I had my hypno gastric band 'fitted' by Paul McKenna last night...

[lynniep]

...so far so good! Admittedly its not even 11am yet, but I havent eaten my snacks which are sitting on my desk and not even tempting me! Normally I don't allow myself anything till 10am, then I pounce!

I am doing this in conjunction with weightwatchers, which Paul McKenna would not approve of, since he despises 'diet clubs' (boy does this come through loud and clear in his book).

However since I don't know the man personally, and I feel I need the WW sessions for support, I am carrying on with pro- pointing and hoping that my gastric band will provide the backup I need to not binge and eat more than my body needs.

I've been (back) on weightwatchers for several months now and failed miserably because I am both a compulsive eater and a (hopefully) reformed bulimic.

I'd like to think this will help me - and I'm willing to try it because I am now as heavy as I was just after I gave birth to DS2 3 years ago (my heaviest, unless you count when I was 40 weeks pg!)

If anyone is interested I will report back :)

Hiya! Ive been enjoying reading this thread, and wanted to add my positive feedback on Paul McKenna- 18months ago, I was 80 kilos. I listened to 'I can make you thin', and today I'm 53 kgs, so dont give up, cos hypnosis really works! My 21 year old son now uses the gastric band hypnosis, and I know it will work for him(he needs to lose at least 30 kilos)So hang in there, it does take time and perseverance, but, boy it sure is worth it!

Hi educatingarti,
Yes, I think you are supposed to keep counting as long as you remember to. And if you forget and then remember that you're supposed to be counting some time later, resume from where you left off (vaguely.) The old counting backwards trick is just a good way to focus your brain and relax you.

I know I've said it before and I seem to say it every day on here, but I really do believe that most people should do brilliantly just following the Four Golden Rules strictly. The hypnotic gastric band is kinda superfluous for me. And also, I don't believe the gastric band is good enough on its own if you then regularly break one or more of the Four Golden Rules. But if anyone's experience contradicts that belief, feel free to share!

@AnneEyhtMeyer - fair enough. If the gastric band has helped you more than the rules alone would have done, that's great. And PM acknowledges that not everyone succeeds with the rules on their own.

In my case, however, all the benefits you describe came about simply with the rules. (And, actually, I felt a kind of paradigm shift in thinking about food while I was reading the Gastric Band book and even before I'd implemented any of the rules!)

I do think as you listened to the trance it is difficult to say whether or not it affected you, chin! If you hadn't listened to it it would be easier to know if it was just the rules or a combination of both. I do agree just reading the book starts the process, though.

I am reading the book now so checking in for a nosey.

@chin, I do agree that following the Four Golden Rules is the key to success, although, I felt satisfied at lunch yesterday ( nearly one round of beans on toast), had a couple more mouthfulls... then thought I was going to be ill ! I'm ashamed to say that I could have quite easily eaten lunch for 4 people before!

Everyone is different so I'm not surprised different aspects work better for some than others, as long as we're all getting healthier and thinner! X

I'm going to read the book properly tonight and maybe do installation later this week.
Need To share the rules with DH which he will think is another fad no doubt.
Keep posting everyone it's very helpful to us newbies.

@AnneEyhtMeyer - heehee... of course, you have a point. But by the time I listened to the hypnosis, I was already firmly ensconced in my new way of eating. And I had already given up (naturally, without effort etc) more than 90% of the junk food and ready meals in my food consumption. And my portion sizes had plummeted. I suppose you could say that listening to the hypnosis reinforced all that and that, without it, I'd never have stuck to the rules. (I don't believe that's the case as I felt an inner transformation well before I listened to the CD, but I guess I'll never truly know now!) No matter.

BTW, today was the first time I experienced what some others have been mentioning about not feeling hungry at all. Here's what happened to me:

cheeriofatty.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/eating-consciously-day-20-hunger-whats-that-when-im-at-home/

I have the feeling that my body is getting better at efficiently using the fuel I supply to it, so I don't need to refuel too often!

@Fairygen - ummmm... I've seen several comments along the lines of 'feeling ill if I eat another mouthful'! I suppose that is a good deterrent. But I don't much like feeling ill myself! Even in the cause of losing weight/fat! I wonder if you had stopped a few mouthfuls earlier would you have prevented this ill feeling?

On most occasions, I have stopped eating once I am pleasantly satisfied. (Sometimes neutral.) That way, I usually don't even get to full. I think that is preventing my ever feeling ill in the way that you (and others) describe.

What's amazing to me is that I am able to stop well before full most of the time. It's no exaggeration to say that before three weeks ago, with almost every single meal I have had as an adult, I haven't stopped eating until I was stuffed (or worse!)

@chin. I normally eat until I feel neutral, just continued as I wasn't totally convinced the band hypnosis had worked for me. I now know it has!

I've noticed on here that many people say they have 'gone off 'food or 'forget' to eat. I still feel hungry, but when I eat I can only eat a little. Also I have stopped snacking between meals. My food shopping bill is about a quarter of what it was!!

The only problems I have had so far are, getting my head round eating what I want to eat not what I think I should. I have been dieting on and off for 20 years so that's a hell of a habit to break!! I'm also no where near to eating 5 portions of fruit and veg. I've started to have fruit for breakfast and try to eat as much veg as poss, but I'm not eating enough food to get my 5 a day!

Like you, I'm just happy to be in control of my eating, for the first time ever!

Great to hear everyone's doing so well!! Xx

Big test for me coming up - about to go on holiday. Will make sure I listen to the trance whilst away to keep on track!

Have a great holiday!! X

I finally listened to the cd today having read the book 3 times over the last week. So far so good, eaten half what I would normally eat today and really helped with the cravings. How often do you listen to the cd? With ICMYT I listened to it every other day but can't see that happening at the moment

Listen as often as you feel the need.

Weighed myself this morning pre-holiday - lost another 3lbs, so that is 9lb in 12 days! Hope the holiday doesn't derail me!

Hi everyone - glad to hear you're all doing well.

AnneEyhtMeyer - that's great news! It wouldn't be surprising if your loss slowed or stopped for a week anyway after that huge loss, and you can easily still follow the rules on holiday whatever you are eating. Have a great time and don't worry about it too much!

I finally listened to the CD on Friday night, although just reading the book at the start of last week and thinking about the 4 rules helped immediately.

I was pretty sure the hypnosis CD hasn't made much of a difference, as I was 'conscious' throughout, and also thinking how silly it was with one part of my brain. But... I have definitely found myself feeling less hungry since then, which is a big deal for me as I cannot stand the ravenous feeling you get on normal diets. No snacking on rubbish - just the odd bit of fruit or nuts, and I even left some of my dinner last night and DH nearly fell off his chair! And even more amazing, I've started doing some exercise again - first time in a year.

Importantly, I'm feeling so positive that this is do-able for the long term. I don't need to feel like I'm depriving or punishing myself, I can feel good about myself right now, rather than when I reach X stone, and if I can stay tuned in to just doing what my body really wants (good food and exercise) then this one just might work.

I'm going to listen to the CD again soon anyway, to get it really imprinted on my brain - I get worried that after the excitement of the first few weeks I'll get bored and go back to my old habits again.

Weigh in on Wednesday (which will be about half the week just following the rules, and half after hypnosis as well), so we shall see - although have lost 2 pounds already (I get too excited not to weigh myself every day, I find it quite motivating).

Hello, I found this thread on Thursday, got the book on Friday and installed the band last night. I need to get rid of almost 4 stone. While reading the book and thinking about my eating I realised how much of an emotional eater I am. Strangely( or maybe not) I was actually nervous of installing the band, a bit scared that I would't manage if I can't as much. How crazy is that!
Anyway, I'm not really interested in food this morning so I'm hoping I'm off to a good start.

hi i read and listened to my paul mckenna hypnotic gastric band book and cd last night, i was just wondering how often i can listen to the trance cd? i really want to succeed at this!! thanks

I think you can listen to it as often as you want carolinemeg

frumperina you need to change your name, you won't be frumpy any more! I agree, for me its all about the emotional eating. I was nervous about the hypnosis bit as well - a bit like losing control over my eating. Even though I knew that it was the emotional eating that was the problem, for someone to tell me that that's OK, and to give me strategies to overcome those times when I would reach for food to make me feel better...it's like I can finally feel myself feeling like 'me' again. Its a revelation, I tell you!

Hi everyone. Well I have just finished my third week and have lost six pounds and it has all be effortlessly. Not a huge loss like some of you have done which is amazing but a loss. During that time I have been out to dinner three times having a couple of drinks each time and have only exercised twice. My job as a children's party entertainer keeps me fit lol. I listen to the trance once or twice a week. I do find it very hard to totally focus on my eating as I have three children, one of which is always with me so never complete peace to eat but as long as I am concentrating its fine. I have a total of around 2 stone to lose.

Tina
x

2 pounds a week is ideal angelabbie, nice and steady. Well done!

I'll take a steady rate where I'm not starving and the time isn't dragging by agonisingly slowly any day. It might mean that I follow it through!

i fitted the gastric band on sunday and have really noticed a difference in my eating. I was following ww before and always used tuesday after weigh in to have a treat and eat what i wanted for my evening meal so today was a test for me when i went to tescos after work. I wasnt interested in the crisps and chocolates that were on the shelves and bought some yoghurt covered raisins and roasted pistachio nuts for snacking for the rest of the week. Had a very healthy meal of a small dollop of mashed potato, home made cannellini bean stew and vegetables. I actually feel like im ready to lose a lot of weight this time and stop snacking on sweets, biscuits etc

Hi Fairygen,

Yes, I've had a similar experience re. shopping bills! I cut out the chilled/ microwaveable/ready-made aisles altogether these days... and the confectionery aisles... and the cakes/puddings/biscuits/crisps sections... definitely left with a lighter shopping trolley and a reduced hit to the wallet! (And the recycling bin was a lot lighter this week too with all that reduced packaging!)

It's interesting what you say about your '5-a-day'. I think that's a bit of an arbitrary rule that sounds good and is easy to remember, but might not always be easy to implement unless we're eating 5-6 meals in a day. (Which, if we're eating only to satisfy hunger, we shouldn't be!)

I'm not going to worry excessively about 5-a-day. My food intake yesterday might have included 4.5 of my 5:

cheeriofatty.wordpress.com/

And, actually, I've just had a look back at my consumption since I started following the Four Golden Rules and I find that I have managed to eat at least 3 and, more often, 4 or 5 of my 5-a-day. I guess most of my meals are largely based around vegetables. And I have often had a mixed bowl of fruit and nuts as a daily staple which accompanies each meal. And I have not had a single day where I eat more than three meals altogether. So perhaps, if and when I come to tweak my intake even further, I could reduce the amount of starchy foods and increase the veggies slightly.

One way to - occasionally - boost your fruit'n'veggie intake might be to do some juicing. But please don't overdo that either:

cheeriofatty.wordpress.com/2013/02/01/306/

I'm very pleased that you also feel in control of your eating. Well done so far and I'm sure you will be able to transform your dieting mindset very quickly.

Hi dundeemum,

I've definitely found that my 'treats' nowadays are the wholesome, homemade, seriously tasty meals I am now eating as opposed to the empty, processed, God-knows-what-goes-in-'em calories found in my former treats of crisps and chocolates and ice creams and puddings and etc! Because I am finding every single, conscious mouthful a treat, the rubbish 'treats' I used to overdose on are very, very far from my mind now.

Well done for making the change and let us know how you get on.