Anyone else struggling??

[jaarus]

Hi all,

Joined this site to help me the LAST TIME I tried Slimming World.
At that time I was doing the Red day/Green day version of the diet and I found it tough....
Sure I lost weight on it - quite a lot actually - but the diet itself was just quite hard going.

Switching from quick and easy, high calorie oven food in the evening and maybe a burger or something for lunch in town --to-- home cooked food from scratch each and every meal was just so hard. What I could and couldnt eat became a faff and of course every night (despite all the optimistic '10 minutes prep, 20 minutes cook time') I spent a good hour in the kitchen cooking dinner.

It was just too much.



So anyway I am back on the plan - my wifes idea. First time she has ever mentioned my weight actually - and boy were there a few hints!
Taking the plunge and actually joined Slimming World (online) this time as well rather than attempt it solo (see guess work) as I did last time - and I am also following Extra Easy this time as well.
The plan is far more encompassing than the whole red/green thing and as a result the meals are more rounded (rather than always feeling they are justing missing some 'X' to make it a nice meal), but its still a bit of a pain to follow.

To have a decent lunch, I need to prepare something the night before (best so far has been a whole pack of chicken drumsticks, skinned and coated in Shwatrz Perfect Shake - Piri Piri. Some damn spicy and damn tasty drumsticks!) or I end up grabbing something like a few sushi packs -- but as I eat A LOT, I need a few and they have a fair few syns.....and the evening meals still take a good 30-60 mins of being in the kitchen before I have anythnig to serve up to a now rather 'ratty' wife!


Am I missing a trick?
I want to stick with it (prepaid 3 months online LOL) but even my wife has now started to complain that everything seems to take so long.

I have caved once. We both had a bad day at work and came home to a dreaded 'Dominos' voucher ridden flyer....
A large meat feast each was a VERY bad idea. Despite being really good for the whole week bar that meal I still PUT ON 2lbs!!?
That one meal was about 150 syns apparently?!?



Basically I just want some quick and easy meals - spag bol and chilli are both easy but we are having it so often its become dull....

 

[*EB*]

I think you could look at other peoples diaries on here and the recipe section.

As you have online - do they not do meal plans?

I love homemade burgers, you can top these with bacon and cheese as a really nice filling meal. - you could batch and freeze them, so you can still have a daily burger - top with mushrooms, salad, gherkins and some low fat dressing - serve with a large salad - yum!

good luck x

 

[Happy Holidays]

If you have a slow cooker you could prepare & have ready some lovely meals for when you get home.

Always have a tin of beans in, that way if you're hungry & in a rush, beans, toast, poached egg, beans, mash, egg

I find if making tea it can take anything from 5 mins(beans) to 1 hour, just depending on what I make. If you went for a takeaway how long would that take from start to finish?

Try & plan your meals a week in advance, take a look on here & search for quick & easy meals, there are loads of threads, as Elliebear suggested look at other peoples diaries for ideas.

I think you just need to widen your search for ideas.

If you like pizza have you tried the SW mash pizza?

 

[jaarus]

Had a burger last night actually with SW chips:
Double burger with bacon, mustard, ketchup and Sainos 'Be good to yourself' cheese- was amazing for 5 syns in total!

Good idea about making more and simply freezing them.

The SW Online has loads of sections and a useful meal journal but as for looking up stuff, it just seems to have a single sample menu and quite a small 'recipe finder' based on a keyword search.
What I was really hoping for was some inspiration on their website such as being able to read their book online or some more intuitive guided search methods -- but sadly, you dont know its NOT there until after you actually join!

Perhaps I am using the site incorrectly but as things stand I often find myself (even as a SW Online member) on THIS site to get recipes!!

 

[Rkmriddell]

Personally, i think that rather than trying to completely find new things - why don't you try looking for a substitute for the meals that you and your wife would normally eat?

Hubby and i had a lovely steak last night, fairly easy - with a baked potato. Pasta is always a quick easy favourite of mine too.

What are the meals you would normally enjoy?

 

[kingleds]

I never cook during the week. I cook double batches of stuff at the weekend and freeze stuff. This weekend I cooked 2 casseroles in the oven, 2 curries in the slow cooker, then I made Shephards pies, and some one pot meals on the hob. Okay, so it took me a bit of time, but when I get in at night all i have to do is put something in the microwave & dinner is ready in 15 mins.

One thing i am confused about though - if your wife is the one that has pushed you into loosing weight, why is she sitting there waiting for you to serve up dinner?

On the takeaway front - really, you couldn't have chosen anything worse than pizza from SW view point. Why not try a Chicken Shish kebab next time you really can't be bothered? A large one, including the pitta would be about 17 syns, excluding any sauce.

And a thought for you. If you don't change anything, you always get what you always got...

 

[jaarus]

Thanks for all the comments

I will, as mentioned, stalk peoples diaries to see what they are upto (their food ones as well )

Regarding why my wife (who wanted me to start this diet) is often in the lounge waiting for her dinner:
(a) She is a pretty useless and frankly 'lazy' cook
(b) her job comes home with her (English teacher - marking, reports etc) so when she has a lot of work still to do in the evening and I have none, its just a bit fairer that I cook (besides if she was to cook, it would end up as beans on toast or something 'basic')

Aware after the fact that Dominos was quite THAT bad - wont be doing that again!


MEALS WE HAVE OFTEN:

* Burger (extra lean mince) with bacon, lots of lettuce, tomatoes and a mound of SW chips.

* Chilli Con Carne & rice

* Spagetti Bolognese

* Sunday Roast - Chicken or Pork (wife does this )

* Curry, something like a Madras with rice

* Salmon fillet, new pots, asparagus & carrots

* Jacket potato & beans

---- pretty much just repeat this ad nauseum!

 

[ermintrude]

Youve got to plan what youre gonna eat for the week ahead, its not practical to just come home and THEN think about what youre gonna have and start cooking. Make a menu for the whole week, shop for it and thenstart making it.

When you do cook there is NO point only cooking enough for one meal. You need to be making a big bacth, enough for 2 or 3 meals, or even more, then freeze the rest. This way you only need to cook once or twice a week. Some people like Kingleds and Mama do the cooking at w/e's so they dont have to cook AT ALL in the week. Nearly anything you buy in the shop you can make your own version of it way healthier in a big batch and bung it in the freezer, whether its curry, soup, burgers, chilli, sausage & chips, whatever.

Not everything needs cooking, or if it does it can be minimal. Pasta, rice, jacket potato, beans, stick some veg in the microwave to go with it. Takes 10 minutes. Salad, sandwich, fruit. Snack all day on healthy stuff then you dont need such a big meal at night.

Like Kingleds said takeaway doesnt have to be bad, there are lots of healthy choices. Boiled rice, stuff cooked in tomatoes.

Best option is 1) Plan your menu IN ADAVNCE 2) Cook loads so theres plenty of days worth left in the freezer.

And without meaning to personal can't your wife do some of the cooking? Dont you eat the same stuff?

Edit: sorry posted all that while you were posting yours.

 

[Chipmunk89]

There are tons of different recipes on here to ensure you're always having something new. Plan your menu the week before and plan it around your work schedule (ie. quick things on days you're both in till late) - definitely is the key to sticking to home-made stuff for me!

Some of them take a little effort yeah, but well worth it and really not much longer than deciding what you want from the takeaway and waiting for it to arrive. Here's some of my favourites that I've tried since starting SW. If you try varying your menu a bit I'm sure you'll be a lot more satisfied with what you're eating.

Diet Coke Chicken
KFC Style Chicken
Smothered Chicken
Sweet and Sour
Minted Lamb Shanks
Sausage Casserole

I also love the Maggi So Juicy Roasting Bags for something so quick and easy but really tasty. Depending on the flavour they're between 4-6 Syns each I think which isn't bad when split between 2 of you. I shove Chicken and Mushrooms in the bag and serve with New Potatoes or Pasta and Veg

 

[jaarus]

Looks like I need a freezer then

 

[Lonestitcher]

Stir-fry is a quick and easy option (plus you can change it often by using a different sauce/changing the veg).

In an 'emergency dilemma' why not look NOW for how many syns are in Chinese and Indian take-away foods. Pick your best low-syn option NOW. That way, in an 'I need food but can't be bothered cooking' moment, you are already prepared with what to order. If you wait until you're hungry, you won't even care about syn values - until it's too late and you've eaten it already.

Check on the SW website - Tesco - light/lighter choices chicken. I THINK that there is a chilled chicken breast in tomato and basil sauce that is 1/2 syn per half pack - CHECK YOURSELF. For lunches - check the syn value of the 'snack in a pot' chicken and mushroom noodle. I THINK that it's free - you'd just need to add some superfree. Also I THINK that the Tesco 'Simply cook' lamb shanks in mint gravy are free too - please check yourself.

I'm not trying to be rude when I say 'check yourself'. It's just that I'm not definite on the syn values and don't want to hinder your losses with an innocent mistake.

I'm seconding a slow cooker - quick evening meal - and only took 15mins prep. Chopped some celery and onion (Yup, that was the 15 mins!). Opened a pack of pre-chopped carrot and swede and threw that in. Opened a pack of chicken breast and chucked that in. Added a couple of pints of stock (Chicken oxo!). Turned on slow cooker - went out - came home - chicken casserole!

 

[Chipmunk89]

Looks like I need a freezer then

I've managed without one so far (only have a tiny one) but I am currently on the lookout for a cheap one as life would be SO MUCH easier. So yeah, if you can, definitely pick one up!

 

[CatherineB]

Sorry to butt in on this thread, but I am reading through and trying to pick up any advice available!
I am off work at the moment and finding the recipes great, although I know I will have to batch cook when I go back to work. Can I ask for some advice from the batch-cooking chefs out there...? When you have frozen a meal do you need to defrost it before you heat it up again? Or can you heat from frozen? I'm a novice at this! Thanks

 

[jaarus]

Butt away!

Its all good info as far as I am concerned

 

[ermintrude]

Sorry to butt in on this thread, but I am reading through and trying to pick up any advice available!
I am off work at the moment and finding the recipes great, although I know I will have to batch cook when I go back to work. Can I ask for some advice from the batch-cooking chefs out there...? When you have frozen a meal do you need to defrost it before you heat it up again? Or can you heat from frozen? I'm a novice at this! Thanks

I usually stick it in the mic on defrost for 10min and then give it another 5 or so on full power to heat through. Or sometimes if Im feeling spritely I remember to get it out the night before (but that is a rare occasion )

Depends what you're cooking though, mine are mostly stew/casserole/soup/curry etc so the chunks are quite small and the rest is liquid. If you've got great big legs of chicken or half a pig in it you'd be better taking it outta the freezer in the morning

 

[Roziee]

I think it's more about changing your mindset first, then make practical changes and the food will follow.

You need to make time. Simple. You won't get food on your plate from thin air.. It's all about allocating your time wisely.

I, like kingsled batch cook on Sunday's and freeze stuff so all I need to do is take something out of the freezer in the morning and warm it up once I get back I just warm it up.

Nothing is impossible. It's just about organisation

 

[kingleds]

PS - I didin't mean to sounds like I was having a go at your wife btw!!! Was genuiniely curious

 

[kingleds]

Looks like I need a freezer then

My chest freezer might be the best thing I've ever bought (except my Mulberry Handbag of course ). Not only has it saved me money, it has saved me time. Now I can bulk buy all my meat & its much cheaper.

 

[CatherineB]

I usually stick it in the mic on defrost for 10min and then give it another 5 or so on full power to heat through. Or sometimes if Im feeling spritely I remember to get it out the night before (but that is a rare occasion )

Depends what you're cooking though, mine are mostly stew/casserole/soup/curry etc so the chunks are quite small and the rest is liquid. If you've got great big legs of chicken or half a pig in it you'd be better taking it outta the freezer in the morning

Thanks for the advice! I've considered the batch cooking idea for a while but was never sure how to reheat on the other side. I think I'll give it a go this week. My 'ironing-Sundays' might turn into 'cooking-Sundays'! Not sure what my husband would think about wrinkly work shirts though...

 

[kingleds]

Thanks for the advice! I've considered the batch cooking idea for a while but was never sure how to reheat on the other side. I think I'll give it a go this week. My 'ironing-Sundays' might turn into 'cooking-Sundays'! Not sure what my husband would think about wrinkly work shirts though...

If he's really that bothered he can always iron them himself .

To reheat - microwave on full for about 10-15 mins depending on what it is