How to End the Weight Loss Struggle?
When you begin the process of losing weight, you have more than just willpower holding you back. The human body is designed to retain fat as an evolutionary protection against famine. Your diet and sudden weight loss signal to your body that a time of starvation is approaching, which causes your cells to fight any fat loss. Although there are millions of years on the side of evolution, it is possible to combat this effect through hypnosis.
How Hypnosis Can Help
Your stomach sends hormones like ghrelin to your mind to signal hunger. When you are on a diet, additional ghrelin is sent to your brain as a sign that you need to eat. Even if you have the best willpower in the world, it is difficult to fight against these signals sent by nature. To change the way your body approaches hunger and dieting, you have to start with your subconscious.
During hypnosis, your subconscious is retrained to view eating healthy, drinking water and exercising as good things. It helps to lower your anxiety levels while replacing negative habits with positive behaviors. Through continued hypnosis sessions or recordings, you are effectively able to change the way your body responds to hunger. It can also transform how you view a diet. Instead of viewing your healthy eating as deprivation, you are able to embrace the change and a healthier lifestyle.
The Science of Hypnosis
According to researchers at the University of Connecticut, hypnosis can be a powerful tool for your weight loss goals. The researchers looked at 18 different studies that compared hypnosis with other weight loss treatments. Compared to the control group, the hypnotized patients lost 90 percent more weight and maintained the weight loss for at least two years after the study concluded. At another study in 1986 by Gordon Cochrane in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, overweight women lost over 30 times more weight through hypnosis than the control group. In this study, the hypnotized patients lost an average of 17 pounds, which was much higher than the 0.5 pounds lost by the control group.
How It Works
During a weight loss hypnosis session, your inner absorption, focus and relaxation levels increase. This process is similar to the trance-like state you experience while watching television or losing track of time while driving a car. With hypnosis, your attention is on high alert. While your body and mind are completely relaxed, you are able to absorb more of the suggestions from the hypnotherapist.
Through verbal repetition, visualization, suggestion and mental images, your hypnotist can help to change the way your mind views weight loss. Hypnotism can help to combat a negative body image with self-confidence and acceptance. By doing this, the technique can reduce the anxiety and stress that you feel about the way you look, feel and weigh. At the same time, it replaces these negative thought patterns with positive behaviors and changes. Instead of reaching for a candy bar when you are under stress, your subconscious naturally nudges you toward taking a walk, exercising or eating a healthy snack.