Hypnosis can be described as an altered state of mind where you are in a type of trance, yet awake and alert at the same time. It can be difficult for many people to imagine what this state is really like unless they have experienced self hypnosis personally. However, the feeling of being in a trance-like state and yet wide awake is something most of us have experienced in our everday lives from time to time. One good example of this "dual state" is driving.

In a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, hypnosis is compared to driving on a road that we are very familiar with, and find that we have no recollection of the last 20 miles. It can feel like you have been in a trance-like state, yet at the same time you have been awake and alert, dealing with traffic the way you usually do.

I like this description because it is something most of us can recognize and relate to. We have all at some point found ourselves in a situation like this. If you see a hypnotherapist, this person will guide you into hypnosis and help you get to the bottom of your subconscious problems. He or she will then give you suggestions or "commands" to help alter the way your subconscious mind is reacting, and to enforce new, more beneficial beliefs.

If you are using self hypnosis, you will basically go through the same process yourself. The easiest way to experience self hypnosis for weight loss is through using pre-recorded hypnosis mp3's. It is possible to learn to write your own script and then record it, but this can be quite complicated and you will have to learn a great deal about the hypnosis process first in order to see any real benefits.

A self hypnosis for weight loss mp3 will be targeted at the subconscious blocks you have that can keep you from losing the weight on your own. It doesn't allow you to eat whatever you want and be a couch potato while still magically shedding pounds by the dozens; but it can help remove subconscious blocks and resistance that have prevented you from following through on your weight loss goals in the past.

Self hypnosis for weight loss can provide the motivation you need to finally take action. It can make it easier for you to overcome your subconscious resistance that keeps you from exercising regularly, or it can help you deal with and overcome the emotional reasons why you haven't been able to stick to a healthy eating plan in the past.

The recordings target thoughts and habits you might not even be aware of. For example, you may think you can't stop eating because you have no will power; but the real problem could be that your subconscious is programmed to make you eat more than your body needs because of an emotional situation from your childhood, or even a negative thinking pattern you have developed about yourself and your weight.

Your subconscious mind is always trying to maintain the status quo because it thinks this is the best way to keep you healthy and because it listens to -- and believes -- everything you tell it. If you keep saying to yourself that you are fat, your subconscious will see it as its responsibility to keep things that way. Using self hypnosis for weight loss can help you "re-train" your subconscious mind so it helps you to achieve your goal, instead of keeping up the resistance.