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Changing the way we approach change

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Do you ever wonder why you struggle with consistency when it comes to making changes? 

 

Sometimes, when we are fed up with being a certain way, we decide to make big changes. Deciding to make changes is terrific, and for some people, hitting that point of being completely fed up is all they need to make a big change overnight. 

 

However, for most of us, we find we often yo-yo back and forth. We make a big sudden change, then we lose consistency, or something throws us off track, and we just snap back to old ways. This can be disheartening, and we often beat ourselves up, blaming our will power and questioning our own resolve. When you consciously want to make a change, but you struggle to stick with it, you may find yourself in utter frustration thinking “what is WRONG with my mind???”  

 

To help give us a greater comprehension of why this happens, it can be an interesting metaphor to think of the mind like a piece of elastic.  If you pull it hard and fast, taking it from short-to-long in an instant, it will snap back -and usually fly up and hit you in the face! But… if you stretch it slowly bit by bit over time (like the elastic in your pants as you gain weight) it becomes permanently changed in structure.

 

So how can we apply this principle to the goal of changing habits? The answer is to think in small steps, that gradually increase naturally over time. This is the key to permanent and naturally effortless change, especially when it comes to changing eating habits.

 

When my clients come to me to lose weight, I always encourage this approach. Some clients are confused at first, and even disappointed when I recommend gradual change, as they often expect to have one session and have every habit that is contributing to their weight completely changed. 

Hypnosis can be an amazing process to help facilitate change! And, yes… you can make incredible changes seemingly in an instant with hypnosis. We can use it to feel very comfortable eating smaller portions, to increase commitment to exercise, to stop cravings for junk and snacking, to let go of binge eating and drinking alcohol, to make healthier choices and to tap into motivation, it really is amazing to witness. But changing all these habits at once is a mistake,  and taking them from one end of the scale to the other at once is not always going to stick.

 

It’s so important (and helpful) to look at all the individual habits that are contributing to your problem, and make changes gradually. Going from eating junk food every day and never getting off the couch to eating salad and going to the gym an hour a day is unrealistic. And even with hypnosis this kind of drastic immediate change is unlikely to be permanent. Why? Because the mind snaps back. The mind loves what is familiar. This is why making gradual change is so powerful, because it gives the mind a chance to become familiarised and comfortable with new habits. And once a new habit is formed it then becomes the more comfortable way of being. 

 

When I discuss this concept with clients they will often say, well what about smoking? How come someone who smokes a pack a day and is addicted can make such a huge change in a single hypnosis session and never touch another smoke again? They ask why it is different with food and exercise (as they are still clinging to the hope of an instant profound change to every aspect of their life). The main reasons for this is smoking is a single habit, and every human knows it is incredibly harmful, and most people who do hypnosis to quit are sick to death of it and hate it. Unless you feel like that about food there is a big motivational difference. There are also huge instant payoffs for quitting smoking, rapidly improved health, self esteem and financial savings. 

 

Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that no matter how big an overnight change you make to your eating and exercise habits the physical change that you notice (and that you so desperately want) is going to be gradual.  Accepting that it is a journey is the best headspace to be in when it comes to weight loss. Letting go of the need for immediate results on the scales and instead focusing on the habit changes that you establish – and celebrating those (preferably not with cake) is what will keep you moving forward.

 

So knowing all this… whether you are making change by yourself, or with the added support of hypnosis I invite you to become more excited about making lots of little changes, instead of focusing only on the ultimate change of being your ideal size and shape. Shifting that focus will get most people to that end goal far more reliably than only counting what the scales show as progress.

 

So… small changes. Lets talk about that. When it comes to portion sizes, you can reduce them gradually! If you make incremental, but almost unnoticeable changes to the amount of food you put on your plate over time you don’t ever feel like you are noticing the smaller amount of food. Then all of a sudden you are eating portion sizes that are much smaller and it is normal and comfortable.

 

When it comes to snacking, start by swapping junk for healthy snacks. Then you can choose to make those snacks smaller, or less frequent by drinking water sometimes when you would have reached for a snack in the past. Before you know it, you will be less interested in snacking and you will have a wonderful new habit of drinking more water.

 

When it comes to exercise, start by doing 1 minute of skipping a day or a 10 minute walk, then each week bump it up a notch. Probably the worst thing you can do is jump straight into a challenging exercise routine if you are not currently exercising. You have to build it up! Just like with strength training, you never jump straight into the heaviest weights, you build up strength over time!

 

If you have a habit of drinking wine most nights of the week and want to change that, make a deal with yourself to do it one less night a week for a while (pick a night that will be wine free every week), then when that’s normal, bring your number of nights when you allow yourself to enjoy wine down again by one, and keep decreasing over time.

 

Another important aspect of the small change principle is to not change everything at once! Focus on one change at a time. Start with one habit. When you are feeling like you are making progress with that habit, then you can bring in the next habit to change. 

 

One of the main reasons that most people fail at diets and weight loss programs is because they try to -or are expected to change everything (drastically) at once. If you decide to or are instructed to reduce portions, stop snacking, give up drinking completely, only eat vegetables and chicken, and start an intensive 30 minute a day exercise routine for 30 days starting Monday you’ll probably get to Wednesday if you are lucky before your wonderful (sensible!!) mind says “WTF, this is too hard”.

 

One last reason why making lots of small changes gradually is a wonderful approach is because when you have an off day, or something disrupts your routine you will be able to look at the changes that you had established and have total confidence in your ability to rebuild, or get back on track, because you value each habit. Fell off the wagon and had a boozy night on your “no drinking” night? Not a big deal, your snacking was still good, and you went for a walk. Or maybe you went on holiday and couldn’t exercise for 2 weeks straight? Reminding yourself that you can rebuild the habit is a really great feeling. And remembering that life happens, and no one is perfect all the time is important. Be kind to yourself. Be forgiving. Encourage and support yourself and remember it’s a journey, not a race. 

 

So, if you want to make real, lasting change to your health, your happiness and your body, then for a change, try to change one habit at a time, a little bit at a time – and celebrate every little change along the way! Change each habit gradually, and it will feel effortless. Focus on the wonderful changes you are making, not on achieving a loss at a certain rate that you have been told is what you should be achieving. Decide to make the changes in habits more important than the change in your size, and you will absolutely get there, and it will be a journey you can enjoy.

 

Sensible Eating Habits for a Healthy Approach to Weight Loss

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So many of my weight loss clients come to me complaining of having tried every weight loss program and fad diet available. They tell me they often get results in the beginning, but find it impossible to stick with long term, and when they return to their old eating habits the weight just comes back on. This is also something that can happen to people who have gastric band or gastric bypass surgery, as over time they just return to their old eating habits and regain the weight they had lost. This kind of rebounding can be so frustrating and depressing.

 

If you want to lose weight AND maintain it, the most reliable approach is to create sensible eating habits FOR LIFE. Focusing on the habits, and not just losing weight quickly can set you up for a healthier weight and a healthier lifestyle without the mental stress that comes with dieting and rebounding. 

 

So what are sensible eating habits, and how do we create them?

 

First off, let’s talk about the importance of eating regular meals. This starts with breakfast. You know that old saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”? Well, it’s true! Eating a nutritious breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day and can actually help you consume fewer calories throughout the day. Making sure that you eat three meals a day can also prevent night time bingeing. Some delicious and healthy breakfast options include a veggie omelette, Greek yogurt with berries, or a protein smoothie.

 

Next, let’s talk about snacking. Yes, you heard that right – snacking can actually be good for weight loss! The key is to choose healthy snacks that are high in protein and fibre, which will keep you feeling full and satisfied. Some tasty snack options include sliced veggies with hummus, apple slices with almond butter, or a handful of roasted nuts. If you have bad snacking habits – like choosing high calorie snacks like chocolate or nutritionally devoid junk food, it is important to get on top of this. Remove these snakes from your environment. If you can’t get rid of them completely because of other people in the house who want them, then at least keep them out of sight and reach, and make sure you have healthy snack options available.

 

Choosing healthier options in general across all of your meals is really important if you want to become healthier and leaner. It can actually be exciting to explore healthier options. Ensuring that you are prioritising protein and vegetables is a must, and there are so many creative ways of incorporating more vegetables into your diet. This doesn’t mean you should never eat your favourite foods if they are more on the indulgent side, it just means you should be making healthier choices more often. In fact, ensuring that you do include food that you love in your weekly meal plans is super important, as too much restriction is the reason that most of us throw in the towel when we embark on a healthier eating plan.

 

Now, let’s talk about the importance of hydration. Drinking enough water is crucial for weight loss, as it helps to flush out toxins and keeps your metabolism running smoothly. Plus, drinking water can actually help you feel full, which can prevent overeating. Aim to drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, and try adding lemon or cucumber slices for some extra flavour.

 

Finally, let’s talk about portion control. You don’t have to give up your favourite foods, but it’s important to be mindful of how much you’re consuming. Try using smaller plates and bowls to help control your portions, and aim to fill half your plate with veggies. And remember, it’s okay to indulge in moderation – just make sure to balance it out with healthy choices throughout the day.

 

So there you have it – some fun and easy nutrition tips to help you lose weight without feeling deprived. Remember to focus on healthy, whole foods and listen to your body’s hunger cues. And most importantly, have fun with it! Weight loss doesn’t have to be a chore – with a little creativity and some tasty recipes, you can make it a fun and enjoyable journey.

 

The importance of being kind to yourself and seeing the creation of new habits as a  journey is important, take each day as it comes and remember that if you have an off day you can always pick up again the next day.

 

If you have any questions about how hypnotherapy can help you to create these sensible eating habits so you can kick fad dieting to the curb and lose weight naturally feel free to email me or check out my Online Self Paced Hypnosis for Weight Loss Program called Healthier Happier Easier here.