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.

[ponygirlcurtis]

Hey Paul

Is it possible to use your techniques to combat emotional eating to use with emotional drinking? I have a habit of using alcohol as a crutch when I'm stressed - there are lots of books about stopping smoking and stopping over-eating, but can't really find anything on combating drinking too much/emotional drinking.

Thanks!

[Littleorangetree]

Hi Paul. I'm about 3 stones overweight and overreat to deal with nearly every kind of emotion - happy, sad, bored etc. I've done this since I was a child. I had a generally happy childhood, so I'm not sure why or how this all started. Does your program help people to understand the root cause of their emotional overreating?
Thanks.

[waitingforgodot]

Hi Paul, the problem I have is that I reward myself with food or booze. Worked hard all day-have a cake and some wine.Tidied the house? Lets have some biscuits. Its my motivator. What can I do to break this mindset?

[Sherlocked72]

Erm, just to let you know it was Derren Brown in Sherlock, not Paul Mckenna ;)

[Sherlocked72]

Hi Paul,
I have struggled with my weight for years and have just bought your new book. I have tried to get in touch with you but can't seem to catch you.
I tried to do the Havening technique, but can't seem to image things in my head, e.g seeing myself walking down stairs, walking on a beach, imaging myself slimmer in future, thinking of my favorite food with hair and other awful things on it . It is very frustrating and upsetting. Are there anything you can suggest I can do to help, please?

[SherlustHolmes]

Hi Paul

I struggle with compulsive eating. My problem is that I can rationalise things easily, make plans and decisions about my eating but when it comes to it I literally do not have an opportunity to think about it before the food is in my mouth. I know that sounds ridiculous but it won't be until I'm halfway through eating it that I actually think "I shouldn't eat this". Then of course I have the voice telling me off for wasting food so I carry on anyway.

I beat myself up for having no will power but actually I don't get the chance to put will power to the test. I've tried talking to two GPs but neither were sympathetic or helpful and I feel very alone and powerless. Any suggestions?

[CheeryCherry]

I had a generally happy childhood, felt very lonely at times, and as a family we were not good at sharing or expressing our feelings (that hasn't changed). But I'm such an emotional eater, but to my shame I eat when I'm happy, sad, bored, frustrated.... I can't fathom why I do it...and as I barely register that I'm doing it I can't seem to break the habit. What makes some of us turn to food, but others turn away ? ...I wish I was the latter

[Squiffyagain]

I have been hungry for 7 years now. Gut-wrenchingly hungry. If I relax for a weekend or go to a dinner party, the normal 'price' is 1.5 kilos that then take about 3 weeks to come back off. My problem is due to a metabolism problem that simply can't be fixed (I am missing completely a hormone that should be there and this is thought to be the cause, but no one knows for certain). I have a couple of times experimented with eating enough during meals until i stopped feeling hungry, and the weight gain was relentless and took months to get back off

I accept that I will always have to eat much less than other people just to stay stable, and I eat healthily and don't deny myself in terms of what I eat (it is simply the amount that's the problem). And i dont even like cakes or chocolates or white carbs, so its not as if i have bad habits that need to be fixed. But what can I do to stop the constant hunger? It's relentless, like living with a really bad toothache, and it gets me down more than anything. Is this something you have seen before and can help with?

[VivaLeBeaver]

I'm currently dieting, trying to lose 3 stone.

Calorie counting and exercising. I'm so bloody hungry though. Part of me thinks surely life's too short to feel hungry and miserable like this. But then I think that maybe this is normal, to feel hungry?? And usually as soon as I get any hunger feeling I eat. But I'm guessing the thin people somehow learn to ignore it........but how? I have an active, stressful job where I'm on my feet all day and I'm worried about fainting.

[theendgame]

Hi Paul,

I've used both of your books, and ICMYT really helped me shift my post-baby weight. But I am perpetually stuck, and at the size I have been for pretty much all my life. Unfortunately that's about 2 stone too heavy for my height. It's as though my body or mind just won't let me get any thinner, however much I listen to the CDs. What do you suggest?

[mohhum]

Hi paul, i've heard your audios, done gastric band, i go deep do what you say but after a while i go back to my old weight. i'm stuck at certain weight. i'm 5'2" and 81kgs. i know there's subconscious resistance, i use positive language, affirmations etc. but nothing works. what should i do, please help!

[JackyJax]

Hi Paul, In the moment when the urge to binge strikes, I can't seem to buy any time in order to use your techniques. It's almost as if I have the addictive desire to eat then whoosh! I'm off and eating. How do I manage to get in between the desire and my instant shovelling in of food?

[RachelMumsnet]

Paul McKenna is now here at MNHQ and poised to answer your questions. Welcome back to Mumsnet Paul.

[Solo]

Yay!

[Rhythem28]

Hi
What is the best way to succeed in the programme without getting back to old habits even after being successful?

I have not tried any of your programmes but weight watchers. What I have found is its not the food which makes me overweight but my thoughts. I think its for most people and some people constantly win with it but the rest 80-90% are the people will make money with weight loss programmes. Not meaning to offend you. Thanks

[Solo]

I've already (kind of) asked a q, but I was just wondering, I bought your Virtual Gastric Band book, put it down for a while, went to start it and discovered (by listening to the start of the CD) that the DVD was missing. Can I still do the CD without watching the DVD?

[PaulMcKenna]

Hi! I'm here at Mumsnet with a wonderful group of people and in an office with a positive, nice vibe.

Looking forward to talking to you over the next hour and answering your questions, some of which I've seen and are really, really interesting. If you're overweight, I want to help you. This is the area of work I'm most passionate about. This is the reason why this is probably my final book on weight loss, in fact this may be my final book altogether.

So, let's get going!

[PaulMcKenna]

@TheDoctrineOf2014

Hi Paul

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

Thanks!

Thanks!

This is a great question. ICMYT predmominately focuses on changing behaviours and using hypnosis to lose weight through altering your relationship with food. The Hypnotic Gastric Band, which is my other book on weight loss, is a process where I hypnotise you on CD – and even though you haven’t had the operation, your body feels like you have – so you eat significantly less, and you don’t feel like you’re missing out.

This book, which will probably be my last book on weight loss, is entirely different. The other books are probably dealing more with the symptom than the core reason why you overeat. Over the last few years I have been working with a renowned neuroscientist and team of expert healthcare professionals and researchers on an amazing new psycho-sensory therapy. We have been helping people who have been in extreme states of emotional overwhelm: rape victims, war veterans and bereavement cases – with astounding, and often instant, results. The process is called ‘havening’.

I believe the number one cause of obesity is emotional eating. This is often caused by experiencing a trauma or a difficult time, or perhaps, eating because you feel stressed at work - maybe you have a secret stash of chocolate in your desk, or maybe when you get home from work, you feel bored or lonely. Either way, you’re not eating because you’re hungry, but because you want to change how you feel. The CDs and the DVD that come with this book involve a number of powerful and effective psychological techniques that alter the landscape of your brain chemistry-electricity. And as a result, you feel so good on the inside, you don’t need food to change how you feel. If all you did was lose weight, but you were still calorie-counting and worrying about food, then there’s no freedom in that. This book is as much about happiness, as it is about losing weight.

[mohhum]

how do i join the chat, will paul write our questions here or there's a way of joining a chat room. thankful for any reply

[rookiemater]

Hi Paul,
So glad you are here.
I struggle with my weight, have done all my life - I read I can make you thin and try to use the techniques.

My question is that our DS (son) age 7 has inherited my love of food. He loves carbs and sweet stuff and we really have to limit it as he seems to have no off button when it comes to wanting to eat the stuff.

Whats your thoughts on the best way to get children to understand the importance of eating slowly, stopping when they are full and making healthy choices?

[VivaLeBeaver]

You just type your questions here.

[PaulMcKenna]

@JackyJax

Hi Paul, In the moment when the urge to binge strikes, I can't seem to buy any time in order to use your techniques. It's almost as if I have the addictive desire to eat then whoosh! I'm off and eating. How do I manage to get in between the desire and my instant shovelling in of food?

First of all you won't. If it's happening automatically then first it's an unconscious habit just as tying your shoe laces or opening a door. That's why you need to re-train your brain using hypnosis and the new havening technique. My personal recommendation is that you get 'I can make you thin' and use the hypnosis CD on a regular basis and in addition get the new book and use the technique called 'listen why you eat'. This will train your brain and muscle memory to respond differently to food so in the future you will feel differently to food. By the way I don't know anyone who uses my technique perfectly or any other weight loss programme and that's what the CDs are good for; you put one on at any time. Alternatively go to Itunes and get my new app and get me on the smart phone 24 hrs a day to help you. I know I have suggested three products here but for the £20 or so I think it's a good investment. If you go and see a therapist it's probably going to cost you £100 and you may need to go several times - so it's worth trying a less expensive technique first - I hope this helps. Good luck!

[PaulMcKenna]

@PenguinBear

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!

Hi PenguinBear. This is an unusual, but very interesting question. First of all, if someone were genuinely eating literally the same amount of food, and they ballooned, I would check with their doctor that there wasn't some other medical issue, just to be sure. So please take some medical advice. If someone gains weight after a trauma, sometimes they eat without realising. In this case, this book would be very helpful. It's 12 quid - a therapist will be £100/go - one might have to go 5/6 times. So, in terms of relative costs, I think it's a good starting point.

Plus, if you don't like it, you can always put it on ebay!

[KeemaNaanAndCurryOn]

I'm very good at not eating, but as soon as I start, it find it really hard to stop and keep thinking about what else I could eat. Do you have any suggestions about how to break out of that thought cycle?