Can You Use Visualization To Lose Weight?

Would you believe it? Weight loss, as well as many other conditions can be improved by visualization. Close your eyes and imagine what you want your body to look like. Don't just look at yourself in your imaginative picture - be that body in the picture. Move around in your mind, practice walking in that sexy skinny way you want to walk. Be that person going through the smaller sizes on the clothing racks, and see yourself running that 5K race.

If you keep visualizing in your mind how you want your body to look, subconsciously you will begin acting in a way that will go in that direction. You will become more positive about your body, and you will reach your weight goals more quickly and easily. That doesn't sound too hard, does it?

Effecting change through visualizing desired outcomes has become more and more acceptable in recent years. Psychologists do not understand exactly how it works but clearly the mind and body are not as separate as we have believed. Visualization helps us to truly want to lose weight by creating a clear and happy picture of our fitter bodies. Without this we can often put psychological traps in our own path.

Many people who are overweight believe they cannot lose weight. Sometimes you may say it out loud, or hear friends say it about themselves. For other people this belief stays in the subconscious. This influences our behavior.

Someone who believes it is impossible to lose weight will prove themselves right. The mind will be constantly telling them there is no point dieting as they won't lose weight and should just go ahead and eat everything they want. Visualization is the strongest technique that we can use to overcome these negative thoughts and impulses.

If you are plagued by negativity either from your own mind or from the reactions of friends and family to your diet, go ahead and visualize yourself at your desired weight as often as you can. It works on the same level as all those negative voices and can annihilate their influence like nothing else can.

It is important to practice every day - morning and evening if you can. If you have a photograph of yourself at your ideal weight in the past, you may find it easier to look at that. Or use a photo from a magazine but cut off the person's face. You need to visualize your own body, but thinner.

As you go about your work or daily chores, think of yourself as already at your ideal weight. Create your own affirmations and repeat them often, always in the present tense ("I am glad to be flexible, fit and slim", not "I will ..."). Enjoy the feeling of having a positive self-image. Over time, this will help you to keep to your weight loss plan. You will find that fatty foods are less attractive and exercise is more enjoyable.

While your weight loss will be gradual, the wonderful thing about visualization is that it gives you a new body image right away.