New to Slimming World. Can anyone come help me clear a few things in my head please??!

[StickChildrenTwo]

Hiya,

I joined SW on Thursday evening. I have a lovely leader who has added me on the facebook group and text me to see how I'm getting on but there are a few things she has told me that I can't quite get my head around. I would be very grateful if anyone could offer their insight into it, thank you.

OK, firstly, Healthy Extras. Do you HAVE to use them in order for it to work?

I am having trouble working out the syns in things (don't have a fancy phone so can't get the app that everyone at group is raving about!) so I have been trying to live off 'free foods'. Which has been working so far but I would like to understand it all a bit more. Is there a calculator I can use online or any sum I do using the product info?

Also, I have been told that Muller Light yogurts are free. So this means I can eat as many as I want? Same with Pasta and eggs? I am struggling to believe that portion size doesn't come into it at all. Surely, it could be quite easy to gorge myself on thousands of calories worth of pasta or potatoes etc and pile on the weight whilst still never eating any syns? I don't quite understand how it works.

OK, think that's it. I think I just need an 'idiot's guide to Slimming World' book!

Thank you for reading x

You should only eat until you are full. So although "free" foods are technically unlimited, you wouldn't gorge yourself on them. Only eat enough to fill you up. Well done for signing up!

Thank you for you answer :) I think you make a valid point, I shouldn't gorge myself full stop. I have been a binge eater for all of my adult life and now have 5 and half stone to lose as a result. I need to understand my eating a lot better and my emotions etc. Not easy. My leader keeps saying there is no will power required because you can 'fill your boots' (as she puts it) on free foods but I genuinely don't know when I'm full or hungry. I eat because I like eating :(

Hi op! Well done for signing up, I've lost 21lbs so far and have another 25 to go, I love it.

Firstly all your meals should contain 1/3 superfree, no matter how many times or how much you eat 1/3 superfree.

Your healthy extras are basically fibre and calcium, which you need to he healthy. I don't believe not eating them will have a negative impact on your weightloss but it will on your health.

Lots of people use their syns but I rarely do, they are meant as a safety net to prevent you from feeling deprived and making you cheat.

I've become quite adept at transforming everyday recipes into slimming world meals.

Feel free to DM me if I can help further.

Good luck

I'm new to slimming world too but my understanding is that you should try to have the healthy extras every day as they are there to ensure you are getting enough fibre and calcium, although if you're eating lots of fruit and veg and fat free yoghurt you're probably ok anyway.

There is a syns calculator on the slimming world website that you can use to calculate the syns in what you are eating. You need to register with the website using your membership number password which should be in your joining pack from slimming world. The book in your pack also has a section which lists the syns in most things.

As a quick (rough) guide, most foods work out as 1 syn per 20 calories. Obviously that can alter if the item contains free foods but it's about right for chocolate, biscuits etc.

Also I was always told that you don't necessarily need to eat the 1/3 super free with meals and snacks that are purely healthy extras or syns but it's several years since I went to a group so that might have changed.

You should eat your healthy exttas but however you want to use them is fine. The a choice boosts your calcium which helps your weight loss and the b choice is to ensure you have fibre keeps you regular

I lost 1lb this week ,bit dissapointed with it being my first week however we did go out at the weekend for my little girls birthday and I had a burger so it is my fault :). I do however feel good as I am 2 stone lighter than I was this time last year when I started the diet.

I lost 1lb this week ,bit dissapointed with it being my first week however we did go out at the weekend for my little girls birthday and I had a burger so it is my fault :). I do however feel good as I am 2 stone lighter than I was this time last year when I started the diet.

Sorry posted in wrong thread.

Hi StickChildrenTwo, i joined 10 weeks ago and I have only just gotten my head around it all. Healthy Extras are there to help you get the calcium and fibre you need.

Your right it is difficult and the syns can confusing especially if you have to make them up as you dont have the recipie, I always over compensate on the syns when guessing.

Don't always go syn free as you will lose interest after a while. and stick at it as I said before I have been doing it for 10 weeks and have now lost 1stone. It does get easier honestly.

Just started slimming world. Confused about Syns. Says all lean meat is free, yet when I look online on my phone, it says for instance chicken 100gms is free, and similarly with a number of other things. So my question is what if i have 200 or 300 gms of chicken or with similar foods, whats the syn value then ?

If it’s free it’s free - it’s just that the app likes to have a measurement, I assume it’s just easier to have everything having a measurement rather than just things that actually need to have one.

Yes 12Belle I agree that the amounts for free foods on the app are unnecessarily confusing. However you can test how free they are by adding, say, 5 portions, and it won’t start to count Syns. Also the website is pretty clear that free foods are unlimited and the Free Foods info sheet doesn’t show any quantities on it.