Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

On this page, we are going to share with you what, in our opinion, are the top Seven Secrets required to achieve permanent weight loss. But first, in case you are wondering, what do they know? I have heard all this before! This is fine. I would probably think the same if I were you. Let me just briefly mention that we have over 15,000 1:1 clinical treatment hours working exclusively with overweight individuals who were each seeking a permanent and positive change in their lives. We are the co-authors of the two best-selling books on the subject. Additionally, we have appeared in TV specials on both sides of the Atlantic.

No.1 Skinny French Women

No.1 Skinny French Women. Just about everyone with an interest in losing weight has read or heard something about the mystique around how or why French Women seldom get fat. We know French Women really love to eat bread, cheese and pastry. They absolutely love red wine and will often be seen in restaurants, at either lunch or dinner, enjoying a leisurely three-course meal. But, and it’s a fact, they just don’t seem to get ‘Fat’. Read more about the first of our seven secrets of permanent weight loss.

French women don’t get fat; Mireille Guiliano, was the author of the bestselling book on the subject. In her book, she unlocked the simple secrets of this “French Paradox”—how they enjoy food while staying slim and healthy. Marion lived and worked in France for a while, and we have friends living there, so we do visit often. Because of our work around obesity and treating overweight clients, the French Paradox has been of particular interest to us for some time.

So, what’s the secret? Well, it is surprisingly simple and straightforward. Firstly, they don’t understand the word ‘SNACK!’ French women will often sit down to eat three times a day; they like to spend time over their meals. The French view each occasion as a mini celebration. They absolutely love food, eating, and enjoying a glass of wine, especially if they can do it in the company of friends. But that is it. Offer them a bag of crisps or anything else outside of the mealtime, and they will look at you strangely and then politely refuse.

Secondly, as we mentioned above, the French love food, but for them, it’s definitely a case of quality over quantity! So, they tend to be much more particular than their British neighbours about what sort of food they choose. Consequently, as a nation, the French have lower rates of heart disease and levels of obesity than their neighbouring countries. And interestingly, they generally consume more fat and drink more wine! However, their diet consists mainly of natural, saturated fat rather than processed vegetable oils, and they eat real food rather than empty, ultra-processed carbs.

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

In conclusion, one of our seven secrets to achieving permanent, sustainable weight loss is to emulate the lifestyle of the French as closely as you possibly can. So, sit down, take your time, stretch the meal to the absolute limit, and enjoy every mouthful. Choose natural, nutritious, unprocessed foods whenever possible. As a result, you will eat far less overall because it is ultimately more satisfying, tasty and filling than fast foods and ready meals. And lastly, resist the temptation to snack. Just stop and ask yourself why you are reaching for food in between your meals because it’s definitely nothing to do with physical hunger. Is it simply because you’re feeling bored, stressed, lonely or tired maybe…?

No.2 The Default Switch

So, it may sound very strange, but in your brain, you have a switch, a setting that controls how you react to situations and stimuli at an unconscious level. What we want is for you to flip the switch from Yes to No. To be honest, it takes a lot of effort the first time. Yours may well have been locked in the Yes position for many years. So use whatever effort is required and flip it. The fact that it takes so much effort is the reason that more people don’t change it. But when you flip it, just stand back and be amazed as you watch your life effortlessly change in front of your eyes.

A few months ago, I wrote an article called Flipping the ‘Skinny Switch’. Follow the link to read the full story if you are interested. I had heard about the ‘Default’ switch at a psychology conference at Warsaw University. To be honest, I was blown away. The presentation talked about drug addicts, alcoholics, people with anger management issues, and even couples going through relationship counselling.  We quickly re-engineered it to ensure that its number one use was in the field of Weight loss. And so it’s become another of our seven secrets of permanent weight loss.

After fifteen years, and having treated well over a thousand overweight clients, I know that changing the default setting is one of the traits adopted, maybe unknowingly, by those almost ‘God-like’ people, that we all know, who stay naturally thin, regardless of what goes in their mouths. So let me try and explain by giving you a simple example. You are on a diet; it is essential to you; nothing is going to get in your way. You are going on a beach holiday soon, and you want to look good in the swimsuit. Then a few friends from work call around to see you; they are good friends whose company you enjoy.

They tell you they are going out to your pizza restaurant. They want you to join them; you have not eaten yet. You know the food and wine will be amazing, as will the company. So do you say Yes, or do you say No…? But just imagine what it would be like to just effortlessly say No whenever you wanted, without even having to think about it. For the first time in your life, you start to think about yourself and what You want instead of pleasing others. So, instead of saying Yes and giving in to every request, you changed and selected whichever option served your best interests instead of other people. Does it sound like a dream? No, it’s just about flipping your default switch. Take a Look at How Diets Work.

So, what’s it like living a life when your default switch is in the wrong position? Well, it’s like this: “Martin, do you want to come out tonight? Yes! Do you want a pizza? Yes! Do you fancy a glass of wine? Yes! In fact, I’ll have two! Martin, how about going away for a weekend? YES! It was always Yes! Because Yes was my default setting. It never needed any thinking about; it was automatic, it was painless, it was easy, just say Yes to everything. Martin was always up for fun and pleasing other people.

When I heard the “Default Switch Presentation”, I already knew I needed to make a few changes, so I decided to have a go. I wanted to see what it would be like to live with No as my default setting instead of Yes. To be honest, at the start, it was harder than I had anticipated, but you can do it; the result will blow you away. Now, whenever anyone asks me something, I would, in most cases, just automatically say No, Thank You. Then they, or I, had to work very hard to get it to a Yes. As a result, it took the pressure away; in fact, it often put pressure on them. In fact, after I changed the position of the switch, I lost 85 pounds, my photo below.

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

The effort required to flip the switch is also a positive, as it takes a lot of effort to flip it back again. But be careful, don’t become someone your friends describe as dull, always saying no. However, if that’s what it takes, even temporarily, for you to achieve your target weight, then maybe, just maybe, that’s OK. Just start to become one of those people who, at least some of the time, do what is best for them.  ‘Will saying yes take me closer to my goal or move me further away?’ Then, in reality, there is nothing to think about is there.

You may find that changing the switch setting will affect other areas of your life; while it helped me on my weight loss journey, it also changed many other facets of my life. I find that I think about myself a little more now. Before, if I had decided to have a few nights in and catch up on my sleep and just chill, I would often find myself just giving in as soon as someone invited us out. If anyone asked me to take on some extra work, I used to say Yes! Now I think about the consequences and make a more considered decision.

So, make sure you commit to changing the default to where you want it to be. Try it; the results come very quickly. Give yourself seven days; you may be surprised. It will undoubtedly allow you to make decisions that benefit you and take you on the route you want to follow rather than always pleasing others. Read on for more of our seven secrets of permanent weight loss…We have a page on the site dedicated to this subject; visit it here.

No.3 The Power of Sleep

Recently, a number of articles have been published in the media regarding research undertaken by universities around the world into the connection between sleep obesity and losing weight. The news was mixed, basically saying that if you slept for between 7 and 7 ½ hours a night, you could potentially save yourself from consuming 270 fewer calories than if you only manage 6 hours of sleep per night. The not-so-good news was that if you sleep for more than 8 ½ hours a night, the opposite effect happens, and it has a negative impact on your metabolism.

In honesty, we have known about the part that sleep plays in obesity for many years. In 2015, a study funded by Diabetes UK and the UK National Institute of Health Research concluded that losing out on just 30 minutes of sleep per night can cause people to experience weight gain. Additionally, a more shocking and unexpected consequence was the potential metabolic changes caused, such as insulin resistance. An essential factor for overweight individuals.

It is Scientifically Proven

There are so many scientifically proven reasons why sleep is so essential for anyone who is serious about losing weight. Most dieters know of the critical part played in weight loss by the hormones leptin, ghrelin and cortisol. But the effect of too much or too little sleep on those hormones can be a big problem for dieters. One factor is the replenishing of certain hormones during the circadian cycle. As an example, cortisol is an important element in weight loss; it is balanced in the brain during sleep…

Getting quality sleep is sometimes hard for people to achieve, but it is crucial for weight loss. Getting enough quality sleep controls how you manage your feelings of stress and improves your cognitive function. When you don’t get enough sleep, your cortisol levels rise – elevated cortisol levels lead to an increase in appetite and inflammation. Another of our seven secrets of permanent weight loss…

Many believe that willpower is like a hormone, and its reserves dwindle as the day goes on. And only sleep can replenish it. Research shows that people trying to stop smoking or to lose weight, for example, normally cave in during the evening, around 8.00 pm. This is when their level of the willpower hormone has been expended. No one throws in the towel around stopping smoking at nine in the morning, and few dieters blow it at breakfast!

Willpower restores itself during Sleep.

A lack of sleep causes people to crave and consume more predominantly energy-dense, high-carbohydrate snacks. All carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which is then absorbed into the bloodstream, raising your blood sugar. It is believed that many of the normal lifestyle habits of overweight individuals play a negative part in their sleep patterns. As an example, they are often guilty of eating at irregular times, they have excessive levels of caffeine intake, and their alcohol consumption is late at night.

Alcohol disrupts your quality of sleep in a number of ways. Excessive alcohol results in you not achieving enough REM sleep, which is vital for restoring bodily functions. This is why you can go to bed after a heavy drinking session, wake in the morning after maybe 10 hours of sleep, and feel just as tired as when you went to bed! Alcohol and a perfect night’s sleep do not mix at any level.

Binge-watching Netflix into the early hours does not really help with your sleeping. Late-night viewing can awaken and sharpen your senses rather than slow them down. Why not treat yourself to a soak in the bath with some scented candles to help you prepare to drift off to sleep? Stay Away from Late Night Snacking. Stop snacking in the evenings, especially if you are trying to lose weight. Try to resist eating anything after 8.00 pm until your breakfast. This unintentional ‘Fast’ of around twelve hours will deliver two benefits. Firstly, it will aid your weight loss directly. And secondly, it ensures that you achieve a much more restful and beneficial level of sleep. So leave the pizza until tomorrow!

Sleep, Sex, Rest and Relaxation

Your Bedroom should be your sanctuary, your special place reserved exclusively for Sleep, Sex, Rest and Relaxation. Low-level lighting is best. This will be detected by the Pineal gland, which senses low light, releasing melatonin (it makes you sleepy). Also, make sure the bedroom is at a comfortable, cool temperature.

Finally, you should try to establish a regular sleep pattern, going to bed at a set time each evening. You should strive to get as close as possible to the recommended eight hours of sleep per night. Research has shown that the best quality sleep takes place between 10.00 pm and 4.00 am. This, of course, is in line with research around the circadian rhythm. So, this concludes the third of our seven secrets to achieving permanent weight loss.

No.4 Unlimited Motivation.

One of the more stressful challenges that we go through in life revolves around weight loss. For many people, almost 30 per cent of the world’s population, it seems like the challenge is never-ending, as one diet seamlessly follows another. For anybody to succeed in their weight loss attempt, many elements need to be aligned simultaneously. As an example, a person wishing to lose weight first needs to carefully select a weight loss method that fits in with their lifestyle. So, maybe it’s low carb, meal replacement, or dramatically increasing their level of exercise, like signing up for a boot camp. 

The Effect of Unlimited Motivation

The next step is that it is vital they are in the ‘right place’ mentally. To make any weight loss attempt a success, having your headspace aligned is a key element; stress, for instance, is practically a guarantee of failure! But motivation, of course, is the ultimate driver of success! Without it, success is just a dream, but with it, success is completely in your grasp. It is a reality. Motivation is a subject about which I have written many pages. I feel passionately about it and the positive results it always delivers.

It can come in both positive and, sadly, harmful ways. As an example, I have worked with people who have tried to stop smoking so many times that they would be described as a lost cause. I am talking about people who have been told, very seriously, by their doctors to stop. Or, others who found themselves in a situation where their partner was threatening to leave them if they didn’t stop. These people have sometimes invested considerable amounts of money in seeing psychologists or other specialists to help them, but nothing worked.

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

Then, they get motivated. If it were possible to stand back and just observe them, it would almost seem like ‘magic’. For example, a woman who has been unsuccessfully trying to stop smoking for five years finds out she is pregnant and suddenly just ‘stops’ right there and then, as quickly as that. Or, how about the example of a guy who finds out that a close friend of the same age has had a life-changing ‘stroke’ and he just stops in a heartbeat? So, what changed…? They Got Motivated…

We recently had a client who told Marion that the previous year, she had been on holiday with friends to Ibiza. Apparently, it did not bring back happy memories owing to her being so overweight. During the holiday, she felt both uncomfortable and embarrassed sunbathing with them. Her friends were each wearing bikinis, while she was wearing a wrap to hide her embarrassment of being so large. Anyway, she told Marion that her friends had decided that they were looking to repeat the trip. She, however, was determined to avoid a repeat performance of her embarrassing experience. She was determined to lose weight at any cost; she became motivated.

Maybe these are not perfect examples, but over the last fifteen years of treating overweight people, I have learnt that motivation is always the magic bullet in the weight loss arena. You need to ask yourself: ‘Why do I want to lose weight?’ The ‘Why’, of course, will be your motivation. But, if it is not strong enough or important enough, then there is an increased chance of failure.

They are just a couple of random examples. I remember another lady coming to the clinic to see us about losing weight. When I asked her why she wanted to slim down, she started crying. She told me that her grandchildren had asked her to stop collecting them from school. They told her their friends were taunting them by calling her ‘Elephant Legs’.

People are motivated by two opposing things. They are either motivated to do something because the ‘prize’ at the end is so appealing, maybe even positively life-changing to them. Conversely, they are motivated because the ‘pain’ of not doing it will be so unacceptable, maybe unbearable in their lives.

The level of Motivation must mean more to you than going out partying tonight with friends, for instance. It must also mean more than having a pizza night or whatever your weakness or pleasure is. So, can you ‘tweak’ your level of motivation? Can you increase it? Motivation has a very close relative; it is called willpower. There are two schools of thought around motivation and willpower; they are described in detail in an article in the Blog section of this site. But yes, there are things you can do to ‘up’ the motivation factor. Take a look at the ‘Motivation, the Secret of Weight Loss’ page. It provides many proven tips.

The Effect of Unlimited Motivation

Motivation is a form of energy that drives us to do something with enough force to complete our task. We all know when we’re motivated because we feel energised, happy, confident, and excited about what we’re doing. So, in conclusion, let me ask you the question... It is a realistic, scientific and medical fact that, if you wish, in twenty weeks’ time, you could be 40 pounds lighter than you are today. There can be no discussion or debate around that because it is achievable. So the question is: Will you? I believe that there is something in everyone’s life, something so powerful, so extreme, that it would place them in total control to guarantee their positive results: they just need to find it.

No. 5 Time Travel and The Miracle Question

No, don’t bury your head in your hands: ‘Miracles and Time Travel! Whatever next…? The Miracle of Weight Loss that I want to share with you comes, in some ways, from the ‘Miracle Question’. The miracle question was originally developed by Insoo Kim Berg, so I’m told. The story goes that Insoo came up with the idea as she was responding to a client who said: “That would take a miracle!” So, Insoo asked her client to describe her future life, without the problems that brought her to therapy, as if the miracle had actually happened.

Other opinions that you can find on the Internet say that it was the famous Psychologist, Milton Erickson, who first developed the Miracle Question. But for now, let’s not start a debate about who first came up with the concept. Just be aware that it is deemed necessary enough to be taught at just about every university in the world that has a Psychology department.

The “Crystal Ball” Technique

I have been using the Miracle Question with clients for around fifteen years. In certain circumstances, and with some clients, the results can almost be ‘magical’. It is so simple, it’s almost embarrassing, but then sometimes the best things are both small and simple. And that’s why it’s one of our seven secrets for permanent weight loss.

So, let me try to explain how it works with a weight loss client. At the clinic (don’t worry, you will be able to do this just as quickly at home), I start by asking the clients to sit down. They then need to get themselves in a comfortable position, relax and then, if they are happy to do so, close their eyes. This is not hypnotherapy; I just need the client to be in a ‘hyper’ relaxed state.  

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

So, our imaginary client, let’s say her name is Sally, wants to lose 40 pounds. “Sally, now you are relaxed; I just want you to feel all the stress leaving your body. I want you to really enjoy the feeling of being stress-free and super chilled. And let’s just stay there for a few minutes because we are not in any hurry.”

“Now Sally, I want you to allow your mind to just drift away, and slowly, in your own time, I want you to imagine you have a “crystal ball” so you can see yourself 20 weeks from today. Take a long, slow look at yourself; you are now at your target weight. Wow!  Do you feel good?  How is your new, enhanced self-confidence, your energy, your vitality..?”

“Enjoy being there and receiving all the positive comments from family and friends. Did you have to buy new clothes? Can you see what you are wearing? And what about jewellery and perfume…?”  You can stay in that beautiful place for a few minutes if you wish. So now, I want you to start walking backwards in time, very slowly. Each step back represents one week, so take special care to see the steps and the route you had taken to arrive at the 40-pound weight loss”.

“So Sally, now you are back today, you can open your eyes.” I would then explain to the client that now they have mentally been there, to the endpoint, the finish line. They know, at a cognitive level, the steps they took, and they know it is both possible and painless. The benefit the client obtains from the miracle question is twofold. Firstly, they obtain a level of belief that the desired result is, in fact, possible. Secondly, they will see the process of change slowly play out in front of them over the imaginary 20 weeks.

In an interview with The New York Times, Dr. Erickson said that he always asks the Miracle Question with his patients as they are going through treatment in his office. He explained that the question is used as a tool to help patients process their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Erickson said that therapists can use the Miracle Question when someone feels frustrated, overcome with negative thoughts, or just ‘stuck’. He went on to say that patients who have achieved their weight loss normally continue to live healthier lives because of the change in their perspective and outlook on life after undergoing the Miracle Question.

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

The Miracle Question is, without a doubt, a powerful tool that can help you not only lose weight but also make other changes in your life. This technique is initially best applied on a regular basis. The first step is to find a quiet and private place, such as your bedroom or somewhere else in your house, where you can completely relax. This will help you to completely focus on what you are doing and not be distracted by anything else.

A final point on the Miracle Question. Many people, maybe understandably, don’t take it seriously; it is worth repeating that not only is the process taught at every psychology university in the world, but it is also the subject of thousands of hours of research. In our My Weigh Less Programme, we dedicate a complete section to Erickson’s Miracle Question, with favourable results. Try it, and enjoy!

No. 6 Just Press Pause…

It’s all about what is the most crucial word in the dictionary for dieters; it is, of course, ‘Consequence’. We all know, realistically, that everything we say or do in life will have a consequence. It may be a massive life-changing one, or it may be a small, almost insignificant one, but rest assured, there will always be a consequence for every single action or thought in your life.

Dieters need to focus their thoughts on stopping, pressing a pause button on their life for just a few seconds, and then asking themselves the million-dollar question: “Do I need another slice of pizza, or do I just want another slice of pizza? Will having the pizza take me closer to or further away from my weight loss goal? We are, of course, in this instance, we are talking about the ‘consequences’ of eating more pizza.

Understanding the difference between “Wants and Needs” is paramount for anyone who is even remotely serious about losing weight. Dieters need to be able to differentiate between the two and put this into practice around food. Wants tend to represent wishes and desires, whereas needs represent necessities or essentials.

So, in practice, it’s never going to be a great idea to ask yourself: “Do I WANT to eat this?” Because it is pretty much guaranteed that your answer will be: “Well, yes! Of course, I WANT to eat it!” But the problem with that is it’s not actually a helpful question in the first place. As a result, you are making it harder for yourself to make the right choice.

Separating Wants and Needs

 A much more appropriate question to ask is:  “Do I need to eat something right now? Am I actually hungry?” And then your answer is more likely to be, “Well, no, it’s not absolutely essential for me to eat right now because I’m not physically hungry!”

So, going forward, don’t waste time asking yourself the wrong questions. Make sure you ask yourself the correct question, and that way; you will always end up with the correct answer! Your body undeniably NEEDS certain basic nutrients to survive and function healthily, but could you ever honestly say that you couldn’t possibly survive without eating that bar of chocolate or packet of crisps, for example..?

Why don’t you start right now to consciously separate the food you need to eat from the food you want to eat…? You might be surprised at what happens when you put some thought into it. When you press pause and just stop for a moment and think about the consequences of the action you are about to take, things will become different in your life. Pause Button Therapy is an upgraded extension of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. We developed the concept at our Elite Clinic, and Professor Windy Dryden of Goldsmiths University in London has since endorsed the therapy.

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

Additionally, we were excited to be invited to write a book dedicated to the therapy, which was published globally by Hay House in New York. We are proud that after reading the manuscript, one of the most respected psychologists in the world, Professor Philip Zimbardo of Stanford University in San Francisco, offered to write the foreword. You can order a copy of “Pause Button Therapy” from Amazon if you would like to find out more about the technique in practice. Should you be interested, there is a dedicated website for Pause Button Therapy Here.

Following the publication of the book, we were proud to be invited to present our work at several Psychology conferences held at European Universities. At the bottom of this page, you can view a short whiteboard video that explains the concept in action. Pause Button Therapy is a major CBT-based component of the My Weigh Less Course. And this is why it’s such an essential part of our seven secrets of permanent weight loss.

No. 7 Delayed Gratification

Have you heard of the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment, conducted by psychology professor Walter Mischel? Google it. There are plenty of examples on YouTube. It was a ground-breaking experiment in the field of psychology. The test initially started in the late 1960s and is still running to this day. It revolves around “Delayed Gratification”, which is probably the holly grail around obesity.

Basically a group of four-year-old children were each given a marshmallow and told they had a choice. They could either eat the marshmallow straight away or not receive any more.  Or, if they wanted to wait for a while before eating the marshmallow, their reward would be a second one. Then, the researchers left each child on their own in the room for around 15 minutes to see what they would do.

So, some of the kids ate the treat within a few seconds of being left alone, while others licked it and took little bites from the bottom, placing it back on the desk so no one could see. And some just sat there with their arms crossed tightly and waited.

What makes this experiment interesting is that over the following years, the children, then growing into adults, were monitored, and the findings were incredible. The children who demonstrated a level of delayed gratification went on to complete higher education. As a result, they had successful careers with a decent income. They were also in secure relationships and had a reduced level of obesity.

On the other hand, it was a completely different story for those children who showed a tendency towards seeking instant gratification, indicating the ‘I want it, and I want it now’ outlook on life. Many of them failed to complete their education and had a higher incidence of unemployment, along with an increased level of obesity and the likelihood of substance abuse.

Psychologically, of course, this proved that we can go some way to predicting a person’s future life experiences from as early as the age of four. Many people believe that having the ability to introduce delayed gratification into your life is one of, if not the most important personal traits of high-level achievers worldwide. Some people are born with it; others have to work hard to achieve it.

They say that whatever you’re trying to achieve in your life, one thing is for sure…The greatest things always come to those who wait or those who can delay. And, of course, it’s similar in the area of permanent weight loss. And that’s precisely why we have included this in our “seven secrets for permanent weight loss…”

You see, your emotional brain is most often associated with Instant Gratification; it’s the “I want it, and I want it now!” regardless of the outcome part. So, the emotional part of the brain almost does not believe or think a future exists; it just wants to party. On the other hand, our logical brain, the Delayed Gratification part, clearly sees all of the future consequences of our current actions.

For example, our emotional brain wants to max out the credit card, have a party, order a few beers, eat a chocolate dessert, and smoke a packet of cigarettes. However, our logical brain knows only too well that what we really should do is get an early night, cut up the credit card, save for retirement, go for a jog, ease up on the drinking and quit smoking.  For more in-depth information, have a look at an article from Harvard Business Review.

So, how does this help or affect you? Well, our own research shows that over 80% of clients that visited the clinic for weight loss treatment suffer from a high level of bias towards Instant Gratification, especially around Food.  They are what we clinically call Present Hedonistic. In other words, they are ‘Here and Now’ thinkers. But usually, and interestingly, this is often only related to food. And in contrast, they can demonstrate total control, along with an incredible level of delayed gratification, in other areas of their lives.

In our experience, most overweight people are very impatient when it comes to losing weight. They often want instant results, and their ideal, yet unrealistic, scenario is to wake up tomorrow and suddenly be slim! However, let’s refer to the famous proverb “All things come to those who wait” as a reminder that you need to be persistent and patient, to achieve your goals.

So, there you have it – the top seven secrets to permanent weight loss. Now, it’s up to you to put them into action. Remember, successful weight loss is a journey, not a destination. It takes time, effort, and commitment to see results. But if you’re willing to put in the work, you can achieve your weight loss goals. So what are you waiting for? Turbo Charge Your Weight Loss Efforts. Put a Rocket Under Your Metabolism, and enjoy the journey. Start today and see the results for yourself. Thanks for reading!

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

Our Top FAQs

Are you tired of trying an endless list of diets that just don’t work? Frustrated with the constant cycle of losing and regaining weight? Are you looking for a medically endorsed solution, one based on thousands of hours of clinical experience?  Maybe something that doesn’t involve following a restrictive diet, doing lots of exercise, or having invasive surgery…? So, go ahead, relax, and take a few minutes to daydream… What would it be like to be slim and healthy, to be at your target weight? Can you imagine if you never had to go on a diet again or be afraid of food? What if you were able to enjoy every social event with the fantastic feeling of extra energy and improved self-esteem? Welcome to My Weigh Less Master Class – The Gold Standard in Permanent Weight Loss.

Read on to find out about our award-winning solution! But first, allow us to introduce ourselves. We are Martin and Marion Shirran, and we have worked in the field of weight loss for almost 20 years. We are both clinical therapists and the developers of the globally acclaimed Gastric Mind Band Permanent Weight-Loss Treatment. Articles about our treatment and successful clients have appeared in the global media, including The Times, The Telegraph and the Express. Additionally, magazines such as Vogue, Marie Claire, Good Housekeeping, Hello, Woman, Reader’s Digest and Psychologies have featured our work, as have TV shows around the world.

MWL effortlessly delivers the dieter into the eye of the dieting storm. On a psychological level, it delivers a profound and excitingly new approach to the introduction of change in a person’s life. The treatment allows participants to seamlessly overcome their negative issues around food and eating in general, resulting in them being able to make the connection between weight loss and wellness.

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

During the twelve one-hour sessions that make up the programme, dieters learn about aspects of obesity and weight loss that they may have never associated as being connected. The programme has been built around a combination of empirically proven interventions. These include TactileCBT, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming, as well as Clinical Hypnotherapy. The treatment is designed to connect your mind with your body, delivering a simple, clean connection between Weight Loss and Wellness.

Over a thousand people travelled from around the world to experience our weight-loss treatment. Our clients include celebrities, members of the public and medical professionals, including doctors, dentists, nurses, anaesthetists and consultant surgeons. Some clients simply want to shed their excess weight to look better. However, others tell us that health is the main reason. Many of our past clients have successfully reversed medical conditions such as insulin resistance, diabetes, high blood pressure, and fatty liver disease, whereas others have managed to avoid having knee or hip replacement surgery. You may like to read more details on our Medical Endorsements page.

Our weight-loss approach has been the subject of continued research and development over the last thirteen years. Sharon, above, lost 75 pounds. Our youngest client was just fourteen, and the oldest was eighty-six. Some clients wished to lose just a few pounds to fit into their wedding dress. But others, like Sarah below, went on to lose over 140 pounds. As a result, she was featured globally on TV and in the press. Follow this link to sign up for our course now, and you can start your weight-loss journey today.

Our psychology-focused weight loss programme provides a ‘Psychological Reset’ for those wishing to lose weight. The programme incorporates an updated version of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, TCBT, which is the subject of our bestselling book, published globally by Hay House. Professor Windy Dryden of Goldsmiths University in London endorsed the book, and Professor Philip Zimbardo of Stanford University in the USA wrote the foreword. We also incorporate the latest developments around Neuroplasticity and Neuro-Linguistic Programming along with many other disciplines. One component of our psychology-focused weight loss programme provides a ‘Psychological Reset’. At this statement, ‘Psychological Reset,’ we have observed many people raising their eyebrows; see below.

Let me give you a couple of examples: the programme will allow you to make a number of simple cognitive changes in your thought processes…small changes that deliver ‘massive results’. For example, think for a moment how different your relationship with food and weight loss would be if we re-programmed your subconscious mind to effortlessly replace the word “want” with the word “need”?

The result: imagine you are out having dinner with friends, ordering a burger. Instead of hearing the waiter asking: “Do you ‘want’ fries with that?” without thinking, you hear and automatically process the question as: “Do you ‘need’ fries with that?” Things would be very different, right? You see, at a cognitive level, we process those words differently. Later, maybe the waiter says, do you ‘want’ another glass of wine? You, of course, hear and cognitively process the word stream as do you ‘need’ another glass of wine. You can watch an animated video explaining ‘Want and Need’ and how it works at the bottom of this page.

Another ‘fix’ in the programme relates to just why people eat. So, during the programme, you will be asked when was the last time you ate in response to actual, physical hunger. Most people say: “Thinking about it, I haven’t been physically hungry for years”. And so we ask them: “Do you ever eat when you are bored, stressed, tired, lonely, depressed, sad, to reward yourself, when watching TV, or maybe just to please someone else?” Then, we do another reset, and so it goes on…

Martin and Marion Shirran

We have spent many months completely reformatting our unique, phenomenally successful approach to weight loss. As a result, the course is now instantly available to download to your phone, tablet, or computer. This also means that you can complete the entire course without having to leave the comfort and security of your own home. Welcome to the ‘My Weigh Less Master Class’!

Read on the pages of this website how the award-winning ‘My Weigh Less’ downloadable treatment is successfully delivering what is surely ‘utopia’ to dieters: a medically endorsed, proven weight-loss approach that provides permanent results! The programme is also based on over 15,000 1:1 clinical treatment hours. My Weigh Less can help you reach your weight-loss goals.

– Permanent Weight Loss –
– No Diet or Exercise Required –
– Medically Endorsed –
– 15,000 1:1 Clinical Hours Experience –
– Fully Downloadable –
– Featured in Global Media –
– Award-Winning Programme –

We have over 100 blog posts on the site, covering many different topics. The blog page section is updated regularly; take a look by following this Blog Page Link.

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Marion Shirran, as a director of Oxford Therapeutics Limited, is proud to be a registered Stakeholder in NICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Marion is also involved in the government’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Obesity.

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We were proud to be awarded the ‘Most Innovative Obesity Psychological Therapy’ in the UK Mental Health Awards 2022.

We also appeared on the This Morning TV show with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield.

In 2010, we travelled to New York to be interviewed on the Good Morning America TV Show.

We are also co-authors of two bestselling books about non-surgical weight loss, published by Hay House.

You can read a full breakdown of all the components included in the treatment package on the Course Details page. There is also an explanation of the treatment on the Does This Work? page. We look forward to working with you. Additionally, you can read reviews from medical and other professionals on the Medical Endorsement page.

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Watch the short animated ‘Want and Need Video’ below…

Click on the link below to listen to our short audio introduction to the weight-loss course.

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You can download the complete My Weigh Less course and start your weight-loss journey today.

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Downloadable Weight-Loss Treatment

My Weigh Less®/myweighless.com and all associated intellectual property rights are the property of Oxford Therapeutics Limited, a company registered in London.

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You can read additional information about us and our weight-loss treatment on the Gastric Mind Band website.

Success Stories

Seven Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss

Although the weight-loss results and success stories shown on the site are typical, individual results will vary and are not guaranteed. Weight-loss success depends on each individual’s level of motivation, commitment, food intake and metabolism. Read our full disclaimer in the Terms & Conditions.

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