Meagan
Public Relations
Austin, Texas
I've had an unhealthy fixation with weight and my body over the last twenty years. My time was consumed with worrying about food and exercise and I almost felt crazy from it. It was like being on a roller coaster and it was maddening. When I was exercising a ton and not eating very much I would be at an emotional high point, but when I was eating what I wanted on the weekend, I would hit a deep emotional low. I beat myself up and I just didn't like myself.
It was an internal struggle and I felt out of control all the time. I was starving a lot of the time and then I would binge. If I didn't exercise enough, I felt out of control and very unhappy. My obsession with food in my life chained me down, but that was the only way that I knew, so I felt stuck.
I tried Weight Watchers in college to help me with my problem. I went a few times, but hated to go to meetings. I realize now that I didn't need to lose weight and what I really needed wasn't there. I tried every diet book, counting calories, and lots of self-deprivation and over-exercising. All of these were temporary solutions and I needed something permanent.
I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on citysearch, but I had my reservations. I felt like it was a last resort because people make hypnosis sound like a silly thing to do. After the first session, I noticed that I started accepting myself more and caring less about food. At that point, I realized that hypnosis was something that could have been resourceful for me a long time ago. It wasn't about losing weight anymore because I understood that I needed to fix the emotional problems instead.
It's been almost effortless to change. All the healthy lifestyle choices came naturally because I put my body and my physiological needs before my emotional ties to food. I realized that it's about listening to my body and eating until I'm satisfied, not bingeing. I eat foods that are naturally good for me and I have been able to eliminate overeating, bingeing, and cravings, it has literally all gone away.
My husband has noticed a change in me. He has more fun with me because I enjoy cooking and going out to eat. He's noticed that I talk about it less and I'm not standing in front of the mirror, picking and poking at myself anymore. The word calorie is rarely muttered in the house, which is pure joy to him.
I feel more in control now. Exercise and food used to be my primary thought processes and now they have become secondary to the other parts of my life. I've been able to focus on work, my future, and my marriage and that makes me feel more confident. I can stand up to people now and I've stopped blaming myself for every fault or feeling guilty and disgusted with myself. Now that I devote time to other things, I pursue my passions and tie them into my life. I'm writing more and looking at freelance jobs, which I had never had the courage to do before.
The most important benefit that I've received has been the freedom to live. I feel for the first time that there is so much more to me than food and I'm finally learning to live in a world where my thoughts are not dictated by my weight or my food choices. I sleep better, I have a positive outlook, and I have mental clarity. I'm much happier and my pants even fit better.
I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to overcome a fixation with food because it's been extremely successful for me. This is a total inside and out makeover and because this process has been about my emotions and not just my body, I know that it is forever. This process delves deeper than just the issue at hand and I found out more about the root of my problems than I could have ever imagined on my own. I am confident that I have the tools and the understanding to move forward. I know that I will hit bumps in the road, but now I know what to do about them. I won't end up in the same downward spiral because I've changed my perspective on everything and that feels wonderful.