Is there such a thing as "automatic weight loss"?
A science-based approach focused on changing food preferences
The question of whether or not automatic weight loss is possible is an important one, and it has a simple answer that might help you to have confidence in trying the method.
The answer is:
No, if you think the word “automatic” means “magic wand” because magic doesn’t exist.
No, if you think the word “automatic” means using willpower alone to make challenging or unpleasant changes to your lifestyle, like going on a diet, joining an exercise program, or depriving yourself of your favourite food.
However, if you understand that “automatic” means reducing or completely removing the actual urges to eat too much, too often, or too densely (as in food that doesn’t support our wellbeing), then we can say with confidence that yes, automatic weight loss is possible.
Where does the automatic weight loss method come from?
Hi and welcome …
I’m Christine Sutherland, developer of the Automatic Weight Loss Method, which helps people to identify the unconscious drivers (called “conditioned reponses”) that lead to all of the thoughts, feelings, and behaviour, that comprise urges to eat too much, too often, or too energy densely, and to eliminate (“extinguish”) that conditioning through validated psychotherapeutic strategies known as “disruption of reconsolidation”.
I’m a peer-reviewed and published clinical researcher, a published author, and ran a psychotherapy practice for many years, including being a clinical supervisor for people working to qualify as registered counsellors with the Australian Counselling Association.
In the +40 years of my career, I have strived to help people get better outcomes, more easily, and usually to make it fun!
I’ll say more about how science supports automatic weight loss below, and how and why it works, so please read on, and be prepared to be surprised …
Many people who struggle with weight are not lacking effort
The fact is that people are working against deeply ingrained preferences that are not designed to resist forever, which is why our our National Health & Medical Research Council, and Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Cared reported in 2002 and 1997 (see references below*) that some 96% of people who lose weight on a diet put back the weight within 2 years, and the same proportion who lose weight through an exercise program put back the weight within 12 months.
And now with the advent of the miracle, life-saving drugs such as the new GLP-1 medications, we see that people generally start regaining weight as soon as they stop the medication.
Even a significant proportion of people undergoing bariatric surgery (for example stomach banding) still struggle to lose weight.
People have been applying massive effort to weight loss for many decades, and yet rates of overweight and obesity are still climbing, so asking people to apply more effort, is the wrong question.
To ask the right question, we have to understand the real cause of our unhelpful or unhealthy eating ...
Food cravings, choices, habits, and preferences, including emotional eating, are strongly influenced by learned preferences and automatic responses.
Willpower is a limited resource, and when our choices require repeated conscious restraint, fatigue is common and the cost of staying consistent can become too high. This is the point where people tend to “explode” out of their diet, or slowly find old habits creeping back until they’re right back at square one.
So the right question, the most helpful question, is what can we do about these learned preferences and automatic responses, all of which are “conditioned”.
The core insight ... preferences can change ... but how?
These urges, cravings, preferences etc are not fixed, it’s just that we thought they were and we didn’t have a way to really impact them. Willpower looked like the only option.
However we now know that conditioned responses of all kinds can be eliminated, and usually quite quickly and easily, using strategies involving disruption of consolidation of each thought, feeling, or behaviour that has made us overweight.
It’s really important to recognise that when effort remains the primary strategy, we are always working against ourselves.
When we eliminate the conditioning, preferences shift, behaviour often follows with less effort, and food choices feel natural rather than forced.
That’s what the automatic weight loss method is about.
What this approach involves
The Automatic Weight Loss Method is delivered as a self-guided ebook that explains both the psychology behind preference change and how to apply it in practice.
It is designed to be used gradually, without rigid rules.
The focus is not on restriction or willpower and does not rely on calorie counting, strict meal plans, or ongoing discipline.
Some people may also appreciate a short personal coaching process to help speed and streamline their mastery of the strategy.
Who this approach may suit
The Automatic Weight Loss Method may suit people who feel frustrated by repeated dieting cycles, are interested in a scientifically-grounded perspective, and recognise the fragility of methods which rely on willpower or self-discipline to maintain results.
The method may not suit people looking for rapid results (although that can happen, speed is not the focus) or a highly prescriptive program.The method shouldn’t be regarded as a quick fix.
It is also not a substitute for medical or specialised support where that is required, as there are medical and other circumstances where weight loss is not a helpful priority.
The scientific foundation of the Automatic Weight Loss Method
This approach draws on established psychological and scientific principles related to habit formation, preference learning, and behavioural change.
It has been shaped through clinical experience, clinical studies, and practical application rather then trends or short-term interventions.
The focus is not on dramatic transformation, but on understanding and resolving patterns that influence everyday choices and working systematically with them over time.
What you'll receive
When you access the Automatic Weight Loss Method, you receive a short but comprehensive ebook (or paperback) that explains the approach in detail and guides you through applying it at your own pace.
Includes:
- Clear explanations of the psychological framework
- Practical guidance designed for gradual use
- A structure you can return to as needed
- Accompanying demonstration videos
- A free support community to ask questions and debrief
Getting started
This approach is intended as a starting point for people who want to permanently resolve patterns rather than force unsustainable change.
Outcomes will necessarily vary and individual progress is respected.
Lasting change does not have to feel like constant effort
For many people, lasting change begins with understanding rather than control.
References:
Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care, “Promoting Healthy Weight”, 2002.
National Health & Medical Research Council, “Acting on Australia’s Weight: a strategic plan for the preventio of overweight and obesity”, Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, 1997.
Note: more recent documentation (2024) from our Health Department and other bodies show clearly that current strategies focused on education and community infrastructure that supports activity and healthy eating, have not stopped overweight and obesity rates rising. We believe this different approach is more important then ever.