Considering joining online, though I’m a sceptic....

[MotherFaffer]

I went to groups about 5 years ago after my 2nd baby. I didn’t follow the SW rules religiously but did lose weight (though was breastfeeding and walking around town A LOT).

Overall I fount it easy enough to follow but really disliked all the “fat-free” stuff with the fake chemically tastes (muller lights, that calorie free oil etc) And with small children I didn’t want to give them that stuff, and disliked the groups. So basically stopped going once I got to more or less my goal weight.

Fast forward 5 years and I’m 2 stone heavier and after kidding myself that I can “just eat healthily and lose weight” I think I need to reconsider a more structured approach.

I live abroad now and there’s no groups here. So I’d need to join online only..... before I do, my questions are:

1. How clear are all the “rules” with the online thing?

1. How much is still based on low-fat versions of really food??

I’m also cynical as I see soooooo many threads on here of people saying “oh I lost x much x years ago but stopped doing it and now weigh more than ever” so I am concerned about the yo-yo diet thing and wonder whether SW (like other diets) just messes with your body so that it’s inevitable that you’ll pile on the pounds when you stop, so that you’re turn basically committed to them for life????

I need to do something, but don’t want to lose weight, come off it and then end up even bigger than now!!! Obviously that’s down to me as well in terms of keeping some of the rules in mind and not just gorging on chocolate but it does seem to be a common theme that people lose/stop/gain waaaay more than ever......

And in a way, I just want the rules.... I’m crap at keeping up logging anything online or doing a food diary... I just want to incorporate the approach into my ways of eating. And there’s so many recipes on google I don’t know if I really need to sign up officially.....

I've ditched SW, it totally screwed me in terms of portion size.

I've downloaded MFP, joined a Facebook page for calorie counting and I'm enjoying it!

I feel like you about all the fake stuff. I've gone back to calorie counting (500per day less than I burn) and also not eating sugary foods at all. I restrict my eating (most days!) to between 8am and 7.30pm.

A really interesting podcast series called Feel Better Live More is what encouraged me to do this. I'm now eating much more healthily and have lost 4.5lbs over 4 weeks.

I think SW is fine short term, but is too restrictive for a lifetime change. Good luck!

I would look at the fitness. If you can get past the shouting it’s very supportive and much more sustainable than slimming world.

R h fitness

I’m crap at tracking with MFP, I have lunch at work and DH cooks our evening meal so I find it hard to get the data right.

What I need is some basic principles and family friendly meal plans. Happy to do the online thing if it gives me a kickstart for 3 months....

You might be better just counting calories. Keep a track of how many calories you burn in a day and don’t eat more than you burn.
Then you’re free to decide what to eat, as long as it fits in your calorie allowance.
Makes more sense than SW I think, with it’s weird rules and made up ‘syns’.

I don't know whether my experience will help you or not, as I've never followed SW online, but I hear where you're coming from regarding the whole 'fat free' thing.

1. I don't know how clear the rules are online, I would hope it's as clear as if you were going to a group.

I have been tempted to go online myself, having joined SW some years ago and never lost more than the initial loss on the first week and stayed the same for months, give or take the odd 0.5lb loss and gain. I left that group but rejoined a new one years later and lost more.

1. Low fat options are still encouraged, the spray oil for example. I've never bought the SW dinners from Iceland but I can see that some members might find them convenient. To be honest, there's so much Speed and Free food that I can usually throw something together.

The plan has changed from when I first did it: there's two Healthy Extras A as well as the Healthy Extras B and Mueller Lights are no longer Free Food.

I hope the plan works without impacting our Leptin levels but I'm not a nutritionist!
For me, I like how it keeps my focus on portions of dairy as well as bread, etc and obviously Syns.

The Lifeline part of SW is good, which is online, as it has recipes which are usually delicious. I don't know if that was around when you were a member 5 years ago?

Have you tried the No S diet? It's really simple. No snacks, no seconds, no sugar. That should keep you on the straight and narrow OP.