Syns

[TallulahMazda]

Can someone help me here please? Returned to SW for the millionth time but this time I no longer drink alcohol. Previously I've used syns for wine etc but I'm finding that I'm struggling to use my syns now and also my second HEA, and although I understand the concept, I'm struggling to rationalise that at the end of three decent meals I still 'have' to have more to make up the syns.
I've a lot to lose and I'm quite focused but I do wonder if I've got this all wrong. Any advice welcome.

If you feel that you don't need any treats and are full from eating meals from your free foods and healthy extras then you don't need to use your syns . Most people like the opportunity to have a bit of chocolate, crisps , mayonnaise or a take out but if you are happy doing without you absolutely don't need to use your syns .

Thanks and that's what I've largely done to date. Doing it online rather than classes so relying on the website and it encourages 5-15 per day. I wasn't sure if there was some magic formulae in all this that I was missing. Without the syns element (I have had 1 today for example) surely it's just low fat, low cal and costing ££.

You don’t need to eat them. I’ve never heard so much crap as people who say you’re not eating enough and that’s why you’re not losing.

My thought exactly. That's what got me in this mess in the first place

I agree SW is very much about low fat eating . The structure around free food, healthy extras and syns encourages you to eat so you are full from low fat foods . I've done various diets yo-yo-ing for years . If you have the self motivation and control to follow without the classes then yes you are probably paying an unnecessary £5 a week.

For me, the only time I've consistently lost more than a few pounds has been if I've attended SW or WW as I need the accountability to make me stick to it .

I had a really good leader last time I went (stopped with lockdown last year) and she was quite clear that just because the plan says 'unlimited' you aren't meant to eat after you are full and if you aren't losing then you need to cut back on syns or eat a bigger portion of veg and protein, not a massive plate of pasta .

Syns are just part of the plan if you need or want them: if you're full on your free foods and healthy extras, that's fine; you don't need to have syns as well.
I only have one A choice, as I'm a long time target member, and the plan used to be just the one.
I think it increased to 2 in line with recommendation that calcium helped weight loss.
But if you want your second A choice, have a look at some different things to try, and see how they'd fit easily into meals, eg cheese on a steak, a milky coffee.

My SW consultant says 15 syns is a limit, not a target! 🙂

That's really helpful. Thank you. Love the limit not the target analogy.

I know it's not what you are asking but I would think about the fact you have had to rejoin slimming world. That juts shows it is not a sustainable weight loss method. You are throwing your money away at people who think a banana contains 'syns' if you mush it with a fork but it's fine to mush with your teeth. People who suggest a shit ton of pasta is a reasonable meal but you can't freely eat an avocado.

The syns make it more sustainable because you don't get sick and tired of going without xyz. You can have xyz, just limited.

The calcium thing is interesting. If I've blown it, and eaten something off plan, I'm not going to add a chunk of cheese.

I don't eat both healthy A every day, but I do eat a lot of fat free yogurt and cottage cheese, so hopefully that will hit the calcium goal.

Agree that two A is often tricky to use. I don't drink milk in coffee etc. Would prefer extra bread!

Oh yes, totally! I don't have milk much.

Ive learned to love a milky coffee for breakfast, or to make options hot chocolate with milk. They feel more like a snack than a drink, so it does have a place.

I find dairy/bread/cereal etc products hard to limit, even the free dairy so I’m mostly not having hex As or Bs. Also not using most of the Seems to be working for me. When I tried working in the free dairy and hexes I was eating too much and struggled to lose.

‘Not using most of the syns.’

I often only use one HEA which is my milk allowance for tea, the other if I use it is for cheese but it's maybe only once or twice a week

Syns I use easily, ketchup, butter, chocolate etc but as an average is anywhere from 3 to 12 per day

The syns are there to stop you being deprived, so it’s sustainable - they don’t have to be “treats” just whatever’s not free that you’d miss if you couldn’t ever have them. For me that’s chocolate... but, it could be oil, avocados, ketchup or pretty much anything really.

The A choices are there for calcium, if you’re getting enough from other sources, it’s not an issue if you’re not using both.

I hate low fat stuff, my syns get spent on things like full fat plain greek yoghurt, full fat cottage cheese. Gravy, mayo, salad cream etc

I stop eating when I'm full, I don't snack between meals and if I haven't used all my syns, that's fine.

I struggle with dairy, I dont have milk so tend to have cheese with an apple

I frequently use subs for additions such as more HEB type foods because of the fibre or more HEA for the calcium. I also use for smoothies or purées fruit. I would rather use syns on some of these foods than using the up on crisps and chocolate tbh I think it’s healthier x