SW or WW?

[harrassedmumto3]

Hi all. I lost 4 stone last year on a VLCD (very low calorie diet) and felt absolutely fantastic. However, due to my fucked up 'all or nothing' relationship with food, I have put most of it back on.
So I'm back to feeling low in energy, pissed off with myself about the weight gain, general life avoidance (eg disappearing from the dating scene), and feeling low in confidence.
I don't want to give up with this or feel like life is passing me by. I want to make positive changes. But the thought of starting the VLCD again I just don't know that I can, or get back that former motivation.
Something that's a bit more sustainable would make sense. And not feeling hungry all the time will be a bonus! SW and WW are the obvious choices but it has been YEARS since I've done either. SW had a lot of unlimited food, whereas WW was a bit more controlled and possibly complicated ... if memory serves me correctly. I don't remember ever doing particularly well with SW, as I'm not sure the whole unlimited food thing suits me particularly well. I mean, I LOVE my grub, but do tend to go overboard. That said, anything I do now will feel like a veritable picnic - literally! - compared to the VLCD.
Any tips? I'd also be interested in any special deals doing the rounds. And do people still rock up to meetings? I definitely do better when there's a bit of accountability involved.
Thanks

Anyone?

I'm in a similar boat to you. Losing and gaining cycle. Thinking of joining SW to go to the weigh in groups for accountability. I was open to both SW and WW but the weigh in meetings won me over to the SW camp. Hopefully someone else will comment with some advice as I'd love to hear some positive experiences with either.

If you haven’t been to either for a long time you’ll find the plans have changed a lot!

SW still has the unlimited free food- but 1/3 to 1/2 of each plate of food should be low cal veg or fruit (what they call Speed food).
The obsession with mullerlites are over, and there’s much more emphasis on understanding the triggers that lead to overeating, and developing a healthy long term way of eating.
I think WW is probably very similar.

I think if you decide to go to a group the key will be a leader that you click with and a group where you find you have a common outlook.

Good luck whichever you choose.

So I'm back to feeling low in energy, pissed off with myself about the weight gain, general life avoidance (eg disappearing from the dating scene), and feeling low in confidence.

You shouldn’t be pissed off, it’s statistically what happens to most people post-diet.
Id look in to fasting / blood sugar.

Truthfully, neither. Tried both and they left me with seriously disordered eating and more issues with food. I decided to speak to an actual dietician and therapist around my issues with food, and started meal planning, working with a weekly calorie goal and I've found an excellent, sustainable balance and slow and steady weight loss.

I've tried and failed, gained and lost numerous times. This is far easier and kinder on both mind and body.

Thanks all. God, this is taking me back. I used to spend a freaking fortune on Mullerlites!

Sorry for the silly question, but are the dietician and therapist two separate people? I could certainly do with something like that, but am trying to be mindful of cost.

I'm doing well with SW and it's really sorted out my disordered eating,even managed to stay on plan over Christmas which is unheard off usually. I've lost over a stone in 5 weeks and I'm finding it easy so far as there's so much good food to eat. I'm doing it on line rather than groups.

Yes they were separate, but it is possible to find a dietician who can help with the therapy side of things too. I think I spent about £500 all in.

I am still very over weight with a long way to go, and I do have my off days, but my mindset is much better. I really struggled to so any socialising or meals with friends and family especially when on SW. Now I just work it into my weekly goal. Finding an exercise you enjoy really helps too!

P.s I am very like yourself, all or nothing, hungry all the time...I would literally look up menus for places to eat at as a hobby!

I had hypnosis and lost about 2lbs a week over 4 months without any serious effort.

Neither. Intermittent fasting. Costs nothing, doesn't involve weighing and measuring and planning everything.
I did WW years ago and it worked in the sense that I lost a lot of weight, but it made me obsessed with food and took over my life until eventually I just gave it up and regained the weight.
I tried 5:2 after I had my last baby and it was so much easier only having to plan 2 low calorie meals a week and then being free from the counting and restrictions the rest of the time. It worked and felt sustainable. I have kept the majority of the weight off for nearly 5 years.

As previous poster has mentioned I have struggled with weight over the years, WW, Atkinson, Slimfast you name it. After my DD I read the Fast 800 and Intermittent Fasting has transformed my weight and my life.
It's about reducing overall calories but getting into ketosis so it's a much more efficient way to lose and control your weight. But it's also about the types of food we eat and is quite an eye opener to some of the untruths and myths that are still ingrained to this day.
Would definitely recommend and the NHS is also starting to do pilot groups around this.

From experience, neither.

Read up on intermittent fasting, Keto and/or low carb & see what you think. I'm rarely hungry, I've just ditched sugar/carbs etc & am at my lowest weight since having children. (3lbs gain over Xmas which I'm happy with but back on it now).

So if you can cope without biscuits, choc, pasta, etc, it can really work. Good luck x

I've tried fasting in the past. So I'd stick to 500 or 800 calories (can't remember which) one day, and go nuts the next.

That sounds as though you were eating all the time. You could start fasting for 12 hours a day and take it from there. I don't bother with the 500/800 calorie days.

Hmm, interesting, thank you.
Would you happen to know of any links so that I can find out more?

I like this one because as well as all of the background, at one point he describes a really gentle way of working forwards. I also like the way he refers to success with his own patients.

drchatterjee.com/why-this-cardiologist-recommends-fasting-with-dr-pradip-jamnadas/