Hidden Syns

Minders

Finding inspiration
There was a discussion last night at class that really was very illuminating. I just thought I'd share it with you guys, as it really made me think.

There is this woman who can't understand why she isn't losing much, maybe 1/2 a pound here and there, or even a gain. She swears she's following the plan and has even done food diaries which don't show anything too bad, and she rarely exceeded 15 syns. So it was opened up as a discussion to the class to see if anyone could offer any suggestions or tips.

Two really interesting things came out of that discussion. One person said that if you actually wrote down every single little thing you ate during the day, and that includes the stuff that a lot of us don't count, like that little bit of ketchup, or that scrape of mayonnaise, etc. All those things that are listed as syns per tablespoon or whatever measure, so we just have a bit less than that and forget about it... all those things really do add up to syns if we're completely honest about it.

And this was the real surprise, it turns out this woman has about 10 cups of coffee a day from the machine at work. But because she just has white with no sugar, just counted it as her milk allowance. On the face of it, that sounds logical. They're only little cups. But of course, those machine coffees don't have milk, it's some sort of whitener, and our consultant said that those coffees, even though they're quite small, are actually quite high in syns. She couldn't remember exactly but estimated something like 3 or 4 per cup (but did say she'd need to verify this). But for arguments sake, let's say they're only 2 syns per cup, at 10 cups a day, that's 20 syns!!! Plus the other syns that she was counting.

It was a watershed moment for a few of us last night! If you don't think you're having the losses you should, it really is worth actually writing down every, single thing you eat and drink during the day, because chances are, there are things you think nothing about that are sabotaging your progress.

I just thought I'd share that with you all in case it helps anyone else along the way. :)
 
I agree!

Our Consultant did a day in the life with "Mabel" with us, who got up and went shopping with her Mum. As she didnt have breakfast she shared her Mum's doughnut (well it was only half), then she had a slice of cake with her friend (seeing as it was carrot cake, she thought that was healthy.
Then she went on and had a few of her children's chicken nuggets as they were left on the plate.
At the end of the day, she hadnt eaten anything really, so decided on being on a Red Day.
All in told she had 80 syns, but she thought she was being good!
 
I totally agree with you, and your class, that for some people it is those 'hidden extras' that can do the damage. I measured my ketchup for the 1st time last night and was surprised at what 1 level tablespoon looks like once it is on the plate.

I also thing that if you fill in a diary - be it on the SW site or elsewhere - that you need to write EVERYTHING down, even syn free drinks like water etc. The psychological difference in seeing a full page to a half empty page can be quite pronounced.
 
Klix Vending Machine Drink, Coffee, White per serving

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Original 1½ Syns
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Green 1½ Syns


A while back our SWC also done a 'day in the life of' which included sugar in tea that wasn't counted, the kids scraps, picking at the cooking etc.

I do a personal food diary on my computer and it's set up so the Syns are automatically calculated as a weekly total. There is absolutely no point in leaving anything out of it. No one is going to see it and I have still eaten it whether I write it down or not! It makes you think about what you are eating though
 
I agree! I have one of those little milk maid 'milk' pots in my coffee at work and it's half fat but I have no clue how many syns it is and usually just have one a day but count it towards my HEX.

You're right in that all these little things add up and if people stuck to it rigidly 100% then we would all lose!

WOuldn't it be great if we could get everyone to do a 100% week and see waht the losses would be?
 
It's really opened my eyes to what a 100% week really is. Because like a lot of people, I tend to turn a blind eye to a blob of ketchup or whatever, because by and large, I don't use up all my syns so I just feel comfortable that it will be absorbed into my syn allowance. But should that read complacent rather than comfortable? You're right Stacey... if we all did a vigilant 100% week, it would be very interesting to see what our losses are. I doubt everyone here would be able to get into that sort of headspace but we can make that decision to do that ourselves and record the difference.
 
Klix Vending Machine Drink, Coffee, White per serving


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Original 1½ Syns
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Green 1½ Syns




Well there it is... that woman in my class was having 10 cups of that day... that her 15 syns right there, before she's eaten another morsel. Just goes to show doesn't it?
 
It's really opened my eyes to what a 100% week really is. Because like a lot of people, I tend to turn a blind eye to a blob of ketchup or whatever, because by and large, I don't use up all my syns so I just feel comfortable that it will be absorbed into my syn allowance. But should that read complacent rather than comfortable? You're right Stacey... if we all did a vigilant 100% week, it would be very interesting to see what our losses are. I doubt everyone here would be able to get into that sort of headspace but we can make that decision to do that ourselves and record the difference.

Well I have a clear week this week so I can commit to 100% everything written down and counted! Let's do it!

Crap....I guess that means I have to count my stewed blueberries this morning on my french toast! Bum! :rolleyes:
 
I am so guilty of this. The extra bit of sauce here, guestimating syns etc... all adds up.
 
I agree! I have one of those little milk maid 'milk' pots in my coffee at work and it's half fat but I have no clue how many syns it is and usually just have one a day but count it towards my HEX.
They are half a Syn each! I used to have them at work too then I switched to green and peppermint tea
 
Thanks Taz! I only have 3 a week so not a huge amount of syns, but enough that I'll start counting!

I'm also guilty of guesstimating my milk a lot so I'm going to measure it properly all this week and not assume that skim milk in my porridge and a white coffee from the local cafe equals a HEX A!
 
Crap....I guess that means I have to count my stewed blueberries this morning on my french toast! Bum! :rolleyes:
I think the stewed blueberries only worked out to like 1 syn or something. I did look them up. I think it was 28g blueberries stewed is 1 syn. I'd have to double check though, and I don't have my stuff here at work.

It's amazing what reveals itself when we really open our eyes!:rolleyes:
 
I am guilty of this, but more guilty of guessing syn values or guessing weights.
I used to always weigh cereal in the morning, but gradually got out of the habit as I thought I 'knew' what the right amount was. I think I got a bit heavy handed over time and when I actually weighed a bowl I has guestimated, it was about 80g! This was about 3 syns worth!
I then got paranoid and started weighing things a lot more- it was amazing how much 1 was over what I was allowed on HEXs.

Like Minders and Taz say, I was only kidding myself by getting complacent.
 
Hidden Syns - again

Apologies, for starting a new thread. For some reason it wouldn't let me reply on the other one.

I've never measured my milk as, having skimmed, I always 'guessed' I wasn't using it all. Well, I just measured my milk. I KNOW my mugs are quite large but milk in my coffee is around 75ml which works out to just over 4.5 mugs of coffee a day. (On my 3rd now)

I have more coffee (decaf) than that plus some days I have cereal.

Oooopssss!!!!
 
Oooooppppps:D

At least you have recogonised the error of your ways:woohoo:
 
Better to recognise them now and put it right Huni!!!
 
Isn't it amazing? We really do get blind to what we do on a day to day basis. I haved sent a text to my consultant thanking her for class last night as I found it so illuminating. I wonder what she'd think if she realised how far reaching the ripples have travelled! :D

THIS is why I make the effort to go to class!
 
I'm terrible with healthy extras but in the other way! I only have one coffee a day and 2 slices of brown bread!
 
The bread thing got me too though! It turned out 2 slices of the one that I was eating weighed about 80g so again, they were too big. Then I went on 2 slices of bread from a 400g loaf and had that for ages until I realised I should have pointed it because it was 'seeded'

Aaargggh!

Those pesky syns get everywhere!
 
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