Customer Reviews
Second time round for me - By: Sam, 19 Aug 2008 
I bought this book a couple of months ago & was really excited by it. However, it didn't work. Looking back, I think that was due to the following:
1) I'm not exactly a heffer, & I wasn't sure it would work for someone who many people describe as thin already, (but I knew I was carrying an extra 6 - 9 pounds & still had trouble finding clothes that felt & looked good)
2) I read the book when I was away with my hubby for the weekend, & we got drunk a lot & ate out a lot, & frankly, it's hard to figure out whether you're hungry or not when you're got a hang-over
3) I was training for a triathlon, & I think I kept thinking that a few days of hard training & being careful with my food would sort it all out anyway, so I kind of wasn't committed
4) When the book spoke about emotional eating, & problems with lack of will-power, I just did not associate that with myself. I mean, I can make myself do a triathlon for goodness sake - I've got will-power. And I'm really happy, so why would I be doing emotional eating?
What finally did it for me was completing the triathlon & realizing that I was still half a stone heavier than I should be, but more importantly, just feeling miserably enslaved to food & exercise & finally realizing that the problem was partly down to me treating food like a reward. I had this massive reward thing going on. If I cycled hard for 2 hours, then I could have a bar of chocolate. Except I'd always go too far & just eat & eat & eat after a big workout, &in reality, I was getting heavier (even though a lot of the weight was muscle)
I was really unhappy about it - I felt like I was going to be trapped & feeling out of control about food for the rest of my life. I'm one of those people who would say "But I'm never full!", & I never felt like I was full. I would occasionally feel like I couldn't eat any more, but I still didn't have any real understanding of what it feels like to be full.
So anyway, after the triathlon, I kind of had this realization moment that actually, the problem must bein my head. I eat healthily, I'm really fit, I do loads of exercise, I've got loads of will power. I thought I'd give the book another go, because frankly, I quite literally couldn't think of anything else to try.
And do you know what? It has blinking well worked, & I have never felt happier about foodin my whole life (well since I was about 17 & started worrying about my weight!) I've been doing it for 3-4 weeks now, & after 3 weeks I weighed myself, & yes, I've finally started to shift those last pounds (but I knew that anyway, because I could see my body shape changing). The feeling of control is just so amazing. I still can't accept after years & years of deprivation & struggle that I might actually get to be one of those women that I used to look at enviouslyin the street - the ones who can wear the clothes that arein fashion because they don't have to worry about their thunder thighs. But I'm not counting the days - I'm not waiting for it to be over. I want to carry on eating like this. It's easy. It's fun. It's liberating. It's just so great to cook what I want, & eat what I want, & not to be feeling jealous & inadequate.
But you know - the water thing is a very big point. I have realized that I must always have been massively dehydrated & mistaking thirst for hunger, because I am drinking constantly now. But instead of it being a chore like it used to be - I mean, how unappetizing is a glass of water when you think you're hungry? - now I look forward to it, because I know it will make me feel better. I think the secret is not to get too thirsty, because if you do, it becomes very hard to work out whether you're hungry or not, but if you keep yourself really hydrated, not only does it make you feel healthier, it's really easy not to eat until you're properly hungry.
It feels like my little powerful secret that I'm carrying around with me - the secret of all those "lucky" thin people. I look at some lovely treat & think - I'll eat you when I'm hungry. And when I am, I do. Happy Days. I'll report backin a month or so.
I can make you thin Paul McKenna - By: Suzie, 12 Aug 2008 Excellent book I have been using this for over 2 months now & have lost over one & half stone. You can eat what you want & still lose weight as long as you are hungry. It just seem to click with me & it has changed my eating pattern for good.
Pure pleasure for all - By: QueenB, 15 Jul 2008 
Most of the book is really common sense NLP & other cognitive techniques. The best thing about it is, that it is really simple & truly liberating if you often find yourself exasperated with all the advice thrown at you from all corners. And have a bad memory. The first rule of four is to eat Everything you like, at all times, anywhere IF YOU ARE HUNGRY. And only if.And ENJOY EVERY BITE. So the real focus is learning to sense your inner signals. Learning to slow down, & really taste. Do you just want to change your mood? Then don't eat. Do something else..And adress your underlying motivations. Typically "I'm a failure etc., I won't stick to this" & other cruel selfdiminishing inner dialogues".
I know more than enough about nutrition, & would like to add my own mantra "Is this really nurishing?""Is it really delicious?" (or just lo-cal-carb-bardboard-trash)
As my tastebuds are whimsical the best place to live with this attitude would bein an enormous global delicatessen, but as I don't I just use my mental tastbuds when I buy stuff.
Paul does not mention vitamins etc. I would really advice you to get a test on your levels. My B & D-vitamins was extremely low at my doctorsin april 08. & I had 2 bouts of pneumonia. Now I'm happier & much more strong. This advice is targeted at all you with low self esteem, low mood & a tendency to emotional overeating. ENJOY.
Worth suspending disbelief - By: T. Burkard, 09 Jul 2008 This book is aimed mostly at fat women who feel disgusted with their bodies, & have serious problems with self-esteem. I am a 64-yr-old man who was never overweight until I gave up smoking, & to be honest I could care less about my appearance. I'm as active & fit as one can be when they're 3 stone overweight. However, there's no doubt that the extra weight affects my energy.
I never would have bothered with Paul McKenna's book had he not been interviewed by James Delingpole, a reasonably hard-headed journalist who reckoned that he's the real deal. Much to my surprise, I've lost 7 poundsin a fortnight--and I haven't even listened to the CD yet. Mostly, it's about chewing your food thoroughly, & learning to avoid 'comfort eating'. It really is effortless. I've dieted before, & to be honest I'd rather be fat than tolerate the endless cravings. Underneath all the blather about NLP (neuro-linguistc programming), there's a lot of solid sensein McKenna's book. There's a lot to be said for good snake-oil salesmen.
Update, 10 Aug 08--Still haven't listened to the CD, but it's still working. Six weeks on, I've lost a total of a stone. This is despite the occasional relapse; I'm often so busy that I haven't got time to eat, & when I do, I'm so hungry that I bolt the first few bites without thinking. But I soon slow down. Amazingly enough, my diet is very highin fat & salt, yet my blood pressure (previously high) is normal.
In retrospect, I am amazed that I had been eating so much when I wasn't really hungry. In my case, it's mostly due to my youth, when I had an extraordinarily high metabolism & often did heavy manual labour, & I was really hungry a lot of the time. I learned to gobble everythingin sight, & it became a reflex action.
THIS REALLY WORKS - By: Brendan O. Clarke, 05 Jul 2008 
Having just purchased McKenna's Change Your lifein 10 Days, i gave this book a whirl.
Would you like to eat whatever you want & still lose weight? Not possible (sorry).
Would you like to feel happy with your body? It is possible.
Are you unable to lose those last 2 stone? It is possible.
Do you get disheartened about your eating habits?
Well then, read this bookreview by Dr BeeClarke & save your cash.
Stop eating unhealthy foods; eat fruit & vegetables. Quit the booze. Cycle to work everyday; go for a walk after dinner every evening instead of watching BB or Eastenders. Do not go to the Gym. Going to the Gym is a waste of time & it is full of delusional people who believe that a trip to the Gym will resultin weight loss. Hard exercise resultsin weight loss.
Do what I do: jog to the Supermarket instead of driving, & carry your shopping home. You'd be amazed how much exercise you can do if you avoid using your car or public transport. Jog to University or work (fit people do not sweat). Jog to your friends house. In life you can choose between suffering & boredom. You can suffer (run/jog) or you can choose boredom (sit & watch TV while stuffing yourfatface with choc). Its your choice.
There you go. I have just given you the template for losing weight. Its easy but extremly boring, but its worth it. I have now re-patterned your thoughts, attitudes & beliefs about yourself & your exercise. There you go my fatlittle friends, it's not much fun, is it?
Selah,
DR. Bee Clarke.
