With a history of dedicating hours of my day to counting calories and restricting what I ate, I can sympathise with those on Slimming World. Whilst it is a less restrictive way of eating than tracking 1200 calories a day on My Fitness Pal, I am concerned that it isn't a long term healthy weight loss plan for the majority of people.
Before adopting a vegan lifestyle, I was obsessed with Slimming World Instagram accounts. I wasn't even a member of Slimming World but something about scrolling through people's food diaries and getting ideas on how to "eat healthy" and lose weight fascinated me. Following these accounts also made me feel better when I fell off track for a weekend because other's would post about their binges and mess ups too. It wasn't until a few months into the vegan lifestyle I realised how unsustainable weight loss programs like Slimming World really are.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that there are amazing success stories on these weight loss programs. They are a fantastic first step into adopting a healthier diet if you are coming from a past of junk food galore. However, it also comes with an obsessive mindset. Food products and meals are given a particular number of "syns", with some being classed as "free" (no syns). Roughly 5-15 syns are allowed per day with optional cheat days. Already this is a problem. The terms "syn" and "cheat" imply you have failed yourself or your new diet, which I believe is an healthy mindset to have. I will be expanding on my thoughts of the syn values later in this post.
In contrast, the vegan lifestyle promotes abundance. Unless you are a junk food vegan who eats a tub of Almond Dream ice cream every night, consuming a balanced vegan diet (made up of wholefoods and low fat veganised versions of all your favourite meals), means weight management is not an issue. Talking from my own experience, I had a lot of stress and anxiety when I followed a low carb/calorie restricting diet in the past. Even though I only had about a stone to lose, I found it very hard to shift the weight. For months I was stuck 7 pounds above my goal weight, fluctuating week to week because I would be in a constant binge and restrict cycle. Not only was I not shifting the pounds, my mind was in turmoil because I felt like a failure (and was seriously under-carbed). This led to further restriction followed by even more binging because my body craved energy.
I eat as many carbs as I desire on this vegan lifestyle without gaining weight! Just eat until you are satisfied and you will feel amazing because you are feeding your body and most importantly your brain. Bye bye restriction... Hello carbs!
The main issue I have with Slimming World is the bad press they give carbs. After speaking to people on the program and reading comments on social media about what people eat, it's very clear that carbs are seen as a "bad food". I laugh at this idea because adopting a high carb low fat vegan lifestyle is the only thing in the last two and a half years that has helped me lose weight long term. This involves ZERO calorie restricting, eating foods I love and feeling happier about myself. I haven't binged once since I began nourishing my body with the glucose it needs to function. Zero intense cravings and I no longer think about food all. the. time. Sounds great, right?
Now lets take a look at the syn values of foods. First of all I was shocked to hear that lean meats and eggs were classed as NO SYNS (considered really healthy). This gives me the impression that whilst you might lose some weight on Slimming World, you will increase your risk of heart disease. It was even more shocking to find out that the syn value of Nakd bars are as much as 12 syns (remember you can only have a maximum of 15 syns a day). Fruits and smoothies are massive fear foods in the Slimming World community. I have heard many people tell me that more than one banana would be a bad idea, yet they are more than happy to cook up a chicken fillet which is full of fat and cholesterol.
I love the idea of weight loss groups because they are great support for those trying to change their life for the better. But come on Slimming World, lets sort out those syn values!
Remember, carbs = energy = exercise = happier = eat less.
No carbs = no energy = binge = sad = restrict (repeat).
It is very easy to get sucked into the diet industry, we've all done it. My mum bought three books about the 5:2 diet once as she was determined to lose some weight. One week later and she's packed it in. Why? Because it's not sustainable. Keep in mind that these money making schemes do not care for your health or your long term weight loss. Instead make lifestyle changes. My lifestyle change to a wholefoods, high carb low fat vegan diet has made me extremely happy and I no longer have to hop on the scales anymore in fear that I have gained weight. I know that I will never have issues with weight gain again because I have found a healthy way of eating all the foods I love with zero restriction.
I urge anyone who is struggling to lose weight to read The Starch Solution and blogs about the high carb low fat vegan lifestyle. It will honestly change your life! Let me know what you think in the comments.
