Advantages of going to group

[Atomic pink]

I know there have been several threads recently discussing the pros can cons of attending group but I just wanted to find out exactly what information is available as a proper SW member?
At the moment I have been following the general principles of SW on and off for several months. My weight has reduced a little but I am fully aware I have probably only been following the plan 90% and about 50% of the time. The problem I have found is in trying to follow the plan with info I have cobbled together from this site is it is very easy to make mistakes as regard branded foods - presuming a similar product from different supermarkets will be the same syn value. While finding general syn values on here is quite easy it often seems virtually impossible to find the syn value of things that are free on one plan and syned on another i.e bacon on a green day. I also think it would be useful to have the proper list of speed/ super speed foods for the weeks when I want to make a real effort with things.
Now I know that my motivation to follow the plan properly is going to be the biggest factor in successfully losing weight rather than mistakes made due to not having the full information but going to group long -term really doesn't appeal to me. But it seems kind of cynical to sign up, take the information and run.
I am contemplating attending a morning group tomorrow morning as I have a day off and I feel if I don't do it while its on my mind I will chicken out and not do it. It isn't a group I could usually attend though, so if I did decide to continue to attend how easy is it to change groups? What information would I get at the first session to take away and is all this included in the join-up fee?Is it slightly immoral to turn up to a group to join when if I decided to continue attending group I would have to change group?
Sorry for the slightly rambling nature of this post. All opinions greatly appreciated.

 

[lolacola]

I think this all depends on you personally, and the quality of your group.

I go along to weigh in every week because I find it gives me focus, but I have only actually stayed for the class three times because while my consultant is a lovely lady, the classes are really badly organised, and she literally doesn't know her ar*e from her elbow. She is constantly making mistakes and being corrected by members of the group, talking waffle and contradicting herself, so I really don't find the classes beneficial. I find this site much more useful than the classes.

That said, this is one consultant, there are many other good ones out there, so it's worth going along and seeing what you think.

 

[mummymoo]

It isn't a group I could usually attend though, so if I did decide to continue to attend how easy is it to change groups?

Very easy you just tell the new consultant you want your details transferring to them. A phone call to the old consultant telling them would be appreciated too!

What information would I get at the first session to take away and is all this included in the join-up fee?

You'll get everything you need to follow the plan included in the join-up fee. The advantage of going to group is you can buy the hifi bars, cheaper mags and books.

Is it slightly immoral to turn up to a group to join when if I decided to continue attending group I would have to change group?

It happens all the time. If it makes you feel any better then be honest with the consultant and say your not sure if you'll carry on at that group as its not convenient if you carry on at all. Please give Image Therapy a chance though as you may find you like it and it helps you

 

[Atomic pink]

Thanks for your responses. Reassured that it is easy to change groups and I will try and keep an open mind for the first session about whether I will continue to go. I just think I would end up really resenting the cost of going to group each week and losing one evening a week to go.

One of the problems I suspect is that all my friends are blokes or very slim females therefore I have never really talked about being overweight or my eating habits before. I think my approach has always been to just hope people didn't notice...

What info exactly do you get at group? The directory? Password to check online syn calculator? Anything else?

 

[Stackhead]

The first time you go to group, you'll get the food optimising book and various other little leaflets with recipes etc...
You'll also get about 15-30mins talk about the plan where you can ask any questions (very useful!).
The online thing doesn't use passwords anymore (or at least very few groups use passwords). Instead you enter your SW card number and you receive a pin and you can get online as long as you've paid in group that week...

Personally, I'm more than willing to pay my countdown for access to the website!!

I think in order not to resent the cost, you have to use every aspect that membership offers you... by that I mean staying to group, using the website and keeping in touch with your C.

Try group life, you might find that you like it

I'm a massive advocate of getting out of SW exactly what you put in to it. If your willing to approach SW as a social event as well as an evening class then you'll find that you'll start enjoying group rather than resenting the time and money it takes away from you!

 

[Beegee]

I wouldn't worry about the morals of buying the info and running, people do it all the time. You will also be able to buy a directory and other literature. It's only really worth doing if you're sure you can stick to it effectively on your own though, if not maybe find a group which is easier for you to attend. Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[msrsimpkin]

I tried doing SW at home for a while too, but was only ever half arsed and ended up giving in. So I decided to pay to go to class just to get weighed as I know this will give me incentive to actually stick to the plan. But I ended up staying for Image Therapy the first night and was hooked. It could just be that I like my C, and the people in my group, but I also liked discussing how you've done that week with other people and sharing tips and recipes. I love the taster nights too, and most classes have a raffle. Our raffles have been things like slow cookers and a set of pyrex dishes. Awesome stuff!

And I think the most invaluable thing you get from going to group is access to the website. There's so much stuff on there like recipes, info, the syns calculator, an up-to-date list of HE's, etc. So even if you didn't want to stay for Image Therapy (though I would recommend it), just paying to get weighed and for the site is definitely worth it.

Aaannnd... THE HIFI BARS are sooo good! Haha. Though I've had to go all week without one until my class tomorrow because I ate 2 of my 3 after my class last week and then DH ate the other! And he's not even doing SW! Haha

 

[sm1ler]

I have only been to the first class so far and dont really know much about how the group runs and what my C is like so i find this thread interesting to see what others say about staying to class ect. I am a little unsure about staying to my class because most of the members i met the first week all seem much older or dont have too much weight to loose.

 

[msrsimpkin]

I have only been to the first class so far and dont really know much about how the group runs and what my C is like so i find this thread interesting to see what others say about staying to class ect. I am a little unsure about staying to my class because most of the members i met the first week all seem much older or dont have too much weight to loose.

It's the same in my class, almost all of the members are a lot older than me and most are not as big as me, but they're all just as supportive whether you've got 1 stone or 20 stone to loose. Maybe I'm just weird because I look forward to going to WI. Not just to find out how much I've lost (or gained ), but because I genuinely enjoy being there

 

[Atomic pink]

All your input has been really useful. I have decided to wait til next week when I will go to the group local to me on a thursday evening so at least I would only have the terror of walking in as a new member once rather than twice.

The group is in a pub just at the end of my road so very convenient but I think it is very new as it has never appeared on the website before and the consultant doesn't have a contact number up on the site which kind of puts me off a little. But having a group I can walk to in 5 minutes is definitely a bonus so I will give it a go and try to keep an open mind on the first session to see whether I want to continue to attend or just take the resources and run.