Stop Smoking: Alexia

Alexia Grant
Accounts Mgr/Student
Austin, TX

I've been a smoker for 18 yrs and I haven't had a cigarette for about two months now. I've tried to quit smoking with cold turkey and it didn't work for me. I was able to quit during my pregnancy, but I started smoking pretty much immediately after my son was born. I never tried the patch or gum because for me it was more about the habit. I could go without the nicotine, but when I made the decision that I wanted a cigarette there was no stopping me. I felt out of control and it was very uncomfortable. I wanted control of my own life and I didn't feel like I had that.

You hear people say all the time that they just put down the cigarettes, but that wasn't me. In the past, I would be pulling my hair out and white-knuckling and pretty much driving everyone around me to distraction. I've actually had people thrust cigarettes at me before and make me start smoking again because my behavior was so bad.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis when my girlfriend found it on the internet. We researched group hypnosis classes and that didn't look good, so we just kept investigating. I saw Laura's interview on austinist.com and read more about her. I liked the fact that she got very good ratings from everybody who'd worked with her.

I had a little bit of concern about using hypnosis because not everyone is trustworthy, so I started out feeling a little bit suspicious. Everyone walks into situations like this with a little bit of skepticism, but it was nice to find that Laura was trustworthy and professional.

I quit after the first session. I noticed that I had fewer cravings and a better attitude. I feel more in control now and more confident because I've accomplished something for myself. Hypnosis has definitely cut down on the cravings and urges. The most important benefit for me has been getting the nudge that I needed to quit. I would recommend a New Day Hypnosis because it's helped me and that's kind of a big deal based on my experiences trying to quit in the past. I'm confident that I'm not going to pick this up again because I've gone this long and I feel really good about it.

Stop Smoking: Susan

Susan Wills
Executive Director
Austin, TX

I'd been a pack a day smoker for about thirty years and I've been tobacco free for a month now. I've tried the patch, willpower, and smokers anonymous to quit. I used the patch on and off for three years. It alleviated cravings, but not for the whole day, I would put it on in the morning and still want a cigarette in the evening. I chewed the gum once and hated it. I tried willpower and lasted maybe three days at the most. I thought about it all the time and I felt a lot of anxiety.

I got some success with smokers anonymous, but eventually went back to cigarettes. I had this tense, anxious energy that always went into quitting and sometimes seemed worse than just continuing to smoke. Even though I knew that it was so bad for my health, it was very unattractive, expensive, and smelled horrible, I just couldn't stop and that made me feel out of control.

I'd heard Ellen DeGeneres say that she quit smoking with hypnosis and it was easy, so I looked up A New Day Hypnosis on citysearch to see if I could get some success with it. I decided to call when I read that Laura had won the "Hypnotist of the Year" award. I still had concerns because I'd been smoking so many years and couldn't believe that it would work, but it did.

I started to notice changes immediately. I didn't have cravings or feel any anxiety. I noticed that I didn't automatically think that I need to have a cigarette when I was handling stressful situations. Every once in a while, I'd think about it and sometimes miss it, but it's not an overwhelming feeling and I could talk myself into forgetting about it. I feel more confident because I can change the behaviors that I don't like about myself. I'm more in control now because I've left this behind me.

When I come into a room I don't think to myself that people probably want to open the window. I feel at ease knowing that I don't smell offensive to others anymore. I even went to the doctor recently and I found out that I've lowered my blood pressure as a result of quitting smoking.

This experience has truly felt magical for me. It's unbelievable that it could work like this. I would absolutely recommend A New Day Hypnosis because it's worked for me. I've been able to embrace new ways of being that are healthy and produce more self-esteem. I have a great deal of confidence about this change and a real sense of gratitude. I really appreciate all the energy and effort that Laura puts into her work because this has really helped me.

Stop Smoking: Craig

Craig Foster
Marketing Manager
Austin, TX

I've been a smoker for 23 years and I was smoking almost a pack a day when I decided to quit. I've now been tobacco free for two months. Smoking had such a negative connotation to me in the way that I looked at myself because I told myself how bad it was for me and I still couldn't manage to quit permanently. I've tried the nicotine patch, but then I would just smoke while I was on the patch. I quit cold turkey a couple of times. Unfortunately, after my last attempt to quit, I was a groomsman in a wedding and thought that one cigarette wouldn't do anything; the next thing I know I was smoking a whole pack.

I felt like the nicotine controlled me and dictated my life. If I went to a business meeting, I had to be sure to wash my hands and bring my breath mints to avoid the social stigma in the professional world. Smoking gave me this pervading sense of gloom and I always felt like I was weak and kind of a loser. I was chained to cigarettes. Before I left the house I had to have my cigarettes with me and sneak outside because I didn't want my kids to see me. I had my secret smoking life and my nonsmoking life to other people.

When it comes to something as difficult as stopping smoking, I knew that I needed all the help I could get so I did a google search for hypnosis in Austin and found A New Day Hypnosis. I'd read enough to understand that the myths surrounding hypnosis weren't true, so I didn't have any hesitation about it.

I quit smoking after the first session. Every day gave me a little more confidence and now I feel entirely separated from the addiction. I rarely feel any kind of cravings anymore and I feel really good about that. The hypnosis has helped me to relax and remind myself of what I'm trying to do and keep focused on my goal. Subconsciously, hypnosis reinforced the good habits and now that I don't have to hide my habit, I feel so relieved.

Hypnosis has helped to lessen my urges and cravings for the cigarette. It was the impetus to get me over the hump. I have a better sense of well being and I feel a lot more in control. One of my personal goals has been to run more consistently, so now so I'm training for a 10 K. I'm breathing better and it's been great because I have a lot more energy. I can take a deep breath and walk up a flight of stairs without becoming winded.

I would definitely recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking. I believe in the power of communicating internally with your subconscious to reinforce positive habits. When you make yourself more aware and these behaviors become a part of you it's one more tool that you have to fight the addiction.

I like the way that I feel about myself and I don't want to be the person that I was again. I can't imagine myself ever going back to smoking and I'm going to keep on top of it. I know that I don't want to smoke again and I feel more confident about my ability now than I've ever felt before. I've been to bars and I've gone through all the situations that would have caused me to relapse and I haven't done it, so that reinforces the fact that I know that I can do it.

Stop Smoking: Marcia

Marcia Inger
Texas Advanced Computing Center
Austin, TX

I've smoked off and on for around twenty years. I was able to quit for a while, but I went back to smoking because I was under the impression that I could try it again and drop it. I felt out of control and it was frustrating. I knew that I really needed to quit and I knew that I needed to get to a place where I wanted to quit, but I couldn't seem to get myself there.

I found out about A New Day Hypnosis on citysearch. There were a ton of amazing reviews and she was the highest rated hypnotherapist on the list. I realized that what I was doing on my own wasn't working and I figured that if all of these people had had success, I should try it out. I didn't have a lot of expectations and I didn't really expect it to work. I wanted to just try something different and see what would happen.

I was a little nervous about using hypnosis. I had a lot of misconceptions about what hypnosis was and I had some apprehension. I'm fairly stubborn, so it took a little time for me to get into the mindset of wanting to quit. I felt better after my first session and without really noticing I cut my smoking in half. I went back into the mindset that I'd had when I quit the last time. As soon as I was able to get into a place where I really wanted to quit, I just did it.

I've been a nonsmoker for four months now and I've noticed a lot of improvements. My sense of smell has come back and my circulation is much better. I have asthma and I can absolutely tell the difference because I'm breathing better and I'm not congested anymore. I used to cough a lot and I don't do that anymore either. My running is going great and I don't have to take breaks because I'm out of breath. My sleep has improved and I feel so much better.

I feel much more in control now. My mindset has changed and I just genuinely don't want to smoke. I feel more confident because the momentary urge is much weaker than my desire to stay tobacco free. I've always found that the psychological attachment to cigarettes has been the biggest part of the addiction for me. Hypnosis has helped me to break that bond and once I was able to do that, stopping smoking was easy. Days will go by and I haven't even thought about it at all, which has been really surprising to me.

I feel more confident because I've been able to accomplish something that I didn't think that I could do. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to stop smoking because it works and it's painless. It wasn't hard for me and I feel really good about my decision. I'm confident that I have changed my mindset and I know better than going back to smoking. It was absolutely worth it for me and it's been a great experience overall.

Healthy Lifestyle: Michelle

Michelle C.
Transportation Planner
Austin, TX

I struggled with my weight for the last eight years and it was both uncomfortable and overwhelming. I would attempt healthy behaviors, but not be able to stick to them because of stress eating. I would have an aggravating day at work and I would eat to make me feel better at night when I got home. I was shoveling food in my mouth without thinking about it or considering the implications of my choices.

I’ve used a couple of diets and I saw a personal trainer for a while to lose weight. I did a high protein diet and it was too hard when I was travelling and didn’t fit with my lifestyle. Another diet required supplemental things that I had to buy and that got old after a while. With both diets, there was short term weight loss until I couldn’t keep up with them. The trainer was fine until I changed jobs and income brackets and couldn’t continue that level of activity.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on Google. I know that people don’t just give away their testimonials, so after I saw all the testimonials online, I decided to look into making an appointment. I think that I was a little concerned that I wouldn’t know what was going on or that someone would be getting in my head, but I soon realized that my fears were probably just from watching too many movies and I decided to make an appointment.

After starting my program, I noticed a mental shift. Every time that I started to do something unhealthy, I would be reminded of my sessions and it would give me pause. It wasn’t as much fun to do unhealthy things anymore because I knew better. Subconsciously, I had a gentle reminder that I was on the path to my goals.

I’m feeling better about myself and I realize now that I’m worth it to make a change. I’ve noticed that I have healthier sleep patterns and I’m exercising more, I’m also more patient and less agitated. I feel more in control. I have tools now and I’m just more self-aware. I am conscious about what I am doing and I don’t make bargains with myself on my health. I plan better and I’m not eating for emotions anymore because I don’t use food to self-medicate.

Hypnosis has helped me to stop bingeing and snacking on unhealthy foods. Some family members have commented that I’m not ordering dessert when I’m out or eating as much during meals. Some of my coworkers and family have also commented that I’ve lost weight.

The biggest benefit for me has been that I care more about myself. I count in the equation of my life and I have greater self-worth and a sense of well-being. I feel more confident because I’m focusing on what is going on inside of me. Being healthy is the most important thing to me now and I’m not overextending my resources and time anymore; my own needs are just as important as everyone else’s.

I believe that these changes and my weight loss will be permanent because I see food differently now. I don’t think that I can go back to eating whatever I want whenever I want or believing that overeating is a good way to deal with stress. I’ve crossed this mental line where that is not okay for me anymore. There are permanent changes in the way that I want to proceed with my life going forward.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to work on developing a healthier lifestyle. In my experience, there seem to be so many people and services out there that don’t help, but are willing to take people’s time and money without any regard to whether the person will be successful. There is sustainability to what Laura provides in her service and she has given me something that is tangible to take with me out in the world.

This experience has changed my attitude and the way that I see myself and I haven’t seen that from most services and products. I think that people should know that there is something out there besides fad diets or pills. I don’t give endorsements ever, but I want to let people know that his has been extremely helpful and for the first time I’ve walked away from a weight loss program with tools to continue to use on my own.

Healthy Lifestyle: Eva

Eva Huddleston
Consultant
Austin, Texas

I’d gained about thirty pounds in the last five years and it had really started to bother me. It was difficult for me, because I’d always been the skinny kid. I went from being “Boney Maroney” to my boss giving me an end of year gift to a personal trainer. A lot of the weight gain was due to my unhappiness. I changed my job from clinically treating patients to sitting at a desk eight hours a day. I was learning a lot of new things and I was working 60-70 hours a week. Because I was working nights and weekends, I forgot to live. I got tunnel vision and I got unhappy and didn’t know how to make the changes to create something new and different. I got bogged down in the unhappiness and sat on my couch and did nothing for a very long time.

Every Friday night, I was in the ice cream aisle at Target. I bought two pints of ice cream and ate them for dinner. I felt very out of control. It was nerve-wracking and depressing. I felt like I was a boat in the ocean with no rudder or oars, just going wherever the current took me. It got to be so overwhelming, instead of trying to do something to control the boat, I just threw my hands up in the air and said “forget it.” I felt lethargic and fat and I was uptight and anxious. I felt so bad about myself that I didn’t want people to look at me. I wanted to hide myself and fade into the background. In my family, it was always about making people happy and keeping the peace. I listened to everyone complain and tried to make it all better.

I’ve read every diet book in the world. I tried South Beach and that was horrendous and didn’t last long at all. I did much better with Adkins because you could have eggs and bacon, but then I got tired of the same things all the time and I felt lethargic. I tried Weight Watchers, but I didn’t go to the meetings and just tried to do it myself, so it didn’t work. I did personal training, but when the studio closed, that was the end of that. I read “Body for Life” and the Jillian Michaels books. I tried to follow them, but the longest it lasted was a couple of weeks. I thought that I could stick to these very strict rules that I had no hope of following long term. I set myself up for failure before I even got started.

I was talking to a coworker who had used hypnosis in the past and really liked it. I got on Yelp and searched for hypnotherapy in Austin. I looked at ratings and customer reviews for A New Day Hypnosis and just thought, why not? When I came in and spent time talking to Laura she explained to me that weight wasn’t the real problem, that made sense because I knew that I was unhappy and that was causing the other issues in my life. I trusted her to help me make my life better and I was willing to take her recommendation.

I knew at the first session that I could really do this; I felt like this was my answer, I was going to get help and I was going to be able to do this. Gaining that mindset helped me push forward and gave me the momentum to keep going. My attitude changed, I was happier and my stress levels went down. During that first week, I was on a business trip that is always hugely stressful. People constantly get upset and angry. For the most part, it was tiring, but it was pretty much stress-free for me.

I think I’m well on my way to becoming an even happier and healthier person. I am so much less stressed. I’m sleeping better and I have broken some Obsessive Compulsive patterns that were causing me stress and a lack of sleep. I had to check the windows, the doors, the closets and under the beds. Even when I checked everything, I would wake up and think that I heard noises. I don’t feel that need anymore to constantly check everything. People at work are amazed that I’ve managed to stop doing it as quickly as I did. It’s wonderful and I’m so happy about it. It really shocks me how easy it was to break habits that I had struggled with for years and I’m so much more relaxed and happier when I’m at home now.

I am making better food choices and I’m controlling my impulses, which isn’t something that I’ve done in the past. I have drastically cut down on the sweets. I feel more in control because I have goals and I feel like I can follow through and meet those goals. I know that I can do it because I have the motivation, the willpower, and the desire.

Several people in my office have said that I’m laughing and talking more. The office manager commented that in the last few weeks, I’ve reminded her more of who I was five years ago. She said that I’m more friendly and likeable and that I hadn’t been a very nice person to be around in a long time.

My cousin Kim mentioned that I seemed happier when I went home for Thanksgiving. She said that I also seemed much less stressed. I feel more confident because I have a better image of myself and I’ve started taking more care of my appearance. I make sure that my earrings are in and my hair is done every day and that makes me feel good.

The change in my attitude has been the biggest thing for me. I don’t have this feeling of constant anger at everything. I’m fixing the problem and I’m getting things under control. I’m learning to be happy and I know that I don’t have to give in to guilt trips. It’s okay for my life to be about my own needs.

I believe that these changes and my healthy lifestyle will be permanent because my attitude has changed. I know that my life has already changed and I will continue to make strides to improve my life because my whole outlook has completely changed. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to change their life. If Laura could help me change after I had been mired in my own crap, she can help anyone. I would highly recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to have a better life because it works.

Healthy Lifestyle: Dawn

Dawn
Austin, Texas

I’ve had a problem with using food as an emotional crutch for the last 25 years. I never focused on the emotional aspects of my problem and instead I tried every diet method known to man, if it was “As Seen on TV”, it was for me. If a celebrity was doing it, I was trying it too. I was always trying to find the next great thing. I did Weight Watchers for years. I started it with a friend and it became a competitive thing for me.

I think that with Weight Watchers, Spark People, and everything else, it turned into such a chore. I put so much of my energy into counting calories, creating charts, and logging my food that all of the logging became very stressful. If I went on vacation, I felt like I needed to have a computer to do all of the logging and charting. I was getting depressed and feeling isolated because my emotional life was tied to the scale. If I gained weight, I felt mad, if I lost weight, I felt happy.

It was a never-ending circle of frustration and it had become an obsession for me. It was overwhelming and I felt like I was doing all of these things and it didn’t even matter. At some point, I would always go to the flip side and just give up. I would go crazy and binge and then I would beat myself up and start the whole process again.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on citysearch. I read some reviews and I was very intrigued. I did a lot of research and a lot of reading to find out if it would really help me. After reading about so many successes that people have had, I decided to try. I thought that I would just be hypnotized and all would be magic and changed and because I had never tried any type of therapy, so I wasn’t sure what to expect.

I noticed right away that I was able to focus on chewing my food slowly, I was sitting at the table instead of sitting at my desk to eat, and I was paying more attention to my hunger signals.I feel a lot more aware of everything around me and the actions that I take. I’m more conscious and aware of the portions that I eat. I don’t stand in the cupboard and eat unconsciously anymore. I feel like I am in control of my life instead of having everything based on my accountability and the charts. I’m not charting my weight or my food anymore and that has been a relief.

I started digging deeper and realized that this was a lot bigger than just changing my eating habits. This process has helped me to do things that I’ve never done before. I’ve noticed that I am able to put myself out there and try new things. I joined a pottery class and it’s easier for me to make myself happy. I feel more confident and now I’m doing things and meeting other people. I have more confidence in my ability to say “No” and to set healthy boundaries in my life. The most important benefit for me has been that I am more social; I’m meeting new people, and putting myself out there. My husband and my kids have noticed that I’m taking classes and they were shocked and surprised that I was doing things by myself and having fun.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to work on a healthier lifestyle because it is a real eye-opener to talk about things out loud and understand why you’re was doing certain things. I was shocked at how easy it was for me to talk about my emotions and it seemed like something that I enjoyed, so that was a real surprise for me.

It’s good to have the reinforcement around what I am trying to change. The portion control and balance have definitely helped me a lot. I just have to continue to be aware. I’m really glad that I did it because I would have never guessed that all of these things would have boiled down to understanding myself and my emotions.

Healthy Lifestyle: Cynthia

Cynthia Brinson, MD
Physician
Austin, Texas

I’ve always had unhealthy eating habits; I ate what I wanted all the time, but I would eat candy bars instead of food. I would just stop myself from eating and rarely overate, but the quality of the food that I was eating was very unhealthy. For the last two years, I started eating everything that I wanted in addition to regular meals and I really couldn’t see a way that I was going to work myself out of that. I felt like I had lost the ability to do what had always worked for me and I didn’t see an end in sight.

I was trying to control my eating by daily deprivation, but I would get so hungry that I would throw caution to the wind and eat everything that I could. In the evenings I would overeat and tended to eat high carbohydrate and high fat foods. I would open a bag of cookies and the next thing I knew I had eaten them all, I didn’t know how it happened or how I would stop myself from doing it in the future. After a full dinner, I would sit down and eat eight ounces of cheese and crackers. I felt out of control and desperate; I was gaining weight and I didn’t see a way to stop that from happening. I didn’t have hope that I could fix the problems on my own, so I decided to try something else.

I heard about A New Day Hypnosis on Urban Dealight; I wanted to try something out of the box because I thought I would have more success with an alternative method of weight loss. It intrigued me and I felt that this could be successful for me. I could tell the first time that I came in that this was something that would be effective for me. I was aware of my eating problems right away and I was paying more attention; I was mentally open and thinking about what I had learned. The hypnosis is easy, I love it because it’s very relaxing and it makes me happy. The sessions have been very beneficial for stress reduction and a better quality of sleep.

I understand now that eating disorders come in all shapes and sizes and it has made me more accepting of that with other people. I’ve been eating food during the day and not snacking at night. I’m happy about incorporating fruit into my diet. The other day, for the first time, I heated up something at work and I relaxed and ate it. I have cut back completely on after-dinner snacking. I’m eating reasonable amounts of higher quality foods and I’m savoring food and taking the time to sit down and eat.

I feel more in control. I don’t have cravings all the time and I’m able to negotiate with myself if I have one. I understand why I made the mistakes that I made in the past and I’m now making plans and recognizing mistakes that may have led me to overeating. I don’t lose control and I can override the desire for cheese. An employee noticed that I always have bananas on my desk and my husband commented that he is happy that I’m eating during the work day.

I feel confident that I can continue to have a healthier relationship with food; the biggest benefit for me has been recognizing the habits that I had gotten into and understanding that the way that I was dealing with things was not going to be successful for me.

I know that these changes and my healthy lifestyle will be permanent because I believe in them. I know that the approach that I had was destructive and I can see at this point that it would be very difficult to go back to my old mentality of eating.

I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to change their habits and their lifestyle. If you are willing to listen and change, it is a way of changing from the inside-out. It’s not a gimmick or a shortcut; it is about becoming friends with food rather than having an enemy relationship. I am a happier person now and I feel confident that I can live without binging and not let food take over my life.

Healthy Lifestyle: Kelly

Kelly Mormon
Semi-Retired
Austin, Texas

I had been procrastinating doing something about my weight for the last two years and it was unpleasant. I wasn't comfortable, I didn't feel healthy, and I didn't look good. I felt guilty that I was eating unhealthily and not exercising. I didn't have a set schedule anymore and my life was lacking the structure that I'd had before, so my healthy routines had fallen apart.

I was inconsistent with both exercise and diet and I could always figure out a way to put off either meal planning or exercise. I was pretty miserable not carrying through with things. I have a lot of company visiting me regularly and I always ate like I was on vacation when a friend came in town. I felt out of control because I wasn't able to get myself on a schedule or a good eating or exercise plan. I would tell myself that I was going to do something at a specific time or day and then I would put it off. It made me feel lazy and disorganized. I had become less sociable because I was always putting off committing to anything. Procrastination was an across the board behavior and it really affected my health.

I knew that I was going to be responsible for my elderly father-in-law and I needed to be healthier and stop procrastinating before he moved here, so when I drove past A New Day Hypnosis, I decided to call and schedule an appointment. I noticed changes immediately, I wasn't procrastinating anymore and I started enjoying healthier foods. I also stopped putting off and dreading meal planning.

It's been surprisingly easy to continue to eat well even when the people around me are not making healthful choices. I've noticed that I sleep better and overall I feel more energetic and stronger. I feel more in control, I can make a list and I know that I will do the things on that list. My eating is healthier and more thoughtful and I am exercising regularly. My weight loss has been pretty easy and I have gone down three clothing sizes.

I have eliminated eating fattening or "super-carb" food and I have better portion control. Family and friends have noticed the weight loss and my daughters are seeing that I am getting things done in a timely fashion.

I feel more confident. I look better and I'm taking better care of my appearance. I am in better shape and it's nice to know that when I visit friends in Denver that I can handle more. I know my legs aren't going to give out because I have built up my strength with regular exercise.

Overcoming the procrastination has been the biggest benefit for me in all of this. That was the one thing that we worked on that had been a life-long issue. I think I always thought that being a procrastinator was just how I was and the fact that I can change something so fundamental about myself has been pretty big.

My social life has improved; I don't put off making plans or avoid committing to things. Overcoming procrastination has given me health benefits because of the exercise and grocery shopping. I realize now that procrastination is not some central part of how I operate and knowing this helps me think differently about other behaviors that I thought were ingrained.

I believe that these changes and my healthy lifestyle are permanent. It's a more pleasant way to live. I take things in bits and pieces and it's so much better. I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to overcome procrastination or create a healthy lifestyle. It's so wonderful because it's effective and painless. I have recommended this to friends and relatives because it's been enlightening for me. I can't believe how effective this has been and I wouldn't hesitate to utilize hypnosis again if something else comes up for me in the future

Healthy Lifestyle: Leslie

Leslie Engles
Semi-retired
Austin, Texas

I have struggled with my weight for the last forty years. It was miserable and frustrating; I always felt self-conscious and thought that I was a disappointment to my mother. I felt constrained and thought that people were judging me. I felt out of control about my eating. If you put something in front of me that I wanted, I would just eat it without question. I was bingeing a couple of times a week. I would eat ten individual chocolates or five individual packets of potato chips or a whole box of cookies over a couple of days and then go out and buy a new box to replace what I had eaten so that no one would know.

I tried Weight Watchers to lose weight, but it was too regimented for me with too much measuring. I tried Nutri-System very briefly as a teenager. I thought it was very unrealistic and knew it was not going to work for me. I've tried low-carbohydrate, high carbohydrate, the grapefruit diet, the cabbage diet. Some things worked temporarily, but I just kept gaining it all back.

I found out about A New Day Hypnosis on Google. We studied hypnosis in medical school, so it didn't seem scary to me. I had a friend who had used hypnosis to stop smoking and thought it might be able to help me with weight loss.

I noticed changes after a couple of weeks. I was eating smaller portions and controlling my snacking. Listening to the sessions seemed to make it easier to make good choices without feeling that terrible deprivation that I was so used to. It helped me focus on achieving a goal that I wanted and it made the choice process a less painful one for me.

I have really appreciated the fact that Laura creates a really safe, warm environment that makes it a lot easier to bare your soul and I've noticed that I feel happier in general. I'm less stressed and I no longer obsess about what I look like or worry about whether people are judging me. I feel a lot more confident about accepting myself.

This has been easier than I thought it would be. I feel more in control and I haven't wanted to binge or hide my eating. I can just eat something and stop. It has helped reduce a lot of the cravings and I don't crave things the way that I used to. I used to want to go get a dozen donuts and now I crave things like orange juice.

My cousin noticed that my face looks a lot thinner and my hairstylist commented that I had lost weight and looked good. My clothes fit better and I feel more confident because I have accepted myself. The biggest benefit for me has been that I am not focused on what everybody else thinks about me. I'm getting my eating under control and I continue doing healthier things. I think about food in a healthier way and think about myself in a healthier way, which has been a relief. I am eating better and I am taking better care of myself and I would recommend A New Day Hypnosis to anyone who wants to have a healthy lifestyle because this process has made me feel a lot better.