Weight Loss Through Visualization

Weight Loss Through Visualization

Use visualization and meditation to lose excess weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Forget fads, diets and pills. Use the most powerful tool you possess – your mind.
Psychologists have long recognized that positive visualization play a key role in reaching any goal, such as weight loss.

Fad diet plans and pills create negative thoughts or obsession, anxiety and deprivation. Negative thinking ultimately idolizes and idealizes a perfect body image that works against the true meaning of success. Fad diets and pills promote confusion and unhealthy thought patterns, such as feelings of shame, failure and deprivation.

Visualization focuses on the positive, or affirmation, not the negative. You can train your mind to use visualization to build positive thoughts and rid itself of the negative.

Step 1 : Meditate Each Day

Make sure you discipline yourself by setting aside some quiet time in a day to meditate. The best time is probably in the morning before you start the day, before breakfast.

To accompany your meditation, you can use a suitable CD that will complement your goal. For example, some CDs include subliminal messages on losing weight. However, if other soothing sounds, like the sounds of sea waves, pattering rain or random chirping of birds help to calm you down, you can use them.

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Sitting is a better choice as you are less likely to fall asleep. This is important as meditation requires you to be conscious to reach into your unconscious mind and inner feelings.

Breathe in deeply through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Relax your body completely so that you feel free. See what thoughts go by in your mind. Recognize negative thoughts, but disown them as you no longer want negativity in your life.

In your mind, make a clear picture of yourself with relatively less weight, or wearing an outfit with a smaller size. For example, if you have many pounds to lose, picture yourself 10 pounds lighter or one clothes’ size smaller. If you have only a few pounds to lose, then picture yourself  at your ideal weight.  In weight loss through visualization, setting your goal in small achievable increments will make it more acceptable to your subconscious.
 
Focus on how you feel with your body at your target weight. You feel better, fitter, more confident and there’s more zip in your step. Picture yourself doing something you enjoy, and feel much better with your improved fitness and physique. Picture yourself with a more active lifestyle, out in the parks walking, running, in the pool swimming, hiking in a nature trail.

Focus on the feeling of good health and well-being from making good choices. Remind yourself that choosing healthy food is an opportunity that will help you, not a punishment. Picture yourself as someone who takes care of himself or herself, who chooses healthy food and regular exercise*. Picture yourself getting a second helping of vegetables instead of meat, potatoes and gravy. Picture yourself snacking on fruits or low-calories desserts instead of chips and rich cakes and ice-cream. Picture yourself at a buffet opting for healthier food and saying ‘No’ to food with no nutrition but add more pounds to your body instead. Imagine shopping in a supermarket with your stomach satisfied, and choosing the type of food that will feed you well and help you in your weight loss program.

Give yourself a pat on the back for making positive choices, for choosing healthy foods, for leading a healthy lifestyle.

Close your meditation with a prayer, chant or self-reinforcing encouragement.

Step 2 : Make Your Picture A Reality

Reinforce your picture of the improved “You” with your daily meditation.

Eating, which used to be viewed with such negative feelings of shame and failure, now becomes a positive opportunity for you to choose your food wisely to nourish and treasure your own body. The pictures which you reinforce with meditation each day of you during meal times, at the buffet, at the supermarket will guide you in making positive healthy choices.

Take that picture of a fitter you and make it a reality by exercising regularly and leading a more healthy lifestyle. Actively look for opportunities to exercise : park a few blocks away from your destination and walk.   Climb the stairs.  Feel good with small meaningful exercises each day.

Step 3 : Keep it up

It is very important to keep up your good work. Therefore, praise yourself continually for making the right choice, such as eating smaller portions, eating more fruits and vegetables or taking the stairs. Tell those who care about you about your progress and ask them to provide you with positive encouragement.

* Always consult a health care professional before going on a weight loss plan.