Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Original poster

Anybody following Paul McKenna - I Can Make You Thin ?

314 replies

Kayleigh · 09/04/2005 16:40

Have just bought the book & CD after two recommendations. Anyone following his rules ? Is it working ?

OP posts:
Seabird · 12/02/2006 19:43

Wow well done about the half stone Mosschops

Still going well for me as in I'm still keeping the weight off for longer than any "diet" ever worked for me.

TaiTai · 12/02/2006 23:12

Hi

I don't have Sky One so couldn't watch the programme. But I've just bought the 90 Day Success Journal and am going to start it tomorrow with a friend.

Seabird, as you know I tried to CAT you before but it didn't work. I hope you don't mind, but the question I was going to ask was about knowing when you're full. I really struggle with this and find it near impossible to distinguish between the various states of hunger that PM describes in his hunger scale. Did you find you had to consciously work at it and it got easier with time to be in touch with your natural hunger levels? Any tips?! Thank you so much.
Tai Tai

Dior · 29/03/2006 18:46

I bought the book (with CD) yesterday. I liked most of what he had to say, and listened to the CD this morning. Did anyone else find his voice a bit 'Lloyd Grossman'? My mind kept wandering during bits of it, but I did feel relaxed. I have been better around food, but I'm not sure if it is the CD or if it is a placebo effect!

Horse · 01/04/2006 21:36

Hi, I have just started this (I'm on my 5th day). I have read this thread and would like to know if anybody has been following this short or long term. Seabird seems to be the only one who has successfully kept it up. I am going to PM's weight loss training day in May and thought that I would try and follow the book first. I have known of people who have been to his training day and have lost huge amounts of weight afterwards, and not put it back on. I had a health problem last year and have since piled on the pounds and although I don't have a huge amount of weight to lose I just haven't been able to shift any of it. My relationship with food is terrible - last week I ate a whole tub of M&S really chocolatey mini swiss rolls on the tube. I've been on the South Beach diet and the Atkins, the former was successful temporarily but I put the weight I had taken off back on very quickly. The latter gave me acne. Although I have only been following PM for less than a week I feel lighter (I haven't weighed myself which in itself is miraculous) and I feel confident about my image at the moment even though it isn't the image I am striving for. Anyway, would love to hear from anyone else doing this.

mancmum · 02/04/2006 08:43

what a coincidence I have just dug out this book again.... have used it and it does work but like most habits, it needs hard work to maintain it and I have slipped at bit since I used it about a year ago when i read further down the thread... I dud lose weight and I have not gained any and I have really reduced my bad eating habits... so it has worked.... but I now want to shift the final lardage.... so would really like to "buddy" up with you on this... am going to start tomorrow.... speak to you then!

Horse · 02/04/2006 15:53

Hi mancmum, great that you are on board. Although others have stated that their attitude to food changed when following the book I am surprised at mine. I have a bar of my favourite chocolate in the fridge and a packet of lovely biscuits in the cupboard - under normal circumstances they would have been consumed by now but I have no interest in them. I have also been excercising. I joined a gym in January but have never gone, over the last week I have worked out every day. It is certainly a mind shift. The most important thing is being able to eat whatever I want with my family. I will be good to have someone to gee me along though so look forward to talking to you (or anyone else for that matter).

mancmum · 05/04/2006 10:01

Horse -- how's it going? I am trying my best to stick to it... but old habits take a lot of breaking!!

Horse · 06/04/2006 19:07

Hi mancmum, I am sticking to it as best I can and I think that I am definitely feeling better and slimmer than I was. I am eating much less and exercising much more so the end result must be good. I will weigh myself on Tuesday next. I did cheat and weighed myself this Monday, to my amazement I had lost 4lbs. My clothes are feeling a little bit more comfortable. I've got into the habit of listening to the CD every night so that hasn't been a problem. To tell you the truth this is the easiest it has ever been for me. I am so used to starving myself and expecting the weight to fall off fast that this seems like a walk in the park. As I have only got a stone to loose, and as I have already achieved 25% of that weight loss I am hoping that I will be able to maintain my ideal weight once I have achieved it. In the past it has been too easy to gain those hard lost pounds. After the initial two weeks what was it like for you previously? Why did you stop using this weight programme? I would love to hear from you or anyone else who has followed it.

patkica · 07/04/2006 09:49

I'm going to the weight loss day next week in London too. Anyone else? I'd aslo love to hear about anyone who has kept this regime up and anyone who has been to a live PM show. I'm a bit nervous as I don't want to be picked out and made a fool of under hypnosis.Blush

mancmum · 07/04/2006 09:56

I cracked today and weighed myself 3lb off I than nearly fell over when I realised I did not eat the crusts of DDs breakfast toast normally I cover them in butter and jam... so behaviour is changing... I find I am good with this when I am organised it has to be conscious behaviour for me to achieve this... when I am tired or travelling a lot I find I can let myself get too hungry cos there is no food available and then I pig out when I eventually find some... need to keep snacks with me.. i also need to keep up with the CD and the book -- this is not yet totally natural behaviour for me which is why I sometimes slip... but as i mentioned I ahve not put weight back on... so there must be some changes...

wangle99 · 08/04/2006 10:01

Can I join you here? I am following the principles of the book but I don't have the CD (will hopefully be buying it when can find cheap in local supermarket lol). Have been doing it for four days now, don't feel deprived and do feel better already (as in not bloated) finding it hard not to step on the scales though, want to prove to myself this is working!

Horse · 08/04/2006 19:25

Hi mancmum, patkica and wangle99. Great to have like minded PM followers. I am nearing the end of my second week and like you wangle99 I don't feel bloated after eating. I used to find that I would go to bed after eating a huge dinner and wake up very bloated and not wanting breakfast. I now love eating breakfast with my family. Also, I eat at the same pace, or slower than dd does. She always used to accuse me of wolfing down my food (not in those words) but she would complain that I ate far too fast. As someone else stated on this thread you also find that you are quite relaxed about any food being left on your child's plate. Wangle99 you are doing great, especially without the CD. I think that by using the CD every night for the first two weeks it is meant to programme your mind. The book goes into more detail. Mancmum you have done really well in such a short period of time. I weighed myself after 6 days and found that I had lost 4lbs but 2 of those would have come off whatever I did as I had stuffed myself silly the previous weekend. Patkica, I must admit that I am not going to the training because of my weight - it is to deal with my relationship with food. I am not overweight, but would like to be a little lighter than I am (I want to be the weight I was pre dd and managed to get to last summer). I binge often and have always used food as an emotional tool. PM touches on this in his book and I am hoping that he will spend quite a bit of time on it at the training.

dinny · 08/04/2006 19:29

Hey, can I join you all too? Have dabbled in PM but reread it the other day and feel so motivated atm. DH made us all a veg cooked breakfast and normally I'd have eaten it all and felt totally bloated and like I'd ruined my diet but today I only managed about half of it and really enjoyed it. Have just had supper with dh and kids and even couldn't finish that. Argh, could this be it? Has it something finally clicked?? Hope so! Am so motivated also as I finally got round to buying larger-size sports bra (still bfing ds) and so have resumed running regularly again. And it feels fab! Dinny.

Horse · 08/04/2006 19:38

Hi dinny, you know what they say. The more the merrier. How long since you stopped bfing? How old is your baby? Must admit I wish that this book had been in print when I had had my dd. It seems so effortless (hope I'm saying that on Tuesday when I weigh myself). The beauty of this programme is that you don't have to follow a diet sheet or count calories.

dinny · 08/04/2006 19:43

Thank you, Horse. My ds is 19 months but still hasn't stopped bfing (I just HAVE to start running again now, hence the larger bra purchase!)

do you do any of PM's tapping technique?

Horse · 08/04/2006 19:48

Hi dinny. I have been thinking about that bar of Lindt chocolate in the fridge tonight. It is the first time I have been tempted since starting this diet and so I half heartedly tapping under my eye and then my collar bone. I'll have to get the book out to do it properly. I am also still drinking a glass of wine now and then although it is no where near as much as I usually drink, in the book PM suggests you don't drink for the first two weeks. I didn't touch it during the first week but have given into temptation.

dinny · 08/04/2006 20:16

but if you really do fancy it, Horse, then have a little and savour it...? it IS Saturday, afer all. Smile

dh and I have decided to not drink at all unless we go out (or have people round for dinner etc). which is max once a week. but we have nothing on this weekend so have just had a fruit salad and Muller yogurt and think that will do me for tonight.

what does PM say about alcohol generally? just to make sure you're not eating when drinking?

Horse · 08/04/2006 20:56

Hi dinny. Regarding alcohol PM just touches on the subject. He says that alcoholics are usually thin people but just for the first two weeks it is a good idea not to have any. He doesn't mention alcohol on the cd. At this moment in time I'm not bothered anymore about the chocolate but may have another sip of wine Wink

wangle99 · 08/04/2006 21:56

Thanks for the welcome!

I think I definately need to get the book as there is obviously more to it than I can guess! Also the CD sounds fab!

This evening I wasn't really hungry but just wanted something so settled for very small piece of shortcake biscuit and some raisins. It almost felt 'naughty' eating it but after that I was fine and not really thinking about food! It is totally retraining your thinking isn't it?

I really want to jump on the scales to convince myself it's working (just to make sure lol!) but I'm resisting....

Horse · 09/04/2006 08:52

Good morning. I felt as if I was being an absolute pig yesterday (we stayed at my parents from Friday) but I feel really good this morning, not bloated at all. Wangle99 the scales are hard to resist especially if you have used them every day like I have done in the past. I have only weighed myself once in almost two weeks which is amazing for me as I ususally jump on the scales as soon as I wake up.

wangle99 · 09/04/2006 10:27

Good morning Horse Smile

The scales I think are the worst thing, I used to way myself morning and evening Blush and then of course would beat myself up if they didn't show what I wanted.

I just bought the book (and the success journal Blush) in Tesco Grin so now I have the cd as well. Will have a proper read later, feeling even more motivated today!

TaiTai · 09/04/2006 20:23

Hi, can I join in with the mutual support please? Smile As you'll see from earlier posts I bought the success journal and was going to do it with a friend. However, she didn't have the time to continue and there was a period when we were both not doing it. I've restarted at about the halfway mark, and now have 41 days to go. I'm afraid I'm not a great advert because I haven't lost weight, but I have upped my exercise and have lost a few inches. But I think a key is listening to the CD regularly and I didn't do this. I'm now back on the wagon and raring to go. As someone said you do need to be very conscious and work hard at it, but I've been back on it for the last week and I've stopped having sugar in my cappuccinos and haven't been buying chocolate. I've also started my running programme as I'm doing a Race for Life in three months' time. So a reasonably good start.

dinny · 09/04/2006 21:04

Hello, everyone Smile

Have had a great day food-wise, haven't overeaten at all and feel really in control. Also, last week I recorded my resting hr, and waist/bust etc measurements (so I can take them every week as motivation to keep up my running) and guess what - my resting hr is down 4bpm (from 82 to 78), my waist is 2 inches off, bust 1 inch, hips 1 inch, arms and thighs .5!!! am sooooo pleased - thoroughly recommend as motivation.Grin

Horse · 09/04/2006 21:52

Hi dinny and tai tai, great to have you on board. Tai Tai is the success journal the same as the "I Can Make You Thin" book by PM? You both are doing very well. I must say I feel a lot better but haven't yet done any "proper" measurements. It certainly does motivate you to get up and work out. I have a lateral thigh trainer and a torso trainer that I use in front of the tv. I found that going to the gym was a bit too ambitious so have managed to excercise at home. In the two weeks I have been following the programme I have had one chocolate biscuit, and although I was tempted last night I managed to overcome the urge. I tried on a few summer skirts this morning and was pleased to see that they fit me. My uniform for the winter has been jeans and polo neck jumpers so it will be nice to wear bright fashionable clothes again Smile

dinny · 09/04/2006 21:58

Horse, hello (love your name btw). Felt so happy today, meant to say, just really positive and I just KNOW I will be back in my lovely size 8s for the summer. And buying lots of yummy new stuff too! Feel like I have suddenly 'remembered' the way I used to eat before I got pg with ds and started eating everything in sight!