Can Self-Hypnosis Help You Lose Weight?
Healthy weight loss isn’t a mystical process. Losing weight for most people necessitates regular exercise and conscious decisions about what, when, and how much to consume.
Hormones and medical issues may have an impact on your success. Your emotions and intellect may also play a part in the process. Hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis may be beneficial in this situation.
Although hypnotherapy alone is unlikely to result in significant weight loss, there is evidence that it can help you change the attitudes and emotional connections that obstruct your capacity to adapt your food and exercise routines appropriately.
Is self-hypnosis effective for weight loss?
According to specific research, self-hypnosis can help you lose weight.
Increasing self-control
In one study, participants in two groups received personalized nutrition and exercise programs. One of the groups learned how to use self-hypnosis techniques to improve self-control before a meal.
The group that used self-hypnosis consumed fewer calories and lost more weight by the end of the study. They also stated that the hypnosis intervention improved their quality of life.
It’s vital to note that the participants in this study worked with therapists to learn and practice successful hypnosis techniques before going it alone.
Guided hypnosis, which professional and registered therapists provide, is an excellent place to learn practical approaches.
Reduced body mass
In a small 2020 study, researchers evaluated the effects of hypnotherapy on 32 participants.
The participants in this study had lower leptin levels which is an obesity-related hormone, in their blood after ten weeks of guided hypnotherapy and they had lower body mass index.
Furthermore, adiponectin levels have grown, a hormone that your body requires to prevent you from obesity and type II diabetes.
Many doctors believe that hypnotherapy is most helpful when used in conjunction with other weight-loss strategies.
In a 2009 study, researchers found that hypnotherapy was most beneficial for weight loss when used in conjunction with diet and exercise.
What exactly is the benefit of self-hypnosis for weight loss?
More research is needed to fully comprehend how the mind-body link works in weight reduction hypnosis.
Despite decades of research into the weight-loss benefits of hypnotherapy, little is known about how hypnosis affects weight.
It can aid in the resolution of unspoken emotional issues.
Hypnotherapy can be used to address unsolved emotional issues that prevent people from losing weight.
People who have previously suffered trauma, abuse, or upheaval may be unaware that their personal history influences their current efforts to maintain a healthy weight.
It can assist in the correction of cognitive errors and harmful beliefs.
Hypnosis can also help people overcome cultural prejudices and false attitudes that prevent them from reaching a healthy weight.
Learning to accept physical changes caused by pregnancy or aging may help people let go of some of the stress and perfectionism associated with weight loss goals.
Instead of utilizing food as a reward after a particularly trying day, hypnosis can assist you in choosing a reward that does not jeopardize your healthy eating habits.
It may aid in the reduction of cravings.
Hypnotherapy can help you reduce your urge for unhealthy meals. Therapists in the Eating Well program, for example, employ guided imagery and shared hypnotherapy sessions to help you make better nutritional choices that will help you lose weight.
According to studies, the use of guided visualization can reduce problematic eating cravings. After learning guided visualization, experts claim you can utilize guided imagery and hypnotherapy to aid yourself whenever you need it.
How effective is self-hypnosis for weight loss?
Hypnotherapy sessions are usually between 50 and 2 hours long. Although specific approaches differ by a therapist, many sessions begin with you settling into a comfortable posture, either seated or lying down.
You may then be instructed to close your eyes or concentrate on a particular object. Following that, your therapist may guide you through a set of deep breathing exercises.
When you’ve started to relax, your therapist may suggest that you visualize a safe and relaxing area, such as a favorite body of water.
Your therapist may recommend healthy thinking patterns or beliefs to replace those not working for you once you’ve achieved a profoundly relaxed state, sometimes known as a trance.
Your attention could also include self-affirming words and phrases. Your therapist will eventually gently encourage you to return your attention to the “here and now.”
You’ll be able to apply these contemplative techniques on your own once you’ve mastered the procedure. Some therapists include a suggestion in your hypnosis session that allows you to hypnotize yourself at a later time.
Are there any further advantages to self-hypnosis?
A sense of relaxation and peace is one of the most distinct advantages of hypnotherapy, whether self-induced or guided.
What about the negative consequences?
Hypnotherapy is relatively affordable, and it has few harmful side effects for most people. However, if you have a health condition that affects your weight, you should consult with a physician or a healthcare professional to treat the underlying problem.
Hypnotherapy is beneficial to everyone, and people trying to lose weight may benefit from self-hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
How can you locate a competent hypnotherapist to begin using self-hypnosis to lose weight?
Credentials matter in every situation. Hypnotherapy is not an exception. You want a counselor or therapist who is state-licensed in a mental health field and has hypnotherapy training.
A hypnotherapist who has personally undergone hypnotherapy is a plus.
The Wellness Institute’s provider tool can help you identify a certified hypnotherapist in your region.
Conclusion
Self-hypnosis can help you lose weight, especially when accompanied by changes to your food and exercise routine.
Working with a certified therapist who is specially trained in hypnotherapy is the ideal approach to get started so that the skills you learn are more likely to help you. Hypnotherapy can aid in the healing of memories and emotions that undermine your weight loss efforts.
Hypnotherapy can also reinforce positive attitudes, correct cultural and personal beliefs that are holding you back, and decrease your appetite for items you want to limit or eliminate from your diet.
Weight loss that is both healthy and sustainable is a highly individual process. What works for your best friend may not work for you and what works for you today, may not work for you tomorrow.
A sympathetic therapist who can use hypnosis to help you relax and relearn may increase your chances of success.