How does slimming world work?Has anyone tried it?

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Does anyone know how slimming world works?I mean how can you eat all the foods you like and not count calories and has anyone tried it?

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  • Bubblevixen
    Bubblevixen Posts: 78 Member
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    I have NO idea how it works...although my best friend is currently into her 5th month and aiming for her 3 stone award. She's not exercising too much (although she is doing some) and just following the eating plan. Although I'm sure its especially helpful for people who have extremely unhealthy eating habits. Before the plan she would drink loads every night, have pizza, deep fried food, tons of chocolate cakes and sweets. Now that she has a plan to follow she's eating "normal" foods. Its helped her so I personally wouldn't slate it. I prefer the exercise and eating properly plan though. I'm not a fan of gimmicky diets. Also fail to see why i should pay for something I can do myself :)
  • mummytobeslim
    mummytobeslim Posts: 367 Member
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    Iam currently following sw but I log on here as I have great friends and I am trying to cut down on certain foods so i like to log what I eat .
    basically there are a few plans most people follow the extra easy plan where you can eat until satisfied lean meat ,fish ,grains ,pulses ,eggs ,quorn, potatoes , vegetables ,fruit and then you have to choose an A choice which is dairy and a B choice for fibre such as brown bread ,some cereal bars ,cereal which are measured and some low fat yoghurts are free too ,really easy plan .They do have a green plan to suit vegetarians where you get two A and " b choices ,they recommend filling third off your plate with super free foods ,veg salad etc
  • mummytobeslim
    mummytobeslim Posts: 367 Member
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    forgot to add you get 5-15 syns a day to have a treat if needed
  • Lumen1505
    Lumen1505 Posts: 77 Member
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    Hiya

    I know many people who have done really well on it and have lost loads of weight, (one guys lost 7 stone!)

    For me personally I didn't find it did as I was always hungry (loads of food to eat but all low fat) I seem to need a bit more fat in my diet to shift weight. I also wanted to educated myself a bit as opposed to following another 'diet' - I wanted to change my whole approach to food.

    I found the groups great really supportive and lovely people - loads of food to eat, plenty of variety etc just not for me personally :wink:
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    I have tried it before and have an idea how it works.

    Like diets in general, you eat less calories, but this is achieved by restricting what foods you eat, rather than counting the calories themselves.

    There are a lot of free foods. But apart from fruit, most of these foods require cooking. You are not going to be snacking throughout the day on lean meat, rice and pasta. I think that's one of the major things that makes you cut back - because you actually have to prepare a meal when you want to eat. Otherwise, you're snacking on fruit and Muller Light yoghurts. The other foods you might normally eat between meals - biscuits, cheese, crisps, bread/toast, cereal, baked goods, chocolate bars, etc. all are controlled.

    It's also rather low fat, in that fatty foods are also controlled.

    I've known people it's worked well for, but they have put the weight back on again. Personally, I didn't find it suited me, and it was expensive!
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
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    I couldn't get on with it at all, logging everything here was much easier for me to cope with! I have a friend at work however, who loves it lost quite a bit on it, then goes back to it to when she wants to drop a few pounds before holiday! There is quite a lot of info on their website or their magazine you could look at.
  • mummytobeslim
    mummytobeslim Posts: 367 Member
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    I do agree there is a lot off cooking but I prefer home made spag bol ,chillies curries etc home made soups . rice dishes with prawns ,mackeral with cous cous ,jkt potatoes with beans ,tuna there is lots you can eat ,roast dinners .steak and chips I do not buy pre packed meals and I think this is good for a family and my children are eating well,you can eat all the healthy foods you like and still enjoy a full breakfast if you fancy it .I personally love it and am no way under eating ,just eating better than ever :) .If you like eating pre packed convenience foods ,it would be hard .I still enjoy my favourite Chinese meals from take away only 6 syns for beef in black bean sauce and now and love chips made in the air fryer ,so many possibilities ,same with any plan its all about moderation and what foods you like to eat .
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,452 Member
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    Funnily enough, I found I ate MORE packaged/processed type food with Slimming World, maybe because I tended to cook from scratch before I started. For instance, instead of making a pasta sauce, I'd sometimes use those packets of pasta and sauce, because they were free. It was easier than having to count the ingredients in a sauce and I didn't have to use up syns/healthy extras (or whatever they're called - can't quite remember). Instead of eating natural home-made yoghurt, I ate Muller Lights, because they were free. I also was trying to eat a heart-healthy diet, and some of the things I needed to eat were not free on Slimming World (walnuts, oats, etc.) so I had to count them as Syns or use up Healthy Extras, and that would put me off eating them when I could have something free instead. I think I eat healthier now that I count calories.

    I've spoken to other people who've found the opposite though, and felt that Slimming World taught them healthy eating. It's basically encouraging fruit and veg, some dairy, some fibre, quite a lot of cooked carbs and lean meat, and lowish fat. Some people find it a lot easier than calorie counting.
  • LittleMissDover
    LittleMissDover Posts: 820 Member
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    I gained weight, if you tell me I can eat as much of any particular food as I like then I will take that to excess. For example, on slimming world you could have if you really wanted 6 quorn sausages, 6 eggs, 3lb of potatoes, mushroom, tomatoes and two tins of beans for breakfast (I didn't but you could).
  • mummytobeslim
    mummytobeslim Posts: 367 Member
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    Your supposed to eat till satisfied . I could never eat all that lol and wouldn't try .I guess if someone is prone to eating so much and binges counting calories would be more appropriate .It's not for everyone like every plan we all find something that fits into our lifestyle .
    Vailara I know what you mean about the nuts etc , you don't get many for a healthy extra . I don't eat dairy so tend to have soya milk with my cereal :)
  • LittleMissDover
    LittleMissDover Posts: 820 Member
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    Yeah, if I could stop when satisfied I wouldn't have a weight problem, that's why it didn't work for me, my hunger signals are all messed up.
  • Ebirtles123
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    First time i did slimming world i lost 7 stone 5 lbs and felt amazing !!! However 1 year later i gained 3 stone , i got bored of the diet i was eating the same thing all the time . Mfp lets u eat healthy and what u want in moderation , i would recommend slimming world as it was great for me , but mfp is free and easier :)
  • mummytobeslim
    mummytobeslim Posts: 367 Member
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    Yeah, if I could stop when satisfied I wouldn't have a weight problem, that's why it didn't work for me, my hunger signals are all messed up.
    Sorry to hear that I am sure this site will be a great help to you
  • peachfigs
    peachfigs Posts: 831 Member
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    I've tried it before and I did lose some weight, plus members of my family have had a lot of success with it. I think that by limiting your food and eating 'cleaner', you create a calorie deficit without realising. I personally think the diet is overly complicated and too confusing, but there are lots of tasty recipes which are so easy to make!
  • sissie515513eh
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    I did it last summer and lost 8.5 lbs in about 4 weeks - but long term for me I could not stick to it as I like to have bread for lunch and used my sins for these which then meant I could never have any treats as I never had enough sins. For me long term diet success will mean a little of something I like when I like!! SO I am hoping for success with MFP as there is more flexibility!!