Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss: A Case Study

I’ve written before about the many clients I have seen over the years who have struggled with achieving their weight loss goals, who tell me about their years of yo-yo dieting, the many and varied diets they have tried and the emotional and physical impact of their seeming inability to keep their weight to a level that makes them happy.

One of my recent clients, the lovely Clare, fitted neatly into this all too familiar pattern, when she came to see me earlier this year, and together we have worked to help her achieve the lifestyle changes she wanted to make and lose the weight she wanted to lose. Through working with me, Clare has a new-found sense of self-belief, and she says, hasn’t once fallen away from the goals she set during our time together.

In her own words: “It was the easiest way I have ever lost weight. I’ve never lost weight and felt this way. It just feels like it comes naturally. It was a real step into the unknown, because you can read about a diet and you can think, ‘Well, that makes sense.’ But this was me putting myself in someone else’s hands completely. And it’s the best thing I have ever done.’

Here’s her story, in her own words.

Claire’s Story

I have struggled with my weight from being a child, probably from being about eight or nine years old. When I became an adult I tried everything you can think of – Slimming World, Weight Watchers, even Slim Pods, and I actually gained weight with that one.

One thing I I learned was that I would get to a certain weight, then self-sabotage and just regain it. I got to the point where I was fed up of losing it and putting it back on and yo-yoing all the time. Then I read something about hypnotherapy and thought I’d give it a go. I umm-ed and ahh-ed over it for about six months, then finally researched who offered hypnotherapy for weight loss in Manchester and found Sally. Everything I read on Sally’s site, from her own words to the reviews, made me feel really positive. So, after some more thinking, I told myself to just do it, and made the call.

In our initial phone call Sally made me feel really safe and reassured. We talked about what I wanted to achieve and arranged to meet. I filled in a questionnaire about myself, my experiences and my goals, and then in our first session we spent some time discussing this, which was really helpful as I got to know Sally and could see how committed she is. We talked about my sugar cravings, and sweet things being my usual ‘downfall’, and in this first hypnotherapy session Sally addressed this with me and, amazingly, I no longer feel the urge to eat sweet things. Previously, if someone brought in chocolates to work, I’d say, ‘Oh, I shouldn’t, but then eat them and immediately feel bad. Now, I have no interest; there’s a box of Ferrero Rocher and I haven’t had one!

I feel that all my adult life I have been the one doing things for everyone else. Working with Sally felt like being wrapped in a blanket, and somebody was actually looking after me for an hour and it was just very, very, relaxing.

During our sessions we talked a lot about why I self-sabotage, about my eating habits and how I feel about myself. I also lost my father quite recently, in an accident, so wasn’t able to say goodbye. We talked about this in one of the early sessions and it just felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I felt very light after that; I hadn’t realised how much it was affecting me. That was a difficult session, but it was a good session.

I learned that weight loss isn’t just about what you do physically, with diet and exercise, it’s also about how you feel about yourself. I hadn’t ever really thought about that, because when you’re trying to lose weight you’re trying to be more active, you try to be more mindful of your choices, but you never consider why it’s so hard.

I know the hypnotherapy is working, because I just don’t have the desire to do the stuff that I know was self sabotage before.

Before, when I was on a diet, whatever plan I was following, or even if I was just trying to be more mindful, it felt like I was being deprived. Now I feel I’m more in control of my eating and just eat what I need and I never feel like I am missing out. I used to get a feeling of being really, really hungry, and I just don’t feel like that anymore. It doesn’t feel like it’s a chore, or I have to really think about it. It just comes naturally. I don’t stress about eating a bit more one day, as I find it easy now to balance myself day to day – I’m just not putting pressure on myself any more.

I feel better in myself as well; a lot better in myself – not just physically, but my mental health, too. I feel more confident. I’m not stressed. I don’t feel anxious any more around food. And it’s spilled into other areas of my life. I’m more productive at work. I feel more engaged with life and just better all round. I no longer have the lethargy I used to have, I have the opposite – I am full of energy these days!

We had five sessions, with hypnotherapy on each occasion, and Sally helped me find the way to understand how my mental and emotional state impacted the way I lived. Now, I eat well and I exercise, and it’s not a chore. I do it because I want to, not because I think I should.

I have lost two stone since our first meeting and it’s still coming off. I am not setting dates or weight targets – it takes as long as it takes. For me, now, it’s about living life differently and thinking about my health, and just feeling better about myself. One thing I have noticed is that I don’t get the mood swings I used to – these were I think a mix being driven by what I ate and then how I felt about what I ate – feeling as if I had done something ‘naughty’. I just don’t get that anymore.

I feel like I have control over that kind of spiralling. And that feeling of control has spread to all aspects of my life, including exercise. It doesn’t feel like something I have to do for weight loss, any more. I see it as a choice to do it to feel fit and feel better. I don’t exercise so I can eat more, I exercise to maintain good health.

It’s been worth it in ways I hadn’t imagined. It was the step into the unknown and it’s a step I shall always be grateful I took.

Thank you Sally!

Finding help couldn’t be easier, just follow the directions on the map, our full address is:

197 Dane Road Sale M33 2NA

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