Important to use your Syn allowance?

[mazziecoupe]

I'm assuming because im not asking the syn values of food that this thread is ok in the main forum? if not, sorry!! and please move me over

A few of my work colleauges started on the plan last week and have come in today saying that they were feeling brilliant as they havent used any of their Syn allowance and are planning never to use them until they have a night out .. whilst i admire their determination (i couldnt do a day without my 8/10 syns!) am i right in thinking that they are wrong?

Im sure i read somewhere that it was vitally important to use the Syn allowance ..could i have some thoughts please folks? I know you'll all be able to help so thank you in advance ..

 

[hastalavegan]

If they're being flexible with their syns during the week and saving a large amount for a weekend then that's okay. I do this when I have big events coming up.

But, if over the week they're not eating their syns, it's not really very good. You won't lose weight any faster and as you continue with your weight loss if the plan comes to a halt they'll have nothing else to cut back on.

 

[lydia150970]

I wouldn't do that personally, when they get closer to goal weight and weightloss can stall, most of us will then start to cut back on Syns to reignite the weightloss but they won't have anywhere to go. I'm pretty new at SW and have a lot to lose so I am having 12-15 syns at the moment and couldn't be without my mini choc bar or kitkat at night, it keeps me on the straight and narrow the rest of the day.

 

[mazziecoupe]

thanks guys! yes they are intending on not having any until the xmas do in December! So they were planning on making it a daily/weekly thing not to have any at all.

 

[lurverick]

i think they are very silly then!!
if they do that they will soon feel fed up,restricted and deprived and most likely fall off the wagon all together.
i dont understand how it works but it does...you need those syns and as also pointed out when you get near the end as things slow you have something to cut back on too.

 

[lindsay88]

well my consultant told us to aim for 10 syns a day, so 70 a week and work backwards if thats easier for us. So I get weighed Wednesday, then start with 70 syns on thursday to do me all week a big chunk of that goes at the weekend lol but i guess its just trial and error xx

 

[LuhLuhLoser]

I tried to really, really limit myself when I first started doing this. I rarely ate my healthy extras and kept my syn count minimal... but it's really not very wise at all and I wouldn't recommend it. I think it's made it worse because if you keep denying yourself food you want you build it up until you boom, and end up binging on everything. Very bad times. I'm now eating healthily and count my syns and if anything it has improved my weightloss. They're built into your diet for a reason!

Emily

 

[BevBunny]

I don't routinely use my syns, I don't feel like I need to. On the odd occassions I'll use them in cooking i.e. tablespoon or two of mango chutney in a curry, glass of wine in a meat dish etc. I don't miss chocolate or cakes at all. I've stopped eating bread, and I don't miss that either. I really do mostly eat just free food, and then healthy extras on some days (i.e. if its an original day and I decide I want chips with my steak then the spud is my healthy extra).

I don't think its 'bad' for you not to use your syns. Its whatever works for each person.

Also, regarding the comment about then not having something to cut out if your weight loss plan isn't working, the surely if you'd have just not had the syns in the first place you'd have lost weight a bit quicker.

I always thought the syns were about keeping people happy. i.e. if you eat synful foods in a controlled way then you'll still lose weight, rather than bingeing on synful food. Its a way of control.

The sw website puts it nicely: it says syns are so that we don't feel deprived. If your diet makes your miserable then you'll fall off your plan and binge on something bad, the syns stop that.

Having said all of this I'm off to the pub to meet a friend, last minute arrangement, so now I know I have as whole load of syns to use and don't have to worry.

 

[IanH]

syns are important - they help you stop feeling deprieved. and generally people report better weight losses when they do incorporate syns into the daily/weekly food.

that said - i'd never suggest eating syns just because you feel you have to to stay on plan. I religiously had 15 syns a day for my first 16 or so months - sometimes eating because i felt i had to. now days i'm better at learning when i'm actually hungry and eat then rather then eating for the sake of it.

 

[Sparky67]

I think people sometimes see syns as eating cake or chocolate, but I tend to use most of mine for the little niceties - a bit of mayo in the pasta salad, a bit of marg on a slice of toast, a bit of ketchup with your chips, a bit of gravy with the sunday roast etc etc. Although there's plenty you could have without using any, they are there for a reason.

 

[AJB]

I think people sometimes see syns as eating cake or chocolate, but I tend to use most of mine for the little niceties - a bit of mayo in the pasta salad, a bit of marg on a slice of toast, a bit of ketchup with your chips, a bit of gravy with the sunday roast etc etc. Although there's plenty you could have without using any, they are there for a reason.

That's exactly how I use mine on a day to day basis - however I know I'm off out to dinner on Friday so have saved some for a glass or two of wine

Think I read somewhere that SW doesn't advocate the saving of Syns for binge drinking so if your work colleagues are saving them in order to have a huge blow out on the Xmas party circuit it may end up doing them more harm than good!!!

 

[mazziecoupe]

Thanks for the input guys, i knew you'd be helpful !!

 

[Joeyanne]

I think what they are doing is a bit silly. It sounds like they think they are saving up all of their syns till then and I dind't think it worked like that. On a weekly basis if you don't use them you lose them.

 

[mazziecoupe]

I've just relayed all your points to them and some stuff from the SW website and they are still determined that they wont be using their syns and have even said they dont need their HE either, they texted their C who told them that they didnt have to use their syns at all and to listen to her not "some people from nowhere land" ... what can you do eh? I'll leave them to it!!

 

[kissme]

I've just relayed all your points to them and some stuff from the SW website and they are still determined that they wont be using their syns and have even said they dont need their HE either, they texted their C who told them that they didnt have to use their syns at all and to listen to her not "some people from nowhere land" ... what can you do eh? I'll leave them to it!!

Well I'll be perfectly honest and this may seem harsh but here goes me!

They really do need there hex's... A's for calcium especially if they are females and being a women your are much more likely to get osteperosis and brittle bones form having a lack of calcium it will eventually affect there hair bones skin and teeth!

Also hexb's are important for fibre, if not they will spend there lives on the toilet with constipation and end up taking laxitives to help them go which can lead to lowered vitamin and minerals levels and loss of electrolytes.

At the end of the day its there choice, but I would strongly advise agaisnt there actions as i had a friend who did SW and didnt have any hex's and her teeth ended up breaking and ended up with piles from straining in the bathroom due to constipation.

They do need to be careful, if they want to do it there way let them. there nothing you can do about it hun.

 

[mazziecoupe]

Well I'll be perfectly honest and this may seem harsh but here goes me!

They really do need there hex's... A's for calcium especially if they are females and being a women your are much more likely to get osteperosis and brittle bones form having a lack of calcium it will eventually affect there hair bones skin and teeth!

Also hexb's are important for fibre, if not they will spend there lives on the toilet with constipation and end up taking laxitives to help them go which can lead to lowered vitamin and minerals levels and loss of electrolytes.

At the end of the day its there choice, but I would strongly advise agaisnt there actions as i had a friend who did SW and didnt have any hex's and her teeth ended up breaking and ended up with piles from straining in the bathroom due to constipation.

They do need to be careful, if they want to do it there way let them. there nothing you can do about it hun.

I totally agree with you, i've done all i can to persuade them but they are having none of it. One of them ate a tin of pea's for dinner last nite - i mean come on!!

I've been doing really well and i think they too want to do as well as i have but if they wont listen to what i've been doing then as you say there's nothing more i can do - their C was the reason i left SW back in Feb, really harsh woman with her own agenda, considered reporting her but simply forgot about her until last week

 

[kissme]

I totally agree with you, i've done all i can to persuade them but they are having none of it. One of them ate a tin of pea's for dinner last nite - i mean come on!!

I've been doing really well and i think they too want to do as well as i have but if they wont listen to what i've been doing then as you say there's nothing more i can do - their C was the reason i left SW back in Feb, really harsh woman with her own agenda, considered reporting her but simply forgot about her until last week

I think your doing excellent hun! they will be there own worse enemy!

Peas?!?!?! omg lol what bout jacket spud or pasta bake??

can they not go to your group? or do it from home? sound like an awful consultant

 

[aliben]

I have a few little treats up my sleeve if I end up having a syn free day by tea time, then I will have an Options Hot Chocolate at bedtime, or maybe a glass of wine. Either way I think a syn free day is just too dull, and life is too short not to live a little.

 

[mazziecoupe]

I think your doing excellent hun! they will be there own worse enemy!

Peas?!?!?! omg lol what bout jacket spud or pasta bake??

can they not go to your group? or do it from home? sound like an awful consultant

Thank you Kissme - i'm really pleased with my progress, its a slow and steady pace..so i maintain when i finally hit target (hopefully in May 2011)

Yes - peas! They've been to one class this wednesday is their first weigh in and the C well i didnt like her so i switched groups, she was belting out everyone's gains and berating people that had not done any body magic - really wasnt for me - my new C isnt as harsh and is always around on text giving advice and tips for the week

 

[kissme]

Thank you Kissme - i'm really pleased with my progress, its a slow and steady pace..so i maintain when i finally hit target (hopefully in May 2011)

Yes - peas! They've been to one class this wednesday is their first weigh in and the C well i didnt like her so i switched groups, she was belting out everyone's gains and berating people that had not done any body magic - really wasnt for me - my new C isnt as harsh and is always around on text giving advice and tips for the week

Oh god! my last class was like that!

My last C had a go at me on my second Wi (i gained 5lb due to *week) infront of everyone! she said "wow it's only your second week and a 5lb gain are you sure sw isnt too confusing for you? I can give you some special 1-1 tuition? I do that for ppeople who dont listen the first time round"

The funny thing was I told her I had done SW online for 3 months before joining her horrid class! so she knows I knew how to do it!

and everyone was clicky and rude and the C had put on 2 stone in the previous 12 weeks and wasnt doing anything bout it!