First time SW and I don't know what I'm doing, can anyone help?

[WilburIsSomePig]

I'm slightly overawed by all the information on the website and getting myself a bit confused. (Doing it online)

Can anyone offer any advise on how to start myself off please?

Ive just started too. Im basically trying to eat as much "free" food as possible, so looked through the recipes and cook the free ones. Then I get 250mls semi skimmed milk a day which Ive been measuring out. Then I get two weetabix or similar for my B Choice (some eat the Hi Fi bars or another snack off the B list).

Anything that isnt Free or an A or B needs to be Synned. Max 15 syns a day (im tryig to stick to ten).

I think I'm confused because there's so much to choose from and I don't want to mess up! I'm going to measure out the milk too for teas etc, that's a good way to keep track.

Have you tried to work out the syns of a 'normal' thing, not named on the site?

If theres something I want the Syn value of I try and Google it. Alternatively, I think theres a general rule of 1 Syn for every 20 calories. So if you see a choc bar that you cant find on the site that is 100cal theb that would be 5 Syns.

That's really helpful thanks.

I'm the same- joined online last night, not a frickin clue

I think I was hoping that once I'd shelled out my 60 quid, the SW angel would visit me to tell me what to eat and when!

Just working out a shopping list for the week now

That's what I'm going to do,later, breakfast is my biggest problem because I want something really quick and easy. I think I'll print off all the lists of foods to make it easier!

I'm wondering if it might be worthwhile getting one of the magazines with a free voucher and going along to a meeting where you will be given the books and the consultant will explain the whole plan to you. Then you can just do it online afterwards.

I joined a week ago and I'm also doing it online. I bought the food directory and that has really helped me as I felt I was too dependant on the internet.
Today was my first weigh in and I've lost 3lbs, so must be doing something right!

This one.

How do you buy that Nancy? I can't get to a meeting because I live in the middle of nowhere and the nearest one is 30 miles away and DH works nights so thought online would be easier. But I'm muddled!

Im planning on having a Muller Light and a banana for breakfast each weekday which,while totally unexciting, is free food and filling and quick (I have a 3mo and a 3yo so usually feeding me comes last). Weekends Im going to go for bacon, eggs, beans etc as is free food (cut the fat off the bacon first).

Today for lunch another omelette, with cherry toms and spring onions. 6 extra light Laughing Cow triangles or 3 Light Babybel is your A choice so I split this and chucked two Triangles into my omelette and had two babybel on the side as a snack.

Ive marinated my chicken for tikka masala today for tea so will make the sauce and rice later.

I am shit at boiling rice so usually use those Uncle Bens packets but id have to syn them so will need to learn how to make proper rice.

Aw crap I'm shocking at making rice I always use the uncle bens sachets! I need to work out my meal plan for the week and want to keep main meals the same for everyone. My 10 yo DS is so fussy so that's bound to be a drama but luckily DD will try anything.

Join the various SW face book pages, I found so much information and support on them.
I posted on another thread about the face book page SYNS ALLOWED, I will really help you at the start, they have files with pictures and syn values of most things from the supermarket.

Well I've been shopping.

Two tubs of Quark . Just need to figure out what to do with it

I'm on my 4th week online and it takes a bit of getting used to. I ended up printing out 3 documents, one lists all the Syns, the other lists free food and the 3rd gives your healthy A and B choices. I used these for the first coupe of weeks.
The online food diary is actually better than writing it all down so I use that now, if you have a half portion of a Syn food you can enter it manually. The online Syn calculator is really good.
I'm doing Extra Easy as the other plans just confused me.

To buy the book, sign in and at the tip where you have lots of options, there is a book section. Click on it and just scroll through until you come to it. I was really surprised at the thickness of it, but it lists free food, smart syns and general syn food.
I felt that some foods were a definite no no on SW and previously have done WW (lost 3st). But for the last year or so I have struggled with WW and felt I should give SW another try. I started a week ago, but have spent most of December reading all about it. Once you've sussed it, it's straightforward.

The book is an extra £7.50 which I was reluctant to buy to start with as it's not cheap joining and originally printed everything off. But it has been a godsend!

I've ordered it!

I'm going to sound really thick now but I've just been looking at some recipes online and they have SYNS per serving then an amber, red and green dot - what do the dots mean?

I'm going to check out the syn calculator piggy.

Amber is for those following Extra Easy, green is for the green plan, red is for the red plan. So you only need to follow the colour of your plan.
When I attempted SW years ago, you could only do the red or green. Red is meat based and you limit potatoes/pasta etc and green is more pasta/potatoes and limit the meat.

nancy, there is no more red and green days.

I know but some books & recipes still include red/green.

Well something is working for me. For the first time, in as long as I can remember, I left food on my plate and stopped when I was full tonight. It was a lovely stir fry using only 2 Syns and tons of veg. Weigh in is on Tuesday so we shall see...

Good luck for your weigh in piggychops. I am at my target now but I remember thinking when I first started that it didn't seem possible to be able to eat so well and lose weight, but it works if you stick to the plan.

So do I just take account of the amber for now then if there is not green or red anymore? I sound so thick, I'm really sorry! I think I'm stressing because I really want this to work for me.

Sorry to hijak, answer to quick breakfast...look up slimming world's overnight oats, absolute lifesaver!!

Carry on.....