Weight Watchers v Slimming World

Mrs_Ryan

My mum has lost 11 stone with SW and has kept it off- she's been at target for a long time now, I think it's about five years off the top of my head.
I've just started back at WW, I lost 2.5 stone with SW but stopped going after I fell out with the consultant (she texted the week after I had gallbladder surgery and told me she expected me at group that night, that was after telling me she was bothered I would gain because I couldn't come to group after being admitted to hospital in an emergency for said gallbladder issues) I told her politely enough was enough and quit. A WW group opened in our village end of November and there's a few from SW in it. For me the WW ready meals are a saviour- our lack of cooker coupled with my disability means it's impossible to cook totally fresh meals from scratch plus there are more non meat options than with the SW ones. I got fed up of sanctimonious people on SW bleating there's never any excuse not to cook every single meal fresh from scratch and thankfully I've not come across that with WW.
There are things I like better with WW- for example I'm teetotal and like alcohol free wine. SW class alcohol free wine in the same way as wine containing alcohol so a large glass is 9 syns, using most of the syn allowance. On WW the entire bottle is 4 points!!!
My consultant also liked to push people to do the SP (no carbs) plan. I tried it and it made me very ill so on my GP's advice I stopped it. When I asked for help my consultant gave her stock answer of 'do SP' and when I politely explained my doctor had advised I don't do it she went off on one saying it was perfectly safe and there was no reason not to do it and basically ignore my doctor! I said I wasn't prepared to do that, sorry and I stuck with the Extra Easy. However after that she never mentioned the SP to me again and if she did suggest it to people she did say that it was best to check with GP if there was any doubt on its suitability.
I guess they all work in their own way, it's just whatever you feel is best for you.
Good luck!

june89

Funny how the groups differ! Mine is only clappy clappy for any awards that week which are done in one lot after everyone has weighed in. The go around the room has none of that and is much more of a support session. And my consultant pretty much never mentions SP, and is normally quick to say it doesn't work for everyone if someone brings it up. I did go to another group this week as mine was closed and didn't like it as much, so I think it's luck of the draw whether you'll get a good one.

OP - forgot to say earlier that if you do decide to join SW, I would suggest going to a group one week if you can just to get the books. There's a free join voucher out this week (think it's Woman magazine) so you'd only pay the one week's fee of £5. You don't ever have to go back if you can't or don't want to. They charge you extra online to get the physical books and as I've said, I don't find the site that useful.

Vikipollard

Another vote here for SW. It's not a diet, it's a healthy eating plan (and a lifestyle change) and as others have said, you can eat the free food to your heart's content. No measuring or faffing about. Syns are easy to work out too - all listed on line or in the book.

I didn't stay for the meetings either as they were too happy clappy for me, but OP you were planning on using online anyway, so that's a moot point.

WW did not work for me - far too fiddly weighing everything when I tried it, though I admit that was 30 years ago.

meer53

Another vote for SW here. It's a really healthy eating plan, incorporates all food groups plus extras for treats. Things like chocolate and crisps etc can all be eaten as Syns on SW, i lost 3.5 stones in 12 months. I've gained about 9lbs of that in the last 6 months (went off plan when i had my gall bladder out in June !) but will be back on it in January. I'm looking forward to it really.

The cook books are fab and i cook all my SW meals from scratch. Their Curry Heaven book is my favourite.

nuttywoman

Since January of this year I`ve lost 4.5 stone doing SW
I`ve tried ww in the past but it wasn't for me .
I`ve never eaten as much food as I have on sw

kingfisherblue

Saw for me too. Our group is very friendly and supportive, but I understand that is a lot to do with the person who leads it. Some are better than others.

I'm not great at cooking from scratch, but SW allows for that. It's definitely a lifestyle change, not a diet. Having said that, they don't call it a diet, they call it a plan, at least in my group.

There are loads of free foods, and Syns are easy to follow - just look them up in your book or online. I'm lazy when it comes to keeping on track, but I think this year I will set my target. Once I get there, I intend to stay there. I don't want to be overweight all my life, but nor do I want dieting to take over my life. SW allows you to have your treats and then get straight back on plan if you have a bad day/week.

emzi27

Slimming world. I find it more like a healthy eating plan. Weight watchers I struggled with as its so easy to use your points on junk.

gettingtheresometime

J
Thanks everyone for your comments.

I've always said that the only way I would lose weight is I wanted to for me and I think that time has come.

The ready meal aspect if it doesn't bother me that much but I think I need some sort of class if only to get me on the straight & narrow / give me a kick start.

Must admit I'm erring towards SW......

Mupette

Portion control,

get into a habit of writing down everything you eat and drink, and i mean everything, including that mars bar you buy when buying fuel for the car etc,

swap your milks from full fat to semi skimmed or skimmed, cut your bread portions, use less oil etc

orlao

SW for me - I've lost 3.5 stone with another 2.5 to go since August. All using the online site with a lot of support from the SW challenge thread on here :j I've never eaten so much in my life as I am now, it's nothing like the starvation rations I was expecting. My sugar addiction is slowly coming under control and I'm quite enjoying it now but I know that if I want to keep the weight off I'll have to stay on some kind of plan for life...depressing but true!

I couldn't bear the thought of going to meetings - the timings clashed with work a lot and I'm just not the type to talk about things like that ie I never mentioned IRL that I was on a diet and have just said thanks when anyone commented that I'd lost weight(but have been chuffed to bits when they did )