Everyone is well-aware of the conventional approaches to diet and slimming down. These typically involve eating nutritious foods, incorporating five servings of vegetables and fruits daily, cooking with low-fat cooking methods, adhering to a tennis ball portion size and exercising for 20 minutes each day. Healthy weight loss has gained traction among many due to the various weight loss programs available. As per estimates from the leisure database industry, UK’s weight loss and fitness industry is valued at around £4.3 billion.

The advancements in neuroscience have uncovered some phenomenal insights into how changes in our habits can have a major impact on weight loss and body reshaping goals. With these breakthroughs, we can now more effectively bridge the gap between intention and results. Hypnotherapy has become a popular science over time, as it can help create the perfect environment to achieve and sustain results in terms of weight loss. This is highly beneficial since diet and exercise are not enough and having a healthy mind plays an important role in successful weight management.

Stress can be a contributing factor to increased body fat, as it causes hormonal imbalances that can lead to weight gain.

Dr John J. Ratey and Eric Hagerman’s book ‘Spark: How exercise will improve the performance of your brain’ talks about the various ways chronic stress can impact the body, including its relation to weight gain. During times of stress, the brain is designed to fuel the muscles so they can act quickly in response (such as running away or fighting). Stress from cortisol triggers the liver to increase glucose production and impede insulin receptors in organs that are not necessary for flight or fight. Therefore, fuel is only supplied to crucial parts of the body during a stressful situation. This response is useful when dealing with short-term stress, however if the tension is prolonged over time, the cortisol hormone will store excessive energy around the abdominal area which can lead to an increase in stomach fat.

Sleep better, eat better

Over the past three decades, Dr. Eve Van Cauter from the University of Chicago has dedicated her research to understanding how sleep deprivation influences weight gain. Her extensive work on this topic has provided insights into this subject. Matthew Walker’s book, “Why We Sleep,” contains the results of several scientific studies. One such study involved two groups who were monitored over a 4-day period. To test the effects of sleep deprivation, one group was given 8.5 hours of sleep (the recommended amount) while the other group was granted only 4.5 hours of sleeping time – a very low number, considered to be sleep deficient. For the duration of the study, participants were given a free daily ration of food. Subsequently, their consumption of it was monitored and recorded regarding both quantity and type.

Van Cauter found that individuals who get less than 8.5 hours of sleep per night typically consume an extra 300 calories each day compared to those who had the adequate amount of rest. Over time, consuming 70,000 more calories could lead to gaining 10-15 pounds annually.

Van Cauter found that shorter sleeping cycles can have a dramatic effect on the body’s processing of leptin and ghrelin, two hormones responsible for hunger and satiety.

Hypnotherapy helps people achieve a better, more fulfilling sleep as it lowers stress levels – which are often the cause of frequent disturbances during rest. By reducing this tension, we can enjoy more hours of uninterrupted sleep. Hypnotherapy can be beneficial in helping to establish better sleep patterns, leading to improved weight control. As such, hypnotherapists can help significantly when it comes to managing your weight.

Managing the temperature of your home and keeping track of your weight are both important parts of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

We may not realise it, but the temperature of our homes can play a big part in our struggle with obesity. After all, maintaining body temperature is an energy-consuming process. As such, the warmer it is in our dwellings, the more energy our bodies need to expend in order to stay cool—which can contribute to weight gain. Our bodies typically don’t require as much energy to control our body temperature nowadays, than in the past. Thanks to advanced heating systems, we need more fuel for working out and eating rather than keeping warm. Consequently, this fuel gets stored in the form of fat. A Japanese study showcased that people dropped body fat after investing two hours every day for six weeks in a temperature of around 63 degrees Fahrenheit. Thus, if you want to burn fat, try turning down the thermostat!

If you prefer, why not try booking in for a session with a hypnotherapist? It could be the perfect way to help you achieve your goals.