Sashaying into a svelte 2025 with Slimming World

[Wilma55]

New thread for 2025, wishing you all a happy, healthy new year.

Happy birthday for 24th @suki1964 ! It's so true you can change what you eat and really enjoy it and the occasion. And not feeling stuffed is a bonus!

WI this morning and a pound off taking me to top of target range 2 weeks before holiday. Need to stick at it for those 2 weeks so I'm not too far over after my hols, will also switch to my winter weigh in gear then too.

I’m having a bit of a disaster. After the weighing scales fiasco at group I put on 4lbs (partly due to the in accurate scales) which knocked me back psychologically as it meant I hadn’t lost the stone after all😢. I then went on a bender due to various trips out and a birthday celebration so it’s likely I’ve now put on 6lbs. Feeling more than a bit disheartened but will go to weigh in tomorrow and try to get back on track. Unfortunately I have a wedding, a birthday and our main holiday in Sept.

That really is no joke @snowsjoke. Werexajy others in a similar position? What has the consultant said about the scales cockup?
It must be very disheartening. I suppose there are always events coming up which we have to navigate. Can you come up with a strategy? Save syns for example.

Let us know how you get on tomorrow, maybe you can ask the group for some help?

@snowsjoke

A journey is never a straight line, we bend, we weave, we wander off track - we are human , we have lives and we revert to habit

It happens

Its pure shite when the scales dont work for you - OMG I rage in group I really do, but I keep my eye on the goal and whilst I do sometimes feel a fuck it and act on it, mostly I say fuck it - Im blasting it out of the water next week ( never happens but I kick my own arse )

What I have to keep sight off, is not the lb gain or the 1/2lb loss, I have to look back at where I was before I decided enough was enough And that is difficult, it really is, I often feel a failure if Ive gained - but that's my own internal shite not dealt with. I mean what should I be doing? Celebrating the 2 stone plus Ive lost, or cry over a 1lb gain?

So much easier to beat myself up for the 1lb gain then celebrate Im 2 stone lighter then I was 2 years ago

Because us women, we like to have a big stick to beat ourselves up , because that how we live our lives - seeking perfection

Try to say sod this blip. try to accept its part of a long road , You are still going down - which is why you started. . Its not a race , its disappointing , but its not a fuck it

Have your moment, and start again with your next meal - you have this xxx

Thanks Suki and Wilma, I know I have to face the music tomorrow otherwise I’ll end up throwing in the towel. I just find it all quite hard but I’m determined to carry on.

You’ve got this @snowsjoke - I was doing so well pre summer (0.5lb off 2 stone) and then 6lb on over last 3 weeks… this week been back on it! Always good to go and face it even when it’s not been what you wanted!

It's not easy, it really isnt. There's always something or other getting in our road - a birthday, a holiday, a hot day - but then this is why its an eating plan for life - go and enjoy whatever it is - and make the next meal count

Im not having the best of weeks, Im relying on carbs rather then speed - on plan but carb heavy because we had a bit a a carp weekend, Mum had a fall, my birthday treat canceled, meals messed about, so have had pasta and rice already this week, which for me means a sts or gain. However on the plus side I was heading to the take away on Monday for a Chinese, stopped at the petrol station to get diesel, they had mince reduced so I got that and made a quick shepherds pie - saved a zillion syns

Find the wins where I can :)

One thing I have learned is not to deprive myself. If I had really had wanted the Chinese, it would have been bought and eaten and not worried about ( only I know its going to give me gut ache and a thirst ) I am no longer hard on myself when I go off plan , Im not a saint, I like high fat high sugar food as much as the next person and I revert to them as quick as anyone. But every meal I plan ahead for is on plan and I manage that for the most part

Hey all,
I am starting slimming world tomorrow. Previously lost lots of weight and remained with weight watchers. I'm working a 12 hour day so got my lunch and tea sorted either free foods or low syns. Wish me luck, I'm sure I will need advice from you all on what to eat 🙏🏼💖 xx

How are things now @suki1964 ? How's your mum? Sorry you had to miss your birthday meal, that really is carp (as you would say!) Well done on resisting the Chinese. Did you WI on Saturday?

Welcome @WellBing let us know how you get on.

I'm just back from weigh in. Maintained at top of target bubble. That will be last WI before my holiday. Bit disappointed as had had a loss on my scales. On the other hand it a gain which would have meant grace week/booking holiday etc.

Welcome aboard @WellBing Are you going to groups or going it alone online?
I find the group setting works best for me , a bit of me time, a good group of women who "get it" and are so supportive of each other

When are you off @Wilma55 ? At least you are still at target - that's a win :)

I weighed in and it was a STS which surprised me, I thought I was going to get a gain - might not be so lucky this week, I ve started off on the wrong foot this week - packet of cookies inhaled without even noticing them gone lol

This is why I cant have these things in the house , if they arent here I dont miss them. Mum buys them and leaves them on the sideboard which is just inside the kitchen door - right under my nose. I have to get DH to hide them straight away else I know Im going to scoff them - and I do

Ive 4 more weigh ins I think before my holiday Hoping to be at the lower end of target by then, cos I have a really nice dress Im taking and I want to look and feel fantastic in it.

Hi, neither tbh. I'm doing it myself. Done lots of research into it. I previously lost 8 stone on ww so I know how to eat healthy, just had to try and fix my emotional connection to food. I had some hypnosis which has helped me a lot especially with my chocolate addiction! X

Quick question as I'm following slimming world myself through lots of online research..
Is it 2 HEAs for everyone now? I started yesterday with 1 but watching you tube vids people say about a second. It seems to say so on the slimming world website.
Thanks in advance x

Depends on height/weight, but the general rule is two HEA and One HEB - and you can split them

So HEB is two full slices of Tesco Nevilles WM bread ( example ) , it's also 45grm of bio and me granola - both of which I like . So for me a typical day would be using one slice of bread as the base for an open sandwich for lunch, and using 20gr of the granola to add a bit of crunch to fruit and yoghurt - be that breakfast or dessert or late night snack

Most WM bread is 1 large slice as a HEB but Tescos Nevilles is 2 slices

Its also 1 warbutons protein pitta, thins or bagel ( I love the pittas and the thins ) or two tiny slices of say the wholemeal Nimble - not all breads are equal.

A good idea , if you dont want to be paying a subscription , and you have a few hours spare, is to join online for a week - to get the app , so you can scan the weekly buys for syn values. Because not every brand of foods have the same syn value

I shop mostly in Lidl. Cottage cheese for example - they carry three. One is 4.5 syns, one is 1 syn per pot, another is Free. Its too easy to be adding hidden syns when you are thinking you are eating syn free

Fancy a sausage? Think turkey or pork sausages are syn free? Some out there are 4 syns each - yet one brand is just half a syn . Some turkey burgers are syn free, others two . Think you cant use a jar of tomato sauce - there's some out there that are just 1 syn for the whole jar , others that are your complete syn allowance

I know most of lidl and tesco brands syns but if Im shopping in Marks or Sainsbury's ( rare as a different town ) I need to scan - and. that's me on plan for near on 3 years - still getting caught out

@suki1964thank you so much, that's all really helpful for me. I've been reading lots of online tips and watching you tube vids of other members. I spent a year losing lots of weight on ww which I sadly resigned. Trying to ease myself back in right now. I am tracking all of my HEA and B and syns but nothing else. So far I am enjoying eating lots of the free food without having to weigh measure of write anything down. Trying to cook from scratch as much as possible. Well done on your commitment, it's not easy over a long period easy for old habits to creep back in x

Good tips Suki and I must remember to scan more often. I think it embeds the syns in your mind.

I had a surprise at weigh in yesterday - 4lbs off. Not sure how that happened as I had a party, a wedding, Areca cake and had a big cream salmon bagel. It’s put me back on track though thank goodness as I felt like giving up. Just hoping i don’t pay for it next week! Really want that 10% now.

SW - 14st 4
CW -13st 3

@snowsjokewell done that's great! You are clearly having a good balance overall.
I am loving this plan so far. 3 days in now and I've only had about a day's worth of syns as I just haven't needed them. I can't believe how much energy I have! Really enjoying home cooking. Ever marinaded some chicken to make kebabs for tomorrow night instead of the usual takeaway!
Xxxx💖🙌🏻

Well done @snowjoke that's a great loss! Good luck getting the 10%. Sounds like sw is suiting you @wellbing. Not sure about syns, they recommend having a minimum of 5 a day. Consultant stressed this week that they should not be carried over or used as a weekly total but I know a lot of people do.

Eta she also suggested re scanning familiar items as recipes and syns change.

@Wilma55thank you for your advice. I may not be following the current plan to the letter, but I don't want to eat syns just for the sake of it. The day I had none, I had overnight oats for breakfast, a fruit salad, jacket potato with cheese and mixed beans and a chicken stir fry with tons of veg in, plus a banana so I'm confident I ate well and I used the HEA and B.
I have a lot of weight to lose, so I'm confident that this massive overhaul of eating lots of free food, plus Healthy extras and syns as and when I need them, like tonight I am using some for a fakeaway and maybe a few drinks, will help kickstart my weight loss xx

Just checking in.
Last week I lost half a pound and then maintained this week. [Only half a pound to go to get my stone award]. I’ve not been on it tbh. Got a tattoo so cant go swimming until it’s healed (normally go 2-3 times a week) which has lowered my motivation to stick to plan. Next couple of weeks I have partners birthday, meals out and a holiday so been looking at non-scale victories. I’ve had a few items of clothing in my wardrobe that are a size smaller and tried those on (most of these fit me now - could do with a few more pounds off to have the clothes sit well on my body).
@WellBing hello, welcome and good luck with the plan. How are you finding it? I also don’t tend to use my syns for the sake of using them. They are there if I want them but would rather use them to improve my meals instead of having snacks - which is my downfall.
Well done @snowsjoke thats an amazing loss.
Scanning constantly is good practice @suki1964 i recently got caught out with buying a different feta cheese. Was using it for my heA but then decided to scan it one day and realised that it was actually a synned one. Lesson learnt.

Scanning regularly on the items you chuck into the trolly every week is paramount

I shop lidl. They have their normal fat free cottage cheese - around 90p - 1 syn. Their high protein at around £1.30 is free - yet the protein difference is negligible.

Now they have another brand - 58p per pot - dairy or something - that's 1/2 syn and now they have another on the the Alpen range - 4 syns

So easy to be adding syns not knowing that you are. And also something that may be a HEAB one week, the recipe can change - and it becomes a syn food ( and that's happening a lot whilst food manufacturers are trying to sell at the same price point

Anyways Im within target still, still battling to get that wee bit below but 1/2lb isnt killing me

Weather has changed so much. Last week was wet but oh so bloody warm, this week - FREEZING and wet. So for the first time this year the Autumn clothes came out. Tights instead of jeans, a skirt and thin knit short sleeved jumper. Some of the items were decades old yet I felt like a million dollars , just having the choice of "what can I wear" rather then what the hell fits

I love it, I can finally go to the wardrobe and spend 30 minutes putting an outfit together and knowing I look good, nothing bulging, no buttons fighting a losing battle

Ive still my middle age spread, won't ever say goodbye to that ( cos Im lazy and dont want to hit the gym ) but that's ok - Im in my 60's, not my teens

Texture! This is a problem for me. I don't like yoghurt, can just about force down a decent full fat one with fruit.
Cottage cheese, another no no.
What can be crunchy and tasty please? Might give the wraps and thins a go.

Joined SW earlier this week and been reading here for tips, inspiration and motivation so thought I should say hello 👋
I lost weight on SW but made the fatal mistake of not keeping up group when I had a bad run and then got injured running (not that running kept me slim but I'm 100% more focused on my diet when I exercise) and have slowly put it all back on know. So, I know the plan well and what works for me, meals etc just needed to get my head back in the game. An a 'oh shit I can't do up my trousers' moment at the weekend has got me there and feeling motivated to get this weight shifted. I also accept that once at target, I need to go to group and frankly if 1 hour once a week is all it takes to stay slim then I can take that.

I'm trying to get back into some of my old habits - fruit snacking before I start mindless/boredom bad snacking, and batch cooking stuff like chilli or spag bol at the weekend and portion up for the week. And then I always make a big soup either to have for lunch or just a small bowl for in between meals if I'm tempted to snack beyond fruit.

SW 12st 5
IT (ideally by Christmas) 11stone
TW aka the dream: 9st 10

Welcome on board @lechatnoir. You clearly know what to do as you've done it before. It's so easy to let had habits creep back in and I know from experience that the group WI helps keep you on track.

I really love Soup season as it makes a tasty and filling lunch or starter.

Good luck with your Christmas target.

My yoghurt is that thick you could stand I spoon up it it and I WAS squeamish about cottage cheese having memories of it from the 70's, but again. its completely different - very mild and creamy

What I do is add some crunch to both , the berries and yoghurt I add a spoonful of Bio&Me and a chopped up crunchy fruit like a pear. The cottage cheese is mixed with crunchy salad veg

I cant do cold hard boiled eggs , which are a great go to for so many people

I make my own tortilla chips. I split a thin wholemeal pita bread - not the fluffy warbutons , more the Tesco bog standard - then snip it into pieces - rough triangle - and air fry . It's a healthy extra B so free. I make a dip and dig in - cowboy caviar is lovely

Welcome aboard @lechatnoir , Im so glad you have made the decision to stay to group , as you say, 1hr a week - that's nothing if it keeps you slim. This is the second time Ive had to get help with weight loss - last time was the 90's with WW, and I kept it off for many many years, but come Covid, the lock downs, the wine consumption increased, I started not caring , and the weight piled on. Last summer I made the mistake of not going for a few weeks, birthday celebrations and family visiting, and 5lb on and I kept convincing myself I would soon get it off before I went back - and it didnt happen. Going each week keeps me focussed . And I enjoy the group, enjoy the craic , we have a lot of fun and laughter

Thanks @suki1964 for your tips. I have been messing about all week and consumed a million wine syns last night. Back at it today.