She can have a “Best Life Week” every January from now until kingdom come, rehashing the same ole diet mumbo-jumbo, but until she fires her diet guru neighbor who has failed her, and gets her hands on copies of Jean’s books, no money or powers in the world are going to get her permanently naturally thin.

I posted on her website’s message board about NT several months ago, but unless she truly searches for the solution to her situation other than with traditional dieting and fads, she will be stuck forever.

Swan

Jean, have you ever been on Oprah, or been in contact with her? It’s very sad what she is going through.

So true, Swan, she should fire that guy.

One look at his books, they would make me want to binge, too.

- nature

I have never even gotten near Oprah in spite of the fact that many people have sent her my books (when she was still accepting outside material).  I think Oprah is absolutely convinced that her overeating is emotional, that there is something basically wrong with her body and that she will never be able to eat like a normal person no matter what.  Well, she’s right if she doesn’t stop dieting, which it looks like she will never do.  It cracks me up to hear her trainer explaining her predicament, including the theory that she comforts herself with food.  What a crock of chili!
What’s more comforting to a starving body than food?
Sincerely,
Jean

“What’s more comforting to a starving body than food?”

lol, that was awesome.

and, Jean, this is my first time posting here, but this is long overdue: thank you for saving me from eating disorder / dieting insanity. I somehow stumbled upon your books after a pretty ugly bout with anorexia as a teenager, and now manage to confound those around me with how much I can eat and not be huge. I still have some weight to lose - very likely because I like to work out and have a hard time keeping up with my appetite… but your books really did change my life.  Thank you. :)

I am so glad!  I wrote the books for you and for anyone searching and open to the truth about these terrible struggles with eating and weight.  I know what you mean when you say that the principles really changed your life.  They changed my life too.  Thank God.

Sincerely,
Jean

I am new here and reading the older posts for encouragement and support.  When I came across the question posted by Jean:  “What is more comforting to a starving body than food?”  I felt close to tears.  I have been so programmed to believe that being comforted by food is wrong and that every time that I have done that was a mistake in judgment.  Pondering this question is triggering confusion and anxiety because of so much conditioned thinking.  Does anyone relate to this?  Has anyone come up against this and passed through it?

Thanks!
Ela

Feeling disappointed that no one replied to my last post, I went back to the books for support.  I found what I needed in BOOFJ, p. 107-8.  I have relied on and continue to rely heavily on prayer, meditation, and spiritual principles in dealing with fears of all sorts, anxiety, confusion.  And so I am doing so now as I persevere in applying the NT principles to food/eating/body image issues.  I am thankful for my strong faith and trust in God’s love, strength and mercy.  I now have a friend who has the books and is willing to read them with me and support me on this program.
Many blessings to all!
Ela

Ela,

I read your post a few times but was waiting till I felt I had the right response.  Well, I still don’t know if I have the right response. Since NT is contrary to everything we have all learned about dieting, there were many moments for me, both while reading the books and reading posts here, that were such big revelations to me, and had me just speechless.  I still wonder why more people don’t grasp the NT concepts, and why they are such die-hard dieters, and why haven’t people figured out that dieting doesn’t work?  And with all the concerns about the obesity epidemic, why no one else has made the connection? I don’t know why some people clearly see that NT is the right path, and others just persist with the thought “maybe THIS time the diet will work.”  I have told other people about NT, and shared my books.  But I know some of these same people persist with dieting.  I just wanted you to know I had some big Aha! moments reading the books, as they exposed for me what dieting really is, what a trap!  So yes, when I read that Jean wrote that a starving body needs food, it was one of many light bulb moments for me, too.  I believe I have deprogrammed from the diet mentality.  It is tough, but keep reading those books!  You can do it Ela!

Ela,
Early on I too felt disappointed sometimes with the lack of response to my posts.  Eventually people would respond but sometimes I felt like I needed an answer sooner rather than later.  What I found through the experience was that many times the answers lie within me and/or the books, so I just kept persisting.

You are VERY luck to have a friend willing to read the books and support you through it.  That is HUGE!  Take advantage of that encouragement and support you can give to one another.  I’m glad you found someone.

Munch

Thanks, Swan and Munchkin, for your posts.  I can use all the encouragement I can get. I am continuing to read and re-read the books every day and look for subtle signs of progress. 
I am thankful.
Many blessings to you!
Ela

Ela, you are on the right track!

elabeee - Jul 09, 2010 09:47am

I am new here and reading the older posts for encouragement and support.  When I came across the question posted by Jean:  “What is more comforting to a starving body than food?”  I felt close to tears.  I have been so programmed to believe that being comforted by food is wrong and that every time that I have done that was a mistake in judgment.  Pondering this question is triggering confusion and anxiety because of so much conditioned thinking.  Does anyone relate to this?  Has anyone come up against this and passed through it?

Thanks!
Ela

Elabee, I want to throw some encouragement on you, too!  I remember the first time I read HTBNTBEM I could literally feel old connections in my brain snapping as old beliefs died.  Sometimes understanding comes like a flash, and sometimes you have to ponder something a while to really incorporate it into your understanding, but going over and over the books definitely helps.  And I think no one responding to your post right away was actually a good thing, because it forced you to mull over the food/comfort conundrum and start deprogramming yourself.  That feeling like you want to cry?  That’s your Truth Meter going off.  Mine works that way, too.  You hear something that pierces your spirit and floods your soul (which leaks out your eyes) and you know it’s true.  Embrace it, baby!

Keep up the good work!

annual

Thanks, annual, I appreciate the encouragement.  I am continuing to re-read portions of the books.  I am still eating some borderline and pleasure foods in small amounts regularly, but mostly Real Foods.  I keep wanting the desire for the borderline and pleasure foods to drop away completely, but for now, I choose to focus on being thankful that my desire for these foods has greatly lessened and that I don’t eat much of them because I am so well-fed by the Real Foods.  I keep reading that to minimize the initial weight gain, it is best to have none of them, but I haven’t been able to eliminate them completely yet… I have been reading NT books for 6 weeks now, and eating well, on time, and enough more and more.  I am very thankful for the principles and the support that is available here.  The friend who started reading the book with me has been unavailable, so I still feel quite isolated in this venture, but that isn’t stopping me from enjoying the results of being free of the compulsion to under-eat… and then later over-eat. 

Many blessings!
Ela

I think the lack of support in your immediate surroundings is a test.  A test of your commitment.  You have to really think about what you’re doing and why, and being alone with your thoughts makes you think harder and commit more.  At least that’s been my experience.  You get to decide if you’re going to walk this thing out for yourself, whether anyone else walks with you or not.

Definitely pursue the Real Food.  Anytime I look at a cupcake and think, YUM! I realize I must still be hungry so I eat some more Real Food.  Takes some getting used to, for sure.  Keep up the good work!

Thanks, annual, it is always helpful to hear another point of view especially when it is positive like yours.  I guess it is a “test of commitment”.  I certainly am getting to be alone with my thoughts and to think harder and commit more.  It keeps me going back to the books on my own to review the information that seems so hard to grasp sometimes.  But the books have the information.  If there were someone to share this with, we would be reading the books together and/or sharing our experience of applying the principles which I would enjoy, but it isn’t really necessary, I suppose.  I am enjoying reading the books and applying the principles as well as I have been.  And coming here and finding a new post or reading from the archives is always delightful.

Many blessings!
Ela