Weight loss Therapeutic weight loss techniques 

The least intrusive weight loss methods, & those most often recommended, are adjustments to eating patterns & increased physical activity, generally in the form of exercise. Physicians will usually recommend that their overweight patients combine a reduction of processed foods & caloric content of the diet with an increase in physical activity.

An increase in fiber intake is also recommended for regulating bowel movements.

Other methods of weight loss include use of drugs & supplements that decrease appetite, block fat absorption, or reduce stomach volume. Application of such medications, however, should only be performed under the strict supervision of a physician and/or specialist.

Finally, surgery might be used in more severe cases to artificially reduce the size of the stomach, thus limiting the intake of food energy.

Dietary supplements, though widely used, are not considered a healthy option for weight loss. Even though a wide array of these products is available to the public, very few are effective long term.

Bariatric surgery is usually considered a last resort in treating severe obesity & it consists of 2 main procedures - gastric bypass & gastric banding.

Virtual gastric band uses hypnosis to make the brain think the stomach is smaller than it really is & hence lower the amount of food ingested. This brings as a consequence weight reduction. This method is complemented with psychological treatment for anxiety management & with hypnopedia. In 1996 a study revealed that hypnosis reinforced with cognitive-behavioral therapy was more effective than just CBT for weight reduction.