Thread: Starting Slimming World in Spain!

Hello everyone, I'm new here and just wanted to introduce myself. I will be starting slimming world next wednesday (currently on a post christmas 2 week detox!). I live in Spain and have done slimming world a long time ago in UK and was very successful but 5 years of the Spanish lifestyle hasn't been good for my weight, so I gained everything back. I'm going to join slimming world online later, I was just wondering whether anyone in Spain has done that and if you took the gold package. Do you need the 2 books, which is the only difference between the gold and the silver? Also, any idea how long they take to arrive?

Really looking forward to getting started, as my husband for the first time ever is dieting with me and it makes things so much easier!

Hi, i'm unsure about the books as i'm going it alone, i've a lot of friends back home that are doing slimming world and you can access the site for free so i'm going to try and go solo. i'm also in Spain so thought i'd say hi! as it would be good to have someone else who's trying to resist the Spanish food too!.

How're you finding it?!

F

hello, I got the books in the end but you don't really need them as everything is on the website. I'm finding it ok, but my weight loss is really slow, although I am definitely smaller than I was as I can tell by my clothes. Its just not showing on the scales. I'm not sure I will renew the SW subscription though, it was quite expensive for three months and now I know the plan, I hardly ever log on there.

I've made quite a lot of the meals from the website and also I bought an SW cooking book which has some lovely recipes. I also paid a visit to an "Iceland" store last week and got some Muller light yogs, unfortunately though they didn't have many flavours, and there was so much tempting naughty food there I don't think I'll go back! I'm not sure about eating out yet either! I'm too scared to attempt it! hahaha

How are you getting on? have you been able to find most of the free foods?

i only started this week, i live with a spanish family and we dont eat too badly lots of pulses and meat, its just the bread and the snacking thats making me gain!, i'm in Madrid and didnt even know there was an Iceland in spain! ahah, this week ive snacked mostly on fruit.

Hiya Ladies - Welcome to Minis and SW

The Spain groups used to be quite active but have gone very quiet over the last 12 months. Actually Minis is quieter than it was 12 months ago.
I have the books (stole them from my mum) and had an online subscription for a while but stopped paying for it as I wasn't really using it any more.

My weight loss was slow too but I got there in the end so you can do it here on your own.
I'm even managaing to maintain now which is an even bigger shock.

Stay away from Iceland and Muller Lights! They are the devil - and expensive to boot. Lots of people say they have problems with Mullers.
Just buy Mercadona own label 0% Bifidus yoghurts. Half the price and imho better.
There is also a pack called La Pastelerias - they are 0% and about 1/2 syn and make a nice change.

You may have to adapt "free" foods slightly here as many of the products that are recommended aren't easy to find. BUt a bit of common sense goes a long way and the plan is much better now than it was in 2007 when I first started.

Good luck chicas

Originally Posted by Pommette

Hiya Ladies - Welcome to Minis and SW

The Spain groups used to be quite active but have gone very quiet over the last 12 months. Actually Minis is quieter than it was 12 months ago.
I have the books (stole them from my mum) and had an online subscription for a while but stopped paying for it as I wasn't really using it any more.

My weight loss was slow too but I got there in the end so you can do it here on your own.
I'm even managaing to maintain now which is an even bigger shock.

Stay away from Iceland and Muller Lights! They are the devil - and expensive to boot. Lots of people say they have problems with Mullers.
Just buy Mercadona own label 0% Bifidus yoghurts. Half the price and imho better.
There is also a pack called La Pastelerias - they are 0% and about 1/2 syn and make a nice change.

You may have to adapt "free" foods slightly here as many of the products that are recommended aren't easy to find. BUt a bit of common sense goes a long way and the plan is much better now than it was in 2007 when I first started.

Good luck chicas

Hi there! Thanks for the advice... I only went to Iceland the once as it's quite a trek from here just for a bit of shopping. They didn't have many Muller light flavours either and they had far too much british chocolate in there than was safe for me to be around! haha

I'm finding it easy really, as long as I plan properly in advance.. I make a lot of curries from the books and a few other meals. We eat loads of salads anyway, only difference is laying off the olive oil I got my mum to post over some Options hot choc drinks as have been feeling really cold in the evenings, and they're nice to warm up with and feel like I've had something nice. I think summer might be harder, having to resist the lovely ice cold beer at lunch time!

I'm in Madrid and as far as i know I dont have an iceland near by and spanish chocolate is awful!, we eat alot of pulses and alot of veggies for for me its just trying to lay off the fresh bread and making sure my snacks are slimming world friendly!....

I am also in Madrid doing SW online, Have any of you found any low fat cheddar and are the Bifidus yoghurt's free on extra easy?
Thanks

Originally Posted by LairocseLady

I am also in Madrid doing SW online, Have any of you found any low fat cheddar and are the Bifidus yoghurt's free on extra easy?
Thanks

Hi, I haven't found low fat cheddar. But in Carrefour they have Babybel lights and in Mercadona they have low fat mozarella (I know not cheddar, but cheese at least). I don't know about the yogs sorry.

Originally Posted by LairocseLady

I am also in Madrid doing SW online, Have any of you found any low fat cheddar and are the Bifidus yoghurt's free on extra easy?
Thanks

Mercadona 0% fat bifidus yoghurts that come in an 8 pack of 4 flavours are free on all plans. Normal bifidus ones are not.
Have a look on the Spain Foods thread for my quick guide to syns on yoghurts
http://www.minimins.com/slimming-wor...syn-foods.html (Spain free and low syn foods.)

Low fat cheddar is OCCASIONALLY available in Carrefour.
I usually get mine from Iceland though - and it isn't as low fat as the ones that are approved by SW.

I just have ordinary cheddar and have the standard portion which is 30g for a HexB (as opposed to 45g of low fat variety)

Thanks for the reply about the yoghurt´s Ill pick up a few of them. Ive found some other low fat or light cheeses in mercadona and Dia have one called Milner it actually has flavour of cheese not like the others. I´ll work out the syns and use them instead.

I thought it might be worth mentioning, that the minced beef from Mercadona is a lot less fatty than the one from Carrefour. I drain off the fat in a colander after I cook it and it literally pours out of the Carrefour one, whereas there are only a few drips from the Mercadona one.

I very raely shop in Carrefour as a) it's 40 minute drive away, b) I find it expensice, c) prefer quality in Mercadona.
I also shop in our local Lidl who have an independant butcher's area and the meat it brill from there.

Originally Posted by Pommette

I very raely shop in Carrefour as a) it's 40 minute drive away, b) I find it expensice, c) prefer quality in Mercadona.
I also shop in our local Lidl who have an independant butcher's area and the meat it brill from there.

I prefer the fruit and veg at Carrefour, and the meat at Merca. I work full time and have a housefull, so never get chance to get to the market for fruit & veg and I pass both stores on my way home. I really miss supermarket online shopping, like Tescos do in UK, so convenient!! (thats about all I miss though ).

Originally Posted by Bambilegs

. . . I really miss supermarket online shopping, like Tescos do in UK, so convenient!! (thats about all I miss though ).

Mercadona certainly do internet orders and home delivery - friends use it a lot when then come out for their holiday visits to their house.
Don't know if Carrefour do though.

And yes - I agree the veg in Carrefour is much better. It's just such a loooooooong way to go that I can't justify it.