Need Will power- Slimming world? Any good? HELP

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Catherinekaycorner
Catherinekaycorner Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So i'm completely stuck, counting calories is so much harder than it looks, I feel constantly hungry all the time, Ive heard slimming world is 'fantastic' or is it just a fad diet? Have anyone of you been successful or know anyone who have had success stories through slimming world, bearing in mind i want to loose 8 and a half stone :D:) xxx

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  • PurpleTina
    PurpleTina Posts: 390 Member
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    My only experience is from a few years ago, where they had 'red and green' days. Although it did work for me, it did nothing whatsoever to change my actual eating habits, and certainly didn't fit in with having a family. As soon as I stopped going the weight piled back on.

    Logging everything accurately on MFP and making simple, healthy changes seems much more 'do-able' to be honest. (about 5 stone down so far).
  • mixedlollies
    mixedlollies Posts: 58 Member
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    My only experience is from a few years ago, where they had 'red and green' days. Although it did work for me, it did nothing whatsoever to change my actual eating habits, and certainly didn't fit in with having a family. As soon as I stopped going the weight piled back on.

    Logging everything accurately on MFP and making simple, healthy changes seems much more 'do-able' to be honest. (about 5 stone down so far).

    I agree with this. I am suspicious of any health plan that you have to pay for. Improving your diet and exercise regime is free and the only way to truly implement a lifestyle change is to alter your habits for good. I don't see plans like SW as sustainable in the long-term.
  • wllwsmmr
    wllwsmmr Posts: 391 Member
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    Hey!
    To be honest, all 'diets' (Atkins, Paleo etc) do result in weight loss because with all the restrictions you are consuming lesser calories and eating healthier stuff. It works for people who work well with plans and restrictions, but really, if you're having trouble with it it is only gonna frustrate you and make you give up!!
    You will lose as long as you stay within your caloric goals!

    Search the mfp forums 'road map', etc. There are so many suggestions to how to get started!!
    There are different methods, some use the mfp way where you eat back exercise calories, some use the TDEE way, etc!!

    Just do it slow, make little changes at a time, trust me it is better to do it slowly! Always remember that you will have to make changes where you can stick with forever! Also, trying to lose weight doesn't mean that you must eat everything healthy etc! Depending on your cravings etc, fit your treats into your caloric goal!

    REMEMBER THAT THERE IS NOTHING YOU CANNOT EAT, unless you have allergies, is diabetic or some sort of restrictions!!!
  • Kurrsteee
    Kurrsteee Posts: 72 Member
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    A friend of mine lost over 5 stone doing Slimming World with plenty of exercise.
    However, she had 'two weeks off' over Christmas, the first day of which I remember her saying she had '105 syns' and then proceeded to gain 3.5lbs back within those two weeks. Don't even think it was a full two weeks if I'm honest. (Warning: this next bit may sound like bragging, but it's context) I, on the other hand, had a couple of days at maintenance over Christmas and still lost weight over the week, which is especially good considering I had my birthday indulgence to cover too!
    I wouldn't reccommend it myself, I'd stick to this and either up your calories a bit or start to make better choices. I used to feel the way you do the first couple of times I tried this, but this time around it's a lot easier because I'm making better choices in what I eat (that and I think my stomach has shrunk a little!).
  • witchy_wife
    witchy_wife Posts: 792 Member
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    I know someone who has lost over 5 stone with slimming world in about 40 weeks and she loves it. But any "diet" is going to require willpower. The only way to lose weight is take in less calories than your TDEE. All the plans, slimming world, atkins, fasting.... any of those are just tools to help you keep your calories under TDEE.

    There are "free" foods at slimming world, but they obviously have a calorific value. If you eat 3000 calories of bananas every day you will most likely gain weight.

    The free foods tend to be nutrious, lower calorie foods, or things like vegetables and lean meats that will make you feel full and encourage you to stop eating when you feel full.

    It's worth a try, it just might work perfectly for you. But losing weight does require some will power whatever plan you do. Good luck! x
  • dovetail22uk
    dovetail22uk Posts: 339 Member
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    My experience of SW is that it is good whilst you are on it and if you stick to it you will lose weight.

    My problem with it is that it doesn't teach you how to eat "normally". It only allows low fat or fat free food and that is not sustainable (or, indeed, healthy) long term.

    It doesn't teach you about portion control which I think is a lot of the problem when it comes to people who are overweight - we just eat tooooo much!

    When I started on MFP I was really surprised at how many calories everything has (duh) and that I actually just needed to eat less of the normal food that I was already eating. It sounds simple and it is!

    I think I looked to SW to give me the motivation that I thought I needed and that going to get weighed in each week would hold me accountable and, pretty much, shame me into sticking to it as I'd be getting on the scales.

    But then I finally realised that it's not about motivation, it's about making a decision about what you want in life. I don't want to be a slave to food anymore. I love it but I have to make the decision to control myself. I can't let it control me. Joining MFP was the best thing I ever did in that respect. I haven't lost that much, and don't have so much still to lose, but I'm starting to have a healthier relationship with food and learning when to say "I don't want that" instead of "I've had a bad day, this will make me feel better".

    I think maybe one of the things you'll need to get your head round is not losing weight too fast. I love Biggest Loser as much as the next person, but losing weight that fast is crazy! If you want to lose weight and keep it off forever, you'll have to watch what you eat forever. Sad but true!

    Good luck!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    What is it about counting calories that you find so hard? I found it a bit of a faff to begin with, but after a while, most of the foods I'm eating I've had before, so they're there in my log.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
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    If you're hungry all the time, maybe you've cut your calories back too far? Like set MFP for 2 pounds a week and your activity level to sedentary (something a lot of people do when they first start), and/or aren't eating back your exercise calories?

    If any of that applies, keep in mind that all you need to lose weight is to eat at a calorie deficit. It doesn't have to be extreme. 250-500 calories under your maintenance level will lose you half a pound to a pound a week, and is a heck of a lot more comfortable and easy to stick to than a deficit of 1000 (or more, for those who don't replace their exercise calories).

    Or maybe you're just eating foods that don't fill you up, and would do better eating more protein and fiber-rich foods? You can get more specific advice on that if you open your diary so people can see what you're currently eating.
  • lorri68
    lorri68 Posts: 53 Member
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    I have been going s world and its ok if you love pasta rice potatoes. Ifound. It expencive to eat there way asyou must not really have prosessed food fresh is best ifyou want a treat you have 15 syns so like al diets it works as its healthy food good luck if you go
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    So i'm completely stuck, counting calories is so much harder than it looks, I feel constantly hungry all the time, Ive heard slimming world is 'fantastic' or is it just a fad diet? Have anyone of you been successful or know anyone who have had success stories through slimming world, bearing in mind i want to loose 8 and a half stone :D:) xxx

    why do you find counting calories so hard?
  • perkypolly
    perkypolly Posts: 22 Member
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    A few years ago I was a member of slimming world, I lost a total of 10 stone following the diet plan, you follow what is called red days and green days or now you can combine them both. you also have a choice from A and B foods A being your milk and dairy ie cheese and your B being your fibre Weetabix and things like that. you get one A choice a day and 2 B choices. and also get between 10 and 15 syns a day.

    yes the diet works its good and filling, you can tailor it to fit in your life style etc etc But be careful with the potion sizes and the combination of food. the diet calories are more or less worked out for you so you are not learning how to control what you are eating, I have learnt my lesson well because after coming off the diet and being at goal I have now put all the weight back on and more besides. trust me these diet plans are great in the short term but in reality if you want to loose weight on a permanent basis you have to calorie count. I have recently started to diet again myself and this time its for life so there for I am calorie counting and all be it I have found it difficult I am getting there and I will do it and I am sure if you tried again you would master it. at the time I was at slimming world there was myself with over 10 stone loss another lady around the same weight loss another with 8 stone loss and the list can go on. but we are all back on a diet after putting the weight back.

    I have since started back dieting on the 30th of January calorie counting its not been a smooth few weeks its been a little hit and miss and up and down until today I have thought all I have done is made myself feel healthier. its been verified today that I have in fact lost 45lbs and its the healthiest I have felt I didn't feel this good on slimming world or any of the other diets I have tried and believe me I have tried them all. so what I think I am trying to tell you is yes it will work will it be permanent no I really don't think it will and I feel calorie counting is the way to go.

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