Afraid to use syns...

... and not for the reason you think. I completely agree that a little bit of what you fancy does you good, and can even boost your weightloss by causing you to stick to the plan while you still have your little indulgences, but, I'm afraid to use them.

I have a history of binge eating, and I'm frightened that one treat will be the 'gateway drug' that'll trigger a full out binge. I'm worried that I'll see 'eating as cheating' with reference to the synned food, and everything will go off the rails. I'm frightened to have one packet of sweets in case I go off the deep end.

Now, I'm not sure why I feel so shaky - my eating has been golden over the past week and I think I'm doing really well. It's just, I'd like to start incorporating syns into my diet without worrying that it'll trip some switch and I'll end up back at my old ways, mainlining liquorice comfits and Lindt chocolate.

Any advice would be warmly welcomed!

Are you using any syns with your meals? Sauces, gravy, extra cheese, butter on your HEB toast?

Would that be a way to use them (they're important and need to be eaten!)

I'll maybe try and work them in with my meals - some jam on HEB toast would be a good start!

Do you really need to eat all your syns?

Ah, I see - I've just gone and eaten a hifi bar to top my syns up

I agree syns are so important, they give you flexibility to not feel like you're on a diet, make you happy! and you can cut them down closer to target.

Would you maybe consider getting s certain amount of chocolate (say 5 syns worth) to eat, having nothing else in the hosue you could binge on and see how you go? Or what about melting it and dipping fruit in it then leaving to set? that way you get your little bit of chocolate AND boost your SF.

Or try some of the SW 'swaps' involving chocolate or jelly.x.

This was never a problem the last time I did SW - I literally couldn't get enough syns! I'm going to buy a small multipack of Cadbury's Fudges with my shopping tomorrow - I like them, and they're only 5 or 6 syns each, so it would mean I was using up some of my syns, getting a wee sweet treat but still feeling in control.

I'm also going to make the SW blancmange with the Mullerlight yogurt and the sugarfree jelly - yum yum!

Syns don't have to be chocolate/crisps/sweets. They can be avocados, nuts, butter, oil, sauces. Syns is such a stupid word - try just thinking of them as extras, which is what I call them.

I find it easier if I keep my syns til later in the evening then have a cup of tea or hot choc and a small treat. If I eat chocolate earlier in the day I'm more likely to binge so I prefer to keep them til evening!x

alibalibee said:

Yep you need to eat your syns. My consultant explained it that when we get nearer our target weight, its our syns that we will cut back on rather than healthy extras or free foods to get to our target xx

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Oh dear, now I am a little concerned about my use of syns, because .....

Theria said:

Are you using any syns with your meals? Sauces, gravy, extra cheese, butter on your HEB toast?

Would that be a way to use them (they're important and need to be eaten!)

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AnnaFaraday said:

Syns don't have to be chocolate/crisps/sweets. They can be avocados, nuts, butter, oil, sauces. Syns is such a stupid word - try just thinking of them as extras, which is what I call them.

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...... as Theria and AnnaFaraday have suggested this is what I do. I don't use syns for chocolate, crisps or biscuits any more. As I have got into the SW lifestyle I have found my craving for these things has completely disappeared, and I use very few syns each day, often less than 5. My syns are healthier things like nuts, dried fruit, extra light mayo on a sandwich, and perhaps some cornflour in a sauce or the occasional low syn SW recipe from one of their books. I am now concerned that I will not be able to reduce my use of these type of syns as I get closer to target because I don't see them as naughty as I would a chocolate bar or a slice of cake.

TBH I don't know how I feel about the advice to cut back on syns. I've not been there yet so don't know how hard it gets, but generally SW is a balanced diet which automatically restricts calories. Health guidelines I've read suggest it's not healthy to cut calories much further than a strict SW diet - instead you're supposed to accept slower loss rates. I'm not sure cutting out syns when you get closer to target would be a great idea from this point of view, especially if you're using them on healthy things like avocado or nuts.
The way my consultant/SW stuff I've read explains it is that syns are there to be had because they stop us feeling deprived, and ensure we get enough calories.

I am nearing my target and rather than cut down on syns I have bed. Advised to up my Superfree, maybe try success express. As I am full of a cold this week I am doing a week of trying to have 50% Superfree with my meals if I can! and snacking on Superfree before free foods.

I can completely understand this and felt exactly like this last week but have started having my syns in the form of a freddo (5) curly wurly (6 I think) Wotsits (5) Iced gems (5) I got rid of the usual items I would buy weekly so it's all new stuff. I wanted to break the habit and start feeling in control of my snacking. Hope that makes sense x

Gwella said:

TBH I don't know how I feel about the advice to cut back on syns. I've not been there yet so don't know how hard it gets, but generally SW is a balanced diet which automatically restricts calories. Health guidelines I've read suggest it's not healthy to cut calories much further than a strict SW diet - instead you're supposed to accept slower loss rates. I'm not sure cutting out syns when you get closer to target would be a great idea from this point of view, especially if you're using them on healthy things like avocado or nuts.
The way my consultant/SW stuff I've read explains it is that syns are there to be had because they stop us feeling deprived, and ensure we get enough calories.

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I agree with you, plus no one has said cut out syns, I myself said I was told my by SW consultant to cut back on syns, so rather than having 10 syns, as you get closer to target, maybe have 5. And by closer I meant when you're say, 7 lbs from target. Your syns are so important and very much a part of balancing your diet x