Have you ever wondered if diet pills are the answer to your weight issues? Maybe you’ve been tempted to try a brand you’ve spotted at the chemist. Or you may have even had your GP suggest that you could take a prescription medication.
People spend thousands of dollars on fad diets, shakes and pills. But there is one crucial aspect of health and weight management that these types of quick fixes completely overlook.
How diet pills work (in theory)
Different diet pills are designed to have different effects on the body. Some of them will suppress your appetite. Others have a laxative effect, so food passes through your body quickly and you absorb less of it. Some will even block your absorption of fat from food.
These effects might seem like a good thing for weight loss. But they can also have some pretty serious health consequences in the long run. You can become malnourished and lethargic because your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs.
So why don’t diet pills work?
Simply put – because for us to make a consistent change, there needs to be a change in habits. This is the same reason why people who have lap band surgery often continue to struggle with their eating habits.
Just because you have something physically in place to prevent you from eating, such as an appetite suppressant, doesn’t mean you’ll stop eating.
95-98% of the actions that you take every day are on autopilot. Your habits are stored in your unconscious mind, so you continue to follow those habits. If you always reach for food when you’re stress, tired or bored, a pill won’t stop you from eating at those times. You might realise that you’re not hungry, but you’ll probably eat it anyway!
This is why it’s essential to face your stuff and understand what is driving your emotional eating habits.
What to do instead
If you’ve considered using diet pills, or are currently using them, here’s my advice.
Look at the other lifestyle changes you can make
Any change that you make needs to be a lifestyle change – because health is a lifestyle, not a life sentence.
Giving up chocolate when it’s your absolute favourite food is not sustainable – you’re setting yourself up for failure. It’s not about absolutes, it’s about learning how to moderate and enjoy your favourite treats around a balanced approach to food.
Instead of depriving yourself, look at how you can make small, sustainable changes. Can you add a glass of lemon water in the morning so you start out hydrated? Can you reduce your portion sizes?
Give hypnosis a go
Your conscious mind might be the goal-setter, but your unconscious mind is the goal-getter. So if you don’t get your unconscious mind on board, you’ll struggle to make long-term changes.
That’s why hypnosis is a real game-changer. We go deep into your unconscious mind to address why you make the food choices you make. Whether you’re a boredom eater, stress eater, emotional eater or even an impulse eater, hypnosis can help you address the root cause and take back control around food.
The biggest problem with diet pills is that they only treat the symptom, not the cause. That’s why most people will put the weight back on within a few months of using diet pills, living off shakes or following a fad diet. By addressing why you make the food choices you do, you’re setting yourself up for success and long-term wellbeing.
