Hypnosis for weight loss
 

Has anyone tried hypnosis or self hypnosis for weight loss? I have tried WW and I have never had success with the program because I hate the journaling. The theory is you are given suggestions/tools to help you feel satisfied and quit eating and only eat when you feel hungry. Just wondering if anyone has thoughts or success with this.

I am a certified hypnotherapist and began by working for Positive Changes, then a leader in the hypnosis for change industry. Weight loss was NOT my favorite part of the job, and honestly I didn't see lots of success in our clients. The process was a long term commitment, attending a session every week, along with group class session on nutrition, etc., and it was expensive.

I'm sure there are many programs available now, including one-time sessions, which you can find. Be sure to check out the successes before you buy into them to be sure your funds are being well used.

Weight loss is such a hard thing for most people because it is all too often a deep emotional issue rather than a will power issue. I wish you luck with your journey.

Jan in VA

Jan, thank you for your advice, will definitly do research before wasting my money and time.

I went about 30 yrs ago when i weighed (laugh) 130 lbs. wanted to loose 10, haven't lost it yet, but found a bunch more.

I wish I could figure out what my "deep emotional issue" is. I've tried almost every diet out there and still like to eat. I admit, food is a comfort to me.

I tried it. It does not work

I agree, it doesn't work for many people.
But it is accurate to say that it DOES work for some. :)

Jan in VA

Jan, I'm curious--what issues did you find hypnosis to be effective for? It has always fascinated me, but I've never had someone in the know to ask.

Hypnosis worked for me to quit smoking over twenty years ago but not for weight control. I agree, it works for some and not always for others. With smoking , one must quit entirely but we can't quit eating entirely. Just my little old opinion.

I still have all my WW information from the late 70's. No journaling then, it was much easier because you knew what you could eat during the week. I lost lots of weight on WW at that time. I also still have all my cookbooks as well.

I've used the self-hypnosis CD's that you listen to while you fall asleep. I do feel that it helps reinforce healthy behaviors -- drink more water, enjoying being active, feeling better about myself. I use it as an addendum to what I already try to do and have lost about 35 lbs. so far.

tried it-didn't work

My complete answer is too long for this topic/board, but the quick answer is: I found it often successful for smoking, fears, memory retrieval, and self-hypnosis in childbirth.....yes, labor and delivery! I've also used it to lower blood pressure for a mom in labor and for myself frequently during invasive medical procedures.

I often used hypnosis in tandem with a technique call Emotional Freedom Techniques, a trigger point tapping technique which anyone can do. Google it; you'll find a cute article from me there called "Mice in My Pants".:o

Jan in VA

I tried the hypnosis cds.
I still remember eat half and half only.
I can hear it when I am taking that full portion.

So for me it did not work.

i just saw a piece on this on the tv... they said it does work for some, but not for most

Thanks, Jan. It sounds a lot like the deep relaxation techniques of yoga. I found that given a little extra time before a BP test, I can lower it my a few points. I suppose it might be a kind of self-hypnosis.

As a teenager (many moons ago) my best friend's Dad hypnotized both of us, told us we didn't like Coca Cola or mashed potatoes, and to this day I don't like either one. I suppose you must be very receptive. It was fun though, and he also told us we could not get off the sofa until we heard him say one certain word. You should have seen us when the phone rang. We were a riot. In all seriousness though, he did teach us both some excellent relaxation techniques that I use to this day when I am stressed out and they really do help.

I heard about this tapping technique from the Dr. Oz show. There was a Dr. who has written several books about self-hypnosis and one was dieting. He used a tapping technique to stop cravings. I bought a coupon for a Living Lite 3 hour session for $20. I figure it will be worth it even if it just gives me some techniques to think about healthy changes. Will give a follow up report after my session next week. Wish me luck.

My DGS has food aversion issues... he will only eat certain foods, even so far as only certain brands of foods.

I have often wondered if hypnosis would help him get past whatever the issue is...

I googled it and could not find "Mice in my Pants". There are a lot of articles there, but even though I put quotes around it, they could not find such an item. I did go through the video session, and thought it could be helpful, but I'm anxious to read your article.

I did try hypnosis for weight loss and it did work for me as long as I went to my weekly individual hypnosis sessions and listened to the follow-up tapes on a daily basis, however, it was an expensive procedure. When I moved to a different town where hypnpsis was not available, I gained most of my weight back although I continued to listed to the tapes on a daily basis. For me, I think I needed the the weekly one-on-on sessions with the doctor to make the plan work.

DH and I went for smoking hypnosis 2 July 2013 - and after 45 years as smokers have been smoke free since then !!! I gained the obligatory 25 pounds - hubby has gained 50 !!! Went back to WW - which we did 10 years ago and kept allthe weight off til we quit smoking --- but now it just didn't seem to work....3 months, no weight loss. Could it be cuz we're 60 now??? Went back to hypnosis - STILL no weight loss. Very discouraged here....but at least we are still non-smokers - but now he's on BP meds because of the weight gain !!! {{{sigh}}}

There is also a book out called "What to Say When You Talk to Yourself" that helped me. It is really about positive reinforcement.

I tried for weight loss and no success. I gave birth to 3 children and was wonderful, walked from delivery room. Successfully recently loss almost 40 lbs.on diet for type 2 diabetes, good luck

Yes. I did have luck with it years ago. I listened to a weight loss tape every morning before I started my day. It was about a 20 minute hypnosis tape. It just helped. I still had to diet
Bonnie

I have not tried it for weight loss, but I had developed a terrible addiction to mini marshmellows. Ok, everyone can laugh!! I went to the hypnotist for two sessions and haven't had a marshmellow since. I had a very strong sense of them the first day or two after the first session, but then nothing and that has been over 12 years ago.

Penni,
From what I've read almost all of us in the US are deficient in Vit D, which is not a vitamin but a hormone. One of the symptoms is very slow or complete inability to lose weight. I had them check my D levels at my last exam and they were so low, they didn't even register!! I'm on prescription D as we speak. Of course, that still leaves me with a big weight problem and no desire to start my 5,498th diet!

Jan, you continue to amaze me with your talents! I studied EFT years ago and at one time thought to become a hypnotherapist...using primarily to resolve past life issues showing up in present. I then realized it's one thing to be able to surface those memories and quite another to know what the best psychological methodology to employ to "do no harm" to the client. Glad to see you worked for standards in the field, which is now almost totally unregulated.

Mavis,
Here is one link to the Mice in Pants article. There are other places it shows up as well.
http://tapyourpower.sourceforge.net/...case_1707.html

Jan in VA

WW is quite different now than in the past. I have worked for them for 3 years and have seen results that are unbelievable. It does not work for every one. If you have a strong committment, it will work. It is up to you. I live it every time I tell someone that they lost. It keeps me going too.

Thanks so much, Jan. It was a wonderful article. I had tried self-hypnosis years ago, and still use some of those principles.
As for weight loss, I had about 30 pounds to lose, but that didn't really bother me. I'm tall and don't show it that much. People usually tell me I am thin. Then I read an article about eating eggs for breakfast - fried in butter. I found that when I ate the eggs in the morning, I wasn't hungry till about 11:30, and that was a good time for lunch. I continued the eggs for about 2 years, not giving it much thought, but also reducing my sugar intake. After two years, I noticed my pants were getting big for me. I was shocked when I got on the scale. One other thing we have been doing is eating "TV Dinners", but not the kind you buy in the store. I make good food, a lot of it from my garden, using butter for flavor, and serve it on a tray. Just enough for my husband and me with no leftovers for second helpings. We sit in the living room and watch Wheel of Fortune, and by the time that is over, we have no desire to find more food. Eating a little fat - good fat, like butter and bacon, makes your brain think it is full, and you have no desire for more. I also have been drinking whole milk for the last 3 years. We haven't eaten white bread for more than 20 years. I gave up sweet rolls (I love sweet rolls), when the eggs gave me the will-power to do that.
So I guess the bottom line is, get rid of the sugar and eat some good fat.

To Jan : I just want to say that you are one of my heroes on this site! I always read what you write! You always have a great way of looking at life, quilting, injuries/sickness and life in general! You share so much and I really appreciate it as so many of the readers do! You amaze me with you knowledge and talents! I wished I lived in your area and had you as a personal friend; but this board has provided me a link to you and I love that and am thankful for that! Thank you so much for all of your input. You are lucky to live in that cute cottage too!
It has been interesting reading this thread and see what other people do for weight loss. I found by not eating sugar, giving up white bread, eating healthy (which for me is eating fats wisely) really really has helped! My blood sugar is now normal, my blood pressure is now great and I have lost about 40 pounds in the last three years! I know the weight is coming off slow but it is working and worth it as I feel pretty good at 64! I had foot surgery last year which resulted in osteomyelitis and began taking a probiotic which may be helping me also! Plus take B-12 daily for pernicious anemia! Good luck to you all on your weight loss journey!

If there was an easy way, everyone would weigh 110 pounds! We, (as a nation) have to wrap our heads around the fact that we eat way too much processed food, no where near enough fruits and veggies, and are just plain sedentary..we need to walk more, eat right..that's the ONLY healthy way that will last ...everything else is smoke and mirrors.

Jude, I cried (from happiness) when I read your story. We know it works. Last week I was in the cafeteria in the University Hospital in Madison. I couldn't believe how many really big people went through there. I just feel sorry for them, and hope they get our message soon. I feel really good at 80. Most people do not believe I am 80 when I tell them. (I had good parents!) I can do most anything I could 40 years ago. I just take a nap when I am sleepy, and wake up refreshed and ready to spend an hour behind my push lawn mower. Or sew on my quilt till midnight.
I'm trying to get the message out. My children are doing it.
Good luck to you on keeping it off.

Tapping...what? Parts of body? Why?

I do not the journaling either. They have a new optional plan called Simple Start which is based on their 'filling foods' - very similar to the Core plan from a few years ago. No writing required unless you want to. It's basically healthy eating- fruits, veggies, whole grains and dairy.

Geri: try the directions for goggling as in this quote from Jan from her post #13. There is a video there that shows all about it.

[I often used hypnosis in tandem with a technique call Emotional Freedom Techniques, a trigger point tapping technique which anyone can do. Google it; you'll find a cute article from me there called "Mice in My Pants".:o

Jan in VA]

The link to Mice in my Pants is http://tapyourpower.sourceforge.net/...case_1707.html
Good luck on finding them both.

Tried that twice - 20 years apart - the only thing I lost was money

I wish there was a magic bullet for weight loss.

I know I CAN lose weight, I've done it in the past. I know my issues are mental/emotional, not medical.

My problem is that when I like myself, I treat myself. It's a sad state; the only times I can diet successfully is when I'm feeling terrible about myself. I was a very skinny teenager!! (But not in a healthy way; I think I was borderline anorexic if not fully there. I would pass out all the time. Not. Healthy.) You can always tell when I'm happy...my fat pants get tight!

I'm working on changing that, but it's hard...apparently that attitude is REALLY ingrained. I start to lose weight and it's extremely hard for me not to "celebrate" and treat myself to something bad for me. Maybe hypnosis would help, I doubt it would solve the problem all on its own. Life is never that easy. (sigh)

I wish it was as easy to lose weight as it is to spend money; and as easy to earn money as it is to gain weight. Wouldn't THAT be nice!?!?