Weight Management Research
Research exploring the use of hypnotherapy and hypnosis in weight loss and weight management
If you’re concerned about your weight, you may have experienced the frustration of trying different diets or approaches to eating.
Perhaps you’ve tried counting points or calories, changing portion sizes, cutting out certain foods, following a particular diet, or trying to eat “healthier”.
You may also have noticed patterns such as snacking when you’re not physically hungry, eating in response to emotions, or finding yourself returning to familiar habits even when you’d intended to do things differently.
Over time, this can become frustrating and exhausting.
You may find yourself thinking, “I’ll start again next week”, “I’ll start after my holiday”, or “I just can’t keep doing this.”
If some of this sounds familiar, you may be interested in the research exploring how hypnosis and hypnotherapy have been used alongside approaches to weight management.
How might hypnotherapy fit into weight management?
Hypnotherapy takes a different approach from simply focusing on what you should or shouldn’t eat.
It can involve exploring thoughts, habits, emotions and patterns around eating, while learning strategies that may help you become more aware of these patterns and make different choices.
The research into hypnosis and weight management is still developing, and studies have used different approaches and methods. Some research has reported positive findings, while this does not mean that everyone will experience the same results.
Below you’ll find examples of research studies that have explored the use of hypnosis or hypnotherapy in relation to weight management.
What does the research show?
The studies below provide an opportunity to look at what researchers have actually investigated, rather than making assumptions about what hypnotherapy can achieve.
2018 Meta-Analysis: Hypnosis and Weight Loss
The effectiveness of hypnosis as an intervention for obesity: A meta-analytic review
Milling, Gover and Moriarty (2018) conducted two meta-analyses examining the effectiveness of hypnosis as an intervention for obesity and the potential effect of adding hypnosis to cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT).
The first meta-analysis compared hypnosis interventions with control conditions across 14 trials at the end of treatment and six trials at the longest follow-up.
The authors reported that the average participant receiving some form of hypnosis lost more weight than approximately 94% of participants in the control groups at the end of treatment, and more than approximately 81% of control participants at follow-up.
The second meta-analysis looked at CBT compared with the same intervention when hypnosis was added. The authors reported greater effects for the combined CBT and hypnosis intervention at the longest follow-up.
The authors also noted that more research was needed to understand the longer-term benefits, particularly over follow-up periods of one to five years.
Source:
Milling, L. S., Gover, M. C., & Moriarty, C. L. (2018). The effectiveness of hypnosis as an intervention for obesity: A meta-analytic review. Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice, 5(1), 29–45.
https://doi.org/10.1037/cns0000139
Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments — another meta-reanalysis
Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments — another meta-reanalysis
This 1996 meta-reanalysis examined research comparing cognitive-behavioural treatments for weight reduction with the same treatments supplemented by hypnosis.
At the final assessment period, the researchers reported mean weight loss of 6.03 lb (2.74 kg) for participants receiving treatment without hypnosis, compared with 14.88 lb (6.75 kg) for those receiving treatment with hypnosis. The reported effect size for this difference was 0.98 SD.
When post-treatment and follow-up assessments were averaged, mean weight loss was 6.00 lb (2.72 kg) without hypnosis and 11.83 lb (5.37 kg) with hypnosis. The researchers also reported that the benefits associated with hypnosis increased over time.
The study therefore provides research into the potential role of hypnosis when added to cognitive-behavioural treatment, rather than examining hypnosis as a stand-alone approach.
Source:
Kirsch, I. (1996). Hypnotic enhancement of cognitive-behavioral weight loss treatments — another meta-reanalysis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64(3), 517–519.
DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.64.3.517
What happened when hypnosis was used with different weight-management approaches?
Weight loss for women: studies of smokers and nonsmokers using hypnosis and multicomponent treatments with and without overt aversion
David L. Johnson (1997) reported two studies involving overweight adult women.
In the first study, 100 women — 50 smokers and 50 non-smokers — took part in a hypnosis-based weight-loss programme. Both groups experienced statistically significant reductions in weight and Body Mass Index (BMI).
A second study involved 100 women who received either hypnosis alone or a multicomponent programme combining hypnosis with overt aversion. The researchers reported significant reductions in weight and BMI in the follow-up study, with the combined overt-aversion and hypnosis programme producing significantly lower post-treatment weights and a greater average number of pounds lost.
Source:
Johnson, D. L. (1997). Weight loss for women: Studies of smokers and nonsmokers using hypnosis and multicomponent treatments with and without overt aversion. Psychological Reports, 80(3 Pt 1), 931–933.
DOI: 10.2466/pr0.1997.80.3.931
Hypnosis can more than double the effects of traditional weight loss approaches
An analysis of five weight loss studies reported in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1996 showed that the “…weight loss reported in the five studies indicates that hypnosis can more than double the effects” of traditional weight loss approaches.
~University of Connecticut, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 1996 (Vol. 64, No. 3, pgs 517-519)
What happened when hypnosis was compared with a control group?
Hypnotherapy in Weight Loss Treatment — Cochrane & Friesen (1986)
This study investigated hypnosis as part of a weight-management intervention involving 60 women aged between 20 and 65 who were at least 20% overweight.
Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: hypnosis with supplementary audiotapes, hypnosis without audiotapes, or a control group (no hypnosis). The programme included group hypnosis using therapeutic metaphors and suggestions relating to motivation, decision-making and maintenance, together with individual hypnosis. Weight was assessed both immediately after treatment and again at a six-month follow-up.
At the six-month follow-up, the hypnosis groups had lost substantially more weight on average than the control group. The reported average weight loss was approximately 17–18 lb in the hypnosis groups, compared with about 1.5 lb in the control group.
The researchers also found that there was no significant difference between the hypnosis group that received audiotapes and the hypnosis group that did not, suggesting that the additional audiotapes were not a significant contributor to the outcome in this study.
This was one study involving a relatively small group of women, so its findings should be considered in the context of the wider research rather than as evidence of what everyone using hypnotherapy can expect.
Source:
Cochrane, G., & Friesen, J. (1986). Hypnotherapy in weight loss treatment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54(4), 489–492.
DOI: 10.1037/0022-006X.54.4.489.
What happened when hypnotherapy focused on stress reduction?
Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea
This 1998 randomised controlled trial involved 60 patients with obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea who were receiving treatment with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP).
Participants were divided into three groups:
- hypnotherapy focused on stress reduction
- hypnotherapy focused on reducing energy intake
- dietary advice alone
The researchers assessed weight at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months.
At three months, all three groups had lost around 2–3% of their body weight.
At 18 months, the stress-reduction hypnotherapy group was the only group showing a statistically significant mean weight reduction compared with baseline, averaging 3.8 kg. When the results across the whole follow-up period were analysed, the stress-reduction hypnotherapy group showed significantly greater weight loss than the other two groups.
Importantly, the researchers themselves described the benefit as small and clinically insignificant, despite the statistically significant result, and suggested that further research would be needed.
Source:
Stradling, J., Roberts, D., Wilson, A., & Lovelock, F. (1998). Controlled trial of hypnotherapy for weight loss in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea. International Journal of Obesity, 22(3), 278–281.
DOI: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800578
Want to explore the research further?
Further reading
How effective is hypnotherapy for weight loss? — Oprah Daily
An accessible overview of hypnosis and weight loss research, including discussion of some of the earlier studies.
Read the article
Successful Weight Loss Using Hypnosis — Psychology Today
An article discussing hypnosis, behaviour change and weight management.
Read the article
Three Studies on Hypnosis and Weight Loss
A collection of research studies relating to hypnosis and weight loss.
View the research
A note about the research
Research into hypnosis and weight management has used a range of different methods, participants and treatment approaches. The studies presented here should therefore be considered individually rather than as evidence of a guaranteed outcome from hypnotherapy.
Research continues to develop, and further high-quality studies are needed to better understand where hypnosis and hypnotherapy may fit within weight-management approaches.
Why is the above research relevant to a mind-body approach?
Cognitive-behavioural approaches can include practical strategies such as goal setting, identifying thought patterns, reframing and keeping records of thoughts and behaviours. Some of these types of strategies are also incorporated into my Healthy Mind-Body Programme, alongside hypnotherapy and other mind-management techniques.
The research above is not a study of my programme, but it provides an interesting example of research examining hypnosis alongside cognitive-behavioural approaches.
Interested in the Healthy Mind-Body approach?
If you’d like to learn more about how I combine hypnotherapy with mindset work, practical strategies and support, you can explore my Healthy Mind-Body Programmes.
[EXPLORE THE HEALTHY MIND-BODY PROGRAMMES]
Hypnotherapy Weightloss Success & Reasearch
My 12 Week Healthy Mind-Body programme can help you lose weight…
and keep it off for good!
This was so much more than weight loss….
Starting my journey on the weight loss band wagon well so I thought it was all about weight loss, how wrong I was!
My relationship with food was unhealthy, fraught with binge eating and feeling guilty for over eating! Feeling helpless to change! I tried every diet going, the promise of losing weight with a pill, a shake or a funny looking band for my thighs, yip I tried it all! Nothing seemed to work for me! If I didn’t lose weight in the first two days I would quit and think ‘stuff it’, I may as well eat all of those biscuits! I do the shopping so all the bad food I used to buy! And I was teaching my kids the same bad habits as mine.
Read more below…
More about this client's success
This was so much more than weight loss….
Starting my journey on the weight loss band wagon well so I thought it was all about weight loss, how wrong I was!
My relationship with food was unhealthy, fraught with binge eating and feeling guilty for over eating! Feeling helpless to change! I tried every diet going, the promise of losing weight with a pill, a shake or a funny looking band for my thighs, yip I tried it all! Nothing seemed to work for me! If I didn’t lose weight in the first two days I would quit and think ‘stuff it’, I may as well eat all of those biscuits! I do the shopping so all the bad food I used to buy! And I was teaching my kids the same bad habits as mine.
I used to be slim in my 20’s, but once I had kids it all changed, tiredness kicked in and sugar became my friend for a quick fix! My weight pulled on from there! I hated myself 
.
I had heard about the virtual gastric band on the radio, sitting in Auckland traffic on my way to work! This really appealed to me, sounded non-invasive and attractive to a surgery phobia ridden girl like me!
Then I was cleaning a friend’s house and noticed her weight loss and asked her what she had being doing! The conversation on the virtual gastric band then happened! So I quizzed her more and asked where one would get this done etc! Sue Wood’s number was handed to me and wham I called and made an appointment to see Sue from Alpha Hypnosis.
The day came for my first session, I was excited and full of hope, I was finally going to be my ideal weight! In no time at all I would be 20 kilos lighter! But as I found out as time went in, this was so much more than weight loss. It was about changing my thoughts deep within and learning about why I over eat! This was not going to be a quick fix. I had my ups and downs during the Christmas new-year period and I came to a very heady realisation “this was a life-long journey and not a lose weight quick fix”.
Turning my negative food thoughts into positive ones and being ok with three small meals a day took some retraining, but now I finally feel like I’m on the right track to success! It was a lot more than just being about food tho. It was about breaking the destructive thoughts inside my head of failure and ‘stuff- it’ thoughts took some retraining!
I have completed my seven sessions with sue and feel wonderful, positive and definitely more confident to continue! I will smash my goals, it may take a little longer than first thought, but I’m ok with that!
I don’t feel hungry anymore and I’m not reaching for the sweet food for energy, I get all I need from my three small meals a day! I walk my dog every morning and have plenty of energy! My thoughts around food have changed into positive ones. This really was all about changing my negative thoughts into positive ones.
This has been a journey of enlightenment and being kind to my-self is my main goal, the rest will follow!
Thank you Sue for our sessions!
Mel 
Results may vary
They’re amazed as to how easy it has been!
After just one week they are satisfied with just 3 small meals a day, nor have they snacked between meals!
Having completed our first week (since their Virtual Gastric Band session) we are amazed as to how easy it has been to retrain the mind to be satisfied with only 3 small meals a day. We haven’t even wanted to snack in between meals as the urge to eat has not been there.
Part of the program involves listening to an audio Hypnotherapy session twice a day in the privacy of your own home. This reinforces the retraining of the mind and anchors the message of the program (including daily exercise) firmly into your mind.
Read more below…
More about this client's success
I had always heard that one could use Hypnotherapy for a number of ways to re train the mind to solve phobias and other issues such as stop smoking, anxiety and other issues. I thought if Hypnotherapy could work for these issues, why not for weight loss. My wife and I happened onto the VGB program run by Alpha Hypnosis when we were discussing the benefits of Hypnosis with a friend. He suggested we call Sue and Roger and look into how they could assist us in sheading the pounds we desperately needed to get rid of. We had tried all sorts of diets and other programs and nothing worked for us long term.
We were consuming huge platefuls of food, no excercise and before we knew it we were out of control and heading towards long term health issues.
Diet Drinks ‘Canned’…
Stopped drinking diet soda, an addicition of over 20 years!
I was pleasantly surprised to hear from a recent client that she had completely stopped drinking diet soda, an “addiction” she’s had for over 20 years and she was losing weight.
I was surprised because during her first session, I’d only briefly mentioned that she would reject all sugary foods and drinks. This is part of an overall approach during the first session aimed at portion size, together with foods and drinks that are not in the best interests of your health.
Results may vary
More about this client's success
The programme also addresses unhealthy/healthy food and drinks, food management, exercise, attitude, motivation and focus, as well as other issues that may be holding a client back.
It’s all very well to say you just have to eat healthier or exercise your body more, and will-power alone can sometimes achieve this, but not always.
For there to be a permanent change in your behaviour there must first be a change in your mind – your unconscious or subconscious mind! And it’s important that your conscious and subconscious mind is in harmony to reach your goal, whatever your goal may be.
Helping people to tap into the power of their inner mind is very rewarding – to see the positive changes they can make to reduce their weight, be more motivated, get rid of phobias, manage pain, improve in sport or study, and much more. Many clients have been impressed at how their hypnotherapy sessions have changed their way of thinking. They often thank me, and I point out that I am a guide, using techniques and skills I’ve learnt, to assist them to tap into their inner mind, their personal power, so their inner thoughts and motivation are in harmony with what they consciously want to achieve. They are the ones “doing it”, making the changes. I can’t make them “do” anything they don’t really want to do.
Results may vary
The only person holding me back… was me!”
“I am a person that has tried all the weight loss programmes – 4 week lose 10 kilo’s, gym contracts for a year where I only went twice, boot camps, shakes, green tea’s, fasting, bingeing, always wanting a quick fix, and I kept on forgetting that it didn’t take me 4 weeks to put on the weight!
So when I saw this Alpha Hypnosis programme, I thought why not? One more “fad” won’t make a difference, and it was worth a try.
Well… was I wrong… Turned out, I had to get it right in my head first, and realise for myself that the only person holding me back from completely enjoying my life to the full and achieving my weight loss goal was me!”
More about this client's success
I have found unbelievable energy, confidence, drive and passion for my life again, and the motivation I feel now, to get on and live my life & achieve my goals, is great!
I found Hypnotherapy to be the ideal tool to assist me & give me the motivation to choose healthier choices and get me closer to achieving my goals. And I no longer feel the need to finish the bag of biscuits seen as they open? I have even stopped chewing my nails, which I have done for about 20 years!
Before going everything felt like too much effort, and now I feel very energetic! I don’t give up on getting things done as easily, and it was like something “clicked” in my brain. Now I no longer feel like I need a quick fix to lose the weight, it’s more of a lifestyle programme. And I can see a big change in my attitude and happiness levels too!
I have lost a few kilo’s so far and still have quite a few to go, but I have finally realised that I thought my weight was my security blanket, protecting me from actually living my life to the fullest, whereas all it was doing was actually restricting me. I do not feel as restricted now, before i was putting on a kilo or two every few months and now i will be losing them, not gaining!
What I have gained, and continue to gain, is achievement closer to my goals and a happier outlook and sense of self! So thank you Susan Wood and Alpha Hypnosis!
Caylie Roussel
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