Newbie couple of queries

[surlou]

Hi All
Just started this last week and am a little confused...

The Healthy Extra carbs - with the cerials it only gives you certain choices... does this mean that all others are excluded? Its just I bought the Alpen no sugar and it seems to be the same (slightly less) cals and fat etc as the Co-op swiss no sugar muesli - am presuming I am ok to just substitute?

Also it says that I should have a scan bran, have been reading about these and what if I don't want one? what can I substitute? not very flexible am a little disappointed.

Also, the choice you want it not on the list of healthy extras, does that just mean you have to syn it? don't understand how a chocolate cerial can be on there but not rice krispies or special k.

Finally is there a calculator you can take round the shops? have read on these posts that the syn value has no formula (which the accountant in me does not like ).

I must admit that I am slightly skeptical that I have eaten a lot of free spag bol tonight... and will still lose weight. I am guessing though if you don't follow properly and eat loads then you just pack it on horribly!!

Thanks everyone.

 

[PatchworkPuss]

Hi!

Cereals on the healthy extra list are there because they are high in fibre. While you can substitute a shops own-brand version of a listed cereal eg Tesco bran flakes for the branded version, you can't choose something that is not on the list. Special K and rice crispies are not very high in fibre and are high in sugar so they don't count as healthy extras and need to be be synned but weetabix, even the chocolate one, is high in fibre.

There is not a syn calculator I'm afraid but for foods with no free foods in the main ingredients you can use the 1 syn for every 20 calorie rule.

And don't worry, as long as you follow the one third superfree rule then your spag bol is fine. The superfree foods help to naturally limit the amount of free foods you eat. Of course if you choose to stuff your face just because foods are free then it will likely affect your losses.

Good luck!

I believe you can have a ryvita in place of the scan bran if you prefer, or you can choose not to have it at all. Again they are there to make up the fibre count but if you are eating a healthy balanced diet you will get fibre from other foods as well.

 

[surlou]

Thanks for the answer... I think I have a lot to learn.