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Original poster

How does Slimming World work?

222 replies

DrivingRound1 · 12/01/2019 15:31

I put on a few pounds over Christmas so I'm calorie counting till they're off. My friend's doing Slimming World and she's been telling me she can have a jacket potato, cheese and beans every day for lunch and it's 'allowed'. It would wipe out over half of my calories if I ate that, but it's one of my favourite meals. Does Slimming World actually work? I've always thought it was a bit of a scam and still do really, but if it works and I can have a jacket potato, cheese and beans for dinner every day and lose weight I'd be tempted to give it a go. If it dies work, how does it?

OP posts:
DarkStorm · 12/01/2019 16:38

It’s not the fault of the dieter that they regain weight. It IS the fault of the diet. It is a money making business that’s sets you up to fail so you keep going back and giving them money every week.

And no, I don’t think people who wants to lose weight shouldn’t try. There are just better ways to do it than SW. it encourages disordered eating and focuses too much on weird rules to lose weight (weight-loss rather than fat-loss) rather than being healthy and active.

I know plenty of women that have been on SW over the years, not a single one has kept the weight off and it made them miserable and anxious around food.

Original poster
DrivingRound1 · 12/01/2019 16:42

Personally OP, I would use My Fitness Pal, track your calories

Yeah this is what I do. Works fine, always lose the weight whenever I want to lose a couple of pounds, but I don't have enough calories for a jp, cheese and beans. I see it's a tiny portion of cheese allowed on sw though.

OP posts:
StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 12/01/2019 16:44

i did it and lost 4 stone while never really feeling i was 'dieting' which i think is it's strength, it really is based on the eatwell plate you can find on nhs choices. The problem I had with WW and calorie controlled diets is that I spent half my lie focussing on food and how much left I had for the day whereas with SW I just focussed on the free food and it worked. Most of these are either low calorie fruit and veg or high protein designed to fill you up, for me as a food obsessive there was always something I could eat and lots of the recipes were really nice if a bit odd at times (cauliflower pizza base anyone?) the failure for me was that when i lost my weight I started to introduce shit food again and that is why it went back on, if I stayed with the plan and accepted that this healthier way of eating was a lifetime commitment and not a 'diet' I would still be slim. hey ho, same with anything really slim people eat sensibly with sensible portions and a few treats occasionally, I put on weoight cos I eat too big a portion of things I like and have way too many treats. simple really. but yes SW is a sensible option in my book.

SweetNorthernRose · 12/01/2019 16:44

It can work...i lost 3.5st about 7 years ago on SW. Have probably put about a stone back on in those 7 years which I'm not too fussed about as I'm at a sustainable weight for me now.
It's all about the individual's mindset i think. There's no way i would have stuffed my face with pasta just because it's 'free', but that's because i understand the need for a balanced diet. Those who have a bad relationship with food it might encourage disordered eating though.
Like everything in life, there's no one approach that works for everyone!
What i can't get my head around though is that you consider jacket spuds, pasta and rice as treats! Shock

Imalittleelf · 12/01/2019 16:44

For info beans are now synned.

Having thst on its own in the slimming world way is not good. It should be eaten with salad or vegetables.

I look at slimming world as having a good basic diet so I can have sweet things I enjoy without having to worry.

A PT told me that diet and exercise should be 80%diet and 20% exercise.

Slimming world encourages exercise but it's not compulsory to loose weight. However I disagree and think exercise is a huge contribution to working off those syns and keeping the metabolism going especially if you are an older female.

Slimming world has also been likened to a cult... and although I am doing it I actually agree in some ways. It sucks you in and right now I can't think of any other way to lose weight Confused

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 12/01/2019 16:48

Personally OP, I would use My Fitness Pal, track your calories see this just wouldn't work for me as i would be obsessively thinking about food and calories and calculating what i could eat with the calories i had left, most of which would probably not be the healthiest choice. i did the whole calories count and ended up eating low cal stuff like pickled onions to snack on rather than a sensible healthy meal.

MotherofDinosaurs · 12/01/2019 16:49

It works for some people. And as for this:
Eat your pasta without any added oils or cheese and you won't want to eat very much. The appeal of pasta with tinned tomatoes and steamed veg will quickly wear off!
Well that's just unimaginative. You can make any number of casseroles, pasta sauces, risottos, curries with a squirt if spray oil (1 of your daily 15 syns) and your free lean meat fish and veg and pulses not to mention all herbs and spices.
Typical day for me is oats with fat free Greek yog, honey and berries for breakfast, chicken stir fry with noodles for lunch, chilli and rice for dinner. Snacks are fruit and the odd biscuit. Lots of squash, peppermint tea, and 2 flat whites with my milk allowance.
I've lost 10 stone by the way.
You just have to use your brain.

MotherofDinosaurs · 12/01/2019 16:50

Oh, also I don't pay or go to the dreadful meetings, but I do advocate the plan. Especially if you have a lot to lose. It not being a miserable diet was what made me stick to it.

Boysandbuses · 12/01/2019 16:53

Slimming world works because you should be priotising fruit and veg. You meals should always be sat least a third veg.

So the friend who is having jacket potato with cheese and beans should also be eating approx a third of the meal as veg.

There's nothing wrong with Slimming world. Even compared with rebel fit.

Yes you can eat chemical laden things, butits also extremely easy to eat very healthy without all the Muller lights, making sauces with diet coke etc.

The fact that people put the weight on is the diets fault. It's happens with all eating plans.

In fact I know loads of people who did rebel fit several years ago and non have carried on.

Slimming world makes it so people who want to eat Muller yoghurt can, but it's not a must. You can do it perfectly healthily.

Groovee · 12/01/2019 16:53

Beans aren't synned they are no longer classed as a high in protein food.

I have lost 4.5st on SW (5.5st altogether) and maintained it for nearly 10 months. For me it had to be a lifestyle change. I no longer think about it and do it as a way of life.

I gained 6lb in December as dh and I have our birthdays then and Christmas. Stopped all the over eating on the 27th of Dec and am back below my target in 2 weeks.

You fill your plate with 1/3 "speed" veggies or fruit then add your protein and carbs. It's made me think about my portions and I eat until comfortable rather than stuffed.

I love my food and have become a fab cook. I'm more adventurous as a cook so it's worked for me.

It's not for everyone but it works for many target members in my group that I see every so often who pop in to check their weight.

Boysandbuses · 12/01/2019 16:53

isnt the diets fault.

ALemonyPea · 12/01/2019 16:54

If it's followed properly, it does work. You're meant to replace a third of your portion with "speed" foods, which are certain fruits and vegetables. You're also only allowed a certain amount of cheese/milk a day (A choice) and a fibre option (B choice)

Eating a giant potato, full tin of beans and a mass of cheese isn't how you're meant to do it.

You don't need to eat muller lights and make crazy things with quark to follow it.

Oysterbabe · 12/01/2019 16:57

Slimming world does encourage some weird behaviour. I saw someone post slimming World doughnuts on FB. It's a wholemeal bread roll, filled with jam, rolled in splenda and baked. It has the same calories as an actual jam doughnut but far fewer syns.

OwlinaTree · 12/01/2019 16:57

Beans are not synned. Muller lights are synned.

I'm also amazed that anyone would consider rice and pasta a treat. Sweet and sour chicken is a test to me! Rice and pasta are staples.

Original poster
DrivingRound1 · 12/01/2019 16:57

What i can't get my head around though is that you consider jacket spuds, pasta and rice as treats!

Really? I can't understand anyone not considering them rare treats, I thought everyone thought the same as me. Just shows how different people's attitudes to food are.

OP posts:
OwlinaTree · 12/01/2019 16:58

Sweet and sour chicken is a treat that should say!

OwlinaTree · 12/01/2019 16:58

What do you eat for a dinner if you don't have potato, rice and pasta?

WithAllIntenseAndPurposes · 12/01/2019 16:59

You consider a jacket potato/pasta a treat?

The way people think about food on here amazes me at times. And I've never encountered similar attitudes in real life

Boysandbuses · 12/01/2019 17:02

Slimming world does encourage some weird behaviour. I saw someone post slimming World doughnuts on FB. It's a wholemeal bread roll, filled with jam, rolled in splenda and baked. It has the same calories as an actual jam doughnut but far fewer syns.

SW doesn't actually encourage alot of this type of thing. It's the members that do. But essential it's a jam sandwiche. Not exactly going to kill her, though is it.

WithAllIntenseAndPurposes · 12/01/2019 17:03

Dare I ask what you ate too much of over Christmas if you consider jacket potato and pasta as treats?

Boysandbuses · 12/01/2019 17:03

What do you eat for a dinner if you don't have potato, rice and pasta?

Firstly on SW you could have those. As long as a third of the meal is veg (or speed food)

Secondly I can't eat any of that due to stomach issues. So I just don't have it. It's not really a huge issue.

Sforsh49 · 12/01/2019 17:04

@DrivingRound1 have a look at Pinch of Nom they have loads of recipes which they put the Syn value on and the WW point value as well as the calorie count so would give you ideas of what it's possible to eat and enjoy. Yes you can have jacket potato every day only you'll get bored!!
pinchofnom.com/

Original poster
DrivingRound1 · 12/01/2019 17:05

I'm talso amazed that anyone would consider rice and pasta a treat. Sweet and sour chicken is a test to me! Rice and pasta are staples.

My normal teas are some form of meat or fish with vegetables. Obviously I change the meat, vegetables, sauces, seasonings, style of cooking etc so it's not the same meal every day. I'd only ever have rice or pasta at a restaurant.

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 12/01/2019 17:06

Not exactly going to kill her, though is it.

No of course not, I just find it a strange thing to do. You want a jam doughnut so make a shit approximation of one rather than have a real one for the same number of calories. I think the whole syns thing can make people needlessly eat some odd stuff.

Northernmum100 · 12/01/2019 17:07

As others have said, of course it fails if you revert back to old habits / unhealthy foods. Same with any diet whether WW , SW or any other for that matter. This does my nut in 'I lost loads of weight on xyz diet and when I stopped, I put it all back on'- aaarrgghhh!!! It wasn't the diet that failed, you just failed to follow it!
I follow the sensible principles of SW, been at target for over a year .

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