Lose weight with Slimming World, swap your syns for swips in '26!

[Wilma55]

New thread for 2026 for regulars, returners and new starters.

Let's see how the changes to SW go.

Good luck everyone!

I seem to go in cycles, really determined then don't give a &*!

Had a very stressful time after losing FIL and felt sick and anxious all the time and didn't enjoy food. Now I've started eating as normal plus back to chocolate and wine nearly every night.
Missed weigh in this week as I've probably gone over top of allowed range.
Started tracking but only half heartedly and really need to get a grip.

@mash88 going back to basics is good, read the book, listen to some of the podcasts (the ones with guests are usually better), plan, try new recipes. We are having garlic mushroom tagliatelle tonight which haven't had before.

So easy to put on, so hard to lose!

I’ve been hovering around getting my three stone badge for weeks now. Half a pound here, stay the same, then another odd half a pound. I thought I’d done it this week, but no, still half a pound away……😬

I used to try some of the recipes on the app but quite frankly some of them were just bloody awful. One I tried just turned out as watery tasteless slop and I’m wondering if that’s the aim, so you don’t eat it 🤣🤣

The community pages are full of photos of folks meals that they’ve made. Some look lovely and others not so. Try as I might I can’t get excited about someone else’s yogurt for breakfast!

SW does work, but like any diet it’s a long slog and not a quick fix.

SW 15st 2
CW 12st 2
TW 12st

I seem to go in cycles, really determined then don't give a &*!

Sorry double post!

@Mash88 , looking back at my books, I take a gain every year in January and feburary , but back to target by easter and yes I do get worn out with it all at times, but as I age, I know I have to help my body as much as possible so I stick with it

Mum Passed Sunday , funeral yesterday . Ive eaten a shed load of chocolate and biscuits and haven't stepped on a scale for a week or two , and that's ok. I need as much comfort as I can get and if that's chocolate, that will do rightly right now

Tomorrow. is weigh in day, Im going, go face the scales and start working on keeping on target again

Weighed in last week and lost a pound so finally got over that 0.5 I’ve been fluctuating around. It’s been hard this week with my partner working away. But 80% good so hopefully the scales will be good to me.

@suki1964 Im sorry to hear that and hope you are doing okay. I lost my Mum last year (it was her birthday this week & with Mother’s Day round the corner it’s not a great week) but we do what we can. It was because of her that I started this journey - for health reasons and the weight loss was an added benefit.

How has everyone else been doing?
It’s the 2 together award tomorrow for our group and I’m excited. I’ve never committed to a group this long or even stayed to group sessions.

@Mash88a pound lost is better than a pound gained. Well done.

This week I managed to achieve my 3 stone award. I’ve been messing about at it for ages. Half a pound here and there, then stayed the same, this week I finally got there. I’ve still got another stone and a half to lose, but my BMI has dropped from 39 (obese) to 28 (overweight).

I try and stick to SW ethos but try as I might I cannot like wholemeal bread as a HEX. I’ve lost the whole 3 stone eating white sourdough. Neither do I measure my milk, I drink skimmed anyway but don’t think I’ve ever gone over 350ml. I’m cheating aren’t I? 🤣

Bloody brillant @GenerousGardener , I bet you are so proud?

Look, Im the same as you, I take what suits from the programme and leave the rest behind. However the one thing I dont skip is, using the life membership, I go every week

I know if I didnt go, even though I haven't paid for a year or more , Id put the weight back on again. Going , even though Im more off plan then on, means I keep things under control. - cos I dont want to be paying to hear what I already know :) I go weekly for the support and the reminder as to why I decided to get my lardy arse through the door in the first place

If white sourdough suits you better , then eat it. I find the warburtons thins work for me , sourdough and the loaf is being inhaled, the thins are palatable, do the job, but mean one is enough :)

Ive also never measured milk, but then I only take one coffee a day so the tiny amount I froth - not worth dirtying a jug for.

I have also never syned a cooking ingredient If Im making cauliflower cheese, it's getting made and eaten. The one tablespoon of butter and flour - spread over 4 to 6 potions - life is too short

How I work it for me, is knowing those things are syns/swips , knowing Im using them, I take it very easy on everything else. So Saturdays I am completely off plan at lunch time, and then dinner time - back on plan - or have a sensible brunch and go murder a Chinese . Friday night, Cheltenham Gold Cup, in the pub, and they set down plates of salt and chilli chips and chicken - I tucked in, loved it, and then went without dinner, and just had a yoghurt ( the swips on the drinks were accounted for - kind off :)

You do you , however you are doing it , its working xxx

@suki1964 Thanks for the reassurance, you sound like you’ve ’got It’ and know exactly what works for you. Sadly there are no classes near me so I’m never ever going to be getting to maintain for free. I renewed my membership earlier this month and was surprised how much it had actually gone down. £45 for three months. I’ll take that!

I do still eat what I want if it’s off plan. I’ve a Toby Carvery booked this week and I fully plan on roasties, cauliflower cheese, meat, and ladle's of gravy. I’m not missing out!

I tried lots of the recipes online. Some were nice others were just watery gloop. I don’t bother looking at them any more as (like you say) you know what works for you.

Im hoping that by the time I hit target a group opens near me. Then I definatly will go every week for free. Thanks for all the encouragement. X

Missed 2 weigh ins but went today, 2lb on so out of target bubble. Feeling a bit more in control today.
We had the 2 together (?) awards today.

@GenerousGardener well done, you must feel amazing with that 3 stone award.

I hear you with the recipes. Some of the Slimming World ones are watery or bland. So I tend to adapt meals that we already enjoy. And I’m really not a fan of the ready meals either.

I do believe it’s all about what works for you, I have found that incorporating exercise helps me make the better choices, wanting to actually eat fruit and salads etc.

I’ve had 2 weeks off as it’s a hard time of the year for me. Been following SW ish these two weeks but back to weigh in on Saturday and will draw the line. I bought an extension countdown which takes me to mid June. So will follow the plan until then and then see where I am. I’m always in two minds about using this as a kick start to a healthier lifestyle and diet but I don’t want to be Slimming World for life. Learning habits like 1/3 of the plate with salad or veggies, smaller portions (in my case - I can eat a lot less than I think I need to and be satisfied), incorporating exercise etc and then continuing with that on my own.

Will try to start posting more on here. Meals for today.
• Coffee to start (half HE for milk and 1 swip for sugar)
• Breakfast is Weetabix minis, splash of milk & Strawberries (HE for Weetabix & had HE for milk)
• Lunch is Tuna pasta with lettuce, cucumber, red onion, peppers & gherkin (2 swips for mayo)
• Snacks are carrots & apple
• Dinner is Chicken mince tagine, with chickpeas, broccoli & giant couscous.

They were raving about the new SW crumbles at group. £4 for 2. They are a fibre choice/ 6 swips. The problem I have with them is 45 mins in the oven for 1 small pudding when I hardly ever put the oven on these days.
Too early for anyone to have tried them in the Airfryer.

@Mash88 you have to do whatever works for you. I’ve actually given up looking at the SW recipes as I only ever found one I really liked, it wasn’t watery or bland either. I’ve found JD spices to be excellent though. I bought a standard pack. Worked my way through them and now know which ones are the best.

Like you I don’t want to be on SW forever but I need to trust myself not go gorge myself on all the things that I’ve given up. Chocolate and crisps are two examples!

There seems to be a lot of talk about the new crumbles that are on sale in Iceland. I won’t be bothering with those. They look tiny and one person on Facebook said they were packed with additives. I did try the Alpro vanilla everyone is raving about. Yuck! The dogs happy though as the rest of it is coming her way.

Lost 2lb on weigh in. Down to 11st 13lbs from 15st 2lb.

Keep going folks.

I weighed in yesterday 1.5 off so feeling a bit more in control. Saying that was out for lunch and had tuna melt toasties which I dread to think how many swips! And it came with crisps (and salad).
We enjoyed the
Creamy Garlic Mushroom Tagliatelle from the app, made a change for our non meat meal of the week. I think the recipes are variable and I generally use them as a basis or just use less oil in my normal recipes.

How are you doing @Suki1964?

Weighed in yesterday after 3 weeks off. Gained 3.5lbs. I’m happy about that in a sense that it’s not more but still it’s a gain.
Back on it today, been meal planning for the week ahead. Going back to basics like I’m a newbie. I have a city break in 5 weeks so I’m hoping to lose 5 lbs to take me into the next weight bracket.

How is everyone coping or planing to cope with Easter weekend / school holidays?

@Mash88 that's not a bad gain, good luck with getting it off before your city break.
I'm not mad on Easter eggs but there will be some in the house so no doubt will have some.
Had a lot of Terry's chocolate orange last night and red wine too after disappointing weigh in, stayed the same.
Back to basics today!

Terry’s chocolate orange and red wine, even after a disappointing weigh in??

Yes, I had a day off.

Ah, I see.
A flexible swips day can be a good thing sometimes.
Hope you’re now back on track for a loss at next weigh in.

So the week didn’t go as planned, but that’s on me. Managed to lose 0.5lb yesterday and had a couple of naughty treats yesterday post weigh in as I always do. But feeling on it for this week. All planned and prepped. Swimming again which is a help and the sun has motivated me to have more salads.

Non Scale Victory - I bought some chinos in a size down.

Well done on the NSV @mash88 .

Didn't buy any easter eggs apart from for grandchildren but oh has bought me one. I wish I could weigh it into portions for a daily treat but once its opened I can't see that happening.

A consultant at a previous SW group which I attended used to have an Easter Egg amnesty, whereby she collected our unwanted eggs and took them to a local children’s home.
Ideally, our loved ones would realise that chocolate is not the thing to buy for someone trying to control their weight!
Far better to show a little solidarity and consideration and buy flowers or somesuch instead.

Yes @fishfingerbutty I agree. Just had roast lamb etc. Settled down to watch football and a Galaxy easter egg has appeared! Luckily I don't fancy it.

Ooh a lovely roast dinner!

Weighed in yesterday: 1.5 pounds down which puts me back in my target range! Been trying to get back in it for a year. I rejoined SW in February and have pretty much lost half a pound a week (although more this last week, don’t quite know how as we had two roast dinners). Anyway, I’m thrilled! Determined to get to the low end of my target range now.