WISHFUL SHRINKING
I couldn’t afford a gastric band so I IMAGINED one and lost 7st in 8 months – ‘the weight just fell off’
Plus, tips to lose weight safely
A WOMAN who couldn't afford a gastric band instead imagined one - and was stunned to see the pounds falling off her.
Sheila Hannah was desperate to lose weight, but she was shocked at the 12k price tag of a gastric band.
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She weighed over 17 stone and knew she needed to shed the pounds - but couldn’t afford the surgery.
So instead she hypnotised herself into thinking she had a gastric band - and has managed to lose an amazing seven stone!
Sheila, 64, from Ormskirk, Lancs, said: “I’ve been on a programme which talks you through the gastric band surgery, step by step, and even all the pre-op tests too, so you really feel like you have gone through each stage.
“I was horrified when I found out that gastric band surgery cost so much money.
Read more on weight loss
“I’ve had gallbladder surgery before, and that was bad enough, so I didn’t really want to have an operation.
“Having a virtual operation has really suited me a lot better.”
Sheila was spurred into action last year, after her husband’s health deteriorated and she realised that it had impacted on her too.
“I’d always be telling him to just put the kettle on or run upstairs and fetch me something down, and when he wasn’t able to do that, I realised how much energy it took and how much my weight was getting in the way,” said Sheila.
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“So I knew I had to do something about it. I’d tried lots of diets in the past and I’d never been able to lose weight and keep it off.”
After finding out the cost of gastric band surgery was too much for her to pay, she found the Hampshire Hypnotherapy Centre and asked them to help her with their Virtual Gastric Band Hypnosis.
Sun Health Explainer: Fat jabs
“I started it in May last year, and by July I’d lost two stone and went on holiday to Greece and none of my holiday clothes fitted me anymore, as they were too big,” recalls Sheila.
“The programme was brilliant - I would listen to the tapes in the morning and evening, and even in bed I’d fall asleep listening to them.
“Almost immediately my eating habits just kept getting better and I was naturally pushing my plate away when I felt satisfied, and I was dishing up smaller portions without even thinking about it.”
Beforehand, Sheila would have tea and toast for breakfast, then sandwiches, crisps and chocolate for lunch, and she’d munch on a packet of biscuits whilst she was cooking dinner.
“Now I have weetabix and fruit about 11am,” said Sheila.
“And then snack on fruit and have a chilli or something else homemade in the evening.
“But I’ll only eat half a portion, and then put the other half in the freezer for another day.
Losing weight should be a long-term commitment to healthier living, rather than any drastic measures.
The NHS tips - which can be adopted slowly - include:
- Get active for 150 minutes a week – you can break this up into shorter sessions
- Aim to get your 5 A Day – 80g of fresh, canned or frozen fruit or vegetables count as 1 portion
- Aim to lose 1 to 2lbs, or 0.5 to 1kg, a week
- Read food labels – products with more green colour coding than amber and red are often a healthier option
- Swap sugary drinks for water – if you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour
- Cut down on food that's high in sugar and fat – start by swapping sugary cereal for wholegrain alternatives
- Share your weight loss plan with someone you trust – they can help motivate you when you have a bad day
Read about:
- The five fat loss foundations
- The calorie formula for weight loss
- The perfect portion sizes for meals to lose weight
- Sun Health's 8-week weight loss kick start plan
“And it really works. I’ll have a roast dinner, but I’ll only eat one roast potato.
“Before I’d have eaten lots more potatoes without really tasting them. It was mindless eating as a habit.”
The programme is based around a ‘Think Eat Sleep Repeat’ basis, using powerful hypnotherapy sessions and a weekly live support group session.
“The weight just fell off me,” said Sheila. “By February this year I’d lost a total of seven stone, and I feel fantastic.
“I work in a hardware store and customers come in who haven’t seen me for a while and don’t even recognise me.
“I’ve never been a gym bunny, but I love walking now as I’ve got so much more energy.
“I’ve lost the same weight as my granddaughter weighs, so she has even fitted with me in an old dress I used to wear.
“I’m the lightest weight I’ve been in 40 years. I lost weight after my daughter was born and got down to ten stone, and she’s 43 now!
“And I’ve never been as light since, until now!
‘I’ve got so much more confidence now in what I look like. And having a virtual gastric band was so much better than having to have an operation to have one fitted.
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“It's given me a whole new lease of life.”
For more information on the Think Eat Sleep Programme visit
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