What worked for you?

[Sam9769]

Hi All,

I have 2.5 stone to shift and was wondering what slimming tips worked for you?

Thank you,

Are you doing Slimming World?

Generally think/ weigh/measure before you eat or drink. Eat till satisfied but not stuffed. Enjoy what you eat. Cook from scratch.

Any specific issues?

Hi Wilma,

Thank you for your post.
No specific issues.
I was just wondering what people found worked for them.
Thank you for your very sensible advice:)

Sam.

Oh and yes, I am doing slimming world!

Come and join us.....
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/slimming_world/5241436-sashaying-into-a-svelte-2025-with-slimming-world?page=17

I would advise you ignore what SW say about pasta/rice/potatoes being ‘free foods’. I really limit them and have extra veg instead.

Also, those Hi-Fi bars are a waste of money. They charge through the nose for tiny bars and we pay the premium for feeling like we’re having a treat, without the guilt. In a similar vein, their own ready meals can be identical in terms of calories/carb content/fat/protein to a supermarket ready meal, yet the SW ones are free, and the others are Syns. It’s nonsense.

For me:

record everything you eat, when you eat it, in a calorie tracking app

don’t buy food you should not be eating - if you can outlast the hunger pangs and cravings for about 3 weeks they will mostly stop!

set yourself some hard rules (maybe not all at once!): eg you could try:

• no food between 8.30pm and 8am (it’s terrible to eat after 9pm)
• no alcohol except on Saturdays
• no dairy for two weeks
• no white carbs
• lunch is never more than 500 calories

Absolutely agree about the ready meals. I compared the Iceland chicken fried rice with the SW one and it had fewer calories and less fat. Yet the SW one was free and the Iceland version was around 4 syns.

Count your calories and don’t get drawn into the weird shit like using beans and pickled onions to make tomato soup that is like Heinz.

Or the stupid banana thing. Whole ( mashed by teeth ) its free, mashed by fork.... its syns. Absolutely stupid.

Go to group - I know not everyone likes it but unless I’m accountable, I don’t loose.

Plan, plan, plan and write down everything you eat!

I’m 5 weeks in and just got my stone award. My willpower to say no is definitely getting stronger.

ps. Yes some of the odd recipes are hilarious!

Absolutely agree that some of the cheats are weird and best avoided but for me, the best thing is focusing on the1/3 speed with every meal and look at your plate size.
I used to make a huge bowl of spag bol and then either squeeze a couple of lettuce leaves on the side or have a big salad in a separate bowl - in theory fine to eat freely but in reality far too much food and not helping with long-term portion control. I now use a slightly smaller dinner plate, add generous portion of salad to the plate and then my pasta - it still looks like a big plate of food & is more than enough but is definitely less than I was eating.

Stick to the rules and track everything (I use the app). Ignore the cynics. It works if you stick to it and do it properly, including the third of a plate speed foods. I have lost 4 stone in 8.5 months on slimming world. I love the hi-fi bars and have 1 or 2 a day.

As it’s 1st January, thought this thread worth reactivating. I reached my target Christmas Eve.

Agree: focus on plate proportions - 1/3 or 1/2 speed, 1/3 free, 1/3 protein. With this in mind, the misnomer of ‘unlimited’ carbs is clarified.

Cook from scratch - I have spotted my triggers and sabotages as a consequence of keeping a diary. I had three days of eating UPF, the Christmas days. Day four I had a surge of cravings for refined sugar, and it was quick translate on the scale, and my mindset. I’m staying well away from UPF from now on.

The smorgasbord board is my go to when night snacking is an issue. Lots of colour with the needed protein, and quick to put together. As is fruit salad and Greek yoghurt (for the protein).

If you’re thinking about SW, the group is so important as a motivator. Find the right one and it makes the challenges of changing mindset and habits a more pleasant experience. I couldn’t have kept persisting without the weekly sharing. I also sat with the target members. That was very focussing.

Happy new year!

Well done!
I hit my target a week before Christmas with a 3 stone weight loss in just under 5 months.
I attended slimming world every week as it kept me focused and motivated.
I cut out all ultra processed food and was very rigorous about this.
This enabled me to lose on average 2lbs per week.

Over Christmas, I stayed away from UPF and had salmon, vegetables, fruit and 0% fat greek yoghurt.
I still however had in "a few glasses" of prosecco and I'll be having a few tonight too! The trick now will be to maintain the weight loss!

My SW consultant was clear that if you wanted to lose weight, you needed to cut down on the amount of pasta, rice and potatoes that you ate, and said to have a small amount and fill the plate and yourself with salad or green veg, or have some more eg lean meat.