A Different Way to Eat

It's no secret that I have been struggling with my weight as long as I can remember. Pretty much all diets such for one reason or another. The main reason: they forbid some kind of food. Who in their right mind likes being told no?

Anyway, I was finishing watching TV downstairs a couple nights ago and was putting the TV on the right channel for the kids in the morning. I stopped on another one of Kevin Trudeau's infomercials. This time, he claims to have found the secret for losing weight. I haven't seen the ones that supposedly got him convicted as a felon, but I've seen one or two of his more recent ones where he's just selling information in the form of books, which of course is protected by the First Amendment and no doubt pisses off the government.

I had no intention of buying his book, but I figured if I hunted around enough, I'd find a review or something that would explain what the process was. Sure enough, hunting around on Amazon reveals the details, particularly in the discussion section.

As I suspected, there was some "okay" information there, but it certainly wasn't worth the money. What do you expect from a slick infomercial guy. However, the discussion did lead me to something better: a gentlemen by the name of Paul McKenna. Specifically, I was led to this program, which seems a little odd on the surface, but once you dig into it, it actually makes a lot of sense.

The first thing he focuses on is eating like a thin person, which generally follow four simple rules:

  1. When you're hungry, eat!
  2. Eat what you want.
  3. Eat consciously.
  4. When you're full, stop!

Eating when you're hungry, well that's just a dream. Eating what you want, well, that's even better. The trick is to eat before you get so hungry you could eat a bear. Start eating when you're a little peckish.

The "trick," if you want to call it that, is #3: Eat consciously. What he has you do is slow down your eating quite a bit. Each bite is to be savored. Try to make each bite last as long as it can. Try to taste all the different flavors and textures. Put your eating implements down between bites. If you're got your hands on your sandwich, put it down.

When you slow down your eating, you can supposedly feel your stomach getting full much easier. Instead of stopping when you're stuffed to the gills and ready to puke, you can stop when you're full or satisfied. Leave some food on your plate when you're done to reinforce that point.

His system also has some other techniques, some of which are outlined on the site. I will write about them at a future time, I'm sure. If you can find the video for the program on SkyOne, I highly recommend watching it.

Over the past few days, I have tried to implement these rules. So far, so good. I haven't weighed myself, but I can tell you that it is already making a difference. Maybe not on the waistline, but at least in how I feel about eating. I know that I am eating less food. What I am eating, I am enjoying more. I feel more confident in my ability to remain in control around food. I am not gorging myself.

The proof will be on the waistline, of course, but it's too soon to tell how that's going. But the feeling is wonderful.