Friday, November 28, 2008

Changing the Habits That Weigh You Down

By Theresa Johnson, CH

The doctors, the dietitians, the nutritionists, the fitness books all say "eating right and exercising more is the key to losing weight." So why isn't it that easy? Through my experience as a certified hypnotherapist, I have found that the main reason why the diets and fitness fads have not helped you to create permanent weight loss changes is because you have not truly made a lifestyle change. In order to make a change in one's daily behaviors, a change needs to be made in one's perceptions and beliefs. Those perceptions and beliefs, include beliefs about your body image, self worth, and also the beliefs and perceptions about your relationship with food. The beliefs and perceptions related to the behaviors that are keeping you heavy can also be connected to a number of other issues: stress, anxiety, how you react to people, places and events around you, as well as fears and phobias.

Certainly, if what you have been doing isn't working for you then it is time to change what you are doing. If you do what you've always done you will get what you've always got. That is exactly what happens when behaviors haven't been changed on the fundamental perceptual and belief level. Through hypnosis anyone can make changes in their subconscious perceptions and beliefs. As a result, changes will take place in the thought process as well. Why do this? Because if you think what you've always thought then you get what you've always got. Thoughts precede behaviors.

Studies have been done that estimate that 75% of our beliefs about ourselves have been imprinted into our subconscious by the age of 7. Therefore, the majority of our personality is determined by the time we are 7. In a hypnotic state an individual can experience age regression, a mental journey back into their past safely and objectively to look at their framework of beliefs that were established at a young age. Then the hypnotist will guide you forward (age progression) bit by bit to review what other beliefs were established based on the original beliefs. These beliefs or perceptions can then be changed as necessary to create beliefs that are in line with one's conscious desires. Future progression often follows, so you can imagine and experience your life with the changes already in place.

If your subconscious mind has been fed negative information, by others or yourself, then that is what it has been programmed to perceive and belief. The subconscious mind takes in whatever in has been given and the conscious mind acts upon it. So if you believe you are fat or worthless, your thoughts will reflect that belief, and your behaviors will reflect and reinforce your thoughts. One may overeat or refuse to exercise as a reaction to the original beliefs that have now been reinforced through thought and action (or non-action). Now you can begin to understand that what you are feeding your mind is as important as what you are feeding your body.

The vicious cycle of negative habits can be changed with hypnosis. During hypnotherapy the goal of the hypnotherapist is to put forth positive suggestions to your subconscious mind. You work together with your hypnotherapist to clarify what it is that you want for yourself and we put that in the most positive language possible and feed it to your subconscious mind. Once that new positive information is absorbed by the subconscious, your conscious mind can begin to act upon it. What the mind can perceive the mind can achieve! Are you ready to perceive thin and to achieve thin? Call Theresa Johnson, Certified Hypnotherapist for a FREE 30 minute consultation and discover how hypnosis can work for you. - 15995

About the Author: