People keep asking me this question: Does hypnosis work for weight loss? And as much as I would love to say: YES, IT DOES, the answer is much less satisfying: It depends. I’ll reference some scientific studies on this later on, but before doing so, I want to cover an important distinction you need to make.
Hypnosis won’t help you to magically get in shape while no other part of your life changes. If you keep eating the way you’ve always eaten, if you don’t live a more physically active lifestyle, hypnosis won’t help you shed all these pounds.
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That is for example why MayoClinic does not recommend hypnosis for weight loss—because they took it out of the larger context of life and examined whether hypnosis works without any behavioral changes:
Most studies showed only slight weight loss, with an average loss of about 6 pounds (2.7 kilograms) over 18 months. But the quality of some of these studies has been questioned, making it hard to determine the true effectiveness of weight-loss hypnosis.
Weight loss is usually best achieved with diet and exercise.
I couldn’t agree more, BUT…
Hypnosis can be very effective for weight loss by helping you to make the behavioral changes that will result in weight loss easier.
How does hypnosis work for weight loss?
A study conducted in 2014 found that hypnosis helped women improve their eating behavior, body image, BMI, and weight.
That’s why Harvard Medical School psychotherapist Jean Fain advises you to use mental imagery guided by hypnosis to change your behavior. Think about it: advertisements for a pizza or a burger, or whatever your craving of choice, can make you feel like you want to eat it. But you can also use the power of your imagination to change the craving—to change how you feel about that food.
We all know how difficult it is to change your eating habits. We all know how difficult it is to be physically active on a regular basis over a long period of time. Changing your behaviors is what’s so difficult. Breaking out of the emotional pattens you’ve lived with for so many years is what’s difficult. And that’s exactly where hypnosis can help.
Because the hardest part about sticking to a diet and becoming more physically active is to establish it as a habit that comes natural to you. The hardest part is to be able to resist your cravings when you feel like you really need it.
Whatever it is that you crave—chocolate, ice cream, chips, a burger, fries, bread, pasta—will you give in to that craving or are you able to overcome that impulse and instead make a healthier choice?
And that’s where hypnosis can really help.
Does weight loss hypnosis really work?
The short answer is: Yes. But make sure to approach it with realistic expectations, and understand what hypnosis actually is. Hypnosis won’t magically do it for you. It’s not like some hypnotist suddenly takes control of your mind and manipulates you into eating healthy and exercising regularly. There is no “lose weight overnight subliminal hypnosis” session that will usher in a magical body transformation—and honestly, if anyone makes you these promises, I would advise you to stay away from them.
Even with hypnosis, you are still the one in control. And that also means that you are still the one responsible. It’s extremely important that you do take responsibility and ownership. Hypnosis is just a method that helps you to do this better.
A study conducted in 1986 found that hypnosis for weight loss helped overweight women lose 17 pounds, compared to 0.5 pounds for women who didn’t participate in the hypnosis program.
So if you are willing to change, and if you are willing to take charge of your health, then hypnosis will most likely work very well for you if you want to lose weight.
How much does hypnosis cost for weight loss?
Again, the answer really is it depends.The good news is that cost isn’t really a limiting factor when it comes to weight loss hypnosis. You don’t need to sign up for a lengthy treatment plan with a hypnotherapist. You can use self-hypnosis, in conjunction with a hypnosis recording from a reputable source, just as (if not more) effectively.
There are multiple options for you available:
The full package: $97
This consists of 10 hypnosis downloads that cover all the major aspects that lead to weight gain.
A single, focused hypnosis MP3:
- Stop Emotional Eating: $14.95
- Sweet Tooth Hypnosis—Overcome Sugar Addiction: $14.95
- Stop Night Eating: $14.95
As you can see, money is not an issue. In fact, you can even try all of these because you’re covered by a money-back-guarantee.
But before you get your hypnosis for weightloss download, it’s important that you do make a commitment to it. It’s not enough to buy these, download them and listen once. You actually need to make time in your schedule to listen to them on a regular basis. And that can’t be while you’re driving in your car on the way to work. You want a setting that allows you to stay fully focused and relaxed on the self-hypnosis session.
The best advice I have for you in this regard is to actually schedule this in your calendar—that’s what many of the people who successfully lose weight with this self-hypnosis program did. It takes less than half an hour per day, and listening to it when you go to bed can be a wonderful routine.
Thanks for this balanced, informative introduction. I’ve tried all kinds of things to lose weight. Sometimes successfully. But my weight bounced back. And I believe it’s because of the old habits of my mind, which are harder to tame than my day to day behavior. If weightloss hypnosis can help me change my mental habits and attitudes, I’ll definitely give it a try!
Thanks for your thoughtful comment, Meadow! Please make use these weight loss hypnosis downloads, and come back and share your experience with them, whatever they will be. Would love to hear more about your progress!