How to Stay Young and Improve Your Health

Our society doesn’t view ageing as a positive thing. Instead, we tend to focus on the negative aspects of age. In the midst of the Covid crisis, an illness known to more severely affect older generations, feeling old can be especially problematic. We would all like to know how to feel younger for longer.

Do We Feel Younger?

Isolated and restricted during Covid, have we all aged beyond our years? Research seems to suggest the opposite. Are we just distancing ourselves from negative stereotypes of ageing for self protection? Or have we spent the time during lockdown focusing on our own health and wellbeing?

Either way, feeling young at heart can have huge benefits.

How Feeling Young Improves Your Health

Research shows that feeling young at heart or having a lower perceived age, improves health, boosts immunity and increases expected lifespan.

A study at University College London showed a link between people’s perceived age and their health. Those respondents who reported feeling three or more years younger than their chronological age were more likely to enjoy a longer life.

How to Stay Young at Heart

Sexual Health and Relationships

Those who feel younger tend to place more importance on sexual health and happiness. Research conducted at Royal Edinburgh Hospital found that women who had regular sex were perceived as being up to 7 years younger whilst a similar study found a link between kissing and improved immunity. Prioritising this part of your life may increase health and happiness.

Researchers in the UK also found that individuals with unhappy relationships were more likely to gain significant weight than those satisfied with them. This can have an effect on people’s health and longevity.

Exercise, Diet & Sleep

Those with a younger mindset tend to have a more future focused outlook. If you think of yourself as old, there can be a temptation to stop caring as much about healthy eating and exercising. Staying motivated to improve health whilst enjoying some of life’s little pleasures tends to strike the best balance.

Many studies have linked better sleep to increased energy, increased positivity and mental functioning, boosted immunity and longer life.

Socialising and Friendship

Maintaining a friendship group and engaging in group activities can help foster a younger mindset. Opening ourselves up to other people’s lives and experiences keeps our brain active and engaged. If you feel like you’ve lost touch with people or lack the confidence to engage socially anymore, working on this could have huge benefits.

Research has linked having strong friendships to reduced risks of heart disease, and stroke as well as lower cholesterol, blood pressure and obesity.

Zest for Life

Those with a zest for life tend to still be excited by the possibilities the world has to offer. They try new things, prioritise experiences over possessions, and keep their brain active by engaging with new possibilities.

It’s helpful to develop a sense of purpose in life beyond immediate pleasure or pain. This could involve helping others, improving relationships or dedication to a hobby. Many older people who feel young at heart still enjoy a career or voluntary work.

Resilience and Stress

Stress is known to influence the immune system so optimists and those with more resilience may enjoy some added protection against illness. A number of studies have also linked stress with faster ageing, heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Similarly, high levels of anxiety have been linked to heart disease and dementia.

Working on your stress management may be the key to developing a younger, more care free attitude.

Positivity

Positive people focus on enjoying the present and view life from a ‘glass half full’ perspective. This gratitude enables them to appreciate more of life and reduces feelings of victimhood and anxiety. Positivity has been shown to be a powerful influence on our lifespan.

Although there can be challenges as we age, learning how to be happy as much as possible can make us feel younger and increase our overall quality of life. Reframe negative thoughts and start noticing the benefits to your physical, mental, and emotional health.

How Can Hypnotherapy Help You Feel Younger?

Changes to our mindset can be immediate and powerful. In one study, scientists made people feel younger by telling them they were performing better in a task than most other people their age. This simple confidence boost and reframe of their mind led to an immediate performance boost.

Imagine what could be achieved with a professional’s help.

Hypnotherapy is an extremely effective way to remove blocks and reframe situations. Alter your perspective and experience real change.

If you’d like to feel younger, or explore any of the issues mentioned in this article, please do get in touch. I offer face to face sessions in my London clinic, or online hypnotherapy appointments. Everything is completely tailored to you and results are usually achieved in as few as three sessions.

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Alix Needham

My techniques guarantee that you remain in control at every session. These techniques, developed over 25 years, are so effective that many issues can be addressed in as little as three sessions and my location in the very heart of London means you can book sessions to work around work.

How To Stay Young And Improve Your Health

Why You Might Be Choosing the Wrong New Year’s Resolution
We all know the feeling. We finish off the last of the Christmas chocolate, drink the last of the Christmas booze and pack away the decorations for another year. Our trousers tight and our appetites sated, we look forward with renewed motivation towards the New Year. It’s the perfect time to take stock and set some goals for the future. But how do you know that the New Year resolution you choose is the right one? What Are the Most Common New Year’s Resolutions? A recent UK survey explored the most popular New Year’s resolutions and there are definitely common themes. They show a general desire to increase health, happiness and life balance. Top 3 New Year Resolutions – Weight, Diet & Exercise According to this research the top three January resolutions are: Exercise more Lose weight Improve diet These are definitely goals that would aid health but they can often be very vast and unattainable. They require some careful thought and planning. For example, what type of exercise are you going to do? Would you prefer to work out at home or would joining a sports club be more enjoyable? Anything that relies on willpower alone can be difficult. Some people find joining a sports team or a weight loss group helpful for additional accountability. Gyms know only too well that the motivation to exercise can easily wane after the initial January energy fades. The best way to maintain lifestyle changes like these is to take small steps, find things that truly motivate or enthuse you, and to turn these changes into daily habits. We need to look deeper when making changes like this. What has been stopping you? Why do you really want to lose weight? Do you have underlying behaviours or attitudes that are sabotaging you? You need to make the change from within rather than focusing purely on the number on the scales? Time to Look Deeper The reason so many people who set weight loss resolutions struggle, is that they’re trying to address the symptom of something rather than the cause. Why do you struggle with your weight? Lack of nutrition knowledge? Or something deeper? I actually find that many clients who come and see me for help losing weight, actually need help with a whole range of other issues instead. For example, stress, anxiety, depression, sleep issues, unhealthy relationships, confidence issues, addiction or emotional struggles. All of these can be linked to weight gain and diet struggles. Because these issues can be complex and difficult, we tend to avoid them, but a better New Year resolution might be, ‘Uncover the root cause of my weight issues and seek help to resolve them.’ Money and Career Aspirations The next two resolutions on the list were saving more money and pursuing a career ambition. Saving more money might be as simple as setting up a direct debit. Or it might involve some thought about your relationship with money, whether you are using it to try and find happiness you are missing elsewhere in your life, or perhaps to build your self-esteem. Career goals are more easily reached with the help of a career coach. You might like to improve your interview skills, confidence, communication skills, public speaking or fear of authority. Whatever it is that’s held you back in the past. As well as making sure that the career you are seeking will truly make you happy. Addictions and Unhelpful Habits Further down the list is another group of common resolutions: Reduce social media use Cut down on alcohol Give up smoking These resolutions are always popular. We all have bad habits that we know aren’t good for us. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to find yourself setting this same resolution every year. When I help clients change behaviours like these, I start the change from within and help unpick their origins. So many people who are distracting themselves or self-medicating are struggling with other issues. Perhaps boosting a low self-image or struggling with anxiety or depression. Sometimes it’s as simple as needing to change your mindset and relearn how to navigate life without these crutches. Changes made in this way are long lasting and you no longer need to rely on willpower alone. Is It Time for Real Change? What New Year’s resolution have you picked? Are you sure they’re the right ones? Why not leave the typical resolutions this year and make your happiness a real priority? I can help you discover what will really improve your life. Together we can find the thing that will make the biggest impact to your happiness and wellbeing, and make lasting change in just a few sessions. What Next? If you’d like to learn more about how hypnotherapy and coaching can help you this New Year, please do make your own happiness a priority and get in touch with me today. I’d love to offer you a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss how I can help you. Learn more… Further Reading Weight Loss Hypnosis How To Keep Your New Year Resolutions Reinvent Yourself for New Year How To Get Motivated How to Find the Best London Hypnotherapist for You
How to Sleep Better
Do you want to sleep better? Many people are looking for a solution to their sleep problems but don’t want to turn to medication. Signs of Poor Sleep Symptoms of poor rest include feeling under par, headaches and sluggishness. And all of these symptoms put a strain on relationships. Using caffeine stimulants can make matters even worse. A good night’s rest is essential for helping your body recover, repair and rejuvenate and for maintaining good health. Often sleep problems are caused by stress and anxiety where the mind does not want to switch off. It stays constantly alert, trying to find solutions to all of your problems. Tips for Insomnia If you are struggling with insomnia there are some natural ways that you can improve sleep. Take part in some regular exercise each day such as walking or swimming. This is helpful for relieving your stress and relaxing your mind and body. Create a relaxing environment in your bedroom and make the room comfortable, dark and airy. Avoid stimulants such as tea, coffee alcohol and smoking before bedtime. You will rest better if you have a milky drink or even a herbal tea. Relax before going to bed by listening to some soft music, or a warm bath will help you to unwind. Get into a routine by going to bed and waking up at the same time, even at weekends. This helps to set your body clock. Write down anything that is worrying you before you go to bed. Telling yourself you will deal with these matters in the morning and making a habit of doing it everyday. Go for a massage regularly helps you to become relaxed and unwind. Hypnotherapy for Sleep Sometimes the tips above aren’t enough. Hypnotherapy is a proven method of treatment for sleep issues and it can definitely help you sleep better. It works by addressing the root cause of your sleep issues rather than just masking the symptoms. We can change negative thought patterns and behaviours that are preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep. Hypnotherapy itself is a state of deep relaxation which, in itself, is good for sleep. My techniques can improve your sleep often in as little as 3 sessions. Take action now and get in touch today. I can offer in person sessions at my London hypnotherapy clinic or online sessions with my online hypnotherapy. You’ll feel so much better after a good night’s sleep. Read a testimonial from a client who suffered with insomnia here. Further Reading on Sleep Natural Ways to Improve Sleep How to Get More Restful Sleep Case Study; Sleep Treatment for Sleep Disorders
Online Therapy to Lose Weight
Online therapy to lose weight could be the answer to your prayers. Would you like to control your weight in a safe natural way from the comfort of your own home? Has dieting become a lifelong struggle? If so, help is at hand with online hypnotherapy for natural weight loss. Why Diets Don’t Work Most diets involve restriction, relying solely on willpower for their success. Humans are hard-wired to seek calories and to like the taste of many high fat and high sugar foods. In times of scarcity it made sense for us to store some extra fat. Unfortunately, our minds haven’t quite caught up with the realities of our modern world. Our food preferences are often formed over many years. We tend to prefer the food we ate as children and return to the same familiar recipes. It can be hard to break bad habits. For this reason, diets are rarely long-term solutions. Real change starts in the mind. Form New Food Habits Online therapy for weight loss can help change the way you think about food. You’ll enjoy making healthy choices and look forward to eating fresh, vibrant dishes. Change Negative Thought Patterns Negative thought patterns about your body and weight can be replaced with positive thoughts and beliefs. You’ll delight in the process of creating and eating healthy food. When we enjoy the journey, the destination is easier to reach. Banish Emotional Eating We don’t only eat when we’re hungry. In fact, eating is often linked with a perceived feeling of comfort or relief. We might eat to combat stress, anxiety, loneliness or depression. Online hypnotherapy to lose weight will completely change your relationship with food . Moreover your confidence will increase. Hence putting you back control. In short, making healthy, relaxed choices around food will become easy for you. Furthermore, you’ll lose weight naturally without calorie counting, struggling or depriving yourself. Why Choose Online Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss? Online therapy sessions are arranged online at a time to suit you, And permanent weigh loss can be achieved often in a little as three sessions. With online hypnotherapy you can make real changes to your life, all from the comfort of your own home. Contact me today to learn more or book a free, no-obligation consultation. Further Reading on Online Therapy to Lose Weight How Online Hypnotherapy Can Help During Lockdown Case Study – Weight Loss Online How Online Hypnotherapy Helps with Unwanted Habits Why Can’t I Lose Weight Hypnosis for Weight Loss Weight loss hypnosis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment – Why am I tired all the time?
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a debilitating and life changing condition characterised by feeling tired all the time. I help many people with CFS from my chronic fatigue clinic London. But, because it is difficult to see, diagnose and treat, many people doubt it’s there. However, for sufferers, chronic fatigue syndrome treatment can drastically improve their lives. Is chronic fatigue syndrome the same as ME or feeling tired all the time? Chronic fatigue syndrome is also known as ME. This stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. Some people never get diagnosed as this can be a difficult and lengthy process. They simply know that they feel tired all the time. There may be other reasons for this, but the treatments can be the same. Chronic fatigue symptoms The main symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome is feeling tired all the time. This tiredness doesn’t really improve with rest. Other symptoms can include: Feeling dizzy or sickHeart palpitationsHeadachesSleep disordersBody achesHair lossSore throatFlu like symptomsProblems with mental tasksConcentration issues Chronic fatigue test There is no specific test for chronic fatigue syndrome. Consequently, it’s usually diagnosed when you present with these symptoms and a physician rules out other possible medical causes. However, it does not need to be officially diagnosed for you to seek help with the symptoms. Will I always feel tired all the time? Chronic fatigue sufferers usually experience good and bad times as symptoms worsen and improve over time. Anything you can do to address the cause, put management and coping mechanisms in place, and to provide yourself with relief is worthwhile. Many people can experience complete relief with the right treatment. Feeling tired all the time Living with chronic fatigue syndrome can be draining. You may miss out on social interactions or other everyday activities. You may struggle to work and could develop low self-esteem. Depending on the severity of symptoms you may have to give up hobbies and past times and spend a lot of time in bed. You may have trouble sleeping and often feel anxious or depressed. You may struggle with motivation and productivity. Chronic fatigue and depression Depression can either be the cause of or a symptom of chronic fatigue syndrome. Long-term pain, lack of sleep and everyday difficulties can cause depression which, in turn, worsens the condition. It can lead to negative thought patterns and beliefs that can stick around long after other symptoms dissipate. Chronic fatigue causes The exact cause of chronic fatigue syndrome is unknown. I often see people suffering with CFS who push themselves very hard. Workaholics and high achievers who suddenly find they can’t cope anymore. These people often strive for perfectionism and show signs of approval seeking behaviour. They may not feel that they are ever good enough and are always striving for that next step or achievement. These behaviour and thought patterns are often developed during childhood or necessitated by life events. However, they are not sustainable and it’s important to change them before the problem gets out of hand. Other possible causes of chronic fatigue may include: Stress, trauma and depressionInfectionsImmune system issuesHormonal imbalancesGenetics Chronic fatigue syndrome treatment Some chronic fatigue syndrome treatment just aims to relieve the symptoms. Many doctors may attempt to treat the condition with medications such as painkillers, sleeping pills or anti-nausea drugs. These may provide some short term relief but are often only masking the signs and people can build up a reliance on these drugs. Alternatively, exercise regimes are sometimes prescribed. Of course, these can be especially difficult for someone who is already tired. Exercise for CFS Some people prescribe graded exercise routines as a treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome. They involve gradually building up your physical capabilities. These programs are very challenging and many people do not feel like they help. Others try this alongside other treatments to try and address all their symptoms and issues. Diet and vitamins for CFS A healthy, balanced diet should help with chronic fatigue syndrome but the symptoms can make it difficult to spend time cooking in the kitchen or eating some foods. Vitamins and supplements may be helpful to fill any gaps in your diet. Can hypnotherapy treat chronic fatigue syndrome? Undoubtedly, yes. Chronic fatigue syndrome treatment is one of my areas of expertise. Multiple psychological factors are involved in CFS. Hypnotherapy can help with the everyday struggles, depression, sleep issues, energy levels, motivation, productivity, relaxation and more. It is also the perfect tool to readdress negative thought patterns and behaviour cycles which may have contributed to the problem in the first plan. Thought patterns and behaviours that have become so ingrained they are hard to change alone. Left unchecked though, they can lead to more and more tiredness and exhaustion. Help for chronic fatigue syndrome Together we can work to help you understand and accept your condition. Take control over how you feel, help you manage your life and change your attitude towards your situation. Challenge negativity, foster positive outcomes and help you improve. We can address the underlying thought processes and behaviour cycles that may have contributed to your tiredness in the first place. Finally, we can treat symptoms such as depression and insomnia, and uncover any behaviour cycles that are worsening your condition or leading to setbacks and relapses. What do I do now? Every person with chronic fatigue is different. But, hypnotherapy for chronic fatigue can help almost everyone in one way or another. Many people gain complete relief from the condition after hypnotherapy treatments. With so little help out there for this difficult condition, what have you got to lose? Alix Needham Hypnotherapy I can offer my services in person from my chronic fatigue clinic London or via online hypnotherapy sessions. Both are effective for CFS, so it just depends which suits you best. Please do contact me for more information or to book your first session. Further reading How to treat chronic fatigue Case study – chronic fatigue Chronic fatigue treatment NHS CFS page Do you have a work obsession? […]
Natural Ways to Improve Sleep
Are you looking for natural ways to improve your sleep? Sleep is a vital part of our health and well-being. Without sleep, we struggle to properly function. There are many causes of insomnia and sleep disorders including stress, anxiety and depression. Almost anything that affects or disturbs our mind when we’re awake, can cause sleep issues at night. Signs of a Sleep Disorder Warning signs of a sleep disorder include long standing insomnia that’s lasted for several weeks or months, sleepwalking or other excessive movement, being unable to stay awake during the day because you feel so tired, mood swings, irritability or waking up feeling pain or panicked. There are some basic steps you can take to give yourself the best possible chance of a restful night’s sleep. How to Improve Sleep Naturally Temperature – make sure the temperature in your bedroom is comfortable. A cooler room is usually best for sleep. Relaxing bath/shower – enjoy a relaxing bath or shower an hour or two before bed. Comfortable bed – make sure your bed is clean and comfortable. Light – have the room as dark as possible and remove lights from electronic devices. Turn off TVs, phones and iPads etc. at least an hour before bed. Sounds – a quiet room is best for sleep but some people find that relaxing sounds of nature or white noise can help them get to sleep. Irregular or disturbing sounds should be avoided. Food and drink – try not to go to bed too hungry or too full. Eat a good, healthy meal a few hours before bed. Try not to drink too much before bed to avoid needing to get up during the night. Avoid caffeine and alcohol which causes restless sleep. Exercise – fresh air and exercise is proven to help people sleep well. Sanctuary – reserve your bedroom for sleep. Don’t work in bed and keep the space clean, tidy and uncluttered. Routine – once you have a good bedtime routine stick to it as often as possible. Go to bed and get up roughly the same time each day. Relax before bed – if you feel tense or stressed, relax before going to bed using breathing techniques, relaxation, yoga, meditation, or counting exercises to calm the mind. Imagine – if you need to take your mind off something which is distracting you and keeping you awake, try simple imagination exercises. Build a house in your mind, imagine a natural scenescape, or repeat a simple story. Simple self-hypnosis – Use techniques to create yourself a calm, safe space. Picture yourself in a warm, safe spot, descending a staircase or repeat a simple mantra as you drift off. Further Help with Sleep These simple treatments don’t work for everyone, especially when things have progressed to a more serious or complex state. Sleep issues have underlying causes that need to be addressed for complete, long-lasting relief. Underlying emotions or fears which are unresolved can surface during the night when our brains are no longer occupied with day to day tasks. In order to get a good night’s sleep we need to feel, safe, relaxed and comfortable. Hypnotherapy can help you with this, working through any issues preventing you from getting to sleep and teaching you powerful relaxation and visualisation techniques to help you clear your mind. You know that feeling of worrying about taking too long to get to sleep, then looking at the clock, and counting down how much sleep you’re missing out on? Sometimes the stress of taking too long to get to sleep only makes things worse. I can help you target the negative thought patterns and teach you how to manage the feelings and view them in a more positive perspective. For more information on how I can help you get a better night’s sleep, please do get in touch. Further Reading on Improving Sleep Generalised Anxiety Disorder Treatment Online Hypnotherapy For Stress Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Treatment: Why am I tired all the time? Treatment for sleep disorders How to get restful sleep Sleep disorders – how hypnotherapy can help
Why Can’t I Lose Weight
Why can’t I lose weight? Have you tried every diet without making any real change to your weight? Are you a yo-yo dieter dropping weight only to put it all back on again? Battling With Weight The constant battle over losing weight can cause frustration and is hopeless for many. In addition, controlling weight and our relationship with food becomes a stress on our daily lives. It can make us feel guilty and miserable. Are you becoming obsessed with weight loss? If so, let’s look at the real reasons why you’re unable to lose weight. Stress Related Weight Gain Firstly, overeating is often a symptom of a stressful lifestyle. Stress activates your adrenal glands to release cortisol. This unfortunately increases your appetite and, in addition, impedes the hormones that regulate your appetite so you don’t feel that full sensation. If you’re stressed, you could be overeating without realising it. Evidence suggests that when people are stressed they are less likely to have the willpower to make healthy food choices. This is because our brains are unable to devote resources to both. So seeking treatment for stress could help you lose weight more easily. Comfort Eating Many of us develop unhealthy relationships with food. Are you relying on it for comfort, love and happiness? Perhaps you’re not getting this satisfaction from other areas of your life. Moreover, to improve weight loss these negative associations need to be unwound. As well as new habits put in place. Anxiety and Weight Are you suffering with anxiety? If so, you may be eating to calm yourself. Studies have shown that people with anxiety sometimes having higher insulin responses after eating, leading to weight gain. When we feel out of control or overwhelmed we can turn to food as a means of comfort. It might be worth looking further into Generalised Anxiety Disorder Treatment, Sleep and Weight Loss Research has shown that a good night’s sleep aids weight loss and healthy eating habits. When we are tired we tend to overeat and choose foods higher in fat and sugar. If you’re suffering with insomnia or sleep disorders, it could be having a negative effect on your diet efforts. Relationships Many of us gain significant amounts of weight in long term relationships. Is your relationship struggling and you’re eating to compensate? Or is your relationship happy but the main activity you share together is eating? It can help to reconnect with your partner through couples therapy and find new, healthy activities to enjoy together. Secret Eating Keeping an honest food diary can be a good way of maintaining a healthy weight. Many of us are in denial about the amount we truly eat. Now is the time to face up to our real habits. This ‘secret eating’ response allows you to lie to yourself Possibly, the mind’s way of protecting you from a truth it knows you won’t like. Guilt and Weight Dieting can be challenging and small failures lead to guilt and self-criticism. However, positive reinforcement rather than negative punishment leading to long term success. Addiction For some, eating is an addiction and willpower alone is not enough to fight it. Proper addiction treatment that gets to the cause of the issue is much more effective. Self Esteem and Weight Low self-esteem can be crippling and prevent us doing things to really make us happy. If we’re lacking the confidence to go out and enjoy ourselves, we often turn to food for comfort. This is a vicious cycle – feeling less happy about our weight, but eating more to make ourselves feel better. A healthy boost of confidence from an hypnotherapy session could help you get out there and enjoy life without excess food. Hypnotherapy For Weight Loss My weight loss hypnosis can help you get to the bottom of your relationship with food. As well as making real, positive, long-term changes. You won’t need to count calories, stress about food choices or punish yourself anymore. Instead, you will find that your desire for food and your associations with it are permanently changed. In short allowing you to enjoy everything in moderation. In conclusion, if another factor is influencing your weight gain, dealing with that directly will give you better results than dieting. I can help you get to the bottom of any issues using hypnotherapy and life coaching. Please do get in touch to learn more about how I can help you. I can offer sessions at my London hypnotherapy clinic or with online hypnotherapy sessions. Further Reading on Weight Loss Online Therapy to Lose Weight Case Study: Weight Loss Online Hypnosis for Weight Loss Weight loss hypnosis
Why Diets Fail
Research shows that 95% of diets fail. Initial weight loss usually fades when people stop their strict regimes and many people end up gaining more weight than they started with. A diet in the conventional sense involves a strict set of guidelines about what you can and can’t eat, perhaps along with an assigned exercise regime. We count calories and restrict intake of food whilst often banning our favourite foods outright. We then expect that we’ll suddenly be able to change our long term, established behaviours and fight the cravings we have given into for so long. We hope that our relationship with food will change through sheer willpower and motivation alone. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case, and there are a few key reasons why. Willpower is finite Relying on willpower alone to fight cravings and denying ourselves the things we feel we want is a sure route to failure. We might start off well when excitement and motivation are high, but it only takes one small bump in the road – a bad day at the office, a social occasion or a tiring day to make us falter. It’s a natural human condition that if we spend all our time trying not to do something we actually fixate on it more and more until it eventually becomes unbearable. Often known as the “white elephant” syndrome – if someone tells you not to think about a white elephant what do you immediately think about? Real and positive change comes from addressing the cause of overeating – the desire for and relationship with food. If we don’t want the food as much, we can successfully start to avoid it and the cravings start to reduce rather than grow. Our behaviour changes by choice rather than force. Diets address the symptom, not the cause When you diet you are telling yourself you will no longer eat the foods you want. We try to treat the symptom without asking ourselves why we’re eating too much. Overeating is very rarely due to physical hunger. Often food has started to serve some other purpose for us – perhaps it calms after a stressful day, relieves boredom or low self-esteem, lessens sadness or loneliness or makes us feel in control. It’s only by addressing the underlying causes of the desire to eat and by breaking the relationship in your mind that you find true freedom from your cravings. Simple deprivation only serves to strengthen the bond as we remove food and the negative emotions increase. When we finally give in and eat, we feel relief and guilt. We feel too emotionally drained to start again. Whilst food can and should bring us some pleasure, having it linked to so many strong and painful emotions is not good for our wellbeing. Diets don’t treat the addiction If you were addicted to smoking, drugs or alcohol you wouldn’t be expected to just stop, outright with no support whatsoever. For many, food is an addiction and you need support and help to break free from this and change behaviours. You need to reframe your thinking, change patterns and gain control over cravings in a way that doesn’t depress or restrict you. As you begin to feel more and more in control, positive reinforcement will start to take hold and you’ll feel better and better about your new life rather than worse. Hypnotherapy for Weight Loss Hypnotherapy is very effective at helping people lose weight and I have helped many clients with this problem. I help them uncover the root cause of their eating habits so they can make positive long term changes. This treatment doesn’t dictate, restrict or govern, but rather changes how you think and feel about food giving you greater control over your own life. Hypnotherapy can help you change emotional responses and effectively overcome emotional eating. It helps you listen to your body, deal with cravings, eat in moderation and make healthy choices which result in long term weight loss, greater self-esteem and a healthier lifestyle. For more information on how I could help you with your relationship with food and weight loss, please do get in touch.
5 Reasons Why You Are Not Reaching Your Health Goals
We all set ourselves health goals at some point in our lives. Many of us get stuck in a cycle of setting health goals, failing to reach them, punishing or reprimanding ourselves then, after a while, starting all over again. Most of the time we never really learn from our failed attempts and we repeat the same mistakes all over again. During my 25 years as a therapist I’ve helped many clients who were struggling to achieve their health goals. Using this experience I’ve come up with 5 likely reasons why you might be struggling with yours. You’re chasing the wrong goal It’s important to really think about the goals you set for yourself. If it isn’t something you really want you’re setting yourself up for failure from the start. Many of my clients come in with one goal and leave with another. We work together to uncover the results they are really looking for. For example, “I want to lose weight” is a common and worthwhile goal but why do you want to lose weight? Are you looking for increased confidence? Do you want to be more active or enjoy more time with your children? Do you want to start a new relationship? If we focus on the end benefit we remain more motivated as we keep in mind the reasons why we are making these changes. It also helps us to develop a proper action plan – what else can we do to boost ourselves and reach this end goal? What other rewards might we use? For example, we might want to lose a stone before Christmas but also how about a new haircut, a new hobby, meeting new people, leaning a new skill, new clothes, improving communication? All of these things would help with an end goal of improved confidence and would provide extra motivation along the way. You fail to properly plan Without a proper plan that says what you’ll do and by when it’s hard to maintain or measure progress. What are you going to do to achieve your goal? Plan out the steps and progress markers. What help might you need? Is there anything else you can do to increase the likelihood of success? During Life Coaching sessions I help clients address these questions. We set up specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timed (S.M.A.R.T) goals which give them real motivation to get started. You start well but struggle to maintain motivation We all struggle with motivation every now and then. Regular Life Coaching or support sessions are one way to maintain motivation and the regular check-ins are a real boost. If you’re going it alone you’ll need to ensure you take responsibility for your progress. Use a visible chart or visual cue to monitor your progress and remind yourself why you’re doing this. Don’t be tempted into a victim mentality, “it’s not fair”, or “it’s too hard” – you set the goal and the plan. If you need to revaluate or rejig that’s fine but don’t give up! You sabotage yourself The fear of failure is within us all and we often find it hard to admit we’re worried about failing. Instead we might self-sabotage and blame other things – a bar of chocolate from a friend perhaps, or turning back to cigarettes because of a stressful event or social occasion. Put plans in place to deal with all possible hurdles you’ll face and if you need to seek extra help then do. Problems like anxiety, depression, lack of self-confidence and stress can all come into play in difficult events or times of change. Don’t let them be an excuse to revert to old habits – you need to find a new way to deal with them. You never really change your mindset If we repeat a new behaviour often enough we find it becomes a habit so we will likely continue with it as part of our daily routine. However, if we fail to address the subconscious desires that led us to encounter the problem in the first place, it can be easy for us to slip back into our old ways. Why did you overeat in the first place? Do you still see food as a comfort that has to be resisted? Do you still see smoking as a pleasure that you’ve had to give up? Is exercise still a chore? Hypnotherapy tackles the subconscious part of our mind that drives our behaviour. Working on this makes long term change much easier. Imagine how much simpler it would be to not want to eat the cake in the first place instead of having to fight every day to resist. It’s often our own mind that becomes our own worst enemy, but with a little work it can be our greatest asset. Further Help with Reaching Health Goals If you’d like to discuss any of the issues mentioned in more detail or book a free consultation, please do get in touch.