Paul McKenna - Opinions?

[BathildaBagshot]

So, have done WW, SW, Cambridge, 5:2 and countless others. Still overweight and just now starting to realise it's absolutely my problem, and nothing that can be fixed with a diet plan.

HOWEVER, I still think I need a little bit of a willpower boost and some gentle coaxing to stop eating out of boredom, lack of will power, through a 'sod it' attitude or similar.

I will point out here that I suffer from quite bad anxiety, which I do think is fuelled by my weight (vicious circle anyone?) and is contributing to the problem.

I've read some PK threads on here, had a look at reviews on Amazon and am starting to think it could be something genuinely helpful to me, rather than a faddy diet. The problem is, there are so many of them and I can't distinguish between them!

I'll point out as well that I know how to eat healthily, I'm quite a good cook and do cook from scratch, using low fat foods, fruit, veg and lean meat, but I think we all know how this doesn't neccesarily a slim person make.

I will list some of my 'vitals' and 'issues' here, in the hope one of you PK die hards can point me in the right direction.

Late 20s
5 ft 2"
12 st 7 (ish)

Issues:

Love of wine
Lack of will power
No portion control
Smoker
Diet Coke addict
Exercise almost none existent (have a desk job too)

Christ... having written that, don't I sound a treat??

Help please!

Hi there. I lurk and pop up now and again on the other PM thread. I started the freedom from emotional eating book on 12th may. It wasn't my intention to loose weight but gain control of my binge eating and understand it so I could control it. Paul's methods do work. The first couple of weeks I got a complete buzz from it. Not only did my eating habits change but my mood swings did too. I was more patient with the kids and all together happy. I like to listen to the trance everyday. I have the book on my phone so I listen as soon as I wake up. My eating has definitely got under control. I haven't binged since I started reading book. The initial buzz has worn off but I still do feel so much better.

I am also reading I can make you smarter and seeing the results of that too. I am sure he had managed to hypnotise me into buying his books because I want the I can make you happy book. Not that I really need it just more of a I can make you less of a grumpy cow when your on your period book!

Lazurda - couldn't agree more on the avocados!! I've almost woken up to the thought that I have been depriving myself of a food that's widely known to be amazingly healthy!

I have another question - how do you all control your drinks such as tea (basically, non calorie free drinks)? Or do you do this at all? Am currently sat having a cup of tea with one REAL sugar - no more poison sweeteners for me!

Bindi I don't know anyone who eats "normally" What is normal then? IMO and E one can eat carefully and still follow the Paul Mckenna way of eating. I have never counted calories or weighed food.

WE'RE ALL DIFFERENT

Hi Dosey - it's great to hear actual success stories like yours that have continued years after starting. Really sums up the whole ethos of PMcK programmes.

Dosey I have to agree about being hypnotised into buying more of his books! I've got quite a few of them now! My go to sleep track is the I Can Make You Smarter one. Not sure that I'm any smarter, but it puts me to sleep well.

Bathilda I drink lots of tea, but don't have sugar in drinks anyway. One thing that the gastric band book says is not to drink with meals. It makes the food go down quicker, and you feel hungry sooner. So, I'm trying to drink before or between meals instead.

Thanks TooBig! I'll stick to my normal drinks then and just stop having a big one with my meal.

Amazon tells me my book will arrive Friday now, can't wait so have downloaded his app to get into the swing of things.

pp eating like a slim person with no food issues is eating normal. Eating whatever you want, not what you think is only good for you. You do The Hay Diet and The Blood Group Diet which does restrict your eating somewhat to certain foods. Think it was a bit off to say that people on the Paul McKenna thread are inflexible when they are just trying to lose the diet and disordered eating mindset and food issues.

I got the book and cd recently (couple of quid off eBay) - haven't listened to the cd yet but just reading the book seemed to change my eating habits a bit. I may fade to a shadow of my former self if I use the cd as well!

Welcome Yellow! Feel free to join in and share your experiences of it with us all.

Bindi you're welcome to join us, but I really just wanted people's individual experiences of this programme, however they choose to follow it, and pp has been really helpful so far. It's her choice if she wants to eat a certain way and it works for her, just as I would love to hear how you do it and what works for you

Have stopped halfway through my lunch - never do that! But I'm now not sure if I'm still hungry or not

He says to wait ten minutes and if you're hungry have some more. Otherwise don't eat it!!

Well done!!

Fair enough Bath . I have been eating mindfully using the same techniques as PM for well over ten years. Good Luck with it

Thanks Bindi

I went for a quick walk and came back still hungry so ate a little more and then had a drink. Feel fine now, not hungry but not full. Is that how it's done?

Bathilda He says that you should eat when you are between 3 and 4, and stop when you are between 6 and 7 if that helps.

Thanks bathilde Yes as TBN says you do need to eat till you're satisfied.

This is boring but I would like to point out to Bindi that I don't eat what I'm allergic to if that is a food issue then so be it .I prefer to call it 'eating for my health' is it more important to be slim than healthy?

Also Paul Mckenna actually says "Do not eat what makes you ill"

Ref. drinks ;I have a cup of mint and green tea or whatever if I get that 'false' hungry feeling and I've just eaten. I also drink water before a meal in case i'm actually THIRSTY not hungry!

Come on then - what's everyone had for their tea?

I had pasta with bolognese sauce and cheese.

Lovely! We had burgers and sweet potato chips (feelin' fancy)

Im a Paul follower too. Well, I say PM but really I did it before he jumped upon the band wagon. Not that he doesn't do it well or anything, just that this method of eating instinctively has been around for a long time and is brilliant for getting you off the diet merry-go-round.

Morning everyone
Interested to read everyone's comments from yesterday. Got the book/CD/DVD yesterday from Asda (£7) and plan to get started over the weekend when I will have time to sit down properly, in private and listen to the CD.
I'm just so aware that my eating problems are down to emotions. I had a really nice day yesterday, in my local town, doing a long list of shopping and errands. I only ate and drank when I felt the need.
However the evening was a different story - DH and DS were sprawled around all evening watching football - not a sin in itself I know, but they more or less ignored me and this is a real danger time for me as I have a tendency to slink off into the kitchen and graze....
Likewise this morning DH was a bit of a miserable sod as he is under a bit of work stress so the day didn't begin well and I'm now on my third cup of coffee. Could be worse, could be my third packet of biscuits!
Just saying though, it is all emotional stuff.
SO! Am off out soon to do more pre-holiday errands and calling in to see a friend with a birthday gift - during all of which I'll not be focusing on food.
If this helps at all, being on my own a lot, I realised I drink a lot of tea and coffee in a day. When on the Slimming World plans in the past, I used to use up my milk allowance very quickly in the morning. I've been trying for the past two weeks to cut out milk in drinks wherever possible and it hasn't been too bad. Don't they say, it takes around 28 days to break a habit. And TBH I don't find tea or coffee taste all that different without milk, and tea in hot weather is more refreshing.
Anyway enough of my ramblings. Hope you all have a good day. xx

Just something else I thought of, don't you find there is food just EVERYWHERE these days?? I live in a semi rural area where there are quite a few farm shops, craft centres, garden centres etc. and every last one of them has a cafe/coffee shop. You just get into the habit of doing whatever bit of shopping you're doing, then "grab a coffee". Same for me when shopping in town. And IMHO, especially in towns, the coffee shops don't really offer any healthy option snacks - it's all muffins and flapjacks. I know we don't have to buy them and mostly I don't. Just making the point that food is all around us all day every day.
Looking forward to getting started with Paul!!

Oh sorry folks (i find I have to sleep the computer otherwise I don't get enough RL things done!) I try and come on after a meal only but it escalates doesn't it?

Now what did I have for tea? because I eat little, I eat more often so don't really have a proper evening meal, certainly I can't eat a 'traditional' one I had half an avocado, with cucumber and with my bean dip and a couple of ryvitas and olive oil and lemon juice dressing.

Then figs and macadamias for a snack later always with a glass of water.

i soo agree with you lazurda about food and coffees\teas being everywhere in Britain now. I will say that quite a while ago I gave up my one a day coffee habit and lost weight immediately DH has been diagnosed with gerd and he's given up his 3 coffee a day habit and the weight is dropping off him (without exercise btw!!).

Yes pp I'm sure you're right about the coffees and teas. I have consciously been cutting down on them for about 10 days and feel better for it. Just back from my local town having steeled myself not to buy even a black coffee or tea - will be saving money too.

Well done laz ! I usually have a green or mint tea but I have to ask for half cold water in the cup they make it so hot !!

I always take a bottle of my own filtered water with me when I go out too.