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Vicki Ellsberg

My name is Vicki Ellsberg and I live in Vancouver, WA. Before coming to Positive Changes I was very overweight. I have fought weight problems ever since I could remember. I have tried numerous weight loss methods; Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss, Atkins, Mayo clinic, diet and even prescription weight loss pills along with many supplements, exercise equipment and gimmicks. They would work for a short little while but I always put the weight back on and then kept adding on more pounds.

I was not in control of my eating habits and I always considered myself an emotional eater. It really did not matter which emotion I was feeling, I liked to eat all the time. I always enjoyed huge portions. Often I would eat even if I was not hungry. I snacked often, especially a big snack in the evening while watching TV. I would get really disgusted with myself and I was embarrassed by the fact that I was so overweight and kept getting larger and larger. I did not feel good about myself because I figured I must have not been trying hard enough to lose the weight. I was always discouraged and I hated buying bigger clothes. I was taking some medication for acid reflux and swollen ankles. I'm sure that had to do with carrying so much extra weight. I no longer need them now.

Before Positive Changes I would go to the gym 3-5 days a week for short periods of time to walk on the treadmill. That was the only thing that I was brave enough to do. I never went very fast, I was able to hold and read books while I walked. As big as I was, I would not try any of the other machines in front of anyone else.

My daily routine before Positive Changes was: I would get up and go to the gym, but it didn't take much of an excuse to make me skip. I would come home and eat a big breakfast and get ready for work and pack lunch and snacks for the day. I would work and eat a pretty good size lunch and a snack afterwards. If there was a meeting after school, I always had snacks to tide me over until dinner. I would head home for a big dinner, something quick because I was tired by then. I had my favorite shows to watch after dinner and would enjoy my evening snacks with them. I would make it to bed in between 11-12. I would think about food all the time.

My daily routine after Positive Changes is very different. I get up at 4:45 am and I drink water. I head to the gym 6-7 days a week for about 1 ½ -2 hours. I come home and I drink some water with a light breakfast and get ready for work and pack a healthy light lunch. I go to work, drink more water, eat my healthy lunch, work and still drink more water. If I have a meeting after school, I pack raw almonds and carrots. I make it home to have a light healthy dinner. I will go for a walk or head back to the gym for toning my body and I will try new machines now. I watch very little TV.

When I decided to enroll at Positive Changes, it took some time. I had been hearing the commercials on TV for quite a while and I thought, during spring break I am going to see if can get in there to find out what it's all about. I wasn't sure about hypnosis and I didn't want to bark like a dog when I got done. At first I thought yeah right, how can that work but I was ready to try something new.

I was very excited to begin after talking to my evaluator at Positive Changes. This was just what I needed. I was no longer skeptical and now knew what I needed to do and that through hypnosis, I would be able to lose the 75 pounds I needed to lose. Positive Changes is not a diet, it is a way of life, a way for me to live a healthy, happy, long life. I told the evaluator that I did not want to hate food, instead I wanted to eat to live and not live to eat.

After starting the program, I noticed changes in my behavior the first few weeks. I was not craving foods and I wasn't hungry all the time. I did not snack and I was eating smaller portions. I was also sleeping better than I had ever slept before and I wanted to exercise more. I felt positive and healthier right away.

I started losing weight right away too. My clothes were fitting looser and I was beginning to have more energy. I have lost all of my 75 pounds. I have gone from a size 18 to a size 4 in 9 months. In the first week I lost 7.4 pounds. At the first month mark I was down 10.8 pounds.  At 8 weeks I was down 21.5 pounds and I steady lost weight throughout the program.

My eating habits changed dramatically after joining the program. I used to eat large portions and snacked a lot. Now I use a smaller plate because my portions are smaller. I don't snack between meals and I'm going to the grocery store less often and spending less too.

The hypnosis helped eliminate my cravings for unhealthy foods. Now I only eat fresh, alive and vibrant foods. Right away I was amazed that my cravings went away. They just stopped cold turkey. I did not want to snack, I simply was not hungry.

My lifestyle has changed in that I don't want to go out with friends and family to eat like I used to. Now we head to the gym or outside for a walk. If I do go out for meals with friends or family, I can make healthy choices off the main menu.

I definitely eat less now and enjoy my meals more. I put the fork or food down between bites to really savor my food. I eat slower and fill up with less food.

Positive Changes made it so easy for me to lose weight. Their positive upbeat hypnotists helped keep me positive and on track. Listening to my personal hypnosis sessions is always so motivating. These personal sessions targeted areas that I needed help with, such as feeling good about exercising and staying focused and motivated.

After starting the program I started exercising regularly. I started going to the gym more and now I go just about every day and sometimes twice a day. If I don't go to the gym I still get outside and walk with my husband and dog or use my rebounder. I don't just sit around the house now. It feels good to get up and move.

I'm hoping to get to the mountains to go snowboarding with my sister soon. I will slide down the mountain now not carrying around those extra 75 pounds.

When I was overweight I suffered emotionally and physically. I knew what I needed to do but I kept failing at diet and exercise. Exercise was painful and embarrassing. I had no willpower to stick with anything for very long. I felt like a failure. The hypnosis has given me the willpower I need to focus on the weight loss. It brought together what I knew I had to do and gave me the willpower to do it. The hypnosis helped me stay motivated and on track to lose the weight. I felt good about myself from the very start of the program. I realized that I was worth it.

The further I got into the program, the better I felt about myself. I was not a failure, I was succeeding and I am a success. I lost 75 pounds and I have never felt better.

Through my success with Positive Changes, I gained confidence in myself in what I can do. I feel confident that I can try new things. I would like to try cross-country skiing. I feel confident that I'm now strong enough to have enough stamina to learn it. I am very proud of my accomplishments. I set out to with a goal of losing 75 pounds and I was successful in completing that goal. I am confident that I will keep the weight off and lose more inches through exercising.

I feel great emotionally and physically. My chin is up and my shoulders are back.

There are many changes in my habits. I used to drink at least one soda every day. Now I do not drink soda at all. My body craves water. I used to eat fast food 4-6 times a week and now I don't eat fast food. I used to drink some water but not much and now I drink 8-10 glasses at the very minimum. Now water is my drink of choice. I used to snack many times a day on junk food and now I rarely snack. I do not need snacks to get me through the day. I used to binge on foods and now I don't. I don't even think about food.

I have seen a doctor since I started the program and he was amazed at my weight loss and my accomplishments. He asked me lots of questions about the program and I hope he recommends it to other people. I have not been sick a day since I joined this program so I know my body is much healthier and I can fight off the germs.

The things I learned coming to the classes at Positive Changes Hypnosis were very helpful. There were many topics that provided helpful information on how to maximize weight loss and how to live a healthy life.

All of my family and friends are proud of me and my accomplishments. I have inspired many friends to make healthier choices and to work on portion sizes.

Losing weight the healthy way has definitely made me a better role model. I brag about Positive Changes to everyone who asks. Losing weight has made me a better cook. When I cook at home or for someone else, it is always a healthy dish.

I notice that my relationships with family and friends are better than ever. I'm happier and much more relaxed and that rubs off. I enjoy going out in public a lot more now that I'm healthier and feel better in my clothes.

Accomplishing my weight loss goal has made me feel confident that I can accomplish anything that I set my mind to. I feel that I can try new things and I feel good about them.

The most valuable benefit that I have received is the control over my eating habits. The weight loss came naturally as I gained control over my eating. I have now found the one thing that has helped me master my control over food and that is coming to Positive Changes Hypnosis. I have never felt better and I know that I have the tools to keep it off for the rest of my life.

The cost of the program is justified. It took a few minutes to digest but I figured I have spent a lot of money on diet items in the past that never worked.

I'm very satisfied with my results and I tell everybody who asks. I couldn't feel healthier or happier. I tell everyone that the Positive Changes program helped me to reach my goal. If I knew someone considering the program, I would give them my blessing and I would tell them it works. I believe that my weight loss is permanent as I have the tools I need to make it permanent. Thank you Positive Changes Hypnosis!