What on earth is tweaking?!

BlodynAur

Full Member
I came across tweaking on another forum but no one really explained what it is. I googled it, but there are so many differing opinions, I've been left confused! What is a tweak? What are common tweaks that I might be doing without thinking? Thank you in advance for any answers!!
 
I don't do this generally but only because I'm not bothered about the food it involves. The way I understand it is that Tweaks are using a free food in a way that means they should, really, be synned. Examples include lasagne sheet crisps and smash scones. The idea being that its easy to over consume them in that form rather than in the form they were intended. Opinion is divided but most of us have an example we do and cross our hearts we will stop if the weightloss slows....

I'm sure other more knowledgable people will be able to provide a more comprehensive list of common ones. I'm not against it, personally as long as you are losing I can't see the prob, I just don't eat the stuff concerned either tweaked or not.
 
Yeah thats pretty well described. SW HQ is that anything seen as a tweak must be synned (smash pizza base, potato or lasagne crisps, smash scones). As the food iis not being used as intended and you can over eat it.

Personally there are some tweaks I occasionally use- such as the crisps. I think its still a healthier alternative to a huge bag of brand crisps (and if a go through the whole effort of making them I shouldn't have to syn it!) I however do have them very rarely so it doesnt really have a chance to impact my weightloss.

I do however think the views on this are a bit odd because you can use scan bran in any way you like (make cakes, muffins, biscuits, burgers etc) and it isnt seen as a tweak, but surely its not using the food as intended. You wouldnt get a ryvita a soak it then use it in all kinds of cooking.

Its all down to personal opinion I suppose.x.
 
I've often wondered that about scan bran. I do use it to make cakes occasionally but I suppose because the portion is 5 slices you wouldn't use more than that to make a scan bran cake and eat all of it. In fact some recipes are for less than 5 so you wouldn't over eat it any more than you would in its intended form? Maybe that's why it's not only allowed but actually championed! It says on the packaging about using them in cooking. It's not solely about not using them as intended but how not doing so encourages over consumption.

Id dare any one to eat a scan bran cake made with more than 5 and not spend the next 48 hours on the loo!! Haha
 
I misread tweak as twerk... I'm so glad I saw this thread after others had commented!
 
I came across tweaking on another forum but no one really explained what it is. I googled it, but there are so many differing opinions, I've been left confused! What is a tweak? What are common tweaks that I might be doing without thinking? Thank you in advance for any answers!!

This is what SW say about it

When foods like pasta, rice and grains are used in their original form they’re low in energy density (calories), bulky, appetite-satisfying foods. Pasta, couscous and rice are usually the main ingredient in a meal packed with other Free Foods – giving it sufficient bulk to be satisfying as a meal in itself. However, when ground down, used as flour (like in couscous cake), used as a sauce thickener (like Smash), seasoned crisps (like Doritos) or puréed (like smoothies) they’re often used as additions to a main meal… and on top of your day’s Syns. It is a very effective way of adding a lot of extra calories in a non-bulky way, and as such would then be counted as Syns.
 
Thank you for all the replies, starting to make sense! I have 2 questions though: I read that mushing a banana is tweaking, why? And also, if I was to have half a smash pizza with salad, is it still tweaking? It would be a meal and all...
 
Thank you for all the replies, starting to make sense! I have 2 questions though: I read that mushing a banana is tweaking, why? And also, if I was to have half a smash pizza with salad, is it still tweaking? It would be a meal and all...

Mashing a banana reduces its bulk and therefore its ability to fill you up. That's the principle behind mashing or blending fruit, that and again the propensity to overeat. The smash pizza would be a tweak by definition but whether you choose to syn it is another matter. Plenty don't and still have losses. If you only use the same amount of smash to make the base as you would with a meal, so a recommended portion size then id say not but see how it affects you.
 
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Right, I see. So if someone believes that mashing a banana won't make them overeat, they'll not sin it? I don't eat bananas like that anyway, but it's good to know. I've never actually had smash pizza before and don't know how much smash I'd use, but I suppose if I'm sensible about eating it, it would be okay!
 
Technically it should be synned but by your argument you would be ok. As long as you weren't then hungry ten mins later as that's what's being avoided. Personally Id experiment and see what works for you.
 
Mashing a banana reduces its bulk and therefore its ability to fill you up. That's the principle behind mashing or blending fruit, that and again the propensity to overeat. The smash pizza would be a tweak by definition but whether you choose to syn it is another matter. Plenty don't and still have losses. If you only use the same amount of smash to make the base as you would with a meal, so a recommended portion size then id say not but see how it affects you.

The same argument would apply to the smash pizza. Making up the smash with water adds to the bulk and filling power. Use it as a flour substitute and its less filling in the same way that the mashed banana would be :)
 
But the nutritional value is in the dry product. So if you use 100g and add water to make 200g of smash or if you use 100g to make a pizza base the values are the same. It's just recognising that you may want to eat again after the pizza as it has less of that bulk. If you don't want to eat again where's the damage done? No over eating. That's what I mean by experimenting.
 
That makes sense, thank you for your help!! I'll get experimenting with smash pizza tonight haha :)
 
I tend to look at this way.....
If I make a smash pizza, the foods I use are smash (obviously!) plenty of SUPERFREE veg and maybe ham and cheese (healthy extra) for the topping.
What is the difference if I have a pile of smash, some veg and some kind of meat on my plate? Nothing in my opinion!

I really feel we over think SW these days. Years ago, free food meant free food however you ate it and whenever you ate it, and do you know what, it worked!!!
 
But the nutritional value is in the dry product. So if you use 100g and add water to make 200g of smash or if you use 100g to make a pizza base the values are the same. It's just recognising that you may want to eat again after the pizza as it has less of that bulk. If you don't want to eat again where's the damage done? No over eating. That's what I mean by experimenting.


I disagree sorry hun. Yes they would be same calories but the 200g mashed potato made up with water would be more filling than the dry powder and thats the problem. You either overeat or you eat again sooner and either way you take in more calories :(
 
But I actually agreed with you when I said that you need to recognise that you may need to eat again. I get the principle but what I said was that if you DIDNT need to then the values are the same. :) some would and it would lead to overeating. Some might not and so it wouldn't. The latter person may choose not to syn it on that basis.
 
Scan bran cake or weetabix ought to be fine because it's not free food. There is a syn value attached or you use your healthy extra. So portion control is built in and you can't eat too many calories without going over your syns. The issue with free carbs is that if you tweak them they're less filling and because they're free, you could easily eat 5-6 portions in a day.
 
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