Slimming World Secrets

What would JVT do after a Slimming World gain?

Damnit, it’s a gain this week. Only a teeny one – the teeniest there is – but a gain nevertheless. The run of ten straight losses is over, the neat column of green cells on my spreadsheet now sullied with red splodge at the bottom, like a badly designed exclamation mark.

• Average Syns per day: 5.8
• Average Speed foods per day: 6.6
• SP days: 3
• Body Magic days: 5
• Result: +½lb
• Total loss: -4st 3½lbs

I stepped on to the scales this morning, and the result was there in black and white – well, LCD dark grey and light grey: a ½lb gain. I got off and on again three times, I moved the scales to the left a bit, I even took off my underwear. Same result every time: a ½lb gain. Grrr.

Despite being angelic all week, the scales didn’t seem to care. So I made myself a cup of coffee, drank it, gaining another ½lb in the process and got on with my day.

What we need is a football analogy

It’s at times like this I ask myself: what would Jonathan Van-Tam do? And, of course, the nation’s favourite Deputy Chief Medical Officer would do what he always does in sticky situations: he comes up with a football analogy.

“Andie,” he’d say, for we’d be on first-name terms, JVT and I, “you’ve been on a great run, but even the greatest runs come to an end some day.”

I’d nod with resignation, and JVT would look at me over the top of his glasses, as he does, motioning with his left hand to hammer home his point.

“You’ve won ten games in a row, you’ve landed four trophies, and your goal difference for the season so far is still a fantastic -16lb. This past week, you’ve gone out there and played an absolute blinder, but you can’t win ‘em all.”

Then he’d tell me to pick myself up from the hallowed turf of some grand old stadium, dust myself down and go again. He’d probably end with a railway analogy – another of his favourites – about my quest for Target being like an express train bearing down on its final destination station. Good old JVT. He always knows what’s best.

Even Slimming World angels fall

So I’ve had another angelic week – average daily Syns way below what I’m allowed, a Gold-standard Body Magic effort, three SP days and plenty of Speed foods (although down a little on what I’d like).

And I know why I’ve gained: I’m constipated again! Despite upping my fibre intake, with kale, spring greens and passion fruit, things just ain’t moving along quite as often as I’d like!
I could, of course, blame my Covid-19 vaccine for the gain, but I’m not sure Prof Van-Tam would approve.

Despite being a few years under 50, my GP surgery invited me to have my jab six days ago. All went well – I was in and out in less than five minutes, and the process was like a finely tuned, military machine. I’m so proud of everyone in the NHS who’s involved in this Herculean effort.

My vaccine was the AstraZeneca (Oxford) version and, unlike plenty of people I know, I suffered absolutely zero side-effects. I was a little concerned about the rumours emerging later that day that this jab could possibly cause blood clots – various countries have outlawed it “as a precaution”.

But it seems there’s no real evidence that it does and, if anyone was going to get a blood clot, it would be yours truly (I’ve had a DVT and am on HRT). But I’m fine and dandy.

No group again tonight, as our consultant is doing more training with Slimming World, so we did our Zoom chat on Tuesday instead.

The great ‘layered learning’ mystery

The training, though, sounds very mysterious, and rather intriguing. I keep hearing this phrase “layered learning” – but my consultant’s lips are sealed until next week. A Google search for “Slimming World and “layered learning” reveals absolutely zilch.

But hey, this wouldn’t be Slimming World Secrets unless I did a bit of digging for you, would it? So here’s what I’ve gleaned from watching a Facebook Live video from my consultant. Spoiler: it’s not much – she’s under strict instructions to stay shtum!

• The layered learning will take place over six weeks, starting next week, (w/c March 22).
• It involves thinking about what the future holds for you as a slimmer, now that society is gradually opening up again as the Covid-19 pandemic eases.
• “Doing things differently” is a phrase which keeps cropping up – but I get the impression that it’s not so much a change to the plan as a change to how the plan is approached.
• It very much involves a new approach to Food Optimising.
• People whose membership has lapsed – and those who weigh but don’t join Zoom groups – are being urged to take part.
• And you will need five things:
  • Your Be in Love with Food Optimising book (the one in your pack in which you write down your weight each week, check Syn values and cover with shiny stickers).
  • Your Be Delighted with Your First Six Weeks book (the one in your pack that you’ve probably never, ever read).
  • A pen
  • A highlighter pen
  • Some Post-It notes (other sticky notes are available but, let’s face it, they’re not as sticky).

Who wants to lose 1st in six weeks?

So, there you go, you now know as much as I do. I shall leave you with the words of my wise consultant, who says she’s “super, super excited” and “buzzing” about this layered learning malarkey.

“It’s massively going to help you,” she says. “You could be getting a stone off in the next six weeks. It’s going to empower you massively – it really, really is.

“I thought I knew Food Optimising, but did I? Now I have a much better understanding about Slimming World.”

And if someone I look up to as a shining light to guide me on my Slimming World journey is saying that, then it must be pretty ground-breaking stuff. I wonder what JVT would think. 😉