How to lose thirteen kilos without really trying
I think of it as 52 x 250g packs of butter that I’m no longer dragging around. I lost the weight in about two months, without using any willpower, without dieting and without visiting a gym. Of course, I had help.
There's a book explaining how to do it – there's always a book. This one’s called: “I can make you thin.” It’s a slim volume, costs about £10 and was written by a guy called Paul McKenna. When I first came across it I was sceptical - well, he looked like a spiv and sounded like a snake-oil salesmen. Nevertheless, after a few minutes browsing through, I was hooked. Both the logic of Mr McKenna's system and the quality of his research seemed impeccable. Even then I wouldn’t have bought the damn’ thing if it hadn’t made up the third book in a “three-for-the-price-of-two” offer.
So, what’s it all about?
To tell the truth, there's just one rule: Only, and always, eat when you’re hungry. But he expands that concept from the outset and lays it down as four “golden” rules:
1. Eat when you begin to feel hungry;
2. Eat only what you want to eat (not what you think you ought to eat);
3. Eat slowly and enjoy every mouthful, and
4. Stop eating when you begin to feel full.
He then expands each of these golden rules into a chapter containing an explanation of how and why each rule works, together with helpful hints on just how to apply them. He also answers more questions about his rules than anybody would dream of asking. Throughout the whole exercise, he encourages you to imagine how good you will feel about the “new thin you”. I think we all know that technique; I’ve used a version to improve my golf – it worked (well, within reason: there's a limit to what you can achieve without using miracles).
Oh yes, and he has a word to say about exercise: he suggests that you take just a little more “appropriate” exercise each day - maybe enjoy a daily stroll, and try one or two other physical activities to increase your heart rate slightly (he seems to suggest that more sex might be a good idea). For God’s sake, he says, do NOT join a gym!
Of course, he points out, you don’t have to follow his suggestions rigidly. You can break off at any time, just so long as you come back to them. He takes the reasonable view that if you want to take a little longer to
- look slim and healthy,
- feel ten years younger, and
- have the best sex you’ve had in years,
that’s ok with him.
Is there a down-side? I don’t think so. But there is some mumbo-jumbo that might put some people off. For example, he demonstrates simple techniques (tapping and squeezing various parts of the body) that he claims will remove your cravings and improve your self-confidence. They may work; I haven’t really tried them.
Perhaps more to the point, there may be a problem with the CD that comes with the book. It sets out to lull you into a relaxed state of mind and then seeks - very gently - to persuade you to believe the suggestions in the book. It’s a bit cheesy, but nothing that a strong stomach can’t take. Admittedly, I was a little surprised to be told that “each day I would be revealing more and more of my inner beauty”, but once I realised that the man was aiming at a female audience I found I could live with the idea. Mr McKenna claims the overall effect is similar to daydreaming, but it sounds like hypnosis to me.
Should that bother you? Are you convinced by the assurance that under hypnosis we can't be persuaded to do things we wouldn't normally do? I'm not. On the other hand I've an arrogant confidence that they can’t get me. They haven’t yet – at least, I don’t think they have.
So, with that little caveat, if you want to lose a few kilos rapidly – and keep it off for life – why not suspend disbelief for a while, buy the book, read it, and listen to the CD. It might be the best ten pounds you ever spend - might also be a waste of ten pounds though!
I think of it as 52 x 250g packs of butter that I’m no longer dragging around. I lost the weight in about two months, without using any willpower, without dieting and without visiting a gym. Of course, I had help.
There's a book explaining how to do it – there's always a book. This one’s called: “I can make you thin.” It’s a slim volume, costs about £10 and was written by a guy called Paul McKenna. When I first came across it I was sceptical - well, he looked like a spiv and sounded like a snake-oil salesmen. Nevertheless, after a few minutes browsing through, I was hooked. Both the logic of Mr McKenna's system and the quality of his research seemed impeccable. Even then I wouldn’t have bought the damn’ thing if it hadn’t made up the third book in a “three-for-the-price-of-two” offer.
So, what’s it all about?
To tell the truth, there's just one rule: Only, and always, eat when you’re hungry. But he expands that concept from the outset and lays it down as four “golden” rules:
1. Eat when you begin to feel hungry;
2. Eat only what you want to eat (not what you think you ought to eat);
3. Eat slowly and enjoy every mouthful, and
4. Stop eating when you begin to feel full.
He then expands each of these golden rules into a chapter containing an explanation of how and why each rule works, together with helpful hints on just how to apply them. He also answers more questions about his rules than anybody would dream of asking. Throughout the whole exercise, he encourages you to imagine how good you will feel about the “new thin you”. I think we all know that technique; I’ve used a version to improve my golf – it worked (well, within reason: there's a limit to what you can achieve without using miracles).
Oh yes, and he has a word to say about exercise: he suggests that you take just a little more “appropriate” exercise each day - maybe enjoy a daily stroll, and try one or two other physical activities to increase your heart rate slightly (he seems to suggest that more sex might be a good idea). For God’s sake, he says, do NOT join a gym!
Of course, he points out, you don’t have to follow his suggestions rigidly. You can break off at any time, just so long as you come back to them. He takes the reasonable view that if you want to take a little longer to
- look slim and healthy,
- feel ten years younger, and
- have the best sex you’ve had in years,
that’s ok with him.
Is there a down-side? I don’t think so. But there is some mumbo-jumbo that might put some people off. For example, he demonstrates simple techniques (tapping and squeezing various parts of the body) that he claims will remove your cravings and improve your self-confidence. They may work; I haven’t really tried them.
Perhaps more to the point, there may be a problem with the CD that comes with the book. It sets out to lull you into a relaxed state of mind and then seeks - very gently - to persuade you to believe the suggestions in the book. It’s a bit cheesy, but nothing that a strong stomach can’t take. Admittedly, I was a little surprised to be told that “each day I would be revealing more and more of my inner beauty”, but once I realised that the man was aiming at a female audience I found I could live with the idea. Mr McKenna claims the overall effect is similar to daydreaming, but it sounds like hypnosis to me.
Should that bother you? Are you convinced by the assurance that under hypnosis we can't be persuaded to do things we wouldn't normally do? I'm not. On the other hand I've an arrogant confidence that they can’t get me. They haven’t yet – at least, I don’t think they have.
So, with that little caveat, if you want to lose a few kilos rapidly – and keep it off for life – why not suspend disbelief for a while, buy the book, read it, and listen to the CD. It might be the best ten pounds you ever spend - might also be a waste of ten pounds though!