Paul McKenna - Webchat about emotional eating and weight loss, Friday 10 January.

[RachelMumsnet]

Paul McKenna is back! He joined us last January to talk about his book The Hypnotic Gastric Band. This year he's going to be telling us about his latest weight loss programme Freedom from Emotional Eating.

Emotional eating is the number one cause of obesity in the Western World. Paul's latest programme claims to bring about dynamic and lasting change and help break the cycle of frustration and self-medication with food.

Come and talk to Paul on Friday at 12pm or post a question to him in advance on this thread.

Hi Paul

How is this message different to ICMYT, your earlier book?

Thanks!

Hi Paul

Do you believe if someone is eating a bit to much it's an emotional crutch?

Do you believe people can gain weight without eating more

I gained 3 stones when I was prescriped anti depressants......and I hardly eat anything during that period

Hi Paul

I am a person of extreme or no will-power! My husband and I have given up alcohol for January as we did last year (and I did September too) and really after the first 24 hours I'm not even really thinking about having a drink (and know that I will stick to it).

I am considering doing the 4:3 diet as I could do with losing at least a stone but I just can't imagine myself sticking to it with a family to feed and working from home....That's probably just an excuse though....How can I change that mindset?

Your insights and suggestions would be most helpful....Thanks .

PS Loved you in Sherlock!

Oh oh oh! Im at work but hopefully will get back before it ends.

I have been watching you on Daybreak this week, you do amazing work with people.

I am an emotional eater, my figure definitely shows it. I have a stressful life, child with SN, MIL who has her own disabilities who puts upon DH and I quite a bit and then the usual worries through other children and money. I used to be able to maintain my weight and was happy with it but for the past few years I have struggled greatly. I manage to lose 1-2 stone then something happens to rock the boat, I reach to food for comfort and bam, Im back to where I started. How can I get out of this, I really want to get out of this cycle.

Hi Paul

Can someone who has tried ICMYT a couple of times have the same effect? Or does the brain become used to the methods?

I reach for chocolate and crisps or bread as soon as mytoddler starts pplaying up or having a tantrum. I het Fed up and feel I need it to keep going buy that's not true. I was doing quite well with the 5.2 diet before Xmas but now I can't get in the zone. Help?

I eat when im bored, tired, cold etc what can I do to stop eating. I need to lose about half a stone.

Hi Paul,

I've got about 10 stone to lose and just seems impossible. Have done all the diets over the years (your ICMYT book is still on shelf after being used only once, didn't even give it a proper go!)

How can I get willpower back to last longer than a week or two?

I finally cracked smoking in September after years but have put on a whole stone, meaning I am now two stones overweight.

Wanted to start dieting it off after Xmas but finding it very tricky to get started...

Hello Paul.

You probably don't remember me but we "met" on your webchat a couple of years ago when I berated you for comparing me to Olive from On The Buses in your stage show (way back in the early ‘90s). Of course, that's all water under the bridge now, especially as you kindly invited me and some other lovely MNers to your seminar in Hammersmith.

That was a fantastically motivational day, and for a while I was all fired up, and received fantastic support from the "Paulers" on MN. I only lost a few pounds but the best bit was feeling in control of my eating for probably the first time in my life.

And then it all gradually fell apart; I just lost momentum and went back to my old ways. In some ways the whole day face-to-face approach seemed to work better than listening to the CDs. Now I'm a stone and a half heavier than I was at the seminar (and I was like the back end of a bus back then). I basically need to lose about half my bodyweight.

I've got bugger all willpower with diets; I end up rebelling because I don’t like being told what to do. I really like the approach of ICMYT but I’m starting to think there is no hope. I'm definitely an emotional eater so I will have a look at the new book in an effort to get back into a better way of eating.

I’ve got many questions but as I’m limited to one, I like to know if you have you ever come across someone who is truly a lost cause? Or is there always a way to sort them out? And if so, how?

Sorry for the ramble and thanks in advance.

Hi there.

I have been grilling my 'thin' friends to find out how and what they think about food & being hungry. They still feel hungry between meals but they override the thoughts instinctively in various ways. Some drink water, some think if they snack they'll ruin their dinner etc. If I feel hungry, even vaguely, I eat. Even though I know it's unnecessary. It's an automatic thought process.

I have never read any of your books (sorry...) but I have read good reviews of them. Do you think any of them would help me change my thinking towards food & hunger? If so, how & which book?

Thanks :)

Hi Paul, Happy New Year and welcome!
I'm hoping to make the webchat tomorrow, but just in case I can't...

I came to your ICMYT seminar 3 years! ago and was astounded by the effect you and it had on me. I lost 2 stones altogether which was great, but sadly, I have gained half of that back and cannot seem to get back into the zone to lose the weight I need to. I lose a few lbs and completely sabotage my efforts for some reason.

I hate not being able to wear clothing that makes me feel good about myself and that makes me feel frumpy. I am definitely an emotional eater. How do I sort myself out please? Some of the emotional stuff that's causing my eating habits:
I'll be 50 in March, been made redundant, my house is falling down, I'm an emotional hoarder, single parent with no support. Oh! and one of my 2 children is a 15yo Son!! (please tell me how I can hypnotise him to be nice again)

I take part in a 'Paul McKenna ICMYT' thread on Mn and we are very supportive of one another. We are just about to go to our 14th thread! Some of the ladies have or are thinking of buying your book.

Thank you in advance!

Hi Paul

I am 5" tall, weigh somewhere around 10st, 18lb never lost post DS2 and after giving up smoking.

We eat healthily as a family, home cooked food etc and I exercise and drink alcohol in moderation. My BMI says I am overweight and I am definitely not happy.

I do not get supported in weight loss efforts as people continually tempt me with cake! I no longer have 4st to shed as I did post DS1 so friends & family say 'its just a stone you can lose it easily' But I can't.

I manage to lose a few pounds, feel great, but it is not enough and they creep back on. In 8 years I have lost no more than a half stone. Tried LC diet, WW, and gained weight while following SW and I think I am an emotional eater but do not know where to begin to correct this.

What strategies can you advise? Can I do something about my weight or do I have to accept that as a 40 yr old woman this is it and I should learn to love my shape a bit better?

Thanks in advance I really want to crack it this year!

Do people fall into two different categories when it comes to emotions and eating? I've heard a number of people talking about 'comfort eating', 'emotional eating' etc over the years, but I can't relate at all. When I'm stressed, or unhappy for any reason, my body initially 'clears itself out' , then I have literally no appetite and have to force myself to eat something. This continues until I find myself in a better place emotionally. Sometimes I'll lose half a stone or more worrying about a particular circumstance in my life. Why do emotions appear to have the opposite effect on some people, causing them to eat excessively?

Hi Paul, I have your new book and it's an absolute miracle! I've been following your 4 golden rules from ICMYT for the last 6 years, but would always self-sabotage and give in to emotional eating. I'm only on day 3 of FFEE but already have a much clearer understanding of when I'm hungry and when I'm not and also the times I'm not hungry, I have a complete disinterest in food. The only thing I have found is that the urge to self-sabotage is very strong, which I'm guessing is my subconscious getting scared because it knows this process will work and it instinctively wants to protect me. Is this a common reaction? At the moment I'm using your tapping and havening techniques to keep it under control.

Thank you for writing such an amazing book, I think this is the missing piece to the zigsaw and truly will change me life.

Hi Paul, can something stressful can trigger weight gain linked to emotional eating?
If someone were of normal weight and then went through something very traumatic, ate the same food but literally ballooned, would your new boom be able to help? If so, how?
I'd like to buy it if it will be worth the money!

Book*

Hi Paul,

I brought your new book last week and am getting on really well with it, I've already noticed I'm eating less and really focussing on what I'm eating has made me realize that lots of food I thought I loved are actually nothing special and I get bored of eating it after a few bites.

My question is about the one area I'm having difficulty with; havening. When I recall an emotion or instance that has made me feel like eating I become so consumed by it that I can't focus on the techniques. For example at the moment I'm stressed about social services involvement and a court case involving a close family member. I feel helpless to help him and stressed, this makes me want to eat. However, when I call these emotions to mind I become worried and the problems go round and round in my head (and I feel like I have a huge knot in my stomach). This means I can't focus on the positive visualizations just on the negative emotions.

Can you help me get past this so I can get the most out of the plan?

Also do you have any plans for more seminars; I think I might benefit from a personalized experience?

Thank you and sorry for the length.

Hi Paul,

Why do people repeatedly self sabotage their efforts?

How can persistent self sabotage be stopped if there's no apparent reason for it?

Thanks :)

Hi Paul,
Walking down the stairs after putting the children to bed, already my mind is in the kitchen, searching out something to snack on - chocolate, usually. There's hardly been a night for months now that I haven't eaten rubbish of some kind.

I've broken this cycle before, but I would like to understand it, and avoid it. Previous to this phase I had 6 great months of very clean eating and loads of exercise. Did I just get bored? Help!

"At the moment I'm using your tapping and havening techniques to keep it under control."

I'm never managed to get to grips with the tapping and havening. I always feel faintly ridiculous and a tad sceptical. I presume they're some sort of displacement activity to stop you thinking about cravings.

Hi Paul

Is it possible to make myself like certain foods that I really don't like? I don't like any fruit, veg or salad, and really worry about my health, but they make me gag :(

PLEASE PLEASE PLEEEEEAAAASE help :)

Lou :) x

Hi Paul

So glad you're coming on here. Not sure I will be here tomorrow, but will try my best. I've read ICMYT, and the hypnotic gastric band book, but have recently fallen off the wagon due to my emotional eating.

I know emotional eating is the crux of my weight problem, as I eat healthy small meals, but can't seem to stop the snacking of chocolate and sweets in between. Lots of things seem to set me off, my husbands moaning, my 3 yr olds tantrums, and I definatelty do this eating to make myself feel better.

Incidentally years ago, I took anti depressants for a couple of months, and the weight just dropped off me, and I did'nt feel the need for this snacking.

This makes me wonder If emotional eating is also linked to low levels of serotonin, and is this my real issue? If so, what should I do?

I recall reading something about this in your books.

I also suffer from an under active thyroid, so don't know if this is linked.

Need some help please, as don't ever want to go back to diets.

Incidentally, dieting on a VLCD last year for 6 months did untold damage emotionally, although I did get thin. Came off the dieting and got big again.

Sorry for the long post, but just looking for some answers :)

Paul, what is your biggest vice and thing that you have to battle with the most yourself?

Hi Paul, I saw a Youtube clip of yours where a lady from the audience was told to imagine maggots and jellied eels on chocolate as a technique to put her off. I thought I'd try the same and as chocolate has always been my nemesis and stood in the way of weight loss figured I'd try putting myself off it using the same technique. So I imagined chocolate as .... ahem..... (I apologise in advance for the vulgarity).. poo. I thought there's nothing worse than that to put you off. So I imagined the soft, gooey, slightly grainy texture of the chocolate swirling around my mouth as poo in an attempt to put me off. Hey ho, what do you know? I actually still finished the whole bar and had two more just for good measure.

What can I do to make this technique more effective for me? I honestly feel that if I conquered the urge to reach for chocolate I'd be a lot more successful in my endeavour to shift these last 20lbs. I just can't seem to resist it when I'm tired or when I feel I deserve a treat.