Saturday, May 21, 2011

Weight Loss New York

Weight loss, similarly to other difficulties, is not only a biological process but a psychological process as well. The psychological factors must be addressed to succeed long term. Not doing so can lead to relapse and failure.

Denial, as in other addictive behaviors, is the first obstacle to success. We must recognize and accept the fact that there are negative consequences to overeating and that we need to change. Denying that there is a problem, minimizing it saying that it is not that bad, or rationalizing it by giving excuses are barriers to change. By accepting our problem we are able to receive direction and help to change.


We may have failed other diets or methods previously. We may feel ashamed, angry at ourselves or feel as if we are a failure. Not true. Failure just means that we have lessons to learn and changes to make in order to succeed the next time. We may need help or support, whether it be Overeaters Anonymous, the support of friends or family, treatment from a therapist, Virtual Gastric Band Hypnosis or any combination of these. If we were lost driving on our way somewhere and couldn't find our way we might try for a while, but eventually we would ask for directions. Help, information and support from others can be enlightening and motivating.


We need to recognize progress, and not require perfection of ourselves. We need to approach this as one day at a time. We work towards eating healthy and taking care of ourselves, but if we slip on one day all is not lost. We may allow ourselves that luxury (and not make a habit of it) or learn from it and develop ways to avoid or reduce it in the future. Instead of being black and white we see the grey. If we have lost weight for a period of time and slip we need to remember that we have lost, that we will lose as we get back on track and that perfection is not realistic nor necessarily ideal. For example, if I ate more than I usually would at a holiday meal I can recognize that I have dieted for a period of time, and will do so in the future and that all is not lost.

To lose or remain at a weight our method must be sustainable. If I am using a method that is difficult or one in which I feel deprived, I may lose the weight but will put it back on again. If I stay focused and eat healthy with a very occasional lapse, I can reduce or stay at weight without feeling deprived. Because I don't want to gain I can choose not to eat binge or fattening foods most of the time. It is a matter of choice, whether it is worth the consequences.

We must also be aware of the subconscious factors. We may have learned to associate food with love. We may have learned to eat all the food on our plate. We need to become aware of these factors and reprogram ourselves. Hypnosis is a good tool for this, especially with a licensed therapist that also is certified in hypnosis. We may need to learn how to deal with anger, depression or loneliness, boredom or anxiety. We may have been through one or more traumatic events. Again, a therapist with hypnosis certification can be valuable.

We may need to create a family culture of health. Having the family work together to eliminate at-risk or bing foods can help prevent relapse and for them to be slimmer and healthier. Instead of family members bringing fattening foods home to give to one another other foods, or less fattening versions of them can be purchased.

As with other blogs please feel free to comment or ask for other topics including Virtual Gastric Band Hypnosis for Weight Loss. Take care.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Hypnosis for Weight Loss and Emotional Eating

There are many factors influencing our behavior. What we observed and did as a child, experiences we had and beliefs we formed from those experiences influence us now. Either we become aware of them and have the power to address them or we continue to have them affect us without our knowledge.

Some people identify themselves as emotional eaters. When angry, bored, hurt, anxious or another uncomfortable feeling arises they find themselves eating, self-medicating. It is important to know that this is a choice, a choice that includes sometimes (or frequently) anger at oneself, depression or other feelings relating to the eating that add to the original feeling that the medicating was to address.

The first step to changing this behavior is awareness and accepting responsibility. The second is providing time to give yourself to not respond by eating, but instead to use new tools. To do so you may need to eliminate "binge foods" from your environment; ones with easy access that you may have repeatedly used to self-medicate. The tools of talking to a therapist or using hypnosis are effective tools can be used.

Not every person is a good person to talk to when we are trying to change. A person that, with or without intent, sabotages us is a person that may need to be limited or avoided initially. A therapist may be very helpful. Therapists can help clarifying issues and providing insight into what we have gone through and are feeling now. They then can help resolve those issues and uncomfortable feelings.

We can form beliefs out of our experiences. A person who has gone through trauma, such as sexual abuse, may feel and believe that people are unsafe at a subconscious level. They may overeat and become heavy, partly to keep people away and insulate themselves from pain. Therapists, who specialize in trauma, can help work through and feel better. We can set limits, evaluate and choose only people who have demonstrated themselves safe to trust and protect ourselves in ways that are healthy, safe and don't make us feel bad. We can change our belief to one that reflects we are okay and that some people can be trusted. Hypnosis, done by a knowledgable professional, can be highly effective. It helps to work through the feelings and become aware of and rewrite subconscious programming.

Hypnotists and hypnotherapists are not licensed but are certified in New York. They don't necessarily have an advanced degree (Master's or Doctorate) in Psychology or Clinical Social Work. They may have come from other fields that have no relation to mental health. This, for me as a clinician and therapist, is scary. For some applications of hypnosis that may be okay, but with issues of trauma or other mental health concerns I strongly encourage an advanced degree in mental health and asking the clinician about there experience.

Please feel free to comment