Hello All!!
This is the daily thread for those of us who are trying Paul McKenna's I Can Make You Thin method.
Any one can join in our thread at any time. We are here to help one another stick to his 4 golden rules:
1) When you are hungry eat
2) Eat what you want, not what you think you should
3) Eat CONSCIOUSLY and enjoy every mouthful
4) When you think you are full, STOP eating

We are also here to help one another past the diet mind set and to use some of PMK's other methods like the mirror technique etc.

Welcome!!!

Not sure about that first post. If you have any suggestions for how else it could be written please let me know. Also, feel free to start the new thread daily by cutting and pasting the first post into a new thread.

ok, so here is what I found out about myself yesterday. I have been doing PMK for a year now. I am no longer binging like I used to but I wasn't really lossing weight either. Then yesterday I watched the final show and had a huge light bulb moment. I watched the story about the lawyer who hated her body and PMK had her do the mirror technique. Suddenly I realized that was me and that is what had been holding me back for a year. So, I practised the techniques that he used with the lawyer and suddenly my appitite left me completely. All yesterday and today I have literally ate half of all my meals out of choice. Not just leaving behind the few mouthfuls that I normally leave behind. Amazing!! Also, all that negative self talk I hear in my head is starting to leave -thank you PMK!!!

Has anyone else found a technique in the series that has had a dramatic impact on them??? Maybe it was the tapping technique or maybe it was just deciding to eat consciously?? Please share it with us.

I hope that you are all having a great day!!!!

Awesome idea, and I think the first post is just great! I've been involved in the Intuitive Eating thread, but Paul McKenna really touches on a lot of the same ideas so I think I'll be double-dipping here.

I only sort of half-watched the final episode, but I have it saved on my Tivo. Can you maybe give a brief description of the mirror technique, and why it made your appetite go away?

I really like the first episode the most. I loved the concrete tip of just putting your fork down between bites. Only problem is, I haven't been doing that much lately. I also need to re-do the thing where you make yourself gag. That really had me feeling sick at the time, but I think I need to recondition myself so I can really bust cravings.

It's been a rough few weeks for me at work, and now my husband is out of town for the week and I'm alone with our two kids (still in diapers). So I like to tell myself it's okay that I've been using food to cope and not applying the techniques lately. But I need a swift kick in the butt to get back on track. So again, thanks for this thread!

Hi Dolly,
I ditto Amy-- I think the first post is fine. Also like Amy I think I will double dip because I am on the intuitive eating thread here. I've only had an opportunity to watch one episode but I think they are doing a marathon this weekend so I will try to catch it and see all of the episodes. I did try the stopping cravings techniques for Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches and needless to say I will no longer buy them. I am also a binger and all of the IE and some of the things from Paul McKenna has helped me to manage that.

Hi Amy and Shay!!
Thank you so much for jumping in and joining this thread!!!
I too started with intuative eating. But, then I found PMK a year ago and it spoke to me also.
What really hit me hard was watching the woman doing the mirror techniques. If you haven't watched it yet please do because it is hard to describe. But, while doing these exercises you could see the woman transform from a person feeling very negative and depressed into a beautiful young woman. It was so interesting to watch.

The mirror technique was actually a few things. First you stand in front of a mirror and visualize some one who really loves you and take their positive energy into your mind and body. Another technique was imagining all of the negative thoughts about your body going into an imaginary ball in your hand and then getting rid of it. Another technique was stopping the negative self talk in your head by making it speak in a funny voice. And, lastly as part of the mirror technique you close your eyes and imagine someone you think is really gorgeous (the lady chose Angelina Jolie) and you imagine what it feels like to be in their body. Things like how they hold themselves and feel about themselves. Then you bring that energy into your body and allow yourself to feel that good about yourself. Oh, he also showed you to give the parts of your body you don't like unconditional love.

Anyway, I finally realized that I eat to cover my feelings of self loathing. When I did these exercises the negative voice in my head stopped. And, my eating seemed to stop also. At every meal I have had since watching that show, I have cut my portions in half. That is amazing to me.

We all have our different issues. I am grateful to have finally figured out what mine seems to be.


Amy-I am sorry that you are feeling so stressed out this week. Can you take any time for yourself? Feeling stressed out always makes me over eat. But, you have to take time out to care for yourself also!! If you just don't have any help then don't be hard on yourself for not being perfect. Just pick things back up when you can. You are going through a lot this week, so be nice to yourself!!!

Shay-I love that name!!!!Good for you for trying some of the techniques for stopping binges. I have a hyponosis CD by PMK for emotional over eating and that has really helped me a lot. Also, those pressure point methods are amazing!!

So glad that you all stopped in and joined in. I really hope this thread will be helpful for everyone!!!!

Hi Dolly,
Thanks for starting this thread. There are about 3 other threads on Paul in the forum and everyday I'm looking for those to see if there are any new posts. Now we can all come to the same place.

I started in Jan. of this year to lose 10 lbs with diet and exercise. I was constantly hungry, but managed to lose about 4 lbs by the end of Feb. On another forum I read about self hypnosis and went to youtube and came across Paul. I looked for his book on ebay and ordered it. My first impression of the book was--I've read all of this before, this isn't going to help. But after I listened to the CD, it was like magic.
My afternoon eat everything you can find binges stopped. I quit drinking Crystal Light Tea and didn't even realize it unitl the next day. I have only drank water since. Then the shows started coming on tv and I really got the slow down, eat consciously idea. So, I feel like the cd helped me alot, but the tv shows helped reinforce what I had read in the book, but hadn't really applied.
I keep a chocolate "stash" like the one lady on the show, and it's been really weird. If I want a piece of chocolate, I can go and get one hershey's kiss or dark Dove piece and it satisfies me. Before I would have eaten 10 or more before I stopped. I think this program really has helped me with my binge eating. I have been to nutrition classes before and learned all about the hunger scale, but it just never clicked until Paul came along.
I hope everyone has continued success with the program.

Never dieting again,
Donna

Oh yeah, BTW, I made my 10 lb goal just this week-woo hoo!!

Dolly, thank you so much for that summary! I know who I will imagine...Jennifer Garner. I've had a girl crush on her for so long and I was pregnant with my first baby when she was pregnant, and I loved that she returned to Alias and still had a baby belly, unlike so many celebs who are stick thin a week after giving birth. And now she's back to her normal self, and she's just inspirational to me.

Well, my week just got a little better. We sold our old house (for sure). We had sold it but they came back after the inspection and demanded a few more things that we aren't willing or able to do, as we went as low as possible on the price we accepted. So anyway, we said we wouldn't do the things and they still want to buy the house! And I am planning some time for myself, traveling to my home alone this weekend for my nephew's baptism and seeing a friend I haven't seen in way too long.

I haven't gotten through all 4 (we had 4 on British television) episodes yet, but I already had the CD and the book. I'll be focusing on getting through the episodes and read through the book again this weekend.

The last couple of days I've been working on at least putting my knife and fork down whilst eating and I am eating a LOT slower. However, I'm still cleaning my plate. I just don't really know the signal for "full" yet.

I do follow WW but I can still eat what/when I want and I'm still w/in my points guidelines - I don't think it's a bad thing to keep on program AND use his techniques as well

Velveteen, I recently quit WW out of frustration with counting. I'm pretty obsessive and so if I'm on a plan where I know I should be keeping track of everything I put in my mouth, it consumes my entire life. I know that when I am hungry frequently and eat then, and do not get too full, I can eat what I want and still lose weight. Being on WW for several months was a good reinforcement of that fact. But for a variety of reasons I had to ditch the whole WW thing.

Shortly after I quit I encountered the concept of intuitive eating and bought a book by that name, and shortly after beginning reading that, the Paul McKenna shows started airing. I've been struggling though with my limits and when I weighed myself after starting the whole IE thing, I was not happy. I need the accountability provided by WW without the counting! I mean I guess there's the Core plan, but I wasn't into that.

Anyway, the point of this whole rambling post is that I agree, I think you can combine WW and Paul McKenna's stuff, especially if you are not obsessive like I am . I think combined you WILL end up with a plan you can follow for life. I'm still tweaking how this whole IE thing can work for me, and participating in WW will help with that. I do try to eat healthy food and try not to put huge portions on my plate, and then ideally I STILL listen for my satiety signals and don't eat everything that's on my plate unless I'm really that hungry. (Interestingly, when I was on WW I always ate my entire meal, since I had already calculated the points and felt I deserved to eat them).

I do understand what you are saying Amy. I generally plan my whole day at the beginning of the day so I know what points I'm using. I also eat about 6 times a day as well, small meals instead of big ones and snacks. I do tend to get a wee bit obsessed, but at the same time I need a guideline to follow, you know? The evening meal is the worst one for me, where I tend to overeat. So if I don't finish my meal because I'm stopping when I'm full, it's only a bonus of an extra point or two I can use at the weekend when I'm a little less structured anyway

I have heard of intuitive eating and I did read a book called "If not dieting, then what?" and it's loosely based on that as well. I think it can only be a good thing to educate myself on nutrition and balance and hopefully what works for me will be a combination of really good, solid, plans.

WOW-how great is this!! The first day of the thread and already so many great people have joined in. I am so happy that we are all doing this together!!

Donna-Congrats on lossing your 10lbs. Yahoo!!!!!! I am impressed!!

likenoother-When is the marathon this weekend? I have been looking to see when and where it is on and can not find it. Thanks!!


Amy and Velveteen-I am no expert on any of this stuff. But, it seems pretty logical that if you feel combining the two programs will work for you then try it. I think it makes great sense to experiment and see what works for you. We are all so different and all need personal solutions

Amy I am doing the happy dance for you selling your house Congrats on that!!!! Jennifer Garner, huh, well she is so fit, athletic, and seems really kind. Good person to use as an example. I seem to go between Shakira and Katherine Zeta Jones. We all have images that just appeal to us for whatever reason. I hope that visualizing Jennifer will help you!!

Ok, I hope I haven't left anyone out here. What a great little mini-community we have started here. I am so happy we can all support each other in our goals. Have a great day everyone!!

Dolly--Bad news. I went on the TLC website and can't find the marathon either. A few weeks ago when you pulled up the schedule it had a marathon for Sunday the 20th. I guess they changed their mind. Sorry! I forgot to say the pressure points work for me too.

Shay-yup, I see that he is selling the show on DVDs for $99. I am certain they are not replaying it on TLC so that he can sell his DVDs. I guess I shouldn't begrudge him the right to make money but it rubs me the wrong way just a little. Oh well, usually the shows always turn up on youtube so I am going to check it out there. thanks for the confirmation Shay!!!

I just made a couple of changes-I edited the title, and made it a chat thread for April (it might help others looking for this plan find you) and I closed the other thread here in General Diet Plans.

Carry on, ladies.

Aphil-Thank you for your help with the thread!!!

Good morning all!! Hope your evenings went well. I am starting today's post with a very positive and hopeful attitude which is a huge change for me. Usually, I just wake up, look in the mirror and get very depressed. Today I looked in the mirror and thought "not bad and getting better"!! Thanks PMK!
Well, I am off to do the mirror technique since it seems to be the key to the brand new me. How are you all doing this morning?? How are you feeling today? Are you able to eat according to the 4 rules or are you having some problems? Let us know so we can cheer you on and lend some support.
Happy Friday everyone!!!