I'VE JOINED SLIMMING WORLD!

[Grasshopper]

Or should I say, both me & Mum have. We joined last week & I'm wondering what my weight will be this week
I want to lose more than 50 lbs I'm sure it will help with my joint problems. Mum wants to come off some of her diabetic meds too.

It's not easy, but loads of foods, including pasta & rice, which I ADORE are 'free'.

We seem to be getting through PILES of fruit good thing we all like it


grasshopper

[aero280]

Weight is mass. If you eat a lot you will put on weight whatever it is. So be careful. I can't believe that Slimming World seriously expects anyone to lose weight by eating large amounts of "allowed foods". If you continue to feel full, you won't lose weight. First thing to do if you want a snack is to drink a glass of water.

When I started on my weight loss, I was under supervision of the nurse at the local surgery. Weighed every two weeks. To start with I couldn't lose weight. I cut down on food and increased the fruit. But I was eating too much sugar, especially in fruit drinks.

Once I got into the swing of it, I lost 5 stone, 30Kg, 70 lbs. But it took about 18 months. If you do it too quickly you run the risk of gall stones. I needed my gall bladder removing at the end of it all, but with hindsight, I had the stones before I started.

The main changes I made were semi-skimmed milk for breakfast. No snacking. And keeping off sweets and big lunches.

[uschi]

I had lost a lot of weight and everyone told me how good it must be for my joints ... only they were achier than before. When I put some weight back on they were back to normal. I have overshot the mark now, being too fat again, but strangely enough a little fat does help with achy joints. Don't know why. Maybe I'm just weird.

[aero280]

Fish oil capsules are the lubricant for joints….

[ianinfrance]

As Aero said, Uschi. But there's more to it than that. The medical profession has demonised cholesterol. But think a mo... why does the body produce it? Because our bodies need it - in the right amount. It stops the skin from drying out too much and (iirc) acts as a lubricant.

But I agree with Aero's main point. Our bodies manufacture fat as a way of laying down excess intake for a "rainy day". If this rainy day never comes, then over the years the fat accumulates. It really doesn't matter what you eat too much of, if "energy in" is greater than "energy spent" you will MAKE fat, and lay it down and thus gain weight, if it is less you will lose it. However our damn bodies are clever things. If on a day to day basis we regularly eat less then we spend, the body goes into "energy saving mode" and needs less, so it becomes counter productive. That's why (so far) we (Jacquie and I) have found the 5:2 diet so successful for us. Because we regularly eat what we spend, our bodies don't adapt in that way. But on our fast days, it calls on our fat reserves to make up the temporary short fall.

[Pepper Pig]

Weight is mass. If you eat a lot you will put on weight whatever it is. So be careful. I can't believe that Slimming World seriously expects anyone to lose weight by eating large amounts of "allowed foods". If you continue to feel full, you won't lose weight. First thing to do if you want a snack is to drink a glass of water.

I've done Slimming World for years since the old Red and Green days. It is recommended by health professionals largely because it is low sugar and low fat. We have members who have been given free membership vouchers by their hospital dieticians because it is so successful. As Grassy says you can eat unlimited amounts of rice and pasta should you wish but that should always be two thirds of your plateful. The other third of the plate is made up of the so-called Superfree foods.

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/di ... w-diet.htm

The great thing about its Food Optimising approach is that you don't actually overeat because of the balance of food that the plan advocates. Sometimes I do feel full all week and yet I've always lost weight. Don't diss it until you've tried it Aero. It's right up in success terms with Weightwatchers.

Good luck Grassy.

[Suelle]

I think the success of any weight loss scheme depends a lot on the 'mentality' (can't think of a better word - mind-set, perhaps) of those using it.

Some obese people, me included, never feel full (it is a genetic/physiological thing to do with hormones) - it would be insanity to put me on a diet where carbohydrates could be eaten freely, especially if 2/3 of what I ate had to be those carbs. I know I would gain weight.

I lost 13kg on the 5:2 diet, mainly by cutting out carbohydrates, and more importantly, have kept it off for almost 2 years. This is the first time I have maintained a weight loss in 40 years of being overweight. I think that is just as important as the weight loss, in view of what usually happens with dieters - the moment they 'finish' a diet the weight starts going on again.

The 5:2 diet has taught my body that being hungry doesn't harm it - some food will be along eventually! Consequently, even when eating normally, my portions are smaller than they used to be.

Edited to add - good luck, Grasshopper - I hope the scheme suits you and your mother!

[StokeySue]

According to the doctor I saw for my arthritic hip you have to be pretty overweight for it too have a significant effect on the joints - it is simply the extra load that causes the problems, & apparently I'm fine (though I'd like to shed another 10 pounds for general health and svelteness)

Good luck with it Grasshopper, you have the example of our own Riocaz to show it can be done!

[Seatallan]

Grassy, good for you and I shall be really interested to hear about your progress. If it is any inspiration to you, I've taken off over 3 stone since the beginning of December and am now at target weight for the first time in years and my goodness do I feel the benefit! I'm definitely fitter than I have been since the year dot and when OH & I were in the Lake District last month on our most recent fell-walking holiday I was positively bounding up things (and beating him which never happens usually ). Of course, being able to buy lots of new clothes in small sizes is also a bonus.

I didn't use Slimming World but have known people who have done so with great success and understand the concept. I went solo but I did do much the same as you are doing- cut out as much fat & sugar as possible, substituted low calorie/low fat versions of ingredients so I could adapt recipes for me (OH has the version with calories in), cut out alcohol, drunk loads of water and ate loads of vegetables & fruit (most of which I still do). That, in combination with really stepping up on exercise, did the trick and I lost on average 2lb per week (a steady and sustainable loss).

I'm really rooting for you and your mum and hope it all goes well.

[Gruney]

I know that our bodies find it difficult to distinguish hunger from thirst, and the advice if you feel hungry,is to have a drink of water, and if you still feel hungry - it is hunger, not thirst. Is there any other physiological reason why people trying to lose weight should increase their water intake?

[Marmalade]

My view is, we all know what it takes to lose weight but If joining any slimming club works for you, and you're prepared to pay them to tell you what (deep down) you already know, then go for it.

[tezza]

I don't know how much SW has changed since I joined about 20 years ago, but I went on the green diet and was told go for your life with the pasta and rice, so I did! After one month I had gained 8lb. So be careful!

Without wanting to end of a negative, good luck! I hope you fair better than I did!

[aero280]

I found that the key to losing weight was to be regularly weighed by a nurse who was wise to all excuses and totally unsympathetic to any "problems".

One of my "problems" was a week when I had three business lunches - "Order salad then, and don't eat it all"!

[Pepper Pig]

I don't know how much SW has changed since I joined about 20 years ago, but I went on the green diet and was told go for your life with the pasta and rice, so I did! After one month I had gained 8lb. So be careful!

Without wanting to end of a negative, good luck! I hope you fair better than I did!

The recommended plan is now called Extra Easy. You can still do a Green and Red Day routine but they have changed quite a lot in the last 10 years.

I really hope it works for you Grassy.

[uschi]

Fish oil capsules are the lubricant for joints….

They also repeat on me something rotten.

I go to a back class regularly and use a gym ball to stay lubricated.

[Catherine]

Slimming World, weight watchers etc etc are much of a muchness so to speak, but if it gives the slimmer the support and it works for them, then that is great. My simple philosophy is consume less calories than you burn and you will lose weight

[Meganthemog]

I remember Ann Widdicombe saying she wanted to write a slimming book - it would be 4 words long.Eat Less - Move more !

[icelesley]

I quite agree with Catherine. I know some people though do struggle to understand even in slimming groups, what a realistic portion is. OK you can have pasta, but do you have 2 ozs 4 ozs 6 ozs, is that weight cooked or uncooked because the volume changes as it absorbs water. My gym owner always said for a portion you should be able to hold it in the palm of your hand as a guide. Or you could buy one of the portion plates with it all marked out for you so no weighing. But goodluck grassy and mum grassy too, you can support one another

[aero280]

I might have expressed myself a bit better at the beginning!!

The first question is: Do you just want to lose weight, or have you been told to lose it by a doctor?

Either way, you have to get on board and take the pain. Sort of "Cold Turkey", but without eating any of it. If you start off looking for ways to eat a lot, I think you will find it very hard.

Listen to Catherine. Less energy in. More energy out. And do increase the amount of exercise you do. Try and set targets. We like eating out. We wouldn't book until I had lost 5 Kg. Then eating out was a treat and a reward. Then I had to lose another 5 Kg before the next time.

Every trick helps….

And Good Luck!

[Seatallan]

Is there any other physiological reason why people trying to lose weight should increase their water intake?

I don't think so. I think the philosophy behind it is that generally we don't drink enough water (and water is, after all, good for your hair & skin as well as all the other benefits) and that people who are overweight may (as a generalisation obviously) be consuming sugary drinks or other high calorie bevereages rather than water (so drinking more water means consuming less calories).

On a general note, I agree with everything that has been said- consume less calories, exercise more- and as I have said, it has worked (very well!) for me but I do think it can be very, very helpful to be a member of a reputable slimming club such as Slimming World or Weightwatchers. I'm not the clubable type and prefer to do my own thing but I've known many people who have joined one or the other and found the support/encouragement/peer support invaluable in sticking to a weight loss plan. Yes, even the reputable clubs have their gimics and it is easy to be dismissive but if they are genuinely teaching people new eating habits and providing their members with the necessary tools & mindset for avoiding regaining weight in the future good on 'em say I.

[earthmaiden]

Well done grassy and your mum! I think it takes a lot of courage to go to a slimming class, like anything else, it's the first step to admitting to the outside world that you could use a bit of help. If you follow the rules and don't cheat you will lose weight - and having the ordeal of being weighed by a stranger each week is incentive indeed!

Of course, the basic rule is less calories in than you expend, but if we could all do that easily we wouldn't be overweight! I don't know how the diets at Slimming World work, but have seen some great results from friends. As for the rice, it is often recommended that you eat rice as your main carb as it is helps to wean you off processed and sugary foods which cause cravings for a variety of reasons. I'm sure it doesn't mean vast quantities though. It seems a general rule of thumb that if you can stick to a new diet for 5 days and get over all the cravings and bad feelings as your body adjusts to a new happy feel that you'll be on the right road.

Keep us posted

[StokeySue]

Gruney wrote:Is there any other physiological reason why people trying to lose weight should increase their water intake?



I don't think so. I think the philosophy behind it is that generally we don't drink enough water (and water is, after all, good for your hair & skin as well as all the other benefits) and that people who are overweight may (as a generalisation obviously) be consuming sugary drinks or other high calorie bevereages rather than water (so drinking more water means consuming less calories).

I think many people have a vague feeling that they should increase their water intake to "detox" when losing weight, which doesn't really make sense

However. if you are doing Atkins or South Beach other low carbing that leads to a metabolic condition known as ketosis (when you burn off fat, turning some of it to acetone), then the ketosis makes you thirsty and increases the risk of dehydration

Avoid calorific drinks is another good reason, but of course the water doesn't have to be "pure" - you can drink infusions etc.!

[ianinfrance]

The 5:2 diet has taught my body that being hungry doesn't harm it - some food will be along eventually! Consequently, even when eating normally, my portions are smaller than they used to be.

Jacquie & I chorussed "exactly" when we read this.

[dennispc]

5:2 suits us fine, we're not obsessive about it and don't count every calorie. We don't keep to it if on holiday or if circumstances get in the way and find it easy to slot back into it. On the fridge is a page of a Hairy Bikers book, that lists a variety of food (with weight) that represent 100 calories. More useful than any recipe book.

It works for us.

[Grasshopper]

OMG 23 replies already!

I wanna lose weight for 3 reasons:

A: I don't want to end up on meds for the rest of my life
B: Losing weight will help my joints
C: I'm sick of my bulges

I don't wanna be a skinny minnie, just 'comfortable'

BTW I tried a sweetener in my coffee tonite instead of my usual teaspoon of sugar - 'syn'-free and NOT BAD AT ALL!

Sweeteners will come in v handy when I'm out or at 'W'.


Grasshopper

[Sloe-Gin]

Good for you, Grassy.
I have lost 5 stones, 4 of them through 5 2. I am now maintaining on 10st 3lbs and reckon I have the tools to do this for life.
Please be aware that pasta, rice, bread erc are very high in carbs and should be eaten in moderation. Get yourself on My fitness pal and track what you eat.
Good luck.

[Pepper Pig]

Slimming World is actually an eating plan, not a diet. Or so they say. It is also extremely high fibre. Your bread should be wholemeal, your pasta wholewheat and so on. Fruit should not be messed about with! Orange juice is Synned for example.

When I'm following it properly, which isn't always, I feel absolutely fantastic.

Bread is very restricted Sloe-Gin. 60g per day - that's 2 slices from a small Hovis. If you want more then 1 slice is 6 of your daily Syns. You are allowed up to 15 when you start the plan.

[ianinfrance]

Is there any other physiological reason why people trying to lose weight should increase their water intake?

Yes, I think there is, especially on the fast days in the 5:2 diet. Consider this. About 60 to 90% of everything we consume is water. If we eat less, we consume less water. However, if the reduction in water intake is sufficiently significant, it can cause problems. Aero has talked about gallstones, my brother got gout. These might be entirely unrelated to dieting, but I suspect that they aren't. Your body uses water to clean out unneeded waste products so if we cut back significantly on our water intake, it could make their elimination more problematic. Cutting down to 1/4 of a normal food intake will cut back to 1/4 of a normal water intake too and that's a lot less.

What Jacquie & I started doing quite spontaneously when we started the 5:2 diet was to drink a great deal more water than we'd done hitherto. It wasn't really a conscious decision, but for me it was instead of milky coffee, which had calories. What is interesting is that now I find I drink water three times out of four rather than coffee, even on "non fasting" days, and it seems to suit me better.

[dennispc]

Following on from Ian’s post both of us drink a lot of water during the day for other health reasons, it never occurred to me that could be the reason we find 5:2 so easy to follow. Certainly logical.

Always we liked our tea very weak (became a family joke) but over the past few years we have nothing but mint tea - better this time of the year picking fresh leaves from the garden - and I’ll have fruit tea sometimes.

As for bread, making our own (a batch of white rolls using overnight method just out of the oven) I did find it difficult to cut down. However, not having bread on a fast day made it easier on other days to reduce intake.

What I like about 5:2 is that it’s me deciding what I eat.

Good luck to you all.

[ianinfrance]

mint tea - better this time of the year picking fresh leaves from the garden

Just a suggestion... when your plants are in full growth and "bright eyed and bushy tailed", keep picking more than you need and tie up what you pick in bundles. Hang these in a warm dry place (if you have easy access to it, an attic is often perfect, but a shed or greenhouse etc are good). You will then be able to use your own mint outside the growing season. It's what a lot of folk do round here.

[dennispc]

Thanks for that Ian, even more money saved.

[peasoupdragon]

Well done to you for joining Swimming World!

I weighed my self last night and was horrified at how much weight I have put on.

No excuses its just FAT!!

With a history of obesity and diabetes in my family (brother and sister are both) I live in fear of my health so decided last night I was definitely doing something about it.

From what I know having done Weightwatchers and being underweight at times of my life the key is:

Eat Less Crap

Drink more water

Walk rather than drive or take the bus!


Good luck with it will be keeping an eye on this as my first aim is to lost five percent of my body weight

[mogatogs]

Grassy - good for you and go for it! ignore the negativity and 'science' just enjoy the plan.

[Grasshopper]

FIRST WEEK - 2.5 lbs!!!!!!!

I wasn't expecting THAT much - I haven't exactly been saintly this week, but 2.5 lbs is 2.5 lbs innit!

Oh wow!

<------------------------and with good reason!
Grasshopper

[Busybee]

Well done Grassie. It's much better to lose weight steadily, so 2lb a week is great going.

BB

[tezza]

Nice one oh grassy one! Well done you!

[ShotleyGirl]

Well done Grassy

[StokeySue]

I wasn't expecting THAT much - I haven't exactly been saintly this week, but 2.5 lbs is 2.5 lbs innit!

[peasoupdragon]

Well done Grassy you must be doing something right!

[jrc]

I know I need to lose weight. What I don't find fair is I am 5'4". I weigh 12 stone and am a size 20 clothing. Whilst we eat out regularly, most of the time I now go for the healthy option and usually bring most of my main course home in a doggy bag.

My friend is exactly the same height, weighs 13.5 stone, eats for England, massive portions, most of it deep fried and is a size 14.

[StokeySue]

I know I need to lose weight. What I don't find fair is I am 5'4". I weigh 12 stone and am a size 20 clothing. Whilst we eat out regularly, most of the time I now go for the healthy option and usually bring most of my main course home in a doggy bag.

What has always amused me are the claims made for celebrity slimmers (especially Vanessa Feltz)

Who is shorter than I am, who even when she had her massive weight loss weighed more than I do currently - but claimed to be UK size 12
No way Jose! A US 12 maybe

And they always claim to have lost 10 lb and dropped two dress sizes
I've lost 25 lb and just about lost a dress size

[Seatallan]

Well done Grassy! That's fantastic!

Blimey, JRC, I'm 5ft 4 too and when I weighed 12 stone I could usually get into a 14 (and always into a 16). At current weight (9 stone 8 lbs) I'm usually a size 10. I'm surprised you're a size 20. It must be something to do with shape I suppose. Are you very muscular perhaps, or particularly wide shouldered? Mind you, I'm equally surprised your 13.5 stone friend can get into a 14. Are you sure she isn't swapping labels? I think you should go clothes shopping with her to check!

[Pepper Pig]

Well done Grassy!

[Suelle]

What has always amused me are the claims made for celebrity slimmers (especially Vanessa Feltz)

Who is shorter than I am, who even when she had her massive weight loss weighed more than I do currently - but claimed to be UK size 12
No way Jose! A US 12 maybe

And they always claim to have lost 10 lb and dropped two dress sizes
I've lost 25 lb and just about lost a dress size

I so agree! I think they must count coming down from eg 16 to a 14 as two sizes! I've lost just over 30lb and gone from 22/24 to 18/20 depending on where I buy clothes. I call that 2 sizes. The biggest thrill was buying size 18 trousers without an elasticated waist!

It depends where you lose weight from, I suppose - I am an apple shape and don't seem to have lost as much from around the waist as I might have hoped. A friend who is a similar height and weight as me, and has lost a similar amount of weight on the same diet, is a different shape and is down to size 16 for trousers.

[Seatallan]

I've lost just over 30lb

Well done Suelle!

I hope you're suitably proud of yourself? You should be!

[Herbidacious]

I went on a low cal diet for 10 weeks before Christmas. I allowed myself one small sweet thing a week and ate only low glycemic index carbs, and very little fat (hardly any cheese ) I was aiming for 1200 calories a day but often had closer to 1000. I lost ten pounds. Ten pounds is quite a lot but it was a lot of deprivation for a 1 lb a week loss. When I was younger I could have lost that in a fortnight, by skipping a few lunches!

I am interested in the 5:2 but feel faint and nauseous on less than 800 calories. Does that go away?

n.b. I used My Fitness Pal [url]http://www.myfitnesspal.com/[url][/url][/url] to very strictly an truthfully count my intake!

I am dieting again now. All this talk of eating, even in a dieting context is making me hungry! (Or reminding me that I am.)

[StokeySue]

I am interested in the 5:2 but feel faint and nauseous on less than 800 calories. Does that go away?

i found it did, but I did a Pilates class on Tuesday (a :2 day) and had the most awful cramp, to which I am prone.
Not only during the class, but the muscles stayed really painful for about 48 hours
I didn't however feel faint or nauseous

Looking at some sports medicine sites, it seems likely that this may have been due to depletion of the muscle glucose/glycogen stores which would make sense as i am given to low blood sugar and I'm pretty sure it wasn't electrolyte or water issues, so that may have been the root cause for years when exercising. Doctors/the NHS/standard medical books/physiotherapists only seem to know about cramp in the context of night cramps in the elderly, which I don't suffer from or electrolyte problems

So i am now struggling to fit the :2 days round the rest of my schedule, and pondering my options

[dennispc]

I am dieting again now. All this talk of eating, even in a dieting context is making me hungry! (Or reminding me that I am.)

As you know Herbidacious we're all different. A few months before 5:2 was invented I was trying calories reduction. At breakfast instead of having three items, banana, muesli and Shredded Wheat I had just two. I found the same wobbly leg feeling similar to your description by about 11 am, leaving out banana was significant in that respect.

However, a little while into 5:2 I found that by having no breakfast the feeling disappeared. Obviously all I can say is it worked for me.

This 5:2 website I found useful, recently changed its name, take no notice of the adverts. It’s run by people who are interested in others benefitting in a no profits way - much the same as this Forum.

https://forum.fastday.com/

It’s recently changed its name, but I’m sure it’s the right one.

We're retired so it's relatively easy to chop and change days to suit circumstances and we certainly don't bother about it for holidays.

There are no rules with 5:2, apart from the 500 cals twice a week. I'd suggest try a couple of weeks doing 800 and gradually reduce over time. We are certain we eat less on our 'normal' days than we did before.

All the best to you.

[jrc]

Hi Seatallen. Most of my weight is in my middle. I am a size 20/22 dressing from Bon Marche. The problem I have is the combination of being on steroids long term for asthma and a back injury that prevents me from exercising much.

Some days it isn't an issue, other days I struggle to walk more than round the block. Sophie is very full on with her walks and drags me along. I was swimming until recently but further hurt my back and neck.

I genuinely eat what you could put on a side plate over each 24 hour period. Yesterday, I never ate anything at all until 7 30 pm.

Even eating out regularly, I have a starter, then usually bring most of my main home in a doggy bag. Never have a dessert.

[Seatallan]

Oh poor you JRC. It's so difficult when you can't exercise much- a bit of a vicious circle isn't it?

Perhaps you aren't eating enough and your body is doing the 'starvation mode' thing? Just wondered if possibly eating a little more frequently might help (grazing on healthy snacks such as vegetable crudities & low fat dips, fruit salad, sunflower seeds, dried fruit, etc). It might be worth getting some advice from a dietician maybe?

Anyway, I still say 5 ft 4 and 12 stone is not particularly heavy. According to the BMI charts you're a healthy weight at anything below 10 stone 7 lbs and you're only in the mildly overweight bracket now.