I don't get WW or SW?!

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wasveganvictoria88
wasveganvictoria88 Posts: 249 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I really don't wanna sound like I'm ranting...I'm just overly confused!

Looking at several people's diaries who are on SW or WW, they are eating wayyyyy over the calorie amount they should be to loose weight, not doing enough exercise to compensate because a lot of the food they are eating is 'free' but infact its not really...for example on slimming world low fat super noodles are free...but a pack will set you back 322kcals?!

* On Original: fruit and vegetables, lean meat, fish, eggs, low calorie cottage cheese, quorn, etc. are completely free on original days.
* Go Green and as well as your free fruit and vegetables you can eat as much rice, pasta and potatoes as you want.

Ok so lean meat is free...but doesn't that just mean you are going to eat way over your cal content? Some people are eating like 2000kcals which won't take any weight off! And all you can eat carbs?! What?

I just don't get it :( apologies again I'm not having a rant, genuinely confused!

Replies

  • loztredders
    loztredders Posts: 142
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    I don't get how it can work either, you're not alone there!
  • EmmaShorter
    EmmaShorter Posts: 298
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    It works. I have lost stones with sw and it works. The superfree foods are most fruit ang vegetables they are low in cals and filling. The free foods are have to be with all fat removed. You can eat as much pasta etc but who can physically eat that much pasta it is so filling. You have to measure your healthy extras and syns. Have a look at the website and try the 7 day meal planner. I know diets normally teach you to starve yourself but that is what makes slimming world so good. It is sustainable in the long term.
  • lucywantstoloseit
    lucywantstoloseit Posts: 26
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    I follow slimming world and it really does work. My mum has lost over 7 stone in a year on it. Having said that, I have started following it to the limit of my calorie goal on here. For example, my goal is 1200 calories a day so I am following the slimming world plan but limiting my 'free eating' to what my daily goal is. I'm hoping this will boost my losses as I worry that I overeat atm.

    It is really strange to get your head round but I still think that as much as you can eat unlimited amounts of certain foods, that you should watch portion sizes etc.

    xx
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    You can eat as much pasta etc but who can physically eat that much pasta it is so filling.
    People who have been systematically gorging themselves for years that's who.

    Yes if you follow the plan SENSIBLY it can result in a calorie deficit, but SW really should explain better that just because you *could* eat as much as you like of the "free foods" they do still contain calories and do have the potential to undermine your loss.

    I know someone doing SW who is convinced that she can eat ANY quantity of free foods and still lose weight, and that is simply not the case. SW don't have a contract with your body, it doesn't give a toss WHY you are eating certain things, all it does is deal with what you give it.

    I have looked at SW and could easily follow their rules and eat 2100 a day, which would mean I put on 1/2lb a week, admittedly my TDEE is very low @ 1600 with a lot of exercise, so perhaps SW would work far better for very heavy people (men, tall women) and / or people with a lot of weight to lose.
  • SunshineDieter
    SunshineDieter Posts: 41
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    I think they work for some people, and not others.

    I put on a stone in my first month of Slimming World, whereas my mum loses 4/5 pounds a week (not necessarily healthy, losing so much every week, but I was still incredibly jealous!). The new Weight Watchers plan, I gained another stone in the first month.

    I think it might be a combination of what loads of other diets are based on - like blood type etc.
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
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    It is really strange to get your head round but I still think that as much as you can eat unlimited amounts of certain foods, that you should watch portion sizes etc.
    Exactly!

    Obviously, there's a limit to how many leafy greens you can eat in a day, so I'd say they were genuinely unlimited but you are right, there are a lot of other foods which would undermine weight loss if they were eaten in large quantities. Chicken, for instance. I could easily eat half a roast chicken!
  • SunshineDieter
    SunshineDieter Posts: 41
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    That was a joke that eye colour is a factor in weight loss! :)
  • TRISTAR
    TRISTAR Posts: 105 Member
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    WW and SW are businesses. They are sucessful because people go back to them time after time. People lose weight whilst they are on them, but the people I know, over time, put it back on, and go back and join again. That's why I love this website. You log your food and activities, and they are changes for LIFE, not some points related diet you subscribe to each week until you reach a goal. When I finally reach my goal, I will continue to use this site, log my food etc, for awareness purposes, so I don't end up yo-yo'ing.

    Only my opinion, some may disagree.
  • piadora
    piadora Posts: 5 Member
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    Hi there,
    I've been following the WW ProPoint plan (for sometime!) Here your points allowance is determined by current weight, goal weight age and activity level. My daily allowance is 26 pts (equivalent to about 1200kcals) plus I have a 'bank overdraft' of 49pts to use throughout the week.
    All Veg and Fruit are classed as'Free foods' which of course, are not all of neglible calorific content! I think the idea behind this is to encourage us to choose more healthy and filling foods eg: A large banana may have 140kcals, but this is a better choice, healthwise, than a small bar of chocolate as it has is more nutrional value. Also fruit and veg fill you up so you are less likely to crave high fat or sugary snacks.
    Pro points allows you to earn extra points through exercise so an hour or so at the gym earns me an extra 6 -8pts which I try not to spend so weight comes off quicker!
    There are options on the WW plan as to wether you wish to count PTS or choose unlimited foods from Filling/Nutritious food lists. This maybe where some people are exceeding there Kcals!
    No idea how SW works though!
  • EmmaShorter
    EmmaShorter Posts: 298
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    WW and SW are businesses. They are sucessful because people go back to them time after time. People lose weight whilst they are on them, but the people I know, over time, put it back on, and go back and join again. That's why I love this website. You log your food and activities, and they are changes for LIFE, not some points related diet you subscribe to each week until you reach a goal. When I finally reach my goal, I will continue to use this site, log my food etc, for awareness purposes, so I don't end up yo-yo'ing.

    Only my opinion, some may disagree.

    People put the weight back on because they stop following the plan. At SW and I am sure ~WW once you get to your target you no longer have to pay. Then as long as you go (at SW anyway) at least once in every 4 weeks you can come to class free of charge unless you go out of your target range which is 3 pounds plus or minus your target. So the people that you know that have put weight back on is for those reasons.
  • iowsara1974
    iowsara1974 Posts: 3
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    as Emma says, once at target you do not have to pay to attend SW. SW is basically a healthy eating plan where you can stick with it for life. Yes, some people are going to end up going back to their old habits and putting weight back on but that is no different to following a low calorie diet, and then increasing your calories over time. SW naturally limits your calories and fat as you fill up on low calorie filling foods. Yes, you can eat unlimited amounts of free food - until you are comfortably full. I have days where I go way over what my calorie limit should be, and other days I will be under. I eat until I'm full and stick to plan and I have lost nearly 6.5 stone so it most certainly does work. It isn't a gimmick, I have changed the way I eat and the way I cook!
  • madamekristella
    madamekristella Posts: 2
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    I love sw i've lost 5 stone and 4lb in 22 weeks :D I don't always get it but it works as long as you follow the plan xx
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    I really don't wanna sound like I'm ranting...I'm just overly confused!

    Looking at several people's diaries who are on SW or WW, they are eating wayyyyy over the calorie amount they should be to loose weight, not doing enough exercise to compensate because a lot of the food they are eating is 'free' but infact its not really...for example on slimming world low fat super noodles are free...but a pack will set you back 322kcals?!

    * On Original: fruit and vegetables, lean meat, fish, eggs, low calorie cottage cheese, quorn, etc. are completely free on original days.
    * Go Green and as well as your free fruit and vegetables you can eat as much rice, pasta and potatoes as you want.

    Ok so lean meat is free...but doesn't that just mean you are going to eat way over your cal content? Some people are eating like 2000kcals which won't take any weight off! And all you can eat carbs?! What?

    I just don't get it :( apologies again I'm not having a rant, genuinely confused!

    I hate to do this again, but how do you know that they are eating "too many" cals? I know plenty of SMALL ladies losing weight on 2000kcals a day. Unless you know their activity levels throughout the day you can't really make a judgement on what an appropriate amount of cals is.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    I really don't wanna sound like I'm ranting...I'm just overly confused!

    Looking at several people's diaries who are on SW or WW, they are eating wayyyyy over the calorie amount they should be to loose weight, not doing enough exercise to compensate because a lot of the food they are eating is 'free' but infact its not really...for example on slimming world low fat super noodles are free...but a pack will set you back 322kcals?!

    * On Original: fruit and vegetables, lean meat, fish, eggs, low calorie cottage cheese, quorn, etc. are completely free on original days.
    * Go Green and as well as your free fruit and vegetables you can eat as much rice, pasta and potatoes as you want.

    Ok so lean meat is free...but doesn't that just mean you are going to eat way over your cal content? Some people are eating like 2000kcals which won't take any weight off! And all you can eat carbs?! What?

    I just don't get it :( apologies again I'm not having a rant, genuinely confused!

    I hate to do this again, but how do you know that they are eating "too many" cals? I know plenty of SMALL ladies losing weight on 2000kcals a day. Unless you know their activity levels throughout the day you can't really make a judgement on what an appropriate amount of cals is.

    ^^agree.
  • cheesy_blasters
    cheesy_blasters Posts: 283 Member
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    I have never heard of SW so I checked out the free 7 day plan. I can see why it appeals to people. It's super accessible. I didn't read through the whole site so I don't *quite* get it but I find it's a little to carby for me. Pasta and potatoes. I'd be tired all the time! (I don't react well to lots of carbs, I'm not anti-carb. If I could, I would eat way more of them haha).

    It's so nice many people here had success with them though! Good for you guys!

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