Hi. Becky here. I am already a member of 'weight loss nhs group', where i weigh in once a week, record my weight, and say how my weeks been, and support others too.
Is there much difference in joining the real thing 'slimming world' other than paying £20 a month for being a member?
Does it really help you lose more weight attending a proper face to face slimming world group? Does anyone who's used Slimming World, can recommend it?
On their website they say:
"What you’ll get...
A friendly, highly trained Consultant — who has been a member themselves — who'll support you through your weight loss journey
Support and advice, not just in your group, but during the week too
Our free bumper member pack, which includes everything you need to Food Optimise for your first week… and for life!
Free online access to our members-only website and apps, packed with hundreds of inspiring recipes, plus meal planning and activity tracking tools
Free lifetime membership when you reach your target weight
The promise of no humiliation or judgement — just care, support and encouragement."
Written by
becky3344
2st 7lbs
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Hi Becky, you've posted this twice. You may want to delete the other.
I'd look beyond the words at what diet plan SW promotes. As I understand it, it relies heavily on carbohydrates and frightens people off fats so that they often resort to 'diet food' (i.e. heavily processed, low fat products). For that reason, it wouldn't be my choice.
Why not have a go at using the Daily Diary for a couple of weeks? That might give you different ideas about meals and some tweaks you could try to your current plan. You're very supportive with your weigh-in team and I'm sure you'd enjoy the interaction on the DD
Hi BridgeGirl. Yes i wasn't sure if putting it as 'a question' would reach as many people than if i put my post as 'a post' if you get what i mean. I can delete one of them.
Do you think SW tries for you as well to not eat as many carbs?
Yes i was thinking of using the Daily Diary. I feel more up to doing that at the moment.
I do wonder if i eat too many carbs.. I do love carbs.
Thanks for your reply and support, it was nice of you.
I don't know if it will help you to know that I spent months not using the DD and eventually found that when I did use it, things went way better than when I didn't. I use it almost without fail now and it's an important part of my journey.
Thank you Tiggerr for your reply and how you find DD.
For me personally, i find alot of my struggle is my emotional state, and mindset. Since going through peri-menopause, my emotions and feeling im not in control of my mind as much as i was before it stated and i have other menopause symptoms which have been affecting me greatly over the last year.
But i'm digressing. I can see than if a person really wants to make a change and lose weight that they have to really want to lose weight and try and put some real effort into doing that.
I know that i haven't felt able to use DD up until about now. I feel less resistance to use it. Trying to loss weight i feel is so complex as it covers a multitude of other things as well.
You saying you using DD is an important part of your journey, that does fill me with more motivation for me to try it too. Thank you.
I hear everything you're saying though I'll never be in a position to understand any part of menopause, other than having a partner who had years of having to deal with it.
I resisted moving to the DD. Maybe it was a resistance to change or because I'm stubborn and expected to be able to handle things 'my way'... maybe both. I think it's good that you might be seeing it as an option for you to move forward.
Of course, there are many other events, groups and challenges here that may help us all in one way or another. Like you say, it's about making changes and most of us (and I include myself) are happy to follow the path we know.
Thank you Tiggerr for saying what you feel about DD. I was feeling that way for the last 3 months about DD. But i seeing no staying off weight, as im up and down 2 lbs all the time, and it is frustrating. And i do feel i'm not really progressing very well anymore.
Have you found many other groups, events, and challenges to help you lose weight?
The tone of your response leaves me feeling that you're feeling positive (that in itself puts a smile on my face) and that you're positively looking for ways of breaking the last few month's stalemate.
Nothing specific works for me becky but committing myself all the time to various events here does. Though what helps most is talking to you and other people like yourself and me. It keeps reminding me of the things that I need to keep doing. It's rather self indulgent, I know.
By talking to people here every day, you can't help but stay focused, or at the very least, more focused than you would be otherwise
If you get a chance, look at the What's Happening page and see who is hosting what and have a look at the various events and challenges... maybe take the plunge with one or two
I don't know the detail of the SW diet but I see people posting here who are used to a high level of carbohydrates which, to me, is not a healthy or balanced diet. And I'd forgotten until moreless mentioned that dreaded word 'syn': there can be few things more guaranteed to foster an unhealthy relationship with food than describing food as 'syns', to my mind.
I have found the Daily Diary very useful at different stages, when I wanted to be a bit more focused. The main benefit for me was 'putting it in writing' for others to see: that strengthened my commitment to what I was doing. I also picked up some recipes/dishes that have become favourites e.g. blue cheese and walnut omelette and, more recently, bacon and cabbage/other veg. There's a lot of chat about dishes and members are happy to answer questions.
They will ask you questions, too, particularly about what is your overall plan (e.g. calorie counting). That's so everyone knows your framework and can make more useful comments about your day's plan. If there are ever comments that sound critical, it will be with the intention of being helpful. It's up to everyone whether or not to take any notice of suggestions and/or advice.
Do some browsing and see whether you think it's for you. Browsing alone may give you some new ideas
Yes i can understand about the syn wording and how it's not positive. I think not being in a good state of mind usually these days, part of me feels if i put my a day of what i eat on DD, i will feel any reply i will see it as a criticism and judgement.
When really it's they are probably not being that way. Instead i should see it as a positive input and possible helpful suggestions.
Yes true, it's up to us if we decide to take other peoples suggestions or advice if it does sound critical.
Thanks, yes i will browse again DD and have a look.
It's all down to personal choice, becky. I paid 4 different weight loss groups, got fatter and learned nothing. Here I was able to lose 7 stone, learn so much about nutrition, make lots of friends and all for free.
Just think about how many people rejoin and how much they have to pay, if they regain just 1lb. That's how they make their money
Yes i agree, everything is down to personal choice. I do find it interesting hearing about other peoples experiences with using paid weight loss programs like SW or WW. From what i've read already, most people say they get more out of it being on here than joining a paid weight program.
That's amazing your current story of losing 7 stone, and learning so much more more than you did on other paid programs you tried.
Did you find their 'highly trained consultant' no good. And what does that really look like? Was it some person who weighed you, and gave you some leaflets to read on weight loss?!
I'm afraid having someone else tell me 'how many points', a mystery only to them, using the word syn, advocating unlimited consumption of carbs, selling highly processed foods, with dodgy ingredients, etc. is just demeaning and doesn't encourage free thought, or individual research.
The advice given there is biased, here, there are hundreds of people, offering their own opinions/successes/failures, which means that we're all open to a huge amount of information, enabling us to make informed choices.
Thanks Moreless for explaining how you found SW or WW. I;ve never been before, so when you say about 'how many points' that doesn't mean alot to me. Was it done on points then?
Are you saying they used the words 'sin' in describing certain foods, like having 'unlimited carbs'?!
Do they try and sell their own processed food brands to members?!
Yes i can understand that feeling 'alien' and not flowing or encouraging, supportive or nurturing.
Having informed choices, sound like a good thing to me.
Hi Moreless. Thanks for explaining how WW and SW works in regarding how they value and categorise every food.
Knowing sort of how much each food is in calories is a good thing and then after a while you sort of know without having to look it up all the time how many calories are in things.
But i can see labelling certain foods as syns, can only work for so long until you feel you've had enough of doing it that way. And feeling that it was never going to work, if it was going to be a life long commitment.
Maybe like everything in life balance of things is a good thing.
Hi I feel exactly the same as you. It’s easy to take things to heart. I did Sw and found it very successful for me. The idea of unlimited carbs is scary and I limited mine as I am diabetic so carbs were not good for me. I think the weigh ins were a great motivator but the amount of money you pay when you can get the same support here and try a different way of losing weight out weighs joining a group. In comparison I find this group much more beneficial I don’t post everyday but I do visit everyday for meal ideas and reassurance that m not on my own battling my weight problem 😊
Yes i take things to heart, especially with hormone fluctuation rife while going through peri-menopause.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about SW. I forget what Moreless said about WW do points, is it, and SW does syns. Or is it the other way around?!
Did you get on okay with ether of those concepts instead of needing to count calories, or did you anyway.
I'm thinking you must of gotten on well with it, if you found it very successful.
Yes the idea of changing your thought pattern to think of as many carbs as you like, is scary and alarming to a degree.
But then i know only through real change can you sometimes see a real result, that goes for many things in life too.
Yes i saw on their website SW charges £20 month, that's why i wondered if it was worth it. Paying the monthly subscription for something which if others think it's worth it. But i know we are all different and to compare everyone to yourself is probably not the way. But it gives me some ideas of how others found using these subscription weight loss companies overall.
I have been building a picture that where it works for some, if they stop going they can put the weight back on easily. While one or two others lost alot of weight and seem to have changed their ways and kept it off.
While others don't like the concept and running of these companies, and can't wait to get away from them.
I submitted my first Daily Diary on Weight Loss Nhs yesterday, and i feel better for doing it. Although it was one of my better eating days, so not so incriminating.
I do love bread and carbs.
The meal ideas i did look the other day at the vegan meal ideas, or the vegan posts i forget. I need to look again.
Yeah know what you mean, looking at other peoples recopies, and joining in with other events like the weigh in, and perhaps the Daily Diary, you feel like you aren't doing it all on your own. We are social creatures by nature they say. And to a degree i agree. It helps me too being on here, and talking with people like yourself and others. And hear how they are finding trying to lose weight.
Are you trying to lose weight for health reasons, or other reasons? For me it's all of it. I am overweight and for my health and well being i want to loose another stone.
Sw had syn values so there is no calorie counting, but as they are a lot of free foods which you can technically eat as much as you like it can get out of hand so you really need to control portion size for it to work. Sw works for me but you have to stick at it 😊
I'm wondering why you're asking becky. Has your weight loss slowed or stopped? If so, perhaps you can explain what the situation is and someone here can help.
From the perspective of many here, losing 1-2lbs a week is a sensible rate of loss and going outside of that boundary tends to only lead to difficulties further along the road.
I've just deleted a long paragraph where I compared each thing you listed against what is available here and then I thought you must know that what's here compares easily and more substantially to all that.
I'm happy to take £15/month of you and this is still a good deal
Hi Tiggerr again. I just have replied to your other reply message you sent me, explaining more about my current situation. Yes my weight loss has slowed and stopped, although i was ill for a month with bad asthma. But at the last weigh in last week i had lost nearly 2 lbs. But that is rare these days. Over all since last October i've lost 12.2 lbs so far.
To reach tail end of my BMI healthy weight range, i need to lose another 1 stone 2 lbs.
Sorry to hear about your asthma, that sounds terribly debilitating. Glad you're feeling well enough to be thinking about yourself more now.
You've come along way and 12.2 pounds is fantastic. Your latest 2lb loss is something else to be happy about too. Only another 2lbs and you get your 1 stone badge and have less than a stone to get into the BMI healthy range.
I think, as has already been discussed, that using the DD is probably all you need. I don't know if this relates to you but I have trouble getting into routines so I stick things on my phone calendar so that I get reminders every day until things become a routine.
Yes i want to use DD. I'm starting to count my calories again and record them using 'lose it website.' I prefer it over Fitness Pal, although i know alot of people love Fitness Pal. I stopped counting calories for the last month or two, but im doing it again, which im glad about. I have a wipe board to remind me things, and i love writing out lists of things to do..
That all sounds very positive and I hope the DD is something that you find works for you.
I'm sure the calorie counter will do what it says on the tin. I would imagine that it's a case of ease of use to the individual and that they are each as accurate.
I like the idea of a wipe board to keep everything plain and visible
Healthy eating combined with TRE (time restricted eating), reducing the alcohol intake and exercise helped me to deal with the its symptoms. It also helps with managing weight.
So, if you can reduce the amount of sugar and starchy carbs from your diet, it might speed up your weight loss and help you deal with the other menopausal symptoms.
I used to go to Slimming World & lost 17 kg’s . When I stopped going I put most of the weight back on & then rejoined , lost weight , stopped going & then rejoined again etc. My biggest problem was the unlimited about of pasta & rice I was told I could eat.
When I joined this friendly group I started to weigh the pasta etc to calorie count & found I was eating about 3 portions rather than the 1 I thought I was eating.
I’m now thinking about what I’m eating a bit more & the weight is slowly coming off & it’s free 😃
Well done for losing 2 and half stone. So going did help you lose alot of weight. What was the final reason why you decided not to keep going was it them telling you, you could eat unlimited amounts of past and rice?
Wow. So SW they wouldn't tell you to weigh food? Or pasta and rice, because they thought there wasn't many calories in them?
Yes i think it helps to think about what you're eating, it's a start in order for you to be more in charge of what we are eating daily.
Well done that you are seeing weight slowly coming off, have you been on this website very long? Yes it's great when you find things that are great, and seem to work, and that they are free.
I started at 85kg .My first SW leader was great (2006) but when stopped going I put the weight back on _ too many sins probably. I regained quite a lot (back to 78 kg) about 10 kg regained.I rejoined several times but didn’t gel with the new leaders ( one put on a stone on a 10 day cruise- not a good example really ) .Losing & regaining the same 10kg over & over again.
I did get back to my lowest weight through being on a restricted diet but the my dad was in hospital for a while so didn’t have much time to batch cook healthy meals & put back on some weight.
Then my father in law was diagnosed with bowel cancer (fantastic NHS removed it & in remission) but he was in hospital for 3 & a bit weeks , but what with visiting him, taking them shopping etc I reverted back to takeaways & ready meals & the weight went back on.
The wonderful bunch on this forum supported me through this & I rejoined in May & the weight is slowly coming off.
morning im a bit late joining this conversation as not had chance to get on. ive tried all sorts over the years and ww did work for me as lost over 3 stone but.... at the time I eventually put it all back on and more. I also tried other diets/meetings and most would work for a while. ive heard many success stories and everyone finds what works for them. then about 7 years ago I went to nhs weight loss meetings and instead of dieting learned to change the way I ate and retrain myself to eating healthier and exercise. I lost over 3 stone. the difference being over the years ive mostly maintained,a stone has gone on but worked straight back and took it off again. ive been a lot happier and content with my weight and when I have slipped ive managed to get back on track. however from Christmas I struggled to lose the stone this time as I gave in on my cravings every night. then found this forum and been back on a week and got all my willpower back and im motivated and feel happy. I love you can go on here chat and weigh in. good luck with your weight loss. p.s I keep the chart on my fridge with my dd.
That's the thing, isn't it? It's not about losing weight, it's about keeping it lost.
The testimony of many people coming to the forum tells me that WW and SW can be helpful in losing weight but don't give the tools and understanding to keep that weight off. At least, that's the impression I get. We do the metabolism a lot of damage during that losing and gaining process
I'm finding it interesting too, hearing about different peoples stories/experiences with WW or SW and how they are able to take the weight off, but like you said. Alot of people can't help it and end up putting it back on again, and it can turn to be a cycle.
I didn't know about how losing then gaining weight can affect for the worst out metabolism.
Hi. I'm glad to say you're not too late, and glad i'm able to reply.
Thanks for your contribution. I just put up another post asking people to share their large weight loss experiences and if and how they are able to maintain it off. And how it makes them feel during it all.
Its amazing you lost 3 stone. How long did it take you to loose 3 stone? And what did you do differently that you weren't doing before you lose all the weight?
You said the weigh loss nhs meetings (i didn't know they had meetings.)
showed you how to eat differently and to eat more healthier. What foods were you eating before, and after which made the difference for you?
Are you saying that you felt happier once you put a bit more weight back on after losing alot? Why was that, did you feel less stress of having to try and keep it off?
Cravings.. The pleasure of eating, treating yourself. For me it's a little vegan ice cream and chocolate every pudding time.
Yeah it's a good place to be isn't it, on here. We are very lucky to have such a great place.
Sounds like a good place to put your DD. I'm back to using/recorded what i eat on LoseIt.com website, then i've started to use DD and put on there what i eat, but not my evening food, as i think to put what i eat on their at the end of the night is too late. So i guess what i'm going to eat in the evening. I need to amend my yesterdays DD.
Id been going to slimming world on and off for years I can honestly say the NHS one is much better. This is my 1st week and iv lost more on my 1st week than I ever done with SW. Different plans work for different people. Good luck in your weight loss journey 😀
Thanks Kirbo for your reply. That's pretty amazing, you've lost more on here than you did going to SW. Are you willing to go into why you didn't get on with SW, and how you found it? And what do you like about this site that you like better?
Hi becky3344 of course I dont mind staying why. With sw I'd get bored as I'd always make the same foods and never had time to pre plan meals so in the end I wasnt have proper meals like I should have been plus on sw carbs are free and I was having to many of them as its was a quick meal that also slowed my losses the most iv ever lost was 1stone could never get by that. With my size youd think I'd lose it easy but that wasnt the case.
This is my is 1st week doing NHS and I'm finding it much easier doing calories than free foods and syns.
Will see how this plan goes for me. Hope it helps 😀
It does work for thousands of people that why it's so popular it's just not worked for me and I think I'd been doing so long I just go fed up. Good luck with yours I'm sure you'll find what's best for you. 😀
hi, ive struggled with weight most my life as a lot of people do. you look for the perfect diet and the best thing for me was going somewhere I could go weekly and get weighed. many year ago I lost over 3st at ww but it was the motivation of the leader and how proud I felt getting on the scales that helped lose the weight. when the leader changed I lost my way and eventually put it all back on. I then bounced about , literally ,lol. I had my little boy 8 years a go and was struggling again. don't think nhs do meetings anymore but it was a 12 week plan. we pick up bad habits over the years and associate food with everything, feeling low means chocolate, parties is cake, cinema is sweets etc.. it cannot be undone overnight. nhs makes you think about your choices ,how diet food is not always the best option, basically eat healthier and exercise. I didn't push my weight loss past a certain point and decided to stop pushing to lose that bit more, to stop as I was happy and to maintain. yes I could slip and put a stone back on but my mind was so focussed I jumped back into healthy eating mode and get it off again. to be honest I cannot rem exactly how long to get 3 stone off but about 6 months, im happier now cos yes ive had a struggle since Christmas but ive not piled 3 st plus back on, since being on this forum and gently reminding myself and doing the weigh in ive found im back to my healthy eating. I eat weird mixtures,lol, so im told. anything I enjoy that's healthy. breakfast often porridge, if at work for lunch beetroot with cottage cheese and sweetcorn and some lower cal crisps. teas can be spaghetti bolognaise etc.. but last night I had air fried sweet potato fries with baked beans poured over and mayo. sounds strange? but it was lovely and well in my calorie count for the day and puds can be yogurt poured over fruit or meringue. different people can need different things for their weight loss, this works for me. good luck in your weight loss, you've done brilliant to lose 12lbs so keep going and youl get there
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