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Hypnosis, because of spooky movies, the very word conjures up the image of a evil-eyed hypnotherapist swinging an old 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 hypnosis tapes make crazy, unsubstantiated claims. I've been in this industry since 1978. So I think that I'm more than experienced enough 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 surgeons have varying skill levels in the use of a scalpel, different hypnotherapists have varying skill levels in the use of post-hypnotic suggestion. And to complicate the matter, there are different forms of post-hypnotic suggestion.

Here are just a few of the silly assertions about weight loss hypnosis that I've read about on websites on the Internet, along with the the real story:

"Hypnotic suggestion will speed up your metabolism." If you want a dose of reality, the fact is that post-hypnotic suggestion won't directly speed up your metabolism. But it can be very practical at helping to program your unconscious with increased motivation to exercise. And exercise can dramatically speed up your metabolic rate. Similarly, post-hypnotic suggestion to speed up the metabolism for quick weight loss can be effected by re-programming the unconscious to motivate the intake of increased amounts of protein, because that intake will step up your metabolic rate.

"Hypnotic suggestion will make you lose some weight." This is false. But post-hypnotic suggestion can be used to help annihilate your appetite, so that you eat less. And eating less can help you to lose some weight. The average person's appetite and urges for food and compulsion to eat are triggered by two unconscious 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 as you drive your car, you will automatically get an urge to eat each time you drive a car.

B. When you feel stressed, you feel a desire to put something into your mouth for relaxation and pleasure. This is the result of training that you received as a baby. When you got cranky, your mom 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 someone is motivated to make him or herself fat, because by being fat they will protect themselves in some way. For example, if someone gets their heart broken in a relationship, their unconscious might motivate them into a behavior that would 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 self-hypnosis for losing weight get rid of the problems discussed above? 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 powerful methods of using hypnosis for emotional eating.

Alan B. Densky, CH is the developer of the Neuro-VISION Appetite Suppression Video Hypnosis CDs, which received a US Patent. He also offers NLP and Ericksonian Hypnosis CDs for appetite suppression. Visit the Neuro-VISION Weight Loss Hypnosis website and download a FREE Hypnotic Power Relaxation Program, or subscribe to one or more of the world-class hypnosis newsletters.