How Much Water Should I Drink to Lose Weight?

Posts Tagged ‘Hypnosis’

                                       Losing Weight The Natural And Easy Way

                                                             By Tom Smith C.H

It should not be a surprise to some people that their New years Resolutions came up short in 2009. After all, their hearts were in the right place, however, temptation is the arch enemy. Some people may have also told friends and loved ones  what their goals are. They are said with confidence and pride, for example, “ I am going to lose weight”, however sadly for most, slowly in time, those goals become mere wishes, then eventually nothing. The goals simply just die and in its place is almost as follows, “I tried that, but it didn’t work for me.”

This is the same scenario that has been played out for maybe as long as 2000 years. This is not a fad by any means, and those who fall short on their goals, feels defeated, cheated by their own demons that resurface without even as much as a warning.  At least on T.V. and in the movies, when one is watching something scary,  the viewer is warned something bad is going to happen as soon as the creepy and scary music come up. However, in the real world, there is no warning, no pre determined visual, or creepy music to warn us. In most cases, temptation takes over, and the go getter, the goal setter falls off.  No one enjoys torturing themselves into believing that they will stop smoking, losing weight, etc only to come up short.

So there has to be a way, to ensure that when you say you’re going to lose weight, you will actually lose weight. Not only will you lose the weight you desire, but keep it off. I am about to reveal the secret to you, and as I do, I imagine there are some readers who may scowl or quickly dismiss the idea due to their own inability to believe and confirm with facts. So, let’s start with the most basic question, “how do you lose weight the natural and easy way? The answer may surprise you.

Self hypnosis.

This article is not intended to argue and debate the question “does it work” Of course it works, however one must try and keep an open mind. Instead this article will serve as a primary source to start you on your journey into weight loss thru  self hypnosis.  For those who don’t believe, may I recommend the appetite suppressants at your local stores that could range in price from $15.00 and up month after month.

The very first time I tried to lose weight thru self hypnosis, I lost 29 lbs in two months. In my first week alone I lost close to six pounds. In the next week slightly less and then of course my body adjusted and the total weight seems to just drop naturally.  One can make it sound it difficult to be put into a light hypnotic trance, but I am here to tell you different, if you can tie a shoe, or clean an ear of corn, you can put yourself into a hypnotic trance.

 Let’s begin.

1)      Find a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed, turn off any electronic device that may awaken you, no TV, no landline phones, nothing. Some prefer using something melodic on CD, I say no, not until you master the art of putting yourself into a light trance.

2)      Loosen all tight clothes, especially around the waist, if necessary; go to the bathroom before you start. After your done in the bathroom, make it a point for some alone time, you’ll need at least a half hour of being undisturbed time when you put yourself into a light trance. Surprisingly, many people do this before drifting off to sleep due to a hectic lifestyle, and right before bedtime is fine.

3)      Lie on your back, or be comfortably reclined with your feet flat on the ground. Do not let your hands  touch each other.

4)      Relax and close your eyes. Breathe thru your mouth, and exhale your breathe thru your mouth, breathe deeply to clear your lungs and relax every fiber in your body. From the top of your head to the tips of your toes, just breathe and relax.

5)      Picture yourself on top of a stair case with at least ten steps below you . Hold onto the banister and step off onto the first step and say to yourself. “With each step I take, I drop down deeper and deeper, and the deeper I go the better I will feel.”

6)      Begin your descend down the stair saying the same thing, step after step.

7)      After reaching the final step and stepping on the landing, tell yourself. “I am completely relaxed and in a light hypnotic sleep. “

8)      Now see yourself in the mirror, see yourself thin and healthy, and love the way you look, look at your arms, look at your stomach and how thin it is, your hips . Admire and enjoy yourself. Now tell yourself something similar, “ I am now losing weight and love the way I look, I am dropping weight every week, every month, I love the way the new me looks,  I am very successful in loosing weight.”

9)      After you have completed that scenario, image the new you doing the things you love doing thin and skinny, see your self dancing, or skiing, shopping. See this in your minds eye and accept it as the new you. Tell yourself, “This is the new me, this is how I am going to look.”

10)   When finished, picture yourself at the bottom of a flight of stairs with 5 steps going up. Tell your self “ As I begin climb these steps, I will lift my self out of a hypnotic sleep and return back to a normal waking state. I will be fully awake and completely relaxed. “ (If this is right before bedtime, then say this) “ 1 feeling refresh and fine, 2 awakening little by little from my hypnotic sleep, 3 feeling great and beginning to stir, 4 completely aware of everything around me, 5 wide awake and feeling great

So there you have it, a simple procedure that you can try for a couple of weeks. If you would like more information about weight loss, visit one of the hottest websites out there today helping thousands and thousands of people like yourself to lose unwanted fat. www.iwanttoloseweightfast.com  until then, I wish you good luck, good health, happiness and prosperity.

Copyright 2009

Copyright (c) 2008 Mark Albertson

The escalation of obesity rates in this country has sparked a flurry of activity among both serious researchers and charlatans to discover the perfect weight loss method. A recent study of four diets revealed that the key to weight loss success isn’t the diet, but how closely you follow it. Investigators from Tufts-New England Medical Center (Journal of the American Medical Association, January 2005) have determined in a study of four popular diets that the key to successful weight loss is not the diet itself, but actually following the diet. In this one-year study of 160 overweight adults, the researchers split people into four diet groups:

· Weight Watchers (low calorie)

· The Zone Diet (low glycemic index)

· The Ornish Diet (low fat)

· The Atkins Diet (low carb)

The conclusion of the investigation was that all of these diets worked when the participants in the study followed them. The problem is that less than one in four were able to stay on their given diet for just this one year.

It should be noted that the hardest diet to follow was Atkins, followed by the Ornish Diet, but according to the authors of the study, “no single diet produced satisfactory adherence rates.” Hypnosis has been recognized as a both a method for helping people to adhere to their diets, and for re-training the mind to “think” like a lean person, in order to be able to give up dieting completely and to develop healthy eating habits that parallel the eating habits of lean people.

That being said, wild and exaggerated claims abound regarding hypnosis as it one of the more appealing methods dangled before the eyes of those who are hungry for a seemingly easy solution to a complex problem.

A careful review of the scientific literatures exposes many of the claims about weight loss through hypnosis on the internet as overly optimistic at best and openly fraudulent at worst.

Considerable controversy swirls around the mechanisms by which hypnosis actually contributes to weight loss. Leon (1976) suggested that hypnosis can help obese people team new healthier eating patterns and retain them. One author remarked that the hypnotic state is characterized by heightened concentration, suggestibility, and relaxation (Mott, 1982). Certain individuals are thought to be capable of achieving this state more readily than others. A so-called hypnotic “induction” whereby a hypnotist using certain procedures to bring an individual into the hypnotic state is not a prerequisite for achieving the state (Mott, 1982). Hypnosis, contrary to the claims of some intemet advertisers cannot magically reprogram people’s minds. In short, methods of hypnosis run the gamut from simple relaxation techniques to formal inductions administered by hypnotists, but should not be considered supernatural in its effects.

Studies showing weight loss as a result of hypnosis alone are few in number and suffer from methodological problems. Andersen (1985) reported that following 8 weekly treatment sessions and 12 weeks of practicing self-hypnosis subjects lost an average of 20.2 pounds. Cochrane and Friesen (1986) concluded that moderate weight loss was obtained by subjects using hypnosis. The experimental group, lost more weight than the controls and maintained the weight loss at a six month follow-up.

Mott (1982) stated that “although hypnosis is sometimes referred to as a method of treatment, it is more accurate to regard hypnosis as a facilitator of a number of different treatment methods.” The study concludes that the use of hypnosis for a moderate weight loss is effective using hypnotherapy. Hypnosis Plus Behavioral Weight Management A number of studies indicate that hypnosis combined with a behavioral weight management program contributes significantly to weight loss. Bolocofsky, Spinler, and Coulthard-Morris (1985) revealed that the addition of hypnosis to a behavioral program designed to alter eating patterns increased the amount of weight loss at 8-month and 2year follow-ups. Both the behavioral and hypnosis programs were tailored to each subject individually in the study. Bolocofsky et al. (1984) acknowledged that “the less a person weighed at the start of the program the more likely he was to lose weight and maintain the reduction”. Hypnosis combined with behavioral weight management seems to be more effective for small amounts of weight loss. Another study of 45 females found that supplementing a basic self-management program with hypnosis resulted in a slightly greater amount of weight loss at a 3-month follow-up (Barabasz and Spiegel, 1989). The group for which individualized hypnotic suggestions were developed lost more weight than those exposed only to a group procedure. Kirsch (1996) noted a weight loss of 6.00 pounds without hypnosis and 11.83 pounds with hypnosis based on a meta-analysis of six studies. Allison and Faith (1996), however, disagreed and maintained that hypnosis only enhances cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy slightly if at all. Long-term individualized hypnosis combined with a behavioral weight management program appears to contribute to modest weight loss and helps maintain it.

Hypnosis operates mainly as a way to increase participants’ attention to suggestions of behavioral programs as well as to reinforce their weight loss. Studies using behavioral treatments successfully “typically have developed incentive systems to bridge the gap between the short-term -reinforcers provided during treatment and long-term goal of weight reduction” (Bolocofsky et al., 1985). Hypnosis can fulfill this role by stepping in as a psychological reinforcer. Hypnosis may assist subjects in learning positive eating behaviors and creating healthy long-term patterns of food intake. Subjects are then more likely to incorporate the rules of a particular program into their behavioral regimes (Bolocofsky, 1985). Kroger (1970) points out the similarities between hypnosis and behavioral treatments which share an emphasis on visualization and imagination. The literature suggests that hypnosis is an ideal addition to behavioral weight management programs which tend to need supplementation to achieve long-term results.

The Hodgepodge Problem in Weight Loss Studies The use of subjects of varying ages and backgrounds represents one challenge that plagues studies of hypnosis as a useful treatment for weight loss. Andersen (1985) utilized subjects ranging in age from 21-56 years, a considerable spread. Subjects in another study ranged in age from 17 to 67 resulting in considerable potential differences between the control group and the hypnosis group (Bolocofsky et al., 1985). The fact that subjects were not matched with regard to age could exaggerate results of weight loss as a result of hypnosis that may more accurately be attributed to age differences. McCabe, Jupp, and Collins (I985) suggested a tendency for younger women to drop out of weight loss programs relative to older women leading to a possible masking of potential effects of age. Bolocofsky et al. (1984) indicated that successful hypnotic weight loss participants were higher in self-control, weighed less at the start of the study, married, and more expressive. A wide variety of factors influence whether a given subject will lose weight through a hypnotic weight loss program. Anderson (1985) cites the absence of matched subjects as a weakness in her experiment. More studies with subjects closely matched on various characteristics should be conducted to substantiate claims about the effectiveness of hypnosis for weight loss when combined with a behavioral program.

Most studies require weekly consultation with a hypnotist for 8 weeks or more in addition to self-hypnosis (Bolocofsky et al., 1984; Bolocofsky et al., 1985, Andersen, 1985; Cochrane & Friesen, 1986; McCabe et al., 1985). Internet advertisers who claim weight loss will occur following a single hypnotic session, especially a group hypnotic session, are frauds selling dreams to desperate customers. Allison and Faith (1996) underscore that “there is currently no panacea for the treatment of obesity and hypnosis is no exception”. Treatment using hypnosis then is not a quick and easy way out of weight troubles. In order to achieve any benefits from its use, hypnosis must be practiced on a regular basis for a significant period of time.

Conclusions and Limitations

Hypnosis has been shown to be an effective treatment for low to moderate amounts of weight loss. One qualification of this statement is that the hypnotic program should be tailored to each individual. Hypnosis is a process by which an individual enters a state of relaxation and heightened suggestibility, Transformation of the brain through some mysterious process defines only the hypnosis of pseudoscientists. Quick-fix hypnosis is probably much less effective than an 8 week program using both in-session hypnosis, at-home self-hypnosis, and behavioral weight management. The only people who claim hypnosis is easy, simple, and quick are those trying to sell people on their program. The largest obstacle in weight loss is its long-term retention, but follow-ups of hypnosis as a weight loss treatment have been conducted at the longest after two years. Weight loss tapes lack scientific evidence to support their success and should be purchased with this knowledge in mind. Weight loss through hypnosis has been largely ignored by scientists and more studies with control groups and large subject pools are required to understand its action and import.

This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni’s The Healthiest Year of Your Life, which can be found at http://thehealthiestyearofyourlife.com. In this excerpt, Jill Fleming shares on weight loss results; how to achieve them and how to keep them.The Healthiest Year of Your Life with Jill Fleming, a certified nutritionist and author of Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates.Kevin: Why don’t you tell me about results? I love hearing results. I love hearing about results. Why don’t you tell me one or two success stories that people that you’ve basically helped them change their lives?Jill: When I teach 8 week weight loss classes, which I do in my local community, I continue to monitor people after they’ve completed the class and the time they started the class to completed the class and we did this with measuring tapes and weighing and then I continue to track them for two years after taking the classes.Kevin: Two years? Wow!Jill: Two years. Yes, because beyond two years people moved and it was hard to get hold of them and then they didn’t want to come in and we had 92% success rate, which is exciting, which is how I knew I needed to put the information into a book, because so many other people could benefit from this information. When I speak in settings with large audiences the funny thing is to me that I’m up there talking to them about how they can improve their health and lose weight and feel better and have more energy and usually about one or two just really intensely take the information to heart and I will get an e-mail a month later that will say I’m 56 years old — I just got this two days ago – - 56 years old and never thought I could lose weight and gave away all of my smaller sized clothes and now lost 25 pounds and I have more energy than I ever had. Everyone’s asking how I did it and it was all because I added breakfast. It was all because I added more fruits and vegetables and had a smoothie and a salad a day. All because and they took away one or two nuggets of what we were talking about where they were weak in their Wellness Triangle and improved it to reach their ultimate goals. They’d given up. They thought they couldn’t do it.
In my local community I had a guy that when through my weight loss class and then he took it again and he took it a third time. He lost 115 pounds and just e-mailed me probably a month ago and said that he’s maintained 105 but the other 10 came back on and he’s going to get that 10 back off again and the interesting thing is he’s within about 10 pounds of his ideal body weight. He was planning to go through gastric bypass. I talked him out of it, because he loves food. He loves to eat as much as I do and I said if you love to eat, you’re really going to be giving up that choice. You’re going to be so limited in the amount and the types of things you can eat that it won’t be an enjoyable lifestyle for you. He agreed. He loves to go out and barbeque. He just has a little bit less of the fattier foods and he really went to town on the vegetables.Kevin: Okay.Jill: Exercises everyday and has tons of energy and he is definitely a role model that I keep coming back to him and saying how did you do that again? What are you doing?Kevin: Yeah.Jill: Tell me how you did that again? What was the piece of information that stuck out for you? But the interesting thing is that it’s different for every person.Kevin: Yeah.Jill: So what Dennis had to do versus what I had to do versus what someone else who wants to lose weight has to do, you can take all the information and see which is going to most affect your life in the positive direction.Kevin: And how did you measure the 92% success rate? What were the criteria?Jill: They could not gain more than 2 pounds back of what their final weight was.Kevin: Wow.Jill: The majority of people went on to lose even more weight, because they only had them, well we did an 8 week class with a one month follow up, so we only had these people for three months, but the changes that they made in three months were changes that they’ve kept for a life time. They said they could never go back to their old way of eating because they had too much information one and number two, they felt too good.Kevin: WowJill: And that’s the big thing. It’s not just about looking great in your skinny jeans. It’s about the energy that you have. You don’t need to fill your body with caffeine and chemicals to stay awake and alert. You can do it naturally.Kevin: Yeah. In a world where the studies say that 98% of people who lose weight gain it back a 92% success rate is just absolutely incredible.Jill: I think the big part of the success we had with our classes was that I was able to individualize and help people see how they could fit their lives into the plan. Not just switch from their life to the plan, but incorporate little things from the thin choices routine into what they were already doing. If they weren’t eating breakfast that was an easy one and I didn’t give everything all at once. I said lets work on breakfast and water today. Those are the only things that you’re going to work on this week and then come back and we’ll see how that feels and then start adding something else. So I think I think that’s the big part. Looking at the person and seeing where is the stress in their life and if they’re a stress eater, they’re eating for reasons other than true hunger. You’ve got to help that person realize what they can do to get the stress either out of their life or to help relieve it. Maybe they just need to do some meditation or take a yoga class. Their stress comes back under control and they’re better able to make choices in the other areas of their life.Kevin: And it’s probably not just about — I don’t actually know this. It’s not about what kind of stress or what they’re doing. It’s just about them recognizing it. Correct?Jill: Yes. Yes and if you’re turning to food, because you’re depressed maybe we need to look at the depression. What is the reason? Is it you’re living in Wisconsin and you don’t have enough sunshine in the winter? Maybe you need a sun lamp as opposed to turning to the food. I went through that about two years ago. We had 25 days without sun and I was just depressed and I was just craving chocolate and I thought what is wrong with me. I gained about 7 pounds and I just couldn’t get out of it. Well, I realized that it was a lack of sun, so I went on a vacation. As soon as we got about the clouds in Minneapolis and the sun was shining in, I was just drawn to the window and I realized that sunshine is a big part of my health, so I needed it. So I regularly schedule vacations in the middle of winter to get out of out of the cold and that helps to keep my stress level down, because I turned to food when I was feeling depressed.Kevin: It’s amazing how the health clues kind of unveil themselves as you continue on.Jill: Yeah and it was so interesting to me that no one else was impacted by this lack of sun in my house. I was the only one, so I just thought that I was crazy. I thought do I need drugs? What do I need? Do I need more chocolate? All I could think was that I needed chocolate, because I couldn’t think clearly.Kevin: Right.Jill: But it’s amazing, that sun. I thought, okay. That’s what I needed and I’m learning and you learn more about yourself everyday I think. You just have to be open to it and listen to what your body’s telling you.Kevin: Yeah. That’s incredible advice. Why don’t you –Jill: It could just have been the vitamin D that I needed, but I’d rather lie on a beach and think about it.Kevin: Yeah. Get your 15 minutes in.Jill: Exactly.Kevin: Where can someone go to find some more information about you and what you – why don’t you tell them what you have to offer?Jill: Okay. I have a website called simplelifestylechoices.com. You can also get there through thinchoices.com and you can get the book, Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates, there and it doesn’t say this on the website, but anyone who ever orders a Thin People Don’t Clean Their Plates book, it’s been instructed that they will also get a Lifestyle Diary sent out with that.Kevin: Oh, cool.Jill: The Lifestyle Diary is so important and it’s just a small, probably 5 inches by 4 inch book that you can stick in your purse or carry in your back pocket and you just write down what you’re doing. For people who that just want to go to the website and get the free download, it will come out on a full size 8×11 paper but just start writing down what you’re doing, keeping track of it. Track it for a month. You’ll probably after three or four days of tracking see where you can make improvements and once you start doing that it will almost seem too easy and then please do e-mail me at jill@thinchoices.com, because I love the success stories. They just keep me motivated and that’s why I continue to do what I do.Kevin: Great. Well, Jill, thank you so much for that information. I know how valuable your time is and I want to thank you for sharing this information with us.Jill: You’re welcome. It’s very its fun. It’s always fun sharing your passion with others that it can help.Kevin: Yeah and I think what you’ve talked about really seems so easy and I think really it kind of is.Jill: It actually is so easy. I think we’ve made weight loss much more difficult than it needs to be. Stop dieting. Start listening to your body. It’s truly all about your choices.