil, evening primrose oil etc) should not slow your weight loss if you are Food Optimising 100%. Because they contain so little energy per capsule, they do not need to be counted as Syns and are very unlikely to be the real reason behind a slow weight loss. If you did choose to count them, they would only count as ½ Syn per 1000mg (usually 2 high strength capsules).    Q: Can I change my 'weigh-in' day? A: I'm sorry, we're unable to change your weigh in day; however, you will still be able to weigh in whenever you’re able to log in next. You can access your personal profile and homepage from any computer (all over the world!) providing you know your username and password. If you’re unable to log on for a week or more, your progress chart will show a space where you missed a week. The next time you complete your weight details, your loss will be averaged over the weeks you’ve missed so that your Personal Achievement Target date can be predicted as accurately as possible.    Q: I want to stop smoking, but I'm scared of putting on weight, can you help? A: We most certainly can! Many ex-smokers tend to eat more as a substitute for smoking and through a new-found enjoyment of taste! Food Optimising (where you can eat MASSES of Free Food) really can help – you overcome the urge to smoke; just eat guilt-free instead! Find out more about joining here…    Q: I've forgotten my password A: We’d be happy to send you your password by e-mail. Please visit the forgotten password page, insert your e-mail address and we’ll send it immediately!    Q: I have Acrobat installed but it will not open a pdf A: Please make sure you have the latest version downloaded and installed from Adobe. Please visit here for instructions on how to get the latest version for your operating system: Adobe Acrobat Reader    Q: Do I have to eat all my Healthy Extras every day? A: No, it won’t affect your weight loss if you don’t take all four Healthy Extra choices. However, the Healthy Extra section is there to ensure a balanced, healthy diet so from a health point of view we recommend that you enjoy all four.    Q: Can I have extra Syns if I exercise? A: bodyOPTIMISE believe the best way to manage your weight healthily is to combine a healthy weight-reducing diet with physical activity. We wouldn't recommend you 'cancel out' any of your Syns or use exercise as a means of allowing yourself more Syns. Rewarding for exercise by allowing yourself more Syns can result in poorer weight loss as it is human nature to overestimate how much energy you burn through exercise and very easy to overcompensate if you eat in reward for exercise. For better weight loss results we recommend Food Optimising (100%!) as normal and increasing your activity levels. If you do feel hungry and need more food then we would suggest you make the most of all the Free Food available to increase your energy intake before opting for extra Syns.    Q: Please can you tell me the difference between bodyOPTIMISE and Postal Membership? A: We’re more than happy to tell you more about these fabulous membership options: bodyOPTIMISE is a totally online slimming programme with everything you need to Food Optimise at the touch of a button, therefore to make the most out of your membership you’ll need to be able to log on regularly and take advantage of all the supportive tools and features. These include: • 7-day Food Optimising menu to get new members started • Weekly support that varies according to your process - with celebrations for great weeks and helpful tools, features and suggestions for the not so great • Dozens of helpful, practical features about specific foods, eating out, slimming with a family and activity to name a few. • Menu planner • 1400-strong searchable recipe database • An online food diary • Syns Online (which includes over 38,000 branded and basic products) • Syns Calculator (to find the value of any products not on Syns Online) • Snackulator Or you can join Slimming World as a postal member, where you'll receive a year's subscription to Slimming World magazine, a bumper pack of books - including the Food Optimising members' handbook. Postal membership lasts for four weeks. During this time you’ll receive a weekly telephone support call and you'll be able to access LifelineOnline, our free online support service exclusive to our members. Find out more about Slimming World's Postal membership here.    Q: I can't get PDFs to download - can you help? A: This could be due to a setting in your Acrobat Reader software. Open the Acrobat Reader program - this can usually be found in your ‘start’ menu on a PC, or in the ‘applications’ folder on an Applemac. When the program opens, go to the ‘edit’ menu and scroll down to ‘preferences’. Click on ‘update’. Change Acrobat Reader to check for updates ‘manually’ and not ‘automatically’. Close Acrobat reader before logging back onto bodyOPTIMISE.    Q: I don't live in the UK - will I be able to Food Optimise properly? A: Yes, yes, yes! Because Food Optimising is based around healthy, filling everyday foods - lean meat, fish and poultry, vegetables and fruit, grains, pulses, pasta and eggs (to name but a few of our Free Foods!) - Food Optimising is easy no matter where you are in the world! The vast majority of our recipes use these basic foods giving you hundreds of deliciously slimming recipes at the click of a button! We've also listed basic everyday Synned foods that are available in most countries - like fruit juices, snacks, alcohol etc. Some of the more popular American, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian branded foods are also available in special downloads for members from those countries. For any other products not listed, we have an online Syns calculator, where you can input nutrition information to find out whether your branded food is Free or has Syns. Wherever you live, and wherever you're going on holiday or business, Food Optimising makes the perfect companion for delicious food and even more delicious weight loss! You'll find even more Food Optimising help in our International Optimising feature.    Q: How do I find out more? A: Why not try Food Optimising for yourself? The non-members area of bodyOPTIMISE features two 7 day taster menus – one vegetarian, featuring the Green choice and one for those of us who don’t follow a vegetarian diet, featuring Green and Original choices.    Q: What is Food Optimising? A: It's the most incredibly user-friendly system of slimming ever. With Food Optimising, you lose weight without hunger and without the obsessive need to note every food you eat. Discover more about Food Optimising here…    Q: What type of support will I receive? A: bodyOPTIMISE is a totally online slimming solution. As a member you'll have access to Food Optimising and Body Magic information galore, including downloadable lists of Free Food and Healthy Extras, unlimited access to Syns Online and a Syns Calculator plus menu generators, recipes, hints and tips. Each week, starting 7 days after you join, you'll be reminded to enter your new weight details. Depending on your progress you'll receive personalised help, support and encouragement to help your achieve your personal target weight. You'll select from motivational support tools, insightful features and unique concepts, including visualisation and flexible Syns.    Q: Does bodyOPTIMISE have message boards? A: We have researched the use of forums and message boards on a variety of websites (slimming and otherwise) in depth over the last several years. Although many of the messages posted are generally supportive, the misuse of these boards is sadly evident. Some of this is done completely out of awareness – e.g. helpful hints about Food Optimising. If the basic information is incorrect, it can send a member way off track; reading comments intended to be supportive can be interpreted very differently, especially if our self-esteem is already low. Because slimming is such a personal and emotive subject, especially for those of us who are slimming, thoughtless comments and inconsiderate remarks (sadly it happens) can undo all the hard work that our members have done in plucking up the courage to start Food Optimising or begin a new activity. We feel the best way to help our members lose weight effectively is to provide help, support and guidance via our many features and tools. The well-informed information within these features, written by experienced Food Optimising specialists, is the very best way that we can help our members We have seen the damage and upset that message boards can do to both members and the company, and rather than put our members’ success and the future of the website in jeopardy, we have made the decision not to include any kind of forum.    Q: I have a food allergy/intolerance. Can I Food Optimise? A: Unlike many other diets or eating plans, the generosity and flexibility of Food Optimising means it is suitable for practically every dietary requirement or preference. The good news is, because it allows you to choose the foods you wish to eat, it is easy to incorporate any specific requirement or preference. We are able to cater specifically for some dietary requirements and you'll be asked about your dietary preferences during registration. As we are unable to give specific advice on individual medical conditions, including food allergies or intolerance we recommend that you seek professional medical advice from your doctor or a State Registered Dietician. They will be able to give you tailored advice for your needs, explaining exactly which foods you need to avoid or limit and how to still have a balanced and enjoyable diet whilst avoiding any problem foods.    Q: I can't open any pdf documents (Free Food/Healthy Extra lists) A: To get the best from bodyOPTIMISE the latest version of the Adobe Acrobat viewer is required. Please visit here for instructions on how to get the latest version of this software for your operating system. Alternatively, this could be due to a setting in your Acrobat Reader software. Open the Acrobat Reader program - this can usually be found in your ‘start’ menu on a PC, or in the ‘applications’ folder on an Applemac. When the program opens, go to the ‘edit’ menu and scroll down to ‘preferences’. Click on ‘update’. Change Acrobat Reader to check for updates ‘manually’ and not ‘automatically’. Close Acrobat reader before logging back onto bodyOPTIMISE. If you have already downloaded Acrobat viewer and are still having difficulties downloading the documents, the program may not be correctly installed. This page will help you install the program or trouble-shoot any difficulties you may have encountered.    Q: Is Food Optimising the same as Food Combining? A: No, Food Optimising is very different to food combining. Food combining is an extremely restrictive way of eating, which dictates that proteins and carbohydrates must not be eaten together in the same meal. The fact that many foods have both carbohydrates and proteins in them, goes some way to show how daft this way of eating really is. This bears no resemblance to Food Optimising where, depending on the type of day you choose, you simply have smaller portions of some foods knowing that other really filling and great-tasting foods are on hand all day long. On a Green day for example, you could choose a measured serving of lean mince in tomato sauce with loads of pasta (unlimited) to make a huge, tasty and very filling spaghetti bolognese. On an Original day you could have a jacket potato, piled high with delicious low-fat chicken curry for a very satisfying lunch. ?Find out how Food Optimising is different to dieting here…    Q: What are Syns? A: Ever fancied a ‘bit on the side’- well with Food Optimising, you can! Syns are bodyOPTIMISE’s effective alternative to calorie or fat counting, designed to make sure you can enjoy little bits on the side or your favourite treats every day, from ice cream and alcohol to sauces and sweets. All food that isn't Free has a Syn value - you simply choose how to enjoy your Syn allowance each day.    Q: How do I know how many Syns to have? A: For steady weight loss most people enjoy around 5 to 15 Syns a day, though this varies with height, weight and lifestyle. Members with more than 1 or 2 stones to lose, more physically active members and men tend to lose weight safely and well on more than 10 Syns as a basic daily allowance.    Q: Will Food Optimising suit me? A: Only if you're human! Seriously though, we've tried to think of who it wouldn't suit and it just doesn't compute. That's because it's like asking 'Will eating suit me?'    Q: How does the special offer work? A: The normal subscription fee is £79.95 but our special offer of your FIRST MONTH FREE makes the fee just £59.95 The initial payment is to enable you to use the site for 3 months: Joining Fee: £19.95 Membership: £20 x 3 (Initial 3 month subscription in advance) Special Offer: -£20.00 ONE MONTH FREE Total for 3 months: £59.95 For your convenience, your membership will continue after the 3 months unless you cancel via the 'my bodyOPTIMISE' > update payment details section.    Q: I have joined bodyOPTIMISE and have been charged £59.95. Where is my free month? A: The normal subscription fee is £79.95 but our special offer makes the fee only £59.95. The initial payment is to enable you to use the site for 3 months. Joining Fee: £19.95 Membership: £20 x 3 (Initial 3 month subscription in advance) Special Offer: -£20 One month FREE Total: £59.95    Q: What are flexible Syns? A: There’s plenty of evidence that allowing yourself to be a little more flexible when you need to is the key to long-term success. Flexible Syns are the ‘safety valve’ you can use when you feel that otherwise you might just give in and lose control completely. And what a relief! Never again will you be able to accuse yourself of ‘blowing it’ just because you needed a few more Syns on the odd day or two. The difference to your self-esteem will be monumental – and you’ll have unlocked the key to your slimming success – for good! You will find out more about flexible Syns as a member.    Q: Is it complicated? A: Food Optimising is as simple and easy to follow as it is to use. Beneath this simplicity and ease of use is an extremely sophisticated and well researched system that, quite literally, optimises food usage for the slimmer.    Q: Does Food Optimising work? A: Unequivocally yes! Excitingly yes! Food Optimising has been helping slimmers succeed for over 30 years, and has been researched thoroughly. But don’t just take our word for it - read what some of our fantastically successful slimmers say about a system that help them achieve their goals…    Q: Can I save up my Syns for the weekend? A: You may find that saving Syns is counter-productive in the long run. When you can’t stand it any longer you blow it completely (we’ve all been there). A great alternative is Flexible Syns - using your Syns as normal throughout the week and increasing your Syn allowance for a night out or a special occasion. You will find out more about Flexible Syns as a member.    Q: I’m going out to a restaurant for a special meal, what can I do? A: The beauty of Food Optimising is that eating out fits in perfectly with the plan. Although it’s difficult to give accurate Syn values for restaurant meals (as each restaurant will cook the same dish in a different way), choosing Free Food options where possible (eg steak, potatoes, vegetables) will ensure your meal is as Food Optimising-friendly as possible. In the searchable Useful features section you’ll find lots of eating out features, packed with advice and tips on different cuisines. Use the ‘basic’ search on Syns Online to find average Syn values for a variety of different dishes. For example, use ‘Chinese’ or ‘Italian’ as your keyword then enter the dish, eg ‘chow mein’, this will give you a few ideas of what to choose before you get to the restaurant. Don’t forget you can always choose Flexible Syns, click here to find out about the guilt free way to enjoy your special occasion. Lastly, don’t worry too much - enjoy your meal out and when you get home just go back to Food Optimising as usual, without that guilty feeling.    Q: How does it work? A: Food Optimising takes account of • a food's energy density • its health-giving properties • its ability to satisfy the appetite quickly • its ability to keep us feeling full longer • its ability to comfort us • and our behavioural patterns. Using these principles, Food Optimising creates, without distressing hunger, an energy (calorie) deficit which causes the body to draw on its own stores of body fat and convert this to energy.    Q: How do I find the Syn value of food? A: If aren't a member of a Slimming World support group or bodyOPTIMISE you can discover Syn values using the Syns Enquiry Hotline on: 09068 518518. Calls are charged at 60p per minute. This service is available from 9am-7pm Monday to Friday. As product formulations can change, please have the packaging of the product you're querying on hand when you call so the team can double-check that the information on the packaging corresponds with that on our database. If you are a member of a Slimming World support group or BodyOptimise, use Syns Online or the Syns Calculator to find the Syn value of your product.    Q: I have high cholesterol. Do I need to Food Optimise differently? A: Having too much cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, the good news is that one of the many health benefits our members report is a reduced cholesterol level. Experts agree that dietary changes such as following a low-fat diet, eating plenty of fruit and veg and including Omega-3 fish oils in your diet can help reduce high cholesterol levels. Because Food Optimising positively encourages the consumption of plenty of fruit and vegetables on both choices, unlimited oily fish on the Original choice and naturally limits fatty food by allocating them Syn values, it provides a safe and sensible method of weight loss for members with high cholesterol. As with all medical conditions we recommend that you consult your GP and always follow any treatment suggested by your doctor or hospital.    Q: I haven’t received any emails from bodyOPTIMISE. A: If you've joined bodyOPTIMISE and haven’t received your Welcome and Registration Confirmation emails, your registered email address may be incorrect. To check, please login and go to 'My bodyOPTIMISE > Edit your personal details' link. If your email address needs changing, please alter, enter your password and press the update button. Alternatively, your ISP (Internet Service Provider) or email program (e.g. Outlook, Hotmail, Yahoo) may be blocking emails from us. Use your email program’s help pages to change the settings that filter/block e-mails. If this doesn’t help, please contact your Internet Service Provider or System Administrator to ask them why you're not receiving bodyOPTIMISE emails. As a bodyOPTIMISE member you’ll also receive access to your own personal ‘inbox’ where you can view your previous bodyOPTIMISE e-mails – including welcome and support messages. Visit the ‘My bodyOPTIMISE’ section for more.    Q: Why are they called Syns? A: You know how powerful it is when things work together and the result is greater than the sum of their parts? That’s synergy! Free Food, Healthy Extras and Syns work together to create Food Optimising - the most generous, most effective eating plan ever. Then we strengthen your chance of success even further by adding a touch of Body Magic – and to reflect this incredibly powerful synergy, those little bits on the side that make slimming so much easier are named Syns!    Q: How long will it take? A: That depends on how much you want to lose. Steady weight loss of 1 to 2lbs per week is recommended in government health guidelines. Sometimes people with a lot of weight to lose will have a more rapid weight loss in the first few weeks. You could lose up to a stone in five weeks, 2 stones in ten weeks.    Q: Do I have to eat all my Healthy Extras every day? A: It will not affect your weight loss if you do not take all 4 Healthy Extra choices. However, the Healthy Extra section is there to ensure a balanced, healthy diet so from a health point of view we recommend that you enjoy all 4 choices.    Q: I can't find a particular recipe - can you send it to me? A: bodyOPTIMISE's recipe archive includes over 1400 recipes for delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. We add new recipes from members each fortnight. Unfortunately, we're unable to search for old recipes on your behalf. If the recipe is no longer included online, it may be that the Syn value of some of its ingredients have changed, or a vial ingredient which made it low-Syn has been discontinued. By widening your search, you may find a similar recipe. We also invite members to submit their own recipe creations. If you have a recipe you'd like to share with others, please visit the recipes & menus section in the members' area and fill out the quick form. There's a prize each week for the chosen star recipe!    Q: Is it similar to anything else I might have tried? A: Food Optimising is unique. It’s an approach to eating that is nutritionally and psychologically unparalleled and completely effective for long term weight loss. Discover more here…    Q: What can I eat on this diet? A: Everything! And if you're thinking of this as a diet, then you're in for a treat. This 'diet' is not a four letter word! It's a way of eating for life - in every sense of the word. Diets don't work! Eating in a way that looks after your physiological and psychological needs does. In other words, eating healthily, enjoying what you eat and being satisfied is the only sane alternative to dieting. Food Optimising is that sane alternative. Have a look at our sample 7 day menus – you might be surprised by just how much you can eat!    Q: Do you produce ready meals? A: We don’t produce ready meals, however, you can use ready meals from any supermarket when Food Optimising. Over 39,000 Syn values of branded foods are available on Syns Online or you can use the online Syns calculator for products not yet listed on Syns Online. Because so many everyday basic foods are Free Food at bodyOPTIMISE, many members find they eat less ready meals and convenience food, and enjoy more fish, meat, vegetables, pasta, pulses and fruit, cooked from scratch. You'll find loads of ideas, recipes and tips in the members' area via the Recipes & Menus section and the searchable Useful Features section too.    Q: Is there a formula for working out Syns? A: There isn't a particular formula for calculating Syns (if only it was that simple!), which is one of the reasons why we invented the Online Syns Calculator. The Calculator takes in to account all of the nutrition information, as well as considering if the product contains any Free Food. To find out the Syn value of any products online, bodyOPTIMISE members can use our Syns Calculator and Syns Online. members also receive a downloadable basic Syns list. To use the Syns calculator you will need the packaging to hand and will be asked to enter the nutritional information into the Calculator to obtain the Syn value. Alternatively, you could send the product packaging, including the nutrition information (kcal) panel, into the Syns Enquiry Hotline service. The address is: Slimming World Syn Line, FREEPOST MID 25841, Alfreton, DE55 4BF. Once we’ve received the packaging and entered the product onto our database, the Syn value(s) will be available via the Syns Enquiry Hotline or on Syns Online within 14 days. Or, you may prefer to call our Syns Enquiry Hotline with the product packaging to hand. The Hotline operator will ask you to confirm several nutritional information details, then they will be able to give you the product’s Syn value over the phone. The telephone number is 09068 518 518 (UK only) and calls are charged at 60p per minute, lines are open Monday to Friday 9.00am - 7.00pm.    Q: Why is Ryvita listed twice as a Healthy Extra? A: Ryvita crispbreads just come in one size for each variety. The two Healthy Extra choices for Ryvita that are listed are: 2 Original/Sesame/Dark Rye - this is a Speed Food option or 4 Original/Sesame/Dark Rye - this isn't a Speed Food. Instead it gives you an extra helping of Fibre (you will see the symbols at the side of each entry). Choose either - they're both great for your weight loss!    Q: Will I have to make drastic changes to the way I eat? A: Make no mistake, even though there is nothing you cannot eat, you will be making changes to your eating patterns. It just won't have the associated pain and anxiety you may have come to expect from ‘dieting’ - because you won't be going hungry and you won't be checking / weighing / measuring / assessing every food you eat for its calorie / points content. That really is pure, old-fashioned, unenlightened, misinformed thinking and the best way to fail long-term. This isn't opinion, this is well-documented, evidence-based fact.    Q: What happens if I miss a weigh-in? A: You can access your personal profile and homepage from any computer (all over the world!) providing you know your username and password. If you’re unable to log on for a week or more, you progress chart will show a space where you missed a week. The next time you complete your weight details, your loss will be averaged over the weeks you’ve missed so that your Personal Achievement Target date can be predicted as accurately as possible.    Q: I'm going on holiday - what happens now? A: Because you can access your personal profile and homepage from any computer (all over the world!) providing you know your username and password, bodyOPTIMISE membership continues as usual during holidays/vacations. If you’re unable to log on for a week or more, you progress chart will show a space where you missed a week. The next time you complete your weight details, the change will be averaged over the weeks you’ve missed so that your Personal Achievement Target date can be predicted as accurately as possible.    Q: Will I be hungry? A: Absolutely not! Any slimming system that leaves you hungry is destined to fail. That's one of the reasons why having a limited number of calories / points fails again and again. Once you've run out of points, you have no choice but to go hungry or 'break' your diet. It's important to understand that you didn't fail, the diet failed you. Free Foods are an integral part of Food Optimising, and yes, you can eat as much of these foods as you like. When you become a member, you will gain access to a list of hundreds of Free Foods online, and tonnes of information to help ensure that you never go hungry again.    Q: When does my 7-day menu change? A: Your 7-day starter menu is a tailored menu plan to give you a taster of Food Optimising. The 7-day starter menu was originally developed as a tool to help new members learn how to Food Optimise properly and as an example of great Food Optimising choices. It heightens new members’ awareness of their eating habits and helps them to learn about Free Food, Healthy Extras and Syns and the balance that Food Optimising promotes, making this way of eating a lifestyle and not a diet. Because Food Optimising is a way of healthy eating rather than a diet, we encourage members to make it a ‘natural’ part of their eating habits. This, for example, means learning how to alter ‘traditional’ meals to make them Food Optimising friendly and concocting your own favourites using your knowledge of Free Food, Healthy Extras and Syns. We feel it’s important that members make their own choices with meals and menus so that Food Optimising doesn’t become a ‘chore’ or restrictive in any way. Because of this we don’t set out continued 7 day menus that may inhibit this learning process, however, there are many other fabulous tools that will help you plan your own menus - ones that suit perfectly yours and your family's preferences, budget and daily schedule. As a member of bodyOPTIMISE, you have access to our fabulous recipe search engine which features over 1400 Food Optimising recipes. The Menu Planner section is also packed with quick and easy recipes for breakfasts, lunches and dinners, so you can create each day's menu using Healthy Extras, Free and Superfree Foods.    Q: How can I make Free stock? A: Most large supermarket chains will stock beef or chicken Bovril. If you can’t get hold of the meaty marvel another alternative is to make your own Free stock: 1. Boil a chicken carcass, remove the carcass and let the stock go cold (overnight usually). The next day you simply lift off the layer of fat and the remaining stock is Free to use on both choices. (This method can be used with other meats) 2. Waiting for the fat layer to solidify means that you can be sure that the stock is Free. If you use meat juices that may still have some fat in you need to count ½ Syn for every tablespoon used. For a veggie version of gravy, Vecon (concentrated vegetable stock, available from health food stores) is also Free on Green and Original.