Obesity is known to increase the risk of various disorders, including stroke, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, and many types of cancer. It’s no secret that millions of Americans struggle with their weight. Forty percent of adults in the U.S. are classified as obese, and another 32% are overweight. According to the Boston Medical Group, each year an estimated 45 million Americans go on a diet and spend $33 billion on weight loss products.
In most cases, overeating, eating a poor diet, and lack of exercise are responsible for putting on extra weight. Many people overeat for emotional reasons. If we are sad, lonely, angry, or stressed, sometimes indulging in sweets can temporarily improve our mood. Some of us, as children, were instructed to eat everything on our dinner plates—to do otherwise was considered “wasting food.” As a guest at a friend or relative’s house, it might be considered “rude” or “insulting” to not finish our meal, even if we feel satiated. These negative feelings often remain in our subconscious minds as adults, being responsible for our unhealthy eating habits. And in our fast-paced world, many of us eat while distracted—while watching TV, working at the computer, or perhaps in a meeting. Before we know it, we have eaten more than we realize. And if we feel famished, we may eat too quickly before realizing that we feel full.
The Addictive Nature of Sugar
A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine involving research on rats has demonstrated that sugar is more addictive than opioid drugs, such as cocaine. Sugar releases dopamine (a pleasure chemical/neurotransmitter) in your brain. Withdrawal symptoms can include depression, binging, and cravings. Low-fat processed foods, such as yogurt, often contain added sugar with the intention of improving the flavor of the product. Many processed foods, which are marketed as “diet” foods, can also contain corn syrup, questionable chemicals, and are very high in sodium. These “designer diet” foods can also be costly. They are not a good long-term solution to losing weight.
According to the University of Pennsylvania’s Weight and Eating Disorders Program, 65% of dieters returned to their pre-diet weight within three years, and only 5% of people who lose weight on a restrictive diet are successful in keeping the weight off. So for most people, diets don’t work. Some people opt to take weight loss medications. These come with their own side effects and are not meant for long-term use. Bariatric surgery is not without risks, and not everyone is a good candidate for this costly procedure.
Many people strive to have the willpower to lose weight by consuming healthy foods, portioning, and exercising—but willpower in and of itself is not enough. Hypnotherapy is more powerful and effective than willpower and can help you gain control of your eating habits and motivate you for long-term success.
Hypnotherapy for Addictive Eating
Hypnosis is a highly relaxed state of focused concentration. It is a safe, natural, pleasurable state in which our subconscious mind can receive positive suggestions and therefore make positive changes in our day-to-day life (the subconscious mind is much more powerful than the conscious mind). In 1958, the American Medical Association accepted hypnotherapy as an appropriate therapeutic technique. Many doctors, nurses, and dentists have been trained in hypnosis to help reduce pain in their patients, and in some cases as a substitute for anesthesia. Patients can easily be taught by a trained practitioner to perform self-hypnosis.
Hypnosis has a high success rate not only for smoking cessation, reducing stress and pain, and improving sleep and self-confidence, but also for weight loss and the motivation that it requires. There are numerous studies that demonstrate this. Here are the results of a 2007 comparative study done by American Health Magazine:
- Psychoanalysis: 38% success after 600 sessions
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy:72% success after 22 sessions
- Hypnotherapy: 93% success after 6 sessions
Hypnosis can help you to stop emotional eating and strengthen your willpower to eat healthfully and mindfully so that you can finally lose that excess weight and keep it off in the long term. Hypnosis has been proven to be a safe and effective solution for weight loss, putting you in control without feeling deprived. This highly successful modality is also very cost-effective in comparison to consuming highly marketed “diet” foods and undergoing expensive and potentially risky bariatric surgery.
Kristina Mozzicato is a Licensed Massage Therapist and Board Certified in Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork by the NCBTMB. A 2009 graduate of the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy, she is also certified in Cupping and ACE MediCupping™. Kristina is the owner of Abundant Health Massage Therapy & Wellness in Farmington, CT and was named a 2020 and 2021 Natural Nutmeg Magazine 10 Best Award recipient in the category of Massage and Bodywork. For more information and convenient online booking, please visit: www.abundanthealthct.com.