Does hypnotherapy work for weight loss? In short, hypnosis is most effective when it’s combined with other weight loss measures, such as a lower-calorie diet, and exercise.
What is Hypnosis for Weight Loss, and Does it Work?
Hypnotherapy for weight loss may be something that you’ve heard about, but don’t really know anything about. It’s hard to believe that a trance can help you lose weight.
But, as it turns out, there’s a lot more to hypnosis than being in a trance. We’ve spoken to the experts to find out everything you need to know about weight loss hypnosis.
In this article, we will discuss what hypnotherapy is, how hypnosis may work for weight loss and other tips for maintaining a moderate weight.
What is Weight Loss Hypnosis?
Hypnotherapy is a type of counselling that uses suggestions and relaxation techniques to change behaviour. It’s been used successfully to treat addictions, phobias, trauma and even obesity.
Hypnosis is usually practised during a session with a hypnotherapist using verbal repetition and mental images to help change unwanted behaviours. But, does hypnotherapy work for weight loss?
What is Hypnotherapy?
Our minds have a conscious state and a subconscious state. Our conscious minds are used to make decisions, act, and think. Whereas, our subconscious mind controls our habits and influences our behaviour. Our unconscious mind’s primary function is also to protect us.
Hypnotherapy is where the conscious part of your brain becomes incredibly relaxed and easily distracted. Some hypnotherapists use this tool to help individuals reach a state of relaxation.
This can be compared to when you daydream and enter a trance-like state. You can easily snap out of a daydream, which is the same as hypnotherapy.
When we allow our conscious minds to relax, our unconscious mind becomes more open and receptive to communication. As a result, during hypnosis, the mind can become open to change with regard to behaviours, emotions and habits.
Research has found that our unconscious mind makes 90% of our decisions and that behaviours are established during childhood. However, behaviours learned at a young age, such as a phobia of something, are not always helpful in dealing with issues that we face as adults.
Even though our conscious mind knows how to deal with a situation rationally, our unconscious mind is the driving force and can create a raft of limiting and unhelpful behaviours from early programming in childhood.
Does Weight Loss Hypnosis Work?
Practitioners use hypnotherapy as a technique to change unwanted thoughts and behaviours, such as a person’s relationship with food.
There are some studies that suggest hypnosis may be an effective tool to help certain individuals to lose weight. However, there’s not enough research to be able to say exactly how effective it is.
Most studies found that individuals only lost a small amount of weight, but the quality of this research has been questioned. This makes it hard to understand how effective the studies are.
Although, a recent study has found that although individuals may not lose a large amount of weight, patients did report a reduction in inflammation, better satiety and better quality of life.
Overall, it’s safe to safe that more research needs to be conducted to determine the true effectiveness of hypnosis for weight loss.
People with habits such as overeating could benefit from hypnosis as they can be influenced by changing their behaviours through hypnosis. In this case, hypnosis could be more effective than diet and exercise alone, but with the lack of research, it’s still up for debate.
To summarise, hypnosis to lose weight may work for an individual, due to the counselling and influencing thoughts. But, successful weight loss will need to be supported with a combination of a lower-calorie diet, regular exercise and hypnotherapy (or counselling).
Does Hypnosis for Weight Loss Work for Everyone?
There’s never a guarantee that hypnotherapy will work for everyone as this depends on the individual. Hypnosis is voluntary, and the person is always in control. Therefore, an individual has to be willing to be hypnotised.
The hypnotherapist and client will work together to change thoughts, behaviours, and habits through their subconscious state. Through this, some people are able to see life-changing results.
The risk of hypnotherapy is that it will not always work for everyone, but for people who are looking to change, a therapist can help them reach their goals.
It must be noted that hypnosis is not advisable for people who have mental health conditions, such as psychosis or a personality disorder. This is because it could make the condition worse.
For people interested in hypnotherapy, the ASCH recommends that people choose a therapist who is licensed, properly trained, and has the correct accreditations.
Benefits of Weight Loss Hypnosis
There are many benefits of hypnosis for weight loss which include helping a person boost their overall health and well-being. Hypnotherapy can also lower their risk of certain health conditions, and even help with sleep, self-esteem, stress and anxiety.
During your initial consultation, your practitioner will discuss any issues you’re struggling with and work with you to overcome any trauma, PTSD and other issues you’re dealing with such as anxiety.
Hypnosis has been used successfully to help people lose weight for decades. People who use hypnotherapy to lose weight tend to focus on the benefits of the therapy rather than the process of hypnotising themselves.
Therapy helps them stay motivated and focused throughout their weight loss journey for long-lasting results.
Are There Any Side Effects to Hypnotherapy for Losing Weight?
There are no negative side effects from hypnosis for weight loss. During your hypnotherapy session, you have to be motivated and want to be hypnotised. At all times, you will remain in control and will be able to ‘snap out’ of the trance at any moment.
The best way to describe a hypnotic trance is being in a deep state of relaxation which is very similar to when you’re in a daydream. Clients often fall asleep during sessions as they’re so relaxed, but your brain is always listening.
Can Weight Loss Hypnosis Take Place Online?
Hypnotherapy for weight loss can take place in person, or through online hypnotherapy sessions. This is fast becoming the more popular method due to the convenience of eliminating travel and clients taking calls wherever they are in the world.
Online hypnotherapy is just as effective as in-person hypnotherapy, and many clients prefer to have their sessions from the comfort of their own homes.
Read more about how online hypnotherapy sessions work, and the benefits here.
Cost of Hypnotherapy
There are many factors that come into play when looking at the cost of hypnotherapy. This can depend on where you live, the type of session, the experience of the hypnotherapist, and the type of therapist you choose.
Generally, the average cost of hypnotherapy can range from £50 all the way up to £1000 per session. Depending on the severity of your issue, several sessions may be required to experience results.
Sometimes the number of sessions may be combined, such as with smoking cessation or weight loss.
Additional Tips for A Healthy Weight Loss
There are many changes you can make to your daily routine to achieve healthy weight loss. A mix of a change in the diet through eating in a calorie deficit, exercise, and behavioural changes can all help to lose weight.
Tips to Lose Weight
- Exercise regularly. This can be a moderate activity such as walking, or gardening. Or, more high-intensity exercising such as running and swimming.
- Exercising with a friend, or meeting for long walks, can help with motivation – especially during the cold, winter months.
- Keep a food diary to keep track of when you’re eating. You may find that sometimes you’re eating out of boredom.
- Using an app such as My Fitness Pal to count calories can be very effective as you know you’re in a calorie deficit.
- Eat lots of fruit and vegetables to help fill you up more quickly.
- Ensure you eat protein with every meal to help you stay fuller for longer.
- Avoid drinks such as alcohol and soda, and food such as cakes, sweets, and fried food which are high in calories.
- Stay hydrated and drink six to eight glasses of water daily.
- Get 7-9 hours of sleep every night. Enough sleep helps curb any cravings.
- Eat throughout the day to help with energy levels – resist skipping meals as this can lead to binge eating.
FAQs About Weight Loss Hypnotherapy
Some clients will notice a difference after their first sessions, whilst it may take other people longer to see results. This varies from person to person, but most clients start to notice a change after one to two hypnosis sessions.
For weight loss hypnotherapy, people have noticed results after one or two hypnosis treatments, but on average four to six sessions can be expected for noticeable results.
Hypnotherapy is a completely natural treatment and 100% safe to help people overcome any problem they may be suffering with.
Summary of Does Hypnotherapy Work for Weight Loss
So, does hypnotherapy work for weight loss? Hypnotherapy may aid weight loss, but it’s important to note that it’s not a quick fix.
There’s no magic pill for losing weight, but research does suggest that when used in combination with other weight loss methods may help.
More research is required to understand the use of hypnotherapy for significant weight loss. But, if you’re struggling to lose weight, hypnotherapy alongside a healthy diet and daily exercise may be very beneficial.
If you’d like to get in touch to find out if weight loss hypnotherapy is right for you, please get in touch. Feel free to book an initial free 30-minute consultation, or get in touch to ask any questions you may have.
About Stuart Downing
My name is Stuart Downing and I am an experienced hypnotherapist working to help people overcome any addictions, phobias, or mental health issues using the power of their own minds. I offer private hypnotherapy sessions all over the UK from hypnotherapy in Birmingham, to hypnotherapy in London and internationally through online hypnosis. Wherever you are in the world, I’d love to help you.
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