Slimming world vs Calories in/out

Hi, just looking for peoples experience of the two and whether you have a preference? Thanks x

Replies

  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    toxikon wrote: »
    Slimming World, Paleo, Atkins, Keto, Weight Watchers, etc... any program you choose boils down to eating at a calorie deficit. The only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than your body requires.

    So you can either:
    a.) Follow a restrictive program, eat at a calorie deficit and lose weight
    b.) Eat whatever you want at a calorie deficit and lose weight

    Which one sounds better to you? :)

    Agreed.

    CI<CO is the only way to lose weight. Anything else is just a protocol that attempts to help achieve that end.
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    Slimming World, Paleo, Atkins, Keto, Weight Watchers, etc... any program you choose boils down to eating at a calorie deficit. The only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than your body requires.

    So you can either:
    a.) Follow a restrictive program, eat at a calorie deficit and lose weight
    b.) Eat whatever you want at a calorie deficit and lose weight

    Which one sounds better to you? :)

    Agreed.

    CI<CO is the only way to lose weight. Anything else is just a protocol that attempts to help achieve that end.

    Yes! And MFP is free unless you get the Premium.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    jjpptt2 wrote: »
    toxikon wrote: »
    Slimming World, Paleo, Atkins, Keto, Weight Watchers, etc... any program you choose boils down to eating at a calorie deficit. The only way to lose weight is to eat fewer calories than your body requires.

    So you can either:
    a.) Follow a restrictive program, eat at a calorie deficit and lose weight
    b.) Eat whatever you want at a calorie deficit and lose weight

    Which one sounds better to you? :)

    Agreed.

    CI<CO is the only way to lose weight. Anything else is just a protocol that attempts to help achieve that end.
    And focus here should be on "attempt", not "help" :#
  • jjpptt2
    jjpptt2 Posts: 5,650 Member
    The real question here is calorie counting or not - as noted already, all weight loss plans rely on CICO. Calorie counting can and has worked for many people here. Other plans have worked as well, or a combination.

    Excellent point.

    Not that the rest of your post wasn't good - but this was especially on point (IMO).
  • liannebaker17
    liannebaker17 Posts: 54 Member
    I’ve followed SW for almost 2 years and lost 5stone 4.5 lbs BUT it is very restricted and if you don’t have hour + free time in the evening to cook EVERYTHING from scratch it becomes a chore I’ve just switched to calorie counting x
  • fknlardarse
    fknlardarse Posts: 210 Member
    I’ve just tried SW, just to see if it was easier than counting calories. It really isn’t (for me). You have to look everything up that isn’t ‘free food’ and figure out a syn value (feels negative). You’re allowed 5-15 syns a day if you’re female. On my first day I had 20 syns but when I calculated my calories I’d only eaten 900 calories in total and it was ALL healthy food! I don’t think that gives the right message about nutrition. And all their recipes rely heavily on super low fat and sweeteners. There’s no room for healthy fats.
    For example, my day of 20 syns I ate:
    3 scrambled eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes (all free, great).
    I went to costa for lunch, couldn’t find anything healthy so I had a snack bag of nuts and raisins (200 calories and v nutritious) but ridiculous syn value.
    Tea was tuna steak and stir fry veggies (all free but I clocked up syns using 2 teaspoons of oil to cook and a tablespoon of stir fry sauce).
    Popcorn in the evening instead of crisps (syns because it was oil popped not air popped).
    One tangerine (free).
    Seemed pretty healthy to me? Except I hadn’t had enough calories.
    20 syns!?!?!!!!!! Really??
  • Jackie9003
    Jackie9003 Posts: 1,114 Member
    I have friends that have lost weight on SW and WW but it just seems too faffy for me, I like it on here as I can eat what I want and just zap the barcode or look it up in the database so all the hard work is done. I can see the benefit of going to a class for support, I go to one that is based on Rosemary Conley so we get weighed, have a chat/presentation than do 45 mins of exercise.
    Both methods will work but at the end of the day you need to consider what will work for you to ensure you can keep it up and stay motivated.
  • baacissej
    baacissej Posts: 32 Member
    I was contemplating SW a while back but then I realised it would be too restrictive for me. I've done calorie counting in the past and put in place too many rules for myself to follow, and that restriction ultimately led to me eating more, and I think slimming world would do the same for me. This time round with calorie counting, there aren't any rules and I can eat what I like and when I like so long as it fits into my calorie limit (which unlike in the past is at a realistic amount). So calorie counting is probably more for me, but I do know quite a few people who have lost loads of weight on slimming world. My only concern would be what happens afterwards, when you want to maintain the weight lost? At least with calorie counting you learn much more about portion control, you have a better idea of how many calories are in foods and meals and eventually it becomes ingrained which helps when it comes to maintaining weight.