Self-hypnosis for weight loss: a step-by-step method

Self-hypnosis is a way of guiding yourself into a calm, focused state and giving yourself one clear suggestion about how you want to eat. It costs nothing, takes about ten minutes, and works best as a support alongside sensible eating, not as a weight-loss method on its own.

By Adam Cox, clinical hypnotherapist. Updated 17 October 2026.

In 17 years of clinical practice I’ve found that a short, simple routine works better than a long, complicated one, so that’s what this is. You don’t need any special ability, and you stay aware and in control throughout. Read the steps through once before you start.

Before you start

• Sit in a comfortable chair with your feet on the floor. Never practise while driving or doing anything that needs your attention
• Choose ten minutes when you won’t be interrupted, and put your phone on silent
• Just before a meal is a good time, because that’s when the suggestion is most useful
• If at any point you feel upset or uncomfortable, simply open your eyes and stop

Choose your suggestion first

Decide what you’ll say to yourself before you begin. Keep it short, positive, in the present tense and realistic. Focus on how you want to eat, not on a number on the scales.

• “I eat slowly and stop when I’ve had enough”
• “I can notice a craving and let it pass”
• “I enjoy my food more when I take my time”
• “I choose food that leaves me feeling good afterwards”

Avoid all-or-nothing suggestions like “I will never eat chocolate again”. Bans tend to make the wanting louder, and your mind knows it isn’t true.

The ten-minute self-hypnosis method

1. Settle your breathingTake a few slow breaths, letting each breath out be a little longer than the breath in. Let your shoulders drop as you breathe out.
2. Fix your eyes on one spotPick a point slightly above eye level and rest your gaze on it. Let your eyelids grow heavier, and when they want to close, let them.
3. Relax your body from the top downMove your attention slowly from your forehead to your jaw, neck, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, legs and feet, letting each area soften as you go.
4. Count yourself downCount slowly from ten down to one. With each number, imagine stepping down a staircase and feeling a little more settled. If your mind wanders, gently come back to the count.
5. Picture the momentImagine the situation you want to handle differently: sitting down to a meal, or the afternoon moment when the biscuits usually call. See yourself eating slowly, noticing when you’ve had enough, or letting a craving pass.
6. Repeat your suggestionSay your suggestion quietly to yourself three times, slowly, as if it’s already true. Notice how it feels to be the person in the picture.
7. Add a cueAs you repeat it, gently press your thumb and first finger together. With practice, this cue can bring back some of that calm during the day, such as before you open the fridge.
8. Count yourself back upCount from one up to five, telling yourself that on five you’ll open your eyes feeling awake and clear. Take a moment before you stand up.

That’s it. Most people settle more quickly with practice, so don’t judge it on the first go. Then eat your meal slowly and notice the difference. My guide on eating slowly and feeling satisfied with less goes well with this.

What the evidence says

In a 2018 trial in Italy, 120 adults were all given the same advice on diet, activity and behaviour. Half were also taught to use self-hypnosis before meals. After a year, weight loss was similar in both groups, but the self-hypnosis group felt fuller and reported a better quality of life. That’s why I suggest practising before you eat.

A smaller 2022 pilot trial of an audio self-hypnosis recording found no clear difference after three weeks. It was too small to be sure either way, and fewer than half the participants listened every day in the first week, so it tells us little about what regular practice might do.

So self-hypnosis is a support, not a shortcut. It may help you feel calmer and more in control around food, while sensible eating and your own willpower still do much of the work. Hypnotherapy for weight isn’t offered on the NHS, and NICE guidance doesn’t include it. For the wider research, see does hypnosis work for weight loss?

When one-to-one help adds something

Self-hypnosis suits clear, practical goals like eating more slowly. It’s harder to use on your own when food is tied up with stress, low mood, old memories or a part of you that doesn’t really want to change. That’s where working with me adds something: we build suggestions around your own habits and work on the emotional triggers a general method doesn’t address.

I won’t claim one-to-one sessions produce more weight loss than self-hypnosis, because there’s no good evidence either way. If you’re wondering whether you can be hypnotised at all, see can everyone be hypnotised?, and for prices, see what sessions cost.

If you’d rather be guided, the free downloads below are a good first step, or try one of the recorded sessions on my topic pages, at £9.99 each. If cravings are your main issue, my pages on food noise and sugar cravings go into more detail.

Free podcast sessions to practise with

Full hypnosis sessions from my podcast, The Hypnotist, free to listen to. Listen somewhere comfortable, never while driving.

Common questions about self-hypnosis

Does self-hypnosis work for weight loss?

It may help you feel fuller, calmer and more in control around food, but it isn’t a weight-loss method on its own. In one trial, people using self-hypnosis before meals lost a similar amount to those given standard advice, but felt fuller and reported a better quality of life.

Is self-hypnosis safe?

For most adults, yes. It’s a state of focused relaxation, and you can open your eyes and stop whenever you like. Sit somewhere safe, never practise while driving, and stop if you feel distressed. If you have epilepsy, a history of psychosis or another serious mental health condition, check with your GP first.

How often should I practise self-hypnosis?

Little and often works better than long, occasional sessions. Once a day is a good start, and just before a meal is a useful time.

What if I can’t relax or my mind keeps wandering?

That’s normal. Gently bring your attention back to your breathing or your suggestion each time it drifts. You don’t need to feel “under” for self-hypnosis to be useful.

Is self-hypnosis as good as seeing a hypnotherapist?

They do different jobs. There’s no good evidence that one-to-one sessions produce more weight loss than self-hypnosis, so I won’t claim they do. One-to-one work adds a personal approach: suggestions built around your habits, and time on the emotional triggers a general method doesn’t address.

Where to start

Or start with a recorded session

Sessions from my store, recorded for this kind of eating. Listen somewhere comfortable, never while driving.