How can I undo damage done by slimming world?

[Emcont]

I've had a love/hate relationship with it over the last few years. I know it really works for some people. But it's not for me.

I don't know how I can undo associating foods with Syns and Speed vs Free?

I want to be able to have a piece of pineapple without worrying that it is Free rather than Speed!

Or eat a slice of white bread for 100 calories or whatever and not feel like my whole day is ruined!

Anyone got any advice on how you did it?

I do the 5:2 - I have tried almost every diet going, and hypnotherapy - you name it. SW turned me off when I realised that they promote masses of sugar (Muller Light anyone?) but no fat. I managed to put weight ON with SW, and understanding a bit more about how weight loss works I'm not surprised! I used MFP and it worked for me, but logging calories every day became tedious. I can manage 2 days of 500 calories because I can eat normally the rest of the week - so in effect I am only struggling for 2 days .

"I think any program that calls foods 'bad'and sinful is doing damage."

Does it call foods bad & sinful?

@diddl

"I think any program that calls foods 'bad'and sinful is doing damage."

Does it call foods bad & sinful?

It implies it in the terminology used and the approach to eating it advocates.

It calls certain foods syns - chocolate, white bread etc.

You are supposed to eat only limited amounts of it - it works out at about 200 calories a day.

It's a hellish diet. That and keto absolutely destroyed my relationship with food.

I have been a healthy 8st11 for the past 5 years now I'm pleased to stay. I still eat carbs, I still eat full fat dairy, I still eat sugar. I simply eat 3 meals a day (sometimes 2, when I have a big brunch or lunch instead of breakfast and lunch). Generally I don't snack, and I control my portion sizes.

That's it. I have a completely healthy relationship with food now. But it took a lot of work.

Haven't seen Rebelfit being advertised on here since the guy went on that TERF rant...

WW is another one to consider as its sort of like SW nowadays but with more portion control. The groups also tend to be slightly less cheesy and the recipes are a bit more focused on veggies and clean eating.

If you're looking to do a diet that has a totally different approach and stops you focusing on calories etc then you could try keto. I did it for 6 weeks earlier this year and it was so different to every other diet I've tried (SW, WW, calorie counting, Rosemary Connolly etc). I've never approached eating in that way and even now 2 months later my habits are different from before. I stopped seeing certain types of foods as bad, changed my eating patterns etc. Plus I lost a stone in 6 weeks.

I hate the idea that food is sinful - it creates a horrific relationship with food. All the people I know that use SW talk like they're in a cult and can quote all the nonsense inside and out. And if and when any of them loose weight then have all put it back on and more.

My very favorite non-diet book is the Fuck It diet. It so helpful in resetting your relationship with your body and food. The author's on Instagram too. Its part of the whole intuitive eating thing.

If you're looking to do a diet that has a totally different approach and stops you focusing on calories etc then you could try keto

This is literally the worst possible advice. I work with ED survivors (I am one myself) and keto is absolutely responsible for some major, major issues with food.

Hi OP

I understand what you're saying. I feel like I've done just about every diet over the years. I am now heavier than ever and really struggling to escape the thought process of 'good' and 'bad' foods.

Lots of people have mentioned Rebel Fit - I've never heard of it, can anyone give any extra info, why is it so good?

xx

A lot of SW bloggers who have lost a lot of weight seem to have a disordered view of food now. Now you've lost the weight do you think you could deal with calorie counting?

@Spiderbaby8

I think most of these sw threads are started by rebelfit so they can promote themselves. There is always a load of fans conveniently there to bring them up straight away.

I'm not affiliated with them, I just know that they deprogram SW teachings, which is what the OP wanted.

Im not affiliated with rebelfit, and still obese so no advert. I think rebelfit directly offer to undo damage by SW though so does directly answer the OP.

I don’t necessarily think this is an issue slimming world have caused you but you’ve fallen into the trap of putting labels on food. All restrictive diets do this to an extent.

It’s a REALLY complex mindset which we are pretty much born into in our culture, we label foods good and bad. Ie salad = good, chocolate = bad.

But it’s not, food is just food. Some is more nutritious and some is less nutritious- in terms of vits etc (not calories)

It has taken me years to step away from categorising food. It’s a constant daily battle of “no food is good or bad, all food is available and fine to eat”.

You have to tell yourself over and over and over and over and over again - you do not have to attribute values to your food. You can eat without any “rules”. (If you do need/want to lose weight then the best way is to eat a balanced diet of all food groups, including those less nutritiously valuable ones and track your calories)

It’s bloody hard work to stop yourself rating food, whether it’s SW, WW, good/bad etc

diddl

"I think any program that calls foods 'bad'and sinful is doing damage."

Does it call foods bad & sinful?

It implies it in the terminology used and the approach to eating it advocates.

I disagree, from my own experience I found no foods were implied to be bad & sinful, just that certain foods (if you choose to eat them) will lead to weight gain if you consume too much of them. I think the SW method credits users with some intelligence to work out things for themselves and I really don't get this description of a cult mentality - certainly wasn't for me.

Like any other commercial franchise of course SW is out to make a profit, but equally when I reached target weight last year, I've been going to meetings and using its online facilities for free (so they aren't making any money out of me anymore!)
There are loads of different diets, eating regimes and diet theories out there - some will work for some people better than others, whether it's SW, WW or anything else - and I'm sure other regimes have products and services to promote and sell as well. There are plenty of authors who constantly write books (eg Michael Moseley) so everyone I'm afraid is out to make money from the diet industry. I just don't think it's fair to demonise SW in particular, but fine to say if it doesn't work for you.

SW has ruined so many people’s relationship with food!

I’ve removed over 4000 sw accounts from my Instagram.

I recommend the Nutracheck app, where you can keep track of calories. You’ll see that no food is ‘good, bad or a sin’.... It all just has different energy values and nutritional content.

Good luck OP

When I was on SW I was told by the leader that ‘Syn’ is short for ‘synergy’ and represents balancing lower calorie/fat food with higher calorie/fat food

I love when SW fanatics pull this line. It used to be Sins. My mum still has old SW books where they talks about sins. They changed it to syns and came up with this “synergy” excuse/bollocks when they were rightly called out for promoting a damaging relationship with food. No food is a sin (or syn)

All food will cause weight gain if it takes you over the calories you burn.

2000 cals of crisps or 2000 cals of cabbage is still 2000 cals. It’d just take you hours to consume the cabbage that’s all.

There are many many studies which prove the content of the calories are irrelevant. It is the balance of consumption / burn which counts

I have a huge problem with Slimming World. Why can't people simply exercise, eat less processed food, eat more clean, vegan foods and drink copious amounts of water?

Marmunia - this is exactly what I finally realised, after years of dieting on silly fad diets!!
Clean eating, water and exercise turned my life around!!

Sin comes from an archery term meaning to miss the mark. If I ate a load of chocolate, white bread and sweets I would be missing the mark in terms of eating the kind of diet that will lead to a long and healthy life.

After years of following WW, not following it, feeling guilty, and trying (and failing) again and again, I finally got straightened out. My local council offered a course in nutrition and healthy eating. Not sure whether it is offered elsewhere, but here's the link:

achieveoxfordshire.org.uk/

There may be something similar on offer in your area.

I had developed a very disordered relationship with food, lots of rules that made no sense and a feeling of panic if I couldn't eat from a narrow selection - that I'd somehow ballsed it up so I might as well go mad and eat everything.

I'd also vote for Intuitive Eating as a way of healing - the Fuck It Diet, as mentioned above is a really good read.

There's a hilarious Facebook group I follow called slimming hurled :)

@Lovestonap

There's a hilarious Facebook group I follow called slimming hurled :)

Oh my😂

any diet program that labels foods as sins - even if they spell it differently - is fundamentally wrong IMO
Not to mention infantilising.