Gillian Riley "Eating Less - Say goodbye to overeating"

WiserWays

I would like to start a discussion about this book. It is a genius overview of what makes people overeat and very effective methods of how to stop this behaviour, it's not what you've heard before and not something you could just guess at without reading the book, but I can say, it works and NOTHING worked for me before, just the usual diet/fail pattern ad nauseum.
I really want to share this with others and monitor my own and others' progress with it. Rather that trying to diet and exercise off the effects of habitual or yo-yo overeating, simply go straight to the point and treat the overeating.
To me it's like discovering the cure for cancer (obesity is like a slow cancer, killing us early) and then seeing everyone struggling on with the chemo despite having this cure. I hope that analogy doesn't seem trite but it does affect so many of us and can totally ruin the quality of our lives battling this side effect of overeating - weight, and all else that goes with it, no energy, illness etc. It's such a relief to find a way out... please respond if you have ever read the book or plan to and let me know what you think.......;)

frag420

Hi Gillian.............

Lis9

:L lol

danlen

WiserWays wrote: »

To me it's like discovering the cure for cancer (obesity is like a slow cancer, killing us early) and then seeing everyone struggling on with the chemo despite having this cure.

This must be one magical book...

WiserWays

haha this is embarassing, I only wish I was Gillian or somehow associated with her, I would love it. If anyone has read this book though they can vouch for it. I am 39 and basically yo-yo'd my whole teen and adult life, struggling and struggling. To just release the whole problem is overwhelmingly huge and I feel like shaking people in the street to tell them what has happened to me. But of course I know that it's so hard to communicate a message when you feel desperate to, I have combed the net looking for any blogs about it and am trying to start my own.
If anyone knows what I'm banging on about, squeak!

Stench Blossoms

WiserWays wrote: »

haha this is embarassing, I only wish I was Gillian or somehow associated with her, I would love it. If anyone has read this book though they can vouch for it. I am 39 and basically yo-yo'd my whole teen and adult life, struggling and struggling. To just release the whole problem is overwhelmingly huge and I feel like shaking people in the street to tell them what has happened to me. But of course I know that it's so hard to communicate a message when you feel desperate to, I have combed the net looking for any blogs about it and am trying to start my own.
If anyone knows what I'm banging on about, squeak!

So tell us the secret ?

regress

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

So tell us the secret ?

I think you have to buy the book to find out the secret. Not suprising that in two lengthy posts trying to get people to pay money for book, the OP manages to give no information at all about this magical technique. ( other than the meaningless truism " overeating causes weight gain" A common feature of these scams I have.found. You get no info until money is handed over..... After which you realise there was never anything to tell and you've been scammed.

Also not at all suprising that all Wiserways posts are plugging this book.

Stench Blossoms

regress wrote: »

I think you have to buy the book to find out the secret. Not suprising that in two lengthy posts trying to get people to pay money for book, the OP manages to give no information at all about this magical technique. ( other than the meaningless truism " overeating causes weight gain" A common feature of these scams I have.found. You get no info until money is handed over..... After which you realise there was never anything to tell and you've been scammed.

Also not at all suprising that all Wiserways posts are plugging this book.

But I wanna know what the god damn secret is... GRRRRRRRRRRRR

metamorphosis

Im think as a mod i WANT to know the secrets or maybe this thread may not last which would be a shame given the fact that there is a big great secret to know.

Dave!

The secret is inside each and every one of us.

Aww man, why'd I have to buy the book then?!

WiserWays

Oh God, I don't believe it. I actually borrowed this book from the library, REALLY!! I am just trying to find someone working through the techniques to chat to and also to put a few more souls out of their misery who are overeating their whole lives away. There is no "secret", it's a treatment for people who overeat. I know how my original post looks, stupid and naive of me not to dampen my ardour. What do you actually do if a book changes everything for you, how do you communicate that without sounding like you're trying to sell it? I've bought plenty of crap books and gone to plenty of slimming clubs, and something worked for me here, I am genuinely - on my children's lives - trying to share that. I am new to boards so I realise I must appear like a total oaf, not screening what I say, and I can see that my opening post seems fawning. But it is not cynical so please don't be either. I think it's hard to see that through this medium, so I will be happy to withdraw and start a blog if no one else wants to talk about it. I learned a lesson anyway, and as they say 'never worry about anyone robbing your ideas: if they're original, you'll have to shove them down throats'. Which I don't want to do. I will retire to the drawing room with dewey eyes!! :'-(

Stench Blossoms

Here's a sample of the book

Link

Dave!

WiserWays nobody minds that you're enthuasistic about the book, but in all your posts so far (including the last one) you've failed to give any further info on the contents of the book!! Which makes us skeptical...

Maybe you could summarise the methods so that we can all discuss it.

Oryx

Hello and welcome to boards. Contrary to appearances, we dont eat our young or kill strangers.

If you talk more about your own experiences it will come across less like shilling.

dollyk

Aw in fairness my brother felt like that about allen carrs stop smoking book.:)
He went on and on so much that i read the book just to prove him wrong :eek:
And guess what ......I did.:D

Medicine333

WiserWays wrote: »

I would like to start a discussion about this book. It is a genius overview of what makes people overeat and very effective methods of how to stop this behaviour, it's not what you've heard before and not something you could just guess at without reading the book, but I can say, it works and NOTHING worked for me before, just the usual diet/fail pattern ad nauseum.
I really want to share this with others and monitor my own and others' progress with it. Rather that trying to diet and exercise off the effects of habitual or yo-yo overeating, simply go straight to the point and treat the overeating.
To me it's like discovering the cure for cancer (obesity is like a slow cancer, killing us early) and then seeing everyone struggling on with the chemo despite having this cure. I hope that analogy doesn't seem trite but it does affect so many of us and can totally ruin the quality of our lives battling this side effect of overeating - weight, and all else that goes with it, no energy, illness etc. It's such a relief to find a way out... please respond if you have ever read the book or plan to and let me know what you think.......;)

Actually, it does and is very offensive. Obesity and cancer are very different. To compare the two is insulting to those who have suffered through cancer.


Also, chemotherapy does kill cancer cells and offers a cure for some forms of cancer. To suggest that it isn't a cure, is incorrect.

the keen edge

Well OP I'm going to take a pun on it and order a copy on amazon, the reviews there are hold an excellent opinion of the book.

I'm nowhere near obese, or even overweight for that matter; however I do on occasion have a bloated stomach from over indulgence of the sweeter thing in life!

I like the premise of the book.
IMHO overeating not only causes health problems to the person overeating, it also can be inferred to be a product the unsustainable manner in which (some) humans live their life.

Additional I remember reading a article on the diet of the people of Okinawa Island Japan.
They did historically have a life expectancy that was they highest in the world.
Amongst other factors, the article highlighted their low calorific intake.
They have a saying on the Island "only eat till you are 70% full".

IIRC the article claimed that a low caloric diet or caloric restriction was the only scientifically proven way to extend your life expectancy. Make what you can of that!

WiserWays

I was hoping to connect with anyone who has read, is reading or is going to read this. It's hard for me to sum up as I am reading it on loop trying to absorb it fully. It did start working for me as soon as I read it though, but I am trying to polish it and hopefully talk through times when I'm failing and see how others are getting on.

Basically, the premise is that overeating behaves in the same way as any addictive behaviour. It does not have to be at the heroin or 50 fags a day level to be causing you problems though. And excess weight is not always inevitable for everyone who overeats. But this kind of eating always impacts self-esteem and ultimately physical health.

This approach takes away weight loss as a motivator for eating in a healthy way. (I feel hopelessly inadequate trying to do it justice here - available in the library as I say! no dosh required). Once you move away from weight loss as a goal, it frees you up to examine the addictive urge to eat as a stand-alone problem. The unique idea here, is that rather than distract oneself from cravings with 'long walks' or 'bubble baths' that we face the discomfort of the craving feeling. Suffer the terrible uncomfortable unsatisfied feeling and experience it.

why would i want to do that?? well most people never get past this stage unless they are on a 'diet' where they have set out some rules. Again this allows for no behavioural progress. Once we choose to experience feeling unsatisfied we allow new responses to the eating urge to form. The conditioned response. But the magic part is once the feeling is accepted and felt, it starts to fade. New habits are formed and become far more natural. Like learning a language, at first it hurts our brains, but once the neural pathways are formed and used it becomes far easier....
blah blah I don't know if this is making much sense. I just felt this finally dealt with the problem for me. That moment when I feel an overwhelming urge to eat or keep eating, typically at the end of a meal, when intellectually I know I'm full but I have a STRONG almost irresistable urge to forge ahead and overeat. It gives you tools that actually work and these seem to improve with use.
the critical factor is choice. We must always be open to choose, free to choose to overeat but in full cognisance of the consequences that come packaged with that. as I say it's not something I can possibly give justice to in a few paragraphs, I am really hoping to connect with other readers or new readers if anyone is interested in this problem in particular.
xxx

WiserWays

Medicine333 wrote: »

Actually, it does and is very offensive. Obesity and cancer are very different. To compare the two is insulting to those who have suffered through cancer.


Also, chemotherapy does kill cancer cells and offers a cure for some forms of cancer. To suggest that it isn't a cure, is incorrect.

Yes you are right, chemo does offer a cure for many. It's a clumsy analogy but I still hold that obesity is a killer and is robbing very many people of many years of life. The reason this sounds offensive is that we have come to accept excess weight as very everyday. apart from obesity, overeating -whatever your weight, absolutely ruins your health and corrodes self-esteem. It seems like a trivial problem but it permeates every area of a person's life just like drinking and smoking. If you look around it seems the majority of suffers are totally failing to bring it under their control, which is very distressing and eats up their lives.

WiserWays

the keen edge wrote: »

Well OP I'm going to take a pun on it and order a copy on amazon, the reviews there are hold an excellent opinion of the book.

I'm nowhere near obese, or even overweight for that matter; however I do on occasion have a bloated stomach from over indulgence of the sweeter thing in life!

I like the premise of the book.
IMHO overeating not only causes health problems to the person overeating, it also can be inferred to be a product the unsustainable manner in which (some) humans live their life.

Additional I remember reading a article on the diet of the people of Okinawa Island Japan.
They did historically have a life expectancy that was they highest in the world.
Amongst other factors, the article highlighted their low calorific intake.
They have a saying on the Island "only eat till you are 70% full".

IIRC the article claimed that a low caloric diet or caloric restriction was the only scientifically proven way to extend your life expectancy. Make what you can of that!

Thanks Keen Edge, I would love to hear your opinion as you are reading it. I am very 'keen' to chat about it...

Stench Blossoms

WiserWays wrote: »

Yes you are right, chemo does offer a cure for many. It's a clumsy analogy but I still hold that obesity is a killer and is robbing very many people of many years of life. The reason this sounds offensive is that we have come to accept excess weight as very everyday. apart from obesity, overeating -whatever your weight, absolutely ruins your health and corrodes self-esteem. It seems like a trivial problem but it permeates every area of a person's life just like drinking and smoking. If you look around it seems the majority of suffers are totally failing to bring it under their control, which is very distressing and eats up their lives.

Yes obesity is a killer.

You don't choose to have cancer but you can choose to be obese by having a poor lifestyle and diet.

There is a very big difference.

Orla K

How long ago did you finish reading the book?

WiserWays

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Yes obesity is a killer.

You don't choose to have cancer but you can choose to be obese by having a poor lifestyle and diet.

There is a very big difference.

Yes I know what you're saying is right, I'm really not trying to put the two together as equals. It was an analogy, that something that's robbing you of health and eating up your life and watching everyone torture themselves with diets which are touted as a solution, and I just found a way out, a way out.

Also, the problem with overeating is it really is a choice, but it's really doesn't feel like one. And people are failing to overcome it with their will alone. There are certain psychological mechanisms that turn this into a perpetual cycle. Would people choose to be ill and unhealthy and get diabetes and heart attacks if they were making their choices in their full senses, it ruins people's lives, really ruins them. It's so common as well, that finding an answer is extremely significant. Like a fly climbing a window and falling repeatedly, using will power over and over again to try to climb out of this cycle doesn't work. Other awarenesses and tools are needed. That's why I feel crestfallen when I hear those on diets being egged on, 'just pick yourself up and try again' - this is making this cycle much worse and increasing weight problems.

WiserWays

Orla K wrote: »

How long ago did you finish reading the book?

Hi Orla K,

I started it in Feb this year and am rereading it for the 3rd time. I used the techniques before I finished it the first time and have had great success with it and have faltered at times too.
It needs commitment, I have to give over a few hours a week to reading it and maybe writing stuff down as well, especially at first.

regress

WiserWays wrote: »

. The unique idea here, is that rather than distract oneself from cravings . that we face the discomfort of the craving feeling. Suffer the terrible uncomfortable unsatisfied feeling and experience it.

So the secret is to "experience" and embrace starvation? This is indeed different as it is
contrary to conventional wisdom which stresses balanced diet, smaller portions., exercise etc

.

WiserWays

regress wrote: »

So the secret is to "experience" and embrace starvation? This is indeed different as it is
different to congenital wisdom which stresses balanced diet, smaller portions., exercise etc.

This is a pitfall of trying to summarise a book in a forum post. The premise is to eat normally and healthily and when you feel the urge to plough on after a full dinner and eat a second helping and a dessert and a packet of biscuits, to instead stop after the full dinner and choose to let yourself feel the craving and either choose to feed it, which you are free to do, or to just experience that craving and not satisfy it. This can lead to a new 'conditioned response' to overeat at every instance of intaking food which is the problem I am referring to. Why would starvation be even mentioned, this is to remove the damaging habit of overeating, eating over that which we need to be at optimum health.

unfortunately the congenital wisdom which stressed balanced diet, smaller portions and exercise never worked for me, as much and desperately as I wanted it to. I could not stay with it. This method has taught me how to. It cant' be learnt from a forum post by me. That's why I am appealing to anyone who may have read it. Of course if you find no problem eating in a healthy consistent manner there is no need to trouble yourself with this book.

WiserWays

regress wrote: »

I think you have to buy the book to find out the secret. Not suprising that in two lengthy posts trying to get people to pay money for book, the OP manages to give no information at all about this magical technique. ( other than the meaningless truism " overeating causes weight gain" A common feature of these scams I have.found. You get no info until money is handed over..... After which you realise there was never anything to tell and you've been scammed.

Also not at all suprising that all Wiserways posts are plugging this book.

As I hope I've made clear I borrowed this book from the library!
'All my posts' are contained in this very thread as I have just signed up solely for the purpose of connecting with others who are using the book.
that is all...

HardyEustace

I read the book.

OP, I have no desire to chat about it but I thought it might be useful to get another opinion.

I found it very good.
The main points which made a lot of sense to me were

1. While people say "I do not want to be overweight", being overweight is symptom of over-eating, therefore you really need to address why/how you overeat. Once you have done this you will not be overweight..

2. Motivation - wanting to fit into a dress size smaller, look like super model X will not supply you with enough motivation to change your eating habits. If that was the case, most people would not be overweight by now. You need to really examine why you made the choice to pick up the book, read it and apply it. Its essentially to ensure that you are sufficiently motivated.

e.g. I want to fit into a size ten will not stop you reaching for the buns on a medium to long basis (might short term, lots of thin brides that pile on the pounds post wedding).
I want to reduce my waist size by three inches as abdominal fat is really, really bad and my chances of serious and debilitating illness are balloning along with my waistline.

3. Realise that you do have a choice. You can choose to keep eating too much and eating food that will make you overweight. However you must realise the repurcussions of this. Its about realising that you have free will and that you control your destiny and that of why/how you eat.

Point 3 while seeming utterly obvious made everything click for me.

It is not because you are big-boned, it is not because it runs in the family, it is not because there are cakes in the canteen at work. It is because you have made specific choices about what you choose to eat. It is no-one else's fault or no-one elses doing.

Erm, and while I think you have the best of intentions - didn't the book mention that you should just do this quietly and on your own and not look for validation/ feedback from others? Surely your post pretty much destroys that premise/ rule? Though I appreciate that when you have found a great solution it is a very nice reaction to want to help others.

WiserWays

HardyEustace wrote: »

Erm, and while I think you have the best of intentions - didn't the book mention that you should just do this quietly and on your own and not look for validation/ feedback from others? Surely your post pretty much destroys that premise/ rule? Though I appreciate that when you have found a great solution it is a very nice reaction to want to help others.

Thanks so much for the support. You are Abolutely right about working through this on my own, despite however others may or may not be getting on with the process. That's what I shall now get back to doing!
cheers

rocky

HardyEustace wrote: »

...

Makes a lot of sense. I kept maintaining that losing weight is mostly 'in the head', and all about choices, if you can get your head right, the actual dieting is a piece of cake (:eek:).

regress wrote: »

So the secret is to "experience" and embrace starvation? This is indeed different as it is
contrary to conventional wisdom which stresses balanced diet, smaller portions., exercise etc
.

So feeling a bit of hunger is starvation? I ... enjoy (maybe not the right word) postponing a meal sometimes just because I can. A little hunger never killed anybody (note, a little, not a lot ). An empty stomach makes you think in different terms about life, the universe and everything...

Orla K

rocky wrote: »

An empty stomach makes you think in different terms about life, the universe and everything...

42!

El_Dangeroso

I find for me that eating certain food provides the mindset that the book describes.

I'm rarely hungry, I'm not craving anything, if I eat anything off plan I don't torture myself with guilt.

I'd disagree with the point that everyone can eat wheat and keep hunger in check. I just *can not* moderate wheat. It brings on ravenous hunger with ridiculous predictability in my experience.

I think it's probably down to the inherent reward value.

Still an interesting book nonetheless if it helps people get out of the 'diet' mentality and into a 'lifestyle' mentality.

mackers1001

hi there, I'd love to meet up with genuinely interested people on this (not the knockers). I went to a weekend seminar about two weeks ago and really found it brilliant, and I am no swayer..I'm not easily led, it is superb..however I am back to my old ways as unfortunately I need the support of others to keep the momentum going, everything makes sense and believe me I'm not an Alan Carr follower or any pop psychology self help vague theory person

WiserWays

hi Mackers!

You went to a weekend seminar? How did you get on?

Transform

mackers1001 wrote: »

hi there, I'd love to meet up with genuinely interested people on this (not the knockers). I went to a weekend seminar about two weeks ago and really found it brilliant, and I am no swayer..I'm not easily led, it is superb..however I am back to my old ways as unfortunately I need the support of others to keep the momentum going, everything makes sense and believe me I'm not an Alan Carr follower or any pop psychology self help vague theory person

I only turned up for the knockers, disappointed!