When I was in my forties, I was divorced, depressed and vowing to lose weight. I’d make the mistake of going to the grocery store hungry. The cookie aisle would literally call my name. “Cynthia, Cynthia, crunchy, sweet things……. down this way.”
I’d look at all those brightly colored packages and tell myself I’d just buy one. Then, I’d only way eat only two cookies each day. It sounded like a good idea.
After a healthy dinner, I’d sit down on the couch to binge watch “Game of Thrones”, the cookie bag beside me. One, two……NO! more! I’d say to myself.
“Just one more” Myself said back.
And then, just ONE more and ONE more…until the bag was half empty.
Stuffed, but still craving sugar, I’d give myself permission to eat the rest of the bag, because of course, I’d NEVER buy cookies again!
Half way through the TV program, I’d fall dead asleep into a food coma. I’d wake up crabby and cranky and swear I’d never do THAT again, at least not this week.
Then I tried a high protein diet and made myself a hypnosis tape to break my sugar craving. The first time, I was sugar free for more than three years.
Then…….
…..I was at someone’s house and they offered a beautiful cake they had made just for me. I took the first bite. Heaven! Then, I devoured the whole thing.
Before I knew it, I was back on the couch with a half empty bag of cookies.
What was going on here? I sounded like a member of Sugar Anonymous. Just one bite and I was doomed. I had more will power than that, didn’t I? I did some research on how sugar affects dopamine levels, the brain’s reward system. It turns out, that just being near cookies, raises your dopamine levels, making you crave more.
Dopamine makes you feel as though nothing you will make you happier than that cookie. It’s designed to help us reach for the high hanging fruit or hunt for food.
Then the body’s glucose system kicks in. Massive amounts of sugar in the blood causes a massive release of insulin. In about 30 minutes, the insulin dissipates the sugar in the blood and causes feelings of hunger. Sugar is a quick fix, and the pleasure center of the brain loves it, so cookies are your first choice. The next thing you know……..an empty cookie bag.
Hypnotherapy helps you break the cycle by convincing the unconscious mind of what the prefrontal cortex, the thinking mind, already knows…..cookies are a bad for your body.
When the pretty packages appear, your unconscious mind will automatically remember how a cookie binge ends. This reduces your dopamine levels when you see sugar letting you walk right by the screaming cookie aisle.
To me, the bakery cabinets full of beautiful cakes and cookies are like art masterpieces. They are beautiful to look at, but I wouldn’t want to EAT THEM!!
Try hypnosis for your sugar cravings and skip that holidays extra five pounds. Or help you stay away from the cookie aisle.
One of my happy customers says….
“You see, I have a love affair with sugar and could not control my daily habit. After two sessions with Cynthia, I am sugar free! Each time I have a session with Cynthia, I leave her office feeling calm and happy. She makes me feel at ease before going under hypnosis and will explain to me what she would like to accomplish. I leave her office with a goal/or goals so that I can stay on track with whatever it is we are working on. Cynthia is truly a lovely person and great at what she does!” Yelp 2012
Schedule your appointment today at Cynthia@CynthiaBeck.com. I offer internet and in person sessions. I’d love to work with YOU!
