carol, I just read your post, and that is how I felt about Thin Within. Thin Within recommends a "fistful" of food. The book says that is all your stomach was made to hold. Personally, I don't really know how accurate that is, but if one is really hungry and needs, let's say, two "fistfuls of food", does that mean one is not following the plan? That definitely struck me as "diety."

It will be interesting for me to read what Paul McKenna says about portions. Catholic Cajun, can you fill us in? I won't get my book until Monday. Thanks!

...should clarify that the "fistful" of food is per meal or eating time.

I thought there was something about hypnosis in Paul McKenna's book which I wouldn't be interested in. Thanks, though.

The amount of food was suggested in Thin Within to be about a fist-sized portion as a guide for those who don't know how much food might be enough. Most of us eat without regard to hunger and satisfaction...so when we are first adjusting to trying to listen for these physical signals, we may need a gauge of some sort that is external or "diet-y." It is meant as more of a guide line, rather than a rule.

Another guideline is to cut the normal portion in half. If a person is used to having a fast food restaurant tell them what a "meal" sized portion is, trying to eat only half of that, though sounding like a rigid rule, actually becomes merely a guideline. If we are still physically hungry after any amount of food, be it a fist-sized portion or half of our usual portion (or whatever), then we can eat.

I used these guidelines and they served me well during the year that I lost about one hundred pounds. Now, almost four years into this, I can trust my body's signals and myself to know when I have had enough and to respond (well, most of the time).

Hope this makes sense!

Yes, that makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the clarification. However, if we're going to learn to trust our bodies, I feel we need to make adult decisions about how much to eat, using our own internal guidelines and listening closely to our body instead of having someone else tell us to eat a fistful of food. That's a man-made rule/guideline, certainly not God's rule/guideline (Thin Within is a Christian-based book). I guess I feel I can empower myself and come up with my own set of guidelines based on my own individual needs.

For someone used to eating a lot of food, eating a fistful of food is equivalent to starvation. And most folks in the United States do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. We should be encouraged to eat a LOT of them. Fruits/vegetables are never what got us fat. A fistful of fruits/vegetables combined with whatever else you're eating is a minute amount and not healthy.

I still think someone telling me to cut my portion in half or use a fistful of food is NOT listening to my body, but just another calorie-cutting method.

I believe calories count, but I also believe we don't have to count them and I also don't like to use artificial methods to learn what my body needs. I can't recall reading anywhere in Thin Within that if a fistful of food does not satisfy you, to take another fistful. I might as well count calories if I'm going to do that. If you focus on a fistful of food, you're not focusing on your own internal needs.

Your name sounded familiar. Are you the co-writer (collaborator) of Thin Within book?

I agree.

Hello dd2010. I am glad you found this thread too! I read Thin Within a few years ago, obviously it did nothing for me, since I am here. I also read and have the videos for Weigh Down, and Lightweigh. Lightweigh is Catholic in it's foundational teachings, and it's more or less Paul McKenna, just with the Spirituality added, but for me, it has to be in written word, don't ask me why, it just has to be, so even though the lessons are great and the videos, I need the written word, if that makes sense. My husband is NOT a reader, so it takes us an hour to get to work everyday, we pray on our way to work so on our way back from work I will read the book to him while he drives, that way I get to read it again and he can't get away from me! So I think we can meet here and discuss our success, questions or failures and encourage each other. Have a blessed day.

Sorry dd2010, I just read your first post. Paul Mckenna has 4 golden rules:
1. When you are hungry EAT
2. Eat what you want
3. Eat slowly
4. Stop when full

These are the same rules as Weighdown and Lightweigh. I also try and eat on a salad plate, I bought a few at Walmart for 1.00 each, then I got some plastic ones to take to work at Dollar general for .75, if I eat a side salad I eat that on a saucer plate. When you get used to the smaller portions, it really is amazing how full you really get on a salad plate of food. Lightweigh also teaches that your stomach when shrunk is the size of your clenched fist, this was VERY depressing for me--I HAVE SMALL HANDS!! Anyway hope this helps.

I got the Paul McKenna info off his website and did the tapping for a while and I believe it worked, but just didn't remember to do it all the time. Then I read about the 4 rules. Someone on another IE group I used to be on did Paul McKenna with IE and they put the 4 rules on there and called them The 4 Golden Rules. I liked those rules and try to remember to do them as well. I really believe that if done consistently they would be all the Rules we would need for IE to work.

I also am eating on smaller plates and bowls. I eat what I really like but I need to learn to slowdown. I remember an article Carolr posted on IE way back maybe a year or so ago. It told of a man who went to another country and ate at a fast food place that was originated in USA. He said the portions are smaller and he learned that he was just as satisfied with the smaller portions in that country as he was with the larger servings in America. I have found that I can prepare my food, put smaller portions on my plate than what I used to eat and I am just as satisfied as I did when I ate more. For example, my hubby and I go out to a restaurant to eat and we usually purchase one meal and half it. Even at home when I fix a steak, we half the steak. So the smaller portions do work.

In the Eden Diet, she stresses that it is impotant to learn not to depend on outside help although it is acceptable to use them only until you learn to hear your own bodies hunger/satisfied signals. Even depending on the outside help should be a "your choice" thing. Also remember that not everybody will need to do that at all. It seems to diety to me to weigh, measure etc. so I don't do it. I just choose to eat less and like you say the smaller plates helps me. It may take me a little longer to lose, but I am free from bondage to food and diets.

I agree as well. I don't want to go back to counting calories etc. I chose to and I want to learn to recognize the signals my body sends to me. However, I believe what this means is that everyone has to do what works for them.

Hubby and I went and get our b/p meds refilled, which hopefully one day will no longer be a necessity! anyway he needed new work jeans so we went to walmart, got his jeans, and as usual nothing pretty in the plus size shirts for ladies, we are at the check out counter and I spot my favorite candy, reeses, and I ask if he wants to share a pack and he said no, but said you can have one, and I told him NO, I am not hungry! It is really nice knowing that you can say no to a favorite, I could have purchased one and ate later when I was actually hungry, but decided not to, now if I could just have more of those moments!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!! I REJOICE WITH YOU!!! I'M HAPPY FOR YOU.

Thank you Trish!

Trish, does the Paul McKenna book have something in it about hypnosis?

Carolr I copied this from Wikipedia about Paul McKenna... "McKenna has written and produced books and multimedia products, hosted self-improvement television shows and presents seminars in hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming and weight loss".

I never purchased any of his books, just read stuff online. I'm not into hypnosis and not sure how the neuro-linguistic program works. However, I do think that speaking positively can be good depending on how it's done or what you do say. So I never really got into his stuff too much. The only thing that I found really good to me was the 4 rules because it made sense to me as a way of simplifying IE.

How have you been feeling?