Going it alone... advice / pros / cons....

coughdrops

Silver Member
Evening all

The SW group I go to is closing in a few weeks, so I have to decide whether to do it alone with minis, join online or travel to another group.

1) Going it alone- this scares me a bit, that I'll fall off the wagon if I don't have to go to group every week. Then on other hand, surely standing on my scales at home (and saving a tenner!) should be enough. I only have to be accountable to myself anyway... regardless of how much I enjoy group and like my consultant, it's essentially down to me alone to get to goal.

2) Join online- I don't think I'll do this. I rarely use the SW site, apart from looking up the odd syn value. I've got the books, I get the mags, so I don't know if I'd benefit from paying for online access. I guess, similar to going to group, there'd be a routine of logging my weight. Am I missing something about the online membership? I'll admit I've not really looked into it, so if any onliners have further info about it, I'd appreciate hearing about it.

3) Another group- this isn't really convenient. The nearest are about 10 miles away, at an awkward time. I'd mostly be paying and leaving, it wouldn't work with my schedule to stay each week. So, I am wondering if it's worth keeping up my membership to pay and weigh...

So disappointed the group is closing. I know that I should be able to stick to plan at home, log my weight here weekly as normal, and get to the end of my journey but I am afraid that any relaxing of my routine will send me haywire! I am not the strictest on-plan even going to group, so will I lose the plot altogether if I don't have that?

I don't expect any answers really, I have to figure it out myself... maybe I should try a month alone and then go back to pay/weigh if I find it too hard?
 
You sound like me, I would struggle to go it alone but if you come on minimins then you're not alone. Weight loss is not an easy journey and can be made even harder if you try to do it in solitude. I think your idea of trying it with support from everyone on here is a great idea.
If it was me I would try it first like that.
Good luck whatever you decide x

Sent from my C6603 using MiniMins.com mobile app
 
When I took a break from my online membership, thinking I had the books and only used syns online for other peoples queries on here I found I fell off the wagon. Yes I don't use it all the time and certainly not to its fullest capacity - I use the food diary basically. But and its a big BUT (although not a big BUTT, not so much these days) although not spending the £20 a month it cost was at first attractive I found it gave me licence to slack. At least when I was paying I resented it so much that I refused to waste it!!! Even if I just use the food diary at least I am USING it. Needless to say I restarted my membership after a couple
of weeks. Try it alone using minimins, many people do so successfully but it doesn't work for everyone. I'm testament to that! Are there any other weightloss groups nearer to you. Maybe a ww one where you could join, get weighed so you have the public element but follow SW?
 
Oh that is so disappointing. I thought about what I would do in your situation and realised I would have to find another group to keep me on the wagon. Then I came up with lots of advice for you, read it through before posting and realised I was being selfish and dictatorial (basically it went along the line of "make the effort and join an inconvenient group"). Of course if it can't be done then the next best thing is for us here to help and support you.

The online support here at minimins I think is so much better than the SW website. I attend a real group so I don't have any experience of their online group support but I do know I visit this site about 400 times more than I visit the SW site because the advice and inspiration and recipes I get here are much better. So go it alone with a home-weigh-in group here and as you so wisely suggested in your own post - give it a month or so and see if it works. You can always make a different decision in a month or two.
 
I lost 4 stone going to SW group over 7 months, but then started a new job with changing shifts and group was no longer convenient. Now I just weigh in once a week at Boots. Slimming World is so ingrained I stick to it automatically and i'm doing just as well now as I did with SW group. I've even used the money I've saved to join the gym, so feel like I'm getting a lot more for my money now. I know leaving group isn't for everyone, but if you think you've got the determination to do it then its worth a try. If all fails you can always go back! X
 
Thank you all so much for replying- it's a big help to get my thoughts down on "paper" and get some feedback.

@lickthelid - that's what I am afraid of, that once I know I don't have to weigh-in for SW, I'll relax. There is no WW in our village either so that isn't an option. The blooming chemist doesn't have a scales (and, anyway, they don't OPEN ON SATURDAYS... seriously, you can only get sick here during working hours!)

I don't use the SW food diary, I use minis instead. Also, and this REALLY pees me off, it costs more to have membership (OF A WEBSITE) in Euro than in GBP. I can understand it costing more to go to group here (we pay €9), but to join a website is just unreal.

@PeggyDee - "make an effort and join an inconvenient group" - That's basically what I need to hear! I'm conscious that I am making excuses ALREADY, oh I can't get to group, oh it's too far away, oh screw it I'll write this week off and start again.

The couple of weeks I had to miss SW due to work, and used my own scales to keep on track, I always felt a bit ... I can't think of a word for it... but kinda lost. Like "oh well, that's fine, and I've another week before I have to w/i properly"

BUT if I join another group I know I won't make it every week, it just won't be possible. So the weeks I can't go, I am afraid I'll totally relax. So maybe I am better off not going at all and having a new routine.

Hmmmm

I'll have a think for another while. Maybe I can book a few weeks hols before our group ends, that would give me 3 weeks or so to see how I manage?


Thanks again x
 
I was going to suggest going it alone and weighing in with friends or family, but I think it sounds like you've answered your own question in your last post, you feel like you need a group to stay on track, and you're doing so well, it would be a shame to undo any of your hard work just because your class has closed.

Maybe look for a group on your route home from work, or is there one on your day off that you can travel to every week? x
 
Yeah, I've had a look at other groups. There are none here on Saturdays and others aren't convenient at all, neither the location or time of group.

I'll figure something out!

Thanks x
 
Yeah, I've had a look at other groups. There are none here on Saturdays and others aren't convenient at all, neither the location or time of group.

I'll figure something out!

Thanks x

I never understand why they don't have more Saturday morning groups, I bet they'd be really busy if they did. I'd rather weigh on a Saturday morning, then I could enjoy the weekend and have the rest of the week to make up for it... lol! :D

Good luck finding a solution. x
 
How big is your group? What are the rest of your group deciding to do about the closure? Why don't you chat to them and make arrangements to continue to meet together without a consultant, perhaps at somebody's home so you are not paying rent for a hall or meeting place, and do a weigh in together and support each other, continue to share recipe ideas and encouragement. Maybe this could be done in a way that still keeps your own weight private but you are able to share losses. That way you will still have the group feel, the social aspect, and also the feeling that you need to stay committed because others are relying on you.

Do you have the time and drive to become a consultant yourself? Then you could keep the group going. What is the reason for your group closing?
 
The numbers have dwindled, there aren't enough people attending. The others have arranged to go to another group (same consultant), taking it week about to drive, but I definitely can't commit to that... it's actually further away than some of the groups I've been looking at, and a day I can't go. Setting up my own group just isn't an option for us (me and DH)

Thanks for the suggestions though, I'll just have to sit down with DH and work out what to do. If I am serious about staying at group, I might have to stagger w/i between Tues one week and Thurs the next, or something like that.

I'll let you know how successful I am!
 
"I only have to be accountable to myself anyway..." that would be my downfall I'm afraid. I tell myself off if I fall off the wagon but I don't think I take myself very seriously! Even though I'm quite relaxed about my weight loss, with no set goals and not desperate for it all to fall off overnight, I do still get a little flutter in my stomach when I get close to the front of the queue for weigh in. Going to my group has made me realise that not only do I need the discipline, but I obviously need some recognition for any achievements as well - I wouldn't have said this a couple of months ago as I never thought I did need recognition for anything but obviously I do! I do feel proud of myself when other people congratulate me or just say well done and as I live alone it wouldn't work so well if I patted myself on my own back when I stepped on the scales.

But I can see how this is going to be difficult for you - some things are just not always possible however hard you try. What about trying to find a slimming buddy? Either on here or maybe one of your current group members? You need someone who will give you a kick up the whatnot and threaten to expose you in the national press or something if you slack off though. Probably someone you don't know THAT well - I know my best friend would start off well but then land up agreeing with all my pathetic excuses after a while, so it would need to be someone who could motivate you and not let you off the hook.


 
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