What is the deal with Slimming World weight loss??

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Charliecatesq
Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have started following Slimming World to use my 1400 cals more effectively (working ok so far) but i see people dropping stones in mere weeks! I doubt they are under eating by that much (the eat as much as you like ethos must stop that, i know if i did i would be going past my weightloss threshold), most of them don't look severely overweight so what is the science? It can't be just cals in cals out or is it?
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  • Malteaster
    Malteaster Posts: 75 Member
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    I'm not sure, I never lost more than half a stone. I can only think that their previous diet was full of calorie dense foods or they are eating very few calories. It is hard to get an answer to the question as some of the free/synned foods make no sense, and when I queried it I was told it is food optimizing and had been worked out by scientists.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    That is hilarious! IT'S SCIENCE, EAT YOUR QUARK!

    I just can't understand how some people have lost 3 stone in 13 weeks, it's madness though maybe you are right. I know it isn't "magic" but it's something.
  • Marchmallow
    Marchmallow Posts: 124 Member
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    I did terribly on Slimming World, until I started secretly counting calories... then I realised I was paying for counting calories, and quit x)
  • MissJES89
    MissJES89 Posts: 14 Member
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    I have always wondered how it's so successful with regards the 'unlimited' free foods too. Never tried anything but MFP and it has worked so will just stay here. :smile:
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Stones confuse the hell outta me but I gather 3 stone is 19kg. I am almost at week 14's end and so far have lost 23.6kg. No way I could have lost so much if any of my foods were unlimited.

    I have some weightloss friends online who live in the UK and use slimming world and only lose a pound or two a month and constantly fall off the wagon.
  • JordisTSM
    JordisTSM Posts: 359 Member
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    minties82 wrote: »
    Stones confuse the hell outta me but I gather 3 stone is 19kg. I am almost at week 14's end and so far have lost 23.6kg. No way I could have lost so much if any of my foods were unlimited.

    I have some weightloss friends online who live in the UK and use slimming world and only lose a pound or two a month and constantly fall off the wagon.

    Yep. I've lost 20kgs in just under 15 weeks, and I'm eating at a decent calorie level. Unlimited anything would definitely screw things up.
  • NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner
    NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner Posts: 1,018 Member
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    Slimming world is a nightmare IMO. I put weight on following the plan! I eat much better when doing CICO as I'm not thinking woohoooooo unlimited pastaaaaaaaa lol
  • LovingLife_Erin
    LovingLife_Erin Posts: 328 Member
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    I started out on SW and did really well on it. I lost my first 50 ish lbs on it, although I was losing 2-3 lbs a week, and I never had the huge losses in the first weeks that many people have. I would suspect that most of the big losses are people in their first few weeks. I loved it as I didn't really know what I was doing in terms of losing weight, and it gave me a lot of confidence to cook more. I also learned how I can make my normal foods in a more healthy way, which was something I appreciated. For me, it worked to help get me started in my new lifestyle.

    I started keeping track of my calories as I started doing a lot of exercise and found that I usually had a 1500-1800 calorie deficit a day, which I felt like was too much, and so I've stopped SW now and am just counting calories. I think using MFP is more sustainable in the long run, for me at least. I personally would get too full on free food (as much of it is filling) and so just wasn't eating enough calories. I'm sure for many people this is the case as well.
  • ashilda
    ashilda Posts: 13 Member
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    I've done both slimming world and weight watchers on and off for years, then it dawned on me...why am I using my ww calculator to input CALORIE, fat, protein and fibre info to come up with magic points number when I could just count cals?! Cals are listed on almost every food, no more guessing points values or converting, meant to be easier but nothing is easier that adding cals up! both diets are a con imo!! with slimming world I found the same rules are across the board which is madness, I'm 5' 0" yet could eat unlimited and same portions of healthy extras (milk/bread/cereal) as a 6' 5" fireman....wonder why I didnt lose?!

    That said, you get people like me that eat pasta, rice, yogurts etc as 'free' then grumble that not losing then you get the sensible people who follow the sw rules but be careful of carbs, have sensible portions etc and do lose. Doubt I'll ever do sw again though.... bananas = 5 a day if you like, banana smoothie...not allowed. Pasta 'n' sauce, low fat packet noodles, full of chemicals and free, avocado...not allowed. White pasta/rice= eat endlessly, yet oatbran.... tiny portion once a day only. How the science works is beyond me!
  • sazzyanne14
    sazzyanne14 Posts: 77 Member
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    I enjoy making the recipes from the website and sometimes use the recipe books (have family members that go) but personally I prefer to follow the CICO method.

    For some people, having to weigh in, in front of people means that they push themselves to do better and eat healthier.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    The plan has helped me make better choices to stay fuller i have to say, plus curbing my bread eating. When i was counting calories before i was trying to eat how i always ate but with smaller portions and it made me miserable whereas this way is making me think about eating more veg (i don't care for fruit really, i'll have a banana in the morning but thats it) to fill up and leaner meat etc. I think i just needed something to hold me hand and suggest i try something else instead. However fat free cottage cheese, quark and processed junk doesn't interest me at all. Watching people put hot choc powder, quark and an egg in a cup, microwave it and claim its lovely is horrifying. The amount of sweetener people chuck down their neck is frightening too.

    One upside is discovering www.twochubbycubs.com and laughing my *kitten* off whilst getting ideas on how to make nice food lower calorie without skimping on taste.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    minties82 wrote: »
    Stones confuse the hell outta me but I gather 3 stone is 19kg. I am almost at week 14's end and so far have lost 23.6kg. No way I could have lost so much if any of my foods were unlimited.

    I have some weightloss friends online who live in the UK and use slimming world and only lose a pound or two a month and constantly fall off the wagon.

    Stone is 14lbs so yes 19kgs :)

    So in just over 3 months you have lost 2stone, that's great and i am very jealous.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    ashilda wrote: »
    I've done both slimming world and weight watchers on and off for years, then it dawned on me...why am I using my ww calculator to input CALORIE, fat, protein and fibre info to come up with magic points number when I could just count cals?! Cals are listed on almost every food, no more guessing points values or converting, meant to be easier but nothing is easier that adding cals up! both diets are a con imo!! with slimming world I found the same rules are across the board which is madness, I'm 5' 0" yet could eat unlimited and same portions of healthy extras (milk/bread/cereal) as a 6' 5" fireman....wonder why I didnt lose?!

    That said, you get people like me that eat pasta, rice, yogurts etc as 'free' then grumble that not losing then you get the sensible people who follow the sw rules but be careful of carbs, have sensible portions etc and do lose. Doubt I'll ever do sw again though.... bananas = 5 a day if you like, banana smoothie...not allowed. Pasta 'n' sauce, low fat packet noodles, full of chemicals and free, avocado...not allowed. White pasta/rice= eat endlessly, yet oatbran.... tiny portion once a day only. How the science works is beyond me!

    They do encourage you to have a 3rd of your plate as "super free" food which is very low cal veg, i would assume this is to curb how much tagliatelle you're scarfing down :smiley:
  • jascakes
    jascakes Posts: 26 Member
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    I also gained weight on slimming world, probably because I was already coming from -quite- a healthy diet onto it. When i talked to the group leader about it she said I should stop eating any 'syns' at all. So I quit, because the whole attraction of s/world was that I could have more variation and 'unlimited' food.

    The friend that I went with was a bit of a party animal and used all her 'syns' for booze (and more), ate huge pasta bakes and loads of junk after nights out, and starved herself half the week, but lost over 5 stone and kept it off on slimming world.

    So who knows.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    jascakes wrote: »
    I also gained weight on slimming world, probably because I was already coming from -quite- a healthy diet onto it. When i talked to the group leader about it she said I should stop eating any 'syns' at all. So I quit, because the whole attraction of s/world was that I could have more variation and 'unlimited' food.

    The friend that I went with was a bit of a party animal and used all her 'syns' for booze (and more), ate huge pasta bakes and loads of junk after nights out, and starved herself half the week, but lost over 5 stone and kept it off on slimming world.

    So who knows.

    Sounds to me that way madness lies. Group leaders don't seem to know much about anything from what i have heard. Bit odd.
  • afrodizzyak
    afrodizzyak Posts: 9 Member
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    I did SW and also only lost 7lbs, it suits some people and others it just doesn't work. I was the latter.
    I suffered terribly with constipation and actually debated with the leader how unlimited free foods ( inc carbs can make you lose weight) I got confused with the eat as much pasta as you like. Really they need to stress on the amount you are having rather than contradicting it wth the line eat as much as you like

    I was going over the amount I was eating and becoming too full and bloated and miserable.
    Ive come back to MFP as I've lost weight 14lbs previous to SW. I'm not a big eater meals wise but I do graze on chocolate and love a dessert. Sweet tooth. I think it helps me as I'm a person that needs boundaries and MFP and clean eating helps that. SW was like letting me loose and not really giving me much control although they do say you are in control. Although I also noticed the foods with artificial sweetener was encouraged. Low fat but loads of artificial sugar in ??? Didn't get that either. Processed noodles and *kitten* etc are great low fat, ignore all all the additives in it, it's fine...lol, but not allowed a fruit smoothie in the morning because apparently fruit juiced contains more sugar than it does eaten whole? Confused much?
  • frazerkate_sw
    frazerkate_sw Posts: 22 Member
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    I follow it because the 1/3 speed, 2/3 free works well for me. As well as syns and healthy extras which generally stop me over indulging. Certificates are surprisingly motivating too, but I still calorie count. I'm not going to lose weight following the plan eating 5000 calories a day -which is possibly if you see free food as food you can eat as much as you want instead of food to fill you up.

    I never had the big week 1 loss and my loss is slow compared to most
  • JoRumbles
    JoRumbles Posts: 262 Member
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    My SiL has just lost 5.5stone on SW and looks amazing, but I am baffled by a diet that allows unlimited pasta and rice but my SiL has had to give up bread because she can't fit it into her syns- bread and pasta are practically the same thing!

    At the end of the day, SW is a very low fat diet and that is how it works. My SiL and I sat round the same table this week for a roast dinner and we both used similar strategies- lean meat, loads of veg and only one or two small roast potatos. Only difference was I drank a shed load of wine. I've lost 1.5kg this week so I am doing something right.
  • misschoppo
    misschoppo Posts: 463 Member
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    My Mum is a slimming world fanatic. It works for her and has done for years. She lost weight and has kept it off for years following the SW method of eating & is able to do so eating pretty big portions of a lot of delicious meals....so it most definitely can and does work but the rules boggle my mind with all her "red day" "green day" "syns" & "healthy extras"! It all makes complete sense to her. When it comes down to it, she is still basically monitoring her intake, just in a more convoluted way that means she doesn't feel like she is counting calories & therefore doesn't feel restricted but really it is still just a way of controlling calorie consumption dressed up to look like something else.

    I've never seen her lose weight dramatically on the plan though as OP is saying others have, it was steady and consistent.
  • Charliecatesq
    Charliecatesq Posts: 100 Member
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    Interesting to hear from people it hasn't worked for. A lot of people do seem to spend time trying to not eat their syns too which seems to defeat the object.

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