Is this wise?

Okay, so since I started SW, I have to admit that I've felt a bit deprived. I know people say the opposite usually, but I miss having more options. Plus, counting syns can get a bit tiring since I'm not used to dieting. Sooo I thought of a plan that I could do for a few weeks to ease me in and I just want to know if it makes sense, or if it's just my stomach speaking...

I'm thinking of working in a day a week where I don't follow the plan. Not a day where I go crazy, but a day of not worrying. If I limited my syns the rest of the week to 10 (or less?) a day, I'd have 45 syns to use in a day anyway and I hope I wouldn't go over that too much... But I'm not going to count! Does this make any sense?

It does make sense however there is a chance that on your 'day off' you will consume far more than the 45 syns and not see the losses you want. SW really isn't a diet... it's more like re-training you to eat a balanced diet and that's why the syns are limited. I think it would be a case of trying it, seeing how it goes and what happens with your weight.

Another option which is similar, is to have your syns weekly so you could have your 'treat' day but count the syns.

im with RM07 you could consume more than 45 syns & could even see a gain.

Personally, I wouldn't want to risk seeing a gain on the scale for one day of not counting (especially if you were sticking to the plan 100% otherwise)... it would probably be easy to go over the 45 syns if you weren't tracking them.

Maybe you could talk to your consultant about flexible syns? That means on occasion you can have a day where you have a larger than normal amount of syns but you still stay tracking, and in control.

I would question if maybe you understand the plan fully. This really is the plan where nothing is off limits and you shouldn't need to have a day off every week just so you can eat what you want. You will start living for these days, rather than embracing the positive changes of food optimising and I think, ultimately, setting yourself up to fail.

You've only just started and the commitment you show in the first few weeks is the most important. It can be hard to break old habits and adjust to a healthy eating way of life, but thats what it has to be, a way of life- not a chore or diet or straight jacket. Otherwise it's just not going to work. As you go on you will get used to knowing syn values for the things you eat regularly and you will find 'swaps' for unhealthy food made the SW way.

For this week, I'll just wait and see what the scales say - if I still lose, then it'll be all good, but otherwise I might count syns weekly like suggested. I suppose it all depends on how my body works... I don't see it being too bad since even the one 'treat' day would still be healthier than how I used to be everyday, but will find out on Tuesday!

I understand the plan and although 'nothing is off limits' according to SW, I feel that some things are. Sure, I could have a singular piece of pizza which would use up all my syns for the day, but I don't know many people who can stop at one. It's the same with lots of other things that I have to admit, I love. I know it's all about changing how I think but it's difficult when I actually want to enjoy myself a bit more. I mean, I'm always full on SW, but just feel meh. People always mention healthier swaps, but I haven't come across many that are quite the same as the real thing... I guess I just get jealous when other people are eating things I love while I'm stuck with food that don't quite please me.

Ah well, I'll be 110% on the plan for the next few days anyway, see where it takes me!

I did this at the start and by the end I was just binging on that day off, like a shark on a feeding frenzy it made me feel disgusting so I stopped doing it. I started a food diary on here too to help me stop doing it! Lol

I can't imagine how I'll be on a proper treat day yet haha! I had a half treat day today, because my breakfast and lunch were normal SW ones and then I decided to have a treat day. I've eaten some pizza, drank (chose vodka and a diet fizzy though) and had a little bit of chocolate. The amount of chocolate was SW friendly though - a freddo and a few mini eggs (the tiny amount that was at the end of a packet). It's obviously more than 45 syns, I don't even want to think about the pizza in syns, but I'm enjoying not worrying. I tend to spend everyday just thinking about how I've been eating all day and what I can/can't have and it gets me down. I'm one of those people who gets stressed for no reason and my boyfriend's actually commented that I've been a bit more worked up since I started. It was nice eating knowing that I could eat even more of everything if I wanted to (not that I did, which is a good thing I suppose)!

I gave in, curiosity got the best of me, so I counted how many syns I've had today. It came to just under 80. I had intended it to be a treat day anyway, so 35 over my weekly allowance (although some of the week hasn't been yet so it could be made less over). I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't more than that haha!

I guess it depends on what means most to you - if you're determined to lose the weight then you will. I find too many 'treat' days and I don't lose and my losses mean more than being able to gorge on what I might miss. Why put all the work in for the majority of the time for the risk of sabotage on that one day?

This would be something I would consider when it comes to maintaining. It's just not worth it whilst you are trying to lose weight and even though you said you would save 45 syns for your treat day you went nearly twice over this with your treat dinner. I think a treat day would end up being massively over 45 syns.

Pizza is probably the hardest food to do SW style but pretty much every other treat can be done. If I fancy a pizza night I usually make pitta bread pizzas and have them with some SW chips. Double treat!

I also think that as you start to stay away from these foods you will crave them less. I used to drunk about 3 cans if coke a day but about a year ago stopped as it was causing my teeth to hurt. I literally used to be jonesing for my coke but now I don't even give it two thoughts.

It's up to you though, try it and see if it works but for me it just wouldn't be worth it.

I'm glad you told us what you were really fancying, yes you can have SW friendly alternatives & no they are not the same, but they are an alternative. So you mentioned pizza & as Wegle suggested you could have wholemeal pitta (hexb) pizza, try it you may be surprised, another alternative is smash pizza, I've tried this & it is surprisingly nice. I can't remember the measurements, but it's smash mixed with one egg & a little cold water, roll out into a pizza base, bake in the oven for about 15 mins, turn over bake for about 10 mins, add passata, onions, peppers, whatever you fancy & top with cheese from your hexa bake until cheese melts.

You could take a look at the recipe section on here for some other ideas. It is about making changes & trying different things.

Thanks for coming back & letting us all know how you got on

There are other take away options that would be ok though! Like Indian, Chinese, chicken kebab..... I can't see the problem if you want to save a few syns and spend them on a take away at the weekend. A lot of people do as long as it doesn't affect weight losses then I reckon it's fine. Personally, I like to use my syns daily these days. Not that I don't have the odd off day, but just not having an off day EVERY week. You could easily save enough syns to have a proper take away each week

Wegle said:

This would be something I would consider when it comes to maintaining. It's just not worth it whilst you are trying to lose weight and even though you said you would save 45 syns for your treat day you went nearly twice over this with your treat dinner. I think a treat day would end up being massively over 45 syns.

Pizza is probably the hardest food to do SW style but pretty much every other treat can be done. If I fancy a pizza night I usually make pitta bread pizzas and have them with some SW chips. Double treat!

I also think that as you start to stay away from these foods you will crave them less. I used to drunk about 3 cans if coke a day but about a year ago stopped as it was causing my teeth to hurt. I literally used to be jonesing for my coke but now I don't even give it two thoughts.

It's up to you though, try it and see if it works but for me it just wouldn't be worth it.

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I found this too with a few things! I used to drink tea and coffee all day long, decided I was sick of not having a hexa to use as I always wasted it in tea and coffee. Started having coffee black and juice throughout the day instead of tea and I don't even miss it now! I have my black coffee from my tassimo machine on a morning and that's it. When the weathers cold like this I like my herbal teas, but in summer I drink NAS squash all day long instead.

Also so did this with sugar in coffee years ago, stopped taking it now I couldn't drink a coffee with sugar in, don't even like the sugar free syrups from coffee shops

I do know a lot of people do this, for me personally I would probably limit a day like this to once a month though. Bet those syns were really enjoyed though

Thanks for all the advice everyone! The scales showed a loss of 1lbs but I'm not sure if they're trustworthy anymore... anyway, will go with the flow! Thanks again!

BlodynAur said:

For this week, I'll just wait and see what the scales say - if I still lose, then it'll be all good, but otherwise I might count syns weekly like suggested. I suppose it all depends on how my body works... I don't see it being too bad since even the one 'treat' day would still be healthier than how I used to be everyday,...

... I know it's all about changing how I think but it's difficult when I actually want to enjoy myself a bit more. I mean, I'm always full on SW, but just feel meh. ...

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Scary!! You are saying pretty much what my brain was thinking as I drove home from my first weigh in today!!

I wonder if this is a "newbie" thing? The devil vs angel scenario?

BlodynAur said:

... even the one 'treat' day would still be healthier than how I used to be everyday ...

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I've been saying that all day too :giggle:

But:

1) It was having that odd "treat" day, which led to another "treat" day and another and another (devil) ... which got me to the weight I am today (angel)

2) I completely-utterly-totally understand about the wanting a favourite old "treat" (devil); but, I'm telling myself (angel) that the SW plan has opened up new "treats" ... stuff I either haven't eaten in years or things I have never even tried before!
If I've never tried it before, I'm asking myself why not? And it is probably something to do with expense :giggle:
So, tomorrow (because I really have not given into temptation today and bought that bottle of wine, or that fish supper - and boy have I been tempted! ) I'm going to buy myself a fillet steak to cook for my dinner (and it will cost less than the combined total of wine/fish supper and won't contain one syn!
3) Well done on your 1lb loss it's not to be sniffed at


Some days I've been full of enthusiasm and think it's a breeze (and I'm only on Day 6!) but, I've had my 2nd occasion of wanting to break ranks and run for the hills (into my old habits).

The fact is, nothing is stopping me from gobbling a pizza, downing a bottle of wine, scoffing cheese and biscuits. After all, what is SW going to do? Imprison me? Give me 50 lashes? Put my photo on billboards with a demeaning description as a caption? Of course not. They'll take my subs whether I lose a lb, gain a lb or stay the same (well, for a time, at least).

What is stopping me is ... me! I remind myself of all the reasons I walked into my first meeting in the first place; and those reasons have not altered.

I usually allow myself one off plan tea per week. I have a think about what I really fancy at the start of the week - Indian, Chinese, pizza, burger, restaurant meal etc and calculate the syns. Then I do weekly syns and save what I need for that day. It's worked well for me so far as I always look forward to that meal and dont feel deprived. But it's literally one meal, not a whole day off plan.

MrsSOS said:

The fact is, nothing is stopping me from gobbling a pizza, downing a bottle of wine, scoffing cheese and biscuits. After all, what is SW going to do? Imprison me? Give me 50 lashes? Put my photo on billboards with a demeaning description as a caption? Of course not. They'll take my subs whether I lose a lb, gain a lb or stay the same (well, for a time, at least).

What is stopping me is ... me! I remind myself of all the reasons I walked into my first meeting in the first place; and those reasons have not altered.

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Holy cow, this comment just gave me an epiphany or something! I've been given so much fantastic advice (in this thread and in other places), but honestly, that's the best thing anyone's ever said. I've had a fairly bad night SW wise and I'm certain that if I hadn't read that now, I'd have gone on to eat more tonight. You just reminded me why I joined SW, why I want to lose weight, why I don't want to eat the chocolates that are a few centimetres away! I might even write it out on a sticky note and put it on my desk! Thank you, so much!!

...I realise I sound crazy, but I'm now in a ridiculously good mood!

BlodynAur said:

...I realise I sound crazy, but I'm now in a ridiculously good mood!

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Not crazy: fantastic to hear!!! arty0011:


Another day begins and I wish you a very positive one :bighug:

MrsSOS said:

What is stopping me is ... me! I remind myself of all the reasons I walked into my first meeting in the first place; and those reasons have not altered.

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This is what I've done since I started... I've had the odd temptation in the way, sometimes I've enjoyed a few extra syns, sometimes I've resisted but each time I've reminded myself why I'm doing this... why I want to do this... why I need to do this. I've made a commitment to myself that I will lose the weight and this time I am not going to give up until I've got there and more importantly stayed there! My consultant told us last week there is a reward for maintaining your goal weight for a year... I want it!

I also keep a spreadsheet of my weight loss and over the weekend I added a column to put in the cost of the classes (I buy countdowns). Having a £ figure of what I'm investing in myself is helping too!