Can Hypnotherapy Help You Unlock the Hidden Desire to Work Out?

When Olivia Munn told Good Housekeeping that a single hypnosis session turned the unmotivated actress into an avid gym go-er, women everywhere were intrigued to say the least. Being hypnotized into having the desire to exercise? Where can we sign up? But, that’s not quite how hypnotherapy works, according to Ava Evans, a hypnotherapist based in Los Angeles.

After years of finding every excuse to not exercise, it’s safe to say that problem of gym evasion lies in motivation or lack thereof. When working with a patient, a hypnotherapist isn’t interested in the fact the discouragement exists, but rather why it exists. In approaching an issue, hypnotherapists understand that there is more than meets the eye: There’s the conscious mind—which houses logic, reason, and willpower—and there’s the subconscious mind, which is reactive and behavioral. The thoughts present in your conscious mind are a result of the happenings in your subconscious mind. The objective of hypnosis is to bypass the conscious mind to access the subconscious. Once the mysterious part of the psyche is reached, the hypnotherapist makes positive associations for the subconscious.

Unlike stage hypnosis, hypnotherapy is set in a clinical environment. Instead of acting out as a form of entertainment, the person in a hypnotic state is guided by the suggestions the hypnotist offers.

Curious about the prospects of curing their chronic gym evasion, three women tested hypnotherapy to see if it could work for them. The first woman approached her session without any preconceived notions. The idea of relaxation seemed worthwhile to her. Overwhelmed with the idea of a neverending to-do list, the hypnotherapist and she worked on isolating a wake-up time to begin exercising.

The next morning she woke up and worked out. Although she feels more focused when she exercises, she’s still not sure how effective it was for her, so she intends on returning for another session.

The second woman was asked many questions not just about working out, but her feelings before exercising and why she wants the desire to work out habitually. She also answered questions about her stress, general outlook on life, and other habits. When in a hypnotic state, the woman listened to the numerous positive reinforcements the hypnotherapist offered. The woman is sure if she’s experiencing a placebo effect, but she feels calm, focused, motivated and empowered.

The third woman remembers being half-conscious during the session. Before the session began, the woman confided to the therapist that she often shames herself for not wanting to exercise. While in a relaxed, hypnotic state, the woman came to the realization that she had the power to change her perspective on many things in her life. When she went to the gym the next day, she was met with the sensation of feeling stronger than ever. What she found even more notable, however, was when she skipped the gym after a bad night, she didn’t shame herself. Instead, she appreciated her ability to be in tune with her body and recognize that she needed rest.

Hypnotherapy might not turn you into a bona fide gym rat, but it can motivate and empower you.