Extra Easy Plan, all that free food? Really? Surely not!!!!

[dogood]

I've got my hands on the welcome pack and food directory. I don't want to go to a slimming class I'd rather do it myself. I kind of get the idea, BUT....My old calorie counting head just keeps interrupting!!! You see in my mind the safe amount of calories is 2000 for a woman. On this diet it could exceed that amount of calories so how on earth can it work. For example I read that a jacket potato and baked beans are free, it's now nearly 9pm and I'm hungry. If I was to gorge on that surely it would be wrong, wouldn't it?

You could have noodles but some carrot batons would be better for you- try to think health before eating processed stuff.

Thanks tabulahrasa :)

Think speed first. Yes noodles are free but you would be much better off eating a speed food.

I'm new to SW, have only been doing it four weeks and have lost 1st 3.5lb

I've been doing it for 2 weeks and have lost only 3 1/2 lbs and I have stuck to the plan religiously. I think it is possible to overeat the free stuff so I'm trying to be stricter this week. I only have a stone to lose so that might have a bearing on it.

3 and a 1/2 lbs is good though...I know some people have a big loss in the first week, but others don't and between 1 and 2 lbs a week is supposed to be healthy and sustainable.

I didn't have a big first week loss, and I've lost a lot since, just not that big first week one.

I've been a plodder at loss. Typically 1-2lb. Over ten months that added up to five stone though.

We all process our foods in different ways. I know people who eat loafs of bread, drink like a fish and are stick thin. Its just the way it is.

What everyone needs to work out is what works for them. I know bread doesn't for me but I can eat loads of pasta/ rice/ potato and still see a good loss. Others find pasta/ potatos make them feel bloated.

I think its really important you're not hungry and don't feel over deprived. So in answer to your question yes you could have some dried noodles but things like under 1% fat mugshots are a good to have in for those hungry days and possibly have abit more flavour than just noodles. I find i have a few days at a certain time of month where I just want to eat. Within reason I go with it from the free food list.

I'm a fan of variety so sometimes might snack on a boiled egg, other times spicy chicken strips, others cherry tomatos and a current favorite (fortunately DH loves them too) silverskin onions and mini cornichon. I belive that veg is slightly prefferable to fruit but fruit is prefferable to say noodles. But better noodles than feeling deprived and overindulging on other things.

The slimming world hummus is rather good and quick and easy to prepare - ideal for snacking on with carrot sticks etc.

I do have synful snacks including daily chocolate. I currently buy the lindt squares individually wrapped for 1.5 syns each. I have one with a decaf coffee in bed and its lovely. It stops this being a diet and makes it a sustainable lifestyle. I'm also a big fan of the odd bag of crisps and have hoola hoop puffs in at 3.5syns per bag and french fries which are 4 syns. Another snack favorite is mini milk style icelollies which are 1-1.5syns depending on whose brand you buy but a great indulgence on a hot day like today. I tend to save my healthy b for two breakfast type bars as snacks alpenlights or aldi benefit bars are on the list. They're so easy to have in your bag when out and about.

Its about finding a way to eat and live not just a way to shift a few pounds.

Day 2 of my diet, I want to lose a stone. As it is so hot at the moment fruit is an absolute pleasure, especially strawberries!! I've been having my fruit with fat free Muller yoghurt on top and I have two a day. I could easily eat 3 is that too many????

I'm 8lbs in 8 weeks

I don't feel deprived, and it's quite easy to do

your mullers are a part of your whole day. They represent about 300cals out of a requirement of maybe 1800. A 3600 deficit will lose you 1lb. If your meals total around 1000 and the mullers 300 then you'd lose around 1lb a week, which is a good healthy loss. If your meals are 1500 and the mullers 300 then loss may be a bit limited.

Three does seam quite a few of one specific snack food. It sort of implies to me that maybe you're not having big enough meals/ filling up and feeling satisfied? Only you know that.

We're all different and if it works for you eating three a day and you're getting the results you want on the scales then why not.

MisForMumNotMaid I've just had to have(9pm) 2 slice bread small wholemeal (400loaf) with an egg. I feel as though I've had nothing substantial today.

Today I ate:-
b/f Lidl Bixies synned 5 plash of milk from HexA
Lunch Muller & strawberries, apple
Dinner Chop Toms, wholemeal pasta, mushroom & beans, Strawberries and yoghurt and nectarine
Evening 2 slices w/mealHexB with one egg

Now as I am new to this I have for the past 12 months on and off tried MyFitnessPal, sticking to 1200 calories and seeing nothing happen. Curiosity got the better of me and according to their calorie chart I have eaten over 1400 calories. So if I'm eating more calories than before how am I supposed to lose any weight. I'm only on day two so any suggestions would be very welcome, I am really keen to get this right :)

A daily average of 1400 calories should give you an average weekly loss of over 1lb which is a good healthy loss.

I don't think a calorie is a calorie anymore. Its a rough measure but there is something in the science of how our bodies process food - the added fibre and veg of slimming world keep everything moving. Remember to drink plenty of fluids.

To me that meal plan reads you skipped lunch and had a small snack and have had tea and then supper so it all balances out.

If i'm being critical its a bit veg light. If mushroom and a bit of tomato with the evening meal were your only veg? It doesn't quite hit the third of every plate being veg criteria. I'm not really dilligent on this but do try tomhave two of my three meals as 1/3 veg as well as fruit.

Could you have thrown some spinach or salad cress in with the egg sandwich, had a few carrot sticks with your snack at lunch?

It takes time to find a new food routine so don't feel overwhelmed by the comments. Two days in, your on plan, your finding your feet thats fab.

Thank you so much MisForMumNotMaid for that piece of advice :) You also answered another question for me, I knew that there had to be some science behind it. I have probably eaten more fruit and salad in the last two days than I have for a while and I've have a bit of a tummy ache :( Probably a shock to the system. I know that when I was on the calorie controlled diet, I didn't eat a lot at all, so this is quite a significant dietary change for me. :)

Its been really hot most of the UK, assuming you're UK? That combined with a fibre increase (the wholemeal bread) could bung you up if you're not staying very hydrated - i'm hoping thats not your tummy ache.

But I know my body was a bit shocked by the change. I hadn't eaten three meals in a day for a decade.

Oh yes, UK enjoying this sweltering weather, but the dog isn't :):) Yeah your probably right, spent to much time starving and not enough time eating more healthy meals:) my body just needs to adapt. Thank u :)

If you are on FB, search for SYNS ALLOWED as it has loads of products that have been synned for you.

I went out for dinner tonight but had Pasta and sauce before I went out so I wouldn't be cramming food into my mouth.....took the edge off my hunger.

I eat masses of food on sw - I'm 6 months in and have lost 2 stone 8.5, and I do a food diary every week still (it keeps me on track!) My boxes are always full with free food, when I started I couldn't believe how much I could eat and loose weight. It's about being sensible though - I know carrot sticks are a better snack than pasta in sauce, and I know I could eat a whole pack of ham for a snack but I don't. It's about free food first - the more speed you choose, the more weight you loose! Well done everybody - you're all brilliant

Is there a reason I shouldn't eat a couple of slices of ham as a snack?

I normally snack on fruit or lean meat (slice of ham, chicken breast pieces, pastrami)

The theory being that the protein in meat will fill me up longer.

If the ham is free - no, no reason at all not to. (Has no idea whether all ham is free or not as she doesn't eat meat)

I've just started this week, and am basically trying to go with big mostly 'free' meals three times a day - aiming for no snacking at all if possible. So:

Breakfast: 'fried' potato, hams slices, egg, baked beans, grilled mushrooms and tomatoes. This fills me up far more than any cereal based breakfast does. Several pieces of fruit afterwards.

Lunch: Big vegetable and bean chilli, brown rice and 0% yoghurt on top. Several pieces of fruit afterwards.

Dinner: Fish oven baked with roast tomatoes, spices and herbs, a cous cous salad with peppers, courgette and pomegranate, lots of green veg.

Then I can add something like a piece of toast at breakfast time, or cheese on my chilli, or feta in the cous cous or something. My syns have mostly been salad cream or ketchup or wine!

I've just stopped breastfeeding and thought that the things I was overeating were chocolate and cake, but actually when I looked properly at my diet, it was the cheese, butter and mayonnaise that were the problems.

It's an interesting diet, I've come from low carb, so no idea how this is supposed to work! Will find out Monday I guess.

Lost 5lb this week so.guess the ham was ok

It works. Lost 2 stone. Remember to keep up speed foods