6 squares dark choc
1 chunk of crusty white bread
Roast lamb, roast potaoes, peas
3 cherry bakewells
1 buttered crumpet
1 packet of crisps
500g chocolate!!
...It is after all Easter, where band-dodging chocolate is abundant. It's possible to eat fairly significant quantities without filling yourself up. I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. Days 10 and 11 have not been a nutritional triumph, but throughout I have never gone beyond the range 4-7 on the tummy scale, and I remain "in-tune" with my stomach.
Sunday 31 March 2013
Saturday 30 March 2013
Day 10 Easter Saturday 30.3.2013
A day dominated by junk food after a reasonable start, due to a family altercation on my mind.
Because my mind was unsettled, it's hard to recall everything I consumed, but I think it went like this:
6 squares dark choc
1 roast chicken sandwich
2 Penguin bars
2 handfuls of peanuts
1 cherry bakewell
1 small bar milk chocolate
half a large easter egg
a few stiff shots of Southern Comfort
1 packet crisps
Seeing it written down, it doesn't seem as much as it felt at the time. I don't expect it to have a disastrous impact as a one-off day.
Because my mind was unsettled, it's hard to recall everything I consumed, but I think it went like this:
6 squares dark choc
1 roast chicken sandwich
2 Penguin bars
2 handfuls of peanuts
1 cherry bakewell
1 small bar milk chocolate
half a large easter egg
a few stiff shots of Southern Comfort
1 packet crisps
Seeing it written down, it doesn't seem as much as it felt at the time. I don't expect it to have a disastrous impact as a one-off day.
Friday 29 March 2013
Day 9 Good Friday 29.3.2013
Today's consumption:
6 squares dark choc
Roast Chicken, roast potatoes & peas, 1 scoop ice cream
2 chunks buttered crusty bread, 2 choc biscuits
1 packet crisps
It was interesting to observe this particular morning that the tummy scale refused to drop below 6 at all before lunch, but that the evening had me feeling particularly munchy. Never mind, I nevertheless kept to the rules, denying myself nothing but not needing vast quantities of it.
The ethos behing this particular approach is it's not what you eat but how you eat it.
I did feel kinda guilty having evening munchies at the time but in hindsight and on future evenings, I will recall that there are no time or food choice restrictions. The tummy scale and meditative conscious consumption are the sovereign factors.
6 squares dark choc
Roast Chicken, roast potatoes & peas, 1 scoop ice cream
2 chunks buttered crusty bread, 2 choc biscuits
1 packet crisps
It was interesting to observe this particular morning that the tummy scale refused to drop below 6 at all before lunch, but that the evening had me feeling particularly munchy. Never mind, I nevertheless kept to the rules, denying myself nothing but not needing vast quantities of it.
The ethos behing this particular approach is it's not what you eat but how you eat it.
I did feel kinda guilty having evening munchies at the time but in hindsight and on future evenings, I will recall that there are no time or food choice restrictions. The tummy scale and meditative conscious consumption are the sovereign factors.
Day 8 Thursday 28.3.2013
Today's consumption
6 squares dark choc
2 rashers bacon, beans, 1 slice buttered bread
1 can condensed tomato soup, 2 chunks crusty white bread, 1 choc biscuit
Chicken Stroghanoff + Dauphinoise Potatoes+peas+toffee sundae
...I'm now getting into the habit of eating consciously, subconsciously!
By that I mean chewing food to a pulp and swallowing consciously is becoming a habit that happens by itself - I do not have to run a "procedure" through my head to do it. In the same way, continually "listening" to my stomach is also now a habit. Outside of family meals, I'm also letting intuition guide me as to what I want nutritionally, rather than giving any thought to what I "should" eat.
The upshot of all this is that with modified thought patterns and behaviour firmly established, I can just get on with life apart from this blog and the weekly weigh-ins.
Lets talk about poo
The constipation problem solved itself by my body asking for baked beans - that soon got everything moving again! It has reinforced my trust in my body to tell me what it needs.
6 squares dark choc
2 rashers bacon, beans, 1 slice buttered bread
1 can condensed tomato soup, 2 chunks crusty white bread, 1 choc biscuit
Chicken Stroghanoff + Dauphinoise Potatoes+peas+toffee sundae
...I'm now getting into the habit of eating consciously, subconsciously!
By that I mean chewing food to a pulp and swallowing consciously is becoming a habit that happens by itself - I do not have to run a "procedure" through my head to do it. In the same way, continually "listening" to my stomach is also now a habit. Outside of family meals, I'm also letting intuition guide me as to what I want nutritionally, rather than giving any thought to what I "should" eat.
The upshot of all this is that with modified thought patterns and behaviour firmly established, I can just get on with life apart from this blog and the weekly weigh-ins.
Lets talk about poo
The constipation problem solved itself by my body asking for baked beans - that soon got everything moving again! It has reinforced my trust in my body to tell me what it needs.
Wednesday 27 March 2013
DAY 7 Wednesday 27.3.2013 First Weigh-In
WEIGH-IN: 15st 3lbs (213lbs) - Down 4 lbs
Great result! As good as I could have expected. It's a great start.
Today's consumption:
6 squares dark choc
2 rashers bacon, beans, fried egg, 1 slice bread
1 rack pork ribs
3 pints of beer
1 packet of crisps
1 choc biscuit
As you can see this is not a tough kinda regime - in fact it's not a regime at all, because what's changed is simply my focus - from food to stomach. I'm now thinking about what my body needs, rather than seeing my body as something that pesters me and I throw food at it to shut it up.
Of course the above doesn't look like healthy eating, but in the overall scheme of things the odd "night out" nutrition does no harm.
I have noted that alcohol, like ice cream, is a "band-buster", a good way of passing a lot of calories through a small space. Fortunately, though I thoroughly enjoy a beer when I have one, it's not a daily feature of my life.
Encouraging though the first week has been, only the full length of the experiment will determine whether the mindset change is permanent.
Great result! As good as I could have expected. It's a great start.
Today's consumption:
6 squares dark choc
2 rashers bacon, beans, fried egg, 1 slice bread
1 rack pork ribs
3 pints of beer
1 packet of crisps
1 choc biscuit
As you can see this is not a tough kinda regime - in fact it's not a regime at all, because what's changed is simply my focus - from food to stomach. I'm now thinking about what my body needs, rather than seeing my body as something that pesters me and I throw food at it to shut it up.
Of course the above doesn't look like healthy eating, but in the overall scheme of things the odd "night out" nutrition does no harm.
I have noted that alcohol, like ice cream, is a "band-buster", a good way of passing a lot of calories through a small space. Fortunately, though I thoroughly enjoy a beer when I have one, it's not a daily feature of my life.
Encouraging though the first week has been, only the full length of the experiment will determine whether the mindset change is permanent.
Tuesday 26 March 2013
DAY 6 Tuesday 26.3.2013
A quiet day at home can be a good test of your ability to keep focused. Consumption-wise, I did quite well for most of it:
6 squares dark choc
3 Weetabix in warm milk sweetened with Golden Syrup
1 can condensed tomato soup + 3 slices bread
Quarterpound burger, egg and a spoonful of beans + 1 cherry bakewell
...so far so good, but having eaten the latter I kept crashing downward to 1 on the tummy scale which took me by surprise - I wasn't expecting to still have a "sugar crash" after a day of sensible eating. With my conditioning strongly protesting at the prospect of any more bulk being taken on yet with a serious sugar crash, I resorted to the "band-cheater" - ice cream! 3 hefty scoops later the crash subsided and I went to tummy scale 4, but the crash grumbled manageably until bedtime.
On one hand I'm disappointed, but if I'm getting a sugar crash it means that I've exhausted the glycogen (short term) store and was starting to burn fat. Also, I kept to the rules - if you're hungry, eat something but eat consciously - which I did. This is after all an experiment in which I'm examining the viability of a method before marketing it. If it doesn't work for me, I can't sell it as a reliable product. The real test is what's happened by Autumn.
I'm experiencing an unwanted side-effect - constipation! I'm used to being regular as clockwork, but the greatly reduced bulk passing through is getting more thoroughly processed and harder to pass! I'm now having small rocks arrive in my rectum and staying there because they're too hard and too small to push out. I will probably invest in some bran to srinkle on meals to "move things along".
6 squares dark choc
3 Weetabix in warm milk sweetened with Golden Syrup
1 can condensed tomato soup + 3 slices bread
Quarterpound burger, egg and a spoonful of beans + 1 cherry bakewell
...so far so good, but having eaten the latter I kept crashing downward to 1 on the tummy scale which took me by surprise - I wasn't expecting to still have a "sugar crash" after a day of sensible eating. With my conditioning strongly protesting at the prospect of any more bulk being taken on yet with a serious sugar crash, I resorted to the "band-cheater" - ice cream! 3 hefty scoops later the crash subsided and I went to tummy scale 4, but the crash grumbled manageably until bedtime.
On one hand I'm disappointed, but if I'm getting a sugar crash it means that I've exhausted the glycogen (short term) store and was starting to burn fat. Also, I kept to the rules - if you're hungry, eat something but eat consciously - which I did. This is after all an experiment in which I'm examining the viability of a method before marketing it. If it doesn't work for me, I can't sell it as a reliable product. The real test is what's happened by Autumn.
I'm experiencing an unwanted side-effect - constipation! I'm used to being regular as clockwork, but the greatly reduced bulk passing through is getting more thoroughly processed and harder to pass! I'm now having small rocks arrive in my rectum and staying there because they're too hard and too small to push out. I will probably invest in some bran to srinkle on meals to "move things along".
Monday 25 March 2013
DAY 5 Monday 25.3.2013
For the first time since Day 0, I really fancied some roast chicken for breakfast, but rather than just plonking a pile of chicken on a plate, I made a thoroughly enjoyable sandwich. What I'm now consciously aware of is the time lag between being full and sensing it. After the sandwich I was at 6 on the tummy scale but it crept up to 7 over the following half-hour, even though food is in a paste on swallowing.
I have eased my regime a little regarding the TV - I now have it on whilst eating, because now I know what eating consciously actually means, I can do both things at once.
At teatime it was interesting to note that the portions I dolled out to Son and Missus neither could finish, yet missus still found room for dessert and Son and a very late night supper. Myself, with my "tennis ball" portion, had a craving for ice cream in the later evening, and since nothing is banned I brought the whole tub into the living room and began spooning out of it. I ate it consciously and on reaching tummy scale 6 I just stopped and returned the tub to the freezer box.
In my life in general I am living both consciously and intuitively and this is now extending to food. As with life in general, I didn't realize I was UNconscious until I was given the tools and techniques to awaken.
Yesterday's Food Summary:
6 squares dark choc
roast chicken sandwich + 1 Penguin bar
2 handfuls peanuts plus 1 Pengin bar.
steak pie, mash and gravy + 1 slice angel cake
2 scoops ice cream
I have eased my regime a little regarding the TV - I now have it on whilst eating, because now I know what eating consciously actually means, I can do both things at once.
At teatime it was interesting to note that the portions I dolled out to Son and Missus neither could finish, yet missus still found room for dessert and Son and a very late night supper. Myself, with my "tennis ball" portion, had a craving for ice cream in the later evening, and since nothing is banned I brought the whole tub into the living room and began spooning out of it. I ate it consciously and on reaching tummy scale 6 I just stopped and returned the tub to the freezer box.
In my life in general I am living both consciously and intuitively and this is now extending to food. As with life in general, I didn't realize I was UNconscious until I was given the tools and techniques to awaken.
Yesterday's Food Summary:
6 squares dark choc
roast chicken sandwich + 1 Penguin bar
2 handfuls peanuts plus 1 Pengin bar.
steak pie, mash and gravy + 1 slice angel cake
2 scoops ice cream
Sunday 24 March 2013
DAY 4 Sunday 24.3.2013
Any weight-loss aside, I am alredy being won-over by the changes in my behaviour. I now feel connected to my own body in a way that I didn't even realize was missing. Before, like everyone else, my focus was on food - now it is my stomach, because continual focus on the tummy scale leads you to do so. Furthermore I visualize it as a stretchy tennis-ball, so that's the volume any meal, once chewed into a paste, has to fit into. For a start this causes you to chew your food up thoroughly, so what you do eat will fit in. This causes you to eat consciously - you can't just eat while focusing on something else.
Another thing I like is that no-one's really noticed any change. Though there's something of a revolution going on internally, to the casual observer, I'm doing all the same things - eating the same stuff at the same time. I'm not "on a diet" - the change is in how I'm eating it, and how much. Of course it helps that I'm the housekeeper, so I serve the food, so no-one's noticing that my portions are radically different. Because I'm eating less but taking longer to eat it, the time taken is the same as previous. It helps a lot when those around you feel like you're the same, as subconsciously that's comforting.
Yesterday's consunption
6 squares dark choc - tummy scale change 4-6
2 slices toast - 4-7
Quarterpound burger egg & chips + slice of cake 4-6
Slice of cake 4-6
Handful of peanuts 5-6
Poo, though still regular, is quite hard work!
Here's a fascinating fact - take your weight in pounds, multiply it by 16 and that's roughly what you need to stay at that weight. At my start weight of 217 lbs, that's 3472 calories a day, to stay at that weight. Though I'm not counting calories, I must be consuming less than that, which means the body must have to make up the difference from its fat store, reducing it by that shortfall.
1lb of stored fat is an energy reserve of 4000 calories. If on day 1 I consumed 2000 calories, that's a shortfall 1472 calories that had to be taken out of the fat store, roughly a third of a pound!
If I kept consuming 2000 calories per day, eventually my body weight would stabilise at one sixteenth of that in pounds, i.e. 125 lbs or roughly 9 stone! Cool huh?
Another thing I like is that no-one's really noticed any change. Though there's something of a revolution going on internally, to the casual observer, I'm doing all the same things - eating the same stuff at the same time. I'm not "on a diet" - the change is in how I'm eating it, and how much. Of course it helps that I'm the housekeeper, so I serve the food, so no-one's noticing that my portions are radically different. Because I'm eating less but taking longer to eat it, the time taken is the same as previous. It helps a lot when those around you feel like you're the same, as subconsciously that's comforting.
Yesterday's consunption
6 squares dark choc - tummy scale change 4-6
2 slices toast - 4-7
Quarterpound burger egg & chips + slice of cake 4-6
Slice of cake 4-6
Handful of peanuts 5-6
Poo, though still regular, is quite hard work!
Here's a fascinating fact - take your weight in pounds, multiply it by 16 and that's roughly what you need to stay at that weight. At my start weight of 217 lbs, that's 3472 calories a day, to stay at that weight. Though I'm not counting calories, I must be consuming less than that, which means the body must have to make up the difference from its fat store, reducing it by that shortfall.
1lb of stored fat is an energy reserve of 4000 calories. If on day 1 I consumed 2000 calories, that's a shortfall 1472 calories that had to be taken out of the fat store, roughly a third of a pound!
If I kept consuming 2000 calories per day, eventually my body weight would stabilise at one sixteenth of that in pounds, i.e. 125 lbs or roughly 9 stone! Cool huh?
DAY 3 Saturday 23.3.2013
Even on lie-in days, I'm usually up around 6am. First thing, I always consume 6 squares of dark choc for the antioxidants and other good stuff in it, along with Ginseng, multivitamins and omega 3 to ensure I'm getting essential nutrients, which means I don't have to eat so much variety, which is an unwanted chore!
This usually keeps me going until around 8am when tummy scale drops to 4. Pre-experient this would normally be roast chicken (on its own) but post band it's been 2 slices of wholemeal toast and a Penguin bar. Today followed that pattern.
I got to the Weekend Job and was still at scale 6 so I didn't eat again until a beak at 14:30 when I had a small pork pie and a Penguin bar. At teatime (16:30) tummy scale was still at 6. By late break (19:10) it was at 4 so I had another Penguin bar and a packet of crisps. When I got home at 21:40 Son had baked a cake so despite being at tummy scale 5 I had a small slice - it was very nice! That raised me to scale 6 where it stayed until bedtime.
AND NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT POO
Pre-experiment I didn't have an "average" type of poo - I produced every sort - a visit to the toilet was interesting to see what it was going to be this time.
Now the experiment is in full swing they're smaller - and tougher! At the extreme end last night, I produced "stones" - so small and hard I had to "dig" them out with a finger. At other visits they were "rabbit pellets" and this morning, small sticky logs.
When my body is consuming above its requirement, everything flows faster, bigger and soggier, but on or below requirement, the bowel seems to switch to "full power" and extract every last drop of anything useful, including water, making poo harder to "do". I will need to start adding extra fibre to the diet to make poo less "hard work".
This usually keeps me going until around 8am when tummy scale drops to 4. Pre-experient this would normally be roast chicken (on its own) but post band it's been 2 slices of wholemeal toast and a Penguin bar. Today followed that pattern.
I got to the Weekend Job and was still at scale 6 so I didn't eat again until a beak at 14:30 when I had a small pork pie and a Penguin bar. At teatime (16:30) tummy scale was still at 6. By late break (19:10) it was at 4 so I had another Penguin bar and a packet of crisps. When I got home at 21:40 Son had baked a cake so despite being at tummy scale 5 I had a small slice - it was very nice! That raised me to scale 6 where it stayed until bedtime.
AND NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT POO
Pre-experiment I didn't have an "average" type of poo - I produced every sort - a visit to the toilet was interesting to see what it was going to be this time.
Now the experiment is in full swing they're smaller - and tougher! At the extreme end last night, I produced "stones" - so small and hard I had to "dig" them out with a finger. At other visits they were "rabbit pellets" and this morning, small sticky logs.
When my body is consuming above its requirement, everything flows faster, bigger and soggier, but on or below requirement, the bowel seems to switch to "full power" and extract every last drop of anything useful, including water, making poo harder to "do". I will need to start adding extra fibre to the diet to make poo less "hard work".
Friday 22 March 2013
DAY 2 (22.3.2013)
Portion sizes were definitely smaller today. A concept stuck in my head is that my stomach, previously the size of a melon, is now only the size of a tennis ball. Here is the day's consumption: (For the "tummy scale" see Day 1)
Early morning - 6 squares dark choc went to #6
Breakfast - 2 slices of toast and went to #7
Lunch - 1 Greggs steak bake - back to 7
Supper - Corned beef Hash - 1 scoop
Late evening - 1 scoop ice cream, 2 handfuls peanuts
Tummy Scale variation: 4 - 7
I'm now constantly grading my degree of fullness and as a result I'm avoiding the extremes. It's made me realize that how wildly I would swing between ravenous and stuffed. The most noticeable shift in focus is from food to stomach. I had not realized that I was so out of touch with my body - I now feel much more "united" with it.
Early morning - 6 squares dark choc went to #6
Breakfast - 2 slices of toast and went to #7
Lunch - 1 Greggs steak bake - back to 7
Supper - Corned beef Hash - 1 scoop
Late evening - 1 scoop ice cream, 2 handfuls peanuts
Tummy Scale variation: 4 - 7
I'm now constantly grading my degree of fullness and as a result I'm avoiding the extremes. It's made me realize that how wildly I would swing between ravenous and stuffed. The most noticeable shift in focus is from food to stomach. I had not realized that I was so out of touch with my body - I now feel much more "united" with it.
Thursday 21 March 2013
DAY 1 (21.3.2013)
The most useful thing I came away from the session with is something that will feature prominently throughout this experience, which you might call the "Tummy Scale":
10 Nauseous
9 Painfully stuffed
8. Bloated
7. Full
6. Satisfied
5. Neutral
4. Peckish
3. Hungry
2. Ravenous
1. Feeling weak
... The objective is to keep within the range 3 - 7, and consequently I am now continually "listening" to my stomach.
Here's how it went today:
0530 4 - 200G dark choc - went to 5
0830 4 -two slices toast went to 6
1200 at 5, 2 hunks crusty white bread, 12 choc buttons went to 6
1600 At 4-5 Full dinner + dessert, went to 7
2000 At 6, had one squre of white choc.
Bedtime (2300) at 6
So far so good then!
10 Nauseous
9 Painfully stuffed
8. Bloated
7. Full
6. Satisfied
5. Neutral
4. Peckish
3. Hungry
2. Ravenous
1. Feeling weak
... The objective is to keep within the range 3 - 7, and consequently I am now continually "listening" to my stomach.
Here's how it went today:
0530 4 - 200G dark choc - went to 5
0830 4 -two slices toast went to 6
1200 at 5, 2 hunks crusty white bread, 12 choc buttons went to 6
1600 At 4-5 Full dinner + dessert, went to 7
2000 At 6, had one squre of white choc.
Bedtime (2300) at 6
So far so good then!
Wednesday 20 March 2013
Day 0 - Start Weight 15st 7lbs (217lbs)
After a telephoned offer to have the first morning appointment, due to a cancellation, I had the session early. The worst part about it was being weighed - I hadn't realized how much the weight has crept back. The therapist said this was no bad thing - the results would be easier to see. I didn't find that overly comforting!
There was a lengthy discussion about the way the mind and body determined what I needed and how this had gone wrong in my case. This boiled down to:
1. Eating too fast by "overlubricating" the food with fluid accompaniments (beer or tea)
2. Not consciously focusing on eating (TV dinners), so not picking up "full" signals.
We then went into what went on in real gastric band surgery, and how the beliefs of the subconscious can override those of the conscious. I knew a lot of this stuff already but I just fully co-operated and listened, even though I wasn't sure of the point.
Finally we got to the hypnosis itself. It was done through headphones, something I don't do with my own clients. On occasion the sound came from the extreme right, which I found uncomfortable - something to do with being very ticklish down my right side, but I went with it.
The induction was a confusion technique, again something I don't use - at one point I was bombarded with suggestions coming simultaneously from left, right and centre - modern technology! Though I found it uncomfortable, I certainly did go into a trance, as I felt the tell-tale signs - feeling tired, heavy limbs, and it felt like 15 minutes when it was actually twice that.
I remember the surgery procedure being described, and other suggestions about enjoying food at the same time. I would rate the depth of trance as being medium, which I was happy with - most other experiences with other therapists have been rather light, with the induction too rushed. I felt like I had been in a trance, so I was happy enough to put up with the slightly uncomfortable-feeling confusional technique.
At the very least, it was a good experience to see first hand how another hypnotherapist does things. I was not converted to the confusional technique (though it's very commonly used in hypnotherapy) or the headphones/mixer technology, which are just flash gimmicks to my mind.
What I certainly did approve of was being given clear post session "homework" instructions and guidance. This was:
1. Continually note my degree of stomach fullness on a scale from 1 (physically faint) to 10 (Nauseous). I was instructed never to let myself get below 3 (Fairly Hungry) or above 7 (Full)
2. I was told to stop having a drink with meals (although before and afterwards was ok) and to put my knife and fork down between mouthfuls, reducing each mouthful to a paste and swallowing before shovelling in the next piece.
3. This was a toughie - don't do anything else while eating - no TV etc - to eat in a meditative way. I complained that someimes I ate with family in front of the TV. I was told I could still do this but I had to be focused on my food. When eating alone I said I would do as instructed, though it would be a slightly uncomfortable change.
I was taught an EFT (finger tapping) technique to do every day to eliminate comfort eating, but I am going to blatantly ignore this, as I don't comfort eat - just unsconsciously overeat. I am already using meditation to keep happy and I prefer to persevere with that.
Finally I was given a hypnosis session on CD to listen to monthly, and was reminded that to eat consciously and meditatively was absolutely essential to success. And that was that!
Lunchtime on Wednesdays is traditionally ribs with Son. I felt like I was already at 6 (aware of Food in stomach) but I eat it ok, though didn't fancy desert and I stayed at 6.
I had a long meditation in the afternoon and went to 4 (peckish) at 1600 I really fancied 1 cherry bakewell, which kept me going until 2040 when I went to 3 (rather hungry) so had a handful of peanuts. That got me back up to 4 which kept me going until bedtime.
There was a lengthy discussion about the way the mind and body determined what I needed and how this had gone wrong in my case. This boiled down to:
1. Eating too fast by "overlubricating" the food with fluid accompaniments (beer or tea)
2. Not consciously focusing on eating (TV dinners), so not picking up "full" signals.
We then went into what went on in real gastric band surgery, and how the beliefs of the subconscious can override those of the conscious. I knew a lot of this stuff already but I just fully co-operated and listened, even though I wasn't sure of the point.
Finally we got to the hypnosis itself. It was done through headphones, something I don't do with my own clients. On occasion the sound came from the extreme right, which I found uncomfortable - something to do with being very ticklish down my right side, but I went with it.
The induction was a confusion technique, again something I don't use - at one point I was bombarded with suggestions coming simultaneously from left, right and centre - modern technology! Though I found it uncomfortable, I certainly did go into a trance, as I felt the tell-tale signs - feeling tired, heavy limbs, and it felt like 15 minutes when it was actually twice that.
I remember the surgery procedure being described, and other suggestions about enjoying food at the same time. I would rate the depth of trance as being medium, which I was happy with - most other experiences with other therapists have been rather light, with the induction too rushed. I felt like I had been in a trance, so I was happy enough to put up with the slightly uncomfortable-feeling confusional technique.
At the very least, it was a good experience to see first hand how another hypnotherapist does things. I was not converted to the confusional technique (though it's very commonly used in hypnotherapy) or the headphones/mixer technology, which are just flash gimmicks to my mind.
What I certainly did approve of was being given clear post session "homework" instructions and guidance. This was:
1. Continually note my degree of stomach fullness on a scale from 1 (physically faint) to 10 (Nauseous). I was instructed never to let myself get below 3 (Fairly Hungry) or above 7 (Full)
2. I was told to stop having a drink with meals (although before and afterwards was ok) and to put my knife and fork down between mouthfuls, reducing each mouthful to a paste and swallowing before shovelling in the next piece.
3. This was a toughie - don't do anything else while eating - no TV etc - to eat in a meditative way. I complained that someimes I ate with family in front of the TV. I was told I could still do this but I had to be focused on my food. When eating alone I said I would do as instructed, though it would be a slightly uncomfortable change.
I was taught an EFT (finger tapping) technique to do every day to eliminate comfort eating, but I am going to blatantly ignore this, as I don't comfort eat - just unsconsciously overeat. I am already using meditation to keep happy and I prefer to persevere with that.
Finally I was given a hypnosis session on CD to listen to monthly, and was reminded that to eat consciously and meditatively was absolutely essential to success. And that was that!
Lunchtime on Wednesdays is traditionally ribs with Son. I felt like I was already at 6 (aware of Food in stomach) but I eat it ok, though didn't fancy desert and I stayed at 6.
I had a long meditation in the afternoon and went to 4 (peckish) at 1600 I really fancied 1 cherry bakewell, which kept me going until 2040 when I went to 3 (rather hungry) so had a handful of peanuts. That got me back up to 4 which kept me going until bedtime.
Tuesday 19 March 2013
DAY -1
DOES THE HYPNOTIC GASTRIC BAND REALLY WORK?
Seeing a hypnotherapist is kinda expensive, so wouldn't it be great to see if it works or not with your own eyes first? Even better, what if the hypnotherapist was the one you watched trying it out? THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THIS BLOG!! You will be able to see for yourself whether it's worth going for.
HOW THE EXPERIMENT WILL WORK
Tomorrow (Day 0) I am seeing another hypnotherapist to have the hypnotic gastric band "installed". You will then be able to follow my progress for six months between the two equinoxes, Spring to Autumn, so this blog has a finite beginning and end.
If it works for a hypnotherapist, it might just work for you! If not, I will not offer this service myself, as if it doesn't work for me, I can't with integrity offer it or recommend it to others. If it does, I will be offering it myself to clients immediately after.
WHO ARE YOU SEEING?
I'm not telling you! That way the therapist has nothing to lose. Obviously if it works I will be a competitor, and will want clients to come to me, but if it doesn't, that therapist's reputation won't be damaged.
IF YOU'RE A THERAPIST, HOW COME YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT?
I don't - at least not in my own mind. I'm comfortable in my own skin, I'm healthy, my clothes all fit, and my wife is happy with me, so I don't really have an incentive in my personal life. However, many people are unhappy, and if they see someone showing by example what can or can't be used to help them, they will be better informed about their options.
OK BUT YOU MUST BE CARRYING EXCESS WEIGHT TO BE ABLE TO LOSE IT
Yes that's true. Oddly enough it started to creep back up when instead of being my second job, being a therapist became my first job. I got a lot less exercise as I am now at home most of the time with continual access to food. I consequently have weight that I can lose, and if I do lose it, it certainly won't do any harm.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SIX MONTHS? WILL YOU RETURN TO HOW YOU ARE NOW?
Who knows? The therapist assures me that my weight will not only be lost but stay lost - permanently. My eating habits will have undergone a permanent change so the Weight will stay lower. If it did creep back up again, that would also disprove it as a permanent solution and I would stop offering the treatment.
YOU SEEM SKEPTICAL
Not skeptical, just objective. I have an open mind. For me it's a win-win. Either I'll have an exciting new treatment to offer my own clients, or I will have disproved a gimmick.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW?
Well I will weigh myself and take the time-honoured "before" picture. I will then go have the session which is booked for the early afternoon. You will then be able to follow my progress on here.
ARE YOU GOING TO SEE THIS THROUGH?
If the treatment is clearly not working at all, I will end the blog early and report my findings as a closer, but if it continues to work, rest-assured I will complete the full six months.
I'M SURE LOTS OF PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW YOUR PROGRESS. GOOD LUCK!
Thank you!
Seeing a hypnotherapist is kinda expensive, so wouldn't it be great to see if it works or not with your own eyes first? Even better, what if the hypnotherapist was the one you watched trying it out? THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THIS BLOG!! You will be able to see for yourself whether it's worth going for.
HOW THE EXPERIMENT WILL WORK
Tomorrow (Day 0) I am seeing another hypnotherapist to have the hypnotic gastric band "installed". You will then be able to follow my progress for six months between the two equinoxes, Spring to Autumn, so this blog has a finite beginning and end.
If it works for a hypnotherapist, it might just work for you! If not, I will not offer this service myself, as if it doesn't work for me, I can't with integrity offer it or recommend it to others. If it does, I will be offering it myself to clients immediately after.
WHO ARE YOU SEEING?
I'm not telling you! That way the therapist has nothing to lose. Obviously if it works I will be a competitor, and will want clients to come to me, but if it doesn't, that therapist's reputation won't be damaged.
IF YOU'RE A THERAPIST, HOW COME YOU NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT?
I don't - at least not in my own mind. I'm comfortable in my own skin, I'm healthy, my clothes all fit, and my wife is happy with me, so I don't really have an incentive in my personal life. However, many people are unhappy, and if they see someone showing by example what can or can't be used to help them, they will be better informed about their options.
OK BUT YOU MUST BE CARRYING EXCESS WEIGHT TO BE ABLE TO LOSE IT
Yes that's true. Oddly enough it started to creep back up when instead of being my second job, being a therapist became my first job. I got a lot less exercise as I am now at home most of the time with continual access to food. I consequently have weight that I can lose, and if I do lose it, it certainly won't do any harm.
WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE SIX MONTHS? WILL YOU RETURN TO HOW YOU ARE NOW?
Who knows? The therapist assures me that my weight will not only be lost but stay lost - permanently. My eating habits will have undergone a permanent change so the Weight will stay lower. If it did creep back up again, that would also disprove it as a permanent solution and I would stop offering the treatment.
YOU SEEM SKEPTICAL
Not skeptical, just objective. I have an open mind. For me it's a win-win. Either I'll have an exciting new treatment to offer my own clients, or I will have disproved a gimmick.
SO WHAT EXACTLY IS GOING TO HAPPEN TOMORROW?
Well I will weigh myself and take the time-honoured "before" picture. I will then go have the session which is booked for the early afternoon. You will then be able to follow my progress on here.
ARE YOU GOING TO SEE THIS THROUGH?
If the treatment is clearly not working at all, I will end the blog early and report my findings as a closer, but if it continues to work, rest-assured I will complete the full six months.
I'M SURE LOTS OF PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW YOUR PROGRESS. GOOD LUCK!
Thank you!
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