“The funniest thing about writing this book is I started to lose weight myself,” says author Ursula James.

      “This wasn’t intentional at all, but once I started to write the book, I became aware that there were times when I didn’t practice what I preached in relation to looking after myself properly, and taking care of my needs first.

     “I’m now much more relaxed about my eating habits,” says James. “I allow myself a blow-out occasionally, and am now able to reset to a default of healthy eating and exercise, rather than saying ‘Oh well, I have ruined my diet now,’ and giving myself permission to continue overeating.”

     This book is a rational, realistic way to help you lose the weight you want to lose without making you feel guilty if you do eat too much. Ursula James teaches you how to use hypnotherapy to help you stay on track. There is also a very helpful CD to walk you thought the process of hypnotherapy. And you can use it for other things as well.

     “I’m a full-time hypnotherapist, and have been for the past 15 years,” says James. “In that time I saw many people for weight-loss. It was the only problem where nearly everyone I saw knew the answer to change – but were not able to put that knowledge into practice.”

     “I put in some extensive research and realized that weight-control isn’t about knowing about exercise and calories, it is about getting your head straight, learning to like yourself, and being able to deal with stress,” says James. “When you have done this, the weight-loss happens naturally and steadily. Most important, the weight stays off this way as it is no effort.”

     “I researched this book through my own private patients, by talking to other therapists, and also by reading through the most recent research on environmental and social matters which relate to stress,” says James. “Did you know that if you are stressed your body holds onto every bit of fat it can? Relax and eat normally – your body will not need to do this, and you can learn to listen (and trust) your body instead of abusing it with faddy diets.”

     Here’s one thing that James recommends. “Start every day with a mantra – “today I am in control” You may not feel as if you are at first, but keep repeating it for 21 days in a row and you will start to build a habit,” says James. “If you’re in control of your external environment (otherwise known as life!) you need to control your inner environment less actively, i.e. no overeating in response to stressors.”

     When I first received a copy of the British edition of this book I thought: I can think myself thin?! It sounded like a novel idea,” says James’s editor at Penguin in the US Sara Carder. “Then when I actually sat down to read the book I was quite impressed with the scientific basis for Ursula’s program – it truly is possible to lose weight if one can harness the mind and this is precisely what Ursula shows the reader how to do in this book.”

     “Ursula is a groundbreaker in the field of hypnotherapy and she has a gift for making complex scientific accessible to the ordinary reader,” says Carder. “She is also very easy to relate to as a woman! In this book, Ursula shares inspiring - and also frequently funny! - things she has discovered in her own quest to stay fit that any woman can relate to.”

     “Until writing this book I had no idea how many people, (especially women) suffer from self-esteem issues,” says James. “Overweight people spend so much time ‘mind-reading’ other peoples opinions of them, and often feel unable to succeed in other areas of their life because of their weight.”

     “When the book came out in the UK the number of people who contacted me and told me that having read the book, and took control of their weight issues, they made other changes too,” says James. “Getting rid of unsupportive partners, clearing out their personal space, and getting new jobs. Success became a possibility and I am proud to be part of their change.”

     Ursula James was born in South Yorkshire, UK and currently lives in Central London. She is also currently a full time hypnotherapist and medical school lecturer. You Can Think Yourself Thin is her third book in print and she has two more in the pipeline.

You Can Think Yourself Thin by Ursula James

Trade Paperback, 208 pages, Publisher: Tarcher, April 16, 2009, Language: English,  ISBN: 9781585427277 Includes a CD $15.95