British self-help guru Paul McKenna is sure to make a splash in the U.S. with the release of his newest book, I Can Make You Thin. In it, he reiterates what most dieters know - that diets don’t work - and instead proposes a behavior modification plan. He says that these changes are the key to losing weight, as opposed to the misguided advice to micromanage the types and amounts of foods that you intake each day. In fact, there is almost no information about what to eat in the entire book; rather, the focus is on how to eat and how to cultivate a more positive outlook on life.
Specifically, his plan revolves around four golden rules:
- eat when you are hungry;
- eat what you want and not what you think you should eat;
- eat consciously and enjoy every mouthful; and
- when you think you are full, stop eating.
According to McKenna, yes, it really is that simple. His theory is that as you start to lose the weight and feel better about yourself, you will naturally crave healthier foods and the shedding of the pounds will continue. These rules are explained and reinforced through simple text as well as a number of brief exercises involving closing one’s eyes and focusing on positive changes.
The book comes with a guided hypnosis CD that is an integral part of the plan. Followers are instructed to listen to it every day for at least two weeks while following the four golden rules. The entire CD runs about thirty minutes and is actually relaxing, though the jolt of a conclusion took away a significant part of the calming effect it had on me.
Since I just started the plan, it’s too early to tell whether it delivers the promised results. However, the book’s moderate price, minimal time commitment, and the ease with which it can integrated into a person’s daily life makes it an appealing way to get started on that New Year’s weight-loss resolution that most of us have made - and that, hopefully, we will never have to make again.