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Weight Loss with Hypnosis – Does It Work?

Written by Mita Majumdar, M.Sc. | Medically Reviewed by Dr. Sunil Shroff, MBBS, MS, FRCS (UK), D. Urol (Lond) on Jul 28, 2018
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How Does Hypnosis Help with Weight Loss

The Society of Psychological Hypnosis describes hypnosis as ‘the procedure during which the subject is told that suggestions for imaginative experiences will be presented. The hypnotic induction is an extended initial suggestion for using one’s imagination, and may contain further elaborations of the introduction. A hypnotic procedure is used to encourage and evaluate responses to suggestions. If the subject responds to hypnotic suggestions, it is generally inferred that hypnosis has been induced’.

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The practitioners define hypnosis as ‘a state of inner absorption, concentration and focused attention’ which implies that we can use our minds more powerfully when our minds are totally focused. This is definitely a mind over body therapy as clinical hypnosis involves the use of mental imagery in a focused state of attention. So, the by-word for the functioning of hypnosis is ‘suggestions’.

Weight Loss with Hypnosis – Does It Work?

Hypnosis, as such, may not directly help you reduce weight as would weight loss diets or weight loss exercises. But it looks into and attempts to ‘cure’ the non-genetic cause of your weight gain, especially if it is related to psychological issues such as emotional eating, sleeplessness, stress, mood swings and depression. Most experts thereby suggest an adjunctive therapy along with hypnotherapy for weight loss program to be successful.

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The procedure for weight loss hypnosis involves suggestions to relax. For those people who do not require relaxation, various suggestions are used to become more alert. The responses to suggestions are assessed by comparing them to a scale ranging from high to negligible.

Once you are ready to be hypnotized, the hypnotist will use verbal phrases and mental images to put you in a state of deep meditation or trance so that your subconscious mind readily accepts suggestions from yourself and your hypnotist. During hypnosis, you’ll be guided by the hypnotist to respond to suggestions for changes and alterations in emotion or behavior. These suggestions will help you fix problems such as eating disorder or stress and anxiety that are directly related to weight gain.

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Weight loss programs in hypnotherapy or self hypnosis for weight loss techniques may utilize the science of binaural beats and ambient sound therapy to help you bring to a natural state of deep relaxation by affecting the levels of serotonin and other brain chemicals. For those interested in self hypnosis, you can select from a variety of hypnosis weight loss tapes and CDs available online or from stores.

In short, hypnotherapy can help with weight loss indirectly by addressing issues of eating disorders, insomnia and depression. Further, it will help you by:

  • Improving your ability to focus and think more clearly;
  • Increasing your self awareness;
  • Lowering your stress levels;
  • Producing more serotonin and other brain chemicals related to quality of life; and
  • Improving your mental and emotional health.
  1. Stradling J, Roberts D, Wilson A, Lovelock F. Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998 Mar;22(3):278-81
  2. Kirsch, I., Montgomery, G., Sapirstein, G. (1995). Hypnosis as an adjunct to cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy: A meta-analysis. Journal of Consulting  Clinical Psychology, 63, 214-220
  3. Bolocofsky, D. N., Coulthard-Morris, L., & Spinier, D. (1984). Prediction of successful weight management from personality and demographic data. Psychological Reports, 55, 795-802

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Comments should be on the topic and should not be abusive. The editorial team reserves the right to review and moderate the comments posted on the site.

Comments

James555

If you follow two basic tools of weight loss you can lose your body weight more successfully without any adverse effects. These two basic tools are regular exercising plan, and weight loss effective diet plan.These two plans are more effective for the weight reduction than any other technique of the weight loss. Maitland Bootcamp

DevinFoster

The mind over matter thingy over losing weight seems to be easier said than done. You can always tell yourself that your not hungry but when your body converts into physical symptoms of hunger, that's the time you'd feel the consequences. I should know because I do portion size and I think, hypnosis is more of self control. If your body is used of eating big bulk of food every meal, you can't just control hunger manually and not use an aid for it. I am using an appetite suppressant and it does help me control my hunger. Through prescopodene, I have significantly lost 2 stones without depriving myself of eating. I could eat anything I want but through the effect of the pill, I don't eat as much because my mind tells me that I am always full. In fact, the energy booster also helped me because I can now keep up with sports and that,I know, also contributed a lot on how I lost that much in just two and a half months. Just saying!

cityhypnotherapy

As a weight loss hypnotherapist I agree that suggestions can be used to help manage food cravings and help someone lose weight. However, you need to go a step further and find out from the subconscious why it causes weight gain and is resistant to weight loss in order to ensure the effects of treatment are permanent. If you only suppress the problem rather than resolving the cause, the problem will eventually return.

honeyseekar2012

i want to loss around 10kgs in 2months for my birthday on 15 may 2013

jemimahhernandez

The system I use is very simple, efficient and it is not hard to keep. Take out all bad products like sugar, sweets, potato, pasta, rice, bread Eat twice per day meat or fish with vegetables. Use twice a day shakes with vitamins, minerals, protein and needed amount of good carbs. Drink lots of water. Following the simple system you will eat 4-5 times a day and will be losing 1-1.5 kilograms per week he system I use is very simple, efficient and it is not hard to keep.Take out all bad products like sugar, sweets, potato, pasta, rice, breadEat twice per day meat or fish with vegetablesUse twice a day shakes with vitamines, minerals, protein and needed amount of good carbs.folowing the simple sytem you will eat 4-5 times a day and will be loosing 1-1.5 kilogramms per weekIf you wanna try i am ready to support you until you get to your desired weight

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