Easy Extra SP Explained (updated with December 2018 changes)

The Slimming World plan is a dream for anyone like me, who loves food and more specifically loves eating food! It’s a non-restrictive healthy eating plan, not a diet. You don’t cut out any food group in the Easy Extra plan, and you get to eat chocolate, crisps, sweets, fizzy drinks and whatever else you like….just in moderation and within your syn allowance. This is an explanation of the next step in the Slimming World plan – Easy Extra SP. 

 know that there are a lot of people who do Slimming World from home, and many who need refreshing on the facts now and again, and recently I’ve had quite a few people ask me about the Easy Extra SP plan and how it works. 

I, therefore, wanted to set out what exactly doing ‘Easy Extra SP’ means, how it can help, and a few key recipe ideas which have really helped me when I’ve followed the plan. Before I do so though, it’s really important to say that the Easy Extra SP plan is not meant to be followed as your everyday Slimming World plan, instead, it’s to help give your weight loss a little kick up the bum, or speed things up for a special occasion for example. The regular Easy Extra plan works a dream, and to maintain long-term weight loss is the best thing for you. So on that note, here’s a few details…

What is Slimming World Easy Extra SP?

It’s quite straightforward really and is centred around the principle that you fill your plate only with S and P foods (speed and protein). So that means no potatoes, rice, pasta, Muller Lights, or other regular free foods that you might have at meal times. Given that there are so many S and P foods to choose from though, this doesn’t by any means limit you to munching on rabbit food and chicken! If you’re not sure which foods are S and P, they’re marked really clearly in your Slimming World book, and there are loads of lists online too. 

The second principle is that you have 10 syns per day to enjoy on Easy Extra SP (this was changed from 15 per day as of December 2018). You don’t cut those out, so continue eating your chocolate and drinking your wine, or cooking with oil and enjoying salad dressings if that’s how you chose to use your syns. You do not deprive your body of sugar, or any of the fun stuff, because if you did then the minute you switched back to the regular plan you’d put weight back on! Remember though, that you can’t just decide to eat regular free foods and syn them, as you won’t have the correct syn values and it kind of defeats the point!

One major part of the Easy Extra SP plan is that you get to enjoy 1x Healthy Extra B choices AND 2x Healthy Extra A choices. 

Hopefully, this diagram helps explain it at the very basic level!

Easy Extra SP

Please note that as of Christmas 2018 the syn allowance has been reduced to 10 syns per day on Easy Extra SP and you are now allowed 2x Healthy Extra A choices. You are now allowed 1x Healthy Extra B choice, previously you were allowed two. 

When should I do Easy Extra SP? 

This isn’t one I can give you a definite answer for, as it’s completely up for you. I can say that SP works very well for speeding up your weight loss in time for a special occasion, for example, a wedding or birthday, or to give yourself a little bit of a weight loss buffer before a big event like Christmas! It’s also great if you’ve found your weight loss slowing down, as I have recently, to help kick start things again. What I find personally is that if I feel myself getting complacent, a couple of SP days can really help to focus my mind on the ‘rules’ of Slimming World, but that might just be me. 

How long should I do Easy Extra SP for?

This is again quite a personal one, it does boil down to how much you want to lose and how quickly you want to do so, but I would advise not to do it for more than a week at a time. Because Slimming World is so easy to follow, and you can eat almost everything you’d normally eat anyway, you generally don’t feel like you’re on a ‘diet’, making it easy to resist temptation. I think that being on SP does feel more restrictive, and psychologically if you’re anything like me when you think you’re on a diet all your brain tells you to do is eat crap! The longer you go without something you want the more likely you are to cave to it, and if you do that then it could lead to eating other foods outside of your syn allowance. So only do it for as long as you feel comfortable denying yourself certain foods!

Does Easy Extra SP work? 

As always I can only talk from personal experience and observation, but as a general rule, I’d say yes. It doesn’t work for everyone, some people find it to restrictive and end up snacking too much and consuming too many calories elsewhere, which can even lead them to put on weight. Some people simply don’t like it and feel that it defeats the point of a long-term lifestyle change. I’ve done it where it worked, and done it where my willpower just hasn’t been up to the challenge, but it is definitely something to try if you find your weight loss slowing down a little bit. If it works then you’ve found a way to give yourself a little boost every so often, if it doesn’t then you’ve not lost anything by trying! 

December 2018 Easy Extra SP Changes

As of December 2018, Slimming World has made a number of changes to the Slimming World plan, including a few which directly impact your Easy Extra SP days. If you joined Slimming World after this point then these changes will already be a normal part of your plan, but if you were doing the plan beforehand it’s important to be aware of the latest updates. Not everyone will choose to implement them, but it’s good to know anyway! The biggest of these is that you are now only allowed 10 syns per day on Easy Extra SP, down from 15. This is to help make the plan even more effective! 

A few Healthy Extra ‘a’ choices have changed:

  • A Healthy Extra portion of whole cow’s milk has increased to 200ml.
  • A Healthy Extra portion of rice or almond milk has decreased to 400ml.
  • 40g Paneer cheese is now a Healthy Extra ‘a’ choice! 

Some products are no longer Healthy Extras:

  • Kelloggs Special K Milk Chocolate Delight Bar
  • Sweetened dairy-free milk
  • Reduced fat/light soft cheese (including Philadelphia Light)
  • Soft goat’s cheese

One very positive change for those following the Easy Extra SP plan is that you are now allowed 2x Healthy Extra A choices as well as 2x Healthy Extra B choices through your day.

Easy Extra SP Meals 

Here are a few of my SP meal options, but there are so many others out there so have a Google when you’re done here and see what you come up with! What’s more, most meals you eat regularly can be adapted to be SP. For example, eating bolognese with corgetti spaghetti, or simply replacing your regular pasta or potatoes with speed veg! 

Syn Free HexB Pizza – you can use this as one of your HexB options and your HexA choice and top it with plenty of S and P foods. If you use my Syn Free Pizza Sauce too then that has even more added speed! 

Slimming World Tomato and Rocket Salsa with Chicken – this is one of my favourite meals! Totally SP and totally delicious! 

Chilli & Paprika Carrot Chips – I made these when I was doing an SP week recently, and they were a lifesaver! If you fancy chips but can’t eat potatoes or even sweet potatoes because you’re on an SP plan then these are wonderful! 

Smoked Salmon and Chive Parcels – quark is a P food, so you can eat these tasty salmon parcels no problem! 

 

A few things to help you on your Slimming World journey…


51 Comments

  • Kate Morgan

    18/01/2017 at 9:51 pm

    Ooops just tried to sign up but missed a letter out of my email address! It is below! Could you email, if poss, this SP guide it's really well explained! Thank you x
  • Maggie bungay

    07/02/2017 at 12:18 pm

    What wraps are syn free or low syn
    1. Cliona

      07/02/2017 at 12:19 pm

      Hi Maggie, you can have some of the weight watchers high fibre ones for your Healthy Extra Bs ?
  • Emma Gray

    09/02/2017 at 3:03 pm

    HI Cliona Love your blog! Quick question about SWSP: I'm a long term SW fan who has had major success so far, but now I'm living out of the UK and haven't been to a group in a long time, SP is a new concept to me. Can I do SP days in an ordinary extra easy week, or is it an SP week or an EE week? Hope this makes sense, keep up the good work, I'm glad I stumbled on to this page! Best wishes Emma x
    1. Cliona

      10/02/2017 at 1:02 pm

      Hi Emma, sorry it has taken me a little bit to get back to you! You can absolutely mix SP days in with regular EE days on Slimming World. Personally I find it too much to do a whole week of SP so tend to do a couple of days to help boost my week. Hope that helps! Really glad you enjoy my blog :) x
  • Sonia

    18/02/2017 at 5:30 pm

    I'm a bit confused! I did 4 days of sp easy. I was very strict and I put on a pound. Admittedly my monthly came on the day of weigh in. What did I do wrong?
    1. Cliona

      21/02/2017 at 10:23 am

      Hi Sonia, your cycle does have a huge effect on your weight loss and can cause water retention and bloating which really does make a difference with weight loss. SP doesn't necessarily work straight away and you can sometimes see a result a week or so after, so just keep going and I'm sure you'll see a difference. SP doesn't necessarily work for everyone though, some people just need more carbs in their diet to lose weight! Make sure you're eating enough when you're doing it and ensure you're having both your Healthy Extra B choices as that can help give you the carbs and the fibre you need! Hope that helps, well done for committing to your weight loss :)
  • Edith

    07/03/2017 at 2:48 pm

    If muller yogurt are free why can't they be ate on sp day just going to try doing sp for the first time
    1. Cliona

      08/03/2017 at 4:21 pm

      Hi Edith, on SP days you have to eat foods which are designated as either 'Speed' or 'Protein' on Slimming World, plus your Healthy Extras. As yogurts aren't either speed or protein you can't include them in the plan on an SP day. I hope that helps!
  • Rhian

    12/03/2017 at 12:26 pm

    Hi. I am such a fussy eater so find SP days so hard. I usually have poached egg on toast for lunch. Can I add the S by having a fresh fruit meddley after my poached egg on toast? Or does it have to be part of the meal? Not sure what I can put with poached egg on toast lol ?
    1. Cliona

      13/03/2017 at 1:03 pm

      The idea of SP is to have half of your meal as speed, however if you're using your Healthy Extra B I know it can be hard to do that! What you don't want to do is eat unnecessary calories just because you feel like you need to eat more speed. You can try adding some cucumber or tomatoes if you like them alongside your poached eggs, but if you don't want to just make sure to have plenty of speed at your other meals!
  • PATRICIA KELLY

    16/03/2017 at 10:31 am

    Feeling totally confused. Can I have Aldi FF Banana & Custard Yogurts, 1/2 Syn, (or similar, if the are Syned) for my 5-15 daily Syns? Surely, if I can have chocolate, wine and sweets, for my daily Syns, the yogurt would be better. I love my desserts and am happy with speed fruit and yogurt on my SP days. Please help. xx
    1. Cliona

      17/03/2017 at 1:21 pm

      Hi Patricia, unfortuantely you can't have yogurt even if it's a synned variety as it won't be accounting the full amount of syns that you'd need to count and there's no way of working it out. It's best to stick to foods which stick within the SP framework or are fully synned. Hope that helps!
  • Tina

    27/03/2017 at 11:30 am

    Do you have to use all your syns in 1 day or can you save them for a night out
    1. Cliona

      27/03/2017 at 2:22 pm

      You can save them if there's a special occasion, many people do this a lot but Slimming World don't advise doing it regularly. Instead they suggest being flexible with your syns, still ensuring that you have some syns every day and counting your syns but not beating yourself up if you go over! You can find more info about Flexi Syns on the Slimming World website if that helps!
  • Jules Hickmott

    26/04/2017 at 7:35 pm

    Thank u! - you really helped explain SP on slimming world which I need to do to boost my weight loss - your menu ideas really helpful - quick question: could I have 2 slices bread & 1 hi fi bar as HEX b ? & then if i wanted another sw hi fi bar later on , syn it? Thanks Jules
  • Jules Hickmott

    26/04/2017 at 8:26 pm

    Really love your blog! Found you by accident! & glad I did! Your SW recipes are so nice- & i love how you highlight things in your blog & with a click it takes you to the recipe you need - so helpful - love the hunters chicken cant wait to make it as its my favourite 'pub recipe' but havnt had it since joining SW last January & i have lost 2 stone 3 1lb and still homout to eat - I just make better choices , but if i can have things like SW hunters chicken at home well its a win win!!! Thanks again ! Your information Is so easy to read and follow & interesting! Regards Jules
  • barbaragardner99@gmail.com

    27/04/2017 at 7:20 am

    2 small glass wine on specific?? Syns please thankyou
    1. Cliona

      27/04/2017 at 2:43 pm

      Hi Barbara, it would depend on the kind of wine you're drinking but the syns would be the same on both SP and the regular Easy Extra plan :)
  • Susannah

    27/04/2017 at 12:39 pm

    Hi just start slimming world I was just wondering how do I work out syn with point can some explain it say if h eat pizza what the syn and point
    1. Cliona

      27/04/2017 at 2:43 pm

      Hi Susannah, you can find the syns for specific items on the Slimming World app or website and if it isn't on there you can use Slimming World's syn calculator to work things out. If there is no free food in the thing you're eating, you can use the 20kcal = 1 syn rule, however this only works for things like sweets, chocolate or crisps. Hope that helps! Good luck on your journey!
  • ANN HIGGINS

    11/05/2017 at 8:29 am

    can you have free fizzy drinks on SP
    1. Cliona

      14/05/2017 at 7:02 pm

      HI Ann, you can have fizzy drinks on SP.
  • sue

    12/06/2017 at 1:53 pm

    hi...sorry im confused .... i have yoghurt as my hea in my porridge ,,,you say you can have your normal hea and 2 heb when on SP...so why cant i have my hea yoghurt ?
    1. Cliona

      13/06/2017 at 12:48 pm

      Hi Sue, lovely to hear from you. Yogurt's aren't used as your HeA, they are simply either synned or syn free. On SP days you can only have either Speed Food, Protein Foods, Healthy Extras or your 5-15 syns. You aren't allowed yogurt, even if it's synned, as you won't be able to syn the full amount as they have free food content. Hope that helps clear it up!
      1. Maggie

        11/02/2020 at 6:27 pm

        Can I have a slice of brown wholemeal toast as my heb and grated cheese for my heA
  • Lynn Hird

    29/06/2017 at 10:50 am

    Am trying S P for first time ,, I didn't think you could have bread . But have I got that wrong !!!
    1. Cliona

      01/07/2017 at 10:17 am

      you can if it is your HexB :)
  • Alison

    30/06/2017 at 6:58 am

    Hi can I have Iceland slimming world burgers or sauces on sp ? X
    1. Cliona

      30/06/2017 at 5:49 pm

      Any of the Iceland meals which are suitable for SP are marked on the packaging :) if you double check the sausages and burgers it'll tell you! From memory you can but I'd double check first :)
  • Lynn Hird.

    02/07/2017 at 2:26 pm

    Hi. Is couscous free ,,, and can you have it on S P day. Please. I have only just decided I like it. Ha. X
    1. Cliona

      03/07/2017 at 10:27 am

      Hi Lynn, couscous is free however as it's not a S or P food or a Healthy Extra you can't have it on SP days. It's great on normal Easy Extra days though! Hope that helps! :)
  • Sara

    17/07/2017 at 10:25 pm

    Thankyou so much.You explained great.All ready brought yoghurt so will give sp ago when they are eaten. I understand why people can't understand no yoghurt.But there's plenty of syns Thankyou very much
  • Judy

    05/08/2017 at 3:43 pm

    Hello. Just found your blog! I'm on my 2nd SP day, so I'm still feeling my way. I've eaten some blueberries, mistakenly thinking they were speed. Does this mean I should switch back to Extra Easy, or can I carry on, please?
    1. Cliona

      05/08/2017 at 6:28 pm

      It's definitely not the end of the world! I would just carry on as you wee planning to and remember for next time ? Good luck! X
      1. Judy

        06/08/2017 at 6:59 pm

        Thank you. Much appreciated xxx
  • Rachel

    05/09/2017 at 12:38 pm

    Hi, what would you recommend drinking on SP days? I enjoy a diet coke, and some sugar free quash usually - but these are free? Don't know if i am over-thinking it :D Thanks!
    1. Cliona

      26/09/2017 at 12:19 pm

      Hi Rachel, yes those are both free :) enjoy!
      1. Suzanne

        19/10/2017 at 5:34 pm

        Hi , If diet coke is free can I have it on SP days ?
        1. Cliona

          19/10/2017 at 6:12 pm

          Yes absolutely ? Drinks aren't counted in the rules on SP so Diet Coke is fine!
  • Gina Daly

    14/09/2017 at 7:48 am

    Hi thanks for clearing a few things up just one question you said previously 5 to 15 syns or healthy extras can you explain
    1. Cliona

      26/09/2017 at 12:17 pm

      Hi Gina, it's 5 to 15 syns plus your healthy extras :)
  • Kelly Shannon

    03/02/2018 at 9:01 am

    Can I still drink coffee on a sp day?
    1. Cliona

      05/02/2018 at 9:13 am

      Yes absolutely but any milk would need to be synned or used as HexA :)
  • Samantha ralph

    04/02/2018 at 8:46 am

    Hi, I am thinking of doing some sp days. I have looked on the slimming world recipe site and there are some lovely meals. The diet coke chicken says it is suitable for sp days, so even though it has free food in such as soy sauce, is this ok..
  • Shainaz

    09/07/2018 at 7:54 pm

    Hi there. I'm so confused. Is extra easy option different to sp days? I have discovered some frozen food in Iceland which can help me out alot. So if I have these am doing easy extra optimising or sp days? Sorry for my lack of knowledge but I have found it difficult to understand. Shaz
    1. Cliona

      31/07/2018 at 1:07 pm

      Hi Shainaz, yes they are different. SP is an accelerated version of the normal Easy Extra Plan which will possibly speed up your weight loss. In terms of the Iceland meals, some will be marked as suitable for SP and some won't :)
  • Shannon

    14/02/2019 at 2:45 pm

    Hello, just wondering if I can have butter and syn it on an SP day, thanks in advance ?
    1. Cliona

      15/02/2019 at 2:23 pm

      You can as it is synned :)

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