Page 2 | Devastated first week on SW

Ofallthebarsinalltheworld · 2021-04-08T18:06:14+00:00

Apologies if this appears dramatic but I am honestly so upset. I've just completed my first week on slimming world and I have put on 5 pounds. I had 15 suns per day 2 hea 1heb And free foods etc I am gutted. Can't wait for the classes to open back up so I can get a consultant. Although so glad I didn't get weighed at a class today as I burst out crying. My weight is really getting me down. Sorry for the depressing post.

Itwasjustresting · 08/04/2021 23:28

Would one of the various fasting-style diets work for you, OP? At the end of the day all any of these systems are doing is getting you to eat fewer calories than your body needs so that you burn up some of your stores. The trick is to find the one that you can live with.

I personally like the SW rules - I don’t eat Muller Lites or HiFi Bars, not sure why people get obsessed with them! - but the bones of it is a low-fat low-sugar regime with plenty of veg. Other people like to do the alternate fasting days or to log all their calories. Whatever works for you is the best system!

justjuggling · 12/04/2021 02:26

I lost 6 stone on SW and found it easy to follow. It’s really about making sure your plate always includes at least 1/3 speedy food eg fruit/veg (there’s a list in the joining up info), plus protein and a sensible portion of rice/pasta/potatoes if you want them. The ‘eat as much free food as you want’ idea is a bit of a red herring I think so always made sure my carby foods were no more than ‘regular’ portions eg 70g pasta. And avoid sugary rubbish like muller lights and Hartley jellies!

Bythemillpond · 12/04/2021 03:42

I did slimming world and ended up putting on weight.
I even bought the Iceland ready meals so everything was pretty measured
I just couldn’t get along with it.

My friend swears by it and has lost huge amounts of weight,

Ragwort · 12/04/2021 07:22

Bythem - I think that proves the point, some people get on with SW - some don't . I have lost weight with SW, as a PP says, you still need to use your common sense and eat sensible size portions - and I've never touched a Muller Light yogurt or Hartley's jelly pot in my life, I also wouldn't eat those Iceland meals. If you follow the basic rules - cut out fat, cook from scratch, plenty of veg ... it should work.

But all diets 'work' if you follow them properly - it's maintaining the weight loss so many of us find hard ....

ChocOrange1 · 12/04/2021 07:28

Slimming world is the biggest con out there. It's such a rubbish system eating horrible foods you don't like
What a strange comment. There's no rule in slimming world that you have to eat muller lights or whatever else. I've done it by just eating normal food - weetabix and milk for breakfast, jacket potato/omelet/chicken salad for lunch, fruit for snacks, and pretty normal dinners such as spaghetti bolognese, curry, casserole, stir fry, ham egg and chips etc. I never ate "horrible food that I don't like"

ChocOrange1 · 12/04/2021 07:29

OP are you sure you weighed properly before and after. 5 pounds seems like an awful lot to gain (or lose) in a week.

NerrSnerr · 12/04/2021 07:30

I think it's about finding what works for you. I don't have any sense of portion control and would over eat so slimming world isn't for me and prefer calorie counting but understand it's not for everyone. Others find intermittent fasting or keto work well for them.

Problem with weight loss threads is that if something works well for one poster they think that is the best way for everyone to lose weight.

rainbowthoughts · 12/04/2021 07:32

I've tried my fitness pal/calorie counting a few different times and I just end up really weak, dizzy and feeling like I want to pass out all the time.

Your calories would have been set too low. There is a lot of advice out there for working them out yourself - I eat 2400 a day and lose 1/2lb a week. Start weight was very high though, but I don't need to lower my calories, just up my exercise over time

ivykaty44 · 12/04/2021 07:39

half your plate needs to be vegetables, salad etc - if you plan the veg first and fill half your plate before adding your protein and anything else like rice or potato

tbh I did SW and for potato and rice, pasta I didn't have them as free food and literally restricted them to 75g portions - pasta 100g dried weighed before cooking

I used a lot of veggie recipes and divided them into 4/5 meals and had for lunch with salad, carrots and homemade chickpea dip (no tahini) for a snack and pickled cucumbers etc as snacks

I lost easily 1ilb every week and reached goal weight in 16 weeks - job done

Pepperminttea16 · 12/04/2021 07:53

I agree, slimming world has the potential to be really problematic with the “free foods”. No food is free. Just because you are eating an extra 400 calories of plain roast chicken instead of a chocolate bar it is still an extra 400 calories. You still need to be mindful of calories in vs out on SW. It is a complete nonsense that you can just eat as much of some things as you want without gaining weight

picklemewalnuts · 12/04/2021 08:02

I've lost 3 stone on SW since autumn.

Don't throw in the towel yet, @Ofallthebarsinalltheworld ! Give it a bit longer.

Where are you in your cycle? I fluctuate by 4lb with periods.

Also, what about constipation? Could you be carrying weight from that? I found the reduction in bread hard on my bowels. I've had to find ways to manage that.

Eat lots of raw fruit and veg.
Your HEX A and B. Low fat protein.
Then some pasta, bread, potato...

Measure yourself, as that's always motivating. When I have a week when I haven't lost, I measure. There will have been some cms lost somewhere instead!

BigFatLiar · 12/04/2021 10:49

I think the 'free foods' thing can lead people astray. It can be interpreted as stuff yourself till you burst but really means don't weigh it just have a reasonable portion for your meal and use as a snack if hungry. I also suspect people are in the habit of snacking out of boredom or habit rather than hunger. If you've had a decent meal, try a drink of water or a cup of tea rather than a snack. As well as making better choices with your food its changing habits.

Whatever you choose to do it needs to be something that you're willing and able to stick with long term.

JeanClaudeVanDammit · 12/04/2021 10:52

Are you weighing yourself at home? I have to put my scales on the exact same floor tile in the bathroom each time or the weights can vary by up to 7lb either way! (They’re a bit crap but it’s not something I want to spend much on.)

ivykaty44 · 12/04/2021 10:53

I think if only a quarter of you plate can be free food then it’s much easier to follow - I ditched the sins for the first couple of weeks then had just a regular 5 per day

Triffid1 · 12/04/2021 11:01

DH has lost a lot of weight on SW so I see the benefits, but I do think the syns are deceptive and, combined with the "free foods" thing, confusing. He is a large man, who exercises regularly, so I think just having a system whereby he plans the "syns" is good. But in his case, he basically cuts out all fat except in the form of biscuits as saves all syns for sugar which I think is really bad and it worries me.

If you see it as a system which is really encouraging you to eat low fat, low sugar and lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, it makes sense.

rainbowthoughts · 12/04/2021 11:13

Did you keep a food diary? Go back over it and count the calories to see where you may have gone wrong. I remember counting the calories in one of their meals and it was way over 800, that was before I added my 'free' rice!

Neonlightning · 12/04/2021 11:26

I've found 18/6 intermittent fasting along with low carb eating and almost eliminating snacking a game changer. Successfully losing 2.2 - 3.3 pounds a week for months now. This also includes indulgent foods where/when I have a craving - I had a burger and fries for dinner out with friends a week ago and still lost weight that week.

With SW, the fruit you're eating, are these high sugar fruits? Something to be mindful of. With veggies, are you eating high carb? Green is great and unlimited vs starchy foods.

Have you tried weighing your foods to make sure your portion sizes are right? I did this at the start, and was shocked to realise my protein serves were way too big, like at least 1.5 x the size the should be (fish, steak, chicken, etc).

Neonlightning · 12/04/2021 11:30

I think it's about finding what works for you.

I 100% agree - you name the diet I've tried it. Low GI, CICO, mediterranean, atkins... I've learnt it's all about finding the right way of eating for your body. But I also find it helpful when people share their experiences .

picklemewalnuts · 12/04/2021 14:41

Slimming world is effective to minimise counting. You don't need to weigh, measure, and keep track, except for the syns. That makes it low effort for me.

ChocOrange1 · 12/04/2021 15:20

@Pepperminttea16

I agree, slimming world has the potential to be really problematic with the “free foods”. No food is free. Just because you are eating an extra 400 calories of plain roast chicken instead of a chocolate bar it is still an extra 400 calories. You still need to be mindful of calories in vs out on SW. It is a complete nonsense that you can just eat as much of some things as you want without gaining weight

Although the free foods are unlimited, they're limited by how much you can actually physically eat. 400 calories of chicken would be bout 300g, which is really a lot to eat as a "snack", whereas 400 calories of chocolate would be about 75g which is far easier to eat

GoldenBlue · 12/04/2021 15:40

Did you follow the principle of at least 1/3 of the plate being veg? It goes on the plate before any other food in order to encourage you to reduce over all calories in every meal. They included if you're having lots of veg in the meal such as stew, pasta sauce etc. Ignore the veg in the main part of the dish and put a 1/3 to 1/2 of nice fresh veg on the plate.

This will fill you up and help with over all reductions in calorie in take.

As a beginner have more veg than fruit as we want to encourage a change to your palate away from sweet things.

Use MFP alongside at first to help your awareness of calories. I only lose weight at 1200-1500 calories because I'm older and inactive.

The feeling faint side is weening yourself off carb reliance. Once you start burning fat that will stop.

Good luck

Original poster

Ofallthebarsinalltheworld · 15/04/2021 18:10

Apologies I have just seen these comments. @picklemewalnuts I think you were right with constipation/time of the month.

Lots of great tips and food for thought from everyone. Thanks 💐

This week I didn't really stick to it as had prosecco a few nights. I lost one pound this week. Happy with that.

I will stick with it and fingers crossed another loss next week.

Good luck to everyone else who is trying to lose weight 😊

OP posts:

dancemom · 15/04/2021 18:19

You said you were sticking to your syns but one bottle of Prosecco is 30 syns

Original poster

Ofallthebarsinalltheworld · 15/04/2021 18:26

Dancemom I stuck to my syns the first week. This is my second week completed today.

OP posts:

dancemom · 15/04/2021 18:29

[quote Ofallthebarsinalltheworld]@Itwasjustresting I stopped using oil and didn't use anything. Grilled/baked ect. Yeah they changed it to 2 healthy extra As and 1b in 2019. Not joined online as waiting on classes starting back up. I drink 2/3 litre of water a day. Yes it's very frustrating.

@cavernousscream I set mfp to 1500 calories per day. It could be the scales they are old.

@themayqueen I don't drink fizzy juice. I've had 1 bottle of prosecco on Easter Sunday. I would say my portion size is fine my plate isn't full/overflowing etc.

@sunnydaleslayer I dont eat yogurt or processed foods.

It's all really odd 😭 thank you all for your kind words and help 😊[/quote]

You said you had a bottle on Easter Sunday yet you said you had stuck to your syns 🤷🏻‍♀️