Hyp to Be Fit

If you’ve reached a fitness plateau, it may be time to have a deep talk with your subconscious. Hypnosis, a scientifically backed therapy with a centuries-old history, can accelerate personal change by helping you overcome mental hold-ups.
Hyp to Be Fit

According to Certified Master Hypnotherapist Victoria Wizell, hypnosis can help you achieve your fitness goals in two ways. First, it relaxes you so you can reduce stress and curb high levels of the hormone cortisol, which have been linked to excess abdominal fat. Second, and more importantly, hypnosis can help you overcome negative self-image issues and think more positively about yourself, your goals, and your body. “By simply taking 25 minutes or so a day to program your mind to eat right and exercise, you gain an enormous amount of personal inner strength and motivation to carry you through the day, push a little harder during your workout routine and push away a piece of chocolate cake,” says Wizell, creator of dozens of hypnosis CDs, DVDs, and scripts people can use for self-hypnosis. “Whatever you visualize in the mind, your body will follow.”

Should You Believe the Hype?

If you search the Internet for “hypnosis and weight loss,” you’ll find a goldmine of sites offering promises of instant, effortless weight loss. And as the old adage goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Studies have indeed been conducted on hypnosis for weight loss, and many of them have shown positive, though not drastic, results. One study, for instance, found that after 8 weekly sessions with a hypnotherapist followed by 12 weeks of self-hypnosis, study participants lost an average of 20.2 pounds. However, this study was small and used no control group, which makes it hard to determine whether the results are trustworthy. Other similar trials have shown a modest benefit of adding hypnosis to weight loss routines, but, again, the studies have had problems with methodology.

Still, hypnosis is big business, especially when it comes to tools for weight loss, and incredible claims abound. That’s why it’s especially important for buyers to beware when looking for a good weight loss tool. Some important tips for weeding out the charlatans and snake-oil salesmen:

Beware of overzealous claims, such as those that promise instant or effortless weight loss. No tool can help you lose weight without your involvement and effort and the only sustainable weight loss is the kind that happens slowly and steadily.
Avoid “experts” who make promises about their product or technique without explaining exactly how they work. Hypnosis is not magical or mystical; it’s a psychological tool that can help you change your ways of thinking.
Think twice about outrageous case studies. If you read about someone who lost 125 pounds after just one hypnosis session, ask yourself: Is that really possible or healthy? The answer, of course, is no.
Don’t believe that just because it’s natural, it’s completely safe. It’s true that hypnosis doesn’t contain any toxic ingredients, but does that mean it’s risk-free? No. You need a qualified, experienced hypnotist to guide you through the process, because hypnosis can have some adverse effects (anxiety and panic, for instance).

Maintain Control

For some people, the thought of hypnosis conjures visions of being out of control barking like a dog at the whim of a hypnotherapist, for example. But the truth is that no one is in control of your hypnotic experience except you, according to Wizell. “The better you are at using your imagination, going with the flow, creative thinking and relaxing, the easier time you will have accepting new information into your subconscious mind.”

The Big Picture

Remember that hypnosis is only one part of the solution. Hypnosis can be effective, but only when it’s part of an overall weight loss program. Eating right and exercising are essential to any healthy weight-reduction strategy, and hypnosis can help you train your mind to make smart choices. Another way to boost the effectiveness of hypnosis is by using cognitive behavior therapy to reinforce your new thinking process.

Ready to delve deep into your mind and reach your full fitness potential? It’s a good idea to start with at least one visit to a professional hypnotherapist to get a feel for where hypnosis should take you. After that, you can use self-hypnosis tools like those sold at Wizell’s site, hyptalk.com, or elsewhere to reach that powerful place on your own.