Extra Easy At moment I dont eat syns at all... HELP!

[wifey_to_be]

Hi, Im new to this site. I am doing slimming world and think it is fantastic! Before doing slimming world I would just calorie count to the point where I was barely eating anything and had very little energy. My problem is now my old habits keep on creaping in and Im starting to look at calories in food again. Also I dont eat any syns at all.. if I do its maybe 1 every now and again.. as I see the amount of calories in things and think Im better off not having them. I am nearing my goal weight at the moment so weight loss is slowing right down and I wondered if having syns would help my weight loss? I know this sounds mad! But again my worry is that if I go from having no syns to eating syns on a daily basis I am going to gain weight? I really dont want to as I dont have much more to lose. Hope you can spare me some advice, I will be ever so grateful xx

 

[stivesliz]

A few things to note here - Syns are as much as part of the plan as the free foods and healthy extras so you must have them to get the best results - I for one, and am sure plenty of others on here can vouch that weeks where we have had very few syns then we simply haven't lost as much. You don't need to have them in solid lumps, ie, bags of crisps, biscuits etc, I don't - I sneak them in through my cooking - mayonaise, gravy and apple sauce on roasts etc etc. They help make our food that little bit more interesting.

I counted calories for years and could kick myself for the wasted time I spent measuring dashes of milk for teas and coffees. The SW plan works primarily because unlike other 'diets' there is very little weighing and measuring and constant scrutinising of the packets of food. Trust it and try and forget about the C word! x

 

[Nettee]

definately worth an experiment. Syns are supposed to help weight loss. 5 syns a day for a week - think of it as Medicine! - and see what happens. Have something you really enjoy in 100 calorie portions.

Also it is really important to eat enough and not get too frightened of a little gain or a small loss - the general trend is down and that is good.

 

[clairebrookes]

You need to try and let go of the calorie counting and accept that the slimming world plan works, syns and all!

So many diets fail because they teach you how to lose the weight but not what to do once you get to that ideal weight.... Inevitably the bad habits creep in along with the weight.

Unless you plan in spending the rest of your life never eating syns then get into the habit of eating them now.

 

[l0v3child]

I for one eat or drink all 15 syns a day, and enjoy them so far so good, if my losses stop then i shall know to stick around the 10 mark and maybe have some extra superfree instead. Enjoy your extra treats

 

[l0v3child]

If you have a history of disordered eating, you do need to keep on top of it or it can take over your life.

Think about what all the food groups are for - plenty of veg and fruit for all your vitamins and nourishment. Protein to help build your muscles. Carbs to power your body and stop you feeling so exhausted. HexA for calcium to protect your bones and aid your losses, HexB for fibre to fill you up and aid your digestion. Small amounts of treat foods as syns, to add flavour, essential fats and variety.

Completely cutting out any groups, especially to the point where you are eating so little you have no energy won't do you any good and you know it. I've been there before and done that, and we both know how exhausting it can be xx

You are doing SW now, so you have to put CC out of your head and focus on SW. Re-read your book as if you were a newbie.

And try to think ahead to maintenance. Once you hit target how are you going to stay there? I think the current SW plan to maintain is pretty much to carry on as is but have extra Hex's until you stay steady within range. If you keep on as you are, when you do hit target you'll either keep losing until you get dangerously low, or rebel and binge crap. You need to have a realistic and sustainable diet to keep at a healthy weight.

Xxx

Ahhhhh Jezzi, i always enjoy reading your sensible posts and advice! X

 

[Beckyftwx]

I never have syns really sometimes 5 a day but I sometimes think I am overeating on free food like tonight I had a full tub of fat free yoghurt, but I was hungry and couldn't stop myself

 

[l0v3child]

Thanks for the compliment

I wish I'd spent my life being as sensible as my advice, but all I can do is offer up my own mistakes for people to learn from!

I've been so thin that my periods stopped and my hair was falling out, and then to escape my fears of ever ending up like that again I instead ended up seriously overweight with a binge problem. Now I'm aiming for a happy medium.

Im also aiming for the happy medium, ive been disordered, to ordered and a down right mess. I just wanna eat 'normal' and sw is giving me that....thank god! I think all sw ladies deserve a gold star just for being us ha x

 

[l0v3child]

I never have syns really sometimes 5 a day but I sometimes think I am overeating on free food like tonight I had a full tub of fat free yoghurt, but I was hungry and couldn't stop myself

Maybe you should try adding some syns in to feel more satisfied? If you felt like you were eating for the sake of it then the plan is telling you something isnt right....im not critising at all!! But over eating or binging 'within plan' isnt what sw wants you to do.x

 

[babylove]

I don't conciously use my syns but I know then when I want a little brown/red sauce I can without worrying about going over my syn allowance. Also if I take a little too much milk etc it should be ok.
If I knew I was definately not using any syns I would try and fit them in somewhere as I have read so many times that it does help with weight lose.

 

[wifey_to_be]

Thankyou all so much for your advice. I am trying to think of free foods as 0 calories in order to get my head around eating more. I have bought in more snack foods so hoping I will reach out for them when Im hungry rather than starve till the next meal. My worry is that I am going to gain weight as soon as I start eating the syns as my body isnt used to them? will this be the case? x

 

[Nettee]

The plan says that you should lose more weight if you use the syns.

15 syns a day = 300 cal. X 7 = 2100 for the week. I believe that the calorie deficit required to lose a pound is 3500 so even the full allowance shouldn't make as much as a pound's difference.

 

[gazter]

Hi, Im new to this site. I am doing slimming world and think it is fantastic! Before doing slimming world I would just calorie count to the point where I was barely eating anything and had very little energy. My problem is now my old habits keep on creaping in and Im starting to look at calories in food again. Also I dont eat any syns at all.. if I do its maybe 1 every now and again.. as I see the amount of calories in things and think Im better off not having them. I am nearing my goal weight at the moment so weight loss is slowing right down and I wondered if having syns would help my weight loss? I know this sounds mad! But again my worry is that if I go from having no syns to eating syns on a daily basis I am going to gain weight? I really dont want to as I dont have much more to lose. Hope you can spare me some advice, I will be ever so grateful xx

I know where you are coming from, i sometimes get through the whole day without any, but i'll treat myself later on. There is a fine line between maximising your weight loss and slowing down your metabolism. Doesnt mean you wont lose, but it can slow right down.

Make sure you are eating all your healthy extras and eat at least half a dozen syns. If you drop below a thousand calories a day try to up what you eat.