Weight Loss With The Mind By: Renata Magalhaes Eat to live don’t live to eat—that’s Rena Greenberg’s philosophy of life. In her 20’s Greenberg was told by a doctor that she either had to lose weight or lose her life. “He told me I had the heart of an 80-year old and needed a pacemaker,” explained Greenberg. “I was really sick, so I started exploring ways of getting better.” Greenberg realized that it was her poor eating habits mixed in with poor mental stamina that were holding her back from being the healthy person she could be. She soon came upon the method of having the mind control the body. “I went to the Biofeedback program where they used these machines to measure everything,” said Greenberg. “I saw how I could control things like my blood pressure by simply changing the way I think. So geared with this new knowledge, Greenberg dug deeper into the world of hypnosis, eventually becoming certified as a hypnotherapist herself. She soon started holding seminars in hospitals throughout the East Coast, using the technique of hypnosis and the power of good self-esteem to teach people how to lose weight the healthy way. “You need to be open to what’s in the periphery. I became fascinated by the control we can have,” said Greenberg. “There is a misconception about hypnosis, people think it’s about taking over the mind but really it’s about finding the deeper intelligence. Greenberg explained that people build a relationship with food as children, and very often it’s the wrong type of relationship. “As kids, you’re taught to clean your plate and the behavior continues as adults,” said Greenberg. “But it’s not necessarily the right type of relationship or idea to have. People start using food as a way to resolve conflicts.” Greenberg’s hypnosis changes this relationship and builds “new images of food.” According to Greenberg, the foods that once looked appetizing, like the hamburger or chocolate, are now seen as the source of the problem and the vegetables and salads that were once seen as boring become attractive sources of health. “This isn’t a diet,” said Greenberg. “You can eat everything, just within moderation, of course.” In her second book, “The Craving Cure: Break the Hold Carbs and Sweets Have on Your Life,” Greenberg shares her tips from what are the best foods to eat to complement self-hypnosis or relaxation methods. Greenberg explains the process is really about learning self control and what your strengths and weaknesses are. “Some people have to eliminate certain foods completely,” said Greenberg. “For me, I used to love ice cream, but I just stopped because I realized that was a weak point for me. Now my kids have ice cream and I can just let it be,” said Greenberg. Greenberg’s two hour seminars are very often the last resort for people who she syas “Have tried everything.” The group is hypnotized together to “create that reassuring feeling.” “People always need to know that other people are going through the same thing,: said Greenberg. “It just makes it easier.” But for all of those thinking this is an easy way out without exercising, you’re wrong. Although some people have lost weight without exercise because of physical restraints, Greenberg says that people definitely should and need to exercise and the hypnosis motivates them to do that easily. “Exercise is definitely part of the process but it doesn’t need to seem like work,” said Greenberg. “It’s a good way of working out the stress.” Originally from Somerset County, Greenberg will be offering one of her seminars at Jersey City Medical Center.