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Half the battle of weight loss is mental. Some may argue that it's even more than that. One such person may be self-help guru Paul McKenna. His show on TLC, I Can Make You Thin, is all about conquering your mental hurdles that keep making you stumble and lose sight of your goals.
Following the immense success of The Biggest Loser series, you could expect that there would be more health-related shows on the horizon. Where that show is more about hardcore fitness, and strict adherence to healthier eating, TLC's I Can Make You Thin is about transforming your mind, and the weight loss will follow.
Host Paul McKenna is very charismatic, which is a prerequisite for any successful self-help guru. He brings a zeal to his presentations that definitely lights a spark in the audience. He's uplifting, and even funny at times.
Here are the four golden rules for eating that McKenna brings to I Can Make You Thin:
- When You're Hungry, Eat!
- Eat What You Want (Not What You Think You Should).
- Eat Consciously.
- When You Think You're Full, Stop.
It sounds painfully simple, and number two even seems a little ridiculous. But in reality what he means is, eating shouldn't be about punishment.
If you were to sum up the general philosophy of I Can Make You Thin, it is that you need to face your inner demons head on, and take simple steps to destroy them. McKenna uses eccentric techniques like replacing that inner negative voice with a silly one, which will in turn make you not take it seriously. He also has viewers think of disgusting images when they think of their trigger foods. The techniques are certainly different and they seem to work on the people who volunteer in the show.
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- I Can Make You Thin addresses the dangers of emotional eating
- The goals are not superficial
- While it's important to address the emotional side of eating, it may be beneficial to have some emphasis on actual healthy foods
- No guidance provided
There is very little mentioned about food specifically.
There is no exercise regimen given.
The results on the show best illustrate what Paul McKenna's approach is all about: Losing weight is more of a byproduct of transforming your self-worth than being the direct drive of what you are doing. I Can Make You Thin participants lose weight, but it almost seems to be an afterthought compared to the renewed confidence and self-esteem they get. If for no other reason, you need to give kudos to Paul McKenna for doing something nearly no diet can boast.
TLC Make You Thin, I Make You Thin, I'll Make You Thin, Paul McKenna Diet
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TLC's I Can Make You Thin
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User Feedback
(Page 1 of 1, 8 total comments)Jaden
+One of the biggest problems for most people is to know wether their hunger is emotional or actual physical hunger.
posted Aug 7th, 2011 8:49 pmSo people might still overeat even though they just eat when they think they are hungry - because the hunger is not physical hunger.
Following Paul McKenna's system will work. And it's not a diet.
But it's not as easy as it claims to be. It's a learning process and hard work, too, to get rid of the unwanted bad habbits.
Becca
I live alone and work alot. I didn't realize just how my habits and emotional state controled my eating until I actually sat and watched every episode. I truely considered every thing he said to do and followed it to a t and it has now been over a year and I am down 58lbs. from where I started. I still practice the new lifestyle and yes I have slipped a time or two but then I go back and start over and it's ok that I falter, after all I am only human.
posted Dec 2nd, 2010 4:15 pmSophie
-I folowed the diet for over 50 days and put on 6 pounds. I did everything it says: I hate when I was hungy. I had whatever I wanted. I stopped when I was full. I enjoyed every mouthfull.
posted May 6th, 2010 5:33 pmIt doen't work. I'm now 6 pounds heavier than when I started. I really don't like it.
Rich
I watched the show Paul had on TLC in March of 2008. Therefore, it has been two years now and I have lost 45 pounds. I lost most of it in the first 6-8 months and have keep it off ever since. I eat smaller portions and am no more hungry than I ever was! If you are looking to change your life, this is a step in the right direction.
posted Mar 5th, 2010 11:03 amlisa
I am in the process of following Paul's golden rules. I have 10lbs that I would like to lose for good. So far, the emotional eating habits are hard to keep under control. I like the CD that comes with the book. It helps me relax. I will keep you posted.
posted Jan 29th, 2010 9:51 pmKatie
+I really liked this book. I didn't realize I was emotional eating when I stuffed my face everytime I was around food and just kept eating until I was going to burst. I have only been doing this for a week and I can tell a big difference. I feel great and have more stamina and energy. I love being in control!
posted Apr 6th, 2009 2:56 pmben
I'm actually trying the diet and blogging about the experiment. I told myself that I would try for 30 days... It's too soon to say now if it has worked for me (cause I'm only on day 6) but my hopes are high!
posted Jul 28th, 2008 9:11 amme
Following Paul McKenna's four golden rules have changed my life. This is the first time I get on the scale, weigh less than I did the week before and I'm not even HUNGRY. It's so true that by doing this, you are eating like a naturally thin person does. At first it's difficult to overcome emotional eating but now I've broken all my habits. The idea of eating food when I'm not hungry makes my stomach revolt. I weigh much less than I did two months ago, I'm happier and MUCH more confident.
posted Jun 11th, 2008 10:14 am