Weight Loss HypnosisBasics Weight loss hypnosis for weight loss has been scientifically studied and shown to aid in losing weight. Hypnosis places you in a state of altered consciousness that allows you to be receptive to suggestions for change. Time, thoughts, and memories can become distorted. Your mind is dissociated from the environment, your emotions, and your senses. One side of your brain (more often the left than the right) is dominate over the other. Posthypnotic suggestions can be made during hypnosis that act on the non-dominant half to affect your behavior during your everyday normal life. Not everyone can be hypnotized. About two-thirds of adults can be hypnotized, and about 10% of people are highly hypnotizable. There are several techniques that are used in hypnosis, and different ones may work better for some people than they do in others. Self hypnosis can be done with the aid of hypnosis tapes or CDs. Does Weight Loss Hypnosis Work? There have been studies to see whether or not and how well weight loss through hypnosis works. Researchers have found that people lost almost twice as much weight with hypnotherapy than people who were not hypnotized. In a study on women who did and who did not smoke, weight loss hypnotherapy caused a significant weight loss and lowered these women's BMIs. It can also help in people who have eating disorders. Hypnosis has even been shown to help adolescents with diabetes be more compliant on their medicines, causing their blood sugars to come under better control. How Much Weight Can I Lose with Hypnosis? Everyone is different, but on average, people who underwent counseling (behavioral therapy) and weight loss hypnosis lost 32 pounds. This is compared to 13 pounds in people who had weight loss behavioral therapy without hypnosis. One study showed that in 3 months, people lost 2-3% of their body weight and some weight loss was still present 18 months later. It
is important you discuss any weight loss or exercise plan with your
doctor. Only you and your physician can decide what is best for you.
Some people have certain conditions that prevent them from doing all
exercises, and goal body weights may be different for different people.
You need to discuss all these things with your physician before
starting any weight loss or exercise program. This article was written by John Vickery, MD. References Anesthesiol Clin. 2006 Mar;24(1):81-111 Prim Care Clin Office Pract. 2002 Jun;29(2):279-95 J Fam Pract. 2006 Jun;55(6):536-8 Paediatr Nurs. 2003 Sep;15(7):42-5 |