“Does it weigh heavily on your mind…….?”

What do you think when you hear news reports like this?

According to British Health Secretary Alan Johnson, obesity is as big a problem in the UK as is climate change patterns.  A call for fresh restrictions on TV ads for junk food comes as new government research reveals this week that half of all adults could be clinically obese by 2050.

One of the commonest problems presented to hypnotherapists is that of weight issues – and I expect that if trends continue this will increasingly be so. While it is the domain of government to deal with the health issues time bomb – for therapists it is essentially about locating for their clients the causes of their habitual problem – and then re-educating them and getting them back in touch with their appetites. A good many people are not the weight they should be, and whilst there is a large level of tolerance of this fact –  for a number of folk these issues are crucial to their health and well being, self esteem and confidence, relationships with loved ones and others…..and this goes to the very heart of who they are.

Miriads of diets abound – new ones appear – renowned programmes continue year after year…….and it is quite possible you may have already tried many of these, or have a friend who has, or who knows someone who stands by “X” or “Y” regime. On reflection, the probable truth is that by now you also realise that your biggest and permanent loss so far is the money paid out for a whole variety of products exotic or otherwise to help you try and  lose weight!

What I will outline for you is a basis on which you can take control of your own eating habits and the responsibility for your own health and well being

I would pose these questions for you – Are you seriously committed to taking that control. Once the answer is yes the next question is What will that get for you? Make sure what you are doing is for you and your self esteem and not something external to you such as fad or fashion.

We’d look at some of the emotional reasons why your habits are what they are – because the truth in life is We are what we Think and so if we want to change our Lives we have to change our Thoughts.

I’d get you to visualise yourself as having already lost the weight. Your unconscious needs to accept that as reality. All your body systems are then re-programmed as if you are a thinner person so the appetite is adjusted accordingly and works and responds as though you need less food.

Finally there’s the four-point programme of re-educating your eating habits…and you should sign up to this as well if your intentions are serious……

1. Only eat when you are hungry
2. Eat what you like – but be aware of making healthy choices
3. Eat slowly, tasting every mouthful
4. When you are full up – stop

This is actually very simple and compelling – especially as there are no restrictions on the naughty foods you like! Look how useful this might be for you

We are initially programmed to only eat when hungry – but as we grow up and go through life, habitual conditioning often makes us eat for emotional reasons. (Have you got a special comfort food”?). Get back in touch with your appetite. When this functions properly, the body sends the “I’m hungry” signals to the brain and we respond by eating **. Usually what happens next is that because of the WAY we eat we don’t allow the “I’m full now” signals to get through properly. We carry on and our overeating masks the “I’m satisfied” message - we end up bloated.

(** - If you feel hungry, but don’t quite trust the message then have a drink of water. If you still feel hungry 10 minutes later then you can be pretty sure it’s a genuine message from the appetite.)

Make healthy choices……this is the common sense (and governmental) bit. I could write pages here about foods to avoid but there is far better nutritional advice than mine on offer elsewhere.

Eat slowly – it helps if you put your knife and fork (or spoon) down between mouthfuls, and don’t pick them up until you have swallowed. This will allow you to not only savour every mouthful, but will also give your brain time to process the “I’m satisfied” messages. Finally when you get those messages – act and stop eating…. even though your plate may still have food on it.

And here might just be one of the beginnings of the displaced eating habits already mentioned – being told when younger to “finish what’s on your plate” – “Waste not want not” - "Think of all the starving people"!

As author and hypnotherapist Roger P Allen states “You can waste food in the bin or on your waist “.

The choice IS yours and so here again - it’s about taking control. 

Peter Wright Hypnotherapy

Online and throughout South and West England