Syns... To have or not to have

[jade.xoxo]

Does it really matter if you don't have enough syns in a day? I mean I sometimes have no syns a day, but I've never been over 4 syns since I started Slimming World a couple of weeks ago..

To be honest I haven't craved yet because I really just want to stick to it.. and get results, my consultant said that there is no need to have syns in a day if you don't feel hungry to have them, and that they are there to give members the chance to enjoy treats. However, I read somewhere on here that you should have at least 5 syns a day or it could be bad for weigh loss.. Is this true?

 

[WelshJojo]

Does it really matter if you don't have enough syns in a day? I mean I sometimes have no syns a day, but I've never been over 4 syns since I started Slimming World a couple of weeks ago..

To be honest I haven't craved yet because I really just want to stick to it.. and get results, my consultant said that there is no need to have syns in a day if you don't feel hungry to have them, and that they are there to give members the chance to enjoy treats. However, I read somewhere on here that you should have at least 5 syns a day or it could be bad for weigh loss.. Is this true?

To follow the plan correctly, you should have between 5 and 15 syns a day. Some people chose to ignore this advice, and that's up to them, but that is the official line from SW

 

[soucf4]

I don't think you have to really! I go some days with none, some days with 2 or 3 then other days with upto 8. I've rarely go over 10, only if I go on a night out or out for a meal and this hasn't affected my weightless at all. I've been on Slimming World for 9 weeks and lost 1st9lbs!

X

 

[jade.xoxo]

See thats what I thought, that it didn't matter if I didn't have my syns. To be honest I've not been hungry enough to want to eat them and even if I do I try and make them healthy such as Melba Toasts/Ryvitas etc.

 

[jo_1991]

As the majority of free foods and stuff are very low in fat its important to make sure that you do have some syns as fat is an important part of your diet. I try to have 5-10 syns per day and still find that I lose most weeks. I have heard from some people in my group that they tend to see better weight losses if they do choose to have syns. Plus if you do allow yourself some syns then you are less likely to fall off the wagon and go crazy. But obviously if you are ok with what you are eating, then don't force yourself to have food that you don't want! xx

 

[interested92]

it's also not just about your losses, it's about keeping up the weight maintenance. if you lose too quickly or your body believes itself to be in starvation, as soon as you start to eat "normally" (i.e. give up SW etc) you will put all of the weight and more back on because your body will hold everything.

 

[MadameLaMinx]

The other point that hasnt been yet raised here is that if you dont have your syns now, what do you cut back on when your losses slow when you get nearer target? If you start out on 10 syns, you can drop to 8, or 5 nearer target to give yourself a bit of a shake up and a boost to your losses, which WILL slow down. If you dont want to eat extras to have your syns, use them on stuff like olive oil for cooking, or gravy, or sauces with your meals or something but use them, they are a fixed part of the plan and they are there to be used.

 

[kingleds]

Even if you don't accept the arguemtnthat a little bit of what you fancy keeps you on plan, or MLM's very good point that these are the things you tend to have to cut down (NOT out) when your losses slow, you should take note of the nutritional reasons for syns. The reason its called syns not sins, is because they are not naughty.

There are certain vitamins and minerals which are fat soluable. This means that if you diet does not have enough fat in it, you don't absorb them. They are the kind of vitamins (like Vitamin C) which are really quite important. Simialrly, they can actually speed up weight loss.

Think about the fat content of all the free foods you eat on SW. Most will be zero, all are below 5%. Your healthy b, is virtually fat free. In fact the only thing in your diet which has a vaguely siginifcant fat percentage in it is cheese if you use it as your Healthy A, and if you use that for skimmed milk then your fat intake would be virtually non existent without eating your syns.

 

[jade.xoxo]

Yeah I understand, I generally use my syns in my dinners anyway as I have a bit of a addiction to mayonnaise and bbq sauce mixed together (i know.. weird) but i really do love it....

 

[judimac]

Last time I really lost weight with SW I found I lost consistently on 15 syns a day, the more I cut down the less I lost. This time I'm trying 10 a day and will see how I go, I've retired so I'm not as active. (I had a very physical job)

 

[interested92]

I consistently lose on 10. I stop if I go above 13 or below 7.

 

[Figgy]

This Is Very Intresting Hum! As I Am A Very Healthy Eater And Am Not Really A Crisp, Choc, Sweets, Cake, Biscuit, Bread Or Fry Up Eater I Find It Really Quite Hard To Use Any Syns Or HXA I Lose The 1st Few Weeks Then Seem To Go Up And Down 1lb

 

[jade.xoxo]

I mean i always use under 5 syns a day, i don't like chocolate so thats a nono, and i don't really like biscuits or sweets, my downfall is crisps so maybe that is something I could start to include a few times a week to bring up my syns on some days

 

[kingleds]

Sometimes I wonder whats the point in even answering these threads but I will persist because I am a Masochist apparently. Please can you read all the SCIENTIFIC reasons why you are supposed to eat at least 5 syns a day on this thread, and MLM's suggestions about how to eat them without eating chocolate and crisps. You could cook with olive oil, or have some extra cheese, or bread, or ryvita or Avacado or a whole bunch of things which aren't chocolate and crisps.

 

[interested92]

mmmmm avocado.

 

[jade.xoxo]

I've never been able to cook with oil, i always use water lol it just makes me feel sick seeing it and i really don't think it tastes any different. Its hard enough eating my A choice as well and i hate milk and cheese lol. I'm a very picky eater, i do however enjoy melba toasts and ryvitas so could always have a munch of them. I've read the book countless times and have noticed a few things i miss with my dinner such as coleslaw with my steaks and jacket potato etc. even maybe some butter on my toast in the morning with my eggs and soldiers, and maybe just once a week a treat of a packet of crisps and when it gets tougher i could always start cutting things out.

 

[Fat_ted21]

Like kingleds has said theres other ways of having syns other than using them on "crap". Ive been using mine on things like sauces, flavoured porridge and sugar in my tea cos I dont wanna eat things like sweets and chocolate