Is Slimming World for me?

[CoffeeTwo]

Hello all.

I'm hoping to hear some positive and negative experiences of Slimming World to try and see if this is the path I should take.

There is a reason I'm over thinking this. I've joined Weight Watchers 4 times over the last 10 years. Each time I've lost less and less. Looking back, I didn't change my eating habits enough. I still ate chocolate and crisps every day. Although I enjoy fruit and vegetables I'd happily pick something processed over the 'effort' of home made.

I had an eating disorder as a teenager which I know doesn't help. I know how it feels to be skinny. I know how to lose weight quickly the wrong way and I know how to put it all back on again and more. I'm tired of this. I want to change for good for me and for my family.

I'm ashamed to say that I'm the heaviest I've ever been and need to lose a good 4 stone :( I'm 31 and feel like I've wasted too much time being unhappy with my weight. I'm currently TTC and I need to make some changes for my health as much as my appearance.

I dream of a time when food doesn't rule my day. When I can eat 3 healthy meals without over thinking it and when I don't reach for chocolate and crisps for comfort. But looking back over the last 20 years, I can't see that happening without some serious help.

So I guess what I'm asking is, will Slimming World help me in the long term or am I about to embark on yet another diet that will end up with me weighing heavier?

I've done weight watchers before...I could lose weight, but, I found I then obsessed over what I was going to eat and how many points I had left and it was really bad for me mentally.

I joined slimming world just over a year ago, I don't obsess about what I'm eating, I just buy food that is freely allowed and make what I fancy from it. Because I never get to a certain point of the day and all I can eat is lettuce, I don't feel the need to go, stuff it I'm having a load of junk.

I've lost 6 stone.

That's a fantastic weight loss! I bet you feel on top of the world :)

That sounds really positive, I agree that obsessing over food is often our downfall.

When I did WW I'd skip meals and have chocolate instead you can't do things like that with SW, you have to actually eat food, that I think has been really good for me.

I've still got nearly 2 stone to go, so I'm not quite jumping up and down with joy yet, lol, but yeah, I feel loads better...and I don't find it hard going to stick to (mostly, there's always the odd day of course, lol)

I'm on week 4, so its still fairly new for me, but I've never got 4 weeks into a 'diet' and been committted to continuing before. If you're used to sweets and chocolate, its going to be tough to start with, as your body will crave those instant energy hits. So the first week for me was pretty tough. However it gets easier. I think why it works for me, my body stops wanting the sugar, and starts wanting the healthy food. I couldn't eat a whole bar of choc now without getting a headache and feeling sick. I do still have small amounts, but generally, the amount within my 'naughty allowance' is enough and I can stop. Had a few lapses of course, and my weight loss is slow and steady rather than headline grabbing, but I'm happy with the results versus the amount of 'pain' :-) I do feel better, and my skin is showing improvement too which helps me want to stick with it. I'm not exercising, which would obviously speed up the loses, but knew I wouldn't manage that in the run up to Christmas - will do in the New Year.
I've been surprised how little adopting the slimming world way has changed the taste of food. Meat cooked with teeny amounts of spray cooking oil tastes pretty much as good as meat cooked with lots of oil. In fact I'm probably enjoying food more, as with less sugar and fat, the other flavours come through more. I'm also finding that when I do go off plan, I don't go anywhere near as off plan as I would have before. So I feel a lot more in control.
You do need to commit to doing a lot of cooking from scratch though, so that would be my second qualification. Yes, its for you if you're prepared to be tough on yourself until you get past the sugar cravings, and if youre prepared to invest a fair bit of time in shopping and cooking. But of course, you know that you're not going to achieve the long term change without both of those things anyway.....
I'm doing it online. Ive ordered a few cook books (they're pretty cheap if you're a member) for inspiration, and I think the magazine is great so will keep that going, but I don't think I need the membership to carry on when my current one expires, so it will have been a very cost effective
Let us know what you decide and how you get on!