Search results

The Japanese have a saying which translates to "eat until you are 80% full" and this is used as a maximum. I guess there is a degree of willpower involved in not stuffing yourself to the rafters, sometimes drinking water can assist with helping you feel fuller so you don't feel deprived.

Would also like to point out that a number of Krispy Kreme doughnuts actually have more calories in them than a 3-course meal, just to get it into perspective. I would rather have the 3-course meal tbh! :D

Aspartame really isn't as evil as people make out. I notice that in the US, people blame it for causing cancer however they have not cited the same toxicity data for Sugar (which is actually more carcinogenic than aspartame) but the tests aren't particularly fair as most organisms will develop...

Definitely something to consider. If you abandoned the vegetables a bit and went for the high-energy, low-fibre foods, you may find things slowed down a fair bit. Drink plenty of water and consider the Senna. Making a big pan of veggie soup also helps to keep you regular as well as full of speed...

I guess with banning things on plans, they would be setting people up to fall off the wagon and go off-plan altogether which I am sure they don't want!

I'm like your OH in that respect, I tend to ration my chocolate and have it hang around the house :P

Purple, you will be able to look forward to post-loss surgery instead. I was in a similar position to you but I was making not brilliant choices as I wasn't paying particularly close attention to what I ate. If the label looked healthy, I generally trusted it as healthy when actually, it had a...

I am fully on the SP wagon here and I wasn't losing anything following EE. Think it may have been carb bloat. Until I get to target, I will be following SP long-term and slowly start to reintroduce carbohydrates back into my diet.

Keeping your hands busy also helps. I found my real downfall was if I ever watched TV. Going to the Gym and also having crafty things to do in front of the TV helps to occupy my hands and stops me from picking at food. I also need to watch my intake as I'm close to target and over-eating can...

That's looking much better now, keep it up! :D

I add fresh Apple to it and ground cinnamon. If you don't cook the apple, it has zero syn value :D

It's on the Reminder bookmark they gave us as well when the plan launched.

That's odd because if you look at the food diaries, only Muller Lights are segregated. Other 0% fat yoghurts are allowed and the guidance from SW about EESP long-term actually encourages you to supplement with fat-free yoghurt every day to go with your HEA or double up once per week to ensure...

If I am using my HEB's on Porridge, I have a serving last thing in the evening, just over an hour until I go to bed. Oats are extremely good for getting the body to mellow out and they are apparently good for weight loss, good fibre source and they also have a fair chunk of protein in them as...

Your food diaries are looking a lot better, you should be filling your plate and trust the SW plan more as it really does work, a lot of us on here can prove that. Please bear the following in mind; your body needs a minimum of 1,200 kcals per day to function correctly, any less than this and...

Definitely eat if you are wilting like that. Agree on the jacket potato and beans, maybe you could sneak some salad on the plate as well so you can polish your halo, even while you are sick?

I got my 8 and a half stone award, I'm now focusing on 9 stone, 9 and a half and finally my target! ^_^

Hey guys, the Bank Holiday weekend has been hectic for me but I'm on some down-time after an Operation so I actually have time which I can put aside specifically to actually knuckling down and publishing my food blog properly. Sorry for being so cryptic and squirrelly, I'll get it up and then...

It will happen eventually, you just need to give yourself time to adjust. I had an operation yesterday so I am banned from the Gym for at least two weeks and lower-body exercises are going to have to be gently re-introduced later on, I'm going to lose my mind at this rate!

Sorry if I necro'd the thread but I genuinely have to chip in here. As the others have said, don't beat yourself up about it, what is done, is done. It's all a learning experience and your best bet is to draw a line under it and move on rather than obsess over it. If you do have a wobble or a...

The certificates can be great to stick up in strategic places where you may actually find your willpower fading. I have mine stuck on my fridge in a clip so it makes me think when I open the fridge. I hadn't realised that Certificates actually had a personal cost to the consultant and were not...

It's okay Green Eyed Monster, I love going in that place, just to have a look around and see what is there, LOL! Obviously, things like Storecupboard staples, you don't need to replace but they have some fantastic essences in there, I bought peppermint extract and Almond Extract yesterday along...

Unfortunately yes as you are likely to eat more of the foods in question. Think about it this way. If your food was boiled or served in the traditional way it is prepared, how much would you eat? Then think about slicing the same ingredients for crisps and how much you would eat, is it more...

Wotsits, Skips, Quavers and Doritos are my thing. My desire for them has subsided quite a bit though and I look at calorie values as well to help me get things into perspective, especially when I exercise. Makes me think about how much I would need to do just to work them off and that steers me...

You need to be careful with the powders/tablets as a lot of the powders are meal replacements and have a ton of Syns in them. I have been investigating some of the powders and the powders with the lowest Syn values are 4.5 syns for a serving and you are expected to have two servings per day...

I don't mind working out in the Gym, idk if I would ever have a house big enough for all of the machines I use as I use 4 just for my cardio, don't get me started on the resistance machines and all of the free weights I use! :8855:

This is contrary to what I had been told by my consultant and the area manager, they had said that it's okay to do it more long-term but you should look at having both HEB's and have one day with two HEA's per week on EESP as well as regular consumption of fat-free dairy such as yoghurt/fromage...

I managed 8 stone in 57 weeks, it is entirely possible to lose what you aspire to within two years, naturally. Personally, I opted for following the plan for most of a year then I started going to the Gym to bolster my progress, now it's about week 12 of my training program and I have lost 8...

If you are using Protein Shakes for a post-workout drink to encourage lean-muscle growth, knock it on the head, I have a perfectly natural way for you to promote lean muscular growth after a weights session which adheres to the plan without using Syns. You will need to eat speed food with them...

I go to Lakeland for my baking stuff, they have sites for those who can't get to the shop so you can order things online and get them delivered. Going into the shop is an experience though, it's a very professional shop but it has all sorts of things for all aspects of home-life, you could...

Have you tried making your own? I found some low-additive flavourings and just use fat-free yoghurt, so I can ditch the packaged yoghurts and make my own. Have mastered the Lime and Coconut ones I really enjoyed from the Muller Light range which have now been discontinued so it's all good! ^_^

Next target is 8 and a half stone award, then 9 stone, then 9 and a half and that's my target. 1 stone 6 pounds to go, I'm excited and terrified at the same time! :P

Krazy, if you want to bake, use Stevia or some other sweetener in your baking. Mashing fruit will cause the fruit to be converted to Syns so you need to weigh what you have before you mash it :)

For those of you stating Popcorn is your thing, have you considered buying a popcorn maker? They use hot air to pop the kernels and popped ones float out into a bowl you put near the spout. Then you can season your popcorn with whatever you like AND have more actually popcorn as well! ^_^

I think it may differ depending on browser as I don't get a free text box. If they want to make it all-encompassing, they should make one for weightlifting/resistance challenges, it's not hard to make one up!

Yep but for the awards, the drop-down list is exceptionally restrictive and none of those activities are found on there. I feel there is way too much focus on Cardio only as well, muscle toning is important :)

HEB Portion of Oats, Yoghurt and an Egg. From there, allow your imagination to take you to different places :D

7 squares of Dark chocolate for 2 Syns :D

In my eyes they do count however SW has no capacity to quantify or qualify these activities and therefore, Body Magic does not count them. The Criteria don't allow for it currently (Check Lifeline online as well, it's woefully inadequate)

Tuna in Spring Water (yes, it is dry but the drained weight is higher than that in brine or Sunflower oil and matches the drained weight of that in Olive Oil, only difference is that it's entirely free rather than using Syns for oil-versions) Fat-free greek yoghurt (Ditch the Muller Lights...

There are tons of options with your Contraception however I had not found that my patterns changed due to the lifestyle changes I have made with SW. With the changes to your patterns, I would speak to your CASH clinic as it sounds like it may be wearing off, getting low or maybe a reaction has...

Cous-cous cakes are classified as a tweak so you would need to Syn the cous-cous. You would eat more couscous that way rather than the way it is intended to be eaten. Eating large amounts of carbs can lead to water retention and as it is your TOTM, you may be carrying some water weight. Keep...

That's pants and I wholeheartedly disagree with that consultant's viewpoint! If you really want to be by the book, make crudités (celery, cucumber, carrots etc.) and serve with a dip. If you aren't going to make SW houmous, look at making something cheesy and maybe adding a tiny bit of salt to...

Blades, this attitude is good as you are adjusting from being in purely weight-loss mode to being a maintainer. Keep up the good work! Grats Sookie, that's a brilliant loss! WI this evening and lost a pound. Not a huge amount but still a loss, plodding along until I reach my target now :)

Body Magic needs serious refinement as it is an extremely poor scale. Running etc. counts however things like rowing machines and stairmasters do not count, nor do weights/resistance machines which is utter nonsense as the resistance work also helps with weight loss and can be an efficient...

Is your consultant providing other means of support at all? Sometimes, consultants may be able to provide services even when they are unwell and unable to get cover by doing something on Facebook or WhatsApp. It would be worth clarifying with your consultant if she can provide anything virtual...

Generally the closer you get to target, the fewer Syns you should be eating. I believe the general rule of thumb used to calculate what is appropriate for your weight (although not advertised officially) is one syn per stone of weight. The advice given here is a good idea though, start afresh...

I think we need a little more information here. Firstly, do you keep a food diary? What kind of things do you eat after the Gym, are you eating protein after working out to build muscle? How well hydrated are you? Have you considered doing an SAS log for you to be 100% honest with yourself...

Does your fitbit actually have a pedometer function? A lot of activity bands measure steps taken and for it to count for body magic, it doesn't have to strictly be "exercise" it could be walking around the office etc. Every little bit helps and it's getting you out of your chair which causes...

It depends on what you eat really. Portion control is not the largest element of SW but it is something you will need to be mindful of, especially further along in your journey. Part of the plan is to help you feel fuller for longer with the satisfying foods. Eating breakfast if you never did...

This is technically classified as a tweak and is not half a syn for the entire cake. As the Chick Peas are being utilised as a replacement for flour, you will need to Syn it appropriately and chickpeas rack up the syns rapidly, proceed with caution! :3

Make a HEB cake with oats (also fat-free yoghurt, egg and Stevia) and then add cocoa powder and for additional ooziness, add some chocolate pieces in the middle to melt for later. If you keep the chocolate dark, the Syn value for this cake is low. Oat cakes/muffins are my speciality :)

Keep drinking fluids and maybe sit on your hands, wait for 20 mins after having a drink and see if you are genuinely hungry or if it is boredom.

I'm thinking of perhaps giving this a go, I still have 1 stone 9lbs to target before I can knobble the doctor for surgery :( I love fish so this would probably be fairly easy for me. Going to look into doing this and maybe combining it with an SP week, not sure?

If fat-free natural yoghurt isn't doing it for you, have you switched to fat-free greek style yoghurt? It is still free on all plans but it has a better texture than Natural yoghurt as it isn't runny (yuck).

Hi Timmins. If you are flogging pretty hard with the walking, you may not be drinking enough, you have to keep properly hydrated during exercise otherwise you begin to retain water. In addition, I notice that you are having under 1200 Calories, this is the body's threshold for starvation mode...

Essences are counted as store cupboard staples and as patchwork said, they are considered to be Syn free as you use very little. If you want something more exotic than the almond, lemon, orange, peppermint or rum flavour, have you considered going to Lakeland online? They have other essences...

I make porridge mini-muffins as my HEB's or even just the one HEB on an SP day, allows me to have the muffins with fruit and I can add frosting to them and use my HEA for that. I must say, there is something very satisfying as an adult to sit down for dinner and just eat muffins and fruit...

Leftovers from the night before are very popular as people tend to batch cook while getting enough goodness in :)

The mug-shots are not brilliant. Fruits and vegetables come under the free and speed food categories and are proven as good for you when regularly consumed. Mug shots do have some goodness in them but not as much as something you made from scratch. They are however good in a pinch when your...

They are syn-free food but you need to bear in mind that they may not be brilliant to eat a lot. The nutritional value of them is lacking in obviously speed food so you potentially would need to get speed food to go with it if you went down that route. A Microwave is a great resource to have...

Bleurgh, WI last night and just managed half a pound. I think I am going to have to change my eating habits. Am I the only one who finds three meals a day too much in one go? Feel quite ill after eating a bigger meal unless it is fruit, just had some stew with some carrots, the sauce was made...

I SP a lot during the week these days, I got for entire weeks on SP and have mixed losses. I generally have better success, the longer I follow SP tbh :)

I trim everything off but the tail still has meat on it, I do trawl through all of the meat in Sainsbury's doing the same thing, not just bacon, my joints of meat, ham etc. etc. There is a luxury ham I buy extra thickly sliced which has one vein of fat on and I trim that off. Your local...

On the SP part of the book, there is an SP symbol next to having half the HEB's to boost weight loss. I'm particularly saddened by seeing it tbh, they could have switched the HEB's and suggested better choices to help boost weight loss (i.e. people having reported better losses when eating oats...

I eat both HEB's when doing an SP day otherwise I think I would go completely crazy due to lack of Carbs! They do advocate only having one HEB to speed losses up further but I think you risk slowing your digestive transit down and also putting your body through an extremely low carb diet...

I am calorie counting as well as following the Extra Easy plan as it is helping me with portion control so I don't over-eat. It also helps me think more about where my energy comes from.

I guess it was added entertainment for everyone else. Just don't understand why people do that tbh. Another out of the ordinary thing happened today. A lady was working out in a Hijab today. I can completely understand why people may do that but the hijab the lady was wearing had many intricate...

Wow, well done! Well done to all who went and weighed in over the week, the main thing is that you went to weigh in, even if you gained :)

Muscles do retain water when you start to exercise so you need to ensure you are sufficiently hydrated. Did you exercise much before you joined Curves? Going to the gym so hard so fast may lead to injury and exhaustion and you could fall off the wagon after needing a rest. You need to ensure you...

Well done, keep it going! ^_^ WI last night and got a pound off, smack on 8 stone lost and I also got greatest loser in my group. Scales flickered at a pound and a half off but I'll get that half pound as part of my losses next week. Just a stone and a half to target, hoping to get that before...

I have seen a woman regularly coming in mid-morning and working out with Spanx under her workout gear. How is that even possible? It's about as sensible as the lady who works out in heels at your gym, Lauren (must admit, I laughed when I read it). Heels don't let you work out efficiently...

I try to take gains on the chin. It is especially irritating if you have been 100% on plan and nothing happens or you gain. Try to turn it around and use it to spur you on, it helps me to stay motivated - my body tried to push my face in the mud and make me feel bad about the gain so I'm...

Keep going Blades, you are SO close! :D

You could always make a lower fat version of pastry with flour in it. Using super-light spread instead of butter may allow you to still make puff pasty.

I have tried these and have found that extra gelatine is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, I found out AFTER emptying the sachet into the jug that it should be added to the liquid. Lakeland have a special set for making jelly sweets which have moulds such as teddy bears etc. I may get one...

Hehe, that must be a huge benefit for self-confidence! :)

I think that's all of the bad things summed up in one person's selfish actions :p What's with people using resistance machines, sweating themselves stupid then not even wiping the machines down? It's what every girl wants, second-hand sweat rash! *shudders*

I got into my Healthy BMI range, now the next target is 8 stone, then 8.5 stone and so on until I achieve my target :)

45 minutes of Cardio, 1-1.5h of weights at the gym, 4 times per week. 3 hours of walking once per week.

Well done Cathberry! :D I went quiet as last week I had a gain of a pound despite staying on plan :( WI last night and I lost 5 and a half pounds :eek: Am amazed, had even texted my consultant and told her not to hold her breath for a loss from me at weigh-in! The group is having a "Biggest...

I make HEB Muffins with my oat allowance mixed with egg and yoghurt. With a mini-muffin pan, I can make 6 mini muffins and have those for the entire day. You can fill the muffins with anything, low-syn jam/marmalade, dark chocolate etc.

It isn't just based on that week, it also depends on the performance of the previous week. It depends on how much you want to or have to lose really. The closer you are to your target weight, the harder it gets to have large losses.

I tend to use the standard Frylight sprays rather than the infusion ones as they could be a little restrictive. The butter ones are great for pancakes or mushrooms if I have them cooked on toast. Sunflower spray is great for stir fries and the Olive Oil spray is fab for Mediterranean foods.

The further along you are in your journey, the more you have to tweak over time. Slimming world works on the principle of eating fewer calories by eating speed foods with low calorie densities and the power to fill you up. Once the adjustments to what you eat have taken place, you need to look...

Love this thread, what a fantastic idea! I'll list the benefits I have seen here, I still have over 1.5 stones to go to target yet so I'm not done yet but I am definitely feeling a difference! There are some down-sides but I have come to accept that I am going to need post-loss surgery to...

One thing you may want to consider is maybe instead of SP days, you roll back to the Success Express plan if you really have to have the carbs? You would need to make 2/3 of your meal Speed (Formerly super free) foods and then the other third free foods such as protein and carbs. The weekly Syn...

I too have fallen foul of things advertised in group with incorrect Syn values. Admittedly, the thread made me smile but I had thought back to my own incident. Nowadays, I am far too suspicious to allow myself to take it at face value, I spend a lot of time browsing online on grocery store sites...

I started going to the Gym about 10 weeks ago four times per week. Toning has started to get noticeable but my losses have been hit and miss as I am getting closer and closer to my target now so it has become a battle to get there. I do about 45 mins of Cardio and about an hour of resistance on...

I have the most Syns after Weigh in and then taper them down to 5 syns per day. I know some of you may be horrified to read this but I genuinely have trouble spending mine as I don't enjoy the same foods I used to. Confectionary is generally too sweet for me these days so I tend to stay away...

That sounds extremely Nutella Heavy. My version of this recipe has two tablespoons of Nutella, one Tablespoon of Golden Syrup and 8 Scan bran. I add a little water so it isn't too dry and it works out that two balls are one and a half syns each. The recipe you have sounds a lot more per ball...

I'm in that crowd as well. Definitely want to rub it in the faces of people who used to torment me for being Fat when I was a child. Speaking of something a tad Schadenfreude, am I the only one who smirks when I see a former bully pass me and they piled the weight on after school? Always makes...

Wow, that sounds very modern. Most of the machines I use are cabled or belted for resistance and then you have the standard cross-trainer, treadmill, rowing machine and stair masters. To be fair, we do have variants on some of them, two cross-trainers in the Gym can also change the incline. I...

Aw nuts, I didn't get to go today and was going to stock up on Syn free sausages and meatballs! :(

To manage this in the future, you could pre-prepare items so when you get the urge to comfort eat, you won't worry about what you are consuming then and minimise any damage to losses that way. The best thing I could point you to is that preparation is the main key to Slimming World. If you have...

Try other things like Burgers, kebab loafs and maybe stews and slow-cooked items. You can slow cook things like beef to make fake burritos or make other things such as pulled pork which you could put on Sandwiches. Pasta bakes are still very possible. If your curries are turning out watery...

Well done Catberry! Thanks guys, I had a couple of static weeks so it was nice to lose some more. Target is 2 stone and half a pound away and I am getting so excited! I just want my surgery ASAP as various bits of me are wrinklier than a prune! XD

I syn a little bit of Flour and make them with yoghurt, stevia, vanilla essence and egg (all of which are free). As for porridge oats, I make porridge cake :)

I have had a look on the HE part of the SW website and have been unable to find wheat bran on its' own. You may need to make a query to Slimming World directly to try to ascertain what the case is.

Oh that's awful! Why do people insist on being A**hats to people when they are in the Gym? You go in there with zero makeup and maybe messy hair to sweat, not strut around a pose like a damn peacock! Well done for keeping going though, it's all too tempting to jack it in and make an exit fairly...

I'm going to Iceland tomorrow, I may grab some Syn Free sausages and meatballs :)

I completely agree but a large proportion of consultants do this as a second job and most groups are in the evenings so people aren't able to eat properly on the evenings when they have two sessions perhaps? I'm not sure, I just remember the ops event saying that I need to be aware of the...

It is due to the stress and the fact that you will end up not being able to cook as much as you would like due to time being occupied by being a consultant.

I agree, there is nothing like the smell of sweat to enhance the taste of chocolate perhaps? :8855: Oh god, this makes me laugh so much. The guys in my Gym who are seriously into weights do this, they end up shadowing me on some of the machines, especially on the leg machines and the back...

Perhaps you need to look at taking up a hobby to channel your energy, keep your mind occupied or to challenge yourself? I have to admit that I am in the same boat you are in and have the Gym to channel my negative feelings into. The sense of accomplishment I get from increasing the size of the...

The purpose of this thread is to share any weird experiences you have had in the Gym. Maybe you encountered some idiots on machines, people slacking, the showers being really open, maybe the lockers do not have their own locks and you have to bring your own? I'll start with my weird...

I have been going to the Gym for about 6 weeks and am now a full blown Gym bunny. I go four times per week for two hours (sometimes more) very early in the morning and get on with the rest of my day. It's the best thing for waking up properly and also helps you to channel any morning grumpiness...

Technically, you need to be at least 50% through your journey however working as a consultant can cause your losses to go awry and they do advise you of that before you engage as a consultant. Targets as you all know are not set on the basis of whether it is healthy, it is down to the individual...

How many of you will be doing Slimming World Pancakes today or even normal ones? Do you guys fill them with anything or just have them as they come? Think I will be having sweet ones with fruit today! :D

WI last night and lost 4 and a half pounds. I was thrilled. Didn't even realise I had achieved my 7 and a half stone award! :8855: My consultant has never had anyone in her groups who had lost so much weight before so she's very proud :) It's lucky that I did actually get a loss, I was...

WI tonight, really hoping for a loss! :)

Maybe have a Nando's if you need something hot? You can apparently have a Syn-free lunch if you want one from Nando's although you need to plan ahead and maybe order ahead using the app?

No, it's my preferred celebration, I like to receive the steak and er... give the other thing! ;)

It's mixed results really. Some (very few) people cannot metabolise the Phenyl Alanine found in Aspartame however they also cannot metabolise protein and it leads to a toxic build-up which eventually kills them as it pools in the brain and poisons it quickly. Most people can metabolise it...

Nah, I'm single too but I won the Valentine's themed raffle at SW. Won some Silicone heart-shaped interlocking cookie moulds, a tube of romantic glitter/sprinkles and a pair of plastic heart-shaped champagne flutes. One of the guys in the group is going out to a works outing on Valentine's day...

After seeing in the food diaries that Muller Lights have their own column, I am somewhat suspicious of eating them. Cappuccino flavoured ones do sour good though, maybe I could make my own "ice-cream" but with quark and coffee? Hmmmm....

WI last night and had a maintain. After Scan Bran challenge, calorie counting and SP for 6 days last week, I'm annoyed. Giving it another shot this week, hoping that it will kick in, if not, I will be doing success express, 5:2 alongside SW or something else. Measured some HEB's out for...

Make your own guys, you can choose what your pickles are flavoured with then! Really easy to do, you can buy dried pickling spices for more traditional ones or use different things like garlic, salt and maybe ginger. It can actually be a LOT cheaper and my home-made pickles knock the spots off...

That's strange as the consultants in group advise that it needs to be used sparingly as it is a sugar analogue.

I'd say that is one of the down-sides of SW. They encourage you to fill up which is fine when you are bigger but after losing a fair amount of weight, you have to start reducing portion sizes and calorie intake. I'm currently at that stage and my losses are agonisingly slow if not non-existent :(

I go to group so we get the scan bran for £1.25 per packet of 10 slices. You can also buy them from Holland and Barratt but they are £1.45 per 10 slices. As for the drinking, I am not sure, there is no specific rule for it, it is all to do with how your body works. Not sure if I have consumed...

Walking helped me a lot, I have ramped the exercise up now and am going to the gym however you need to bear severe things in mind. You can wear what you like in the Gym so long as you are decently covered up (some Gyms get a little uncomfortable with crop-tops) so you could wear a loose-fitting...

I might look into doing this as I seem to have had very few losses recently. Anyone got any tips for me on this?

The scan Bran challenge is to have 5 scan bran slices per day as your healthy extra B-Choice over the course of a given week. It can assist with losses so long as you are sufficiently hydrated.

If it is sweetener, i.e. Aspartame-based, it's fine but if it is Stevia, it needs to be Synned. Aspartame is 3000 times as sweet as a sugar molecule so you need hardly anything. That does however sound incredibly sweet. How many servings does your brownie batch make?

If you use a dessertspoonful, it's 2 Syns, tops and that's for the entire batch so you could technically pig out and have as many as you like :p Chicken works, you could do it with lemon and shred it or you could also use lamb, ginger and spring onions maybe with a few black beans and stick...

if you only use one egg in the batch, it doesn't taste like egg. The moment you add more, it will start to taste eggy.

I tend to not show any sort of gain on * week, rather 2 weeks before when I am ovulating! :3

You could grab a sandwich from Boots on Cross Street as they have some healthy sandwiches in their chillers. You may also be able to order something hot and healthy from Tampopo if you pre-order, some of the branches actually do take away, it's worth asking in the one in the Triangle or the one...

If your pancakes were lacklustre, you may need to look at what has been used and change things up a bit. Technically, oriental pancakes used for duck are simply flour and water. The recipe SW have suggested I was surprised at. Egg and flour recipes have a really eggy taste. To be honest, you...

I find these somewhat off-putting. Looking at the energy consumption and the fact they take up counter space, I am cautious about potentially getting one. Eye-watering price tag as well. Can someone make a case for really getting one, is this something that you "must have in your kitchen"? I...

We tend to stick to Sainsbury's as they have started cutting prices on vegetables plus there is plenty of variety and good quality, even the basics stuff is nice. I get 1.5kg of carrots for 65p and mix things up with peppers, aubergines and courgettes. Weekly spend is approximately £60 which...

I agree with Patchwork although I would actually make a fuss, BIG TIME. There is a responsibility for employers and anywhere to offer a healthy option apparently (both a hot and a cold option). It just doesn't wash that they have stuck mayo is everything and say "there is salad". Unacceptable...

Pea and Mint dip. Salmon and lemon dip. Both are great on Scan Bran slices for a light lunch :)

I tend to give the condiments a swerve actually. Having followed the plan for some time, I am actually finding the majority of what I had reached for in the past is actually unpalatable and makes me violently ill these days. My solution to the issue is to make my own condiments, I buy mustard...

Way too sweet. I actually was nervous about rhubarb, have recently re-discovered it and actually like it but by the standards of someone who isn't overly keen on sour food, these are way too sweet and the taste of the Rhubarb is almost lost underneath the mountain of sugar/sweeteners.

Finally shifted that stupid half pound, hoping the portion control and calorie counting will help. Also doing the scan bran challenge but I have to go and pick up some senna as I appear to have slowed down despite drinking over two litres of liquid per day! :doh: Really hoping the scan bran...

How did it go Karen?

Hi Patty, I'm pretty careful with the portion control, I'm looking at filling less of the plate although I do note that my brain tries to rebel and make me think about being deprived so I'm thinking of another downsizing of the plates. I don't really go bonkers on the carbs either but I have...

I slice up an apple and sprinkle cinnamon over it so it tastes different to just a standard apple. It's quite good for curbing sweet cravings you may have :)

Post-loss surgery! My body now looks like a Dali painting and I'm not even done yet! In all fairness, my loss has been fast over a short period of time so I should have expected it but my body confidence is very low atm. Don't get me wrong, I'm so proud of what I have achieved so far and I am...

Congratulations on the losses guys, keep them coming! ^_^ Having a rargh, hair-pulling moment again. WI on Monday, half a pound on. I know it's not a big deal in terms of gains, I have gained more in a week but I am getting severely irritated. Just want to vent on here, I started a thread to...

Okay so I'm not that close, I changed my target in-group to 11 stone rather than 9 stone 13 lbs as I think if I ever fluctuate around that weight, it may look a tad exaggerated. I have about 2 stone left, I will re-evaluate whether I set it too high but I am getting SUPER frustrated. I accepted...

An options hot chocolate serving is 1.5 syns. Stick one of those in a little quark, fromage frais/fat-free yoghurt and mix it around frozen berries. I use the white chocolate and use it with frozen summer fruits, it turns into something which resembles ice-cream! ^_^

Smart swaps, it may well be worth looking up some recipes and coming up with alternatives which taste similar. Unfortunately, there will not always be a plan-friendly version of everything, shortbread in particular probably won't be something you can really make and stick to the plan without...

I have been on the SW plan for over a year now and my digestive system is more vocal. Your body will get used to the increased volume of fruit and vegetables but you will find you are passively more noisy (not talking about breaking wind here) over time.

Extra Easy SP is principally a way of turbo-boosting your weight loss. Carbohydrates are cut out and you fill your plate with 50% speed food and 50% protein. The protein is to fill you up and the speed food is to ensure that you don't take too many calories on-board. You have one Healthy Extra...

Wow, well done!

Technically it's a tweak and SW do not advocate the usage of veggies like this as you reduce their filling power and could potentially harm your losses at the scales. I challenged an area manager regarding syncing them and she said that a large batch could potentially get to about 10 syns so...

Apparently they have changed, some by a lot and some things no longer qualify unfortunately. Seems that the food scientists at head office have stated that things such as Options have decreased in Syn value and Olive Oil no longer counts as an HEB.

I sometimes go for the Phenylepheprine as I really don't like anything going up my nose. Major blockages I treat with Vicks Sinex spray and that opens the sinuses themselves rather than just the nasal passages. The side effect of this unfortunately is a bad sinus-ache for 10 mins but I will bear...

I had 1.5 pounds this week. Another 3 and I get my 7 and a half stone award. Trying extra hard before WI on Monday. Going to the Gym regularly now and also recording what I eat in terms of calories so I don't go too mental as I think portion control is coming into play now.

It is meant as a motivational tool to try to keep the competitive edge while your body is getting used to the plan and the losses are easier than further on in your journey. I have noticed that my consultant asks nearly everyone in the group for amounts for the following week aside from me but...

Complain straight away by means of a formal written complaint. It's bad practice to do something like that as the criticism normally doesn't help, only makes the matter worse. While I appreciate the sugar comment, sugar also occurs naturally in some foods and generally people brush at least...

Your consultant could help you set a target if you have no idea. You can choose whichever target you want but the PDA system can give you highest and lowest healthy weights according to BMI as a guideline. Interim targets can also be set to keep you going as small milestones to keep you...

Wow well done, nearly 1 stone lighter already! Stick with it and you'll see the losses continue! :D

Exercise can help with mobility. Are you getting enough fibre too? I know that sometimes they indicate that one HiFi Light would help speed things up but frankly, a low fibre diet only leads to impact issues and needing supplements to trigger movements. Unless you cram yourself with lentils...

Mixing things up sometimes does help and it can cause nice surprises at the scales :)

I tend to have the most syns on WI night but I still monitor my Syns. My upper limit is 20 syns maximum and most other days I have 5 syns so it does even out over the week. Going in blindfolded, having a black hole is not my style and is counter-productive. Our area manager had covered for our...

The weird thing is if you are doing an EE SP day, Muller lights are in their own column in an EE SP Food Diary, I think they may end up being phased, rationed or even banned on an EE SP day. Whichever way, I am suspicious of something which has to be so closely monitored so I will be making my...

You may also need to keep hydrated properly as thirst can be misinterpreted as hunger.

You chose Boiled rice though and that was exercising what SW call "Choice Power". Takeaways are not forbidden if you really want them and don't want to make your own "Fakeaway" then check the Syn section of the SW book and make smarter choices on which dishes to order. Serving with boiled rice...

Hi there Equi, Stick to the plan as much as you can and you should see results. If you have any questions, ask your consultant or even pitch the questions here as there are many knowledgable members here who have had fantastic losses and maintained their weight. Lots of support available here...

I tend to mix things up but the EE SP plan is a lot like a green plan tbh. It may be worth just poking your head in and having a proper chat with the consultant and see what they have to say about things, whether they can support you enough to satisfy your needs etc. Lots of consultants still...

Hi Rachel, Welcome to Slimming World! Easy meals can be done in a flash depending on what you have in your fridge and cupboards. One example of an easy meal is grabbing some dried noodles and putting those in a pan with some salted boiling water and boil for about 5-10 mins (depending on...

They are apparently applicable as a HEX B (So sayeth the SW website)

That appears to be the medium fat variety. Generally the low fat/virtually fat free variety has 0.2g of fat per 100g of product.

I have had trouble getting hold of Monin Syrups online which are sugar free, the full sugar ones are everywhere! Guess I will have to be a better google ninja! :D

I hope this has straightened out but I would definitely speak to your consultant and get them to feed back your responses to Head Office. If the plan hasn't worked properly for you, it is worth feeding back to Head Office as they may need to refine the plan further.

Smoking mackerel doesn't just involve burning wood chips, a lot of the time, they add honey, syrup or molasses to the fish to give it sweet flavour.

It's extremely uncommon as it is normally low-fat cheese made from skimmed milk and used by slimmers. If you have found it in Lidl with Herbs in it, a larger branch may have the full-fat version available.

How have you done getting this back off Gazter? Hope you have kicked most of the gain to the kerb! :) I went into SP overdrive plus NYE sort of corrected itself (very luckily)!

Weight-loss is 80-90% Diet and the rest is exercise according to various papers. With the weight-loss, you will lose fat but also some muscle, if you want to look buff rather than just being slim, you will need to do exercise too as it will cause muscle tone to improve with the added bonus of...

Green, please don't give up! :( If you have done it before, you can do it again. You have tons of resources at your fingertips now; this forum, probably a FaceBook group for your SW Group, the SW website, Apps, a myriad of other things and lots of people here who are rooting for you...

I went from EE to SP and had quite a bit of success. I could see why the Red to SP may be a little problematic from the view of having carbs in your meals and the potential fluid retention issues. Boofle, did you keep a food diary at all? It may be worth examining what you had eaten and maybe...

it may be or it may be a case that people carbed their meals up too much. I must admit our new consultant who took our group over is very active on our FaceBook group and posts pictures of her food, supposedly EE SP meals and they have a lot of carbs on the plate! :3

Ah okay, SP is designed as a turbo button that you use to mitigate any gains if you are going to have a big evening out with lots of syns or you have lost your groove and need to get back into it. The Extra easy (or EE) plan is designed to allow you to cook one meal for the entire family which...

Congratulations on the fabulous losses I see in this thread! :D Had my WI last night and 2 pounds off this week which is a relief as the wheels truly fell off at the weekend and I had a bit of a syn blow-out last Monday. :3 Realised that it was my SW anniversary yesterday so I have been on the...

If you are making sure that you are getting plenty of fibre, you may need to increase your fluid consumption as it will become a little more problematic and less mobile. Ask yourself the question of whether there is an element of pain (after beginning the plan) in your movements and if yes then...

Next target is my next sticker, I tend to aim for each one to keep myself going. My target in group is just over 3 stone away, it's more like 4 on here but I may have stuck it too low we shall see.

I was quite good but gained 4 pounds. My biggest gain so far - just wanted to kick the chair in a childish tantrum. Week after I came back fighting though, lost 4 and a half, just need to keep that going, LOL!

Not been to the Gym yet, was going to sign up this week but had an unexpected bill to factor in so I am having to watch the pennies for now, meh! >_< Guess I will be grabbing my weights and having a go at some exercises at home for a while!

I'm in :)

It does get a lot harder, I found my losses really slowed down after the first 5 and a half stone. I'm fighting to continue getting losses at the scales. Consultants say that you need to gradually make changes to your routine to get to your goal. If you have already made changes to your diet...

Batch cooking is your best friend. I don't work shifts but I love to batch cook to save me having to think of whatever I need to eat. My ideas come from various websites, not just the slimming world one and I experiment. Tonight I'm having Vegetable curry along with Jerk chicken rice. There are...

You are supposed to have both Speed and Protein in most if not all meals. Ever tried slicing fruit onto your Nutella on toast? Just looking at your menu, your lunch looks a little light on the speed food unless you can say hand on heart that you are eating 50/50 bacon vs the lettuce and tomato :)

I noticed in the book, that actually, they suggest if you are following EE SP for long periods of time, you will need to start to add a second HEA to your diet as you may end up being slightly deficient in Calcium and fats. Some of the information is conflicting, it may well be a case of...

I found the first three stone didn't really show too much, despite my trousers being looser and needing to get smaller ones, it wasn't noticeable. Above that, I started getting the comments from friends and family, one of whom was shocked as he hadn't seen me for months and I was down nearly 5...

Thanks Guys. New Year is now over and surprisingly, my Body had put the brakes on after 4 drinks as I committed the mortal sin of drinking both drinks made from grain and drinks made from grape. Felt a little nauseated so I sipped water for the rest of the evening. After a little sleep, I...

Had a gain over Christmas, my biggest yet and I am concerned that this may be the beginning of a backslide. I still have NYE to get through and it's going to be a heavy alcohol one. I know exactly where the gain came from and my own inactivity is responsible. If I had been more assertive over...

As people have said, your target is your choice. I am on the social team for my session so I know how the pay and the weigh system works, you can technically set final goals and interim ones to keep you going. Your final goal (or target, as it is more commonly called) can be changed at any time...

I count daily and weekly if I can to see if I have blown it accidentally and if I need to do what is known as "Damage recovery". Last week really was a write-off, my glass kept being topped up, I was fuming! I'm being super-good this week, haven't had a single Syn so far and I'm keeping it that...

I have read through my new pack a couple of times and I think the bare bones are this; Foods have been changed from being Free and Superfree to just free foods, except they now designate them as speed foods or protein-rich. The Syns section of the new book gives values for EE only. Red and...

I haven't found a thread for this place on the site so forgive me if this is a duplicate of one which is somewhere I didn't look. Tampopo sell all sorts of noodles and rice dishes, mainly around the SE asian area so think Vietnam, China, Japan etc. While I am aware of avoiding things like...

Salad at this time of year is not appealing so I lean more on the root veggies and slowly cooking things so that I can get plenty of super-free foods without feeling like I am depriving myself. Together with the fact that you normally make a lot of food when you make casseroles and stews, it...

I struggle to spend my Syns tbh. Desires for sweet stuff, cheese and biscuits etc. come in waves rather than being constant. Normally, I tend to spend 5 syns a day if that. I don't syn on Sundays as WI is on Monday and sometimes, I have 8 syns on Monday but it's rare nowadays. Think I have...

That jar idea is brilliant. I could have really done with that for the last stone, my journey has been rather bumpy lately and I was SO tempted to pack it in! :( The only thing that kept me going was the fact I felt better health-wise and the fact that I get a fuzzy feeling when people notice my...

I normally buy fat-free yoghurt and syn anything I add to it but it gives so much flexibility. Sometimes I grab a muller light but I don't go mad, I tend to want them in phases and am very selective about flavours to pick :) As for the Fromage Frais issue, I can agree with you but I feel that...

Hi Nas, So sorry to hear of your loss. Reading what you have posted, your calorific intake seems extremely low. Had your dietician endorsed this at all? Someone had also commented on this earlier on in the thread but if you do pitch your calorie intake too low, your body will start running in...

EE is super-easy to do and can allow you the flexibility of making meals which your entire family will love and will not be able to tell is part of the plan :) Green days aren't really my thing but some of my fellow group-members follow the green plan, one of whom is now a target member. Do...

I heard that there is a new plan from a national manager as well as area managers. I don't think that they will axe red and green days as some people find that mixing things up can cause better losses. Streamlining EE to make more productive losses would be interesting to see. I wonder what the...

I am looking to my next award and also counting down to target. Hoping to stay on track over the festive period as best I can :D I'm not sure how far to go as the SW minimum is just under 10 stone however the NHS say 9 stone is my minimum, I don't want to be ejected from my group. I just want...

Olive Oil can also be used as a B-choice as well if you are prepared to forgo the bread. Can you have any squash or something? It may be worth going to a very populated area such as Athens and have a look around the really large supermarkets? If you can find something, you could always decant...

Head Office is in Derbyshire however they do operate in Ireland.

This is incorrect apparently. I went to an Ops event as a lot of people have told me that I would be a great consultant (both other consultants/area managers and members of my group) so I thought I would have a nose around. The figures Slimming world gave in the meeting states they are the...

The chilli-infused fry light is exclusive to Tesco. Garlic-infused fry light is available in Tesco and Asda. Other varieties are said to be widely available according to the adverts in the latest Slimming World Magazine. :)

Hehe, I will eat the bananas with no guilt then, I LOOOOOOVE them! ^_^

I will be sticking to plan and following Success Express around New Year as that will be my most syn-filled time (if my friend actually makes his mind up, LOL!). This is my First Christmas on Slimming World but I want to try to stick to the plan and be controlled. Christmas over-indulgence...

livi, he does not deserve you. You have done fantastically well and he should be proud of you for it! People have summed things up perfectly here but you will find the right person for you who will love you regardless of your appearance. Stay strong and keep going :)

I stick to the plan but it's not restrictive. After weigh-in, I tend to have the greatest number of syns I allow myself in the week (around about 10 on a Monday night, if that) and return to up to 6 syns for the rest of the week. Sundays tend to be lower-syn still with a lot of weeks, I opt not...

I'm not sure how long it will take for your mind to adjust. In my case, I'm a 12/14 now, I was a size 26/28. While I could see the clothes getting far too big for me, I still think of myself as a big girl. People call me skinny now but I still don't feel it! I think I may feel better about...

If I have had a blowout, I tend to success express and use speed and super-speed foods to try to keep my metabolism ticking over quickly. Don't beat yourself up though, it's counter-productive. It's done now and we cannot time travel back and undo what has already been done so as others have...

I think the thread could have been titled a little better rather than it being "pointless" I do find a few things about the plan odd for example; bananas are counted as a Superfree food. Personally, I have always been of the belief that they are somewhat starchy and when I regularly went to the...

I'm sticking to plan, I paid for a count-down so I am getting a Christmas recipe book and sticking to it! :D

I went to group alone and it's fine, you end up making plenty of friends in-group and talking to them. It's nice to have an alternative to your usual social group as well :D

You could consider batch cooking at the weekends if you have the time. Get a big pot, cook various things and freeze them, then you can have something which is ready in a few minutes from the freezer but about 10 times as healthy as most ready meals. Most people have summarised already but once...

The winner of the national competition gets a voice of £3,000 or a 12-night holiday in the Maldives.

It depends entirely on your composition really but I did notice that once I hit two stone, the clothing issues became more noticable. in terms of whether you will see your losses, that's entirely different, I hardly ever see them in the mirror just the same sad big person looking back at me in...

I have an overall goal of about 9st. I know it is low but if I start to look frail or there are any health implications that my Doctor informs me of before this weight, I will stop. In terms of what keeps me motivated, I try to keep looking towards the next award as they don't seem so far away...

I didn't clear my plate of Slimming World chips and chicken. That may sound counter-intuitive but I am currently trying to break the habit of clearing my plate and feeling I have a duty to do so. People generally get more than they need and I made another mega-salad as per usual so I ate the...

Oooh, I'm a WoW player here too, saw a few but wasn't sure how popular it was. Anyone alliance at all? :D

Sorry if I'm Necro'ing the thread but sometimes if you mix onion, mince and the egg, chilling it can help it bind. :)

How slowly or quickly you lose the weight depends on a variety of factors really, I'm hearing a lot of "as long as it's going in the right direction" in the thread and completely agree. I know that people have commented on how much I have personally lost over such a short time but I was quite...

I stick with Extra Easy and it's really working for me but it works for some people and not others, it's all about experimenting. As for navigating through things like Weddings, Birthdays etc. I think the SW website has some guides on buffets on minimising Syn intake, things like give the...

I had my nose pierced for a while but it was pulled out when I nuzzled too hard into my pillow three months ago - LOL! Still have my tragus pierced and my lobes three times on each side. Three tattoos, am thinking of getting a fourth but I may wait until I get closer to my personal target...

I tend to have Melon frequently every week and mix it with other fruits, generally for breakfast. So nice though, nice to experiment with different fruits as well. :D

I don't mind, the girl who was kicking up a fuss is not particularly mature anyway and has given some bum recipes to the group including tweaks which aren't endorsed by Slimming World. Speaking of which, I haven't seen her or her mother for three weeks...

I was so angry for you when I read this thread as it takes determination to stick to the plan and not go on a syn-binge. Hearing that they have completely turned around though is a relief although you shouldn't have had to endure that treatment from your family. Whenever I get people making...

People do have gains, I know I personally do not react to them particularly well but they do happen from time to time. Try not to abandon the plan though, it is perseverance which is key here, even the founder of Slimming World (Margaret Miles Bramwell) says she would love to wave a magic wand...

It's known as vegetable caviar in Turkey. My family always made Patlagan puree or aubergine pate. Very easy, just grill the aubergine whole without piercing it. it will explode but don't worry, that's just steam escaping and it means it's done. Allow them to go cold, then scoop the inside out...

I had been told that it was a total of the week and the week before. Whoever had the greatest value ended up with Slimmer of the Week. I am not entirely sure if a gain excludes you but unless you had a phenomenal loss on the scales following a gain, you are unlikely to qualify. The only reason...

Colin Firth, Richard Armitage, Hugh Jackman and Gerrard Butler.

Half a pound to 5 stone off. The scales flickered 5st off but went back up to 4st. 13.5 lbs, was sort of gutted. Set my target to 14st. that will be lowered to 12st. as I want to get down to 9/10ish or size 8/10 ultimately, whichever comes first :D

That's odd, I spent quite some time looking Syns up on the SW website and I could swear on a stack of books that White Magnums are 15 Syns each. Just remembered I forgot to buy some mini milks (dang it!) SW also did a feature on the website regarding ice-cream and lollies, let's just say that...

If you feel like you have lost your way a bit, you could always success express your remaining meals to stay on top :)

With turkey Mince you can still fall foul of the 5% fat or less rule. (yes I am aware of the pun there :p) What I find is that if you struggle to find enough cheaper lean mince which qualifies, pad the meal or batch cook out with Quorn Mince. It doesn't have to be 100% but if you keep it to be...

One thing you may want to consider is drinking a pint of water with your food. Strangely, the body sometimes makes you feel hungry when you are actually thirsty. The 20-30 minute rule is also very handy, wait that long before having another portion perhaps? I wouldn't be so hard on yourself...

Hi Guys, only just saw this after I kind of went to ground after a gain but feel free to add me if you like. :)

It's really very flexible, people have summed this up perfectly in this thread but feel free to spend the Syns you have for the day on whatever you like. Some choose to have free meals and Syn snacks or alcoholic drinks, others choose to add Syns to their meals. The beauty of this plan is...

Hi, I am part of the way through my weight-loss journey but I would like to consider the future in terms of surgery. I have come to terms with the fact that it is unlikely that I will be able to exercise away all of the loose skin from my body but I wanted to weigh up the consequences after...

If you want a sweet drink, you could go for an options hot chocolate drink. They even do a White chocolate one. The majority of the lighter options are 2.5 Syns each so long as you make them as per the instructions :)

There are lots of ways you can have sweeter things to curb cravings. Have you been keeping a food diary at all? Sometimes you can actually accidentally sabotage your own weight loss by not keeping track of everything you consume, keeping a food diary may help you to identify any things you may...

You may be interested to know that some of the just-cook meals from Sainsbury's are free. Always check first but a couple of the chicken meals were listed as free and advertised in-group. All you would need to do is pop it in the oven and then make some carbs and veggies to go with it :)

Eyes and lips for me. I may learn to love more of myself when I am happier with my weight!

Hi Ollie, it's great to see you back here. Sorry to hear that you lost your way but well done for deciding to take the issue on and regaining control. :clap: I have done many different plans over time however I have found Slimming World to be the most accommodating of plans and easiest to stick...

Hi xmrdx, I have just looked these up in the Food Directory from Slimming world for you. It appears that the eat-in/takeaway volumes vary and impact on the Syn values. To cover all bases for you, I am going to post both. Eat-in Chai Latte (Skimmed Milk) Primo - 7.5 Medio - 11.5 Massimo -...

Ghostie, the extra-easy plan is more family friendly so you can make meals you and your other half will like and not feel like it is a "healthy eating plan" per-se. Have you tried looking at meals on Mininins and the SW website? You can make things like Imitation KFC or even Doner Kebab so you...

If you had a slip-up and still have time before weigh-in, you could always success express for a couple of days to try to make up for the pizza you had :)

Success express is a sort-term plan where you increase the super-free part of your meals from 33% of your plate to 66%. Consultants state that this is only a temporary plan to get you kick started again.

I have also found that if I make the effort to drink water or black tea with my food, it tends to make sure that the meal I have eaten triggers my stomach to acknowledge it's been fed. Part of my problem is that I can really easily over-eat so drinking water with meals really helps and makes you...