Paula Kurei. Photo / Supplied
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air.
Mum of three Paula Kurei had tried every diet and new food fad going in her battle of the bulge.
She was not overweight as a child, but three kids later, the weight she put on during pregnancy just never went away.
That was until the Ōpōtiki doctor’s receptionist turned to a virtual weight management programme that has helped her drop the pounds and, hopefully, live longer.
Government health figures show New Zealand has the third-highest adult obesity rate in the OECD - with 71.3 per cent of Pacific people and 50.8 per cent of Māori classified as obese. One in three Kiwis over the age of 15 is classified as obese, as our rates continue to increase.
The virtual weight management programme, which has been widely adopted overseas, allows patients to virtually “inject” control over food, portions and cravings, alongside daily motivation and exercise.
Kurei, who works 40 hours at her GP surgery and up to another 30 hours a week at an after-hours clinic, said like most mums, the weight she put on during her pregnancies was tough to lose.
“I saw this thing on Facebook and thought, ‘Why not?’” Kurei, 49, told the Herald.
“I had problems with my weight, so decided to give it a go.”
Before starting the hypnotherapy, Kurei weighed 114 kilograms. She’s dropped 4kgs - helped mainly by her much healthier outlook on food - and speaks openly about her weight battle.
“I have been able to stop eating when I’m full. I can now plan my week’s eating and not be tempted by the bakery next door or the dairy down the road,” Kurei said.
“Before I started, I could go home and eat a whole packet of biscuits with a cup of tea. Now I’ll maybe have two biscuits - that’s what has changed. I’m able to not eat more, if that makes sense.
“I tried every diet and fad going, and nothing worked until the virtual injection.”
Richard Kellow, founder of Kellow Hypnotherapy, says the virtual “inject” weight management programme addresses the behaviours of habitual eating through a holistic approach that encourages people to form a healthier relationship with food.
“One of the key aspects the virtual ‘inject’ weight management programme deals with is the emotional side of eating. More and more Kiwis are looking for a more holistic approach to weight management. There are myriad reasons for this,” he said.
Virtual ‘inject’ weight management programmes involve the process of hypnosis.
“Hypnosis is a generally safe process, as we go into a natural state of hypnosis every day,” Kellow said.
The process of the programme involves four appointments in total. All sessions take place online via Zoom for an approximate duration of one hour.
The first programme session involves talking through eating habits, goals, and what the client wants to achieve. Kellow then takes his client into hypnosis, encouraging them to imagine giving themselves an injection while they are eating - totally painless and safe - that suppresses their appetite. Clients also inject essential motivation, confidence and control tools during this first session.
“We look at and talk through people’s habits and behaviours and assess what they are eating, how much they are exercising, what their goals are and what they hope to achieve,” Kellow said.
Kurei is a testament to that.
“I didn’t have the mind power to keep on diets or even fasting, because after a couple of weeks, I would go back to what I was doing,” Kurei said.
“Before I engaged with Richard, I was 114kg. I jumped on the scales recently and I am down to 110kg.
“I found the programme easy, and all I had to do was have an open mind and show up. It’s working for me.”
Joseph Los’e joined NZME in 2022 as Kaupapa Māori Editor. Los’e was a chief reporter, news director at the Sunday News newspaper covering crime, justice and sport. He was also editor of the NZ Truth and, prior to joining NZME, worked for 12 years for Te Whānau o Waipareira.