Healthy Lifestyle: Sandra

Sandra Lira
Chef
Austin, TX

I've had a life long struggle with my weight and it was a physical and emotional battle every day. I felt like I was fighting with myself and sometimes it was even hard for me to get out of bed. I was stressed out and erupting like a volcano all the time. I would be alone and I would eat a whole plate of food and just keep eating. I felt out of control; I was caught in a tornado and I was going around and around, but my situation was never changing. I work in a kitchen and I was always snacking and was eating fast food late at night. I just accepted that this was the way things are.

I've tried diets; I would lose weight and then go right back up, exercise would work for a while, but I would lose motivation and get too comfortable and end up slipping back into old habits. Five years ago, I had bariatric surgery. I had drastic weight loss, but unfortunately I had a physical surgery and not a mental one. My mind was in the same place that it had been before and I was afraid I going to end up gaining back all the weight.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on citysearch. I saw so many reviews and recommendations about it.

I was looking for a change and wanted to know if it could help me, so I decided to call. I started to notice that I felt calmer after the first session. I was paying more attention to what I was eating and I felt like I was processing information better. I started exercising more and eating smaller portions and I wasn't stopping for fast food on the way home from work.

It's been painless and easy for me. I have more energy now and I'm able to calmly and effectively handle things. My blood pressure has become stable and my blood sugar is lower. I feel more in control. Hypnosis has helped me stop bingeing and snacking and it's really good to know that I'm the one making the choices now instead of the food, the people around me, my emotions, or my stress. I feel personally accountable for what I'm doing.

The changes in my emotional state and stress levels have been the biggest benefits for me. It's been an eye opener; I feel like I've had the light turned on in my mind and I know now that there was a reason behind my behaviors. In the long term, I know that this will help me not to take on everybody's problems and stress eat. I am handling situations differently and I've had coworkers comment on how well I'm handling things. Everyone says that I'm so different and I've even been asked if I'm taking medication.

I feel more confident. I look people in the eye and I walk with confidence. I take more care about how I present myself. I have a boost and it's helped. I know what I want and I'm much more sure of my goals. I know that these changes and my healthy lifestyle will be permanent. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to change their lifestyle. I know that it's beneficial because if it can help me than it could help anyone.

Healthy Lifestyle: Dolores

Dolores Groves
University of Texas
Austin, TX

I've struggled with my weight for the last twelve years. It was kind of depressing, the older I got, the more weight I gained. I refused to buy bigger sizes and things had gotten pretty tight. I was like a drug addict; I knew it was bad for me, but I did it anyway because it felt good. I would wake up in the morning and start thinking about what I was going to have for lunch that afternoon. I knew I was letting myself down, but I couldn't stop. I felt like healthy foods weren't going to taste good and I was really closed minded about what was out there. I also bought unhealthy food because they was cheaper.

I used to set goals, but never really work towards them. I tried Weight Watchers and lost ten pounds, but gained it back. I did group hypnosis in the past and cut out bad things like coke and chocolate. The cravings weren't there and it was a noticeable difference. In fact, I still don't drink soda very often and it's been seven years. After the group, I decided that I needed more reinforcement and saw an individual hypnotherapist in Pflugerville. I didn't feel like we were compatible and it was a long drive, so I decided to stop.

I thought about trying hypnosis with someone new and found out about A New Day Hypnosis on yahoo local. I decided that it was time for me to take care of myself. I know that hypnosis works for me and when I read other people's testimonials I decided to give Laura a call.

It's been easier to change my behaviors this time. The difference was subtle at first and then all of a sudden it just kind of snuck up on me and I realized that I was doing things differently and wasn't thinking about food all the time. Everything just hit at once and fell into place. I think I'm more open-minded about foods that are good for me; I even tried tofu last week and liked it. I feel more in control now. I'm buying more vegetables and I don't care what the price is. I'm making healthy eating the main priority because I know that it's better for me. I've always gone the cheap route, but now I'm more willing to spend money on quality food.

Hypnosis has helped me stop having cravings. Today, I met my husband for lunch and we went to the Catfish Parlor. I noticed immediately that I was grabbing sautéed vegetables and I ate that first before I touched anything else. We went to dinner last night and my mom was shocked that I was ordering water instead of tea.

The biggest benefit for me overall has been the change in my self image. I feel slimmer and my clothes are loose; I feel better about the choices that I'm making. I want to be healthy and I'm working towards it because I'm more flexible about what I am willing to eat. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to improve their lifestyle. In fact, I have a good friend who has been asking about my progress. She's tried Weight Watchers three times and it hasn't worked. I just keep telling her that change has to come from within. I know that I can do this now and I have a much better outlook about where I'm headed.

Healthy Lifestyle: Natalie

Natalie Smith
Holistic Nutritional Consultant
Austin, TX

I've struggled with my weight and health related issues for the last 8-10 years. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes ten years ago and it's been a difficult, never-ending uphill battle. I felt like it was going to be something that I would have to struggle with for the rest of my life. I was afraid that it was going to make me sick because I was bingeing on foods that were hurting me. I was using food and alcohol as a crutch and I wasn't taking care of myself. Once I started bingeing, I couldn't stop; I was bingeing two or three times a week. I went to the gas station and bought doughnuts and cakes and sugary foods. I couldn't control it because I didn't even know what was causing me to do it. I tried really low-calorie diets and fasts. I could stop it temporarily by dieting and being strict with myself, but after a couple of months, I just went back to bingeing.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis through citysearch. All the good reviews impressed me. People were saying how their lives had changed and it sounded good, so I decided to call. I noticed changes after the first session. When I walked into the office, I felt like my stomach was in my throat. For the first time in months, I actually felt really relaxed in my whole body. The change came faster than I expected. I'm eating better, taking care of myself, and learning how to be comfortable with myself. I'm not using food as a drug to calm me down and I'm not afraid of change anymore. I first came for food issues, but it has become everything else in my life that has needed to change. A lot of the food issues that I was dealing with were centered around fear and a lot of those feelings are gone now.

Hypnosis has been the tool that made it all fall into place and made the change happen not just with food, but with my whole life. I'm not afraid of other people anymore and I deal with things like anxiety and stress in healthy ways. Now I can recognize what's going on before it turns into a binge session. I realize that food is not going to solve the problem or ease anxiety. People at work have noticed that I'm standing up for myself in unexpected ways. My friends, family, and my husband have noticed a change in me. I don't feel nervous about what people are thinking about me and I don't think twice about talking to people.

Hypnosis has helped me to eliminate bingeing and eating things that I knew would make me unhappy and unhealthy. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis because hypnosis is a really good tool to tap into the subconscious and utilize your own strengths. This has been the biggest tool for change that I've ever had in my life. It came at the right time when I was ready and I don't know if the change could have happened without it. I'm becoming a different person, the best parts of me aren't overshadowed by fear, anxiety and stress anymore. This process has changed my life beyond what I could have even imagined. It's been pretty amazing; the difference between who I am now and the person that I was before is like night and day. I know that these changes and my healthy lifestyle will be permanent because it isn't possible for me to go back; I have tools now that I can use for the rest of my life

Healthy Lifestyle: Casey

Casey Garinger
Student
Austin, TX

I've struggled with my weight for the last five years. Towards the end of middle school, it started to bug me because I knew I was going into high school and I wanted to start fresh. I always had this thing in my head telling me that I needed to do something about it, so I tried the Adkins Diet and Weight Watchers. I didn't like having to count points or cut out food groups and I just felt like I had no options with what I could eat, it was frustrating. I didn't really see any changes with either of them so after a few months, I quit. I felt like I didn't have a system. I knew what I was supposed to do, but I just didn't do it.

My mom did an internet search and found A New Day Hypnosis. After we talked about it, I decided that I wanted to make an appointment. I noticed changes pretty quickly. I was paying more attention to what I was eating and it wasn't hard for me. I'm more athletic and energetic and I'm practicing for basketball and volleyball when I'm at home, which I never used to do. I've noticed that my clothes are baggier and everything is a little bit too big for me when I'm shopping. My family has noticed that my face is getting thinner. I feel more in control now and I'm aware of what I'm eating and how much I'm eating. I'm making the right choices and I don't overeat and snack, I'm also drinking a lot more water.

My friends have noticed that I'm eating a healthy lunch at school with more organic foods. I feel more confident. I used to wear a jacket all the time to try and cover up and now I don't do that anymore. I'm more social and I do more things with friends on weekends instead of staying at home. I've also been participating more when I'm in class.

My biggest benefit has been that I'm paying attention more to what's in foods and avoiding the things that are bad for me. Hypnosis has helped me make more thought out decisions and I never just act without thinking about it. I know that these changes and my new lifestyle will be permanent because I have a strong focus on my goals and I want to sustain that focus. I would recommend A New Day hypnosis because it's worked for me and it's really helped a lot. When I heard about hypnosis I'd always thought that it was somebody just telling you what to do and not discussing anything, but that's not how it's been at all. Laura is open and she really listens and works to help me find solutions. I'm more focused and feel really motivated about staying that way.

Healthy Lifestyle: Sharron

Sharron Cherry
Master's Student

I've struggled with my weight for the last twelve years. It was frustrating and difficult. I'd often go up and down, but I couldn't seem to go down and stay down. The one time I was able to lose weight I became pregnant two times and haven't had any luck since.

I've tried really serious exercise and I've tried diets. I haven't done really well with either one. I lost weight with Adkins, but I got pregnant and you can't keep doing that when you're pregnant. Also, you can't really keep up that diet forever. I was exercising regularly for a while, but I didn't keep it up.

I felt out of control and it was horrible. I have some "type A" qualities, so to not have control of things was very uncomfortable for me. I wasn't in control of anything and I would end up screaming at my kids and not disciplining them well. I was so overwhelmed that I felt like I couldn't do anything right. I felt like everything was chaos all the time. My life felt so out of control that I had a really negative self image. I've been overweight for a long time, but I'd never felt so down on myself. My husband said that I'd been so prickly that he felt like he was walking on eggshells. He could say the slightest little thing and I would jump down his throat. I'm generally a pretty confident and positive person; having that part of me evaporate was what helped me understand that when I fix these other things the weight would go with it.

My husband and I were talking about hypnosis and we noticed that A New Day Hypnosis has such shining testimonials that we decided to try it. My sister did hypnosis, but it was only one session and then she went back for two group sessions. I looked at a lot of websites and they looked like they were going to be groups and that's not what I was looking for.

When I met with Laura for the first time I'd had a really bad day and realized that the real issue wasn't the weight. It was the fact that my life was completely out of whack. I realized that I could get some things straightened out and I felt like I couldn't leave her office without asking for help. When I was talking to Laura, I realized that I was dealing with a lot of issues that were coming out as weight and they were screwing things up terribly in my life. I was stressed out and freaked out all the time. I felt incompetent and out of control.

I noticed changes in my behavior immediately. I was suddenly drinking water like a fish, but mainly I felt a real sense of centeredness. I felt like I had my life back. Doing the hypnosis has been great. Stopping snacking and having a more positive outlook came pretty quickly. It's been a pretty easy process overall. It was nice to have an excuse to sit in a room and relax. I feel better now and I have more energy. I'm definitely eating better and my digestive system has improved since I've started this.

I feel more in control now and it makes me feel like a better mother. I have more control of my eating and I'm more conscious of the old habits, I'll ask myself if I'm really hungry or if I'm just stressed out. My husband has noticed a change in me and told me recently that he's happy to have his wife back.

Getting healthy has given me more confidence. My family life is much better and I feel more centered and relaxed. I believe that these changes will be permanent because the feelings were caused by other things in my life and now I've corrected them. I'm making better choices and I feel like myself again. When I went on a diet, I ate in ways that I wouldn't eat if I wasn't on a diet. Now I'm eating normal foods, but it's not extraordinarily different from my regular diet. I'm not weighing food or cutting out whole food groups and that makes this easier.

I've recommended Laura's services to others because it's changed my life. There's a grad mom's list serve and every time we get someone saying that they feel like a terrible mother, student, and wife, I'll mention that they should call A New Day Hypnosis. I think it's great and my family would like to thank Laura for all of her help.

Healthy Lifestyle: Donald

Donald Redman
Bus Driver
Austin, TX

I've struggled with my weight for probably fifteen years, but I really didn't have a problem with it until I had a stint put in my heart. The doctor told me that I had to lose weight, so I really starved myself to death and just didn't eat. I lost about thirty pounds that way, but I've gained back ten pounds since then. I learned about A New Day Hypnosis by accident when I was looking for something on Craigslist. I decided to do a program with Laura because I knew that I needed to do something and she seemed like she could help me.

I started to notice changes in my behavior right away. After my first session, I was eating smaller portions, chewing slower, and watching what I ate. I feel much more in control now, I'm more aware of what I eat and include things in my diet that will help control my appetite. I've added protein to my meals and more exercise. Now I lift weights and work out in the gym. I've also noticed that I'm sleeping much better.

In the past, I would come home and be starving and I'd eat the refrigerator before I realized that I'd eaten too much. Now, even after exercising, when I come home from work I'm still not starving and I have a reasonable meal. My wife has noticed my changes and is trying to do some of the same things that I'm doing. She's adding yogurt to her breakfast and paying more attention to what she eats.

My biggest benefit has been gaining confidence that I can control my diet. I would recommend Laura's services because I think that she's very professional and has done a good job helping me. She's shared a lot of good ideas and pointed me in the right direction. Having the reinforcement has been a good tool to keep on the straight and narrow. I believe that I'll keep on going with these changes because I am committed to making this permanent and I've made so many important changes already.

Healthy Lifestyle: Lana

Lana S.
Business Analyst
Austin, TX

I've struggled with my weight for the last 20 years and it's been very stressful. I've tried dieting and exercise at different times in my life, but I've never had any luck sticking to a system. Making healthy choices was always in a temporary mindset. I'd go through the diet or exercise until I got down to the size I wanted to be and then I'd go back to living my life and gain it all back. I tried to eat less by skipping meals and did all the wrong things. I'd be too tired or get out of the habit of exercising and just give up. I felt out of control and it was scaring me because I saw the direction that I was heading in. I was eating to the point where I was miserable because I was so full. I was eating a lot of ice cream and chocolate out of boredom and I felt unhealthy.

I had a friend in Dallas who was doing hypnosis for weight loss and she recommended that I try it. My friend had been successful with it and I trusted her opinion, so I didn't have any concerns about using hypnosis. I heard about A New Day Hypnosis when I did a search for hypnotherapists in Austin and heard about Laura. I decided to call because I liked Laura's approach and it seemed like she could help me.

I was really serious about making a lifestyle change and figured that this would be the best way to make that happen. I noticed changes in my behaviors immediately. I started eating smaller portions and stopped skipping meals. I was also drinking a lot more water. I liked it because Laura gave me very well defined goals in detail to help me develop a new lifestyle.

It's been an easy process for me. There has been a subtle shift in the way that I think and now this is just the way that I live my life. I drink lots of water, I work out every day, and I'm not snacking anymore. I don't crave sweets and I don't miss them. Right now, I'm going through a huge stressful thing and I haven't craved chocolate. I actually find myself craving healthier foods and fast food doesn't even sound good to me anymore.

I feel rested now and I've started waking up before my alarm goes off. I've gone down almost a clothing size so far and I have so much more energy. I feel more in control and it's so much better. I have more confidence because I'm achieving what I want to do instead of just giving in to old habits and beating myself up about it. I'm my own cheerleader when I do what's right and that encourages me to stay on track.

Stress doesn't affect me in the same way. I just try to relax and I'm more reasonable instead of jumping to the worst case scenario all the time. Hypnosis has helped me to eliminate snacking, binging, and overeating. I'm better equipped to deal with cravings. I'll have a bite to get the reward of the taste without eating a whole piece of cake.

I'm doing the right thing now and my confidence has been built on that. The best thing about this has been the change in my mindset. I have a healthy life plan and I put my own health and happiness first. I know that this is going to be long term and I can tell the difference because it's real to me now. I know that these changes will be permanent because this is the way that I plan on living the rest of my life. I'm not trying to lose weight for a vacation or an event. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis because it's helped me and I'm stubborn. I know that if this can help me than it can help anybody.

Healthy Lifestyle: Stephanie

Stephanie D.
Musician
Austin, TX

I've gone down 1 ½ clothing sizes and I'm on my way to my next set of jeans. I'd always been kind of big, but I've really struggled with my weight for the last six years. In 2001 I started to get really heavy and I lost it and then gained it back over the last couple of years. I couldn't wear any of my clothes and I just got bigger and bigger. It was like that scene in Willy Wonka where the girl turns into a giant blueberry except that I wasn't blue and this was real life.

I've tried lots of things to lose weight, I've done The Firm workout, but I didn't stick with it. I did the low carb diet and I hated everything. I tried Slim Fast and that just made me crave sugar. I did LA Weight Loss because my parents coerced me into it and I gained weight to defy them. I did the South Beach Diet, but it involved a lot of cooking and a lot of vegetables, so that didn't work out so well.

I joined a gym, but found out that it doesn't really help if you don't go. I tried to work out with friends, but you can't work out with friends when they don't go. I even did Dexatrim for about a week. This, of course, was the week that they found out that ephedrine was burning holes in people's hearts. No matter what, every time that I tried something new I would start for a while, get tired of it or stop seeing results, and go back to my old ways. I would completely fall off the wagon and gain it all back.

Sometimes I felt out of control. If I got upset or nervous, the first thing I thought about was going to get food. It wasn't a snack cake; it was a box of snack cakes. It wasn't a candy bar; it was a bag of candy bars. It felt terrible and felt sick all the time. I was a Mopey McMoperton and I used to sit around and feel sorry for myself with my frosted donuts. I used to have a bad day and I'd say "Forget it; I'm going to buy every box of cookies that I can find and stuff my face until I feel better", which made me feel guilty and even more fat.

I didn't really have concerns about hypnosis because I had a teacher in college that used to do it and told us about it. I decided to call A New Day Hypnosis after I saw a testimonial on Craigslist. When I met with Laura she was really easy to talk to. I felt comfortable and it seemed like she wanted to help me. I didn't feel pressured by her and I respected her opinions about my situation.

I've had anxiety problems in the past and during the first week I noticed that I was a lot more relaxed about things and I started sleeping better. I noticed in the first week that I was drinking a lot more water and I noticed pretty soon after that I had more confidence about not eating sweets. My stress levels became a lot lower.

I let go of my defeatist attitude and now if I get frustrated and upset, I try and identify what's making me upset and see if I can change it. If I can't change it, I just keep on going. It's nice to be able to go to the grocery store and see a dozen cinnamon rolls on sale without wanting to take them home. I'm happier and it's easier to laugh. I don't spend all my time feeling sorry for myself. I'm also running a lot and my feet don't hurt. The first time that I ran the mile it took me 16 minutes and 38 seconds and the other day I was able to run it in 10 minutes 37 seconds! I met up with a friend recently who noticed my weight loss and she was shocked that I'd been running without being chased.

I feel more in control now. Halloween has always been the hardest holiday for me and this year I didn't eat any Halloween candy even when I handing candy out to kids. I didn't want it and that was crazy for me. Friends and family notice that I'm getting thinner and I have a better attitude. I haven't worked in the last month and normally that would cause me to have a tailspin. I notice that I don't feel sorry for myself anymore and I'm being more productive. People have mentioned that I'm a lot more calm and relaxed. I'm just doing what I want to do and I'm much more confident about things. It's so refreshing for me. Now I know what I want and I'm going out there and getting it.

I always feel better after my sessions and it's a good boost for me. It has helped me gain a better perspective on things and I feel more in control and much more hopeful. I'm confident that I'll do better this time because I've learned a lot and faced facts. I can't just lie around waiting for the pounds to melt off. I've figured out a way to eat that will get my body what it needs without making me absolutely miserable. I won't try to cut out food groups from my diet because that's not permanent. I'm a lot more realistic about what I am willing to do for the long term and that makes me feel good.

Healthy Lifestyle: Renee

Renee T.
Project Manager
Austin, TX

I've struggled with my eating behaviors and had issues with my weight since high school. I never felt like I fit the ideal mold of beauty and tried different diets over the years that never worked. I'm not a good dieter and most of the time diets usually worked in the reverse way for me and I ended up gaining weight. Sometimes it would work for a little while, but I could never be consistent, so I didn't get long term results. I felt like I was going crazy because I always knew that I meant to do certain things, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't control my eating habits.

My husband was interested in stopping smoking. We'd both had some reservations about using hypnosis, but after we read an interview with Laura on austinist.com, we had all of our questions answered and it was easy to decide to try it. My husband met with Laura and was able to quit smoking after his first session. After I'd seen my husband's success, I decided to try it for myself.

When I first met with Laura, I was frustrated with where I was in terms of my eating habits and attitude. I had been at a lull with my exercise, but after my session I was able to get up and go with the motivation to work out. It was there in my mind and I would just go and do it.

Making changes in my behavior hasn't been too difficult. In restaurants, I used to feel like it was a free pass. Now, I make the decision not to order an appetizer and not eat all the chips on the table. I don't have to finish all of my meal, either. I can take half of it home and be healthy. I'd always known that it was important to drink water; I just couldn't ever do it before, now I've been drinking water a lot more often.

It's been really nice looking forward to the relaxation of my sessions to unwind. I've become conscious of my actions as I'm going through the day. It's more comfortable because it's not this thing that's happening to me, it's something that I'm doing for myself. My biggest benefit has been that feeling that I get to choose. I can control how I live my life and I feel more confident, so I would definitely recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to create a healthier lifestyle. I know that my behaviors are my choice and the more that I practice this lifestyle, the more natural my habits become.

Healthy Lifestyle: Beth

Beth D.
School Counselor
Austin, TX

I have struggled with my weight for about nineteen years and my weight has always been an ever-present thought in my mind. I've been coming to Laura for about a month and have gone down a clothing size so far.

I learned about Laura through craigslist.com and I saw that she worked with people who wanted to promote a healthy lifestyle, so I thought that it sounded like the approach that I needed. I had heard about hypnosis before and couldn't figure out how it worked, so I decided to just try it out for myself.

I started to notice changes after my first session. I started eating slower and drinking more water. My weight loss has been much easier than I thought it would because I'm not fighting with myself anymore. I felt like there was a part of me that I couldn't control or fix. It seems like the part of me that was always fighting the good behaviors just quit. It's become easier and I don't feel like I need to talk myself into it, it's just a part of me now.

Because of my new lifestyle, I am now able to work out longer and I can see my muscles and I feel stronger. Now, I find myself saying, "Yes, you can wake up and work out, "You can eat right," "You don't have to go out to lunch everyday." I feel in control now and it's so good. I've never been able to work out consistently for this long. If I missed a workout in the past, I would think "Good, I get a break". Now, if I miss my workout day, I feel really annoyed and notice that something is missing.

I was addicted to diet soda and I used to drink two individual sized bottles every day. Last Monday, someone at work bought me a small bottle of Diet Dr. Pepper and it took me the whole week to finish it! I eat a lot less sugar and when I want something sweet I'll have a Hershey's kiss instead of a Snicker's bar. When I'm hungry, I make the healthiest choice for me, carrots and celery instead of popcorn and chips. It makes me feel really proud.

I feel more confident now. When I'm walking around, I don't tug on my clothes and worry the way that I used to. I'm focused on what I need to get done for the day. When I hear people laughing, I know that they aren't laughing at me. My husband said to me recently "I know you've always been beautiful, but now you are SO beautiful." Also, my sister-in-law has been trying to slim down and I was able to give her some of the tips that I'd learned from Laura.

I have peace of mind and I finally feel live I've got it. All the other things I've tried, Weight Watchers, Phen Phen, Dr. Phil, Body For Life, Dexatrim, they all left something out. I've been able to just get the last bit of tweaking. I believe that these changes and my weight loss will be permanent because I'm doing it myself; no one else is doing it for me.