Slimming world

[Tamara]

I have to admit I am a total baked oats (not overnight, god no, so claggy!!) fan for breakfast, but I am not a piss taker when on plan. Nor do I melt a square of chocolate to dip fruit in, I just eat the bar of chocolate that I want whilst incorporating it into my days.

When it works and you go back to basics it works, but as with any plan you’ve also got to have your head in the right space as well, and clearly some of these folk are taking the mick!

One thing that does irk me and always has done though is how mashing or blending fruit makes it synnable? I could understand if they were to tell me it’s because mashing or blending releases sugars in the fruit, but to tell me it’s because I’m likely to consume more and affect my loses. Usually by a consultant with no nutritional training at all.

what do teeth do then eh they mash fruit and bananas. You don’t swallow them whole. I had to bite my lip when they consultant comes away with tit like this. It’s still the same calories.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

This is where SW does need to invest further I feel. You sit there at a group asking about how to navigate a social event or what to have when you really fancy a takeaway but don't want to blow your weight loss and there aren't really any answers. No-one wants wants to have fish and chips then take the batter off the fish or order chicken in bloody black bean sauce with boiled rice and is there anything more depressing than worrying about what you're being fed if you're at someone's house when really you should be enjoying getting together with people....especially when we've been denied these kind of events for the last year.

The on/off plan is a bit of a head duck for so many people. It's all very well for consultants to say nothing is banned but it doesn't seem to work like that in reality. So many of us struggle with having food we can't easily fit into the plan so we end up veering off then having to reset.

100% agree. I think I was the earlier poster and its not sustainable long term for me.I had great success with SW but it took over my life. I would avoid social activities and if I had to go would order and pay for food I didnt really like just because it was more 'on plan'

Yes I lost weight, a lot of it but found life stressful. There are such limited options for grab and go foods.

I dont want to be making every single meal from scratch forever more. Things like pasta sauce, there are shop bought which come out almost identical calorie wise. When I first started calorie counting I was making my own and then realised calorie wise there was v little difference so sometimes its ok to use a jar of sauce if short on time.

Ive said it before but CBT helped me so much in regards to eating, habits etc. Sorting out the negative language I had attached to food, good/bad, on plan/off plan, guilt/no guilt. I cannot recommend it enough. I used to be the type of person who would buy a box of Krispy Kreme and eat all 12. Have absolutely no control, in my head it'd be oh well Ive had one, ruined it, so be aswell eating them all now and I feel like SW reinforced all those feelings for me. I was either binging or purging. I couldnt just have a takeaway and move on, Id then continue to eat and eat afterwards, whatever I could get my hands on, because Id been 'bad' so be as well. Was my attitude.

I can now though, ok Im not as slim as I was on SW but Id say my eating habits are a lot better and Im having 3 balanced meals most days and I rarely snack.

Ive had my kids easter eggs and easter treats in for a few weeks and havent even looked at them. 2 years ago Id have eaten them and replaced already.

 

[SpiceWeasel]

This is where SW does need to invest further I feel. You sit there at a group asking about how to navigate a social event or what to have when you really fancy a takeaway but don't want to blow your weight loss and there aren't really any answers. No-one wants wants to have fish and chips then take the batter off the fish or order chicken in bloody black bean sauce with boiled rice and is there anything more depressing than worrying about what you're being fed if you're at someone's house when really you should be enjoying getting together with people....especially when we've been denied these kind of events for the last year.

The on/off plan is a bit of a head duck for so many people. It's all very well for consultants to say nothing is banned but it doesn't seem to work like that in reality. So many of us struggle with having food we can't easily fit into the plan so we end up veering off then having to reset.

Love this. A woman in my group once suggested I threw a birthday cake my step mum had made me in the bin to avoid going off plan. She couldn’t see that time and thought had gone into making the cake and it would be horrible if I just threw it away, just that it had too many syns. With Easter this week I’m fully expecting not to lose anything - my boss sent me an Easter hamper yesterday I’m trying to palm most of on my boyfriend I’ve been poorly to be fair though (not covid!) and not been hungry really so it will be nice to actually enjoy eating something if I can.

A woman in my group used to sit in another room while her family had chippy and she sat with fish with the batter picked off and mushy peas. So messed up!

 

[rubyred66]

This is where SW does need to invest further I feel. You sit there at a group asking about how to navigate a social event or what to have when you really fancy a takeaway but don't want to blow your weight loss and there aren't really any answers. No-one wants wants to have fish and chips then take the batter off the fish or order chicken in bloody black bean sauce with boiled rice and is there anything more depressing than worrying about what you're being fed if you're at someone's house when really you should be enjoying getting together with people....especially when we've been denied these kind of events for the last year.

The on/off plan is a bit of a head duck for so many people. It's all very well for consultants to say nothing is banned but it doesn't seem to work like that in reality. So many of us struggle with having food we can't easily fit into the plan so we end up veering off then having to reset.

It must be awful for people having to do that. If i diet or join slimming world with my daughter I eat as well as I can for as many days as I can. I will do more walking, Zumba or exercise classes. I’d never sit peeling coatings from fish and miss out on nice, enjoyable food. It’s not really a good existence. When I worked in the hospital my close friend worked in the bariatric ward. You would be shocked at the food in their staff room. Donuts nearly every day, dominos pizza and fish and chip Friday’s.

 

[Leftpeg9]

Fruit is high in a natural sugar called fructose, which is fine until you realise this by blending, mashing or cooking ... Fructose is a high energy sugar which passes across the cell wall of the small intestine far too fast. The absorption of fructose in this speedy way causes a blood sugar level spike (you get lots of energy in one boost) the problem is it depletes quickly too and causes a blood sugar dip, thus making you feel hungry again, so you eat. Whilst you eat your pancreas detects a dip in blood sugar and releases a hormone called 'glucagon' ... Glucagon then travels to the liver to unlock another hormone called glycogen which converts to glucose in the blood thus giving you energy. The problem with this happening is you have already consumed new calories and your body works to break those down and the new glucose is then stored as large on the body for the next blood sugar dip, thus resulting in over indulgence of calories.

Also with fruit being a high carbohydrate food, the chewing action of the mouth and the release of glucose and fructose stimulates an enzyme called salivary amylase, this enzyme starts to break down long molecules of sugar into simpler forms of sugar (thus carbohydrate digestion starts in the mouth) also the detection of sugar molecules in the mouth causes a signal to be sent to the brain ' and so your appetite cut off kicks in once your body has sufficient nutrients, when you blend or mash, the fruit leaves the mouth to quickly and thus the appetite suppressant action of the salivary amylase does not kick in, and so you can potentially over indulge in calories.

See, that’s the response I expect someone who is talking to me about healthy eating and nutrition and how to sensibly lose weight to be able to provide me with (I know the jist of it as a sensible, relatively well educated person) but the person preaching to me about weight loss just doesn’t have that level of knowledge a lot of the time.

 

[WalterMittyfan]

I can see where the syns thing can mess with your head if you want a meal out or a piece of birthday cake but our consultant emphasises the use of flexible syns and isn’t afraid to use the c word (calories). If you want to have a treat you decide how many syns you need to enjoy yourself but stay in control and set yourself a limit. It’s no different to having extra calories if you want them. You just have to accept that you might not lose weight that week and that’s fine.
I think a lot of SW members hand over responsibility for their eating to the plan/consultant and will not make decisions for themselves based on common sense. They lose the plot if they go over by one syn (20 cal roughly) and/or take the free food concept to the max and blame SW when they don’t lose 3lbs every week.

 

[Hodgies]

It must be awful for people having to do that. If i diet or join slimming world with my daughter I eat as well as I can for as many days as I can. I will do more walking, Zumba or exercise classes. I’d never sit peeling coatings from fish and miss out on nice, enjoyable food. It’s not really a good existence. When I worked in the hospital my close friend worked in the bariatric ward. You would be shocked at the food in their staff room. Donuts nearly every day, dominos pizza and fish and chip Friday’s.

That's my point, I wouldn't take the batter off fish and I have a takeaway most weeks and sometimes it's reasonable and other times a full on feast but I can recognise that it's one meal and it's not going to instantly make me gain a stone. Others don't have that and they tie themselves up in knots over it all and SW don't particularly help them. It relies on having a consultant who is vaguely clued up.

Everywhere I've ever worked has been ridiculous for having food sitting around so don't think hospitals would be any better

 

[Leftpeg9]

The ‘peeling the batter off fish’ never made sense to me when it’s been DEEP FRIED IN OIL ANYWAY

 

[Hodgies]

A woman in my group used to sit in another room while her family had chippy and she sat with fish with the batter picked off and mushy peas. So messed up!

That makes me feel depressed reading it never mind being the poor woman sat with her fish and peas! Or the ones who go to McDonald's and have a diet coke while the family are feasting round about them. I'm not a big fan of having McDonald's generally as although I do love it, it just doesn't fill me up and I could eat masses which isn't so good but I also have children who do enjoy it and sometimes it's nice just have an easy meal and some family time. I don't want to crucify myself about it.

The ‘peeling the batter off fish’ never made sense to me when it’s been DEEP FRIED IN OIL ANYWAY

The fish is essentially steamed within the batter so it doesn't take on the oil...allegedly

I can see where the syns thing can mess with your head if you want a meal out or a piece of birthday cake but our consultant emphasises the use of flexible syns and isn’t afraid to use the c word (calories). If you want to have a treat you decide how many syns you need to enjoy yourself but stay in control and set yourself a limit. It’s no different to having extra calories if you want them. You just have to accept that you might not lose weight that week and that’s fine.
I think a lot of SW members hand over responsibility for their eating to the plan/consultant and will not make decisions for themselves based on common sense. They lose the plot if they go over by one syn (20 cal roughly) and/or take the free food concept to the max and blame SW when they don’t lose 3lbs every week.

I think that's a valid point....so many want held by the hand.

 

[Caffeine Fiend]

I can see where the syns thing can mess with your head if you want a meal out or a piece of birthday cake but our consultant emphasises the use of flexible syns and isn’t afraid to use the c word (calories). If you want to have a treat you decide how many syns you need to enjoy yourself but stay in control and set yourself a limit. It’s no different to having extra calories if you want them. You just have to accept that you might not lose weight that week and that’s fine.
I think a lot of SW members hand over responsibility for their eating to the plan/consultant and will not make decisions for themselves based on common sense. They lose the plot if they go over by one syn (20 cal roughly) and/or take the free food concept to the max and blame SW when they don’t lose 3lbs every week.

How can you possibly know how many syns to allow yourself before youve even got to the restaurant then add things like 'free food allowance' in to it. So if its a curry you order 20 cals to 1 syn doesnt apply as things like chicken / rice have 'free food allowance. 1 meal out will not make you gain large. To gain 1lb of large youd need to have an excess of 3500 calories over the week.

Certainly in groups Ive went to the general consensus has always been 'eat as close to on plan as you can' it's never been order the meal you enjoy and 1 meal out of 21. So really SW should be running a uniformed operation. Im also pretty sure in previous SW books the take the batter off fish and its a 'free food' is actually there in print and encouraged.

Removing bits of a food to reduce the calories is disordered eating. Noone will tell me different.

SW consultants pay to become there role. They are observed regularly by the area manager and the best consultant Ive had was told off if anyone at image therapy spoke about carb portions and weighing out rice. That she had to 'discourage it' and was not allowed to talk about calories at all. I was a friend of my consultant hence why I know this.

So your consultant definitely seems to be one of the better ones for common sense purposes but not in the eyes of SW HQ I can imagine.

 

[SpiceWeasel]

How can you possibly know how many syns to allow yourself before youve even got to the restaurant then add things like 'free food allowance' in to it. So if its a curry you order 20 cals to 1 syn doesnt apply as things like chicken / rice have 'free food allowance. 1 meal out will not make you gain large. To gain 1lb of large youd need to have an excess of 3500 calories over the week.

Certainly in groups Ive went to the general consensus has always been 'eat as close to on plan as you can' it's never been order the meal you enjoy and 1 meal out of 21. So really SW should be running a uniformed operation. Im also pretty sure in previous SW books the take the batter off fish and its a 'free food' is actually there in print and encouraged.

Removing bits of a food to reduce the calories is disordered eating. Noone will tell me different.

SW consultants pay to become there role. They are observed regularly by the area manager and the best consultant Ive had was told off if anyone at image therapy spoke about carb portions and weighing out rice. That she had to 'discourage it' and was not allowed to talk about calories at all. I was a friend of my consultant hence why I know this.

So your consultant definitely seems to be one of the better ones for common sense purposes but not in the eyes of SW HQ I can imagine.

I find it really conflicting, was going through a load of old SW books the other day and one actually mentions calories, it was comparing a SW fry up to a normal one and said just as much food but fewer calories, yet in group like you say it’s almost as if mentioning the existence of calories is forbidden and you can only refer to things as Free or having syns! Mentioning weighing anything other than Healthy Extras gets you looked at like you’ve got two heads. I really think they could do with a bit of an overhaul on the free carbs side of things like saying for example one serving of pasta/rice/potatoes per meal is free.

Edit: just to add the picking batter off fish thing is mad simply because fish and chips isn’t exactly cheap anymore, I’m not picking the batter off

 

[ChampagneBox]

slightly OT but my dad used to the take the batter off his fish (no idea why, not for weight loss!) and being the food hoover I am I used to beg him to let me eat it and he never did

 

[eSsExBiRd]

I want Fish & Chips for dinner now

 

[Ck2020]

Why can’t they just have some bleeping cereal or toast?

 

[Moonflower]

Why can’t they just have some bleeping cereal or toast?

They know its slimming world, right that is really taking the mick.

 

[ChampagneBox]

Thread title suggestion: you do know it’s slimming world not 100 ways with mini eggs world right?

 

[Moonflower]

What benefit does this slender porridge give them? Looking at the calories it is near enough identical to my lidl cheapo oats.

 

[Ck2020]

What benefit does this slender porridge give them? Looking at the calories it is near enough identical to my lidl cheapo oats.

They get it gifted that’s why while idiots like me have to pay for it £11.99

They know its slimming world, right that is really taking the mick.

She used to do slimming world and to be fair she does calorie counting now but I still would never spend 400 cals on that. That’s a lot for breakfast

 

[eSsExBiRd]

What benefit does this slender porridge give them? Looking at the calories it is near enough identical to my lidl cheapo oats.

Money from swipe ups

 

[Hodgies]

Why can’t they just have some bleeping cereal or toast?

I want to know what they're putting in their pancakes to make them look like that as I've made pancakes a million times with my 40g oats, egg and quark and they never look like these big fluffy things