The Ups and Downs of Weight Loss

Next to smoking, the most popular reason people consider hypnotherapy is for weight loss. There are a lot of fantastic claims out there as to how effective hypnosis is for weight loss. I suggest you do not belive them all as few will give you the complete story. Suffice to say that you probably won’t lose 50 lbs after one hypnosis session. So how can hypnotherapy help?

Wel, there are basically two things you need to do to lose weight: eat less and exercise more. Of course we all know that. The biggest problem with trying to lose weight, as those who have tried will attest, is not gaining knowledge regarding how to do it, but to actually engage in those behaviors which contribute to wieght loss such as proper food choices and an appropriate  level of physical activity. That’s  the hard part: ” I know what to do, but I just can’t seem to do it” is a common complaint.

The fact is, there are so many factors involved in losing/maintaining weight, that it’s no wonder that so many folks get discouraged and eventually give up. In addition,  it  seems every week there is a  diet/diet book/supplement that promises miracle results. Of course, losing the weight is only half the battle. The other half is keeping it off. In short, for many people, losing weight and keeping it off is not easy.

So is hypnotherapy effective for losing/controlling weight? Research has shown that it is if  coupled with a comprehensive program that includes diet and exercise. This statement presumes a few things:

• That you really want to lose weight and keep it off and see this as a goal, with good, solid reasons as to why you have this goal and are willing to work for it. In other words, there is a commitment.
• That you are willing to engage in regular exercise, and realize that if you are to be successful in losing weight, that this is soley your responsibility.
• That you are willing to be ok with 2-3 lbs loss per week.
• That you are willing to be truthful with yourself about patterns  and habits that keep you from your goals.

Hypnotherapy is not a magic bullet, but it can aid in creating and increasing motivation and commitment while helping to establish new habits such as exercise and smart food choices. Perhaps more importantly, hypnotherapy can help to establish a new relationship with food, where food is seen as fuel for the body as opposed to a balm for the emotions.

As strange as it may sound, consider there may be many reasons why people who claim to want to lose wieght actually sabotage their efforts due to what is called “secondary gain”. Secondary gain is an underlying, often subconscious motivation for keeping the wieght on. Some underlying causes for wanting to keep the weight on:

• I don’t really deserve to look good.
• My parents  always told me that to be too thin is unhealthy.
• My parents always told me that I was destined to be fat so why try?
• If I lose a lot of weight I may become attractive to people who want to date me and I’d rather not deal with that.
• It’s my cushion between me and the cold cruel world.
• Being overweight is  how I  punish my (parents, husband, wife, etc.)
• Losing weight means  not enjoying food and in my culture food is very important.

In my hypnotherapy practice, my goal for my clients is to help them develop the habits and patterns of thinking that lead to reasonable weight loss and the ability to maintain a goal or desired weight. I help them to become very clear about what the benefits of weight loss are for them personally, as well as to clearly see where the stumbling blocks lie. Self image is always an important component, that is, I help my clients feel that they are worth investing  the time and effort  to look and feel healthy, energetic and attractive. After each session, I make a tape or digital recording for my clients to take home and listen to for reinforcement of hypnotic suggestions.

There are many other aspects of weight loss that can be discussed, such as metabolism, blood sugar stabilization, carbohydrate vs protein intake, type of exercise and frequency,among others. 

If you are ready to make a commitment to your health by losing weight with the help of hypnotherapy , call and mention Ted’s Hypnotherapy Newsletter and I will give you $50 off your first session should you choose to get started. Not sure? Call and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have. What have you got to lose except pounds and inches?

This week, try to lighten up!

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Tman