Search results

Hello, just checked in after a while away, glad to hear your chest is clear now! Hope you stay well!

Hello there... Things are going ok actually, thanks! Things have moved far faster than I anticipated and I've had an offer accepted on a 2bed flat I really like, with a nice big garden. Of course things could still go wrong (and sorting out the mortgage is proving a bit of a pain) but I'm...

No update from me for a bit. This week, househunting has completely taken over my life. I'm currently renting in London (alone since my boyfriend moved to Brighton last June). I can't afford to do so any more (my rent got put up last week just to add to the stress) and I'm in the ridiculously...

Wow, sounds like you had some amazing sunshine and food down south. I LOVE scones with cream (roll on Cornwall holiday!) And you're doing impressively at healthy eating now you're back. Hope they get your cough sorted soon :(

Once again haven't worked out all my syns but just so I have a note of what I ate and how many treats (answer: a bit too many): Friday Breakfast: 3 Ryvita (B), cottage cheese Lunch: onion, peppers, squash, pomegranate, chickpeas, bulgar wheat Snack: papaya Treats/drinks: some sweeties, Twirl...

Need to work out the syns for this lot, but just so I have a record... Tuesday Breakfast: 2 Alpen lights (B) Snack (treats but I was REALLY hungry in a meeting): 3 Maryland cookies Lunch: onion, artichokes, rocket, lentils, goat's cheese (A+1.4) Snacks (more treats, oh dear): raspberries, can...

Have a wonderful holiday! Hopefully you should get some lovely sunshine all being well. It sounds like you need a break with all those appointments for both you and Joseph. (I've just been reading back through - whereabouts in Cornwall were you born? My granddad was from Penzance, so we've...

Thanks! I think I'll stick with the old one for now and try to summon up as much enthusiasm as I can. Not a great weekend food-wise but not disastrous either. I lost 1lb this week which is probably post-PMS water loss but I won't knock it! I chatted it through with the bf at the weekend and he...

Ugh, I'm feeling really down this morning. I finally remembered to weigh myself and had a 2lb gain. I'm only 1lb off being back at 12 stone. I know exactly what's going wrong - snacks and alcohol. Most of my meals are ok (I had a bit of a binge last night though - SW chips are dangerous). And I...

Yes, at the moment I'm praying for a STS! One step at a time. I'm aware I'm probably a bit bloated though, and given it was a birthday/bank holiday I will try not to beat myself up too much if it's another gain!

Hi Janet! Just popping in to say hello and hopefully at some point return the support you are giving me! Will have a little read some time soon. x

Gosh I have been away a while! Oh well back to it. After Monday, I had a meal and drinks out with friends Tuesday night, was reasonably sensible Wednesday. On my birthday I indulged in Eggs Royale with hollandaise sauce and champagne, and ate chocolate. I made a slightly more SW-friendly lasagne...

Don't entirely know how many syns I had today either. I ended up having two things at Nando's cos I got a bit too excited about going there (and probably my blood sugar is still a bit screwed). Oh well. I haven't had any alcohol. Monday Breakfast: 2 Alpen lights (B) Lunch: veggie stirfry with...

Thanks Janet - it's lovely to have your support. An update for the last few days. Haven't really got time to figure out the syns but will note it all anyway. Friday was going ok until late afternoon when I cracked a bit and had some cake (should've stuck to my papaya). I was so relieved it was...

Not the most slimming day. I ran some training this morning which was quite stressful, and as I was so reluctant to get out of bed I didn't end up making a filling breakfast, so munched on biscuits mid-morning (oops). Due to eating out last night there were no leftovers for my lunch - I aimed...

Sooooo hungry and busy today. Went to the pub with colleagues after work and had dinner there, but was reasonably sensible. I'm still well over on syns, but feel like I'm regaining control over my food and drink, which was the first goal.Really aching from the gym! Wednesday Breakfast: 2 Alpen...

Updating midway through the day to help keep me on track! I forgot my breakfast but managed to keep my willpower and dropped off at Tesco for Alpen lights rather than something sticky :) I went to the gym at lunchtime as all our office servers were down and we couldn't get anything done. It...

I haven't tried them yet cos the most interesting ones have meat, and I don't eat meat. I wish they could've put more superfree/speed veg in the curry instead of sweet potatoes which I consider a carb! For now I am sticking to batch-cooking lots of stews and things, but I only have a shelf...

I really hoped I'd never have to post this post, but I'm back on here because I've gained quite a lot of weight back and I really need to sort it out. I'm embarrassed and I wonder if 'admitting' what is going on will actually help. So, deep breath. On 8th September I was 10st10. This morning I...

This is a really timely thread revival for me. I don't drink masses but I drink most days - usually a couple of glasses of wine or couple of beers, sometimes a little more. I don't drink for good reasons any more - I haven't even been enjoying the taste lately. It's more to 'treat myself', to...

10st10 this morning, so right at the top of my personal allowed range (probably will be 10st12 at group tomorrow, so still ok for free membership by my official allowed range). I had a big chat with my bf yesterday and realised things need to change. I can't honestly remember a time in my adult...

(And thank you for the hug! :) )

Yes, I think ultimately drinking just at weekends (unless I'm out with friends) is my ideal. I know it isn't healthy that I drink to relax (especially as I didn't even enjoy the glass of red I had yesterday!). I do need to think of other ways to signal 'home time'. I used to like Virgin Mary...

I'm trying to branch out a bit into cheaper and non-endangered fish so I tried dab this week... but it wasn't that great and I got a massive bone spiked into my throat (got it out with tweezers) so won't have that again! I used to work on a campaign against illegal fishing and looked at the...

Woo! A stone off. Bet you feel good. Glad to see you back now life is a bit easier. Lots of support here on Minimins if you miss group!

Hi Janet, thanks for dropping in! I know my way of doing it is very specific to me, but I'm determined to figure this out. I saw my mum go up and down from diet to diet and I just don't want to go there. ---- So far my Monday weigh-ins since hitting target have been: 10st8, 10st7.5, 10st9...

I love places by the sea where you can buy loads of fresh fish. Cornwall is one of my favourite places :) Sadly here in Peckham I can only buy fish at Morrisons (where it's boney and not always fresh) or at one of the stalls (which have flies over them and where I'm not sure whether it's...

Mollymolly, do you like avocado? It's strictly syns, but I have it as a hex now I'm maintaining. Lots of good fat.

I'm pescetarian so I do extra easy on the days I eat fish, and Green on days when I don't. I do try not too eat too much in carbs on Green days but that's just what works for me.

I get that too Niamh - even when I measure myself and then go for the lower end, things are still sometimes too big. Another example of vanity sizing perhaps? Damn annoying anyway. --- I forgot to weigh myself on Monday so did it yesterday - 10st10 so at the top end of my acceptable range...

Well done! Could it be hormonal? If so, doesn't mean you didn't deserve it or anything, just that all the work you've put in over the last couple of weeks is showing all in one go.

I thought my wardrobe woes would be over once I hit target. In fact one of the best things about getting here was getting rid of masses of clothes that no longer fit or suited me, and just having one wardrobe (not a fat one and a thin one!) But now I'm finding I'm really bored with a few things...

I've had a lovely couple of evenings with my parents at the Proms. Last night was Elgar's cello concerto (such a lovely instrument!) and the Symphonie Fantastique (some good catchy bits). I love the hall, and the sense of excitement of the people who go. ----- Yesterday not as great in that I...

This weekend was always going to be a blowout - I went camping with friends - but it wasn't as bad as last year pre-SW. Lots of crisps and some booze and chocolate but not completely pigging out. Had some healthy chilli and pasta and things too. I was up a few lbs Monday morning (I think...

I eat quite a lot of fruit. Maybe I'd lose faster if I didn't, but it keeps me off the chocolate (sometimes). I don't like bananas though.

I think tilapia tastes of mud! But then that was the kind in Kenya, from the river... maybe the farmed stuff is actually tasty but I'm not fussed about trying it!

Glad to say today I hit my 5k running goal earlier than expected, and did it with a 1% incline on the machine :) I was going to go to a class then do my run but the class didn't seem to be happening so I made use of the extra energy and just kept going. I think to switch this to running...

Good luck, hope your weight loss goes well and you see improvement soon. I recently got to a healthy BMI for the first time since I was 19. I still have some symptoms (acne mainly) but I think the hair growth is slowing down and my cycle is shorter/more regular. My sleep pattern is more regular...

I recently made it to my target through Slimming World. Took me ten months for 2.5 stone but there were plenty of times when I did NOT stick to it 100%. I did a fair few Green days (I'm pescetarian) but I did on the whole try to be mindful of my carbs - having wholegrain whenever possible, and...

The Beck Diet Solution has lots of good CBT-type tips and is less anti-diet than Paul McKenna or Beyond Chocolate (though those can both be useful too).

It's very hard to measure accurately. If you're concerned, I'd say exercise is the main key. If you don't use muscle you lose it. I also wonder whether doing EE might help. My basic nutrition course implied that on the whole it's good to have a balance of proteins and carbs, rather than really...

I find having too much dairy can cause that for me. Maybe experiment with non-dairy hexAs if you think that might be a factor (eg if you are eating more dairy on SW than before).

Avocado as a hexB is one of my favourite things about my new DIY tweaked maintenance SW plan. After a morning gym session avocado on Ryvita really hits the spot! I think Bs are meant for omega 3 oils as well as fibre (and for protein/extra calcium on Green), though most people do use for fibre.

Don't worry if it turns out to be a bit easier for Chris... blokes just lose faster, what with all their extra muscle mass. A pain, but true! would be great if you do beat him but don't get down if not!

Grrr, I keep overeating at the moment because people are bringing all sorts of delicious things into work - date loaf, pavlova, profiteroles - all my favourites! We never used to have a treat-filled office but the culture has really changed lately. I used to be good at resisting but it's harder...

Had a great gym session yesterday :) I did a 30 minute bodyweight circuits class (I could feel the burn a couple of times but it wasn't too challenging) then I did a great 4km run on the treadmill in 27mins5secs. It felt great, I kept getting lovely bursts of energy and feeling like I was...

Glad to hear Chris is joining too... the message is spreading! You can get into a lovely healthy groove together. Everyone has ebbs and flows on the journey, faster and slower periods. What you've achieved so far is utterly amazing; hope this is the start of the next phase! Good luck for...

I do like fruit, though I eat it most afternoons anyway! It does help with wanting sweet things. I think part of the problem is that my brain is wired to want something 'naughty' or 'special' to help me relax... silly, but awkward.

Forgot to say... As well as maintaining my weight, which is going ok I think... I really want to be healthy. On the whole SW really promotes this, and I think my approach of having more hexes is helping a lot. I'm still not entirely sure what my take on syns is going to be long-term (even on...

Take each day at a time with a fresh start. Don't go off the rails but don't always feel like you have to 'catch up' either because of a bad day. Plan, plan, plan. If you're struggling, plan all your meals to be syn-free and then you can have a few more treats as snacks. Always remember your...

I usually found that if mostly sticking to the plan, I'd get 1-2lb off, then a smaller loss, lose nothing in the week before bleeding, lose nothing while bleeding (or gain), and then if I stuck to it fully, about day 5 of bleeding I'd get a nice loss up to 3-5lb.

I'm interested when you say you're not big but you feel big... hope you don't mind me asking but whereabouts are you? Are you within a healthy weight range but don't feel you look good? Do you have health issues? It might be worth doing a really good look at why it is you want to lose weight...

Hi Denise, thanks for dropping in. I have been bingeing a bit lately but each time I let it pass and get back on track as soon as I can. Not doing too badly so far this week - I'm mostly having a treat at work (little piece of chocolate, or a biscuit) plus a drink (but rum not wine) in the...

It doesn't always feel logical. Sometimes I'd lose half a stone and not feel much different, then lose 2lb more and suddenly everything fit me! Also, I found I was often noticing odd parts of me changing more than anything. My jaw and hands feel different! You'll get there and in a few stone's...

You will learn which are the better options when eating out - and what to avoid. Things like having tomatoey rather than cheesey/creamy sauces, avoiding mayonnaise, avoiding deep-fried (unless you can remove the batter), avoiding pizza, skipping courses, having a side salad... Weddings are a...

Agree with the person above - lychees are gorgeous, it's like having sweeties! Not cheap but then neither is an excess of junk :)

It might work, but I think you should try to ensure that the free foods don't fill more than 2/3 of the plate. Then it will be just as if the superfree was on your plate. The idea is to limit how much free food you have. Filling up on the fruit salad first will help that too but I think the...

I've been making it to the gym at 7.15 am a couple of times a week. I don't usually get up til 9.15am! And I kept going many times when I plateaud or felt like giving up. Started afresh many many times.

Weighed myself this morning at 10 st 9 1/4. So I'm still within my 10st7-10st10 range (and still within the official range too) but it's not a move in the right direction at all. I know some of it will be water retention due to exercise (I ACHE) and maybe some PMT, but I also had a lot of wine...

I'm not a fan of soup even in winter but I do like gazpacho (cold tomato soup!). You whizz up tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, things like that...lots of recipes online. It sounds weird but I fell in love as soon as I tried it!

There are plenty of people on here who had a small loss in week 1. I had 2lb off then 1lb in week two but it all added up quickly in the end. It's just less publicised than the mega losses some people get which can be due to a switch from a REALLY unhealthy diet, which generally mean they're...

My old consultant said you have to remove it, but my new one says you don't! I eat the skin personally, because none of the books/recipes say to remove it (like they all do for chicken), and also because fish is a speed food so any oil that's in the skin won't be as bad as oil in chicken. Plus...

The hen do is fair enough, if you can't relax then then when can you? But the rest sounds infuriating. Why not switch to diet coke and lower fat mayo! If she's still whingeing at you you just need to tell her what's what and that you really care about her health but that she has to take...

I doubt it. Try to have some salad or something with it, if you can. Maybe you could defrost some veggies and mix them in? Would bulk it up and keep you full for longer to avoid snacking.

I'd generally agree with those who say that if you're eating 1/3 superfree, and ideally most of your snacks as superfree, you're unlikely to overdose on 'syn-free' foods. That said, it's probably healthier to have some pasta and veg than a Mugshot, or yogurt and honey (even though that has syns)...

Interesting, thanks for the info... I do Green Plus Fish :) So far I have been having about 3 hexes most days but sometimes more. I'm not actually counting bread etc as hexes any more (shocking I know!) as I only rarely have more than one portion a day, and when I do I figure it just replaces...

How many hexes and syns do you guys have a day? Just curious as to what works for others/how strictly you find you have to stick to it!

I don't count the hexes. I have 1/3 a plate superfree, THEN add the hexes. (Also means that a hex is allowed as a snack without adding superfree). This is the way the food log sheets are laid out and I'm sure I heard/read that the idea is that because hexes are measure they're already controlled.

If you gain during totm when you know you've been on plan, you'll probably get a lovely loss the following week. I can gain 3lb or more in water weight!

Pleased to say I was 10st7.5 this morning, so only 0.5lb above my ideal. Means I might be stabilising a bit. I think maybe it's due to some of the aches dissipating, the weather being a bit cooler, and cutting down on dairy to improve my digestion. Also I think all the exercise helped counteract...

When measuring calories burnt through exercise you also need to take care that you are looking at the 'net' calories burnt. For example, during my 3 hour walk the other week I burnt about 700 calories (I entered all the stats and my body weight, heart rate etc into a calculator). But actually...

Does anyone have any good recipes that use nuts and seeds? Mostly all I find is nutroasts or sprinkling things on salads... I've decided I need to cut down my dairy consumption. I've been having a few dairy hexes most days since hitting target, and let's just say it's had a slowing-down effect...

I've decided I need to cut down my dairy consumption. I've been having a few dairy hexes most days since hitting target, and let's just say it's had a slowing-down effect on my general digestion...not good. I'm going to try to stick to non-dairy hexes for most of next week. I think yogurt...

Good luck! I cycle to work and back every day so that's 2 hrs 30 a week of exercise just as part of my routine. I'm sure it has helped me to lose even when not sticking to SW as thoroughly as I should, and the exercise has helped me maintain muscle rather than losing it (losing muscle makes...

I miss pomelo season! It's so refreshing and I ate tonnes of it. It's superspeed too.

Yeah, it's true that we do come to a natural stop. Mid-afternoon yesterday I just stopped and thought 'this is silly, I feel rubbish'. I did have a couple of glasses of wine while finishing a job application last night but then cleaned my teeth so I couldn't have anything else before bed! So far...

I'm sure 2 extra syns won't break the syn-bank. You've already got one of them back today :)

Thanks guys. Fortunately I am in work, it's just that it is sapping my soul a bit - I'm so bored. I know I'm lucky to have work but after years of working hard in education and unpaid internships I feel sad not to have got further. I did an application last night though so hope things can...

Not a good day yesterday. Still felt miserable. I stopped to buy a mini bottle of wine on the way home, and something cracked and I robotically bought a box of 3 Mars ice creams and stuffed them in my face when I got in. I worked all evening on a job application that was really exciting, though...

Good that you got back on it after the kebab disaster! Some takeaways are better than others, like some Indian options with plain rice and tomatoey sauce. Lol at the 'burgers are allowed so doughnuts must be fine too!' Interesting take on it!

I've gained in my first week of 'maintenance'. Been very low, depression is rearing its ugly head, and all I can do is try to control and enjoy the binges and keep my meals as healthy as possible. I know I will get back on track soon but don't want to do too much damage before that. Off to work...

Personally I think if the exercise makes you feel good you shouldn't cut back. It might mean you are gaining muscle but that is a GOOD thing because it will increase your metabolism - it will mean you burn more calories even when you're asleep! Also, if you lose weight and don't exercise...

I lost on average 0.8lb a week over my journey, though it went up and down, and my consultant was very supportive and always happy for me when I got back on it and showed faith in me when it took time. I think she is still losing (slowly) with her own weight loss so she has been there! I think...

I'm semi-veggie (eat fish) and find that fish and fruit are my biggest costs. That's partly because I'm picky about fruit and like the exotic ones. I think if you can identify the cheapest fruits and veg it helps a lot - frozen broccoli, frozen sprouts, carrots, things that are in season.

Ooh that salmon dip sounds interesting. How do you cook the egg? soft boiled or something?

Wow well done! Bet that gave you a boost.

Thanks Niamh - nice to hear something positive on a miserable sort of day! Hope you're doing well.

Not a great day. I feel really low. So a big whinge coming up, but I do find that typing it out does help, even if noone reads it! Things haven't been great for a while - I'm very bored and frustrated at work, but I'm struggling with working on my CV - I've had lots of small positions over the...

Had a decent 8mile walk today and figured out that will have burnt about 500calories, which is good as I just had a Mars ice cream on the way home :) All this exercise is making me crave protein! Amazing what the body can tell us about its needs. Weighing myself tomorrow morning - I was 10 st 8...

I agree that this looks like a food plan that is more balanced throughout the day. I think with the amount of superfree you're eating overall you don't need to worry about the odd meal. I suspect as you get into SW and out of the old mindset you'll find your food naturally balances out more over...

Thanks guys! :) It does feel great. Looking forward to you all joining me! It's a bit of a weird week getting used to the maintenance mindset... I've started a new diary over at http://www.minimins.com/slimming-world-weight-loss-diary/343666-time-maintain-rest-my-life.html in case you fancy...

So, the other day I set out roughly what I plan to do regarding food. This week is definitely a learning process, adapting to being a little bit more flexible without going crazy! Next I wanted to set out some goals regarding exercise. This is tricky at the moment because I have just joined a...

Oh I feel so sorry for you because you obviously care about your sister and want her to be loving the healthy way of losing weight like you are... but as everyone's said, it just sounds like she isn't ready for it, what with excuse after excuse. For me SW just came at the right time after being...

You can absolutely get past this. I did it many times over my ten months of SW and yes it took a while but here I am at target! Just don't let a day off-plan ruin the week. Take each day at a time and get back on it as normal. You may find you still lose, but if not, just think what would've...

It is annoying because even when we want to eat mainly wholesome, natural foods sometimes we do want a bit of a treat. I go through phases of trying to reduce my aspartame consumption - I know the evidence is mixed but I just don't have a good feeling about the chemicals and I think it makes me...

Well done you and don't let her get to you. I think part of the issue might be that we as a society have got so accustomed to people being overweight that we see it as normal. I now feel like I am 'slim' (and my mum says I shouldn't lose any more!) when I'm actually at the top end of my healthy...

Wow I don't think a bottle of vodka in a week is recommended by any kind of health professionals!

Well done for making the transfer so well! It's lovely to hear how much you're enjoying the healthy fruit and veg. I do worry that you must be hungry as I eat lots more than you, but as long as feel ok then that's great, just remember you really can eat! :D

Oh I wasn't implying you don't do any exercise (obviously I don't know anything about your circumstances!) but I was wondering if there was anything in particular people know that can help with IBS - I know it sounds a bit hippy but some yoga poses for example are thought to help stimulate the...

My goals now are to maintain at a healthy weight (obviously), to eat healthily to avoid issues like anaemia and acne which have been big problems for me, and to really work on my fitness. I want to do a lot of travelling and hiking, and am well aware of the problems that can come later in life...

Thanks Anna! I'm glad the difference is visible to others as well - I can't stop looking at these pics, maybe it's vain of me but hey if it works! ------ I've just looked over some of the stats about what's changed in my body. Well, most obviously I've lost nearly a fifth of my body weight...

Having finally hit target yesterday, I'm thrilled to be moving on into the maintenance phase and carrying on with my healthy lifestyle. I'm under no illusions that it'll all be plain sailing from here, but I do feel like the 'rest of my life' can progress now! I'll be posting lots of thoughts...

Yuk, poor you, I was going to message and see how you were doing as my mum has had this bug and so has our consultant. I was feeling really crampy Monday-Tuesday but seem to have escaped it thank goodness! Hope you feel better soon. (If it helps at all my mum lost 6lb this week.. not that this...

It does sound like you need help to find a more specific eating plan that works for you in terms of IBS and weight loss and general health. I wouldn't stress too much about following Slimming World specifically but just trying to gradually introduce as many healthier choices as you can that...

Is it perhaps the caffeine in the chocolate that is helping? I generally find caffeine has that effect...

Thrilled to say I made it to target today! 10st 7 on my own scales first thing today, and 10st 9.5 on the SW scales (my official target was 10 st 10). I'm going to start a new diary (maybe tonight) to mark this new chapter in my health... or my life really! I'll stick the link in my signature...

Woo I did it! Just wanted to say again that your motivation is great and you will be joining me at Target in no time (and yes it feels amazing!) :)

I did it! Happy to be joining you lovely ladies and gents on the next phase!

I think you should go to the doctor, because it's highly recommended that any symptoms like spotting do get checked out. t could well be PCOS but that would depend on an ultrasound/blood test for a firm diagnosis, especially as you say you don't have the other symptoms. If it is PCOS, as the...

Ooh that sounds like a rubbish position to be in - trying to improve your health leading to you feeling worse :( I have a tiny bit of IBS but nowhere near as bad as yours... I struggled with constipation in the first couple of weeks but after that my system adjusted and I found I now rarely get...

I'm really hoping I will be joining you Target members tonight! Fingers crossed... It really gets to me when you see in the papers 'Diets don't work' etc, meaning that the change isn't sustainable. And then on the other hand people I know keep saying 'So are you going to stop soon?' when I tell...

Hi there! Glad to see you're doing well and enjoying it. Looks like loads of fruit which is great... myself I'd be hungry having just fruit for meals but if it does it for you then that's absolutely fine. Great idea to treat yourself with Body Shop stuff instead of food :) At different stages...

Oh shoot just realised I miscalculated my hexes yesterday and today! Completely forgot I'd counted some of the cheese in lasagne as a B. Means an extra 4 syns yesterday and a recalculation for today: Monday (Green) Breakfast: hifi, 2 hifi lights (2 hexBs) Lunch: lasagne: onion, celery, kale...

Glad you enjoy them Niamh - I feel like it's mostly turning into a food diary/ me making excuses for myself these days! Confession time. Yesterday I did not avoid the treats as much as planned. I had horrible stomach cramps, which I've in the past found brandy helps with (yes really - my mum...

The food seems a lot because it's full of fibre, water and nutrients to keep you full - not calories!

Welcome back to the wagon! Well done for getting back on it.

Friday (Green) Breakfast: eggy bread (hexB) and sugar (1 syn) with berries Lunch: stirfried veggies with tofu, noodles and lime juice Snacks: half a bar of dark chocolate (4.6 syns), cherries, strawberries Dinner: lasagne: onion, celery, kale, mushrooms, pasta, 50g goat's cheese (hexB+1/4...

Make sure you use at least 35 over the week (5 a day) as some people find NOT having enough syns affects their losses badly!

Hi there. I think your hunger and energy loss might be a matter of balance/variety - combined with the switch to a new diet, and your period. What did you have for breakfast? I find that just having fruit (or fruit and yogurt) til lunch is never enough for me. What did you have in your chicken...

Thursday (Green) Breakfast: eggy bread (hexB) and molasses (1 syn) (no superfree I know but I just didn't want berries today!) Lunch: broccoli, asparagus, green beans, pasta, SW pesto - basil, fromage frais, garlic, lemon and parmesan (hexA) Snacks: cherries, coffee milk (hexA+2.6syns), half a...

Well done! You do give off First Class vibes :) Hope your meal was fantastic.

Excellent to hear. Don't starve yourself before every group unless it's first thing in the morning! Low blood sugar can make it hard to deal with negative emotions if you ever get a weigh-in you're not happy with! :)

You can do it! I too found it a bit hard to get back on plan after holidays, but a few weeks of gains/STS finally got me so frustrated I was determined to get back on it. I find that the 'day at a time' approach really works. And plan! Personally I find that when I'm struggling it's best to plan...

I lost 2lb in my first week 100% on plan. And now I'm nearly at target :) 1.5lb is not a disaster at all! You say you 'normally' lose loads in your first week - it sounds like you may have tried lots of diets over the years (your stats say WW) and maybe your weight has fluctuated a bit. If so...

Final for yesterday (Green) Breakfast: berries, yogurt, hifi (hexB) Lunch: onion, pepper, tomato, refried beans, wrap (hexB+2.8syns) Snacks: strawberries, yogurt, lychees (omg I love lychees - so expensive though), 2 shortbread fingers (11 syns) Dinner: broccoli, asparagus, green beans...

Oh and 17st to 9st in 14 months... so that's 112lb, or 8lb a month. Theoretically yes you could do it, because health people usually advise 1-2lb a week as a healthy rate of loss. But I think needing to lose 2lb every week could put a lot of pressure on you. Some people find their weight loss...

Wow, that's very rude and unprofessional. How on earth does she know whether you have enough to live on on benefits or not?! And over time £5 a week can add up! Grrrrr. I suppose at least you have a (probably correct?) answer about whether they offer it... Good luck!

This doesn't seem like a lot to me at all - I eat way more! In fact some people find the more superfree and free they fit in, the less tempted they are to snack on fattening foods. There's a lady in my group who's a great loser, and she's found that her arthritis is so much better since losing...

You sound really committed, well done! Maybe it's worth getting a GP appointment even in a couple of weeks, and then you could say to them you've tried out a SW meeting and that you think it could really work for you and can they refer you now as you're struggling financially. I think not all...

Weighed in last night and have gained 1/2lb this week (10st12 on their scales, 10st10 on mine). Not too bad given the weekend, though I was a bit sad. I'm aiming to lose 1lb by next weigh in (will be tough as period is due) then lose the final 2lb the following week. I had a hifi bar last night...

Must be hard when you want a good first week loss to reassure you, but essentially if you bloat up next week, the second week's loss will be even bigger. Just keep thinking about it as having to wait a fortnight to see your first 'real' result and then you won't cave in and feel bad if Saturday...

Grrr, left my bleddy lunch at home after having had about 3 hours' sleep. Nice healthy seafood salad and I was really looking forward to it! The offerings at our local garage are limited, but usually Uncle Bens' rice is only a couple of syns, so I got that, but it turns out the biryani version...

Monday (EE) Breakfast: mushrooms, onions, potatoes, LM red onion sausages Lunch: onion, mushroom, pepper, lettuce, coriander, jalapeno, refried beans, yogurt, cheese (A), 60g avocado (5.7syns) tortilla (B+2.8 syns), Dinner: spring onion, cucumber, sugarsnaps, lettuce, coriander, seafood, lime...

I try to think of plateaux as being there for a reason - to help our brains (and bodies) adjust. But when the process feels slow already it's so frustrating!

I kind of gave up counting this weekend as I went way over and was eating things I couldn't really look up. Saturday (Green) Breakfast: Mullerlight, Alpen bar (hexB), watermelon Lunch: aubergine/onion/parmesan pizza (hexB for oil, 2 hexAs for cheese, plus ??? syns); 2 gulps of strawberry...

*edited at end of Friday* Friday (EE) Breakfast: cheese toastie (hexA+hexB) with mushrooms Lunch: Kenyan curry: onion, carrot, celery, spinach, tomato, coriander, tuna, rice, yogurt Snack: Yogurt, 2 jaffa cakes (5 syns) Dinner: Mushroom stroganoff and potatoes (I think all Free), little bit of...

Well done Sharron for being prepared and sticking to it - conferences are hard! Today I bought a Kinder chocolate bar at the shop (6 syns). But then I remembered I wanted wine this evening instead, so I gave it to my stressed-out colleague. Got to feel nice AND healthy!

*edited for final roundup of Thursday* Thursday's food (EE) Breakfast: eggy bread (hexB) with berries and sugar (1 syn) Snack: mangetout and baby corn Lunch: seabass, SW chips, broccoli Snack: nectarine, Danio yogurt (1.5 syns) Dinner: Kenyan curry: onion, carrot, celery, spinach, tomato...

Ate quite a lot of dinner last night (had to add extra broccoli to the leftovers for lunch!), but still on plan. I suppose picking at free foods is better than picking at sugary stuff and booze. Baby steps... I'm reading Beyond Temptation which is about addressing why we overeat. They're very...

Today went ok. Wednesday (EE) Breakfast: cheese toastie (hexA&hexB) with mushroom Lunch: shallots, celery, mushroom, coriander leaf, and prawns with garlic, mustard (0.3 syns) and vermouth (0.6 syns), with yogurt and rice Snacks: fruit pastilles (9.1 syns), yogurt, salmon/edamame/seaweed pot...

I count it as long as it is 1/3 of the cooked volume of the plate. I occasionally find that the veg shrinks a lot in cooking so there's less than I planned, in which case I have extra salad or something.

I really recommend adding music. Either listen to an ipod (or watch TV) while you're at the gym (it helps a bit... but I get the boredom thing too!) or even better find a style of dance that you love. I've done various Indian styles over the years and Bollywood/Bhangra are so energetic and fun...

No, the website says all brands, level tbsp is 2 syns on all plans.

I had the tablets for a while but fortunately didn't get side effects. I've heard that a tbsp. of molasses provides half of your iron requirement each day. That's 2 syns. I'm trying to use it instead of sugar sometimes. Also if you have any cast iron pots, cooking with those (especially...

Good luck. You can always drop in to your old group to weigh in if for some reason one week you don't have time for the walk.

A miracle! Somehow, I lost 2lb! 10 st 11.5 on SW scales, which probably means 10 st 9.5 on my scales tomorrow morning, but I'll alter here if necessary. I think maybe I had a lot of bloating last week - I did feel fatter than expected after Bath. And maybe all that ratatouille helped, as it...

I hate the gap you get at the waist of trousers if you have a big bum/thighs! Surely manufacturers should've realised by now that there's a massive market of women who would love trousers that account for this!

There are lots of people on here doing it without going to meetings. I still go to meetings just so I have a clear idea what I weigh, but I find the support here more useful tbh! You're off to a good start with the exercise and the belief that you can do it, as well as setting a manageable...

I stuck to it yesterday! Yay, finally a day on plan. I had a hobnob (3.5syns) and my second hexA of cheese and some beetroot and yogurt on top of what I already recorded. I feel like I ate a lot and was eating for the sake of it, but it was free food so that's progress. Hopefully on track for a...

That's very true actually. I did have some of it with gnocchi last night which was nice... but mainly an excuse to eat gnocchi. It's just a basic sauce really if I fish out the small quantity of potato I included.

The bf and I are still together, but it was not my idea for him to move out. He hates London and hated his job, so he left and went back to his parents. Things between us are therefore a bit weird (though we have had a couple of nice weekends together, and he does seem happier and less grumpy)...

I think it depends on your symptoms whether you HAVE to see the dr, and what you're hoping to get out of it. If it really bugs you not knowing if you 'have' PCOS, you need to see a dr for tests for cysts and/or hormone imbalances. Doctors don't seem to have entirely decided what 'counts' as...

I don't think you should worry. I don't know much about breastfeeding and SW, but I think if you are sticking to the plan, but eating lots, that is probably just what your body needs now for you and your baby. It might or might not mean your losses slow a bit but you are still being healthy. As...

You are doing well and already making changes, but probably your granddad isn't 'with it' enough to have realised that. If he knew you were changing already he would probably be proud of you. It sounds like he's not one of those 'spiteful old people' that some people mention - more that he's...

Food isn't the enemy... but today I need to make up for the bingeing I've done lately, so instead of eating my colleague's delicious syrup cake, I had a Freddo, and later will have Mullerlight and strawberries.

I'd join now. You'll have loads on your plate with starting uni so good idea to give yourself a weightloss boost (and get used to group) before then!

Thanks LV30 for the reminder to take a day at a time. I've been struggling to stick to it the last few weeks after a couple of trips away put a spanner in the works. Previously I was better at getting back on it after time off. I was telling myself 'I must be 100% on plan for 4 weeks to get to...

Exercise on SW is recommended but optional. If you stick to the eating plan, they say you will lose weight even without exercise. Exercise can help speed things up and make you healthier overall. So you can stick to the plan, see what happens, probably lose weight. Maybe there are exercises you...

I'm nearly at target, but have lost motivation lately so I want to rewrite what motivates me now to spur me on for the last few pounds. The things I've gained with losing 2 stone, which I REALLY don't want to lose again: - Catching glimpses of myself in shopfront reflections and feeling proud...

Some brilliant tips on here. I think the idea of freezing stuff is particularly good, and not having junk in the house, and also learning to love the superfree and free foods. My SW 'journey' is taking a long time for the amount of weight I had to lose, but in some ways that's good because it...

Slimming World is a very healthy, balanced diet, but also low-fat so you may need to be careful. I personally find that now if I eat a high-fat meal (even if it's just lots of healthy olive oil), I do get stomach pains and feel sick, and I've heard that this may be because the gallbladder is not...

I love seeing threads where new members are astonished at how much they can eat, wonder if they'll lose anything at all, then often get a great loss in their first week! Let us know how weigh-in goes.

Well done, you're doing incredibly well - only one gain in all that time! You must be really working for it. Maybe post a pic of you at the wedding here? xx

Today's food (Green) Breakfast: Cheese toastie with mushroom (hexA and hexB) Lunch: Ratatouille: onion, aubergine, courgette, pepper, tomato, potato, olives (1 syn at most) Snacks: hifi (hexB), Freddo (4.8 syns), Mullerlight with strawberries Dinner: Spanish omelette: onion, pepper, potato...

I'm with you on the difficulties of cooking too much rice... I was living with my bf til last fortnight, now on my own. I made some ratatouille the other night and it's at least 5 meals' worth... and another 4 meals' worth of Spanish omelette. I don't have a freezer...oof.

Oh no, how disappointing! Hope you're managing not to let it get you too down. Sometimes these things just happen, but people sometimes find that they do better than expected the following week. Here's hoping... Didn't you hurt your ankle/foot recently? (sorry, I've been away lots so no time to...

Ugh, I just remembered two other things I ate yesterday - a frappe coffee (sugarfree syrup, but milky) and a piece of bread... I feel more motivated to stick to it at the moment. Feeling unhealthy and bloated has given me a kick up the bottom. Thinking of buying a mini-freezer, so that I can...

Well done for sticking to it so well after being ill. You'll lose that 2lb again in no time. Hope you're feeling better now.

Oh Lord. Still on my mini-binge-spree. I'm telling myself it's so, so much better than it would've been before SW... but that doesn't mean I won't gain weight (just that I'll gain more slowly), and I def won't get to target if this carries on. We moved my bf's stuff out yesterday and had a pub...

I've edited Tuesday's post to take account of my little post-weigh binge... Time to face up to the damage on the other days too: Wednesday (Green) Breakfast: Ryvitas (hexB) with mushroom/quark pate Lunch: pasta salad with spring onion, pepper, cucumber, cucumber, capers, olives (1 syn), feta...

Just thought I'd update here. I think my hair growth is getting better now - the increase in growth seems to have been a bit of a 'blip'. I'm definitely plucking my chin less. I'm getting some more laser treatment on my sideburns and stomach and hope this time it won't grow back as I'm at a...

Not having a great few days, slimming wise. At group on Tuesday evening I was 10 st 13.5, so a gain. I'm not quite sure what I am on my home scales because I realised they show completely different figures depending on where on the bathroom floor I put them... confusing! I had a bit of a...

Tuesday (Green): Breakfast: Ryvitas (hexB) with mushroom/quark pate Lunch: pasta salad with spring onion, pepper, cucumber, cucumber, capers, olives (1 syn), feta (hexA+0.7 syns), pine nuts (hexB), dressing of lemon/mustard (1.5 syns)/oil (hexB) Snack: melon, pineapple, yogurt Dinner: giant...

Oh and also, I think the bike is a great idea. I cycle 2.3 miles to work and back each day, so that's over half an hour's exercise just as part of my daily routine. I sometimes think 'oops, I haven't had any exercise' because cycling is so much part of my routine I forget I've done it now. I've...

Hello there! I've been away a lot lately so haven't had time to catch up on diaries but I see you're absolutely powering ahead, it's lovely to see how surprised and chuffed you were with your amazing loss this week. WELL DONE!

Hello there! Very behind on reading people's online diaries but thought I'd pop by to subscribe and say thanks for the support on my diary!

I had a lovely time in Bath - a really pretty, romantic city with everything in easy reach for a relaxed weekend. We wandered around the streets and gardens, visited the Roman Baths and abbey, went in the spa, and saw the Jane Austen Centre. Yesterday was a Georgian day - but Georgian as in the...

Yesterday (EE) Breakfast: eggy bread (hexB), raspberries, sugar (1 syn) Lunch: Fennel, beetroot, watercress, 70g goat's cheese (hexA+4.8 syns) Snacks: Mango, melon, strawberries; 2 babybels (6 syns); 2 mini milks (3 syns) Dinner: Monggo guisado: onion, tomatoes, spinach, mung beans, prawns, rice...

Monday (EE) Breakfast: 2 Alpen lights (hexB), Mullerlight (didn't get time for the superfree fruit but dinner is nearly all superfree) Lunch: Seabass, SW chips, sprouts Dinner: Fennel, beetroot, watercress, 52.5g goat's cheese (hexA+2 syns - soft goat's cheese is actually only a hex on Green...

It's the last day of my fortnight off-plan and I'm 'celebrating' with an enormous rum and diet coke. I had a lovely holiday with lots of sunshine and time to clear my head and think. I really feel more on top of life and my goals now, including making my life simpler and also moving on to...

Hi there coughdrops/Niamh! Just got back from holidays so will update soon. Hope you're feeling better now.

Busy weekend so just checking in with my food log. Not quite on my plan but could be worse. Friday (EE) Breakfast: eggy bread (hexB) with raspberries and sugar (1 syn) Lunch: salmon, with cucumber/pepper in fromage frais, steamed spinach, basmati rice, tandoori paste (1 syn) Dinner: pasta...

I'm very pleased that I stayed on plan yesterday after that wobbly week. Hope I can do it again for another 3 days til my meal out on Sunday. Today (*edited for accuracy afterwards*): Breakfast: cheese toastie with mushrooms (hexA & hexB) Lunch: noodles with stirfried veg and prawns Snack...

Hello, and have a hug :bighug: If you are sure you are eating fewer calories than you need most of the time, there may be some problem a doctor can help you with if you're still not losing weight over a long period of time. There are other issues like ensuring you get enough water, fibre and...

I'm not sure yet. I've been on Slimming World 8 months and am nearly at target - if I weigh naked in the mornings I'm just about at a healthy BMI now. I think maybe my periods are a bit more regular, though I had a blip recently (I realise losing weight itself can confuse the body). My facial...

Weighed at home this morning at 10 st 10.5 which means 10 st 12.5 by SW's scales, a 1.5lb gain. I amused myself when I went to input it into the SW website and my graph suddenly shot up - I'd typed 11 st 12.5, I still can't get it into my head that I'm in the 10s for the first time in 9 years...

Hi coughdrops, thanks so much for your support, it means a lot. You're right that writing a plan lifted my mood a bit. I then sent a long email to a couple of friends which helped too. Yeah, I'm just going to ride the wave as you say, keep putting one foot in front of the other and focus on...

I decided not to go to group tonight. I am feeling genuinely depressed and antisocial, I have a flat bike tyre and it's chucking it down so walking 25 mins isn't appealing. I have to confess, with our group being absolutely massive now it is getting quite boring having to queue to be weighed for...

Hope the revision is going well. I'm often quite jealous of your life (you sound so sorted, and what with the lovely fiancé, travel and wedding plans...!), but I'm really not jealous of exams! You seem to have lots of motivation and willpower for things though so I'm sure you'll do well. I'm in...

Agree with the above, I made sure to have dinner before my first ever group as otherwise I wouldn't eat til after 9 every Tuesday! Good luck with group, hope you enjoy it.

I'm feeling pretty low at the moment. I think it's just lots of emotional things plus being ill crammed into a week. My boyfriend is moving out at the end of this week and I am pretty sad about it. We're staying together, but it seems like a massive step backwards having been living together for...

Friday (Green) Breakfast: hifi (hexB) Lunch: quinoa, edamame, salad, beetroot, feta (hexA) Treats/snacks: brownie made by colleague (13.5 syns), strawberries, yogurt, sugarfree mints (1.2 syns), 2 babybels (hexB) Dinner: 2 quorn sausages (2 syns), SW chips, sprouts, broccoli (Total 16.7 syns)...

Hello anyone who's reading and thanks for the support so far. Feeling very sleepy and a bit down, the cough has taken it out of me. So glad it's Friday and a long weekend! Yesterday's food was not too bad given I was being relaxed about it - I made some 'good choices' and enjoyed it a lot...

Looks great! No reason whatsoever you shouldn't wear those out and feel good. (You have lovely skin too btw!)

Thanks, I do feel that with my better motivation lately I will be able to get back on it. As I've just edited above, it's been a tough week emotionally so I'm not feeling too bad about it!

Yesterday wasn't the most slimming day, but hopefully won't do too much damage. Breakfast: 2.5 Scanbran (hex 1/2 B), quark, smoked salmon, rocket, diet coke Lunch: Prawns and crabsticks, onion, peppers, baby corn, cucumber, salad, with dressing of soysauce, vinegar, lime juice, 1/2 tsp suga...

I somewhat astonished myself today by losing 5lb. That's the best loss I've ever had, even in the early days. Just goes to show what a week on-plan combined with post-period water loss can do! There's a very clear repeated trend on my graph these days for 3 weeks of maintaining, gaining or tiny...

I'm not quite sure how today went, because cycling home from a meeting in the heat and with a sore throat I decided to get a bubble tea (green tea with flavouring, tapioca pearls and little 'popping candies'.) Estimates online of the calories in these vary a lot, and many of them deal with the...

Not such a great day today but I'm praying I'll get away with it. In short, it was beautiful and sunny and I couldn't decide between ice cream and lager. So I had both. Add in the syns for the teeny amounts of feta and milk in my dinner and that's a total of 21.8 syns today. I still feel ill...

I went to look for jeans today because my wardrobe is getting pretty empty and I'm so near target. Didn't find any though - I'm a size 13 in Monsoon and a 29 in Gap and everywhere else there was a gap above my bum. Being a pear is so awkward sometimes... I do enjoy glancing in mirrors now...

Another good day in terms of food. I'm amazed by how well I'm sticking to it this week. I used to be able to do this day after day no problem, but lately I don't know what happened to my motivation... and now it's suddenly back! I even resisted amazing carrot cake baked by a colleague, and...

I weighed in on Tuesday and had a gain which I expected. I've been faffing around a lot lately but am having a real push to stick to the plan this week and aiming for at least 2lb off so that I can get to target soon! Hence why I've got more active on Minimins again and started a diary :)

Well done both of you, had a feeling you'd be pleasantly surprised!

Let us know how you both do :)

I'm not sure if the rules mean I'm not allowed to post links, but if you put 'base metabolic rate' into google you will find some options. My Fitness Pal also lets you input your stats and gives you recommended calories. I find it interesting but I try not to get too obsessed! :)

I still keep a diary even 8 months in and find it helps. My tips would be: Think of as many types of veggies as you can to fit in each meal. I'd also recommend making a tasty fruit salad in the evenings to take to work the next day. Plan ahead! I do about 3-4 days at a time, sometimes a week...

If you stick to the plan you can happily lose 1-2lb a week which is a healthy amount. Many find that especially in the early days they lose a bit more. I find I can have a meal or two being less strict with the plan and still lose a bit.

I lose on about 50% green days, 50% fishy days. I still aim for 1/3 superfree. Carbs aren't the devil, and you can lose while eating a sensible amount of them! Obviously you've found carbs make you gain in the past, but if you focus on lots of superfree, keep having plenty of veggie proteins...

Agree with the above - do NOT worry about calories unless you get to a point when your weight loss is sticking and you can't think of anywhere you're going wrong with the plan. 2000 calories is the guideline for women who are already at a healthy weight to maintain their weight. If we are...

You can think about this by working out your personal calorie requirements - there are tools online where you can input height, gender, age etc. Here's how mine works to show you what I mean: At the moment at 11 st 2lb, if I'm losing about 1lb a week, I must be eating about 1775 calories a day...

I believe Krupskaya is right. However, eggs can have the opposite effect to fibre in terms of, er, blocking up your digestive system. So watch out towards weigh-in day if you have lots and don't 'go'! :o

Having lost 1 stone 12.5lb since September, I've got just 6lb to go (4.5lb on my home scales naked in the mornings!) til I'm at a healthy BMI, which is my initial target. I'd like to get there before my holiday on 5th June - three weigh-ins to go. It's doable, because on my best-ever week I had...

I can quite happily drink pickling vinegar. Once drank a whole jar after eating the gherkins, at a friend's party. Did feel a bit weird after though... There are youtube videos for techniques to peel garlic super-quickly. Think you chop the root end off the bulb, bash it, stick it in a bowl...

Agree that on the whole veggies should stick to Green. I only eat fish on some days, and veggie the rest of the time. When I first started out doing just EE I felt very tired all the time, but switching to Green for the extra Hexes helped. My consultant hadn't been at all aware of this so now...

You're doing so well with all your willpower even when you're exhausted and busy with your babies. Bet with the hormones and tiredness it's even harder to resist sugar, so big respect! I think you'll see some good results soon, even if just by adding up what you lose in your first month. And if...

Ah sorry I just posted about the mini fridge idea then realised there was a second page of comments I'd missed! Editing to delete.

I definitely think looking at your losses month by month can help. I've felt a bit stuck for a while now, but looking at the months as a whole shows me I AM getting somewhere faster than I think (see signature!) :)

I also don't like bread without butter, so I've started having some other combinations: cheese toastie for breakfast (uses both Hexes), or eggy bread with fruit. It's true you can get what you need from Free foods too: eg fibre from beans, or calcium from yogurts. You do need both of these to...

Hello, just going to join the love-in and say big congratulations on the SIX STONE OFF and week 1 of running. You look amazing and not surprised you feel great too!

Well done on the running! I have always hated running but something in my head makes me think maybe I should try one of these programmes that builds you up over time... Anyway I really want to go on a big exercise kick soon, whether it's hiking or DVDs or whatever. Bet you'll feel amazing as you...

Oh and I just wanted to add, it looks like you don't eat fish very much, just meat. Fish is very good for giving you healthy minerals and so on, and it is lower in calories than meat usually. Some people do get good results with a 'fishy week' as someone mentioned above. I'm pescetarian so don't...

Yes from a glance I would agree with LicktheLid, it does look like your superfree could benefit from being increased. Fruit is great but if superfree is not on the same plate as the rest of the food, it doesn't naturally limit how much you eat of the free foods (which are slightly higher in...

I tend to get those hungry days sometimes too, usually a few days before ovulation... Yes I agree with adding the extra hexes for green - I started off doing vegetarian extra easy and felt quite weak until I had the extra hexes. The eggs and chickpeas are both protein and you've had lots of...

Looks brilliant! It actually looks closer to Red than EE to me (if you counted the chickpeas in the hummus as your second HexB). If you wanted to you could have more carbs (pasta, rice, potato are free on EE) with your dinners with EE - but just checking you know this, it's entirely up to you!

A pound is great. You have a less to lose than many people who start out, which can mean smaller losses, but you'll get there sooner than you think!

3.5lb is great - that's a QUARTER OF A STONE. I lost 2lb in my first week, which I was disappointed with at first, but then I realised that when people lose a lot in week 1, it's often due to 'water loss'. It's to do with how the body stores energy - glycogen stores are the easily-accessed...

Haha, that word 'LOADS' appears in my diary sometimes too!

For most meals, I aim to have 1/3-1/2 as superfree, 1/3-1/2 as carbs, and then anything left as protein or low-fat dairy. And by 1/3-1/2 I mean a normal plate, not massively heaped up but not stingy either.

I would: 1) Radically overhaul the website and app. It's hard to navigate (especially to find hexes and free food lists), doesn't have enough products' syn values listed, needs more info on eating out, the food diary is awkward, and it could do with giving more personalised feedback when you...

I was so uncomfortable all the time. Even my big comfy pjs were too tight. My bra pinched. I couldn't bend to cut my toenails without going 'oof'. I had to wear a boring top and tight, falling-apart skirt for my boyfriend's birthday do. I hated how I looked in my summer holiday pics, and...

Well done to you on reaching your target and healthy weight. Agree with everyone above who says that her attitude won't help her to stay at a healthy weight if she gets there. Some of us find SW at a point before things get really, really out of control. I am SO glad I heard about it just at the...

I usually get hungry about 3.30-4.30pm even after a big lunch, and tide myself over to (earlyish) dinner with a massive fruity snack. Could you try saving the pineapple from lunch for a bit later on? Small and often might help. I've read in various places that the most filling foods are fibre...

On a 100%, really good SW day I probably eat between 7 and 11 portions. 1-2 with breakfast (mushrooms, or loads of berries) 2-3 with lunch 1-2 as a snack (BIG portion of fruit) 3-4 with dinner. Probably more if you counted non-superfree veg like peas, beans and potatoes. I am pescetarian...

I think cutting back on alcohol has been one of the key factors in SW working well for me. Also, if I had continued to try to fool myself about my alcohol consumption, I would be heading towards real problems around it (psychological and physical). Not saying that applies to everyone but do...

It's just the ultimate healthy eating plan. I was trying to narrow it down but there are so many things I've changed, from having healthy breakfasts instead of a Danish, to cutting down on cheese/pizza, to severely cutting back on alcohol, to upping the superfree (and I always ate a reasonable...

The few kids that occasionally come to our group are better behaved than some of the grown ups! Our group is getting a bit too big in my view, so people get bored and start chatting. Our consultant is a long way away in the middle of the circle and has an accent, so it's really hard work trying...

Haven't had time to read all this but joining in to subscribe as I'm intrigued as to what people think. - I find the support on here at least as helpful as the support at group. The support at group is mostly from other members - the consultant is very nice but we don't really get one-to-one...

Hi Bev, I just got back from a week away so haven't been able to read everything to catch up, but WELL DONE on that 3lb&1lb loss! So glad for you, it's great that you just kept sticking to it and sticking to it. 4lb in a fortnight is great and a really healthy pace. One thing I struggle with is...

If you really want it and it's within your syns for the day, have it, eat it slowly and enjoy it! I agree with the idea of going out and buying just one. I tend to find leaving my treat for later in the day is best because then you don't get tempted again before bedtime!

On the subject of professional photos I reckon SW should have professional photographers come and do EVERYONE when they get to target, like in the magazine! But my mum's got a special offer for a photographer in my hometown, so when we both get to our targets we're going to glam up and get some...

I hadn't heard this explanation before but it's interesting. I've heard also that when you use muscles that you don't usually, they will retain water to repair any damage and grow - maybe this is a simpler way of saying the same thing but I don't know! Personally if I really ache from exercise...

I didn't get this at the start and happily ate loads of superfree fruit every day. But five months in, I've cut down my fruit intake in the day a lot as I don't get that mid-afternoon slump so much. And I notice more when I get full during meals, so I often end up cooking too much based on my...

When I was doing my finals our director of studies advised us not to try and think about any other life goals, like losing weight specifically! But a lot of people do gain a lot during exams so it's very sensible to want to avoid that, or at least avoid too much of that - I'd aim to maintain...

The clothes issue is a bit tricky, because I only have another half stone or so to lose, and was hoping to do it within the next month or two. So it seems more wasteful to buy new clothes now as I tend to buy not many clothes, but just a few expensive ones. I think going to the shops and trying...

Well done on the 3lb and getting over the hump! I'm really jealous of that bouncy castle...

Think I might get the bf to take a few snaps of my on Sunday when I'm reasonably dressed up, to get an objective view. I've only had one set of photos since I started SW (at Christmas) so it's hard to see how I look!

Thanks guys. I know that something in me does still want to get to my healthy BMI target (though I quite likely won't set a second target, as I originally planned). And I don't think it's just pride! This week has taught me that going off plan doesn't just mean staying where I am - it means...

I'm having a weird fortnight. Suddenly I have lost the motivation to lose any more weight, so have eaten loads of chocolate and gained 2lb this week... I feel a lot better in myself and am struggling to adjust to my smaller body - I really craved having collarbones again, but now I do, I feel...

My rule is that all foods that are not hexes/syns must be 1/3 superfree. So if I have a eggs and mushrooms on toast, with the toast as a hex, it should be 1/3 mushrooms, 2/3 eggs, with the hex toast as 'extra'. Ditto if there are syns - but most meals with syns will also have some free food. So...

Agree completely, I'm having a bit of a weight loss crisis too at the moment (Do I still really want this? Do I want to stick to it for the rest of my life? Is it worth the effort? Will I really see that much of a benefit from all this hard work?). I'm taking lots of time to think it over and...