will you do slimming world forever?

[*Emsie*]

I;ve been thinking about how to answer this since I read it at 5.30am. Sad I know, but it took me a while ti realise what the difference is for me. I also had to get over my initial reaction of 'screw you - come back and talk to me about this when you've been doing SW longer than 4 months' I realised that was a massive overreaction, and also, I probably would have wrote something very similar to you 4 months in, and someone probably would have thought 'screw you - come back to me when you've been doing this longer than 4 months!' So, anyway.

The basic fact is that my life is very different to when I started SW. 15 months ago I did a job where I worked from home 3 days a week. This left me with a lot more time to prep, and reduced the likeihold of me diving off the wagon. My confidence was very low in terms of my body image so I would as a general rule of thumb avoid the majority of social events - again, reducing the likelihood of me falling off the wagon.

Now, I am in a job where I am up at 5.30am, don't get home till 7pm, go to the gym 3/4 times a week. SW on Saturday mornings, and as I am part of the social team I am there from 8.30am till 12 noon, and then Sunday I batch cook for the week so I don't have to cook in the evenings when I get back from the gym. Plus the rest of the housework and washing that hasn't been done during the week, and foos shopping. I also have a more active social life as my confidence has grown and I feel less self conscious about myself. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all to be honest!

So, sometimes when I go out, I really don't want to worry about how many syns are in my vodka, so I don't and some sundays i really can't face spending 5 hours in the kitchen batch cooking, so I don't. I tell myself I can just cook double a couple of evenings. But then you get into a rut cos you're eating the same thing 2 nights in a week, so you don't fancy it, and you're late, and tired, and the OH hasn't washed up (again!), and its much easier to phone for a take away.

That before you get into the whole 'I'm slimmer than I have been in my adult life and its freaking me out' issue.

Sorry, turned into a bit of a ramble, and like Emsie, I really don't want to p on anyones parade. I love how enthusiastic people are about SW. It has genuinely changed my life for the better - I just hope that some poeple can learn from my naive mistakes

Wow! What a lot going on there! I hope thats helped you get your head around where you are at a bit? Its mad how things change and its hard to adjust with it sometimes. Reading all that it just shows how well you are doing

 

[lardylady]

I know how you feel, Kingleds, although I haven't been following SW for 15 months. If SW was so easy to follow for the rest of our lives, then nobody woud have to rejoin, and nobody would have a regain. SW would soon be out of business because everyone would be maintaining and going for free. I really don't want to be have to count HEXs for ever- normal people don't do it. Neither do they count syns or measure out their milk. I am definitely going to carry on until I reach target, but there's a part of me that's quite worried about what happens when I get there. Losing weight is the easy part, but keeping it off is a much bigger bugger.

 

[Going2be*fab*at40]

Just had to reply!
I've just reached target for the second time! The first time saw a 5stone loss, then....I stopped going to group and put on just over 1.5stone.
So, what did I learn?
*by following basic sw concepts I 'only' put on a fraction of what I could have done
*life changes! Now that I'm back to full time work I've had learn to cook and exercise differently (to preserve my sanity!)
*I'm with Jay on this, never stop group, although as someone here said, I will go weekly, but only weigh fortnightly
*sw does not really help maintainers. I kept losing initially. There is a fine, fine balance between maintaining by increasing hexBs and syns
However, I will always follow the principles now. I have never cooked with oil since Jan 2010, I've never eaten fatty meat either. Just had too many treats!
Hope this helps! It's a great plan and changed my life forever.

 

[kingleds]

Wow! What a lot going on there! I hope thats helped you get your head around where you are at a bit? Its mad how things change and its hard to adjust with it sometimes. Reading all that it just shows how well you are doing

Actually, just writing it down made me realise a few things.
.

A) I will probably need to give up being on the social team at SW as I need more time at the weekends
B) I need a cleaner!
C) hubby needs to pull his finger out & do the friggin washing up!
D) I need to sometimes just take the financial hit of buying lunch at work.

Despite that fact I am struggling I do think that regardless I will always be looking to have more fruit & veg in my diet. I doubt I will buy anything other than extra lean meat again & I haven't missed cooking with oil, so frylight is fine long term.

 

[*Emsie*]

I'd say those sound like good ideas! Be great if you can do these things.
Wish I could work out how to sort myself out lol
The thing with frylight is I wonder how healthy it is as am not sure what it actually is? :-s

 

[Pigler]

I;ve been thinking about how to answer this since I read it at 5.30am. Sad I know, but it took me a while ti realise what the difference is for me. I also had to get over my initial reaction of 'screw you - come back and talk to me about this when you've been doing SW longer than 4 months' I realised that was a massive overreaction, and also, I probably would have wrote something very similar to you 4 months in, and someone probably would have thought 'screw you - come back to me when you've been doing this longer than 4 months!' So, anyway.

The basic fact is that my life is very different to when I started SW. 15 months ago I did a job where I worked from home 3 days a week. This left me with a lot more time to prep, and reduced the likeihold of me diving off the wagon. My confidence was very low in terms of my body image so I would as a general rule of thumb avoid the majority of social events - again, reducing the likelihood of me falling off the wagon.

Now, I am in a job where I am up at 5.30am, don't get home till 7pm, go to the gym 3/4 times a week. SW on Saturday mornings, and as I am part of the social team I am there from 8.30am till 12 noon, and then Sunday I batch cook for the week so I don't have to cook in the evenings when I get back from the gym. Plus the rest of the housework and washing that hasn't been done during the week, and foos shopping. I also have a more active social life as my confidence has grown and I feel less self conscious about myself. I'm exhausted just thinking about it all to be honest!

So, sometimes when I go out, I really don't want to worry about how many syns are in my vodka, so I don't and some sundays i really can't face spending 5 hours in the kitchen batch cooking, so I don't. I tell myself I can just cook double a couple of evenings. But then you get into a rut cos you're eating the same thing 2 nights in a week, so you don't fancy it, and you're late, and tired, and the OH hasn't washed up (again!), and its much easier to phone for a take away.

That before you get into the whole 'I'm slimmer than I have been in my adult life and its freaking me out' issue.

Sorry, turned into a bit of a ramble, and like Emsie, I really don't want to p on anyones parade. I love how enthusiastic people are about SW. It has genuinely changed my life for the better - I just hope that some poeple can learn from my naive mistakes

I'm really sorry I offended you and thankyou for not responding with your first thought

This is my third time doing SW but when I have given up, it was dieting (by which I mean restricting) that I got fed up with rather than the SW plan itself. I just wondered if anyone else made that distinction.

My question was not meant as an attack on your feelings or opinion, I was genuinely curious about how you felt. Thanks for taking the time to explain why you feel the way you do.

 

[kingleds]

I'm really sorry I offended you and thankyou for not responding with your first thought

This is my third time doing SW but when I have given up, it was dieting (by which I mean restricting) that I got fed up with rather than the SW plan itself. I just wondered if anyone else made that distinction.

My question was not meant as an attack on your feelings or opinion, I was genuinely curious about how you felt. Thanks for taking the time to explain why you feel the way you do.

You really didn't offend me! Promise. That little monologue was really just me saying, 'look how stupid I could have been'. I've been on the receiving end of toy throwing on here when I've asked a genuine question myself. So really honestly don't worry hun x

I do get what you mean about restricted yourself being the issue rather than SW. It's just not fair that all these thin people can eat what they want & not become the size of a small bungalow is it!?

 

[jaylou]

I really don't want to be have to count HEXs for ever- normal people don't do it. Neither do they count syns or measure out their milk. I am definitely going to carry on until I reach target, but there's a part of me that's quite worried about what happens when I get there. Losing weight is the easy part, but keeping it off is a much bigger bugger.

I've been thinking about this a bit (a lot). I think "normal" (i.e naturally slim) people DO count their healthy extras, they do count syns etc - the difference is they do all these things subconsciously whereas us people with weight problems have to make these decisions consciously

I honestly believe that you need to follow this plan for ever. Stopping just means the weight goes back on. I've been there.

 

[redmel]

I agree that naturally slim people do count 'syns' etc
An example is my husband. He will just naturally/subconciously say... "Oh no I don't want a piece of cake, I've just had a mars bar"

Whereas fatty me would say "oooh yeah a big slice of cake please, with cream"

I have to really concentrate on NOT having the cake!

I don't know if I will follow SW to the letter for my whole life BUT as others have said I will follow a lot of the principles.

I will limit bread
I will only eat extra lean meat
I will prioritse fruit and veg in my diet
I will cook with no oil/cream etc.
I will roughly gauge syns.. I.e if i do eat a mars bar i "know" i shouldn't then go on to eat other chocolate/sweets/fat laden foods the same day.

Hopefully those things will help me to maintain a slim healthy body x

 

[*Emsie*]

Hmmm, maybe some people can eat what they want because they don't want as much as some of us :-s I know I often want food a lot more often than I need it still!
I don' t think it has to be sw or ww or such that's followed but if without the gudelines there's an inclination to eat too much too often then weight is likely to be gained so its finding what works to prevent that and as we are all so different there's going to be different ways of doing it.
I'm actually trying not going to group and hopefully won't regret it!

 

[audfen]

I will do it forever its a total lifestyle change for me im so glad i joined xx