Hypnosis for Weight Loss: Can Hypnosis Make You Thin?

Tired of carrying around those extra pounds? Sick and tired of diets that don’t work?
Are you ready to shed that flab once and for all?

Hypnosis may be the answer for you.

But not if you’re expecting miracles.

Hypnosis is not a magic bullet. It cannot make you stop craving potato chips or
never feel hungry again. It can’t make you exercise or make you like vegetables or
make you do anything.

What, then, can hypnosis do that “will power” can’t?

Hypnosis, a state of deep relaxation and intense mental focus, can help you “re-
program” old attitudes and beliefs about eating. While in the state of hypnosis your
subconscious (inner) mind is more available to you, more open to receive
suggestions that will then become a part of those messages in the “back of your
mind” that nudge you toward new behaviors. Like a modern day Jimminy Cricket,
hypnotically implanted messages urge you to “do the right thing” – to follow
through with the changes that you decided to make in your life.

Hypnotic messages that suggest new attitudes like “You eat small portions of food
and feel completely satisfied. You eat only in response to your body’s natural need
for food as fuel” can help re-program bad eating habits. Repetition of such
suggestions, especially if listened to regularly on a taped message, can boost your
determination and enhance your conscious “willpower.”

Often, however, such messages alone are not enough. It takes a combination of
behavioral modification (watching your diet, learning how to eat healthily, exercising
regularly) and psychological education (understanding why you have certain eating
patterns and how to change them) in order to achieve permanent weight loss. A
good hypnotherapist will address both these issues as well. Not only should you
receive mental suggestions for behavioral and lifestyle changes, your
hypnotherapist should explore with you any emotional connections to food and
eating habits. Once you realize why you are eating when you are not hungry (and if
we all ate only when we were hungry there would be no need for any weight loss
programs) you can begin to change that behavior.

A good hypnotherapist will work with positive programming, using your own
success to spur you on and not rely on “aversion therapy” or “negative conditioning”
to achieve results. Suggestions that stress positive changes (looking the way you
want to look, feeling the way you want to feel) and that increase self-esteem can
help you succeed not only in your weight loss, but in other areas of your life as well.

Mental imagery is another important part of hypnosis. Using hypnosis for weight
loss, after achieving a deep state of relaxation your hypnotherapist might lead you
through an imaginary journey where you might imagine yourself wearing a dress or
suit you’ve grown out of. You might imagine the positive comments of your friends
or co-workers. You would be encouraged to use all five senses in your imagery,
seeing and feeling yourself grow thinner, stronger, more healthy and vital. Studies
show that the more real your inner experience, the more likely the final results will
match your mental “program.”

When used as a part of an overall program of behavioral modification and attitude
adjustment, hypnosis can be the extra dimension that your weight loss program
needs for long term success. While not magic, hypnosis can provide powerful tools
to help you fight the battle of the bulge, tools that just may make the difference
between success and failure.

Note to readers: When choosing a hypnotherapist, it is important that they be
properly trained and certified by a reputable association that adheres to a set of
ethical guidelines. Always check out the credentials of a hypnotherapist before
taking part in a session.

Rita Milios is a licensed psychotherapist, author and speaker who specializes in
topics of mind, creativity and behavior. She is certified in hypnosis and guided
imagery. View more articles at her website,
http://www.ritamilios.com/

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