Thursday, 2 October 2025

Wednesday and my perspective on SW changes; 01-10-25

 Hi, everyone! Welcome to my blog where I talk about my ongoing Slimming World and associated health journeys. I'm now around my target range and am aiming to keep this steady while following Mediterranean diet principles and the Slimming World structure which is now going to include the three different healthy extras - calcium, fibre and fats/oils.  I'm winging it a bit until the info about amounts is released - making sensible guesses based on prior knowledge!

After planning in hummus for today, I realise that this change-over is not necessarily going to be that simple in the shorter term.  
Let's look at the ingredients in my home made hummus which is counted as four syns per portion.  The biggest syns come from the tahini and extra virgin olive oil, both of which could be part of the healthy fats/oils.  I'm assuming tahini will because it is made with ground sesame seeds and I know evoo will be because it's the most heart healthy oil of the lot!
So - given that what I had is one estimate and I don't remember which recipe I used, this is where I just have to be sensible and make a judgement based on prior knowledge.

What brought this to mind was the amount of negativity on channels that I watch, especially around avocado, would you believe?  Avocado?????
No pointing fingers from me, that would be very unfair and mean and everyone is entitled to their own feelings and opinions, but I am having my little say here.

Let's look at avocados as an example.
Avocado has never been banned by Slimming World, it has never been 'hated', surrounded by negativity, forbidden or any of the other terms I have heard used.  In fact, it has been encouraged as a 'savvy syn' - as a good way to get your heart healthy fats/oils in.  
BUT, because it is high in fats, it has needed to be synned.

What that means is that mindful, perhaps unwanted choices have had to be made - avocado or a Mars bar, for example, to state it very simply.  Fifteen syns is a limit, not a target.  It's up to you and me how many we have and from what.  
Because, if we want to lose some weight and improve our health, we have to make some choices, make some decisions, maybe rebalance our foods and we have the freedom to do that within the Slimming World structure.

Now that the whole ethos of heart healthy foods, Mediterranean style, plant based, minimally processed, gut and heart healthy eating is becoming mainstream and is very supported by a whole lot of scientific development and research, Slimming World has changed certain elements in its structure to embrace this and I, for one, am absolutely delighted that this is happening.  
It will be worth the initial confusion, the re-assessing of favourite recipes, the need to slightly 'double-think' for a while . . . 

. . . which is why I am starting now.  When everything officially changes over on January 1st, I intend to be fully prepared and ready to roll with it!

I'll continue tomorrow - this is more than enough for one day!  😃


Today's food:

I don't usually photo my fruit but this looked so pretty . . .

A very tasty lunch.  I added some balsamic vinegar to the hummus because - why not!

One healthy fibre for the melba toast and one healthy fats/oils plus two syns for the hummus - explanation at the end.
I was full so left my fruit until after personal training.

I had a dinner disaster!
All cooked, dished up, I took it over to the light box for a photo and - flipped the whole bloomin' thing over and onto the carpet.
Top down.
What a mess!
What you see is what I salvaged, reheated after doing my best with the carpet.  It will need another good scrub tomorrow morning and the mishap has reminded me that it's pretty much time for a carpet clean anyway.

Oh, dear!

It was still nice though - one calcium and two syns for avocado oil

Anyway, here's the summary!
one healthy calcium (OK so some got scrubbed off the carpet but I'm calling it one)
one healthy fibre
one healthy fats/oils
four syns

Regarding the hummus, each pot was four syns and those syns came from evoo and tahini.  I had two pots so eight syns.  If you count six syns as one healthy extra, that's my fats/oils for the day plus two more syns.
It will get easier!!


Tomorrow's meal plans:

B:  fruit

L:  refried bean quesadillas, side salad; fruit

D:  salmon, vegetables; fruit

Exercise:  not sure yet





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