It seems ironic that at a time when obesity levels are rising in the UK, Government scientists are recommending new calorie intake levels. In January it was announced that men can now eat around 2,605 calories of food every day and women can eat 2,079. This is based on a greater understanding of how the BMI (body mass index) and exercise affect weight. But is another 100 calories a day or so going to help or hinder you to be fitter and healthier?
If you are relatively active, moving and walking around during your day, then the increase is unlikely to have much impact. If, however, like many people you drive or take the Metro to work, sit at a desk for most of the day and come home to sit in front of the TV in the evening, then that extra amount is going to put weight on you. If you buy pre- prepared foods, even if they are ‘low fat’ or takeaways, then you may be eating too much. Low fat foods usually have extra sugar to make them taste better, so they aren’t necessarily better for you.
So what can you do to reduce your weight? It really does come down to less in, less on the hips! Our stomachs expand and get used to accommodating the amount of food we eat. The important thing about weight reduction is to treat it as a change for life. Start to think of the long-term benefits and how uncomfortable you feel now with your current weight. It’s not about ‘being good’ or having a ‘bad’ day where you can eat what you want. The usual tips such as eating more slowly or using a smaller plate will help. You may also need to change what you eat and when, perhaps eating less carbohydrates and more vegetables and protein.
You can go on starvation diets, try the latest fad, or attend a slimming club. Whilst many diets work in the short term, long-term weight reduction needs to address not only changes to shopping and eating habits but the psychological aspects of overeating too. Do you eat when you are upset or feel ‘blue’?
For some people, an increase in activity is not an option because they are morbidly obese, with a BMI over 30. One way they may be helped is through gastric band surgery, an operation which reduces the stomach size so it can’t hold as much. However, people still need to change their attitude to food and reduce the amount they eat; if they don’t it can create physical problems such as reflux and, in some extreme cases, the band can break. This not only wastes NHS money but creates problems for the person too.
What else can you do to reduce your weight? Hypnosis can help people with their weight reduction. It’s not a quick fix as you will work on different aspects over a number of sessions but it can help you:
- Overcome barriers to eating healthier foods.
- Be more motivated to walk and take exercise.
- Change how you eat.
- Change the way you cope with negative feelings.
- Change how you think about yourself and what matters to you.
Hypnosis can even be used for those who are morbidly obese through Hypno-band™ or gastric band hypnosis. In essence, this process helps people believe they have had gastric band surgery and therefore eat less food. It may sound bizarre but it does work.
So even though it may seem that you can’t lose weight there are ways and means that can help you. All you have to do is to really want to and take steps to make it happen. Let 2012 be the year you changed your life.
by Anne Morrison © 2012
Anne Morrison, MBSCH, Clinical and Cognitive Behaviour Hypnotherapist, lives in Whitley Bay and works in North Shields. She is also a volunteer therapist at Hospice Care North Northumberland providing support to patients and their relatives. She can be contacted by phone on 0191 300 0933 or via her website www.annemorrison.co.uk.