Thinking of changing to green days - but I'm terrified

3106Catherine

Silver Member
Hi all, I've lost a great deal since I started SW in Sept 2010, but still got a little way to go.

Problem is, food prices just seem to be going up and up and we are now averaging £100-£150 a week on food and we just can't keep doing it.

In a bid to cut costs, I am considering changing to green days. Pasta bakes etc will also mean the kids can eat the same meals as us.

Thing is, I'm absolutely terrified that this will have the opposite effect on me. I know green works, lots of people do it, but I also know carbs put weight on me.

Just looking for some reassurance really from people on green.

x
 
I do green everyday as I am vegetarian.
I can say it definitely works for me. As with any food, everything in moderation. A lot of people are worried about the idea you can eat unlimited pasta, potatoes, rice etc as they are considered to be carb- high and will therefore lead to weight gain.
However, as long as you're sensible, eat enough that you fill yourself up, an snack on fruit, veg etc, you'll be fine!
SW wouldn't still promote a plan that didn't work. Have faith :) an well done :) x
 
I'm not a vegetarian, but love including green days in my plan.....and I've never had a poor loss when I've upped my green days

Give it a go.... see what happens, as Clairebear advises, just make sure you're adding enough fruit, veg and salad
 
If you ate an entire plate full of potatoes/pasta/beans whatever you would put on weight, just as you would if you ate an entire plate of meat. You should still be filling up on plenty of vegetables with your meal as well as at other times of day. If you make a pasta bake put plenty of veg in it and serve it *with* some veg/salad on the side so you have a smaller portion of pasta bake.

Just like you wouldn't eat steak and nothing else so you shouldn't be eating en entire lasagne and nothing else :D
 
I swing between EE and green plans, and i've not noticed a slow up if I have a majority of one or t'other but I still try to incorporate my 1/3 SF - sometimes it doesn't work, but I make an effort :D and that's what counts.

xx
 
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If Green days didn't work, vegetarians would never be able to do SW. Like Clairebear said, don't go mad on portions and try to include a wide variety of free foods like pulses, grains, lentils, eggs etc. Don't focus on just rice, pasta and potatoes. Ermintrude has some great ideas on what to do with pulses and lentils in her food diary. If you're still a little anxious about all the carbs, have just one carby meal a day, for your other meal have something less starchy like an omelette, bean salad, SW quiche, tabouleh, soups etc.

Have your healthy extras as the starchy part of a meal rather than as a snack in addition to free food. E.g. Beans & cheese on toast with a big salad followed by a piece of fruit, instead of a jacket potato with beans and cheese followed by 2 x alpen lights. Hope that makes sense! And of course include lots of superfree veg with every meal.

It'll only be that first week that may be nerve wracking, as soon as you see that you can lose successfully on green days, you can relax and enjoy!
 
Green definitely works! I've always been green as I'm a veggie. Agree with those above, use the extra HEs as part of your meals rather than a snack, and even though 1/3 superfree isn't a rule, it's not an excuse not to eat as much as poss. Below is what I ate yesterday on a normal green day, I was stuffed!

Breakfast: Melon and strawberries with fat free yoghurt and sweetner
Lunch: 2 x Weetabix (HEB) and 350ml Semi Skimmed Milk (HEA)
Snack: 2 x Kiwi Fruit
Dinner: Wholemeal pasta with creamy garlic mushroom sauce (85g Extra Light Philly (HEB), Chestnut mushrooms, garlic bulbs, veg stock)
Pudding: Strawberries with fat free yoghurt and sweetner

Give it a go and see how you do, I would say you would need to try it for a couple of weeks to see if it is working, good luck!
 
I am throwing some green days in this week - i am also a little aprehensive as i am Red all the way normally.

Mine isnt a financial decision - my shopping didnt get delivered yesterday - so i have had to switch for yesterday and today as had no fresh meat in the house lol! Had a pasta bake last night - was delish!

x
 
Thanks everyone, you've been a huge help. Do you eat wholegrain pasta on green days or is white pasta ok?
 
Found this very interesting as I'm also too scared to do green days and stick to red every day simply because carbs put weight on me - but i love them. Now tempted to introduce the odd day and see what happens.
 
Found this very interesting as I'm also too scared to do green days and stick to red every day simply because carbs put weight on me - but i love them. Now tempted to introduce the odd day and see what happens.

Come and join the revolution! xxx
 
I've done mainly green days and don't find it an issue. I also eat white pasta a lot, 5/6 times a week at least and don't find it's affecting my weight loss. What has been affecting it has been me pigging out on takeaways but that's a whole other story. I find that my weekly shopping for me and hubby is about £40 a week on green and about £60 on a red week.
 
When I first joined SW I was vegetarian and lost 4 stone quite quickly on green! I now do red and green but still don't think you can beat a big plate of SW chips with cheese and beans!

I'd just say try them for a week, if it doesn't work for you then maybe try iceland/aldi for some cheaper meat but really rhere's no reason why it wont.

Good luck!
 
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