Tired of trying to lose weight? Try alternative therapies

Most weight-loss programmes focus on diet and exercise but still fail to give desired results. If your training sessions and diet are doing you no good, you may want to try using alternative therapies, which are known to boost weight-loss efforts.

Most weight-loss programmes focus on diet and exercise but still fail to give desired results. If your training sessions and diet are doing you no good, you may want to try using alternative therapies, which are known to boost weight-loss efforts.

A good idea would be to start by analysing the factors responsible for your weight gain, as it helps in finding the right technique. Here, we suggest you some alternative techniques and manual therapies that benefit mind and body, and can act as a catalyst in helping you get rid of those extra kilos.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture does not lead to weight loss, but facilitates rebalancing body and mind in the long term.

Acupuncture hails from traditional Chinese medicine. The technique in itself won’t lead to weight loss, but acupuncture can accompany dieters as a long-term means of rebalancing body and mind. For patients focusing on weight loss, the practitioner generally targets organs associated with digestion and elimination (liver, kidneys, intestines) by inserting needles into the skin in specific places. Targeting these special acupuncture points can also help curb feelings of hunger and sugar cravings.

Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis works by discreetly planting suggestions in the subconscious mind. This can help overcome behavioural problems and encourage weight loss. The technique can help dieters control compulsive impulses and manage food-related behaviour through techniques based on autosuggestion and relaxation. The aim is to effectively reprogram the brain, deprogramming certain impulses and temptations by planting ideas in the subconscious. Hypnotherapists use verbal, physical and visual cues. After entering a state of deep relaxation, patients could, for example, be asked to visualize their stomach shrinking.

Mindfulness meditation

Learning to breathe, refocus, be conscious of the body, and resist comfort eating in response to emotional problems, can help regulate weight.

Regular relaxation or meditation can be beneficial to weight loss. In fact, a study from France’s NutriNet-Santé public health program in December found that regular meditation halved the risk of obesity. When embarking on a weight-loss programme, the main targets are diet and exercise. The emotional aspect of eating is often overlooked. However, learning to breathe, refocus, be conscious of the body, and resist comfort eating in response to emotional problems, can help regulate weight in the long term. The benefits of meditation on weight management have been highlighted in a wealth of recent scientific research.

Manual therapy techniques

Physiotherapist or machine-based lymphatic drainage massages can make areas of stiff fibrosis surrounding fatty tissue more supple, while encouraging the lymphatic system to eliminate metabolic waste products, excess fluid and bacteria. Plus, it can improve blood circulation locally. The massaging water jets found in some swimming pools and hydrotherapy pools can also boost the breakdown of lipids in specific areas. When combined with exercise and a healthy diet, these techniques offer a safe way of accelerating the process that dislodges fats in the body.

Read: Obese people can not only lose weight, they can keep weight off too

Slimming creams

These creams encourage the elimination of small amounts of fat by stimulating circulation.

One way of targeting cellulite in certain persistent zones — such as thighs and buttocks — is with a caffeine-based cream. When applied in a massaging action, these creams can encourage the elimination of small amounts of fat by stimulating circulation. This can also help reduce the “orange peel effect.” Note that the most expensive options aren’t always the most effective. Some creams use combinations of organic essential oils associated with weight loss.

Cryolipolysis

Cryolipolysis is a “fat freezing” technique developed in the USA. It reduces fat deposits by destroying fat cells with low temperatures. According to specialists in the field, cryolipolysis can be useful for targeting small, very localized areas of fat, such as “love handles.” Be sure to choose a reputable practitioner using an accredited machine.

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