Diets don't work The takeaway (if you'll forgive the pun) from this is that diets don't work. What works is a lifestyle change, not a feeling of deprivation. In my experience, wearing the two hats of hypnotherapist and nutritional therapist, most of the time both mental/emotional and physical factors need to be looked at. There may not only be good historical emotional reasons for overeating or comfort eating, for example, but also the unhealthy habit has developed and the body is used to being a certain way, so new healthier habits often need to be put in place.
Social factors and environment Added to that, social and environmental factors can also play a part, such as the influence of friends and family (we tend to weigh the average of our 5 closest friends, if I remember correctly), and there may be a cake or sweet trolley at work which everyone dips into as they walk past. Although hypnotherapy on its own is often enough to effect the desired change, it is beneficial to stack the odds in a client's favour by considering all these other aspects. One of the reasons I studied as a nutritional therapist was that I wanted to be able to speak accurately about diet and lifestyle, and even though I knew a certain amount, I wouldn't have been qualified to speak about or analyse that before. A holistic approach works best So often with my weight loss hypnotherapy sessions, we will spend a certain amount of time scanning lifestyle and dietary factors for any warning signs that they are having an impact and will need addressing as well. Naturally this will increase the effectiveness of what we do. Factors such as blood sugar and adrenal balance and thyroid function can have an effect, and there are often clues that will warrant further investigation. Summary
So while no one approach works for everyone, by looking at the problem from several angles, we maximise the chances of a client getting the results they want. A happy client makes a happy hypnotherapist!