“Change your thoughts and you change your world.” ~Norman Vincent Peale
Using hypnosis to reach your weight loss goals has been extensively studied in recent years and has shown promise as an alternative therapy.
Using hypnosis for weight loss has been taken more seriously by many in mainstream circles like Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Mehmet Oz and in articles published by the Mayo Clinic and CNN. Given, you can't just think yourself thin. T
here's no way that you can just raise your metabolism or burn off a problem area by entering through extreme mental focus or entering the hypnotic state. In all cases, a more restrictive diet and regular exercise are the proven way to go.
But taking the initiative to start a program that works is a mental hurdle within itself. That's where hypnosis can step in and fill in the gaps.
It must be noted that the results will always vary on a person-to-person-- but those who are open and receptive to hypnosis can experience dramatic changes in their eating behavior. Hypnotherapy can condition a person mentally for getting on track toward health and fitness goals.
There are plenty of success stories for those who have honed their consciousness towards eating better and having the initiative to exercise.
A case in point that was published this year on the Daily Record is Ronnie Kemp, 57, who underwent weight loss hypnosis at Morristown Medical Center in New Jersey. After her hypnosis sessions, she was given a recording and used it to condition her mind to crave less food and make healthier choices.
She credits weight loss hypnosis with helping her achieve 90 pounds of weight loss in one year.
Then there are more intensive modalities of weight loss hypnosis:
In a CNN report, hypnosis has been credited with helping a Michigan woman in her mid-30's lose 140 pounds. Julie Evans of Macomb Township said that her weight gain snowballed after the birth of her two children. Evans reached out to Rena Greenberg, a certified hypnotherapist in Florida, who has developed a most unique hypnosis method.
Greenberg created a "hypnosis gastric bypass" therapy, which leads the patient to believe they are going through a real gastric bypass surgery. Gastric bypass surgery shrinks the stomach in order to trick the body into craving less food and feeling more full.
Greenberg hypnotizes patients into thinking they have undergone that same procedure-- through simulating doctor consultations, visualizing hospital visits, and finally the procedure itself.
Dr. Mehmet Oz also did a feature segment on his TV show with Paul McKenna, another hypnotherapist who uses gastric bypass hypnosis and has also found success with patients.
A 1996 University of Connecticut study on weight loss hypnosis compared two focus groups. One used diet and exercise alone in a weight loss program, and the second group added weight loss hypnosis into the mix of diet and exercise. The study's results showed a difference of an average of 15 pounds lost for those who used hypnosis versus only 6 pounds for those who didn't.
These are only a few cases, and there are folks that may not react positively to hypnotherapy. But if you condition your mind with hypnosis, it can be a valuable tool in achieving your weight loss goals.
