Self-Hypnosis, thanks to the movies and TV shows, the very word conjures up the image of a hawlk-eyed hypnotherapist swinging an old watch repeating, "You are getting sleepy."

Use any search engine and you will find millions of web pages devoted to the topic. Unfortunately, many websites that sell self-hypnosis programs make crazy, unsubstantiated claims. I've been in this industry since 1978. So I think that I'm more than equipped to set the record straight on weight loss hypnosis.

First of all, hypnotic suggestion is a tool, just like a scalpel is a tool. Just as different surgeons have diversified levels of skill in the use of a scalpel, different hypno-technicians have varying levels of skill in the use of hypnotic suggestion. And to complicate the matter, there are many different methods of hypnotic suggestion.

Here are just a couple of the wild assertions about weight loss hypnosis that I've read on websites on the Internet, along with the facts of reality:

"Post-hypnotic suggestion will speed up your metabolism." The truth is that hypnotic suggestion cannot directly speed up your metabolism. But it can be very adequate at helping to re-program your subconscious mind with increased motivation to exercise. And that exercise can dramatically speed up your metabolism. Similarly, hypnotic suggestion to speed up the metabolism for quick weight loss can be effected by programming the subconscious mind to motivate the intake of increased amounts of protein, because that intake will step up the metabolism.

"Post-hypnotic suggestion will make you lose weight." This is false. But hypnotic suggestion can be used to help clean out your appetite, so that you eat less. And eating less can help you to lose weight. Your appetite and cravings for food and compulsion to eat are triggered by two unconscious programs:

A. When you combine eating with any other behavior, the other behavior will trigger cravings for food and a compulsion to eat. This is called a conditioned response. For example, if you eat when you watch TV, you will experience an urge to eat every time you sit down to watch TV.

B. When you feel tense, you feel an urge to put something into your mouth for relaxation and pleasure. This is because of programming that you received as a baby. When you got grouchy, your mother put a bottle in your mouth. You got distracted, relaxed, and probably fell asleep. Now when you get cranky (anxious or tense), you feel compelled to put something into your mouth for relaxation and pleasure.

C. There is a third unconscious program that is present for some people. It's called emotional eating. Emotional eating takes place when someone is motivated to make him or herself fat, because by being fat they will protect themselves in some way. For example, if someone gets their heart broken in a relationship, their subconscious mind might motivate them into a behavior that can prevent them from getting their heart broken again. Example: They are motivated to get fat to keep them out of another relationship, because that will eliminate the possibility of another broken heart.

So just how can weight loss self-hypnosis remedy the problems discussed above? Click here to read the rest of this weight loss hypnosis article.

I've written several articles on this complex topic that available on my website. These articles outline some powerful techniques for using hypnosis for compulsive eating.

Alan B. Densky, CH is the developer of the Neuro-VISION Weight Loss Video Hypnosis Technology, which was granted a US Patent. He also offers Ericksonian Hypnosis & NLP CDs for appetite elimination. Visit the Neuro-VISION Weight Loss Hypnosis website and download a FREE Hypnotic Power Relaxation Program, or subscribe to one or more of the world-class hypnosis newsletters.