There seems to be a little confusion around my food choices when it comes to Slimming World.
This week alone I have had over twenty emails and messages from lovely concerned blog readers who think that I am making errors with my eating! 
So I thought it wise to set the record straight…
First of all, I will reiterate that this blog was intended as a record of my journey – the ups and downs of losing over 32st without surgical intervention. It was never intended as a guide to the Slimming World eating plan – for that, you need to join a group or join their online plan and get help from trained Slimming World consultants. The emotional and mental journey is far more important than the food I eat…and this is what I intended to convey.
As ‘losers’ we do like to focus on the food though – and I get many more messages about what I eat than what I do to help my mind…which is sad in a way, as the mind element is the most transformational!
To focus on the food though, my consultant – who has years of experience and who has helped someone achieve a Slimming World ‘Greatest Loser’ title – and my dietitian, and various other professionals, are well and truly keeping an eye on me. If they thought that I was doing something ‘wrong’, they would be the first to point it out.
I do not want you thinking that it is my intention to encourage you to eat what I do. I have taken into consideration factors such as my weight, my height, my activity levels, my medical requirements…all of which mean that my calorie intake will be very different to yours. I have discussed this with all of the aforementioned people, who are all in agreement that I am on the right track.
For example, I am allocated a higher level of syns due to my weight – which is something that my consultant and I discussed at length. Not wanting to let old habits creep in, I decided that instead of choosing foods from the syn list – the kind of food items that made me fat in the first place and that I have a tendency to overeat – I would select an extra HEB choice each day. This HEB choice is the equivalent of 6 syns and is high in fibre…a better option than a chocolate bar or a packet of crisps.
I also like to enjoy Green and Original days occasionally – and only switched to Extra Easy recently as an experiment to see if this positively affected my weight losses. On the Green and Original days you have two HEA and two HEB choices. You still have to load your plate with Superfree foods though! 
As someone who started Slimming World at fifteen years of age, I remember when fruit was not a superfree food…you had to syn it. I remember when syns were called sins…before Slimming World realised the negative associative connotations with the word and understood that ‘synergy’ was the success point behind the plan…allowing us to choose those food options that made the plan sustainable for life. I even remember them selling carob coated digestive biscuits that tasted like cardboard! And I remember the introduction of the Extra Easy plan.
I am not saying that this means that I am an expert – far from it – but I have been around so to speak and understand the plan quite well. I always have my nose in the Slimming World books, checking syns or making sure that my HEB measurements are correct. I even regularly recheck the foods I eat via the syns online directory, as when manufacturers change the recipes, the syns can sometimes change. As I said though, I am no expert…and this is why I would hate to think that there are people out there trying to replicate my eating patterns. If you want to follow the Slimming World plan, then joining a group is the best way of getting the correct advice for you and your needs.
My nutrition diploma also gave me a good insight into my eating. It just confirmed that I was doing the right thing really. I have a decent balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats and never look to eliminate certain food groups.
As well as having my head in the Slimming World books, I also have my head in various books about the latest diet craze, keep up to date with the changes in the world of weight loss via friends who work for the British Dietetic Association, and read numerous medical research publications relating to weight loss studies. I have made it my business…my job almost…to make sure that I reach my target.
So I really do appreciate you looking out for me – I do. But my journey is a long and arduous one and, I hate to admit it, but having pushed my body to it’s limits it doesn’t necessarily respond in the same way that a body belonging to someone with less weight to lose does. This does not take away the effort and sheer determination that it takes, regardless of your weight, to get to target…it is just the sad truth of getting to the size that I did. I have a feeling that my body is giving me a tough time at the moment as payback for the tough times I put it through!
I absolutely admire anyone trying to lose weight, regardless of how much weight they may be trying to lose. My only worry is that I do not want to be seen as someone who eats food that will help you lose weight too. We may or may not have the Slimming World plan in common, but within that plan there is so much flexibility to tailor it to your own needs that I think it is important for you to take the time to do this rather than seeing my blog as a guide to food choices. Plus, I eat stuff like sardines and sprouts…which often aren’t popular choices!
So thank you for your concern…but I’ve got a good handle on my food choices and a good team of people around me!
Today has been great! I am currently preparing to head off to see a comedy gig tonight…a little nervous about the seating issue, but what will be will be – if I don’t fit in the seat then I leave, and stay on track until I do fit in the seat! We had a lazy morning, but then realised we had forgotten to buy food for the day and so headed to the shops and took the horse duties off Mum’s hands today. I then spent some time talking to a wonderful lady this afternoon…who has achieved some amazing things in her life. And now I am getting late for the gig and need to get ready…so I had best go!
Brunch: Turkey rashers, Linda Mc sausages, scrambled eggs, fried mushrooms and tomatoes, and wilted spinach.
Dinner: Lamb pittas (2 x HEB).
Snacks: Fruit with 0% Total Greek yogurt, Babybels (2 x HEB) and mini Green & Blacks bars (12 syns).
A very tasty food day! Brunch was a nice cooked affair, and fairly simple – grilled turkey rashers and Linda Mc sausages, with fried mushrooms and cherry tomatoes, wilted spinach and scrambled eggs. Dinner was grilled lamb steaks stuffed in pittas with salad, with minted cucumber yogurt, grilled peppers, cherry tomatoes and a banana. My snacks were good too – fruit and yogurt for later on this evening after the comedy gig, and some snacks for the car journey home from the gig…laughing builds an appetite!
Exercise: A glorious rest day today!
Thank you so much for reading, and thank you for your continued support.
Weight Loss Bitch xxx
WeightLossBitch
On a health and fitness driven journey to lose over 32st / 448lbs / 203kgs – yes, it is a considerable amount – I am committed to losing my excess weight without the aid of weight loss surgery, diet pills, or quick fixes…as there aren’t any! Changing my eating habits and building up my fitness levels, along with addressing the ‘head issues’ will be crucial in order for me to achieve my goal. Living in England as a 31 year old super morbidly obese woman can be challenging to say the least. I have been shouted at in the street and verbally abused far too many times to mention; hence the name ‘Weight Loss Bitch’…the day I am just called a ‘bitch’ instead of a ‘fat bitch’ will be the day that I know I have cracked my weight loss! With many reasons to lose this weight I am documenting my journey for a number of reasons. Firstly, I would like to keep a record of the ups and downs, the highs and lows, and the challenges I face with such an enormous task to tackle. Secondly, I would also like to inspire and encourage other people who are in a similar situation and to show them that significant amounts of weight can be lost naturally…with a bit of motivation, hard work, dedication and will power. Thirdly, all of the blogging, Facebook-ing, Tweet-ing, Pinterest-ing and YouTube-ing keeps me occupied and keeps my fingers out of the fridge!
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