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St. Petersburg Times
Weight loss can get its start in the mind

St. Petersburg Times
Dakota Eliason, Columnist
(Reprinted)

There has been a lot of talk recently about Americans being overweight. Here’s the reason for the shape we’re in: We eat too much.

Weight reduction methods involve exercise machines, club memberships and diet instruction books. Personally, I’ve never lost any weight exercising. To lose weight, I need to eat less.

This is, of course, not an attractive idea. We like to eat. Like out forebears, we spend a big portion of our day foraging for food, planning and preparing meals. Eating is not just a necessity, but is one of the primary pleasures of life.

The fact that it is possible to scoot into a drive-through and pick up 1,000 calories in the form of a milkshake doesn’t help the modern America .

A few years ago, I decided to lose weight. One of my swimming pool buddies told me about the Wellness Seminars, Inc., a weight reduction by hypnosis class at a local hospital. She had lost weight with this method.

One evening I decided to visit. After 45 minutes of reviewing our eating habits, we had the opportunity to leave or stay for further work. This method is sponsored by 60 hospitals, mostly in Florida . The price of the hypnosis session is a one-time fee of $59, including a tape to listen to at home and a booklet to study and review. You may go back as often as you like with no further charge. Just take the tape or booklet to show you’ve already paid.

The night I went, a large group sat quietly and listened to the soothing voice tell us all the things we need to think about: I don’t like butter, I’m not hungry; I’ve had enough to eat; I don’t want anymore; I do not like sweets. Then it was over.

To my surprise, it worked…when I let it. You have to want to do it and turn it on in your mind. You can also turn it off if you aren’t careful. But after the hypnosis session, I no longer wanted butter, which had been one of my favorites. I did not like cookies anymore. I didn’t like the way they tasted. I could not eat everything on my plate. Before the hypnosis, I had always cleaned my plate.

Incorporating the hypnosis system, I started what I call “Three Diets At The Same Time.”

No. 1: Hypnosis. Get out my tape and my booklet and tune in.

No. 2:Half-and-Half Diet. If you eat half of what is in front of you, you soon will have lost half of what is behind you.

No. 3: No alcohol, no salad dressing, no dessert. Clearly, all three are essentially portion control, but the hypnosis is the basis. This is what makes it work.

Eating a well-balanced diet is imperative. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, not much fat – although we do need some fat as part of a balanced diet.

I include milk products and eat small amounts of meat. I don’t like meat much any more. It tastes like cardboard. (That’s the hypnosis plugging in!)

I am 5 feet tall and I lost 17 pounds, but it took me almost six months. That’s because I completely altered my was of eating as a permanent habit, not just a diet.

I was surprised at how good vegetables and salads taste without dressing or sauces. I love fresh fruit. It is sweet and satisfying, but is mostly water and roughage.

I feel good and my blood pressure is down. My husband lost weight – also to his surprise. He didn’t even know he was on a diet. He just ate what was being served. He looks great. The only problem is, our clothes are kind of loose. I guess we’ll have to invest in some new duds.
For more information about the Wellness Seminars, call toll-free 1-800-848-2822.