Paul McKenna

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He's the self-help guru the stars turn to when all else fails. Paul McKenna is a household name in Britain and America and now he's here to help tackle his biggest task.

Nearly two thirds of us are overweight, making us the most obese nation in the world. Hypnotist, television star and author Paul McKenna, claims he can cure that and just about anything else.

"This is very much for anyone of any age, any intelligence, any background," said McKenna of his book, 'I Can Make You Thin'.

"What we're doing is reprogramming the brain."

In the early 1990's his television show was a ratings winner in Britain. He once said of his techniques, "If this was a drug I could take this to a drug company and probably sell it for a billion dollars."

Today he almost has. McKenna's making millions and, it seems, helping just as many with his simple, straightforward, non-guilty, inclusive techniques he claims can combat the hypnosis many of us subject upon ourselves.

"Most people start the day like this - they look in the mirror, they make observations about everything that's wrong with them and then go off out for the day, you know, they do a sort of self-hypnotic induction where by they make themselves feel bad then spend the rest of the day trying to compensate for it!"

McKenna started on the path to becoming a hypnotist when, as a youngster, he hypnotised his neighbour's son into getting an A in Biology.

"He goes, oh, it worked! In a very nonchalant way. I couldn't believe so I really began to become astounded by the power of this," said McKenna.

Now he's treating millions worldwide, including A-Listers lining up to be cured of all sorts of ailments. Over a year later Ellen De Generis remains a non-smoker. McKenna has also helped Kylie Minogue; he relieved David Bowie of his fear of flying; while Robbie Williams came to him for help with... well, it could've have been a number of things!

Now McKenna's here in Australia on a mercy mission.

A study of 14,000 Australian adults found 26%, or four million people, weighed in as obese. That's 1% more than the traditional heavyweights, the United States of America and it makes us the 'fattest' country in the world.

Why are we so stout?

"Because you've had decades of dieting!" McKenna said.

"Diets work for next to nobody."

Nutritionist Dr Joanna Macmillan-Price agrees with him.

"Well I think he's right that the way that you think and your attitudes to food and exercise is absolutely crucial and undoubtedly a part of the programme that is often not thought about. People launch themselves onto the latest fad diet or they try to take up some strict exercise regime and wonder why they can't keep it up," said MacMillan-Price.

Two years ago, plus-sized radio legend Jono Coleman turned to Iron Man Guy Leech for help and it worked - for a while. Jono met Paul McKenna years ago in Britain and he's back for the cure to his craving - chocolate.

McKenna: "Here it is, your drug of choice. Look at that. I want you to imagine offal... raw offal, kidneys and brains, there we go. Now I'm going to put some hair from a barber shop floor on it, chew some more of that, there you go... and I'm going to put in the contents of a spittoon."

McKenna: "Now what I want you to do is to imagine some chocolate like we had on that plate moment ago. Bite into it but as soon as you bite into it it's got a special new centre of hairy, spittoon offal."

Jono: "It actually isn't that appealing."

McKenna moved onto Jono's other weaknesses, wine... and good food; trying to help the jumbo jock reach his goal weight of 85 kilograms by eating more slowly and consciously.

McKenna's method is not a diet; there's no expensive food to buy. There are four simple rules.

1. Eat when you're hungry.
2. Eat what you want.
3. Eat consciously - meaning enjoy, chew slowly.
4. When you think you're full, STOP.

"So I think ultimately the bottom line is there is no one fits all approach to weight control and different people will find different things work. And undoubtedly for some people this will be excellent," MacMillan-Price said.

You can learn more about Paul McKenna's methods when his series, 'I can make you thin', airs on Seven from August 7.

Further links and information

Paul McKenna's book 'I Can Make You Thin' is available from all good bookstores.
Paul McKenna's TV series 'I Can Make You Thin' will air on the Seven Network in August.

You can also visit www.paulmckenna.com