Maria Hartman
RN and Graduate Student
Austin, TX
I've struggled with my weight for the last 20 years. It was frustrating and self-destructive. I ate too many sweets and it was all about immediate gratification for me. I got tired very easily and it was difficult to exercise. I ate Long John Silver's because it was convenient. I was also noticing that I had more pronounced age spots on my skin. I felt out of control because I was eating sweets every day and making bad choices. I was even drinking hot chocolate every day consistently.
I didn't want to end up with health complications, so I did a Physicians Diet and I did lose weight, but it came back. I tried Slim-Fast off and on, but my blood sugars bottomed out and it gave me hypoglycemic side-effects. I did the Michael Thurman's six week makeover along with acupuncture and exercise and I lost 50 lbs and that lasted for a year, but I recently started to gain it back, so I decided to try something else.
I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on yellowpages.com. I had tried hypnosis in the past and it had worked for me to stay away from chocolate and Gatorade and it was helpful, so I decided to try it again. When I started listening to the CDs consistently, I noticed that I was more focused on accepting myself and I had a better self-image. Feeling better about myself made everything else seem to work.
Laura gave me a lot of helpful information about nutrition and I'm not eating processed foods anymore. I'm honoring myself enough to buy good quality food. Hypnosis has made a real difference for me, I really think about the fuel that I put in my body now and it's so simple.
I'm consistently taking vitamins and Chinese herbs. I haven't bought any candy at all and I only have hot chocolate once every couple of weeks. I feel more in control because I realize that I'm making good choices and I'm thinking more before acting. I'm not so impulsive anymore; I allow myself a sweet once a week and now it's a treat for me. Sometimes I even skip my weekly sweet and I'm fine with it. On Sunday morning, I have one taco and that is enough because I know that there is no need to eat more than one.
I savor my bites of food and I eat with meaning, which helps me to appreciate foods more. My friends have commented that I've lost weight and my brother noticed that I have more muscle tone. My coach even mentioned that I was lighter on my feet. This weekend, family members commented that I wasn't eating very much and that made me feel proud.
Exercise has been relatively easy to keep doing. I had a punching bag and a speed bag at home and Laura encouraged me to take boxing classes and I'm really enjoying it now. She gave me permission to do it and she allowed me to be nice to myself, which has always been hard for me. It's easier to ride my bike now, so I can give my dog a workout. I have better endurance and I can keep up with everybody else.
I feel more confident. I went out with a friend to see a band the other night and I noticed that I was getting more looks from people. I know that my better food choices are going to bring me better health and I've even noticed that my skin looks better. I believe that these changes and my weight loss will be permanent because I'm dealing with the root cause instead of just the manifestation. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to make a lifestyle change because it works.