Weight management in modern times

There are few people who do not know about healthy eating and the benefits of regular exercising. So why is it that so many people seem to have a weight issue? Regularly offered up is: "it’s my lifestyle as the answer." But is it? Let’s go back to the time of the caveman for whom food was irregular and hard to find, so caveman ate whenever they found food. This is part of our genetic makeup and for some people this still the case today.

So as a nation have we always been overweight? Well the answer to that in modern memory is clearly no. Let’s just think back to the time between 1935 – 54 when food was in very short supply and rationing was in place, everyone made the most of the little they had. It’s no coincidence that as rationing was withdrawn in 1954 personal consumption saw a massive growth. However, by the early 1950s we saw the rise of the supermarket or self-service stores. Seen as an efficient way of shopping for the customer and less labour intensive for the retailer. By the late 80s supermarkets were offering one or two late night openings until 8.00 pm per week. Move forward to 1994 when the larger supermarkets were allowed to open 24 hours. Add into this mix processed foods, alcohol being sold in supermarkets, a rise in the two car families, more working mothers, longer working days, and a decline in schools offering PE or regular exercise and hence we have a modern weight problem.  

Food today is available everywhere not just in the supermarkets and takeaways which operate 24 hours a day but in petrol stations, and most importantly in your home. Most homes have a fridge and a freezer – in which to store their weekly shop. But how many times have you “just not fancied” what’s in the fridge/freezer and headed back to the supermarket or to the local take-away?

So everyone is pushed for time and nipping into the local supermarket on the way home from work is all too common. So how can you avoid the store layouts designed to tempt you into buying those two-for-one offers and those very tempting “meal deals”. For some it’s to stick to a list and never vary from this. Others shop online and have their groceries delivered, but would this work for you?

So why do we overeat when we know all about healthy eating? It’s rarely if ever, about being hungry. Sometimes it comes down to low self-esteem, anxiety, and pressures from work, boredom or loneliness all of which can be a contributing factor. However, until you address the underlying issues and change your relationship with food you are going to keep buying all the wrong foods and putting on more weight.

Hypnotherapy can help you to avoid buying the foods that are just calorie wasters. It can help you rebuild your self-esteem, deal with the anxiety triggers and identify why you overeat. Once you have unlocked your trigger point it’s easier to change your relationship with food and the way you view food and drink.