Gail's diary and thoughts on her SW journey
- Thread starter gl12282
- Start date
gl12282
Plodding on.......
Hi Bess,
EE is extra easy, SW's new plan as an alternative to green/red days. If you look in the sticky threads in the main SW forum there are some explanations. But essentially it is composed of 'free foods' (lean meat, cottage cheese, rice, potatoes, pasta, fish etc) which should make up 2/3 of your meal, 'superfree foods' (ie most fruit and veg except peas, sweetcorn, potatoes and parsnips and a couple of others). Then 1 Healthy Extra A per day (measured quantity of milk, cheese etc) and 1 Healthy Extra B (measured quantity of wholemeal bread, crackers, cereal bars etc) plus a variable amount of syns (5 -15 per day) which you can spend on anything you want. What it means is that you never 'run out' of food that you like, you can eat healthily with others and out (I eat out quite a bit) and for me it feels like a sustainable plan for life. I eat really good size meals (although my portion sizes have naturally reduced while I've been on the plan but not very deliberately) and usually 2 main meals per day (or main meal plus salad). You pick the foods that you like so that you don't feel deprived and you are encouraged to use your syns - it's what makes life bearable !
I do it online - signed up initially for 3 months but have extended that for the forseeable future. I have also gone to a handful of classes but I find that I don't really need them and haven't really got the time (and I have to pay twice for the privilege !). I would NEVER have gone to a class at the beginning but now I would if i had time and needed it. If you do it online, you get access to the same website that the SW members do and can order books. However I think you have to be quite motivated because no-one else looks at the scales. But the advantage is that you can weigh first thing in the morning which is a bit more consistent for me than an evening weight.
What I would say to you is try to just focus on 1 day at a time at the beginning. Hopefully you will only need a few weeks to get some good losses which will motivate you. If your losses are slow, consider posting a food diary because sometimes the plan needs a little bit of tweaking (not for me but some others I have seen). Plan EVERYTHING as far as possible (take food to work, get shopping in, look at menus online if dining out) and keep a food diary at home to start with. Count EVERYTHING you put in your mouth. And most of all, eat plenty. If you don't feel deprived and are eating things that you like, you are much more likely to stick to it and therefore succeed.
I can't tell you how much better I feel about myself (just for doing something about it) and I really hope you can do the same.
Big hugs.
Gail x
EE is extra easy, SW's new plan as an alternative to green/red days. If you look in the sticky threads in the main SW forum there are some explanations. But essentially it is composed of 'free foods' (lean meat, cottage cheese, rice, potatoes, pasta, fish etc) which should make up 2/3 of your meal, 'superfree foods' (ie most fruit and veg except peas, sweetcorn, potatoes and parsnips and a couple of others). Then 1 Healthy Extra A per day (measured quantity of milk, cheese etc) and 1 Healthy Extra B (measured quantity of wholemeal bread, crackers, cereal bars etc) plus a variable amount of syns (5 -15 per day) which you can spend on anything you want. What it means is that you never 'run out' of food that you like, you can eat healthily with others and out (I eat out quite a bit) and for me it feels like a sustainable plan for life. I eat really good size meals (although my portion sizes have naturally reduced while I've been on the plan but not very deliberately) and usually 2 main meals per day (or main meal plus salad). You pick the foods that you like so that you don't feel deprived and you are encouraged to use your syns - it's what makes life bearable !
I do it online - signed up initially for 3 months but have extended that for the forseeable future. I have also gone to a handful of classes but I find that I don't really need them and haven't really got the time (and I have to pay twice for the privilege !). I would NEVER have gone to a class at the beginning but now I would if i had time and needed it. If you do it online, you get access to the same website that the SW members do and can order books. However I think you have to be quite motivated because no-one else looks at the scales. But the advantage is that you can weigh first thing in the morning which is a bit more consistent for me than an evening weight.
What I would say to you is try to just focus on 1 day at a time at the beginning. Hopefully you will only need a few weeks to get some good losses which will motivate you. If your losses are slow, consider posting a food diary because sometimes the plan needs a little bit of tweaking (not for me but some others I have seen). Plan EVERYTHING as far as possible (take food to work, get shopping in, look at menus online if dining out) and keep a food diary at home to start with. Count EVERYTHING you put in your mouth. And most of all, eat plenty. If you don't feel deprived and are eating things that you like, you are much more likely to stick to it and therefore succeed.
I can't tell you how much better I feel about myself (just for doing something about it) and I really hope you can do the same.
Big hugs.
Gail x
gl12282
Plodding on.......
More of my thoughts !
I still find a couple of things difficult.
1. Sometimes even after I've had a massive meal and have felt very full at the end of it, I feel 'hungry' about half an hour later. I can't possibly be hungry but still feel it. It's quite frustrating because it makes me want to eat even though I know I am full.
2. I still find it incredibly difficult to leave food on my plate. Even when I'm full I still can't do it. I tend to eat the salad/veg first and leave the stuff I really like for the end which probably doesn't help but I'm not sure it would make very much difference if I did it the other way round.
I presume I'm not the only one ?!
I used to worry about portion sizes but I don't (as much) now. My portion size has naturally reduced although I still tend to serve myself too much (and then eat it all). I have taken to weighing my rice/pasta just so that I don't cook too much (and then eat it !).
Went out for another run today - felt really good (although I really wanted to stop most of the way round !). Managed to run at least a mile (ran for 16 mins non stop !). Then came back and had some fruit and chocolate (synned). I love the fact that I can eat chocolate etc and not feel guilty because it's been counted.
Bumped into someone at work yesterday who I hadn't seen for a while who took one look and me, stepped back and said 'have you lost loads of weight ?'. It's a really lovely feeling
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Gail x
I still find a couple of things difficult.
1. Sometimes even after I've had a massive meal and have felt very full at the end of it, I feel 'hungry' about half an hour later. I can't possibly be hungry but still feel it. It's quite frustrating because it makes me want to eat even though I know I am full.
2. I still find it incredibly difficult to leave food on my plate. Even when I'm full I still can't do it. I tend to eat the salad/veg first and leave the stuff I really like for the end which probably doesn't help but I'm not sure it would make very much difference if I did it the other way round.
I presume I'm not the only one ?!
I used to worry about portion sizes but I don't (as much) now. My portion size has naturally reduced although I still tend to serve myself too much (and then eat it all). I have taken to weighing my rice/pasta just so that I don't cook too much (and then eat it !).
Went out for another run today - felt really good (although I really wanted to stop most of the way round !). Managed to run at least a mile (ran for 16 mins non stop !). Then came back and had some fruit and chocolate (synned). I love the fact that I can eat chocolate etc and not feel guilty because it's been counted.
Bumped into someone at work yesterday who I hadn't seen for a while who took one look and me, stepped back and said 'have you lost loads of weight ?'. It's a really lovely feeling
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Gail x
julesm
Slimming World
Wow you made someone take a step back!!! That is really awesome! Well done.
I am terrible with portions. I always eat every scrap on my plate despite being full and serve myself way too much! Eek, well I'm trying to take comfort in the fact that the sw mag this month says "it's not your portions, it's what's on your plate"... Having said that they didnt mention the health benefits of eating until you're uncomfortably full!!!
Very well done with your running Gail, you are getting better every time! I am thinking of signing up for a 5km race for life run in Tatton Park as I have heard it is very scenic there. I like the thought of running alongside deer! It's not til June, this could be perfect for you!!
I am terrible with portions. I always eat every scrap on my plate despite being full and serve myself way too much! Eek, well I'm trying to take comfort in the fact that the sw mag this month says "it's not your portions, it's what's on your plate"... Having said that they didnt mention the health benefits of eating until you're uncomfortably full!!!
Very well done with your running Gail, you are getting better every time! I am thinking of signing up for a 5km race for life run in Tatton Park as I have heard it is very scenic there. I like the thought of running alongside deer! It's not til June, this could be perfect for you!!
valerie11
Gold Member
hi gail i have to say i can relate to 1 and 2 of ur difficulties but i think mine stem from my childhood we always had to finish our dinner otherwise we were not allowed a pudding (which i could not go without liked it better than the dinner) when i left home i was still doing it and to this day feel the need to have something sweet after, even if i feel full as soon as i think of a sweet pudding i feel hungry i think it goes down a different hole lol but i know it's not really hunger just habit.
and isn't it great when someone notices u've lost weight makes u feel good about urself.
Thanks Val. You are always here to say lovely things - thanks for this comment but am returning the favour u have always been there for me and i am very grateful :thankyou: xx
and isn't it great when someone notices u've lost weight makes u feel good about urself.
Thanks Val. You are always here to say lovely things - thanks for this comment but am returning the favour u have always been there for me and i am very grateful :thankyou: xx
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Hi again,
Well the resitance gene is kicking in again, or the 'I know better gene'. I looked at SW website, saw the prices and then tried to find my old SW books (went with a friend a long time ago to support her - don't ask!) £20 extra seems a bit steep for a mag I don't want and some booklets that I already have (or had, can't find them...)
So then I thought - well this diet's only cutting out sugar and fat, I can do that.....then I've been so busy with work for the last few days I don't have time to think about anything.....
Do I need the booklets again? What does the £60 membership give you?
I'm being ridiculous I know, it's not spending the money that bothers me, partly it's anger at the dieting industry in general, but mostly it's anger/fear of failing again at myself.
I don't want to make a hobby out of dieting, I want it to just fit in with my life without it occupying too much thought.
More (blunt if necessary) advice/experience please. Thankyou.
Well the resitance gene is kicking in again, or the 'I know better gene'. I looked at SW website, saw the prices and then tried to find my old SW books (went with a friend a long time ago to support her - don't ask!) £20 extra seems a bit steep for a mag I don't want and some booklets that I already have (or had, can't find them...)
So then I thought - well this diet's only cutting out sugar and fat, I can do that.....then I've been so busy with work for the last few days I don't have time to think about anything.....
Do I need the booklets again? What does the £60 membership give you?
I'm being ridiculous I know, it's not spending the money that bothers me, partly it's anger at the dieting industry in general, but mostly it's anger/fear of failing again at myself.
I don't want to make a hobby out of dieting, I want it to just fit in with my life without it occupying too much thought.
More (blunt if necessary) advice/experience please. Thankyou.
julesm
Slimming World
It's not just cutting out sugar and fat though as you need to know syn values. You can't lose weight without syns and you would go crazy without them too and never stick to it.
Also the healthy extras help you lose weight so you need to know what you're allowed there.
The way I see it a fiver and one hour a week is not a lot to give up when it means you are going to lose the weight to change your life.
It's not £20, more like £15 and going to class really keeps me on track because i know my weight loss or gain is going to be announced in front of all those people.
I guess it depends though everyone is different!
Also the healthy extras help you lose weight so you need to know what you're allowed there.
The way I see it a fiver and one hour a week is not a lot to give up when it means you are going to lose the weight to change your life.
It's not £20, more like £15 and going to class really keeps me on track because i know my weight loss or gain is going to be announced in front of all those people.
I guess it depends though everyone is different!
gl12282
Plodding on.......
I don't know about the science but I always want dessert !!!!
Hi Bess,
Everyone is different so I can't tell you what will be right for you. However I can tell you that the money I have spent on the SW website is quite possibly the best money I have EVER spent. Personally I really enjoy the magazines but if you don't, then I wouldn't bother with them. The books are useful but if I'm honest I haven't touched mine at all !!! You can get it all from the website and print off all the lists that you need. The only thing that the books have that the website doesn't (I think) is the 'quick reference syns' stuff (which is in the guide books) however if you have website access you won't need that anyway. So you don't really need anything more than the basic membership but I like the magazine and it has lots of recipes.
For me, although I use the site intermittently to look up syns (I am a creature of habit so I know the syn values of most of the stuff that I eat), the value of my subscription has been the prompt to weigh in every week. Even though I have no-one to answer to (except myself) I really appreciate knowing that I need to weigh in on a Sunday (although I would NEVER forget that Sunday is my weigh day - I think about it all week !!!). I consider that 'focus' so important that I have extended my subscription until May and fully expect to renew it after that, even if the only thing I use it for is to enter my weight. It's really great from time to time to go and look at my awards and see the graph. I know I could make that for free by myself but I appreciate the 'objectivity' of the site. (I don't know whether I'm making any sense but I'm trying !!).
However, what I would say is that it can be quite difficult doing it on my own. I really love this site because I can come and discuss how I feel with my SW 'friends' who even though I've never met, know how I feel and my obsession with food and what I eat (in a positive way). They have really supported me and have helped to keep me going. Some people need the discipline of a class, but I haven't found that.
It took me a little while to settle into the plan even though I have never felt like it is a diet. It now just feels right to me. I fully expect to eat this way for a long time because I am fairly sure that if I stop doing this I will end up eventually putting back the weight on (as much as I enjoy this, I could still so easily go back to eating how I used to if I didn't think about it). But I don't mind too much staying on the plan for life because I eat delicious stuff, have my 'treats' and feel good. And because of that (and the fact that I've lost enough weight to feel so much better about myself) I don't care now how long it takes me to lose the rest because nothing will change when I have ie I will continue to follow the plan so what difference does it make whether I've lost it all or am still losing ?
I'm sorry for the long post but I want to help if I can. I don't know for certain that SW will work for you, I just know that for me it really feels like it has transformed my life.
So big hugs and feel free to ask more questions if I can help.
Gail x
gl12282
Plodding on.......
P.S. My watch is getting looser and looser (really needs taking in now), my ring (from 4th finger right hand) now fits on my 3rd finger left hand and my feet have definitely shrunk - a pair of heels that I haven't worn for about 10 years (why did I keep them ??????!) because I could barely get my feet in them for 1 min never mind 1 hour, now fit and are comfortable. Yaaaaahaaaaay !
Spanx
Pea on legs!
More of my thoughts !
I still find a couple of things difficult.
1. Sometimes even after I've had a massive meal and have felt very full at the end of it, I feel 'hungry' about half an hour later. I can't possibly be hungry but still feel it. It's quite frustrating because it makes me want to eat even though I know I am full.
2. I still find it incredibly difficult to leave food on my plate. Even when I'm full I still can't do it. I tend to eat the salad/veg first and leave the stuff I really like for the end which probably doesn't help but I'm not sure it would make very much difference if I did it the other way round.
I presume I'm not the only one ?!
I used to worry about portion sizes but I don't (as much) now. My portion size has naturally reduced although I still tend to serve myself too much (and then eat it all). I have taken to weighing my rice/pasta just so that I don't cook too much (and then eat it !).
Went out for another run today - felt really good (although I really wanted to stop most of the way round !). Managed to run at least a mile (ran for 16 mins non stop !). Then came back and had some fruit and chocolate (synned). I love the fact that I can eat chocolate etc and not feel guilty because it's been counted.
Bumped into someone at work yesterday who I hadn't seen for a while who took one look and me, stepped back and said 'have you lost loads of weight ?'. It's a really lovely feeling
Hope everyone is having a good week.
Gail x
Gail, me too! I can eat a huge plate of pasta and feel hungry ten minutes later, other days, I can eat a lot less and feel stuffed. There's sometimes no rhyme or reason to it either... just one more thing sent to try us! I also find it very difficult to leave things on my plate, I've tried it (when I was trying out Paul McKenna), but I really struggle!
I don't think my portion sizes have reduced very much - but what I'm eating is certainly healthier and with more fruit and veg, so I'm not going to worry too much about it at this point. If the losses stop, then I will reduce my portions - I guess it's good to have something in reserve!
One thing I did start doing the other week, when my new digital scales arrived, was being much more careful about weighing HEAs and HEBs. I got quite a shock when I saw 28g of porridge oats - without the scales I would have definitely overdone it!
Well done on a super-impressive run! x
valerie11
Gold Member
I don't want to make a hobby out of dieting, I want it to just fit in with my life without it occupying too much thought
hi bess i think this comment goes for all of us that over the years have "dieted" without much success i have always wished that i could go through the day with out thinking about being on a diet that i could be like a "normal" person and not think about food all day long which made me feel even hungrier good luck with what ever you decide
hi bess i think this comment goes for all of us that over the years have "dieted" without much success i have always wished that i could go through the day with out thinking about being on a diet that i could be like a "normal" person and not think about food all day long which made me feel even hungrier
good luck with what ever you decide
gl12282
Plodding on.......
Actually as a comment on this (and I think there are many of us out there who feel this way) I really feel that SW fits in with my life
HOWEVER I'm not sure that I necessarily agree with 'without occupying too much thought'. I spend much of my life thinking about food but not necessarily now in a bad way. Not necessarily thinking about stuff that I can't have but planning what I'm going to have, thinking about avoiding stuff that I don't want to waste syns on and looking forward to the food that I really want (which includes desserts, meals out etc) without guilt. But it has taken me a while to get to this point.
Gail x
I have had time to think. I really appreciate all your comments on here, they have helped to clarify my feelings, encouraged me and strengthened my resolve.
I have decided to join my local SW group, I rang the leader this morning, had a chat and shall be going along on Tuesday morning. I think perhaps a class might be best for me for a while, as I've been trying (and failing) on my own for too long. I can always change to online later.
In the meantime I shall eat lightly and look forward to Tuesday.
I hope everyone who is thinking about SW finds this thread because you have all been so helpful to me.
Many thanks.
I have decided to join my local SW group, I rang the leader this morning, had a chat and shall be going along on Tuesday morning. I think perhaps a class might be best for me for a while, as I've been trying (and failing) on my own for too long. I can always change to online later.
In the meantime I shall eat lightly and look forward to Tuesday.
I hope everyone who is thinking about SW finds this thread because you have all been so helpful to me.
Many thanks.
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