The one thing that still "gets" to me is the syn thing. I never have the full amount of syns (not including Christmas!)and I can only give you an example...I started the same day as my friend, in fact she talked me into it...
The first week in June, we BOTH weighed 15 stones 10 lbs......she always insists on having ALL her syns...usually chocolate, popcorn, crisps etc......I have NO willpower, so I don't even buy things that tempt me. Sometimes I've had a Hi Fi, for 3 syns, because she went on at me so much, 't lose weight if I didn't stick to ALL the plan, 100%. I use my syns, when I have salad cream, or "proper " gravy........first week in January, she weighs 13 stones 13 lbs, and I weigh 12stones 7.5lbs. I still believe that syns don't actually add to your diet,I believe you have them so that you don't feel deprived of things that you like, and that helps you to stay on the diet. I couldn't have a nice meal with no gravy, I PREFER a salad with proper salad cream...although I can eat it without, but I don't really enjoy it. If I have a small bar of chocolate, or an ice cream, it doesn't seem to affect me at all, but if I had them every day of the week, I'm sure it would. This is just MY opinion, but as far as I can see, syns aren't an obligation, they just add calories to what you've already eaten xx
I think I wrote about syns in the same way as I replied to this thread months ago..I'm still of the same opinion xx