Slimming World to Harcombe?

[FourArms]

I've been doing SW since 29/8. Initially on EE and now mainly on red days.

However although I've lost 1lb short of 2
stone I haven't lost any weight this week and I've stuck to the plan with the exception of maybe not enough syns / HEB.

Have seen the Harcombe diet and this seems to be more like what I'm doing at the moment although I'll have to swap coffee and skimmed milk for herbal tea and stop my 10 a day satsuma habit ;)

Just wondered what people's losses had been in phase 1 switching from SW? My BMI is still in the low 30s so I've got plenty to lose!

SG I totally get the 'couldn't face Bacon & Eggs this morning' and agree that this diet is expensive.

I have also been to Morrisons. Their meat is much better value than Sainsbury's !!

Am not sure how to overcome the breakfast issue. I have tried Porridge, but can't face it without Berries and have tried going without, but that led to a Migraine. So for the moment I am having to resort to Bacon & Tomatoes.

FA summarises where I am right now. It is only 9 days to Christmas and I want to drop another 2-3lb. After that I will be happy to P2 and accept a slower weight loss.

Thanks for understanding . I've had a rubbish afternoon, spent combing headlice out of dd's hair. I only noticed her scratching yesterday. She's in year 8 and I thought those days were over, but she had loads! My skin is crawling.

Haven't eaten much today, but made pancakes for dd for breakfast and I had a small one. Roast chicken with carrots and cauliflower for dinner. No lunch, because we got up late. But dh made chocolate mousse this aft so had a small helping after dinner. (Really small!)

Will get back on track tomorrow. Would be nice to lose a couple of pounds!

FA, I thought what you said about SW was interesting coming from a Consultant point of view.

My group leader really didn't focus on the Green or Red plan but just on the newer plan (which I think they called Extra Easy).

Do you think that the long term success rate i.e not putting it all back on afterwards, depends on which plan you go for?

I am really hoping that Harcombe will sort out some of my bad habits but worry that I might do the same thing as I did with SW and put it all back on again in a few months.

I think EE would lead to a much greater reliance on syn free foods which are low fat and/or calorie but actually full of horrid ingredients. That was the bit of SW I struggled with this time - I didn't want any of that.

With red and green you have got a bit more flexibility so you can eat healthily and follow the plan. Basically in addition to Harcombe you could have milk, cheese (small amount of each) and two small portions of carbs, plus the 5-15 syns and unlimited fruit. The only things you'd lose from P1 would be NLY and cooking in oil / eating fat.

It cured me of many bad habits, but I simply swapped things - lots of semi milk for skimmed, sugar for sweetener, coke for diet coke, chocolate for low calorie cereal bars. And snacking is positively encouraged! This plan is helping with all that and I think I may find a half way house between the two eventually. :)

Slight gain on the scales today. I think it might be related to my weekend bacon consumption because I'm also incredibly thirsty. Lots of water for me today :)

Have a good day everyone :)

Very, very frustrated !!

A perfect day food wise yesterday (1000 Calories & 67 Carb units) and a four hour / 8 mile walk through thick mud, massive winds and driving rain and I ............... put on 0.4 lb.

That is just totally illogical.

Thanks for the SW insight FA.

I agree with you that the Syns (which I always used for chocolate) and unlimited fruit (I took the unlimited bit literally) were issues for me. I think the fruit habit I developed through SW has caused me rebound weight gain and the blood sugar issues which Harcombe is helping to overcome.

I like Harcombe, but need to get to a stage where my life isn't limited by P1. That is bearable when you are losing weight, but I haven't lost anything now for over a week (in fact I lost all my weight days 1-4) so need to find some way of moving forward and getting rid of my last 25lb's.

Hello everyone. I've fallen off track in a spectacular way and have been eating everything in sight. That's always my downfall. Once I succumb to eating something I shouldn't, I continue for days. . I know I've gained weight as I can feel the bloat in my stomach but I'm not going to weigh myself. I know that will depress me further, so straight back on it tomorrow I think. We can do this

OK Wombat a bit of tough love here.

Whatever it is you are stuffing in your mouth, stop it now !!!

You've had a blip, if you stop now, it will just take a day or two to put it right. If you keep eating, it will become yet another failed diet, you will undo everything you have achieved so far and it will make you feel utterly miserable over Christmas.

We can do this and we all need you to stay the course. The support from this thread will be invaluable whenever one of us slips.

I managed to avoid all the Christmas goodies in Betty's (a York legend) and the gluten free muffins in my favourite coffee shop today. It wasn't easy but I need for this diet not to fail. I have lost and regained these 20lb so many times. This time has to be the last.

So holding your hand, while you zip your mouth !! Just think of how fantastic you will look this Summer if you do.

Thank you Nshth. Just what I need. Let's do it

Ooh NotSure I walked past Betty's today too! Didn't go in though (my eldest dd used to work there). Instead we went to Lendal Cellars and had full English breakfast gave dh my baked beans and hash browns in exchange for his tomato I did have a splash of milk in my tea though.

Thanks for your supportive words, I need a kick up the bum too. I received a box of really expensive chocolates as thanks for a piece of work I did a week ago and had two

I think I'll be more on track after Christmas tbh, but will continue to do my best til then.

Today I had porridge made with water for breakfast, but it was awful, won't be doing that again. Back to eggs tomorrow!

What a coincidence SG. My favourite coffee shop is Filmore & Union, do you know it?

I was talking to a lady about 'low carbing' today in Sainsbury's (as we rifled through the cauliflowers looking for the best ones). After she had gone I thought to myself that could be one of the girls on Mumsnet for all I know.

Strange isn't it. We talk and share quite intimate information, but really know very little about each other !!

No, I don't know where Filmore & Union is. Do you recommend going there next time? Dh and I were having a shopping trip together before dd breaks up on Wednesday.

NSHTH - wasn't me :) I bought my last cauli in Tesco :) But yes, agree its v.stange! DS1's best friend is a MNetter's DS! We went to a meet up and discovered we lives two houses away from each other :) :) That was 9 years ago!

0.2lb down today so no significant difference really. However, I'm down 2.2lb since last week and 5.2lb since starting a fortnight ago. Pleased with that!

I've got a long way to go - worked out all my new targets up to my final one. I need to lose 35lb to get to a healthy BMI, but I'm not sure that's a realistic weight for me. I'm a size 12 (or was 10 years ago!) at just under 11 stone, so I think my target will be about another 27lb.

Keep going ladies - be strong! One week until Christmas!

Fourarms that's great.

Absolutely SG. I think it is one of the best lunch Venues in York and even better because the Tourists just don't realise it is there.

It is in Low Petergate next to Noa Noa. It has a tiny entrance. Downstairs there is a fab juice bar and Salad / Cake counter with a few tables so you can grab a coffee & cake Salad to eat on the run. Upstairs there is a restaurant where you can linger a little longer. The food is all really lovely.

They have been so successful that they have now opened one in Harrogate and one in Leeds, although I haven't been to either of those. You get a bit spoilt living in York. We have so much in the way of shopping and entertainment that there is no need to go elsewhere.

Fantastic FA, well done.

I lost the 0.4lb I had put on yesterday so have essentially STS this week. However I know that my eating habits have improved and that my Blood sugar is much more stable, so I am prepared to accept the static scales (for now).

I think that with the exception of the Chocolate on Saturday I haven't cheated, so should be seeing results. When I get the time I am going to read the P1 section of the book again just to check whether I am making a fundamental mistake.

Whether I have lost or not, I am determined to keep going. I have bought a fantastic pair of size 10 Black Skinny Jeans from Jigsaw and one day I am going to wear them!!

I'll go there next time I'm in town. I live just outside York, so a trip in is a treat Any other insider tips?

I also live outside York SG, close to Castle Howard.

I moved up from the South 3 years ago, so am still busy finding special places. I understand (but haven't tried it yet) that there is a really good new Restaurant in Museum Gardens, and there is a lovely Thai on Walmgate.

Outside York, there is a wonderful bakery in Helmsley (Cinnamon Twist), a lovely old fashioned cinema in Malton (I also like City Screen in York) with big comfy seats, and quite a lot on at Helmsley Arts Centre.

Do you have any insider tips?

I don't go out much so don't know many places. There's a good Italian on Gillygate, can't remember the name tho. I love wandering round Treasurer's House, although it's not free entry. The scones and food in general is quite nice in the cafe there too. For coffee we sometimes go to Harlequin upstairs opposite the Chocolate museum, but on the top floor, not first floor. Also the bakers on the Shambles is very good, but sells out early. Have you been to Little Betty's on Stonegate? Very pretty old house, but you often queue all the way up the stairs.

The Italian on Gillygate is called Mamma Mia. I also like the Lendal Cellars for cheap pub food.

Have to smile SG, practically all the insider tips we have shared relate to food. Shows where our priorities lie.

I love Little Betty's and know Treasurer's well. I used to work for the Trust and it was one of the properties I dealt with. I didn't know about Mamma Mia or Harlequin though. If I ever get to completethis diet I shall try both !!

Lol I hadn't realised nearly everything I mentioned was food related!

Interesting that you used to work for the trust. I fancy a cultural day in York some time soon, where would you recommend apart from Treasurers House?

(Sorry we are so off topic ladies. Hope everyone's doing ok? I only slipped up once today with my chocolates, otherwise have been good, had bacon egg and sausage brunch and cottage pie made with mashed swede for dinner with braised leeks.

Apologies also, I think it was me that started the off-topic wander.

0.5 lb off, so now back to where I was last Friday. i am OK with that though. Porridge, mashed Cauliflower & Mince and cold meat yesterday but then a slight deviation around a bowl of salted Pistachios.

SG if I can work out how to to it I will PM you some cultural thoughts for the York area.

That would be lovely NSHTH

I had some home made muesli for breakfast, a very small portion, but couldn't face eggs again. I just mixed some chopped nuts, raisins and oats with some rice milk. For lunch I'll have some HM chicken soup and for dinner baked salmon with celeriac chips and green beans probably.