Effective weight loss is a journey. It will take time, effort, and hard work. Losing weight is not just a physical journey but also a mental one. Ten ways to use your mind for effective weight loss are listed below.
Eat With Your ‘Other’ Hand
The first way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to eat with your “other” hand. This means if you’re right-handed or typically eat with your right hand, mix it up and eat with your left hand. If you’re left-handed or typically eat with your left hand, mix it up and eat with your right hand.
Disrupting your normal eating habits will force your brain to pay closer attention to how much you’re eating and what you’re specifically eating. When this has been studied, researchers have found that people who eat with their non-dominant hand decrease their food consumption by one-third.
Clench Your Muscles To Say ‘No Thanks’
The second way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to clench your muscles to say, “no thanks.” Studies have shown that when any muscles are clenched (calf, bicep, fists, or others) your willpower is activated. This comes in as a handy trick when you’re trying to resist a food craving or walk away from a second helping.
It is important to remember that muscle clenching will not regenerate your willpower but will activate any willpower that you have left.
Cut Up Your Food Before Eating
The third way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to cut up your food before eating. Research has shown that cutting up your food into smaller pieces tricks your mind into thinking you’re actually consuming more than you truly are. Smaller bites will make you feel fuller faster and will eliminate the need to finish your plate.
Photograph Your Meal
The fourth way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to photograph your meal. You can also keep a virtual food log. A 2017 study showed that by keeping a photographic food diary, helps you keep your healthy eating goals on track. This is especially true with a virtual food log that allows you to view snaps of many meals next to each other.
It is important to keep photographs of all meals you eat, healthy and unhealthy. Unhealthy photographs remind you to make healthier choices in the future and healthy meals keep you motivated.
Eat An Apple Before Shopping
The fifth way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to eat an apple before shopping. When someone shops while they are hungry, they are more likely to purchase unhealthy foods. This is because your hunger is up and your willpower is down.
Research has shown that a person is twice as likely to eat the food you’ve purchased the most of. More volume equals more visibility in the fridge which will trigger you to eat more healthy food when hungry. So give yourself extra willpower and preparation in the grocery store by eating an apple before shopping.
Rethink Rewards And Punishments
The sixth way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to rethink rewards and punishments. Registered dietitian Laura Cipullo, the author of “Women’s Health Body Clock Diet, believes that “Food is not a reward, and exercise is not a punishment.” Both eating well and exercising are ways of practicing self-care and helping you to feel your very best.
Throw Out The Calendar
The seventh way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to throw out the calendar. As the famous saying goes, Rome was not built in a day. Weight loss is not achievable overnight. It takes time, patience, and hard work. Every day is a new chance to make progress towards your goal. Do not hyper-focus on the calendar or a time frame. Work on your goal every day but know that no one is perfect.
Talk To Yourself Like You Would A Friend
The eighth way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to talk to yourself like you would a friend. We are our hardest critics and our own worst enemy. The standards we set for ourselves are usually much higher than any standard we would set for others.
You deserve the same love, care, and compassion that you would give the people you care about. Treat yourself mentally how you would your friends. Self-talk can be a real motivator or it can produce a very intense negative atmosphere and attitudes. Mentally talk to yourself the way you would a friend.
Focus On The Attainable
The ninth way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to focus on the attainable. No one can go from a beginner to an expert in 1 day. If you want to start cooking more at home but don’t have any experience in cooking or cooking healthily, you can’t expect yourself to cook 7 nights per week. Instead, spend 20 minutes looking up 2 new recipes and start by cooking two meals per week.
The same goes for exercise. If you’ve never been to a gym or you haven’t gone regularly in a few years, you cannot expect yourself to go every day for 60+ minutes. Start by walking 20 minutes or doing 3 exercises at the gym. Build up your stamina, gym time, and strength little by little.
Visualize Your Goal
The tenth way to use your mind for effective weight loss is to visualize your goal. If you want to lose weight to prepare for a wedding in 6 months, put up photos of dresses on the fridge and cabinets.
If you want to lose weight to improve your health, change your phone’s screen saver or background to photos of hearts or happy quotes. It’s crucial to give yourself visual reminders of what you want to achieve. This will help you be successful in moments where your willpower is low or non-existent.
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