Fern Britton : a weighty matter

By Manjit Ubhi on Jul 18, 08 01:57 PM

Poor Fern Britton. What a grilling she has had from the press and public for losing weight by secretly having a gastric band fitted.

It seems we criticise our celebrities (who seem to have become the modern day gods and goddesses) if they come out of the boxes we have placed them in, and fall from grace).

The Western world has an amazing attitude particularly to the female form.

Even though most women in UK are a size 16 or over, you would never guess this from the glossies that portray stick thin pre-pubescent waifs - and we women are the worst with this.

It was good to put Fern in the 'giggly, safe, big women, isn't she brave, and she's like us' category but not to tolerate her changing - because it no longer legitimated our averageness.

The diet industry has conned women for many years.

Hypnotherapist Paul McKenna has created a failsafe system of re-educating the mind about food by first studying the mind-set of those who are overweight and those who are naturally thin.

There are four golden rules:

1. When you are hungry - eat

Science shows that starving yourself will make you fatter. The body goes into fear of starvation mode and slows down the metabolism. When you do eat, it will hang onto the fat

2. Eat what you want, not what you think you should eat

Your relationship with food is disturbed if food becomes your enemy. The brain can be like a rebellious teenager: the more you deny yourself something, the more you want it. If you fancy eating something - eat it

3. Eat consciously, slow down and relish every mouthful

Most of us have gotten used to eating while we are watching TV, reading, or even working at the desk. As you slow down and look at the food you want to eat. Savour every mouthful, chew it longer until it becomes almost liquid in your mouth. Enjoy the coluors, the textures, the taste.

4. When you feel full - stop

It takes 20 minutes from the moment you start eating for your body to register what's happening, raise your blood sugar levels and make you feel satisfied. If you have wolfed your meal in two minutes, you will still feel hungry and want to eat more. When you feel full, just push your plate away even if there is still food on there.

By following these rules you are likely to teach your brain a new attitude to food and finally throw away the scales in your bathroom.

It's natural for your weight to go up and down every month - you'll know how you are doing by how loose your clothes feel.

As for Fern, let's just give her a break. Perhaps that's the best way for her to control her weight