Struggle to eat as much as I am supposed to

[ImRonBurgundy]

I started Slimming World a few months ago because I'm obese and need to lose 4 stone but failed after a week and went back to eating crap.

I started again two weeks ago but I'm struggling to eat so much. I end up feeling guilty, even though it is working and I've lost 10lbs in two weeks, but I feel it's too much and sometimes I can't eat three meals a day as well as snacks.

A friend said you HAVE to eat that much or it doesn't work, not sure that's entirely true.

Surely it's not just me who struggles?

[MrsExcited]

Give us a typical days diet.

[Annapurnacircuit]

That sounds mad, why would you have to try and eat more?

Well done re your weight loss though!

[DidgeDoolittle]

I am in my first week and am having similar problems. I am struggling to have the number of syns. In fact I haven't had any yet.
I am eating far more at meal times than usual, and don't quite trust that I will lose any weight. The last time I went to sw I put on a pound in the first week and didn't go back.
I'm struggling to believe that I will lose weight if I eat all the carbs they say are allowed.
In your case, I would be thrilled at that weight loss. What you're doing is obviously working so I wouldn't worry about it.

[Bambooshoots14]

You don't need to eat a set amount, you just need the right proportion of free foods in what you eat (1/3 veg/ fruit from what I remember).

You also don't need to use your syns. They are there if you need them

[ThedementedPenguin]

They do recommend you have at
Least 5 syns a day as your body needs it.

Some days I just add butter/gravy to a meal so I'm not actually eating more food. While others I'll have some crisps/chocolate.

I don't have huge meals but like bamboo said you do need to eat the right proportions. So meal needs 1/3 speed and the rest free/protein. As long as most meals have that mix you will be fine

[ImRonBurgundy]

Thanks for your replies

I'm not having huge meals, just struggling to eat three per day like the sample menus suggest. I think it's because I've dieted once before I got pregnant and near enough starved myself to get down to a size 8/10 and I can't get my head around actually being able to eat and lose weight.

I will give you three days of what I have been eating.

Weds I had:

Apple - free

Lunch - nothing as we had the dentist and doctors and I didn't have time.

Evening meal - 2 richmond thin sausages, brocolli, peas, new potatoes and a little bit of gravy - 3 syns for sausages and I counted 5 for gravy as it was Morrisons own and only knew the syns for bisto)

Thursday I had:

Breakfast - apple

Lunch - tuna (plain in brine) salad in a wholemeal thin (HexB)

Evening meal - Chicken, peppers, onion and rice (free)

Yesterday I had:

Breakfast - an apple

Lunch - Tuna (plain in brine) with salad in a wholemeal thin (HexB)

Evening meal - scrambled egg and wholemeal thin (HexA for milk in the eggs and 5 syns for the thin)

Doesn't sound like much now I've written it down but I'm used to eating nothing until Dd was in bed and then it was usually a crap fatty meal and snacking on crisps, biscuits and other sugary crap whilst making my Dd's tea.

[tabulahrasa]

There's no set amount you're supposed to eat...eating meals is better for a lot of people because it stops them snacking on junk, but, it's more important that you eat the right things however that works for you.

To be really honest though, that does not look like a lot of food and not eating until evening (as you were before) isn't healthy either.

So while the point of SW is to eat the right food in the right proportions without being hungry - I suspect you're having a bit of an issue recognising when you're hungry because you're used to skipping meals.

[Lillamyy1]

I'm having a similar problem, but mine is that I'm not managing to eat enough to fill me up and keep me going, so I keep going over my sun allowance as it's easier to grab something high in calories quickly than make something.
I've got a demanding 4.5 month old who won't let me put him down for longer than 10 mins max at a time and I'm often out and about and even if I manage to make something to take with me when I'm out of the house it doesn't fill me up for long at all. I'm breastfeeding, which is why I'm constantly hungry.
I'm really disheartened as I joined 6 weeks ago and in the first three weeks lost 4.5 lbs but since then have maintained my weight (probably due to going over syns allowance and having too many bananas as they're so quick and easy)

[tabulahrasa]

Lilla - you want to go for speed foods first, so apples, strawberries, melon or cherries over a banana and then protein as your next choice...I must admit I struggle with that one because I don't eat meat but my OH buys cold meat as some of them are free.

So then you're only reaching for free but not speed as your third choice when nothing else is available and syns only after that.

Prepared stuff when you're out, salads..a bit obvious, but handy, sushi is low syn, and of course fruit salads...spud u like is handy as the potato and beans is free, the cottage cheese is low (not zero sadly) fat and it's light mayo in all their fillings.

[maygirl]

Lillamyy1 are you eating the extra healthy extras you get for breastfeeding?

[Lillamyy1]

maygirl Yeah I was, but then worked out that I eat so much free dairy that I get enough calcium from just one HEx A so have just had that the last week. I thought it would make a difference to my weight loss but doesn't seem to have yet...
tabulah I thought bananas were a speed food until group on Thursday so had been going for those but have now started grabbing apples instead. I tend to take fruit and/or salad out with me but even a big rice salad with ham or tuna doesn't fill me up for longer than half an hour!
It's crazy, I used to eat next to nothing and now I literally want to eat anything and everything!

[Lillamyy1]

The thing is, I don't understand how I can be so hungry for a lot of the day yet not lose weight.

[maygirl]

ImRon that doesn't look like food to feel guilty about :) well done on your weight loss. Maybe you are feeling fuller because having more fibre than you were before. Hopefully you will start to feel really good on the plan. You definitely don't need to have snacks if you are not hungry.

lilla for breastfeeding a 4 month old you are supposed to have 6 Healthy extras!! or 5 if starting to wean a bit. When baby is over 6 months and is eating solids as well as breastmilk then its 1 extra A choice. Right now you can have 5-6, of which they recommend 3-4 are A choices but the others can be Bs. I felt amazing eating this way when breastfeeding, like you I had plenty of free dairy and green veg so wasn't concerned about calcium so had 2 A's and 4 Bs and lost weight really well. So you can snack on grab and go B choices like alpen lights, hi fi bars, bags of ryvita minis, and take mini babybels out and about. I also made use of the other B choices like cooked/canned fruit, dried apricots and cashew nuts. The B choice soups are also great to heat up one handed in the mircrowave! I used up all the extra A milk choice in milky coffees or hot chocolate, or made custard to have with the stewed fruit as a bedtime snack! Try having more Bs and you'll feel loads better, 4.5 months is peak breastfeeding time!

[emmaluvseeyore]

ImRonBurgundy, you really aren't eating much at all there, and most days you don't have all your healthy extras. You really must have those as they make sure you get the right nutrients in your diet. You need more fruit and vegetables in there, particularly speed ones. Are you drinking lots of water? That helps with the weight loss.

Basically, Slimming World gets you into a much healthier eating pattern that is easier to sustain over a long period of time. You are able to eat things from every food group, so you aren't completely cutting anything out. You have already started eating 3 meals a day, which is way better than you were eating before. You may find that over time you will need to start eating a bit more at each meal to keep you full as your body gets used to the fact it is getting regular food.

[Lillamyy1]

Maygirl, I was told I should have 4 HEx A choices and 2 HEx Bs, but as I'm getting enough calcium am fibre elsewhere I thought I'd stick to one or two, in the hope it would help me lose weight as I'm really not doing very well. Bf doesn't seem to be helping me lose weight at all!
However, I'm thinking maybe I should go back to the 6 healthy extras and do the SP version - no carbs. It's my last resort as I just don't seem to have strong enough willpower to stick to 5-15 syns a day (I've gone over by 10 in 5 days this week )

[maygirl]

Hi Lilla, on the website it says 6 Healthy extras, recommend 3-4 are A choices but I think got to find the way that works for you. I couldn't eat that much milk and cheese. I sometimes did 5Bs and 1 A rather than have syns to fill up on. Its the B choice that's really filling and many are handy to grab quickly and take out with a baby. I would try 6 Healthy extras, maybe 3 A and 3 B and the carbs first and see if can cut down on the syns, which are the weight loss stallers . Hope you start seeing results soon. I found it very frustrating to need to do this whilst breastfeeding, felt the weight should have fallen off easily when eating for 2! 4-5 months is such a growth spurt time, its no wonder you are hungry.

[maygirl]

If you do SP would you then have 7 HE Lilla as its 1 A and 2 B on the normal plan SP? just wondering as when I did it with my first child in the old red and green plan days It was 4 extra HEs on top of the usual plans 2A and 2B , so I was having 8! After 2nd baby I did it following EE and 6 HEs and looking back I didn't have as much success with the plan and gave up with a stone to go. 5 years later I've rejoined to have another try at shifting that stone!

[katienana]

I don't think you should so when breastfeeding. Just try and stick with the plan and remember it might take you a bit longer but you are supporting the growth of a whole extra person. Plenty of time to lose weight you won't be feeding this intensely forever.

[Lillamyy1]

Thanks guys Maygirl, I thought I'd try SP and then have 4 HEx A and 2 B. But yeah, it's hard to eat that much cheese and milk!
I think instead of doing full on SP I'm going to just cut down on potatoes and pasta. I've been writing down everything I eat and it's helped me not to go over on my syns or at least not as much. I had weigh in last night and had lost 1.5 lbs so must be doing something right! Feel much more positive too.
Yeah it seems to be a myth that bf helps you lose weight - honestly, I haven't shed a lb from bf!

[blondiejess1982]

Hey, well done on amazing weight loss!!! I just need to ask though... And I ask with the best intentions but how come you are obese if you are struggling to eat such a small amount of food? What were you eating before ?I'm thinking even with food higher in calories but not as filling must have been much more than your current diet to make you obese. Unless your stomach has shrunk dramatically perhaps?

[blondiejess1982]

And well done to you too Lilla!