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Bradenton Herald
By: Duane Marsteller
Mind Over Food Matter

Siesta Key weight-loss expert pens ‘craving cure’

To shed pounds from the body, one must first shed some preconceptions from the mind.

That’s the premise behind the latest book by Rena Greenberg, a certified hypnotherapist and biofeedback therapist from Siesta Key who has conducted weight loss and smoking cessation seminars for 17 years.

In “The Craving Cure: Break the Hold Carbs and Sweets Have on Your Life,” Greenberg contends many weight-loss programs fail because they don’t first focus on the mind—namely, deep-rooted psychological addictions to unhealthy food.

“On a conscious level, we all know what we need to do to stay healthy,” she said in a recent interview. “We know we have to eat well and be active, but subconsciously we have bad habits that have developed over the years.”

That, in turn, leads to an endless internal conflict that usually spells doom for any diet: You give in to your subconscious urge for a dozen chocolate-chip cookies, your conscious mind scolds you for it and makes you feel bad about yourself, so you eat a dozen more to feel better.

“Until that conflict is resolved, no matter what diet or weight-loss program you use, you’re sure to fail,” Greenberg said.

To break the cycle, the subconscious first must be retrained to view healthy food and exercise as desirable, not something to be avoided, she said.

“It’s like reprogramming the subconscious mind,” she said. “The subconscious is in control (over the conscious mind). It’s on autopilot . . . but you can change the programming.”

To do that, Greenberg’s books—she also wrote “the Right Weigh: Six Steps to Permanent Weight Loss,” published last year – and seminars advocate a combination of self-hypnosis and behavior modification.

The subconscious is more receptive to suggestion during hypnosis, which Greenberg calls a “pleasant dream state” that people routinely pass through before falling asleep and waking up. It’s not the “cluck like a chicken” stereotype as people can’t be hypnotized against their will and remain aware of their surroundings when they are under hypnosis, she said.

People can self-induce hypnosis by controlling they’re breathing and focusing on a mental image or goal, such as a thinner version of themselves, Greenberg said.

“It’s like building a pathway to the subconscious,” she said. “The more we practice it, the easier it is to access it.”

Once there, imagery and positive reinforcement are used to change a person’s perceptions of food with the goal of developing healthy cravings. To jump-start the process, Greenberg urges a two-week mega-nutrition cleanse” – essentially a detoxification that uses a diet of fruits, vegetables, salads and other water-rich foods to break the addiction to unhealthy foods.

How successful the method is depends on the level of commitment, she said. Some people easily lose weight, while others need positive reinforcement on a regular basis.

“You have to want it,” Greenberg said. “You have to be willing to practice the techniques in the book. This book is a real how-to, practical guide.”

Greenberg developed her weight-loss program from personal experience.

She was admitted to a New York City hospital for an irregular heart beat when she was 26. She left with a pacemaker and a newfound desire to change her eating habits and improve her health.

“I was addicted to sugar and sweets,” particularly ice cream, pizza and a nearby bakery’s muffins. “I got sick, and it forced me to look at my life and make changes.”

Laura Swofford of Sarasota was skeptical at first when a friend suggested she attend one of Greenberg’s seminars, but decided to go to one in Sarasota in March. Now 20 lbs. lighter, Swofford said she’s a believer.

“I’ve lost weight before, but I would regain it quickly. This time I haven’t regained it,” she said. “Now I’m just naturally going for healthy foods and water without even thinking about it.”