Anyone joined slimming world and gained weight?

[christmasunicorn]

I'm new, never done slimming world before. I officially join group on 12th September (joining with a friend and waiting till schools are back and birthdays are over) but am currently on a pre-diet diet using information I've picked up on the net about the plan and MFP. Previously I have done Atkins, calorie counting, slim fast and Exante. Generally all diets that restrict food groups or quantity. I struggle to get my head around eating so much and being allowed chocolate, sweets and crisps every day. I am convinced I am going to put on weight each week instead of loosing it. Has this happened to anyone? Is it possible?
I know it probably sounds ridiculous, and I keep reading stories about how people keep loosing and, I know this is crazy, but I want to hear some failure stories to set realistic expectations in my mind. I'd hate to feel like the first person who gains weight instead of loosing.
Sorry if this was all a bit of a ramble and thank you for taking the time to read, it's a lot to take in and to completely change my thinking about how to loose weight

[Imperfectsusan]

*true

[Imperfectsusan]

I do think that it's truer hat SW is a business and markets to people who want to be able to eat Cocoa pops.

However, many members don't eat like that, and still follow it. There are plenty of vegans, people who use the syns for olive oil and decent natural yogurt, and wouldn't go near some of the "recipes for people who don't cook". In which case, it's a textbook healthy diet, and some of us appreciate the discipline of a weigh in.

[Marazzi87]

Thank you I appreciate your comments. I am just going to half the recipe or just have the one portion.

[Groovee]

@Marazzi87 I wouldn't eat the whole meal if it was for 4. I'd freeze 2 portions for later. Although if it's free theoretically, it should be free and not cause weight gain. But everyone is different.

Are you filling up your plate with speed fruits or veg, before adding the rest of the food to your plate? Definitely look at your portion sizes first and see if upping speed foods and reducing free foods work for you.

[Marazzi87]

Hi I have been doing slimming world for a month now. The first week I had a great lost, the same for the second week. However, on the 3rd week I stayed the same and on the 4th week I gained a lbs , despite doing a shed load of exercise.

My question is If I am making a meal for 4 from the extra easy cookbook, If only two will be eating the meal would the extra portion be classed as syns. This is where I could be going wrong.

Any advice.

[Giraffefreckles]

You are SO right about this. SW know their audience very well. People forget that SW is a business and its product is tailored specifically to appeal to its target market. These are generally (no offence to anyone) not people who are interested in eating chia seeds and avocado for breakfast. These are people who want to know they can still gave cocoa pops if they feel like it. On a similar note a lot of the key selling points of the diet "eat whatever you want" "have as much pasta as you like" are exactly that SELLING Points. They are carefully crafted marketing messages primarily designed to attract new business - not because they have your interests 100pc at heart. I dont have anything against SW - my Dad lost 9 stones on it and I am currently following a modified version of it myself. But Indo wish people would remember that it is first and foremost a business - not a public health service and use a little more common sense.

[GoldenBlue]

Sarah dream I don't do well on carbs, but you can still do SW.

Today I had butternut squash instead of potatoes, pasta or rice. I often do mixed roast veg as half the plate or more and then some protein.

The main carbs I tend to eat are over night oats in the morning. Or rare small portions but I tend to get bloated and put on water weight for days

[christmasunicorn]

Hi phantom well by Tuesday morning my scales were showing the exact same as the week before so I was expecting to maintain, maybe loose half a pound maximum, so you can imagine my shock when I went for my weigh in and discovered I was 1.5lbs down! Since then my home scales are showing me 2lb lighter then Tuesday so I really am loosing. I think that early gain may just have been water retention/ constipation/ just reaction to change of diet. Keep going and try not to be too disheartened. Obviously you always here about those people who have massive losses in their first week so it is gutting in someways not to see that too, but slow and steady is the way. Hopefully week 2 will have a bigger one

[welshmist]

Our SW consultant is very honest and admits that lots of pasta rice is not for everyone some folk struggle eating it and losing weight me included so my portions of pasta and rice are small. I find lots of vegetables, protein and fruit are better in my case.

[Sarahdreams]

Hi there
I am new here but would like to add to this conversation. I have tried S W twice before and each time I gain weight. I write down everything, count syns, eat prob half plate veg maybe more, and I put on. I think some people just don't do well with carb. Does anyone agree? I am not a protein lover at all but did have some with every meal. But had lots pasta, rice, quinoa, all brown. Any advice?

[welshmist]

Weight fluctuates with hormones time of month. Keep your chin up it is the easiest plan to follow. Being part of a group helps we have our own fb page so can support each other during the week

[GoldenBlue]

Although if you want chocolate I recommend a curly wirly in the freezer 😀 it takes ages to eat and feels very satisfying

[GoldenBlue]

That sounds similar to what I'd eat

Don't forget some syns

I use some for oil dressing and milk in tea for example. I also like a bit of sugar free gum. Flaxseeds can be good on top of breakfast too

[PhantomBlooper]

Thanks Golden.

I have been doing something like that naturally anyway. For example, my food today is:

Overnight oats with 40g oats, fat free yogurt and a few mixed berries

Chicken salad with lettuce, grated carrot, gherkins and cherry tomatoes

Dinner will probably be chicken with Swede mash (no butter, just mashed swede) and broccoli

And then for snacks I've got 4 seafood sticks and 2 babybel cheeses

Does that sound alright? I feel like it's too easy, because I struggled with low carb and was binging quite a bit. With this I feel more flexible and less trapped if I am out and about and can't find a suitable meal.

Seeing 2lbs this morning has made me wonder if I've made the right decision but I am going to review everything in 2 weeks and see what's not working for me.

[GoldenBlue]

Hi Phantom,
There is a lower carb option on SW called extra easy SP if you want a balance between your previous diet and food optimising.

On SP you have 2 measured portions of carbs as healthy b's, your healthy a of dairy and then eat Speed and protein foods, with the 5-15 syns to give you some treats

[PhantomBlooper]

How are you getting on christmasunicorn?

I have come to slimming world from doing a vlcd. Started on Monday. Hopped on the scales this morning and have gained 2lbs! I've now vowed not to weigh myself until weigh day and try not to think about it.

Like you I'm used to getting on the scales and seeing instant results so it's a bit disheartening. I'm trying to tell myself that I'm shifting to a more sustainable way of eating and it'll settle down in the long run. I've been on and off a low carb diet since March but I think my metabolism is still recovering.

Let me know how you get on? Maybe we could be SW buddies?

[GoldenBlue]

I've been going to SW for 18 months. I've been at target since xmas having lost 3 1/2 stone.

In all that time the only times I've seen people putting on weight rather than losing is when people forget to follow the plan properly.

Have regular meals with at least a third of your plate being speed food. That is the lowest calorific fruit and veg. This naturally reduces the portion size of the other food. The food should be low fat and made up of free food (other veg, lean meat or pulses, some carbs).

If you're hungry in between have a snack of free food, but speed or protein in best.

Syns are there to be enjoyed and help you to stop feeling restricted. I like to use some for oil as salad dressing (6 syns per table spoon) and occasional treats such as a curly whirly (6 syns). You shouldn't feel very hungry on the SW plan.

I don't eat loads of carbs as it makes me bloated and affects my weight temporarily but others still lose weight on the plan.

Good luck

[christmasunicorn]

Well this morning I was down 1lb from the other day. Still one up from Monday but I've also started tracking all the food I'm eating on mfp and I'm kicking out at between 1300-1500 calories a day so theoretically, I should loose it all in the long run. My usual go to diet is a vlcd so I'm used to standing on the scales after the first two days and finding a good loss so it was just a shock to see a gain. But I'm feeling more positive and if all else fails, I made sure I wore my heaviest jeans last Tuesday for my first weigh in, and this week it will be leggings, so that's got to be 1lb at least 🤣

[Gorgosparta]

You arent going to know if its working or not until weigh in.

If you have put weigh on there will be a reason.

You felt you would put weight on, for no other reason than you thought it. Now is seems to be happening.

Is there a chance you are self sabotaging and in denial? I have been there.

[christmasunicorn]

So I joined on Tuesday and have been 100% on plan but I've gained 2lb I'll keep going as I know you shouldn't weigh daily as weight can fluctuate etc etc but I'm kinda worried that my feelings were correct and I'm going to be the random anomaly that it just doesn't work for

[Gorgosparta]

I do slimming world.

Have lost 10lb in 3 weeks.

I dont eat pasta, rice, bread (i have digestive problems) and havent eaten a muller yoghurt or pasta in sauce etc.

Yes you can do it and eat those things but they are not a must. If there is something on slimming world that you dont like, makes you feel crap or dont think is healthy....dont have it.

[BasinHaircut]

naked, I think the point is that people who eat avocado and nuts and olive oil for the benefits of 'good fats', are not usually the people who slimming world are targeting.

Of course all of those thing are fine as part of a healthy balanced diet, but SW is above everything else something that people turn to to lose weight/fat, and whilst the approach does unfortunately mean that high calorie but nutrient dense foods are restricted, if they weren't then it just wouldn't work. It still encourages healthier eating in terms of increased fruit and veg. And you don't have to eat muller lights - and I don't know many people that actually do.

[strawberrykiss36]

I think it just depends on the person; my mum is a low carb fan and has lost a couple stone and follows the "lifestyle" now to maintain it. Personally when I tried it I felt miserable for weeks, ended up binging and then trying to go back. onto it strictly and binging again. I scoffed at slimming world because I don't agree with eating the "low fat" versions of things that are packed with sugar, so I don't - I have the normal version just a small amount. Slimming world allows me to have the little treats that I like though, and stops me from going off the rails and spending weeks binging on chocolate and takeaways. The weigh in is something that has so far kept me on the plan too.

[OwlinaTree]

Thing is avocados are very calorific. It's easy to eat a lot of calories eating them. Muller light might be full of crap, but they are low calorie.

Glad you've found a diet that is working for you though.

[Nakedavenger74]

I realise that @OwlinaTree. My issue is that avocado, one of the most nutrition dense foods and a source of good fats is considered a 'syn' whereas a Muller Light packed with sugar and limited nutritional value is considered free. Something's wrong with that.