Hypnosis for weight loss: how effective is the method and what psychologists say

The struggle with excess weight is familiar to many and not only women, who are traditionally more concerned about their figure than men. This struggle can be long and quite exhausting, and victory difficult to achieve. Because any diet, like a forced restriction of the body’s needs, is rejected by the brain. And as a result, the more a person denies himself all sorts of goodies, the more inevitable a breakdown is. Sooner or later, someone who is losing weight begins to absorb harmful calories, while simultaneously cursing themselves for their weak character. And, as a result, a spoiled mood, decreased self-esteem and disappointment in one’s capabilities. Someone in this situation simply says goodbye to the hope of losing weight, while others find strength in themselves and resume the fight.

But this exhausting and often fruitless battle with yourself can be avoided if you use hypnosis for weight loss.

Psychological causes of deviations in eating behavior

Hypnotherapy is an effective means for losing weight, and hypnosis helps to cope with cravings for “sweets” and sets a person up for a healthy, active lifestyle.

The thing is that hypnosis is a technique of influencing the subconscious, and it is there that the causes of many of our behavioral problems and oddities lie, including problems with excess weight. Very often, overeating is associated with mental factors:

• stress, when a person seeks to replenish the consumption of mental energy through “physical” food;
• grievances towards others, when the deep ancient mechanism of “seizing” troubles is activated;
• an anxious state in which tasty food helps to distract oneself, serves as psychological support or compensation;
• low self-esteem, with which a person justifies his weaknesses, when he, as a given, accepts his own lack of will and comes to terms with it.

All these factors influence eating behavior. After all, for any living creature, including humans, food is one of the most significant values; the level of energy, activity and life itself depend on it.

In the animal world, those who are stronger, more influential, and more significant in society have the opportunity to eat more. And this very ancient mechanism - self-affirmation with the help of food - also affects humans. True, this is usually not realized and not regulated, because ancient instincts are in the subconscious. And in this case, hypnosis for weight loss is indispensable, since in trance a channel of access to the subconscious opens, and the hypnotherapist can not only find the reasons for an unhealthy relationship with food, but also help a person eliminate them.

Does hypnosis really work?

There is no guarantee that hypnotherapy will work miracles as the results depend on the individual. However, Dr. Rogers is confident that such therapy helps to cope with problems not only associated with excess weight.

Beyond the obvious benefits, people feel much calmer and have more control over their thoughts and life in general—this can have a huge impact on everything from relationship success to increased self-esteem. For most people, sleep improves. And this is very important, because if you don’t get enough of it, you can gain weight,

- say the hypnotherapist.

The effect of hypnosis on eating behavior

To quickly achieve your weight loss goals, physical activity and a balanced diet are also necessary. And with the help of suggestion in a trance state, you can tune the brain to the right attitude towards food and solve a number of problems that are difficult to solve in other ways.

• Eliminate or neutralize mental factors that cause excess weight, such as the effects of stress or low self-esteem.
• Remove psychological blocks created by emotional preconditions for overeating (fears, resentments, anxiety, etc.).
• Form a correct image of your own “I” with a perspective for the future. Imagining how your figure will improve with normalization of eating behavior is a very good incentive to give up junk food.
• Creating a positive attitude towards yourself and your weight; getting rid of anxiety about this and a negative assessment of your figure. It is not always possible to lose weight quickly and to the level that seems ideal. Hypnosis will help a person accept himself as he is and love himself and his body.

It should be noted that sometimes the struggle with excess weight becomes so addictive to a person that it turns into mania, becoming a mental illness such as bulimia or anorexia. A person exhausts himself with a diet and still does not see progress and counts not even extra pounds, but grams. This can also be dealt with through hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis is the most gentle method. Using it allows you to prevent such deviations. A person will adequately assess his figure, the need to lose weight and his capabilities for this.

Treatment of obesity with hypnosis, who is this method suitable for?

Treatment of excess weight and obesity with hypnosis will help people with psychological causes of obesity. That is, if a person does not control food consumption and leads a sedentary lifestyle or has incorrect eating habits, then through hypnosis these reasons are eliminated.

Treating excess weight with hypnosis will not help if the cause of obesity is problems with the thyroid gland, digestive system, endocrine diseases, or brain tumors. In this case, the patient must first get rid of the diseases that caused obesity.

How does hypnosis work for weight loss?

It should be borne in mind that the hypnotherapist conducting a hypnosis session for weight loss controls this process, but the person hypnotizes himself, and also suggests to himself, even with the help of verbal formulas proposed by the hypnotist. Awareness of the leading role of the one being hypnotized makes the session more effective. A hypnosis session for weight loss consists of three stages.

First stage. Goal setting and visualization

Since the person interacting with the hypnotist himself gives commands to his brain, understanding the goal is very important. Therefore, before plunging into a trance or at the very beginning, you need to clearly formulate your goal. What are you aiming for? What do you expect from hypnosis sessions? Why do you want to lose weight? Perhaps this is necessary for health and more vigorous well-being? Or maybe a few extra pounds are preventing you from feeling confident and independent?

Once the goal is defined and formulated, its visualization is necessary. Presenting the image of your renewed “I” must be positive. Choose the background for the picture of yourself in which you feel as confident and comfortable as possible. Perhaps it will be the seashore, a favorite chair, an ancient park, the company of a loved one.

These two moments - goal setting and visualization coincide with the first stage of entering a trance.

Second phase. Hypnotherapist's work with the subconscious

The hypnotist, plunging a person into a trance, opens a channel of communication with the subconscious, awakens positive memories, relieves feelings of self-doubt, eliminates childhood fears and complexes and forms the right attitude towards food.

The suggestion is aimed at changing the perception of food as a way of self-realization, improving mood, as compensation for a hard day at work, resentment, stress, as a remedy for boredom and loneliness. Food is a source of energy; it is needed for a full life, but life cannot be limited only to food.

The hypnotist can turn to the earliest, childhood memories, because children under 3 years old eat only when hungry and are very picky eaters.

Third stage. Positive attitudes and breaking out of trance

Any hypnotic session, regardless of the purpose, necessarily includes the creation of attitudes towards a positive perception of the world and oneself in this world, to relieve emotional stress, anxiety, and also instill a cheerful state. All these attitudes are given simultaneously with the correct attitude towards food.

At the third stage, the principles of post-hypnotic behavior can be formulated. For example, in a situation when a person opens the refrigerator for an emergency “snack,” he should have a thought about how proud he is of himself for his abstinence in food and a healthy lifestyle.

HOW TO FIND A HYPNOTHERAPIST

Since hypnotherapy does not require a license, anyone who can do the passes can claim to be a hypnotist. Find a local practicing hypnotherapist through our trusted database. Can't find anyone in your area? Many hypnotists can conduct sessions over the telephone.

TIPS FOR SELF-HYPNOSIS AT HOME

If you cannot afford the services of a hypnotherapist, or you are simply uncomfortable working with him, you can try self-hypnosis. Set a goal and you can break bad habits. Self-hypnosis, like regular hypnosis, involves using books, videos or audio recordings, and your own voice to form a strong connection between your body and mind. Below you will find some useful tips to help you achieve your goal. 1.First, you must commit to doing the self-hypnosis exercise, believing that it will work. Don't begrudgingly try or go into it thinking it will just be another failed attempt.

1. Find a quiet place to do the exercise to minimize distractions. No breaks. Don't worry about what you have to do. Sit somewhere comfortable with your back against the back of a chair and your hands on your knees.
2. To achieve effective self-hypnosis, you need to relax.
3. If your body is tense, try to imagine the tension leaving your body, starting with your head, shoulders, arms, legs and feet.
4. Inhale and exhale deeply to remove any negative energy in the body and mind. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Do this until your breathing becomes deep and even and you feel relaxed.
5. Start counting from 10 to 1. On the count of 1, allow your body to completely relax. Clear your mind of everything and continue to breathe deeply.
6. Set a goal for yourself and imagine that you need to achieve it slowly, while your voice will be your guide.
7. Tell yourself this over and over again: “I think like a thin person. I only eat what I need, when I need it, and I am conscious of the food I eat. Everything I put into my body affects me. I choose only the food that is good for me, and in the quantity that I need.” You need to remember this to do it with your eyes closed, so read it a few times with your eyes open until you get the gist of the words. You don't have to say them exactly, but stay close to the text.
8. When you say this, imagine yourself eating healthy, working out, smiling as you lose weight, and feeling healthier. You look good in your mind. You feel good there. You see it clearly.
9. Slowly bring your body and mind back to reality and open your eyes.
10. Do this consistently three times a day for at least 5 minutes for 21 days. Research shows that it takes us 21 days to adopt a new habit.

Here is another possible option for self-hypnosis. Consider your bad habits and write two or three affirmations for each. What are affirmations? This is a term in psychotherapy, simply put, wishes to oneself. Your statements should be positive, actionable, and about specific habits that need to be changed. If you're trying to lose weight by sleeping better, write something like, “I'll go to bed at 10 p.m. I won't watch TV to fall asleep. Snuggle up to the pillow and close my eyes, I will enjoy comfort and healthy rest.” If you want to eat more vegetables, write: “I will eat vegetables with every meal. I will enjoy their bright color, taste and feel much better.” Then turn on quiet, soothing music. Open the voice recorder on your phone and read your affirmations out loud. Once you have the audio recording ready, listen to it every day in the morning before getting out of bed and in the evening before going to bed. This time is ideal because your mind is not yet (or already) engaged in other activities. The recording should just be background noise - you don't need to actively listen because you will perceive it on a subconscious level. After a week or two, the affirmations you listen to will begin to change your habits and, ideally, help you make healthier decisions without a long, difficult struggle with yourself. More and more people are using hypnosis and self-hypnosis to give themselves the opportunity to become better, to achieve excellence. Once you learn self-hypnosis, it can stay with you for life and help you achieve any goal you strive for.

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Two types of hypnosis: two ways to lose weight

Hypnosis is currently used as a method of psychotherapy. Its main goal is to regulate mental processes and adjust the functioning of the body as a whole. It is in this format that it is effective for weight loss. There are two different approaches to hypnotherapy depending on the type of hypnosis.

Classic hypnosis

This type of influence involves putting a person into a trance state and forming in him subconscious attitudes towards healthy, proper nutrition, exercise and refusal to overeat.

The process of a hypnotherapy session for weight loss was described above. The verbal formulas of suggestion that the psychotherapist pronounces during the patient’s hypnotic sleep should form the correct eating behavior in him. In this case, the session is carried out with the consent of the patient and assumes his conscious desire to achieve his goal - to lose weight.

Ericksonian hypnosis

This type of hypnosis is named after Milton Erickson, the psychiatrist who developed this technique. Although he cannot be called a pioneer. The principle of adjusting to the client, which formed the basis of this hypnosis, has been used since ancient times by various scammers, for example, gypsies.

Ericksonian hypnosis involves hidden influence and suggestion, and the state of light trance is usually not even noticed by the patient. The hypnotherapist’s adjustment to a person who needs to lose weight goes unnoticed by him, as well as verbal formulas of suggestion, which are only slightly highlighted by the voice. Ericksonian hypnosis is similar to a regular conversation, but in this method of hypnotherapy, self-hypnosis plays a major role.

Self-hypnosis

Reprogramming yourself is not that difficult. The main thing is to set a goal.

• Choose a cozy place where it will be comfortable, warm, and calm.
• Make sure no one disturbs you.
• Take a comfortable position - sitting, lying down. You can turn on calm music for relaxation.
• Mentally get off the ground, transport yourself to a place where it is calm, easy, there are absolutely no restrictions, responsibilities, or problems. For everyone, this is the whole place - the sky with clouds, a desert island, relaxing near a fire, a ship in the middle of the sea, etc. Stay in this state for at least 5 minutes to relax the nervous system and make the subconscious work.
• Take a look at your figure. Imagine her slim. Admire yourself for another 5 minutes.
• Slowly return to reality from the fictional world, open your eyes.

Conducting such sessions every day will help not only achieve the desired results, but also mentally formulate the future course of events. Don't be surprised if, after losing weight, you find yourself in the place of your dreams while meditating.

Self-hypnosis for weight loss

You can use hypnosis for weight loss on your own. To do this, you need to master the skills of putting yourself into a trance and know the rules for drawing up verbal formulas of self-hypnosis. All this can be obtained during hypnotherapy sessions or by studying special video lessons prepared and recorded by a professional hypnologist.

For a successful self-hypnosis session, several conditions must be met:

• provide a comfortable, calm environment;
• sit comfortably on a sofa or chair;
• achieve a state of relaxation;
• first develop verbal suggestion formulas that correspond to the main goal - losing weight.

It’s worth talking in more detail about these formulas, which are also called affirmations. Self-hypnosis will be useful only when the verbal formulas are positive and contain affirming attitudes.

Why shouldn’t you use negative and limiting affirmations such as “I don’t want to eat after 6 pm”, “I don’t feel good if I eat...”, “I don’t want to eat anything sweet or fatty”? The point is not that such installations are ineffective. No, they are quite effective and often work better than positive ones. But the use of such affirmations can cause obsessions, phobias and other mental disorders associated with eating behavior, such as bulimia or anorexia.

Therefore, attitudes should be exclusively positive, creating a pleasant and invigorating emotional atmosphere. For example:

• “I am losing weight every day”;
• “Every day I become slimmer and more beautiful”;
• “I am proud to eat healthy”;
• “My food brings me pleasure, fills me with energy, and it’s enough for me”;
• “I enjoy morning jogging”;
• “I like to take care of my body”;
• “I always control what I eat,” etc.

Attitudes should create an attractive image of one’s own “I”, increase self-esteem, and fill with determination to lead a healthy lifestyle.

It is very useful during self-hypnosis to listen to pleasant, soothing music, choose a video with beautiful sports figures, photos of sports in nature, happy healthy faces.

Indications and contraindications for hypnosis for weight loss

Indications for hypnotherapy sessions aimed at losing weight are various deviations in eating behavior, for example, overeating, as well as excess weight. This method will be especially effective if overeating is associated with nervous disorders or emotional overload. By the way, with the help of hypnosis you can regulate not only overeating, but also the opposite process, leading to anorexia.

As such, there are almost no contraindications against hypnosis when it comes to mentally healthy people. But in a number of pathological conditions hypnosis is contraindicated. These include the following:

• epilepsy;
• schizophrenia;
• borderline mental states (psychopathy, mental development disorders, etc.);
• alcohol and drug intoxication.

A number of severe somatic diseases also require the use of hypnosis with caution. But most often, hypnosis is harmless and not only helps you lose weight, but also improves your overall condition.