weight loss slowed right down - fed up

[CathyCaffeine]

I've been on slimming world for 11 months and have lost over 5 stone. However, I lost the first 4 stone in 7 months and in the past 4 months I've only lost 1 stone. (I'm 2.5 stone from target)

For the past month I've been mostly on SP but the most I'm losing each week is 0.5lb. It's so frustrating. This week I've maintained and I've done 6 days of SP.

Please help as I'm so fed up.

[DesertOrDessert]

Congrats on a 5 stone weight loss. That's amazing.
Unfortunately your much smaller you needs less calories just to exist, so if your still eating what you were a year ago, the weight loss will have slowed down as there is less of you to move about with the same calorie input.
It's the old eat less and/or move more again, I'm afraid.

[ChessieFL]

It's inevitable that it would slow down. Your body is now used to the new way of eating. Try mixing up your a and b choices, and in general eating different foods. It's easy to get in a rut and have the same meals all the time, it may help to have some variety. Having said that, you're still losing most weeks which is still good and you've lost 5 stone already, that's an amazing achievement!

[CathyCaffeine]

Thank you both. I think I really just need some encouragement and for someone to say keep going.

I think portion size is probably an issue. And I do eat a lot of fruit (8-10 portions of speed fruir per day). But I have large platefuls at mealtimes. I've not altered my portions since I began SW. I suppose I had in mind the SW mantra 'eat as much as you like'.

I do get hungry and lightheaded though eg today I went for half hr walk, 1.5 miles, and felt shaky when I got back I ate half a pack of ham preparing my lunch.

I am worried I'll end up feeling hungry if I cut my portions down and reduce my felt and felt lightheaded. You're not supposed to feel like that on SW.

[CrumblyMumbly]

I don't think you're supposed to be on SP too long, maybe a couple of days at a time as a boost. It could be the lack of carbs making you lightheaded? Perhaps cut down on the fruit a touch. I think you've done so well and it's important not to focus too much on the target but more on it being a healthy way of living. Keep plugging away!

[CathyCaffeine]

Thanks crumbly (great name btw!).

I've spoken to an advisor at SW head office and apparently you can follow SP for longer periods of time. Initially i did a week but now mostly do half the week but last week did 6 out of 7 days as I wanted to see a difference. Sadly I didn't

[ChessieFL]

It may just be that you've hit a bit of a plateau and you may find before long that the weight loss starts again without you changing much. If you are getting hungry I wouldn't cut portions down. Maybe try snacking on veg rather than fruit to cut the sugar down??

[CathyCaffeine]

I use my syns on chocolate (most days I have 15 but sometimes 10).I quieted that and was told I it was fine to spend it all on chocolates

It's just frustrating that if was working fine for me and now it isn't and I'm not doing anything different (although I accept I may need fewer calories now I'm a bit lighter so should reduce my portions)

[Hay135]

Have you done an sos log? Your consultant should be able to give you one or they are online. I haven't used them but I have heard they can help you see why you aren't losing

[curren]

I have done SW three times.

First when I had dd (lost five stone) second when I had ds (lost four stone)

I have now joined again to get the last couple of stone off.

Personally I found the when I had lost a lot of weight I had to adjust my eat f habits. The first time I went it was red and green days (red being the days where protein was free and green being the days pasta, rice, potatoes were free).

Most people did one red day the. One green day. As I got nearer target I found too many green days would slow my loss. I also had to reduce my Syns to 5-10 and cut my portion sizes down.

What I am getting at is that (while I love SW) the 'eat as much as you want' isn't always true. Sometimes the 'rules' need a bit of changing. Especially when you have lost a lot of weight.

If you start SW very over weight you get more Syns so it makes sense to reduce them as you get smaller.

I would maybe look at your portion sizes and look at reducing your Syns a little. If you are eating loads of fruit and decent size meals plus your Syns and Healthy extras, you shouldn't be light headed. If you are maybe a trip to the GP is in order.

Good luck.

[curren]

Oh and if you are on SP for more than 14 days you are supposed to tell your consultant as they need to make some changes for you. Or that's what my consultant says.

Just thinking I spend my Syns on yorkie bars a couple of times a week. One bar is 11 Syns. So a bar and third of another bar would be about 15 Syns. I don't think I would lose weight eating that everyday.

[CathyCaffeine]

Thank you curren, some really useful points.

I'm an online member but I'm in touch with a consultant at head office. They said it was OK to keep on with SP as long as i build in some ee days regularly, which i do (eg yesterday was ee and so will today).

I think you make a vg point re the yorkiebar. It sounds ridiculous to think I could lose weight eating that everyday - but that's what I'm eating the equivalent of...

I think I've had it struck in my head that I can OD on free speed foods to my heart's content + have hex a & B + my 15 syns of chocolate. That's what the SW 'rules' suggest but as I'm discovering, it isn't true for me now.

I still don't get though as someone starting out with 'only' 2.5 stone to lose would probably be doing 3/4lb per week eating what I am yet I've plateaued.

Yet even the stories of people with large weight losses don't talk about needing to reduce syns or portions, do they?

This morning I've had for breakfast 2 eggs, half tin baked beans, 3 flat mushrooms.

Lunch will be salad and ham and cheese in sandwich (hex a&B)

Dinner will be jacket potato with my own ratatouille/mince recipe (portion defrosted from freezer) - basically it's 5%mince, tin tomatoes, courgette, peppers, onion - 500g mince makes 4 portions) + Muller light.

Then this evening I'd usually sit down with 15 syns of chocolate (eg 3 fudge bars).

Oh and in between meals snacking on apples (maybe 3 per day), pear, 2 plums and some berry fruit after lunch.

[CathyCaffeine]

Ps I forgot to say I have v low blood pressure and it's often tricky to distinguish hunger from those symptoms

[curren]

I, like you, find they don't really talk about reducing Syns when you get closer to target. I suppose they don't want people thinking they will have to be deprived to get there.

I don't know anyone who got to target still having 15 Syns though. I am sure some people do. But most won't.

I have been a fast loser this time. Not usually. But I have found my appetite has naturally reduced rather than me forcing it. Which makes it easier.

I think SW thinks that happen naturally to everyone but I bet it doesn't.

[curren]

Do you mind me asking how much left you have to lose?

Also what about writing down what time you eat, to help distinguish between hunger and your low blood pressure?

If it's half an hour to an hour since a meal, it's unlikely to be hunger.

That's probably a rubbish ode, just trying to think how you could distinguish between the two.

[tabulahrasa]

I didn't reduce syns or portion sizes to get to target...

I did hit a couple of plateaus along the way, but when I started an SAS log or filled in a food diary it was either, not actually keeping track of syns properly, not measuring my a choice (b was always ok) or not having the third speed properly...or a combination of those.

[Sounbelievablydull]

Five stones wow that is wonderful what a huge difference that must have made to your health.
I don't have any advice I'm new to this but what an inspiration well done I hope this will be me one day

[jackdaw39]

I have been doing Slimming World since November and have lost 17lbs. Over the last three weeks I have gained a pound. I am Sticking to the diet 110% so cannot understand why I am not losing weight. I write down everything I eat and rarely go over 10syns. I have a bad back so cannot exercise. Anyone got any tips. I know about speed foods etc so it's not that I am eating the wrong foods. HELP!!!!!!
My weight is 13.7stones so should be able to lose.

[curren]

jackdaw I maintained last week too. Did no exercise. But I usually do a lot so I put it down to that.

Some people don't need to reduce Syns, some do.

But it does sound like you are doing everything right. But sure what to suggest.

Can you do no exercise at all? Is that permanent or temporary?

Have you tried throwing in a couple of SP days?

[ChessieFL]

Jackdaw try eating some different foods, e.g varying your HEA and HEBs. Your body may have just got used to what you're eating.

[jackdaw39]

Hi ChessieFl & curren - I really can't do much as if I do my back gives out and I end up lying flat on bed. Trying to do more and did walk a bit last week but frightened to do too much. Would not have been able to do anything before I lost the weight. I do tend to eat a varied diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. Breakfast is always the same as I have porridge and won't give that up as my cholestoral was a bit high and through taking that have got it down to under five. I struggle to eat all the syns which I usually don't do. People tell me to eat all 15 but I really don't feel like eating them just for the sake of it. I have struggled a bit with constipation as I am on co-codamol for pain. However was on them at the beginning and I lost. Just so frustrated at not losing anything for three weeks instead put on a pound. Thanks for your input and I will try and vary what I eat a bit more. Don't really want to try SP days as I don't know what that really entails.x

[ChessieFL]

SP just means that at each meal, half your plate is speed foods and half is protein foods. Avoid free foods that aren't S or P. Then you have your HEA, two HEBs and your 5-15 syns as normal.

It's basically cutting out the carbs (potatoes, rice, pasta) along with a few of the fruits and veggies that are less energy dense.