Hi shanshan, thank you for that quote. I’ve been with Jean since before she wrote Food Jail and I’ve never read any but her first book. I recall once when she counseled me on the phone (almost a year) and she said “you know what, not everyone can be successful on this program” and I said out loud, “well, I’M GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL!” because I knew I would be. I just knew, and i said that with such force and she said “I think you will be, too.” I never give up when I am convinced something I am doing is right for me.
One thing that really helped me was Jean’s great advice that I should “get a life.” I went back to college, something that demanded more of my focus than just thinking about my weight every minute. Oh yes, sometimes I would notice myself gaining weight and just hate it but then I had to study my algebra or anatomy and physiology or go to class or to my part-time job after school , and that was more important. The time will pass and the results will manifest whether you focus on the eventual benefits or the difficulties. Move on. Tell yourself your size is not that important right now, that you are healthy and lucky and before you know it you’ll look back and say “wow, I’m becomming naturally thin!”
If you follow Jean’s principles, the “natural and logical consequences” will happen. You won’t be in charge of the timetable but so what? Look on the bright side, you’re not starving yourself and living on false hope. Instead, you know you are on the right path or you never would have started this way. Jean’s books are so powerful because she speaks the truth and we who recognize and act on that truth are fortunate indeed because we are free!
What I’m saying is get excited about your life! I respect and admire every one of you who have the courage to go out on this path but once you make the paradigm shift in your thinking, you can never go back to diets. Never.
