Hypnosis, because of TV shows, the very word conjures up the likeness of a hawlk-eyed hypnotist swinging his pocket watch and chanting, "You are getting sleepy."

Do a Google search and you will find several million pages devoted to the subject. Unfortunately, many websites that sell self-hypnosis CD's make wild, unsubstantiated claims. I've been a hypnotherapist since 1978. So I think that I'm more than qualified to set the record straight on weight loss hypnosis.

First of all, post-hypnotic suggestion is a tool, just like a scalpel is a tool. Just as all of the various surgeons have diversified skill levels in the use of a scalpel, different hypnotists have varying skill levels in the use of post-hypnotic suggestion. And to complicate the matter, there are many different forms and types of post-hypnotic suggestion.

Listen to a few of the wild assertions about weight loss hypnosis that I've read on websites, along with the the real story:

"Hypnosis will speed up your metabolism." The truth is that post-hypnotic suggestion will not directly speed up your metabolism. But it can be very compelling at helping to program your subconsious mind with increased motivation to exercise. And that exercise will increase your metabolic rate. Similarly, post-hypnotic suggestion to speed up the metabolism for quick weight loss can be effected by programming the subconsious mind to motivate the intake of increased amounts of protein, because that intake will step up your metabolic rate.

"Hypnosis will make you lose weight." This is false. But post-hypnotic suggestion can be used to help cut out your appetite, so that you eat less. And eating less can help you to lose weight. Your appetite and urges for food and compulsion to eat are triggered by two subconscious programs:

A. When you combine eating with any other behavior, the other behavior will trigger cravings for food and a strong desire to eat. This is called a conditioned response. For example, if you eat when you sit and watch TV, you will automatically get an urge to eat each time you sit down to watch TV.

B. When you feel tense, you feel an urge to put something into your mouth for relaxation and pleasure. This is because of programming that you received as an infant. When you got out of sorts, your nanny put a bottle in your mouth. You got distracted, relaxed, and probably fell asleep. Now when you get cranky (anxious or tense), you feel compelled to put something into your mouth for relaxation and pleasure.

C. There is a third unconscious program that is present for some people. It's called emotional eating. Emotional eating takes place when an individual is motivated to make him or herself fat, because by being fat they will protect themselves in some way. For example, if an individual gets their heart broken in a relationship, their subconsious mind can usually motivate them into a behavior that will prevent them from getting their heart broken again. Example: They are motivated to get fat to keep them out of another relationship, because that will eliminate the possibility of another broken heart.

So just how can hypnosis for losing weight fix the above problems? Click here to read the rest of this weight loss hypnosis article.

I've written several articles on this complex topic that available on my website. These articles illustrate some effective methods of using hypnotherapy for emotional eating.