Just think SW doesn't work for that last stone!?

[ToddlerTamerMumma]

I've got one stone to lose and I'm just finding SW isn't working like it used to and it's just not shifting now. I've no idea what I'm doing wrong. I got back on the SW wagon last week (after a month off) and didn't even lose an ounce in that week.

I've always allowed myself a cheat meal per week, but have found i was still able to lose with one meal off plan (granted that meal is always a takeaway so is obviously very off plan!) - I wonder if I need to now stick to it 100% but I'm not sure I can cope without my midweek post weigh in treat meal!

Anyone have any tips? Should I start calorie counting instead?

[ellmay]

Hi,
I am also on slimming world and have lost a lot of weight through it on/off for a few years. This time I’ve managed to get down to my slimmest but still have another 7lbs to loose but it just won’t budge. I find that sometimes it works a bit better on weeks where if I gained to ‘calorie count’. I don’t so much write it all down but sometimes I keep in mind the amount of calories in a meal or how big my portion sizes are. Overeating is so easy on slimming world as you get the mindset ‘oh it’s free so it’s fine’, however it’s still calories going into your body. I remember in my first week only loosing half a pound and being really disheartened by it, however I kept going and the next week lost 3 pounds!
Keep going but keep in mind that you are eating because you are hungry, not just because you can

[PaintingOwls]

The slimmer you are, the harder it is to shift weight. There's just less of you to burn calories.

If you're not already doing so, I'd introduce some exercise such as a post-DC net walk or a brisk turn around the block with the dog.

As for the cheat meal - can you just eat half of it? Or order half of what you'd usually get? Or perhaps eat more interesting stuff during the the rest of the time so that you don't feel the need to have a cheat meal. You can make really nice Chinese dishes which are healthy.

[PurpleDaisies]

When you’re very near target weight, I don’t think the traditional slimming world plan works so well any more. I’d start weighing carbs. Well done for getting so close.

[SlowlyShrinking]

I was also going to suggest low(er) carb. Or low carb high fat. Or perhaps introduce some fasting, like 5:2?

[EchoJuliet]

I have lost 12lbs in 6 weeks and don’t have as much as others to lose. The first week was nothing then 6lbs the following. Now slow and steady. I’d say cut the cheat meal out and see what happens - try a fakeaway instead - or save all of your syns for it and enjoy it! It definitely gets harder once you get closer to target but it does work if you stick to it xx

[Groovee]

I found my last 8lbs was the hardest. I really went back to basics and upped my speed foods, changed my syns and looked at new meals etc. I had lost 5st and I think I had become too complacent.

Been at target for 7 months now and keeping within my range.

[Ceilingrose]

The smaller you are, the fewer calories you need. That's why a bit of exercise helps. Failing that, perhaps more protein or more vegetables protein sources. Eggs are low in calories.

I think if you want to keep the weight off you have to adjust your thinking about takeaways weekly. Otherwise, even if you lose the weight, you'll gain it back quickly. New permanent habits are not difficult to form; it just takes time.

[raisedbyguineapigs]

I agree with you. I'm finding it impossible to lose the last stone. It's almost embarrassing now! There was a lady in my group who struggled too, did something called fast forward and lost it, but said it was really difficult trying to maintain. I might try the 5:2with SW the other days and see what happens. I've done 5:2 before but ate so much on non fast days that I didn't lose any weight

[ToddlerTamerMumma]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

So last week I decided to drop SW and go for calorie counting instead as I wasn't seeing losses on SW anyway. I kept to 1,200 calories a day (as suggested by MyFitnessPal) and as I exercise regularly too I sometimes ate 100-200cals more than 1,200 to replace those I'd burnt during exercise and to allow myself a treat now and then. I must say being able to eat what I like (in monitored portions) has been quite liberating after avoiding SYNS for so long! I think for me I need to learn better portion control and SW isn't very good at teaching me that because of the free food concept, so essentially I am eating too many calories from free foods.

Anyway, I've lost 2.5lbs in a week! I'm going to keep calorie counting for a few weeks and hope for the best. I've previously done 5:2 (with calorie counting on non-fast days and limiting to 1,800cals) and found that worked great for those last few lbs so I might introduce that as I get nearer to target if I see the weight loss stagnating again.

[iamyourequal]

I agree with you OP. If you don’t have much to lose it’s really easy to overeat on SW and not get a loss. I often put my whole diary into MyFitnessPal to check my calories. If under 1200 a day, it’s a loss, if over, nothing. There is absolutely no way I can snack on mugshots and muller lights etc during the day and lose weight. 3 small meals, lots of veg and only fruit for snacks is the way to go. (And a wee glass of wine at night..) MyFitnessPal is so much more user friendly too. I think I just go to SW so that someone is weighing me!

[OwlinaTree]

I couldn't do my fitness Pal, I'd become obsessed with calories. Weight watchers was bad enough with counting points constantly.

[CottonSock]

I think you have to be strict with the carbs and portion sizes. Esp pasta, rice and spuds.

[ToddlerTamerMumma]

So I've managed to lose 7.5lbs in total during November doing calorie counting :-) I've allowed myself a treat night here and there as life is just too short to be constantly calculating the calorie content of food, but it seems to be working anyway! Just another 6.5lbs to go to get to my target weight, and I'm aiming to get as close as possible by Xmas!

[raisedbyguineapigs]

Well done toddlertamer. I lost 3lb in my first week of doing 5:2 and SW but this week will be the real test as I've had 2 nights out and friends for dinner with SW food but lots of alcohol. I'm doing 4:3 this week to compensate. My bmi is 26 so down from 30 but it is ctakung me ages to get down to my aim of 22.

[Ceilingrose]

Really well done on that loss.

I'm in the same boat re slimming world and I also transfer my diary into MyFitnessPal. I use SW as a way of remaining accountable and getting weighed.

[raisedbyguineapigs]

I think SW works brilliantly for those who are really overweight. We have people in tears at our group when they speak about how life changing it has been to their health, so it does annoy me when it gets sagged off, but I think when you only have a few pounds to go, the calories are just too high for it to work. I've put today into mfp and my baked oats and jacket potato have left me with 250 cals for my dinner, even though I haven't used any syns!

[CottonSock]

I agree with above. I'm a small person only 5 feet and not much to lose. Tbh some of the meals people post in my group are bigger and more calorific than before my diet. It's all quite high carb and calorie potentially

[noodlenosefraggle]

I've had to nc because apparently I managed to open 2 accounts which is against the rules
Any suggestions re the stalling weightoss? Is calorie count g the only way to go? I put on 2 lb last week, just from a night out. I just feel so disheartened by it all. I want to enjoy Christmas and going out with my friends without worrying all the time about the scales.

[CottonSock]

If you drank a lot it might be water retention. I can put on 2lbs from a boozy weekend, or.my period

[noodlenosefraggle]

Could be. I have drastically cut down my alcohol, then had a couple of glasses of wine and some shots of Baileys. I need to drink more water too

[Slimmer2018]

I’m the same, I’ve lost 1st 11lb since beginning of sept but these last 3 weeks just 1lb and I’m not doing anything different than before, I’m only 4lb off target now though and was thinking about counting calories just to check I’m not over eating. Most of my meals are SP and I don’t use syns for food but do enjoy the odd glass of wine or 3 😂

[Greywacke]

The last half stone for me took a lot longer. Go back to basics with it and it will go. I've been at target now for almost a year and even ended up dropping my target as I still kept losing weight.

I went back to a lot of old dieting habits to shift the last bit of weight, so cut portions, ate hardly any carbs and nothing really was coming off. When I went back to at least a third of a plate of speed and reaching for speedy food first not syns, the weight dropped off.

Good luck