Slim your way, slim in your own home
The Lighter Way is a 28-day programme that combines virtual band hypnosis, solution focused hypnotherapy, positive psychology, anchoring and parts work. So much more than just another “gastric band hypnosis session”.
- 4 guided hypnosis recordings
- 57-page daily workbook
- 28 days, a few minutes a day
- From the comfort of your own home
A wellbeing programme using imagery. Not surgery or medical treatment. Results vary and are not guaranteed.
This is not just another virtual band programme
It is not a single recording and a hopeful goodbye. It is not a hypnosis slimming group with weigh-ins and a one-size-fits-all plan. It is an innovative, structured programme, built from years of work with real clients, that helps you change the way you think, feel and act around food.
A typical remote virtual band session
- One generic recording
- Focuses only on the band
- Little or no support between listens
- Nothing about habits, emotions or stress
- No plan for parties, wobbles or real life
The Lighter Way
- Four recordings, each with a different job, in a planned order
- Virtual band plus solution focused hypnotherapy and a psychotherapy element
- A 57-page daily workbook that keeps you moving every day
- Habits, stress, parts of you and self-kindness all included
- You plan for social occasions, wobbles and your future self
From a late 1980s idea to the modern hypno slimming method
The virtual gastric band has been around since the late 1980s. At Halifax Hypnotherapy Clinic we asked a simple question: what if it could do much more? In 2023 we answered it by developing the Solution Focused Hypnotic Gastric Band.
The virtual band is born
The idea of guiding the mind to feel comfortably satisfied with less food, as if a gastric band were fitted, begins to take shape in hypnosis.
We modified it
Working daily with private clients, we saw that a band alone was not enough. People also needed help with habits, stress, emotions, confidence and the voices inside that pull in different directions.
The Solution Focused Hypnotic Gastric Band is developed
In 2023 Halifax Hypnotherapy Clinic developed the Solution Focused Hypnotic Gastric Band, combining the sheer power of solution focused hypnotherapy with a psychotherapy element. Instead of dwelling on the problem, it builds on your hopes, your strengths and what is already working.
Rolled out to other practitioners
The approach has been rolled out to other solution focused hypnotherapists, reaching hundreds, if not thousands, of clients around the world.
The Lighter Way, for you, at home
We have brought the whole method into a 28-day remote programme, so you can slim your way, in your own home, in your own time.
Four recordings. One workbook. 28 days.
Each recording has its own purpose, and each is timed to the stage of your journey.
Hypnotic Preparation
Deep relaxation, calm anchors and your stress bucket. You prepare your mind and body, and agree with your inner parts that you are ready for change.
The Band Fitting
Your virtual band is fitted in your imagination, with comfortable signals of fullness and a calm, steady relationship with food.
Habit Shifting
New paths replace old habits. You close the “I’ve earned it” ledger, bring your inner parts onto one team and enjoy moving your body.
Future You
You travel forward in time to meet the person you are becoming, rehearse real-life challenges and anchor lasting change.
A daily workbook page
Every day has one clear page: your morning ritual, a solution focused question, a practical exercise and space to record two Noticeable Differences.
Brain Snippets
Short, plain-English explanations of how stress, habits, dopamine, willpower and imagination work, so you understand your brain and work with it, not against it.
A practical toolkit
Hunger–fullness scale, stress bucket, habit loop map, urge surfing, SOS card, reward menu, movement menu, self-compassion and a wobble plan.
Make a big deal out of it
A short ritual every morning, built from three simple steps. The pill and the slim pen are imaginary.
1. A glass of water
Drink it slowly. Clear mind, clear body.
2. Morning pill (imaginary)
Feel a soft golden light spread through your middle: steady energy, steady appetite.
3. Slim pen (imaginary)
Your slimming pen anchors the feeling of a slimming jab. Hear the click and let the quiet signal turn the food chatter down.
Why does it work so well as an anchor? Because it physically involves all your senses, and because the brain loves routine.
Repeating the same sequence in the same place groups it into one automatic block in the brain, so it takes less effort over time. Your ritual becomes a cue that sets the tone for your whole day.
A few minutes a day, a lifetime of difference
Week 1
Slow eating, noticing hunger and fullness, protein-first plates, finding your exceptions. On Day 7 your virtual band is fitted.
Week 2
Map your triggers, swap the loop, make small changes at home, close the “I’ve earned it” ledger and build your reward menu.
Week 3
Find movement you enjoy, meet the parts of you that argue, and ride out cravings like waves.
Week 4
Plan for social occasions and wobbles, write a letter from your future self and set your non-negotiables.
Are you ready for change?
Answer eight quick statements. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere, and your answers shape a personal result that highlights your strengths.
It takes about two minutes. There are no right or wrong answers, only an honest snapshot of where you are today.
Created by John Lowson and Natalie Hardcastle
At the forefront of the hypnotherapy and hypnosis industry, John and Natalie do far more than write programmes. They work relentlessly with a stream of private clients at the clinic, and they teach the profession too.
John Lowson
Hypnotherapist, lecturer, supervisor and mentor, and co-developer of the Solution Focused Hypnotic Gastric Band.
Natalie Hardcastle
Solution focused hypnotherapist, lecturer, supervisor and mentor, and co-developer of the Solution Focused Hypnotic Gastric Band.
- Seeing a constant stream of private clients at Halifax Hypnotherapy Clinic
- Lecturing in solution focused hypnotherapy
- Supervising and mentoring other hypnotherapists
- Running their own hypnotherapy training and development company
- Rolling the Solution Focused Hypnotic Gastric Band out to other solution focused hypnotherapists worldwide
The Lighter Way is for you if…
- You want a calmer, steadier relationship with food
- You have tried plans that focused only on willpower and rules
- You want to understand why you eat as you do, without blame
- You can spare a few minutes each day for 28 days
- You want to do this privately, at home, in your own time
- You are an adult in good general health, or have your doctor’s agreement
Safety first
- Never listen while driving or operating machinery.
- The band, pill and pen are imagery. This is not surgery or medical treatment.
- If you take prescribed medication, including any weight-loss medicine, keep taking it exactly as directed. This programme does not replace or change it.
- Not suitable if you are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a current or past eating disorder, unless your GP or specialist agrees.
- Speak to your GP if you have diabetes or any medical condition.
Be one of the first 50
We are opening The Lighter Way with a special pre-launch price for the first 50 applicants.
- 4 guided hypnosis recordings
- 57-page daily workbook
- 28-day plan with a daily morning ritual
- Brain Snippets and the full toolkit
- Solution focused hypnotherapy, positive psychology, anchoring and parts work
Once the first 50 applicants have joined, the price returns to the normal price of £79.
Frequently asked questions
What is a virtual gastric band?
It is a hypnosis technique in which you imagine a gastric band being fitted, helping you focus on feeling comfortably satisfied with smaller portions. No surgery is involved. It is all in the imagination, and it is not a medical procedure.
How is The Lighter Way different from a standard virtual band recording?
A standard recording usually focuses only on the band. The Lighter Way adds solution focused hypnotherapy, a psychotherapy element, positive psychology, anchoring and parts work, a daily 57-page workbook, four recordings timed to your journey, and a plan for real life.
How much time does it take each day?
Most people spend a few minutes on their workbook page and ritual, plus the time it takes to listen to the recording for that stage. Many people listen in the evening.
What if I fall asleep during the recording?
That is fine. Many people do, and your unconscious mind continues to listen. Just never listen while driving or doing anything that needs your full attention.
Can I use this alongside prescribed weight-loss medication?
Yes, as a supportive wellbeing programme. All of the pill and pen content is imagery. Real medication should continue exactly as your prescriber directs, and you should never change a dose because of this programme.
Will I lose weight?
Everyone is different, and we cannot guarantee any specific result. The Lighter Way focuses on what you can notice and control: your habits, your relationship with food, your movement, your stress and your confidence.
Is it hypnosis I can do at home safely?
Hypnosis is a natural state of focused attention, and you are always in control. Listen somewhere safe and comfortable, and read the safety guidance above. If you have any health concerns, speak to your GP first.
What do I do after I buy?
Click Buy Now to complete your purchase on our secure checkout page. If you have any questions before or after buying, call us on 01422 861989 or email [email protected].
Slim your way, slim in your own home
Join the clients who have discovered that it is so much more than just another gastric band hypnosis session.
Pre-launch price £29 for the first 50 applicants normal price £79