This month we've pulled together some amazing tips, tricks and secrets from nzgirls all over, to bring you the very best in tried & true recipes for success. Click here to find out more...
The mind is a powerful instrument. Top athletes use visualisation, as an important part of their training to reach their goals, so is it possible that the power of the mind can help with weight loss?
Research suggests that certain techniques can help you reach your weight loss goals, if combined with a reduced energy diet and exercise.
Techniques to try 1: Think about your previous meal A recent study by the School of Psychiatry at the University of Birmingham in England found that actively remembering your last meal through writing it down and describing it suppresses appetite and reduces the desire to snack on unhealthy food later on.
Do note that this is only one study and more research would be needed to prove it does work for the majority of people. However, as a part of a healthy eating and exercise program, thinking of your past meal may help reduce the urge to snack on junk food. It couldn’t hurt anyway!
2: A Healthy Mindset
Are you an 'all or nothing' thinker? Time to break this bad habit and realise that eating one chocolate biscuit doesn’t mean your healthy eating plan is over and isn’t a reason to devour the rest of the packet. Enjoy it, don’t feel guilty and remember everything is OK in moderation.
3: Focus on Positive Outcomes
Think of yourself as a dieting failure? Believe it or not, research shows that believing in your ability to succeed in a weight loss plan is important to actually succeed. A study of obese men and women in the Netherlands found that those who were confident in their ability to control their weight lost more weight than those who didn’t. Also found in the study was when a participant believed in their ability to chose healthy good selections, this also helped with their weight loss.
4: Set up a healthy mindset
Remember weight loss isn’t a quick fix diet but a lifestyle change. This is what works in the long term.
Here’s the terms you should ditch and what to adopt:
Old term
New term
Self control
Self awareness
Self awareness is about understanding what drives your choices. Next time you make a bad choice, stop, analyse and think what you can do differently next time.
Deprivation
Moderation
Enjoy all foods, but watch portion size
Perfection
Acceptance
No one is perfect. No one. Mistakes are opportunities to learn.
Lose unhelpful mindsets you hold and establish helpful ones. This can boost your success in weight loss. Setting up a good healthy eating plan, exercise regimen and having a good mindset will ensure you have a well rounded approach to weight loss and give you the best chance for success.
.jpg)
visualisation, as an important part of their training to reach their goals, so is it possible that the power of the mind can help with weight loss?
Techniques to try
3: (127).jpg){kind=small}