Success Stories: Kerri from Norwich

 Kerri from Norwich went on a 1 day course with Chocolate Fairy Gretel in March 2010. Here is what she has to say about the experience one month on...

Many years back, when I was living  in Australia, a doctor I knew said that he felt diets didn't work and that the only way have a healthy diet and lose weight was to drop the whole diet thing and just learn how to have a normal relationship with food. He was right of course. He wrote some books on it, which I read,  but it wasn't a widely followed idea. Almost everyone I knew then, or have ever known, is on a diet of some kind and when I told people they though it was mad.  But I did give it a go and tried to live that way.

Then 10 years ago,  I moved to England  and  without support fell back into my old ways of yo yo dieting and even began to wonder if I had made a mistake with the no diet concept.  Every so often I read another Geneen Roth book and thought: "yep, she's right" but went on to eat another bowl of rabbit food. Then  I read the Beyond Chocolate book, I was so excited, here were people who thought the same but had constructed a  way to do it, with clear precise ideas, and support of every kind. I began thinking about it all again, I was always dreaming of going to London to do the course then  I read it was going to be run here in Norwich and I was blown away. The workshop was brilliant,  step by step all the things I knew were true plus quite a few more I didn't know about were all there in front of me.   The whole day was done in such a kind loving atmosphere, both the Chocolate Fairies who led it and the ladies there to take part were supportive and because we had all been through food issues of some kind we  seemed to be on the same level.

I am also a celiac  (allergic to gluten) so eating out is usually  not a very pleasant experience, but the food provided for me was incredible,  and probably the nicest I have ever had, which also made me feel good.

I came away with a new understanding, refreshed and ready to show myself  love instead of constantly berating myself for being me, and over this last month since the course I have found I am able to look at food in a different way and I  keep on doing it because I can listen to MP3's, go to the website, and receive newsletters,  its been a lifelong struggle for me and now I can see change and a light at the end of the tunnel.

How refreshing it is to  be free from that bind I was in. In fact yesterday I  felt a flush of reassurance when suddenly I realized I didn't have to fight with myself over food anymore!

Don't miss Gretel's next workshop in Norwich on 22nd May. Read more...