Paul McKenna "I can make you thin" support thread

[Breathmiller]

I found out about this book and audio this week from another thread and poster (thanks @ppeatfruit) and am finding it useful.

I found an old support thread from years ago but I dont think its still active.

Does anyone who is interested in this want to chat and support?
Or anyone who has used it in the past with good results want to give hints and tips?

I have tried every diet going and have had real issues with yoyo dieting but my big aim this year has been to make food not such a battle.

I feel this might just be the way forward for me. But I'm aware I'm in very early days.

Sending big unmumsnet like hugs to you both @Breathmiller and @MariahLucas. I think any kind of change of lifestyle like this has challenges at the best of times. Throw in all the added stresses at the moment (snow, pandemic, wfh etc) and it's totally normal to have times when we fall back on old habits. Like they say, every slip up is just the opportunity to learn something new and improve. It's not back to square one, it's just a little dip. For anyone overweight, we didn't get this way overnight, it's years and years of habits, and habits are hard things to break. I think we all need to remember to be kind to ourselves and know that it's okay and totally normal to have times where we binge/eat our feelings/eat mindlessly etc. At least now we're recognising it and it seems like we're all getting better at letting go of the guilt that often follows and leads to a "stuff it" mindset. I'm definitely finding this thread a really big help, knowing that I'm not alone in trying to do this. The tapping therapist sounds like a great idea too Breathmiller. I must practice the McKenna one myself as I can't remember exactly what it involves but I know I found it effective when I tried it in the past

I hope the snow isn't too bad up there, and I'm sorry to hear about the new restrictions coming in. I know I always find I wobble a bit when we get another load of bad news about those.

@misskatamari I’ve read your post again this morning and it makes so much sense. I’m not going to beat myself up for feeling rubbish and doing a bit of fridge raiding yesterday, that’s not going to help. Going to try to get out for a walk at lunchtime as snow all gone now, still snow there @Breathmiller?
Stay safe all.

Hi everyone
Yes, not berating myself here either. It's all part of the learning curve.

My period finally came, over a week late which probably contributed to my crisp binge and my mood.

I started work again this week and I think I was worried about it a bit. Which is daft because I love my work and I am always restored by it. It feels good to be back in the zone.

Family life seems a wee bit easier too, partly by sacking off home schooling for my very stressed ds and returning to our way of child led home educating that we did for years.
So all quiet on the Western Front, at least for the moment.

Still looks like Narnia here, so getting out is a bit tricky for my walk. But luckily I have a treadmill so I did my 15 minute walk on that yesterday. And even ran for one song of it!

The walk every day and the dance burst song are really becoming a fun part of my day. I finished work at 9 last night and still did my dance song. My son got up and we had a wee dance together until I put him back to bed. It's sooooo...freeing. I look forward to it every day.

I did the self sabotage session today and realised that although generally I'm not an angry person, when i binge it's like an angry self sabotage. And it made sense that i can take that anger (although anger isn't really the right word) and take that ...passion and put it towards movement. Like running!

I'm not sure that makes much sense written down but I know what i mean.

Hope you all have a great Friday.

I just did a walk/ run on the treadmill and finished with a few sun salutes and postures on my mat and realised the word I was looking for was determination!

If I can put the same amount of determination into my good health, specifically movement, that I put in when I am determinedly self sabotaging by binging then I am in a transformative place.

So i did 20 minutes on the treadmill with one of the songs running. Then when I did warrior 2 (for those yogis on the thread) i took the same determination to my practice. My son and I have been doing affirmations while we practice yoga together and we always say "i am strong!" while doing warriors. So i did an affirmation. "I CAN DO THIS!"
If i can sit and stuff a bag of crisps in my mouth with determination then I can bloody well do this healthy malarkey with the same bloody determination!!

Happy RAAAARGH day everyone.

(And there's a new boiling the kettle posture for today - warrior two " I AM.. !")

I'm glad everyone is feeling a bit brighter. I'm a bit blue here at the moment, got a bit of a cold I think (Zoe app has asked me to get tested for the study, even tho I don't have covid symptoms so at least that will hopefully rule that out), and I'm just tired and my anxiety is up. The weather has just been so pants here for ages, and I find grey rainy days really affect my mood. I've got all the windows open to try and get some fresh air through the house and gonna get the SAD lamp on. Will definitely get my dance burst in today tho, as I do feel so much better after it.

No home schooling today tho yaaaay! The kids are having a onesie day so and we can hopefully just have a nice chilled out day playing some board games etc. @Breathmiller I like the affirmations ideas, I really must think of some to try with my two. Dd (7) was having some anxiety before Christmas (I think mainly due to tiredness after the long term), and we've been doing a bit of meditation and breathing exercises but I think affirmations could be a lovely addition.

I hope everyone has a lovely weekend :)

misskatamari sorry to hear you are having a few blue days. It's such a rollercoaster of emotions these days isn't it?

I hope your daughter feels better too. I've worked with meditation and yoga therapy for children for many years. Doing some meditation, breathing exercises together, affirmations and a gratitude practice can all be really helpful. I've been helping my son who is anxious find his toolbox and fill it up.

Home schooling the way it's done from school at the moment is soooo stressful. We have home educated for the last 10 years and my youngest only joined school (his choice ) in September. He has found the schools way of home schooling so hard, as have we. So we have gone back to our intuitive child led way of home educating. The children are in the middle of a pandemic and well being and mental health is everything at the moment. Some kids will embrace this way of working online and that's great but if its a struggle I don't feel that an anxious child learns anything. So we take the brief and do it our own way.
We were given a picture to write a story about, my son told me a fantastic story but was really stressed sitting in front a screen after struggling with the work all day. So he did a short story to hand in then we went out into the woods and as we walked he talked the whole way about his story , his best friend the dragon that lived in the woods and the adventures they got up to. It was magical. When not hemmed in in front of an ipad and expectations his imagination flew. And he had a sword in his hand and acted out all the adventures him and his dragon went on. Now! That was a story!

@Breathmiller that does sound magical! I love seeing where their imaginations take them ❤️ so wonderful to out in nature and imagine fantastic things 😊

Our home schooling is generally going okay, but some things were breaking off and doing our own way. I'm lucky that I was a teacher for ten years (high school, but I'm enjoying teaching the kids primary stuff now), so I've at least got some experience of things. My little girl definitely struggled with the English we were getting in the last lockdown. We had more of a project this week, which has been much more engaging, and I've loved hearing all her ideas. I just got some Rorys story cubes as well, and both kids are loving using them to construct tales :)

I think it's so important to have a mental health toolkit, and it's definitely something we're trying to equip the kids with. I guess we're lucky nowadays that we know so much more about these things, as it just wasn't on the radar when I was little I feel like I've gotten a pretty good skill set over the years, after having anxiety myself, so am trying to teach the kids those things in an age appropriate way :)

I'm feeling a bit more positive this afternoon. Pretty tired today but having a lovely chilled time with the family ☺️

Glad you are feeling better. You sound like a great mum to have. 🙂

Glad you are feeling better @misskatamari. I think you and @Breathmiller are doing a fab job of homeschooling and I take my hat off to all that have to do it.. My DC is off to university (well, a virtual one this term) so different challenges in the Lucas household. I like having them back, and although they have come back more cuddly (a lovely surprise) I feel for them as it is a bit pants to have your wings clipped just when you are finding your feet. Hopefully they will get back in March.
Off to watch silly film now, another, positive,
side effect of all being together on a Saturday night.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.

That's very kind, thanks ladies 😘 it sounds like you're both doing great jobs supporting your little (and not so little) ones too. It must be so hard starting uni with all this going on. I'm lucky I think that mine are still young primary age, so are shielding from a lot of it to be honest. They miss school, and their friends, but are still quite happy pootling about at home a lot of the time.

Omg we have actual sun today! Weak winter sun, but the sky is not completely grey! So we're going to head out for a walk yaaay (thankfully the covid study test came back super fast and is negative phew, so just have a cold I guess). Dh did pancakes for breakfast, and I had three which was plenty. I'm finding it amazing how much less I eat now I'm paying attention to it. I realised the other day that I haven't had evening reflux since starting this too! Over Christmas especially I was popping antacids every night, so this is definitely making my body happier. I hope everyone's having a lovely Sunday

So glad I've found this thread, just 6 days in, know I shouldn't weigh but did, 5lb down so far. I didn't really expect much but I am finding I feel much more in control and calmer. I know for me stress and anger trigger bad eating habits. Going to read the whole thread and

Come back...!

One question, is the audio on the app for nighttime the same as the cd?

Welcome @littertraywarrior and well done on the loss! I think the track on the app is the same, but it doesn't have a wake up ending. I could be wrong tho, as I always just fall asleep in it lol!

misskatamari that's great that your test cake back negative. Enjoy your walk.

littertraywarrior welcome. The app and the audio are pretty much the same thing but the book audio wakes you up which i prefer as I do it in the morning. It is also in stereo which i also prefer. It's great its working for you so quickly.

I am on day 20 of the app but may just go back to day 1 after tomorrow as I enjoy the routine of it.
One of the things I hadn't expected is that I am enjoying cooking again. Counting calories and 'good' food and 'bad' food had robbed all the joy out of cooking for me.

So I have spent my weekend cooking again. And making lots of lovely dishes for the freezer for during the week. I'm even making puddings again. I made an apple and blueberry crumble yesterday and we had all had it as a Saturday night treat. Just a very small bowl was so much more satisfying and filling than mainlining crisps and sweets etc. It felt lovely and nourishing.

Ive got marinaded tofu steaks for tonight with 3 different kinds if salad. And homemade cinnamon rice pudding for later. It feels so good that nothing is out of bounds. And i feel lighter both physically and mentally.

*test cake! Haha.

I was going to ask what the plan was when you get to day 21, I think I will restart it too. I almost always fall asleep listening to the bedtime bit so could definitely do with hearing that more.

@misskatamari

Welcome *@littertraywarrior* and well done on the loss! I think the track on the app is the same, but it doesn't have a wake up ending. I could be wrong tho, as I always just fall asleep in it lol!

This is great, thank you - I don't want to wake up at night after listening to it as I'm an awful sleeper once disturbed!

@Breathmiller

misskatamari that's great that your test cake back negative. Enjoy your walk.

littertraywarrior welcome. The app and the audio are pretty much the same thing but the book audio wakes you up which i prefer as I do it in the morning. It is also in stereo which i also prefer. It's great its working for you so quickly.

I am on day 20 of the app but may just go back to day 1 after tomorrow as I enjoy the routine of it.
One of the things I hadn't expected is that I am enjoying cooking again. Counting calories and 'good' food and 'bad' food had robbed all the joy out of cooking for me.

So I have spent my weekend cooking again. And making lots of lovely dishes for the freezer for during the week. I'm even making puddings again. I made an apple and blueberry crumble yesterday and we had all had it as a Saturday night treat. Just a very small bowl was so much more satisfying and filling than mainlining crisps and sweets etc. It felt lovely and nourishing.

Ive got marinaded tofu steaks for tonight with 3 different kinds if salad. And homemade cinnamon rice pudding for later. It feels so good that nothing is out of bounds. And i feel lighter both physically and mentally.

It's done the same for me with cooking, as I was in such a rut before Christmas I literally couldn't be bothered.

My DH asked me what it was yesterday for the first time in 5 days despite me telling him at the beginning, turns out he quite likes it too, snuck upstairs to meditate this pm

vjg13 what day are you on?

I am aware that it's easier at the moment because i have a little more time but i might just keep it up but not worry if i miss a day now and again due to work or life gettingin the way. When it's not lockdown I'm often working 12 hours a day for half the week or more and everything else seems to just go by the wayside. Work, eat, sleep, repeat. But that's okay. I've got more time right now so I'm making the most if the time to listen and take it in.

Today is day 18, I think I will restart it because it will help me to have the same messages repeated and it isn't too time consuming.

Morning all, the sun is out and it’s above freezing so that’s a good sign for the week to come.
Weighed myself today, two weeks in and 7lb off. So pleased, I CAN trust myself around food. A bit to go yet but this is the right direction, will weigh in again at end of the month.
I’m enjoying food and am doing more meal planning (well only going to click and collect once a week) and a bit more cooking too,
Have a good week all.

Just wrote and lost a big post.

Summary is..

Well done on day 18 and weight loss!!

I am moving sooo much more and eating so much less and less stressed about it all. Job done!

Day 21 done! Day 1 tomorrow.

Just checking in. How are we all doing.

Today's thoughts are that when he asks you to imagine what you are enjoying most about your life when you are slim what do you look forward to most. I have noticed that mine has changed from fitting in smaller clothes and looking good to having more energy and feeling good. I'm not saying that I'm not also looking forward and already enjoying looking healthier but it's not the main focus anymore. I feel so much more active! Running/walking on the treadmill every day and dancing around to songs whenever i fancy. It feels so good to move my body more. Treats are more likely to be treating myself to a run and a dance when finished home schooling rather than collapsing on the sofa with a good treat.

I'm definitely looking forward to just feeling fitter and healthier @Breathmiller! I would love to be able to run eventually. I've been having some pain issues for the last few years (lower back/pelvic/abdo) which seem to be musculoskeletal, so I'm working on my physio and Pilates exercises and the somatics, but I really hope that loosing weight will help too, as I want to feel strong and like I can be active without having constant niggles rearing their heads. I just want to be able to run around and have fun with the kids. Fitting into nice clothes and feeling good in what I wear will be a lovely bonus tho 🙂

I don't think I've lost anything yet, but I guess it's early days. Need to remind myself that this isn't a quick fix, it's a long term thing, and I am 100% eating a lot less crap than I used to, and less food at meal times, so hopefully this will gradually start to work. Just not giving in to the mindless urge to eat chocolate as a stress reliever once the kids are in bed is a massive change for me! I don't even really feel the urge now, so I'm hoping this is the start of my eating habits changing for the best.

Haven't been super active here today, well actually, I did some 30 day shred, but only the first 2 sets, as my pain flared up, but I did some good stretching after, and we've had a walk after tea. It's so miserable and rainy here, which is certainly turning us into hermits a bit. I'm going to relax in a cosy bath with a book now and try and get an early night 😊

I hope everyone else is doing okay!