1.
The Pasta Problem
• Peter's doctor sent him to a psychiatrist for therapy.
• Peter was eighty pounds overweight.
• He said he could not give up pasta.
• Every night he ate two heaping plates of pasta with sauce.

2.
The Pasta Problem
• His wife said he would not accept a substitute dinner.
• She also liked pasta.
• She ate less than her husband
• But she cooked pasta every night.
• They were both seriously overweight.

3.
The Pasta Problem
• They wanted self-suggestion to make them love pasta less and like other foods
more.
• They needed a magician not a therapist.
• Self-suggestion is work, not magic. It requires action.
• Peter told his wife that therapy would not work.
• They quit.

4.
The Pasta Problem
• Rosa was a policewomen who had a heart attack.
• She returned to work but her cardiologist insisted she lose thirty pounds.
• She described herself as addicted to pasta and pizza.
• They were "family" foods.
• She also hoped self-suggestion would work magic.

5.
The Pasta Problem
• Rosa admitted she really did not want to change.
• She was willing to risk another heart attack just to keep eating the pasta she
loved.
• She knew she could be fired for being overweight and not fit.
• She did not care if she lost her job.
• Self-suggestion was not for Rosa.

6.
The Pasta Problem
• Maria had a better attitude.
• She had gained fifteen pounds.
• She wasn't seriously overweight, but she did not want to gain more.
• She had to face reality.
• When metabolism slows, you either forego pasta or put on weight.

7.
The Pasta Problem
• Her parents ate a lot of pasta.
• Her father was overweight and had a heart condition.
• Sunday dinner was a family tradition featuring pasta.
• Maria decided a change was needed.
• She also knew diplomacy and skill would be required.

8.
The Pasta Problem
• She decided on a very indirect approach.
• First, she told everyone her doctor told her to lose weight..
• Like smokers who are told to quit, she announced she was under orders to diet.
• She had to eat more veggies and fewer carbohydrates.

9.
The Pasta Problem
• At her parent's house she either took small portions of pasta or refused it.
• If she ate the pasta, she ate salads for the next three days.
• The family always came to her house for Thanksgiving.
• She wasn't serving pasta and turkey.

10.
The Pasta Problem
• She made pasta less often and made less of it for the family.
• She served the pasta with a large salad.
• Eating out, she ate half her pasta and took the rest home.
• Her family got used to these changes and began to talk about how they
needed to diet.

11.
The Pasta Problem
• She told the whole family, including all her in-laws, that she was learning new
ways to cook.
• She invited them for her new healthy dinners.
• They came.
• After all, she was a great cook. What's more, she did all the work.

12.
The Pasta Problem
• Like Maria, you can use self-suggestion to solve the problem of pasta.
• Give up pasta altogether?
• Have it less often?
• Combine pasta with other foods, and have less?
• Take home part of a restaurant portion?

13.
The Pasta Problem
• Eat something before Sunday dinner with the family, so you won't stuff yourself
with pasta?
• Plan a strict make-up program, for as many days as you need, to get back to
where you were?
• Suggest your own creative solutions?
• Lots of people work out solutions to the pasta problem.

14.
The Pasta Problem
• Go to the next slide for an audio guide on self-suggestions for managing the
pasta problem.
• Listen, and figure out self-suggestions that respect family traditions, recognize
your own love of pasta, and also take account of reality -- of needing to eat for
your health and well being.
• Good luck.

15.
The Pasta Problem