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Pinta really is coming on well! Stupid woman with the multiple dogs - hope they're her's and she's not a professional dog-walker! Belated Happy birthday to your Mum - hope she enjoyed it.

Whoops to the wine! As I understand it, the curry meal is a regular event (something my husband would love to do!) so you need to come up with a coping strategy - spritzers? One wine followed by on soft drink? I don't know as wine isn't my downfall. I tend to use 'like' in the same way as HH...

Oh Mandy - I'm so, so sorry. It's always such a devastating blow when it happens and you must be in so much pain. There isn't really anything I can say, but I'm sending you ((hugs)).

I always forget about the Hoylake peninsula! When we were in Wales - at Flint, I think it was - we could certainly see the Cathedral. Did you take the dogs to vote? Peter and I walked in the evening sun to our polling station and there were plenty of other people walking there too, many with...

We can't post lists of things on here, but other non-Speed fruits include mango, cherries, pomegranates and Sharon fruit (persimmons). It's rather like some vegetables are also non-speed including the starchy ones such as potatoes/sweet potatoes/parsnips/peas (which are Protein)/sweetcorn. In...

This thread started over three years ago - perhaps the Free versus Syn-free was emphasised more then?

Happy birthday. I hope the injections are worth it in the long run.

Very damn good, but I don't like the gain! Parkgate does look attractive. When we stopped on the way to Llandudno a couple of years ago we must have been looking at it from the Welsh side. But I have to ask - what's the giraffe doing there?!! I bet the cake was lovely!

I think it's very unlikely that you ate enough on one day to result in a 2lb gain - that would require nearly 7000cals over and above what your body needs just to exist. More likely the gain is due to fluid retention, perhaps from salty gammon. I've been having a think about your food though...

!!!!!!!!!

Better a skinny raisin than a plump prune!

Lol - it sounds as though it's having the same effect on you that starting a diet always used to have on me! It will pass, but you should get a good result at WI with all the fluid leaving your body!! I wonder if something you usually eat causes you to retain water and dropping it on an SP day...

I hope you enjoyed yourself, poor soya chocolate not withstanding. It turned nice here this afternoon after a very wet start, but is now wet and verrrry windy.

I hope Andrea's promotion is the first in a whole batch of good things to come for you and yours. Well done on getting back plan - you'll soon be back at target.

That's to know - thank you.

I assume you're doing Extra Easy - certainly your menu for the day is EE - but I'm not sure about the fruit salad you've classed as HExB. If it was homemade, then it will be Free, but if tinned then there will be Syns. If there is one which can be used as a HExB then I'd love to know about it...

First of all, congratulation on the loss. I can't begin to imagine how awful you must have felt yesterday, and then to do such a hard shift as well. I've got to hand it to you - you're no quitter and clearly one very tough cookie. If you were 100% well, no one would be able to live with you...

A tough day for you - hope it went OK and you're not too cream crackered. Your visit to the doctor was worthwhile for the reassurance about the hallucinations and the amitripiine - let's hope the amended dose works OK; have you started it yet or did you think it might be best to wait until you...

Lol!

A very good day! (And I think you've made the necessary allowances for Syns). I see the problem re the hallucinations and ADs and I can well understand that once you've found something which works you're reluctant to change it. I know the YSP (used to live in Denby Dale, just a few miles...

I tend to be an 'all or nothing' person when it comes to treat-type foods - generally, if I start eating sweets/chocolate etc. I want more and more and as long as I don't get the taste I rarely get a craving for them. (Note - that is a generalisation, even for me, and there are exceptions). In...

Pleased to hear you've arrived safely. I hope you're having a lovely time and enjoyed your special meal with F.

Hope the matcha works its magic! You know, I really don't fancy tuna and cottage cheese in the same meal but I notice you have it quite regularly. Perhaps I should try it. Glad your mum seems OK after her fall and that your ME appointment was good. Nice to find someone to find someone who's...

Whilst I sorry you haven't had a break, I'm glad Bailey is still with you and your mum too, despite being somewhat annoying! Please don't desert us - feel free to waffle away about anything and I'd love to see some photos of your projects. Lucky you, having more time for your hobbies. How did...

Well done you! I'm sure you'll get back to target pretty quickly and hopefully down to your new one too. Many belated happy birthday wishes!

I'm so sorry that things have been so difficult recently and I hope your 'fresh start' really does begin now in all aspects of your life.

And chopped baby corn, mange tout, or sugar snap peas, beetroot (grated raw or pickled), chopped up roast peppers from a jar (make sure they're not in oil), herbs and the odd grape, strawberry or slices of orange/grapefruit... the list is endless. You could vary your dressing as well. But it...

Hope your ME appointment goes/has gone well.

I thought this too and the BMI you're aiming for would actually make you underweight, albeit but just. Only you know your frame size, but I would suggest you aim for the middle of BMI range to start with as it would feel more achievable. You can always revise your target at a later date.

Well done on sticking with it! It's worth trying reducing the meal. So often we eat out of habit and not because we really need it but if you do find you get hungry you can easily go back as you were before. If it were me, I would be hungry for a bit, just because I would be aware that I'd...

If you stuck to your planned menu then that was an excellent day back on plan. Cheeky John, asking for a present!

I take it that the 6-pack ones are mini versions? I actually like mini ones as I find they're often just enough to satisfy a craving. There's no way I'd 'spend' 12 Syns on an ice-cream unless there really was no alternative or it was a special occasion and no, a sunny day does not count as a...

I've just dropped in to say hello and to get to know you a bit before the York meet. What a lovely little boy your grandson is - I bet you're so proud of him (and rightly so)!

And they're extremely high in fat as well as calories. I know SW says nothing is banned on their plan but these must come close! If you really must have one, could you share with someone? I wouldn't dare have one as it would set off a sugar craving. Generally, I find that if I go without...

I'm now getting visions of lots of SW members wandering around their local area, peering into ice-cream freezers in small shops/garages etc. in the hunt for vendors who sell these ice-creams individually. I'm sure the Body Magic incurred by walking to a shop to buy one will burn off the calories...

Fantastic result! It makes going without cream cakes worth it, doesn't it?

That really is an alternative opera house! I rather like it, just as I've always liked Sydney's, which is odd as I'm not really into modern architecture. I would like to go up the Shard tho'. Yes, I think Helsinki is a pretty unusual place to visit - I don't remember meeting anyone who's been...

If you have a Sainsbury's near you check in there before you make a special trip to Asda. I noticed only this afternoon that Maxibons are listed on the Sainsbos website.

I like Asda's Good & Counted Mini Fruit Moments - a mini Solero-type ice lolly with frozen yogurt rather than ice cream in the centre. A box of 8 (blackcurrant, exotic fruit, pineapple and raspberry) costs £2 and each lolly 'costs' 2.5 Syns. Mini milk ice lollies are also good to have in the...

What an amazing place and that Viking ship - wow! Thank you for posting. i think I'd also feel pretty miffed in your shoes. As you say, you didn't ask for much. Perhaps next time you could ask Rachelle to check on the rabbits in return for the use of your car? You'd expect someone to just do it...

You couldn't really do anything about your work taster sessions - and I don't suppose you've done badly as a result either. At least there was plenty of Speed foods in them!! You've done extremely well in not allowing the things you couldn't do anything about to sabotage the rest of the day -...

Post-holiday blues plus payback for all that walking, perhaps. I'm not surprised you've posted them - they're seriously impressive! Boo to the wanting to keep eating - it doesn't exactly help with your aim for Tenerife! It was the same problem I had last week and into the weekend, and I didn't...

What a wonderful holiday! I'd never realised there was so much to do is Oslo (not that I've ever thought about it) but the museums sound quite spectacular and I'd love to see the boats - oh, and the opera house, too. I'm so pleased you got your balcony and had a view to enjoy. I understand your...

I'm not sure I understand what your consultant means. Many people feel​ they are eating more when they first start SW, but because of the emphasis on fruit and veg, together with measured quantities of the Healthy Extra choices and Synned items and the changes in cooking methods SW introduces...

Lol at craving olive oil! That's not something I've ever heard of before. 4 Chicken nuggets isn't too bad a choice if you cave and it's a good idea to have checked your options. In Marks today I spotted a little pot with 2 halved Hb eggs in and another one with sliced boiled new potato (in...

I'm not surprised they're not on the Syn list - they're not even listed on Quorn's own website!

Welcome back! I am so pleased you enjoyed yourself and I'm looking forward to photos. Lol - you're not supposed to think about SW (well, not too much!) when you're on holiday! And your trips to Starbucks and Giraffe sound like a lovely end to your break. Hope work isn't too horrific and you...

Cadbury's Brunch Bar Peanut has 145 cals so (because you should round up) this works out at 7.5 Syns. Not surprisingly, this is identical to the official Syn count. The 1 Syn per 20 cals is accurate when no Free food is involved.

I think there was a good chance that DD's friend would have recognised me as there are photos on my thread. She's a nice enough girl but I wanted to maintain my privacy. As to travelling - will you be coming North on the A1 or the M1? A lot of motorway service areas now have a Mark & Spencer...

I know time is an issue when you have a baby, but have you considered contributing to this thread? http://www.minimins.com/slimming-world-healthy-extras/293834-what-you-using-your-healthy-extras-today-177.html It would remind you to have your HExs and build up your number of posts so you can...

So you could have had cheese and biscuits or toast with your brekkie - what a shame! And don't forget you can have 2 lots of HExs on Red or Green days. Wow- 70cm already!!! I don't know about clothes when he's a gangly teenager, but I should think it's already a bit hard finding things?

Yes, I struggle much more with food when I'm at home; I swear it shouts at me from the cupboards and if I can see it... well, I lose the battle. I don't do any exercise with any regularity. I have fits of using the exercise bike or kettle bell and occasionally use a Leslie Sansom walking DVD...

I often add chopped baby corn, mangetout and peppers to my salads and a friend of mine often includes a few grapes for a sweet touch. Try buying different leaf mixes or different lettuce types for a bit of variety so that you don't get bored.

I hate days like that and I'm currently getting them all too frequently. I long for bed sometimes, just to break the cycle. It sounds as though you need to go walking - getting out of the house might break the cycle for you. Just don't take any money!

Read your books over and over again, plan, plan, plan and measure everything that has to be measured. It is a lot to take in to start with. Could you follow the 7 day plan in the book/on the website and note exactly where the HExs and Speed foods are in the plan? If the plan doesn't appeal to...

Exactly!

So it is! I didn't look at the dates of the original postings!

Pudding rice and ground rice are two different things. Pudding rice is a 'short grain' rice as opposed to the 'long grain' used to serve with curry etc. and is Free. Ground rice, which I imagine you can use to make a semolina-type pudding is not Free, coming in at 4.5 Syns per 25g.

I love the Danio yogurts - they're so thick and creamy that they feel like a real treat. Well worth spending Syns on. You did so well on not cracking over the pizza - my resolve would be at the weakest at 4am.

Oh yes, I meant to say that babies are meant to be chubby! In this country though, I think people say it as a compliment but I'm not sure if that's true in France, particularly in Paris.

Oh - I meant to say that I know what you mean about the Muller Lights. I'm not that keen on them either although the Greek style ones are lovely for a Syn or so each. The Activia 0% yogurts are free and are much nicer that Muller Lights and I think the Liberte and Danio yogurts are well worth...

Yayy - well done! I shouldn't think you had as many Syns for your meal as you might think, given that you left a lot. It's a sad day in my view when the drinks are the best part of a meal!

At 15 Syns it's within your daily allowance and as it's a Red day (assuming that as you've taken potatoes as a B choice), you've a second A choice you could use to account for the cheese on the pizza. Well done on sticking to one slice!

Well done on the loss! Haha - we always want to see the scales go down quicker than they do but I firmly believe that the slower the loss the greater chance you have of keeping it off. My upper arms are quite well toned with defined muscles thanks to carting armfuls of books and bags of...

I'm glad you had your moment of revelation yesterday. Loving and appreciating our own body is one of the hardest things to do. All too often we think only of appearances instead of thinking what a miraculous piece of fine engineering it is and of all the wonderful things it can do. As you say...

I'm glad I mentioned the yogurts! Are you doing SW from old books? Onken yogurts used to be free, but they changed the recipe a few years ago. There's a 'sticky' in the Syn Values forum which might help you http://www.minimins.com/syn-values/121314-syn-free-yoghurts.html

I hope you're already in bed! Have a super, super time and I'll do some sneaky peaking at FB. I've never had a burrito. Clearly I need to find some!

It is a case of weighing up (sorry!) which makes you feel the most uncomfortable - sweltering in sleeves, or feeling self-conscious. On a different tack, I rarely used to go without tights, even in the hottest weather because my inner thighs used to rub and get so sore that it was more...

Pinta did do well on Tuesday and it's good that Rachelle thought so too, despite the snappy episode with the stupid girl. I didn't know that you're supposed to get around 10 hours sleep with ME! I think the image most people have of ME sufferers is of them spending a lot of time in bed and so...

What a fabulous holiday to lose weight for! HH has already pointed out a few things. Don't forget to check that the fat-free yogurts are Syn-free; not all flavoured ff ones are because they're sweetened with sugar, not sweetener - the Onken ones, for example, have Syns. Your Liberte yogurt with...

I try - but don't always succeed - I dividing my Syns between things which make a meal a bit nicer and things which are a 'treat'. In the first camp are things such as salad dressings, Yorkshire pud, a proper cheese sauce, gravy, yogurt with Syns or even a ready-meal. In the second group are the...

As Sophie's said! Hope Rachelle had a good birthday but reading between the lines, the BBQ was a success! I think it's extra hard staying on plan when you know you're going off plan in a few days time. Even if you don't intend to be majorly off plan whilst away, you know you're going to be...

Oh that's brilliant, thank you so much. I've just had a Google and apparently an Americano is a cocktail of Campari, vermouth and soda water. I'm not surprised I got an odd look ordering that at 10am!

I try to do a couple of SP days a week but I don't think they're as effective as an old-fashioned Red day although I do like the ability to have meat/fish and baked beans/lentils/peas on the same day which you couldn't do on Red days (unless you used your 2nd HExB for them).

I'm here! The forum is quiet today but not sure why. My goodness, you were up early. One forgets that little babies need attention so early in the day. I bet Clevins does look cute in his dungaree shorts but is it really that hot? It's been a bit grey and breezy over here today, but the skies...

It's good to hear you sounding more positive today. You did well to have the talk with F yesterday and realise just how much pressure you're putting yourself under. Take the weightloss gently, gently - which is a healthy way of doing it - and enjoy your time with Clevins. Yes, once we decide to...

I'm sure your holiday will be particularly appreciated after such a tough weekend. I notice the Met is indicating a heatwave here for three months so you might yet find Oslo (relatively) cool! It make walking about so much harder when it's hot. It's hard to plan clothing to meet all...

I'm an abstainer too. I certainly find it easier to do without than to stop once I start.

It would also help us if you listed your Syns. We may realise that certain things have Syns - such as your sushi trays - but it would help us to help you if you indicated that you're aware that these things have Syns and how many! I've noticed your other post about the number of Syns daily and...

I was positive I'd read something somewhere about adding an extra A choice etc but it's not on pg 59 of my book! I think this must be an amendment and I was given a note about it which I've since lost. Perhaps this accounts for some of the confusion about yogurt?

Ah Sophie ((hugs)). I echo what CB has just said. I don't think any of us get to target without going of the rails - and more than once. We are constantly being tempted, so is it surprising than we sometimes crack? And sometimes - very often, in my case - stopping once we've started can be...

4 Syns Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins.com

I think the confusion may be because this guidance is not in the Food Optimising book - perhaps because EESP was never intended to be used long term?

Unfortunately bread rolls are high Syn! Your best bet is to buy any petit pain roll for 6.5 Syns or 50g of any (white) baguette-type loaf for the same Syn value. Note that if you buy a granary roll they are 10 Syns each so don't get a granary petit pain/baguette!

If you want to follow SP 100%, then no because it is neither a Speed nor a Protein food. However, the members book does say that if you really want other Free foods on SP then you can, 'but to truly power up your weight loss, stick with SP'.

Things have changed since you last did SW and Superfree is now old terminology, but peas were not Superfree. Today we talk in terms of Speed and Protein - many of the fruit and veg you know as Superfree are now Speed foods, but peas are classed as protein. Do you actually need the snacks, or...

Loads of people worry about the quantity they can eat on SW, but many go on to lose weight - and those who don't most likely fail because they haven't followed the plan either because they over-tweak it or because they make unintentional mistakes. If you added up all the calories in your...

Hey Blades - how are you? I miss you dropping in on my thread. Hope everything's OK.

A large ham salad is fine - the ham provides P food and the salad is the S food. Have a look at some of the food diaries on here to get ideas for lunch. I wouldn't find a Mugshot sufficient for lunch so I'm not surprised you needed something else. Your fruit pot would have been fine as the...

How's today going Sophie?

I bet you feel a lot better now that your hair's sorted! Cake, pb and chocolate - I bet you enjoyed every little bit! And that's the important thing; enjoy and get back on plan again as it appears you've managed to do. You did masses of exercise though, so the 'bad' things may not be that bad!

Congratulations on the loss, but your menu today is really not following SW. I assume your toast will be WM and your HExB, but where's your A choice? And as Anna has said, you appear to have no veg (or other Speed food) with your dinner. I suggest you reread your books and plan out your menus...

That looks better, but don't forget your A choice. Definitely read your books again and trust the plan. If your stats are up-to-date, you still have a way to go, so you mustn't cut down too much too soon and there's plenty of anecdotal evidence on here to say suggest that people get better...

Well done on your loss so far. If the chocolate is within your Syns, then that will not be messing with your weight loss. I would say you're not eating enough and you're certainly not eating enough Speed foods. It doesn't matter that you didn't have any with breakfast as you were using a healthy...

Firstly, welcome on board and good luck with your SW journey. Secondly, try not to weigh too often - difficult, I know - because our weight fluctuates daily. It can be discouraging to see a 'good' reading one day, followed by a 'bad' one the next day when you've been 100% on plan. This is why...

Staying off topic - I agree. Why can't people 'choose' or 'pick' something? My pet hate is 'grab' as in 'grab an apple', or 'grab a sandwich'. To get back on topic - I'm another who always clears my plate. It was something I was expected to do as a child and so I have no 'off' switch as I...

Oh wow - Oslo is just over the horizon! I'm sorry you don't like your hair, but at least you've learned what really does, and doesn't, suit you.

It sounds as though you had a good reason for struggling so yes, don't be hard on yourself. Congratulate yourself on all the walking and for not going too far off plan.

Try to keep plodding on. You've done very well so far and it might be that your body is thinking 'hand on, a minute' and is just plateauing temporarily. It will pass, and you'll go back to losing again. As you're at home and not at uni, it might be worth checking that there's nothing sabotaging...

Remember that the object of Speed foods is to reduce the amount of Free foods you eat. You don't have to add them to a meal using Healthy Extras just for the sake of it as portion control is already built in by weighing/measuring the HExs. You may prefer to save any fruit you might have added to...

DYJHIW the hospital sends you an appointment for a day during your long-booked holidays - and you'd already given them these dates!

A tricky one. Have you checked that it was the TV and not aerial/reception/digi/Sky box faults? I always check online to make sure no transmitters have had a problem. We have regular trouble with our Sky box which is sometimes 'cured' by switching off and on again, but other times we have to do...

Some things just have to be enjoyed, and I'd say that a food festival combined with Easter is more than one thing! Well done on getting back on plan yesterday - that's more than I managed. I love your special Easter bunny - Hi Bucky!

Ooh - I'm not sure whether or not that's good news about the peanuts. if you see what I mean! Well done on getting back to the running; that's quite an achievement. I'm sorry you're struggling today. We all have days like that when nothing seems to satisfy and I can go on eating even though I'm...

There are things other than bread/crispbreads and cereal which you can have as your B choice: dried/cooked/tinned fruits, nuts or seeds, purchased soups. Have another look at your book. (When you say a 'snack bar' do you mean one of the Alpen Lights or equivalent)? It is a good idea to make...

As already said, don't forget your Healthy Extras. If I'm honest, those look like starvation rations and I wouldn't be able to stick to those for long. Don't be afraid to eat - SW works if you follow it properly. Have a look at a few other diaries to get the 'feel' of what other people eat.

How long ago did you do SW? As has been said already, some of the changes are due to manufacturers changing recipes. Another reason might be because a few years ago, SW changed from imperial to metric measurements, so things Synned by weight would have had Syn values changed. You pork chops...

First of all, congratulations on the loss; you're doing well! Wow - what a hectic day you had yesterday. You must have been absolutely shattered after work, so the comments from your mother must have been devastating and I can see why you feel upset and angry. Perhaps, once you 'be calmed down...

Homemade veg soup is free.

If you've just rejoined then your consultant wouldn't have gone in to detail about the SP plan because it's meant to be used as a short-term boost if, perhaps, your weight-loss has stalled. On the old Red plan, you could snack on meats, fruits and yogurts - just as you can on EE. On SP, you...

On EE you get just one B choice, but if you do the SP plan - a new short-term plan introduced this year - you get two B choices.

Well done on mastering Green days. Funnily enough, the only time I ever have celeriac is in France when I buy the tubs of grated celeriac in a sort of mayo dressing. It's lovely, and a totally different texture to celery. I don't think it tastes anything like celery either, although it is from...

Oh no - how disappointing for you! Is this the same one you mentioned in your pm to me? Hope the day's rest is helping.

Impressive stats on the Fitbit! But boo to the syncing/battery problem and lost input. Seriously, your achievements would put many people to shame who don't have anything like the problems you have. Ha - today was wild but fascinating to watch from the comfort of a warm room!!

A tip for SP days: don't use Syns on something which contains an element of food which would be free on EE (eg don't choose a yogurt with a Syn value or a McCain's jacket potato) as a way of getting round the restrictions of SP and using up Syns. (But note: if you do SP continuously for more...

As Mick says : 2 B choices on SP and only one on EE. Sorry Megmoolama - from your first post I got the impression you're having one Alpen Light and not the two which make up a whole Healthy Extra.

You are not supposed to have yogurt on a SP day, also you should have 2 x Healthy Extra B; I can see only a half in the Alpen Light. Even on the EE day you have only a half B choice - any particular reason why you're not having the full 'ration'? I don't know the recipe for the Caribbean...

It sounds like a good weekend food-wise! There is a big difference between making a deliberate and considered choice and just eating for the sake of eating. I hope you're feeling less painful and wobbly today.

It's made by Sistema, so available at places other than Lakeland. I got mine in Sainsbos sale a few months ago.

Well done on putting things behind you and getting back on track. It was a stressful situation and not very considerate of SiL given that you've got a newborn baby, so I'm not surprised you gave in to temptation. That's fantastic news about Clevins! What a relief for you and here's hoping he...

I use a similar one, also available from Lakeland, which is specifically for porridge although I use it for other things too. It's great for taking the porridge and milk mix to work in to cook in the microwave as my lunch. Unlike you, I do leave the lid on, but press the vent button and I have...

If I've understood correctly, you wonder if cereal is to blame because you've started having it on days when you do SP? What do you have on days which aren't SP? Could you replace cereal with eggs and tomatoes say? Or toast? Porridge, which is an unprocessed and wheat-free cereal? The bloating...

What great results for you! Your boss really will be pleased you don't want to leave.

I think we all have days like that and we just have to struggle through them. Perhaps a few of the recipe threads could give you the inspiration you need or have you tried looking back at your own thread for ideas? Fingers crossed for the weather - a bit of fresh air and a walk is hard to beat...

We can't meet without you Kelly - it would seem all wrong. Better for us all to meet for the first time as strangers than for one to be the odd one out at a future meeting. I'm sure we'll manage it sometime, maybe in August although places will be super busy then. I'm lucky in that I don't...

I tried on a lovely dress not so long ago and I looked an idiot - too short, sleeves too puffy and the fullness around the waist did me no favours. Put a wig and make-up on and I could have gone to a fancy-dress party as Grayson Perry's alter ego!

So potentially 2 May - wonder if Kelly can make that. If so, we'll try to sort out a venue. Would you want to drive or travel by train? Nooo- don't feel guilty about having Green days! I think you're more likely to struggle to stay on plan if you constantly deny yourself carbs and two days out...

Wow - awesome indeed! Dave is so appealing - love that photo.

I tend to make big panfuls of a basic tomato, veg (the Holy Trinity of cooking - finely chopped onion, celery & carrots), mince/Quorn mince sauce which I then freeze in small batches. It's easy to thaw them and adapt to different recipes by reheating with a few extra ingredients e.g. add...

Yay for an early finish! Is Pinta actually a little bit frightened by other dogs? I get the impression that she's all bluff and bluster as long as they're a distance from her, but if one gets close she shuts up and tries not to be noticed! I loathe tinned spaghetti - it's slimey! - but I'll...

Oh yes, you have to bring Clevins with you! (Just for the record, I could only do the first weekend in May which is a BH weekend because the following Friday I'm off to France). It's impossible to shop for clothes for yourself with a baby unless you have someone with you or are willing to buy...

Many people say they get better losses when they use all their Syns but SW 'rules' say you can have between 5 and 15 a day. You don't have to have them all every single day but don't cut down too much, too soon or else you have no room to manoeuvre if your weight loss stalls or plateaus as you...

Standard and reduced fat peanut butters are 1.5 Syns per level teaspoon.

A mini Minis meet would be brilliant!

Hope you had a lovely dog training session and Pinta didn't bark too much. Fortunately I haven't tried lotus spread - I don't think I dare as I'm sure I'd find it hard to resist. Oh whoa - what was your mum thinking of? You'd better not have finished them in time to wear the squirrel costume -...

Good loss! I bet you've found it encouraging. It's funny how priorities change with a baby. It must be hard for both of you being so far away from your respective families and particularly so now that you have a little one. It's a big decision - and a big step for Fabian. Is there a basketball...

It doesn't matter why you didn't have a dessert the other day, I still think you should count it as a morale-boosting victory! The cupcakes sound gorgeous as does the natural nut butter - I can't be allowed near the stuff as I just want more and more. One of my favourite things used to be two...

Hope everything's OK Sophie and Clevin's injections weren't too bad for either of you.

Two major victories yesterday - well done, you. And yay to the drop on the scales! Today looks good so far...

Now that ^^^ is a major victory! Have a lovely evening and enjoy your dessert.

Fingers crossed for a room with a balcony! You've had a particularly tough time recently so don't be hard on yourself. Those of us who struggle with weight seem to be geared to turn to food for comfort - and I know you have extra reason for this from your past - so it's really not surprising...

This worries me, as SP is not supposed to be followed long term - it is designed to be a short-term boost. I hope you are having a yogurt or second HEXA choice each day to make sure you get the calcium your body needs.

Naughties on Mothering Sunday don't count, particularly not on your very first one! You'll have two a year, won't you - the British and the French one's? It's good to have a friend to talk about babies with, particularly when said babies are so close in age. And congratulations on the loss -...

I've Googled this. One cup = 40g. Do you have a 3/4 cup? If so, this should be about right.

Oh I'm glad you found a new home; I remember you were hunting for one last year. Two good nights? That's impressive and I hope it's the start of a pattern - those first few weeks are hard work, aren't they! Food is looking good for today

Oh wow - 6 hours! I bet that seemed like luxury to you. It's surprising how little sleep we can get by on but it's great when babies start sleeping for longer periods. I hope it continues! The perineal retraining sounds very French! I had to Google it as I'd never heard of it. Did you walk? It...

The problem with the flu jab is that it's based on guess work. If the experts have picked the wrong strain then the vaccine is - well, I was going to say worthless, but that might be a bit strong, so let's just say less than useful. So yes, you might have a bit of a fight between the vaccine and...

Poor little mite; I bet it wasn't too pleasant for you either. Hopefully Clevins will make a full recovery but if an operation is needed I can fully understand that it will be a traumatic experience for you. I should think you're looking forward to coming home and showing off your little boy...

On EE you get between 5 and 6 HExA choices; however, I assume this is if you are exclusively BFing. A useful gUide is perhaps the figure they give for a six-month old baby who is being weaned but is still breast-fed, and SW suggest 3 HExAs at this point.

What a lovely name! As you said - very original. You've done incredibly well to restart SW so soon. It isn't easy preparing food when you're looking after a newborn and coping with lack of sleep but you sound determined and organised! If you're still BF, you might get an extra A choice; I'll...

I'm so sorry about Peggy; what a rotten way to end your break. It sounds as though you're getting a really bad cold, or even flu. I hope not.

I admire you for trying! Why not look in the baking aisle of your usual supermarket for chocolate drops and butterscotch 'bits' which are designed to be incorporated into baked goods? They might not be quite so convenient as you'll need to weigh how much you use in order to calculate the Syns...

I've often said your food sounds tasty - the pic proves it looks it, too! Hope you have a brilliant time in York and that you do get some rest and recuperation. Yay to the Fitbit marathon! You achieved that quickly. I also seem to be suffering from the same three pound going and coming. We'll...

You might be interested to know that my dentist supports this because fruit has a lot of acid which can damage teeth!

Welcome back Sophie, and congratulations on your little one.

What a horrific weekend, especially Saturday. Haha - yes, it's Betty's you're looking for! I know where you're coming from with the child obesity issue. I watched a programme a few years ago about faddy eaters, which included some young children, some of whom were pre-schoolers, who would eat...

Just to chip in - yes, a whole scanbran cake is free (other than the Highlights/Options) provided you are using the Scanbran as your HEx. If you are having only a slice of it, you are not having a full HEx but might still have one thereby having extra calories. I second the maxim of just accept...

Oh that'll be a lovely break! Whether or not you have a fat rascal, do take a look at the Easter things - they do the sweetest bunny biscuits and just look at the egg in my avatar. Our local branch has an enormous egg in the window, and I'm sure the York one will too.

I think Barbette has summed up your attitude to life and ME very well. I'm not surprised your therapist was impressed. You do more than many healthy people do: you work in a job that's both mentally and physically difficult (even without having your allergies!), you're a carer for your mother...

You don't have to have 1/3 speed food at every meal but it is recommended. If you look at the 2015 Food Optimising book, SW says beans on toast is a perfectly acceptable meal without any speed foods. Generally, where your meal includes a Healthy Extra, you don't need any speed because the HEx...

Hi there. New members are welcome! I'm maintaining but I still have a big bum and chunky legs and I doubt that they'll ever go - it's all in the genes, you know ;). Unlike you, though, I live mostly in (flared) skirts and dresses as I find it impossible to find trousers to fit said bum and legs...

I understand where you're coming from with family issues; hope your mum's coping ok. I would certainly ask about help towards training expenses for more TTouch courses, particularly as you've seen how much it helps in your job. You might need to give a few demos to prove it though. Hope your...

That TTouch sounds fantastic; I'm not surprised you wanted to go on the course - and also want to do more. It'll be great if Caz goes with you. Pleased everything went OK with Pinta but not pleased about your Nan. Can you get a plan of action drawn up that the sister has to follow should this...

I've found that my husband is programmed to feel hungry if he has any suspicion that he's being fed a 'diet' meal! I've found it best to keep quiet (difficult, I know, when you're full of enthusiasm for the new plan) and just dish up. You'll soon learn to avoid the 'wateryness' of some recipes -...

Well done you! Being very shy myself I understand how big a thing your Oslo trip is and that's without the 'complication' of ME. What with that and your dog handling course this weekend, you are doing really well in putting yourself into different situations. We're assured by experts that the...

Oh yum! Hope you had a brilliant time. The food sounds oh so gorgeous.

It sounds as though both you and Pinta did really well at training! I'm afraid I can't offer any advice re hotels other than to say anything to save driving will surely be beneficial and you may be too tired to go to Martin's birthday anyway. I'd suggest staying over if you can and make an...

Slugs and snails are the bane of my life! For netting, many people use the blue waterpipe to support the net (just push into the ground to make half-hoops) but you could just use lengths of cane topped with something to stop the netting slipping down the cane. Those little bottles that 'health'...

Well done on the loss! Food, as always when you're on plan, looks good. I hope you survived yesterday OK; it would be a long shift even for someone fully fit. The dog training course sounds right up your street and I would guess it's good to practice with another dog and then try it out 'at...

Salad leaves (and chives?) in a hanging basket. I think this looks beautiful!

Hi - welcome to the happy world of kitchen gardening! I have an allotment and grow a lot of my own fruit and veg but still manage to spend a fortune on fresh and frozen fruit and veg in the shops! My tip is to think what you actually like to eat, how much those things cost in the shops and then...

I'm just dropping in quickly to say 'Yay'! I'm so pleased we've both had good news about our sisters this week.

There is a recipe index on page 4. I've also noticed that only Syn values for EE are given.

I know what you mean about filling (or not filling) a plate! Have you noticed, though, how few plates have a definite rim? If your's are like this, why not treat yourself to a pretty dinner plate with a broad rim? It looks big and full, but the actual food area is reduced. Pasta plates are also...

I like the 'Butter' one for 'frying' mushrooms but you can use it just as you do the ordinary one. The garlic Fryligh is also good for a change and if you toast one side of a slice of bread, spray the untoasted side with the garlic one and then toast it, you can kid yourself you've got garlic...

First and foremost, don't do the extra weekend out of guilt. You've done your share and you've already got something planned which you might not be able to do, let alone enjoy, if you work as well. It can be a pain being guilty about sick leave. Those who don't suffer from it have lots more...

Thanks for the tip and the suggestion. The veggie will eat fish but unfortunately, someone else has already nabbed that! I'm going with a SW version of the Hairy Biker's Somerset chicken, using Quorn for the veggie. (If you do a search on here you'll find the recipe - it's gorgeous)!

The Kingsmill Great White High Fibre bread isn't listed online. A few gluten-free white breads are listed, but these might be only for people who have a gluten intolerance?

Now that is what I call dedication!

That sounds like a great weekend, and a good idea to share the nice but naughties with Rachelle! You sound as though you're still 'in the zone', so I'm sure you'll do fine over the next few weeks. I like gin too!

It sounds as though you're doing fine and the odd day when you might even go over 15 won't matter! However, try do make sure you satisfy hunger with Free foods and don't rely on crisps etc for that.

There is no hard and fast rule - you just have to find what suits you. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence on here that people have better losses when they have all their Syns, but there are plenty of people who don't, and I'm one of them! If you're happy with 10-12 a day, then that's great...

Well done! How are you feeling today? You sound brighter!

According to Syns Online, the Syns on Green are the same as for EE but on Red they're 6, 11.5 & 11 Syns respectively.

You actually have very few days off work, so don't worry about one day. Given your state, you've done the right thing. Hope you get a decent night and some good rest tomorrow ((hugs)).

Only the sachets of Multigrain oats so simple. The others are either the wrong quantity or have too much sugar.

When did you re-set your target? If it's recently, it might just give you the spur you need to achieve it as it probably feels more attainable than your initial one. I note you're doing a mix of EE and SP days. Given that SP is a new plan, you've only just started doing them. Have your losses...

The SW website only lists chilled, but I don't suppose the ambient is different. You get 600ml, so that's better 'value' than the Koko which is 425ml. I like it when you get an easy amount for splitting HExs!

I think the issue with the Fitbits etc will have more of an impact with people doing WW as I think they can 'earn' extra calories? If they're being used primarily to track steps, distances etc., as you plan to use it, then obviously there are no issues for you. I use a pedometer, and if I go for...

Welcome back to SW Stevie! I also toyed with 5:2 but found it very hard and, as you say, it's so easy to become over dependent on ready-made foods which, as well as not being too healthy, are also expensive. Good luck with your new journey - what a wonderful incentive you have in your holiday...

Oof - that is a bum deal with weight and ME/CFS. With that information you can see why you find it so hard to lose weight but easy to gain. Healthy eating - giving your body the best you can - is surely the way to go, and a drop in weight is a bonus. But yes, absolutely no point in having a...

Good tip and thanks for the link!

I'm going on a self-catering holiday with a group of friends in a few weeks time and we have decided that we will take turns to cook an evening meal - in practice this means we will each cook once. Cooking is by Aga, which none of us have any experience of. Can anyone suggest a main course...

It sounds as though you've had a great time and booking your holiday means you have a lovely time to look forward to as well. There's something about Mondays which makes them the perfect day to start or re-start something. If you're thinking about it and trying, you'll be in the right place...

I gained a pound - and didn't have a big loss the following week either - but I think it was because the SW plan wasn't vastly different to my normal eating habits and so I didn't get the big water loss which many people experience when they start.

I have one of these and I love it! I use it for SW chips/wedges (and ordinary oven chips), mini crispy roasties, finishing off jacket potatoes which I started in the microwave so that they have a crispy skin, doing samosas/onion bhajis from the deli (for OH only!!), reheating slices of quiche...

Happy birthday for Wednesday! I know you have particular problems with losing weight but a social life is important too and if you can't enjoy your birthday then when can you let your hair down. I'm sorry it played such havoc with your gall bladder though. Looking forward to hearing about your...

Happy fake birthday for yesterday - lol! I think there could be a lot of people on this forum who'd be interested in this Matcha stuff. I bet it's more palatable than Scanbran!

Good grief - why couldn't your alimentary canal cooperate and do that the day before WI?!!!! Just called in quickly because I've been reading a report on some testing of fitness monitors and I know you want one. Basically, the researchers were looking at the calories used calculations and they...

Tetris has said it all, really! There is no justice is the weight-loss world; all we can do is keep plodding.

You're doing well! I probably haven't had scouse since I left home - what did Rachelle use in place of meat? Whatever it was, I bet it's tasty! Hope you're happy with your new hair. Looking forward to a pic.

Glad you got your laptop fixed and upgraded too - it's great having techie friends! You're doing well with your EE days. Yeah - one third of the plate is meant to be Superfree (Speed foods in 2015 money!) but it's not punishable by death if you don't quite get the proportions right. Even SW...

My C emphasised tonight that SP is for short term use only, so if you're going to continue Natbat, make sure you have a second A choice or a yogurt every day. I did 3 days last week, plus another day that I counted as Red because I'd had a yogurt, and lost 3lb. That's not bad for someone who's...

Hi and welcome to real food and SW. SW is pushing Extra Easy (EE) now, so take the Syn values in the orange column. The other columns relate to older plans - Green (unlimited carbs/restricted protein) and Red/Original (unlimited protein/restricted carbs). You will still find plenty of people on...

That made me laugh!

Drool! That day looks fabulous. I'm kicking myself because I somehow completely forgot to buy fresh tomatoes this week - I can't understand how I forgot them! Just as a thought - when you have an EE day so that you can have tuna, how much tuna would you say you have? I appreciate it's a Free...

Oh dear - I am sorry you've been unwell; it's a rotten, if effective, way of losing weight and under the circumstances I have no doubt that some real butter was good for you! You'll get the rest of the Christmas weight off this week and hopefully some more as well. Good luck for the week.

Let me say straight out that I have no experience of this situation but in the run up to the Tour de France last summer I did see a TV programme that followed some amateur cyclists and it highlighted the number of calories needed to cope with the energy demands. I understand that jelly babies...

And possibly all the consultants have personal experience of as well! Yes, I was surprised to read that some Cs are pushing SP. Mine did go into some detail at the meeting between Christmas and NY but there were only two newbies present; she mentioned it only in passing this week when there...

It looks like a great restart on SW; you'll do well if you keep on like that! Boo to the ME sweats and sleeplessness and I don't suppose your plan to speak to your boss about your hours helped. But what a result there - 3 days either side of your working weekends will be like having mini...

Doing without treats or dairy is way to hard for me! if not lettuce, cabbage leaf?

I think this highlights why SW have changed the wording. My old book was the 2013 one (was there a new one last year?) and bananas, grapes, mangos, persimmons were not Speed fruits then - Superfree, yes, but not Speed. (Speed foods had an S or SS in a circle next to them in those days). What...

Wow - I'm impressed! I don't think I could do this; it seems very hard-core but I know you were doing a lot of clean eating anyway so perhaps not that drastic a change from your normal diet (as opposed to Christmas diet). Food does look delicious, though. I had to laugh at the deconstructed...

Hi Stef. I would suggest you stick with the plans you know. As Swansong has said, the new plan (SP) is a short-term booster plan; it's not meant to be used for much more than a week at a time. If you hunt around this forum, you'll fine several threads about it, including a 'sticky', which 'may'...

4.5 Syns per 100g for all plans.

I didn't get any with my pack last Monday. May be I'll get them tomorrow but thanks for the info.

I read on another thread that there are some errors in the new books and that EVOL is still a HExB choice. Apparently some amendment sheets will be supplied.

Welcome back. There comes a time when we've had enough of the sweet/treat/rich foods we've been having and getting had to healthy food is a relief. It sounds as though you're getting to/have got to that point! I'm sorry your Christmas has been so difficult as I'm sure it's made it extra hard to...

Hi. Welcome to Minis. Don't worry about the SP plan as it's meant to be done as a short-term booster if your weight is not budging; you may never need to do it! Just get your head around EE again and you'll do fine. Good luck.

Good point but at the moment people seem to be more confused than ever - witness all the remarks about banana/mango etc now being a no-no. Theses things are still Free foods and it's really only necessary to be aware about the Speed foods if you are doing the SP plan (that's assuming I've...

I wonder how much people are attracted to the SP plan by the allowance of 2 x HExB and the ability to have a second A choice if the plan is done for more than a week. Veggies in particular are aggrieved by the lack of support in Group for the Green plan and I can understand why they feel...

Sorry Nettee, but I don't understand this. Fruits are free foods so you can eat as much as you want. You are encouraged to pick Speed fruits if you want a faster weight loss (or if you're doing the SP booster plan), but otherwise any fruit (apart from avocado!) is fine. I wonder if SW have...

SP is meant to be used as a short-term boost to your rate of weight-loss; you do not have to do it unless you want to. If you'd find carbs difficult to do without, then stick with EE.

I tend to divide my Syns between things which will make my meals nicer and treat items. As the others have said, this covers things such as gravy, Mayo/salad cream, ketchup, Yorkshire puddings, Danio yogurts, cooked fruit, decent cheese sauce, extra bread etc. for nicer meals. Treat items may...

If you look through the food diaries section you'll find a number of diaries of people who follow Red (= Original) days. Given that the EESP plan has only been introduced this week and is meant to be a short-term booster program, it's a bit early to find any diaries expressly for this plan.

SP doesn't have a separate HEx list. Slimming Kitchen has done an excellent thread, explaining all. You'll find it in the 'stickies' section up above. (Sorry, I can't remember how to post the link)

Happy New Year and I hope 2015 is kind to you.

Don't forget that the EESP plan is a replacement for Success Express and is not meant to be followed for much more than a week at a time. If you want to do it for longer then you should 'build in' some standard EE days. Even on EESP, if you want some carbs, then you can still have carbs. If you...

I agree with this. SW actually recommend following SP for a week at first and if you want to continue with it then you should 'build in some standard EE days to make sure you're getting a beautifully balanced diet'. You can get a special SP food diary from your C.

Purplefran - if you are still losing weight on your diet, then stick with it. The Green plan is still being supported (albeit online only which I appreciate is not helpful for you) and it's not going to stop working just because the focus of SW has changed, IYSWIM! As a vegan, your diet is...

SW are still supporting Green and Original/Red on the SW and I've just checked some Syn values on Lifeline Online and three lots of figures are still being quoted.

Mandlegrot - I would say that if you've found a diet which suits you and gives you losses whilst fitting your budgetary and dietary needs then don't change it. I've been doing SW for years and I'm firmly of the belief that you have to make it suit you - your tastes, lifestyle etc. - as that way...

I'm so glad it went well. I was in exactly the same boat on Monday. I've been an online member and a DIYer for a few years, but decided to join a group for the last 1/2 stone or so that I can be a lifetime member for free (as long as I stay within target range). Needless to say, I came out...

How exciting! Many, many congratulations.

Regarding Syn values - I've been looking through the 2013 Food Directory and I've yet to find a veggie product where the EE and the Green Syn values are not identical. Some things which contain meat and pasta/rice/potatoes have different values for Green and EE, but not all; however, those...

You can have 500ml of sweetened calcium-enriched almond milk or 1litre of unsweetened.

Hope you had a good Christmas. Mine was lovely but involved far too much food but your German friend's English dessert was very successful, so thank you for that. I'm currently feeling disgusted with myself for the amount I've put away, so I'm braving the scales in the morning and aiming to get...

I've been thinking about what we already know and although we don't have long to wait before all will be revealed, I wonder if some people are taking too negative a view. It would be surprising if SW made changes which would alienate existing customers - they almost boast that SW can be done by...

Aw Kelly - I'm so sorry you're having a major flare-up. It must be particularly bad to suffer at this time of year when everyone wants you to be jolly etc. Naughty Pinta, eating the cable (and other things)! I hope she soon gets out of that habit. I have childhood memories of a Labrador puppy...

There's a very useful sticky about SE: http://www.minimins.com/slimming-world/200528-success-express.html

I feel your frustration as I suffered from the same thing. It was though my body was refusing to co-operate and was hanging on to the weight because it wondered if it was being starved! It often lead to a bit of a binge which sometimes got things moving in the right direction again. The usual...

I vividly remember being sat on the side of the bed whilst blow-drying my hair when DD clambered up and crawled around me looking to see if I'd got my hearing-aids in. She wasn't quite 18 months old. A teacher once commented that DD was a bit loud when speaking and then was embarrassed when I...

This is so heart warming! I bet you really appreciated this - deaf people can be so isolated, can't they? It reminded me of Miracle on 34th Street when Richard Attenborough used sign language to 'speak' to the little deaf girl.

I haven't looked either as I was working late last night. There's a little booklet of pub grub recipes and I like to check out new HExs and low Syn things which I then add to my personal Syn directory if I think they're things I'd have.

Yep - my copy also arrived. A good thing because I need all the help I can get at the moment!

Oh brilliant - perhaps mine will be waiting when I get home. Thanks for letting me know.

Ah - I'm glad I'm not the only one. It makes me think there's been a delay in sending them out but it's very unusual for it to go on sale before I receive mine.

Dear company who handles my subscription, The Jan/Feb 2015 issue is the shops but I haven't received my copy yet. Please send soonest. thank you. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Has anyone who gets the mag on...

It sounds as though you're getting the hang of this, so well done. A useful tip for days when you can't be fully in control of meals as, for example, when you had dinner with relatives and ended up with a chick-pea containing curry, is to try to keep the meals you can control neutral - perhaps...