Paul McKenna - I can make you thin/freedom from emotional eating

[misskatamari]

Hi!

Just posting incase anyone else was using Paul McKenna methods, or was looking to start and have some support.

I was on a thread a few months back but have completely lost it now, so figured a fresh start might be a good plan.

I'm using the Paul McKenna app, and also have the freedom from emotional eating book, and I was feeling in a really good place and had started feeling so much more positive around food and about my body, but then old habits have crept in, so I need to restart, commit, and get myself back in the right headspace again. It would be great to have some others along for the ride.

The concept is very simple - eat when you're hungry, eat what you want, eat mindfully, stop when you're full.

I've slipped back into eating with distractions etc and stopped listening to my fullness cues as well as I had been, so I'm hoping I can get back on track with eating more mindfully!

I ordered a new copy of the book, downloaded the track to my computer and then onto my phone.
I am settling down this afternoon to read the book and I shall begin!

I lost 3 stones doing this about 10 years ago. I remember when I first started doing it, I was eating cake for lunch because I could but the novelty did wear off!! I did put a stone back on a few years ago as i was eating out of boredom while my mobility wasn't good but once I was back in the mindset it came off again.

I do think it's good for those like me that generally do eat healthily but have lost track of when to stop!!

Well I'm not doing fantastically, I hurt my back a week or so ago, which has thankfully improved a lot, and now floored with a cold, so I haven't been listening to the hypnosis all that often. I have hardly any appetite now though, and I have been improving in my "stress release eating" once the kids are in bed. Just trying to be kind to myself, and remind myself this doesn't have to be done perfectly. It's not "I'm doing crap, I've failed completely, eat crap again". I want this to just become how I eat, ingrained as a healthy habit, and it's okay if that takes time. On my period at the moment so not going to weigh, as I always go up then anyway, but will see how I'm doing once that's done. Will get back to listening to the hypnosis as well.

Sorry I started this thread with such good intentions and I'm not doing very well, but will try to check in more to keep on track. I hope everyone else is doing well

Thank you for starting the thread @misskatamari It caught my eye snd reminded me that I'm really not enjoying the consequences of 'eating all the pies'.

I'll have a look at it all again now. Might as well start today. 😀

I'm sorry to hear of your woes OP, but glad you haven't given in completely.

I'm on day 21 and looking back, the best bit has been that I've been able to enjoy my food. Normally on breaks and days out I'd be distracted by some need to fast or not eat sugar or not eat carbs. Instead I've just been able to enjoy the time. Still looking at a lb a week for me. (I've got to stop sneaking a peek at the scales though).

Day 23 and struggling a bit. Firstly, I’ve been comfort eating to deal with some difficult events. Secondly, I met up with a friend who was all excited about her weight loss on a different approach. Made me wonder if i was doing the best thing.

Tomorrow I’m going to go back to basics and only eat food off a plate, sat at the table. None of this pretending that I’m eating consciously sat on the sofa or floor.

Day 28. I have had some good days and good success, but today I inhaled a packet of biscuits and rounded the day off with some Dairy Milk. And I'm all bloated with my period.
Sigh I dunno.
Tomorrow's supposed to be a day I can weigh-in, but I'm not sure it's a good idea.

Downloaded the book last night and started on it
Very interesting and makes sense
Will keep going this evening and see

Hello, I’m just placemarking and musing here. I got this book years ago and dropped about 10lbs fairly effortlessly then unfortunately I returned to my previous habits and regained the weight.

I re read some of it yesterday and I long for that feeling of freedom I had before. I think the key really is to keep re reading the book as well as listening to the audio. I find the book more useful than the audio as it really hammers the message home.

I will weigh next week on the first the month and then again at the end and see what happens!

I'm on day 39 and I don't think it's going well. I've got an injury that is preventing me from even walking, let alone anything more strenuous. I'm enjoying the freedom, but unfortunately I'm mindlessly eating rubbish and over-eating.
I'm feeling a bit low this week but just can't see anything about my body ever changing. It feels like I've just given up. I don't really know what to do. I keep telling myself that "tomorrow I will only eat sat at a table" and then I don't. Perhaps boot camp, low carb misery is the only way?

Ooh - I forgot to weigh but perhaps I should be numbering my days too.

Monestera - I think he says something about if you can’t do all the Golden Rules, just try one - really savouring and enjoying each mouthful. A couple of days ago I was at lunch out with my friend and I KNEW I wouldn’t be able to stick to them all because it was at a set time, I was talking back and forth and not really eating mindfully but that was the one thing I tried to do. Just really really enjoy the good food. And I left quite a lot of it which I don’t usually do.

So rather than overwhelming yourself thinking of what you can’t do and that it isn’t working just make yourself something you love and just really enjoy it.

I have a tub of ice cream in the freezer that has about a sixth of it eaten. I have never done that. I keep ice cream out of my house because I will have a tub of it for my evening meal, on my knees, in front of the TV. I might eat 80% of it and then freak out and bin the rest while feeling miserable and uncomfortable. But not this time! It’s been there since Thursday morning. This is a success for me!

Also, I made a list a long time ago of all the low carb foods I really like - I feel well on less bread and pasta but I will put my face in a plate of carbonara if I am told I can’t have it. But I do look at it - fillet steak with fried mushrooms and creamed spinach, home made burger in a SLC bun, roasted chicken or pork belly with a spicy rub etc. I will probably look at the list before I go to the supermarket on Monday and also myself what I really want from it and get it and that could help too?

Thank you @B00kMark that's all good advice. I have weighed in, and I'm about the same. So, I guess I can take from that, that left to my own devices, I don't put on weight.

I've noticed that I'm starting to think about food a lot again. "What's for dinner? What's for tea? What's in the cupboard?". Mainly, I seem to have lost any joy in food. I have no inclination to any meal, I become apathetic until I'm really hungry and then eat something completely uninspiring. Or order takeaway. It's mostly the former though.

Secondly, I've noticed that sometimes I really crave mindless eating. I actually want to eat without savouring for a second. So this is numbing behaviour I think, a way of dealing with difficult emotions. I need to find different ways of managing them. Normally, I'd enjoy walking but a minor foot injury has stopped this for a couple of weeks. Hopefully, that's getting better though.

I've just had raw broccoli for breakfast, because out of everything in the fridge that was the easiest to prepare and I really fancied something crunchy.

Also, I made a list a long time ago of all the low carb foods I really like - I feel well on less bread and pasta but I will put my face in a plate of carbonara if I am told I can’t have it. But I do look at it - fillet steak with fried mushrooms and creamed spinach, home made burger in a SLC bun, roasted chicken or pork belly with a spicy rub etc.

My mind just goes blank. What do I really like? I can't really think of anything. But I like this idea, so I'm going to give it some thought today before I go to the shop tomorrow.

I'm thinking of starting this up again. Mainly as it is quite enjoyable and stops me from getting really stuffed. I've got the app but not the book.
One question for those who listen to the hypnosis thing each night - how do you deal with the ear phones? Do you fall asleep and they're somewhere in your bed in the morning or stay awake and take them off at the end?

Monestera - perhaps have a quick re read of chapter one again as he’s written it with NLP so it’s more effective than your average book on calories etc. Don’t stress yourself out too much. You’ve had no weight gain and then if you think through your favourite foods (start with the meats and variations like burgers or cottage pie, fish - fish pie, fillets with veg, fish curries, then any fruit and veg you love (I like pineapple and always avoided it as being sugary, now j have it), then maybe browse the recipes thread in low carb as they are so good for inspiration.

MakkaPakkas - I only have the book and the audio not the app but when I listen to it To go to sleep I put my phone under my pillow so it doesn’t keep DH awake, or i listen in the morning when he’s got up. I find it best as a sleep aid though!

Do you fall asleep and they're somewhere in your bed in the morning or stay awake and take them off at the end?
I tend to wake up half an hour earlier than I need to and put it on then, with earphones.

So - today was probably 60% aware eating. Not hungry til 12.30 but was on a work call so didn’t focus enough on it. Had some snacks mid afternoon that I did want and didn’t over eat and a light early dinner. I finished at 7pm and sent the evening asking myself if I was hungry enough to eat ice cream and then had to really tell myself no, I wasn’t technically hungry at all.

I’m in bed so while hunger has actually grown as I type this, I brushed my teeth already so that’s that!

I’m going to put on the audio and then I may do a short youtube workout tomorrow. I probably won’t but I feel more likely to if I write it in here

Well done! I've been a bit mindful with my eating today and also been for a swim.
I do like eating nice stuff slowly even if it does take ages!

I did manage my cardio this morning - I will hurt tomorrow but I’m so glad I did it. If I can JUST be bothered once a week, that is such a small commitment surely I can manage that.

I ate with enjoyment but too much dinner. And I also had dessert which I didn’t need at all. I need to not rush about so much. I think I have eaten less in general but am not entirely adhering to the rules. I didn’t need seconds of my main course but had it because it was so good. I have to get a handle on THAT.

Win: cardio
Lose: unnecessary 2nd helping and dessert

To be achieved tomorrow; no over eating!

Yay! Well done on the cardio!
Yesterday for me; went swimming
Mindful eating of a late breakfast (ommlette & salad and I left a bit)
Mindful eating of a magnum & mindless (while I worked) of a punnet of grapes for lunch
Mindfulish fajitas & snack later of diet ice-cream.
Today I'll go for a decent walk and try to do the slow eating put the knife and fork down thing on all my meals.

You lot have inspired me to order this. I need to sort out my 2 stone excess. I managed to stop smoking 20 years ago through a hypnosis book so fingers crossed this also works! Most of my weight gain is gradual and because of mindless snacking and I think it is partly tiredness late at night, part numbing and boredom eating earlier in the day. Really not happy with how I look and that I can't move as well now due to my weight so really want something that works and I realise most of my weight gain is for psychological reasons. Cant wait to read it now!

Thanks Makkapakkas - I was woken up by my DOMS from the workout but I’m going to aim to do it again maybe on Friday when it’s slightly less agonising. We’ll see.

Excellent work on the mindful eating - just enjoying the food so much more is an upside. Not just inhaling it in.

Aim today is 1.5 litres of water and not over eating..

Love the name @pisspants!
Today I've mostly eaten mindfully and actually left a bit of food on my plate. Also walked 15000 steps which is decent.
I suspect if I calorie counted what I've had it would be quite a lot though!

Hello! Gosh I've been pants at checking in (and following this🙈) but I'm glad to see others are on board.

Summer has just ended up hectic and I'm doing quite a lot of work on chronic pain issues at the moment, so I've not had much headspace for thinking about the McKenna stuff too - but I'm still aiming to be more mindful.

I've been following rebelfit on fb abs seen lots of their posts recently, and their ideas about body acceptance and set point weight have made a lot of sense to me, so right now I'm trying to work on being more loving and accepting of my body as it is now, and aim to follow the mindful eating principles set out in McKenna. My emotional eating is definitely getting less (I think in some part due to me working through some emotional issues with journaling and meditation, I haven't felt as much of an urge to mindlessly eat).

My guilt levels around food are much less too. I'm classing all this as a win. I have spent years hating my body. Feeling fat and not good enough and I'm sick of it. I'm sick of diet culture and constantly being fed the message that our worth has anything to do with how much we weigh. So even though I don't think I've lost weight yet, I feel better about myself. I feel like I want to fuel my body with delicious food, because it's good for me and because I enjoy it. Baby steps but I'm hoping I'm on the right track.

@Monestera have you tried the havening technique that McKenna does? I found it really really helpful with the urge to mindlessly eat. The emotional eating book has a 20 minute cd of it, but there are shorter videos on YouTube and the app, and when I first started I did the dvd every day for 5 days and was amazed that the craving I had for mindlessly eating just wasn't there. It's crept back somewhat, especially over summer when I get to kids bedtime and can just inhale chocolate (I totally hear you on the soothing aspect of it), so I want to revisit the technique.

I hope everyone's doing well ❤️