SlimPod - 10 minute daily mp3 for permanent weightloss

As a reviews blogger, I'm always amazed at the number of opportunities that come up for trying out new things I've never heard of, from the totally mundane to the very weird and wonderful. Several months ago, an email skidded into my inbox asking for people willing to try out a Slimpod. Curiosity got the better of me so I had a look at what it was - basically a hypnotherapy mp3 that you listen to for 10 minutes a day that will help you lose weight. "Yeah right", I scoffed, before hitting delete.

Then a weird thing happened. Loads of bloggers who I read and respect - because I know that they tell it as it is and won't just say good things about something that's rubbish - suddently started tweeting messages on twitter about their successful and above all effortless weightloss. Still being a cynic, I thought "ahh I bet it'll all come back on in a few weeks, or I bet they're cheating and doing a diet at the same time" and started following @thinkingslimmer to find out. But all I kept seeing was more positive feedback.

So, despite being extremely cynical and never dreaming in a million years that it could actually work, I pinged off an email and asked if I could join in with the testing too. I had a lovely chat on the phone with Sandra and told her I was a total sceptic. "Ooh we love that", she enthused. "It's always great to prove them wrong !". "Yeah yeah, we'll see", I thought !

There are a wide range of Slimpods available, depending on what your goal is - Drop a Dress Size, Say Goodbye to Baby Fat, Take the Chocaholic Cure, The Couch Potato Cure, Make Fitness Fun & Easy ... In for a penny in for a pound, I thought, and opted for "Lose Two Jeans Sizes (or more)".

You can order the Slimpod on CD or, the quicker option, as an mp3 download which you can put on your iPod or listen to on your computer. When I came to listen to it the first time, I couldn't help thinking of the "Look into my eyes, Look into my eyes" hypnotist on Little Britain and hoped it wasn't going to be too Mystic Meg ! Well, you actually get a lovely man called Trevor basically giving you a pep-talk and telling you to envisage your target and he'll help you get there. I'd read that this is created by the experts at Harley Street but there was nothing majorly impressive in there so I couldn't see how it could actually work on your unconscious mind. You can even fall asleep with it playing and it will still be effective. You have to listen every day for 21 days minimum for it to work and although you may not lose weight or inches straight away, you should start seeing small changes in your attitude to food and exercise that just seem totally natural.

I've been listening to it since Sunday night, so only five times so far. Much to my utter surprise (but, I have to admit, absolute delight), I have already seen some quite spectacular changes. An important part of the programme is keeping a daily success log with three things, however small, that show you are making positive changes. So far, I haven't had to think very hard to fill it in.

Things that I have done quite naturally this week (that are totally out of character) include :

- reaching for water instead of diet coke every single time I've been to the fridge for a drink

- not picking bits off the kids' unfinished plates

- leaving half of the food on my plate at the canteen

- walking past a box of chocolates in the staff room and not even wanting one

- jogging half of the way to the girls' art club through the leaves with the pushchair (to make Pierre laugh, not as exercise, but then I did it again on the way back and thought, why am I doing this ?!)

- walking a few extra stops when there's a long wait at the bus stop

All of these things are things that I would never usually do but they just came instinctively without a second thought. However, each time, I had like a little lightbulb/pat yourself on the back moment that made me think "ooh look, another positive choice again".

Even more incredible, I've lost 1kg. In 5 days. Without the slightest effort. The cynical part of me is still saying that that could be total coincidence, but I'm now hopeful it isn't ! I'm also feeling incrediby positive and upbeat - I wasn't depressed before but I've been feeling exceptionally cheerful since the start of the week. Again, my sceptical side is saying that that could be because I also managed to repair my mp3 player at the start of the week so I've been getting all nostalgic listening to old tunes on the way to work, but even I have to admit that that's a lot of coincidences. As a halfhearted jokey attempt this morning, I decided to try on a new pair of jeans that I couldn't do up last week and was totally gobsmacked when I could do up the button and zip. Admittedly, there's no way I'd have managed to sit down in them but I couldn't even do them up last week !

My brain is still saying this shouldn't be working and that it should be a load of mumbo-jumbo. But the huge smile on my face (and that pair of jeans grinning at me from the wardrobe shelf !) are saying that it very definitely is working so far. I'll keep you updated !

for more information : http://www.thinkingslimmer.com/

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