Changes over the past couple of years?

[LeftTheWashingOut]

Hi all, I got on really well with slimming world a few years ago and lost 2 stone and got to my target. Managed to maintain that for over a year but then had a couple of holidays and a baby so my weight has crept up again and I've put a stone on that I want to shift.

I've signed back up to SW online as with work and child I don't think I'll be able to go the group consistently enough so I thought I'd try to do it with my mum to see if I can shift a good chunk before Christmas.

Anyway... that was a rather long intro but I was hoping someone might be able to help me with a couple of things that don't seem the same as I recall from previously.

Am I reading correctly that you can have two HEAs now? I'm sure it used to be one. Does anyone know why they increased it? (I'm sad it isn't a HEB instead!)

I'm still breastfeeding my toddler, but didn't input that when I signed up (no clue why) and can't figure out how to change it. Does anyone know of there is anything I need to be aware of that's different?

Next question... are SP days gone (only protein and speed, no other free foods for a day)? I can't find any mention of them anywhere but I used to use them especially once the initial bulk of my losses had gone.

And finally... I can see in one of your meal threads (thank you for the inspiration already) that coconut milk is being used as a HEA... is it any in particular? When I look it up in the app they all seem to have syns

Sorry for the long post and all the questions- thank you!!

I can answer some of this, but not all, which will bump it for you at least.
There is a system of having a weight loss boosting week, but I can't remember what it's called. It's somewhere in the booklets you are given at the start, but there's quite a lot of them, and stuff isn't always in the section I thought it was. Someone who has done it will no doubt be able to tell you...
Healthy A , the non dairy 'milks' listed in the book is lactose free dairy, almond milk, soya milk and rice drink. No mention of coconut that I can see.

And yes, you can have two Healthy A's.

I found Morrisons coconut milk alternative, chilled 400ml which is 4syns or hex A

Thanks @SpongeBobJudgeyPants I wanted to be triple sure that the healthy a had been increased to two as it seemed to good to be true!

I'll keep a look out for the Morrison's alternative coconut milk @Wilma55 - I'd been trying to work out how Thai curries were being cooked. That was something I'd cut out completely before so it would be nice to still be able to have every now and again. I realize I could use syns but I like to save them for 🍷

So far as I remember, the boosting method is eat lots of Speed Food, in preference to stuff that isn't, and reduce syns.( I think to about 5 a day, but not sure where I've got that from! ) Good news you can have your coconut milk though. :)

You can and prob should have extra A choices I think it's 5 or 6 whilst fully breastfeeding as you both need the calcium. 4 once you start weaning. You'll lose better if you have them too.

I suspect that if you contacted them at Slimming World, they could alter your info on the app to reflect your breast feeding.

Alpro coconut drink unsweetened chilled 400ml is a hex a or 3 syns. Amazing what you find on the app!

I'm on week 5 and attending a group. In the pack they give you there is a booklet with the info if you want to do the Extra Easy SP method to get a boost. It says fill half a plate with speed free foods and the other half with protein rich free food. 2 healthy A & 1 Healthy B, stick with no more than 10 syns a day. Hope that helps!

For breastfeeding it’s 4 HEAs.

You can change your status to breastfeeding on the website then it updates the app.

Thanks everyone for the advice, sorry I've been a bit slow to respond it's been a busy week! First weight in down though and 4 pounds gone 😀

4 healthy extra As if breastfeeding?! Goodness I'm not sure I can eat that much cheese I'm struggling to remember to eat two portions let alone 4🤣

@LeftTheWashingOut

Thanks everyone for the advice, sorry I've been a bit slow to respond it's been a busy week! First weight in down though and 4 pounds gone 😀

4 healthy extra As if breastfeeding?! Goodness I'm not sure I can eat that much cheese I'm struggling to remember to eat two portions let alone 4🤣

Well done on the weight loss - can I have your extra cheese please?

Does the coconut milk drink help with curries, then? I've been using reduced fat coconut milk in a tin.

I'm also breastfeeding my toddler @LeftTheWashingOut and getc4 hex a. I tend to use one for cereal one for a latte and then cheese. I don't have 4cevery day though

@picklemewalnuts here's a Pinch of Nom Thai curry using Alpro instead of the tins....
pinchofnom.com/recipes/thai-green-curry/

Thank you Wilma! I'll try that!

I was told 3 health extra ‘a’s. I’m going to check thebooklet carefully later.

@Fallagain it's 2 usually, but men and women who are pregnant/breastfeeding get extras...

Im bf a toddler too and doing sw. I thought I should be having 3 a options and one b. Is that not correct?

@LeftTheWashingOut @Plantsandpuddlesuits

Please can I ask you your advice about how many HE to have. I’m bf my 2 year old, on a average 3 feeds a night but sometimes more so I read the leaflet as one extra A so 3A and 1B. Obviously if I could have more and loose weight I would prefer that. I’m consultants seems a bit clueless when it comes to bf.

It depends if you are losing weight, @Fallagain. If you are losing at a rate you are happy with, stick with it. If your weight loss has slowed down too much, then cut one back.

To be honest, while I love my healthy extra As, I sometimes cut them out in favour of other calcium sources with fewer calories. Fat free yogurt and cottage cheese, for example. You can check the calcium content online and make sure you get enough.

I've lost almost 6 stone this year, and think SlimmingWorld is great. I did a nutrition check on a three day food plan, because of a condition I have, and the dietician was impressed with what I have. Pretty much everything was covered.