To those who have succeeded on Paul Mckenna does it ever get easy to eat consciously?

[dalek]

I have seen some old threads where people have done well using PM system - are you still following the rules and is it easy to eat consciously now?

TIA
x

PS - Did anyone go to the seminar on saturday?

LYM - I've been doing it for ummm let's see. We are on day 24 today! I did it before though after I had DD and also did it a couple of years before that but only for a few weeks. This is the longest I've been on it so far.

As far as whether it's worth £50 Marla well if you look at the second hand prices on ebay it's essentially not that expensive because you can always flog it on when you are done. You could always buy it from QVC, use it for a month and send it back if it's not right for you?

I'm so lucky I don't drink. I'm just crap at drinking so I don't bother, so I don't have that temptation.

But my entire family are fat - my mum is a size 24, my dad is obese, my brothers are all obese, so I'm actually quite surprised I'm able not to be. Does that makes sense? I can see exactly why I grew up fat. I can see why I learned to eat to swallow down emotions and difficult situations but I think I've overcome all that and that's why I'm finding this relatively straightforward.

My big fear though is this: every single time I've lost a lot of weight, my relationships have collapsed. In the past it's been about ex-partners being worried because suddenly I get a lot of attention from blokes however I have explained this to DH and he insists he considers the fact that other blokes might find me attractive is a complement to his good taste. Which I'm not sure how I feel about . But I think that probably means he's a good 'un

The problem with Cambridge Diet et al is that YES you would be thinner by spring but you'd be fat again by autumn (and then some). You have to learn to live with your body and your relationship to food, replacing or restricting foods is just lining up extra problems down the road IMHO.

It's actually quite scary looking at the McKenna website and seeing people who have lost 100+ pounds. Can you imagine what a change that is? For us, yes it's confidence enhancing but once you get above about 50lbs you are actually changing your quality of life entirely aren't you? It's inspiring though that people who have that extreme a problem can find this is a solution.

Hello,
Well, DD better, DS still ill so have packed DP and DD off to family celebration (MIL's) and am slightly pissed off to be at home but also slightly happy not to be out on this freezing cold day, making polite conversation with his family.

Wmmc - glad you've found yourself a good 'un! I know from friends that some men find big changes in their wives/gfriends unnerving, and the male mind can be a strange place.

Although my DP might drive me to distraction with his messy ways and totally disorganised thinking, I count myself lucky that he's never made a negative comment about my figure (he is slim). I was slim when I met him in my early 20s, having been bigger in my late teens and lost weight when I left home and went to uni (just through living on toast and having to walk everywhere). I was slim up until my fertility problems got me down in my early 30s and I gained a stone over a year. The other two stone has been with pregnancies. So I've never really dieted, certainly not successfully, and that's what appeals about this way of eating. It's sustainable! Marla I feel envy when I hear any big success stories from WW/SW/Atkins etc, but WMMC is right - the weight goes back on because they don't change your eating patterns. My MIL has just lost quite a bit with SW, but she's only back where she was 3 years ago after her previous evangelical stint with red days and green days.

My big fear is what I can only describe as 'achievement vertigo' - I go along doing fine, then reach a point, say after a stone lost, or a certain size clothes reached, and it all goes haywire. I think partly I think 'this is easy, I don't need to try so hard anymore' and partly I need to allow myself to be a slim person. It's as if I don't believe I really deserve it. And possibly all tied up with having to face your real emotions when you can't cover them up with food. My family are great ones for that, too. When I lost weight in my early 20s, my Mum would worry about me, even though I was perfectly healthy and just reached a healthy BMI - no risk of eating disorders, etc. My family very strongly associate eating with love. Just today Mum was telling me I should treat myself to 'a nice lunch' because I couldn't go out with the in-laws.

But, one day at a time. And a thank you to you lot, cos it really is helping to know I can come on here and rant on .

Right, I am sub-consciously motivated to exercise by climbing the stairs to see to DS who is awake again. Hope you're all having good days.

Having a hideous day but it's nearly over and it's snowing

MiL is coming to stay for a week tomorrow

I know what you mean by 'achievement vertigo' LYM - I feel a bit like that. Right now I weigh the same as I did prekids which was still overweight - so it sort of feels like 'why bother continuing' sometimes. But I hold on to the fact that I am setting an example to my kids and if I'm fat what business will I have telling them what's good for them in this respect?

I'm having a terrible day today - slightly hung over, tired after a late night and bored - all result in eating crap all day!

Still as PM says a bad day is ok - I will get back to it tomorrow. Weigh in day for me tomorrow so I'm hoping for a loss! Wish me luck

Good luck sweetheart! I think today should be just chalked down to experience and forgotten for both of us!

Having a bad day today - can't stop eating. Haven't listened to cd for a couple of nights either - need to get back on track.

Dalek Good to hear from you but sorry you're .

Everyone seems to be having a rotten time at the moment. Must be the weather. Didn't snow used to make everything OK?

Have spent all day bickering with DP, so really tested out my powers of resisting emotional eating. Not had a full-on biscuit attack (in fact, haven't really fancied a biscuit since doing WMMC's exercise ) but not sure I was consciously eating that buttered toast this afternoon.

It is amazing how I can get a negative emotion and in the next instant, the urge to go and get something to eat. Although this system (not a diet, what do we call it?) doesn't involve using willpower to resist food, I do find I need willpower to remember to use the principles and follow the rules.

Sweetheart How did your weigh-in go?

WMMC Your MIL must be with you by now. Hope things going well. Setting a good example to the kids is a great motivator. And then there are some days where a happy mum is what everyone needs most .

Ok, so does PM know that snow is bad? Kids have been off school this week which means I have been home from work - and being naughty! It's so much easier to eat slowly at my desk with no distractions than it is to eat at home with the kids whilst they are shouting - "mummy come nad build a snowmand!"

Oh and then there is the hot chocolate and wipped cream afterwards too!! Ekkkkkk

I also haven't been to the gym and have noticed I am getting antsy and bored - which results in reaching for a snack!

Still, my weigh in was ok - I lost 2Ibs. Although I'm sure next Monday will not be good unless I can really pull my socks up for the rest of the week!

Dalek - perhaps we can get back on track together - I think I need to re-read the book!

LYM - well done for not giving into the emotional eating - keep it up!

Sweetheart - That's what I was thinking - need to re - read book.

I was watching one of the PM programs that I had sky plussed and he was showing tapping that was on the chin and under the nose - although he did not demonstrate this - is this super duper tapping that you only get in a one to one session?

I have managed to hold off weighing myself - Saturday will be 2 weeks - I am quite scared that I won't have lost anything as at the moment clothes don't feel any looser - oh well roll on saturday.

Are you supposed to drink calorific drinks consciously - hot chocolate and milky coffee?

Have resisted buying any new diet books or magazines so at least that's a start.

I really need to do this. I've tried before but just LOVE food so much that I want to eat it ALL . Sigh.

Dust yourself off and start again LilRedWG - you've got nothing to lose and it doesn't cost anything - go on give it a go - we're all here to support you

dalek - there are 2 techniques that OM uses:-

1. Craving buster - which is to get rid of those urges you get

1. Is the more "permenant" craving buster wmmc discribed a few days ago.

Ok, so craving buster number 1 - when you feel an urge to eat something when your not really hungry you start by tapping some pulse points on your body - these can be found

1. above your eyebrow
2. below your eye (in the centre)
3. On your colar bone
4. on the side / back of you hand

There may be others, I forget. But these are the ones I use.

Chose 2, 3 or 4 points (guess it really depends on the individula, there are no set rules) and tap each one a number of times with your fore finger and middle finger

After you have done this make a big circle with your eyes to the left and then to the right.

Next hum a short tune

Then make the large circles again

It sounds really stupid but it really works - by the time you are done the craving is gone - and if it's not start again!

It's more of a quick fix than the thing where you imagine one particular food type mixed with hair and all sorts of other nastys.

I think the way it works is that by doing the circles and humming you are switching from the left side of your brain to the right or something along those lines.

Also well done for not weighing yourself - I only managed a week which is great because I used to weigh every day and sometimes at several points throughout the day.

I made a new recipe for tea tonight and it was yummy - I wanted to scoff it all but I managed to leave some, I also motivated myself to go to the gym. Dh is out tonight so I think I may re-read chapter 1 and get myself back on track tomorrow when I shall be back at work.

How is everyone else doing?

Wow - sorry that was a massive message!

Thanks for taking the time to type out the message sweetheart.

dalek

xx

Well, have been falling asleep to the cd most nights, but scared the crap out of myself last night waking up to his '3, 2, 1!' - couldn't think where I was or why this bloke was shouting at me.

V tired and think I'm beginning to eat less consciously. Kids also driving me up the wall today and DP working late so I hit the white bread rather hard when they were both in bed. I also need to reread the book!

Dalek I do try to really savour hot chocolate and good coffee as otherwise I slug them down and don't notice the taste, which seems to defeat the object. Not saying I always succeed...

Hi everyone. MiL can't get here because of the snow .

Well done on your weight loss sweetheart!

Have had about two hours sleep for the last few days so I'm off to bed early but keep it up all of you!

The tapping thing:

Before you do this exercise for the first time, read through all the steps:
1.Focus on the food you are craving. Now rate the craving on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest. This is important, because in a moment we will see how far you've reduced it. You must continue to think about your craving throughout the sequence that follows.
2.Take two fingers of either hand and tap about ten times just above one of your eyebrows.
3.Now, tap under the same eye.
4.Tap under your collarbone.
5.Keep thinking about your craving and tap under your armpit.
6.Next, tap on the 'karate chop' point of the side of your hand.
7.Place that hand in front of you and tap on the back of it at the point between your knuckles of your ring finger and your little finger. (Continue tapping that point and thinking about the food you crave throught steps 8-13).
8.Close your eyes, then open them.
9.Look down to the right, back to centre and then down to the left.
10.Rotate your eyes 260 degrees clockwise, then 360 degrees anti-clockwise.
11.Still thinking about your craving and tapping, hum the first few lines to 'Happy Birthday' out loud.
12.Now count out loud from 1-5 (1,2,3,4,5).
13.Now once again hum the first few lines of 'Happy Birthday' out loud.
14.Repeat steps 2-6. Still thinking about what you were craving, tap above the eyebrow, under the ey, under your collarbone, under your armpit and on the karate chop point.

Okay, let's stop and check ? on a scale of 1 to 10, what number is the craving at now?

If it hasn't completely gone yet, simply go back through the entire sequence again until it does. It may take as many as two or even three times before you have completely eliminated the craving, although most people report getting the craving down to a manageable level on their first or second try. You may even find it has gone completely.

If it ever comes back, you can repeat this process as often as you like, or go through Craving Buster No.2 to reprogramme your craving away.

WMMC - I take it that's good news

Have a good nights sleep - i have read some of my PM book and am going to bed to listen to the CD.

sweetheart - it's not entirely good news - she's postponed rather than cancelled and I'll probably have to go fetch her with the children in the car! But hey, stay of execution and all that.

I'm still up, watching this kids alone thing because my bum hurts too much from dragging DD through the snow on her rocking horse (we didn't have a sledge available) and I can't lie down comfortably!

DS has a growth spurt on and fed every twenty minutes last night

Then I had to drag them round the shops to get a few things so they are not happy.

But I'm still not comfort eating

I think I might have cracked this! Hurrah!

How's everyone else getting on?

Congratulations wmmc on rising above comfort eating. Not an easy task.

I'm hanging in there. You know when you think 'it's a hard week, I just have to get through it'? Well, I'm beginning to realise every week is quite hard with a 2.7 yr old and an 11mo. They're like the worst house guests in the world - all your meals are thrown back in your face, they get you up at random hours of the night and just as you're about to leave the house they chuck half a pint of juice all over the floor. I feel like I'm in the trenches.

But these jeans have been slipping down all day so perhaps I'm doing something right.

Well done to both of you - keep up the good work.

I am finding that I am leaving it too late to eat o finding it very difficult to eat slowly and chew for first few mouthfuls - ho well it's all alearning curve

LYM & WWMC - those are big positive steps forward - you should be really proud of yourselves!

I have had an ok day - better than the last couple but there is still deffo room for improvement.

One thing I have noticed is that we keep having left overs now, our fridge is full of them! I have been using them as lunch the following day.