How does it work calorie-wise?

[Wasted Ink]

All the information in the Slimming World books, online etc. is that you do not have to count calories on SW and that it is not about calories. However, since research shows that the only way to lose approximately a 1lb is to create a calorie deficit of 500 calories (by diet or exercise,) is this true? Or is it more that SW encourages you to eat filling foods with fewer calories, so you feel like you’re eating loads, but you are actually eating far fewer calories overall?

I assumed that this was how it worked. However, when looking at the books, some relatively low-calorie foods (porridge) are actually quite high in syns. So how does it work calorie-wise?

 

[avisk]

Basically, we have no idea and we don't care!

Sorry, that isn't as flippant as it sounds. It is just that Slimming World frees us from worrying about such things. If you do it right, you lose weight. Simple as that.

 

[Brightonrosie]

the syn values of foods works out at roughly one syn for 20 calories. what SW has done is to include healthy foods regardless of calories into its plan eg you can have porridge for breakfast as your healthy option or you could have lean bacon and eggs instead. Both equate to a healthy meal which should sustain you until lunchtime.

Many people will eat lots of unhealthy foods trying to get that full up feeling without ever acheiving it. As you progress with Sw your body recognises that signal earlier so in effect you eat less. If that doesn't happen then the weight loss will stop until you reach that calorie defecit again. To do that you may then need to eat only superfree foods between meals and fill yourself up that way, or you may need to cut down on the calories consumed by overeating pasta for example so you switch to a red day. The plan with the healthy extras and the syns give you roughly just under 1200 calories a day on average, the syns take that up to 1500. so yes without realising it you are reducing your calories. Phew end of my ideas lolxxx

 

[Crys]

yeah, tbh I can't figure out HOW it works, I just know that somehow, be it filling but low cal foods, or the freedom to eat means less chance o binging, dont know, but it works, and thats the main thing.

 

[Xassy]

I have no idea how it works but it does. You have to trust the plan.

 

[toofatkat]

I agree, I dont care, all I know is that I can eat healthy food, eat what I want and still have my treats if I want to and still lose weight. thats enough for me.

 

[GymClassHero]

The plan with the healthy extras and the syns give you roughly just under 1200 calories a day on average, the syns take that up to 1500.

Hey there, just out of interest where did you get the 1200 cal figure from?

 

[Brightonrosie]

Hey there, just out of interest where did you get the 1200 cal figure from?

I monitored my intake over a course of three weeks x

 

[Lovely_Laura]

The plan with the healthy extras and the syns give you roughly just under 1200 calories a day on average, the syns take that up to 1500. so yes without realising it you are reducing your calories. Phew end of my ideas lolxxx

I'd be interested to know if other's thought they were consuming roughly that number of calories. I know everyone's different but I eat far more than that alot of days I reckon. Which is why I do SW because it doesn't matter. I do think it's funny when my consultant says 'eat as much as you like' because I could probably eat 3/4x as much as alot of people quite regularly.

As long as it works that's all that matters!

 

[malaika]

I certainly found that when I ate less my weight loss speeded up.
Although I did stick to plan 100%, when I ate a lot of fruit and muller lights my weight loss was much slower, so even though I never counted calories I guess that is why.

 

[GymClassHero]

I'd be interested to know if other's thought they were consuming roughly that number of calories. I know everyone's different but I eat far more than that alot of days I reckon. Which is why I do SW because it doesn't matter. I do think it's funny when my consultant says 'eat as much as you like' because I could probably eat 3/4x as much as alot of people quite regularly.

As long as it works that's all that matters!

Im the same, i have a very BIG appetite because im very active so i need the large portions for energy.

I just ran my total for today through the calorie counter that Brightonrosie has on her profile and its come out at 1,426 calories and that is without syns or the post gym snack i'll have later of 3 scrambled eggs and 2 slices of bacon.

I dread to think what the cal content would be on a green day for me

 

[Vixxster]

Im the same, i have a very BIG appetite because im very active so i need the large portions for energy.

I just ran my total for today through the calorie counter that Brightonrosie has on her profile and its come out at 1,426 calories and that is without syns or the post gym snack i'll have later of 3 scrambled eggs and 2 slices of bacon.

I dread to think what the cal content would be on a green day for me

So you'll have had around about 2000 or maybe a little more calories by the end of the day, which is what your daily intake should be WITHOUT exercise...

...you're very active... so how much do you reckon you'd have burnt off, and how many calories do you reckon would have come from fat if you weren't following Slimming World? Plus, would you have consumed more?

Basically, the way I see it, it's about adapting your relationship with food. I could eat for Britain, I really could, and when I started Slimming World, I probably ate close to the amount of calories I did when I used to eat badly... but the main difference was, that the majority of those calories no longer came from fat.

As my weight loss carried on and my body adapted to the plan, I started to find that it took less food to fill me up. I still love and enjoy food, and I still have my blips, but as long as I keep on keeping on, the plan will work with me.

I probably eat about the same amount of cals as Rosie eats, I dare say she's not too far off the mark for an average for a lot of people who've been on the plan for a while, adapted themselves to it and who do little to moderate exercise.

People like yourself who exercise a lot will need more calories.

 

[slinkydreams]

I agree with Vixster, SW to say to eat until you are satisfied but not full. When I first started SW, I used to eat a huge amount of free food and lost weight really quickly.

After a while your appetite will decrease, and you will naturally eat less.

 

[GymClassHero]

After a while your appetite will decrease, and you will naturally eat less.

I wish! I was on plan for a solid 9 months last year before starting my new job, had consistent losses as well and i still ate like a ferral dog

I am a protein monster though so i find when i flip and do a green day - i am actually a lot fuller. I really wanted to get back into EE this time round but it just didnt work for me last year :sigh:

 

[lemon_fizz]

I don't want to know how it works, I just know it does. When I calorie counted my head was constantly spinning with calorie amounts and calculations. I don't want to suffer that any more so I LOVE the freedom of SW EE.

My food intake has dropped massvely over the weeks without me even thinking about it, once you have that freedom, you aren't interested in overeating.

I like smaller meals as I know if I get hungry later I can grab a snack.

 

[abigail09]

i dont know if anyone else uses livestrong 'my plate', i do on occasion just out of curiosity. it requires you to put in your height, weight and weight loss goals and will tell you how many calories, fat etc. you should have to achieve this. i dont do it as a goal i just put in what i eat on slimming world and see what it comes out with and surprise surprise they marry up quite nicely. (ive done this on days where ive weighed what ive had just to know but not limited what i have eaten)

on a 2 day stint when i was doing this the first day i had a total of 1,253 cals and 31g of fat. this is 84% of my recommended calorie intake to loose 2lbs a week and 64% of my recommended fat intake.
on the second day i had 1494 cals (99% of their recommended intake to loose 2lbs a week) and 34g of fat (70% fat recommended)

im having less fat than they recommend but about 3 times the amount of protein (i love meat!) and almost 4 times the amount of colesterol (i love eggs!) lol

its interesting to see but the basic slimming world principle is foods that have a low energy density and a high satiety rating. this is why foods that are filling and have low calorie content are free, foods that are good for us but havea higher energy density are healthy extras and why foods which have high energy density are synned, the higher the syns the higher the energy density. this is also why things like fruit whole are free and fruit juiced are synned because the satiety rating is alot lower (it doesnt fill you up)

of course the joy of slimming world is that we dont hvae to actually worry about these things and we should just forget about it eat what we want and we will loose weight at a steady pace