Ahead of the dreaded swimsuit season many women are considering losing a few pounds. However according to counsellor, hypnotherapist and author Fiona Hoban, dieting is not necessarily the best way to achieve this.
While our pockets may not be as deep as they once were, it seems our collective waistlines are growing at an unprecedented rate. There has been a 30% increase reported in obesity figures in Ireland over the last four years, higher than most other EU countries, according to Fiona, who’s new programme Take a Weight Off Your Mind is being brought to Clare by counsellor Heike Griffin.
“Obesity accounts for at least 2,500 deaths in Ireland each year. According to current Irish estimates, 16% of women and 20% of men are obese and perhaps as much as half the population is overweight. Seven percent of Irish children are obese and one in five nine-year-olds are overweight, resulting in an estimated cost of €339 million for childhood obesity alone,” Fiona says.
For many, the answer is sought through some kind of diet and the choices are endless, from the Atkins to the Zone Diet.
“Research has shown that out of every 200 people who tried to lose weight on a diet, approximately 190 failed. Out of the 10 who succeeded, nine put the weight back on within five years. That means diets work long term for 0.5% of dieters,” she adds.
Fiona’s book Take a Weight Off Your Mind offers an alternative approach to weight loss and weight management.
As a counsellor and hypnotherapist based in Westport, County Mayo, she has many years of experience working with people who struggle in this area.
Fiona says, “There’s no magic solution to weight-loss as far as I’m concerned. If you’re overweight it’s because you’re over-eating so if you want to lose weight you have to stop over-eating.”
However, rather than looking at how to diet or restrict food intake, she addresses the psychology behind the overeating, the nature of auto-pilot/mindless eating and how emotions affect behaviour.
The book incorporates an eight-week programme that is currently being delivered by counsellors and hypnotherapists. They offer support to participants wanting to break the vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting by teaching the book’s three basic principles: stop dieting, eat mindfully and curb emotional eating.
Simple, but effective techniques are introduced each week with the emphasis put on personal responsibility and a willingness to change.
Heike Griffin will be starting the programme in Ennis on Thursday, May 20 and in Limerick on Tuesday, May 18 and Wednesday, May 19.
To book a place, receive an information brochure or to book an individual session, contact Heike on 086 2634512 or by email at heike@takeaweightoffyourmind.ie.