The best visualization techniques for weight loss are surprisingly easy! First off, visualization is something you already do every day. Think about it...you plan your day, week, month, meals, and exercise right? "Visualization" is just another term for "planning."
You can apply this tool to just about anything and it's a particularly effective tool when you're trying to lose some weight. Remember that it is just a tool - the foundation of any weight loss program should be healthy food choices, portion control, and exercise.
But when you're doing all of that, why not add in a few other tools that take almost no time to do and can really boost your results?
Think you don't know how to visualize? Think again!
Close your eyes for a moment and think about bright yellow lemon. See yourself slicing it into small wedges and bringing a wedge to your mouth. See yourself taking a bite.
Did you have a physical response to this? (And if you didn't do it...you should!)
You don't even need to see any visual images.
Some people think about a plan or just feel one out, some people write out a plan by putting pen to paper.
In fact, writing things down is one of the best ways to visualize!
How Visualization Works
Wondering how visualization works? There's no magic to it. When we visualize, we're really just sharpening our focus and setting a plan in motion.
Visualization - also called mental rehearsing - allows us to focus and get clear on what we really want; then, the next logical step is to take action on our plan.
By visualizing, we can immediately experience what we want, get to the feeling place of it, and make adjustments to our goals as needed.
By doing this, we're sort of pre-paving the way for our goals and desires to show up in our lives.
Benefits of Visualization for Losing Weight
There are so many benefits of visualization. The number one benefit is that you clarify your intention, take action from this place of clarity, and as a result...get what you want!
When we visualize, we:
- gain powerful insight into what we really want - and experience it!
- get motivated to take action on our goals
- feel relief from stress by slowing down and taking time to clarify what we really want
- ease into action by taking baby steps toward creating a plan of action to accomplish our goals
- are no longer "living by default" - we are changing our situation for the better and creating a new "autopilot mode" for our subconscious
- enjoy the process - visualization is fun to do when you do it right
- become more adept at understanding how to power up our visualizations with feelings (more on this below)
- gain confidence in our ability to set a goal and achieve it
- connect to a higher level of thinking, attracting new ideas for planning and problem solving
- naturally and intentionally improve our self talk and how we see ourselves
...and so much more!
Visualization Techniques for Losing Weight
Before doing any of these techniques, please take a few moments to relax. You can do this by meditating, by taking some deep breaths, by taking a walk - just do something that relaxes you, something you enjoy.
Basic Relaxation Technique
Get comfortable, either by lying down or sitting in a comfortable position. If you can, remove any tight fitting items like shoes or a watch.
Close your eyes and move your focus to your heart space. Continue to return to this focus when your mind wanders.
Take a slow, deep breath for three counts; hold it, and notice any areas of tension in your body, taking a moment to intentionally relax these areas. Release your breath for six counts. Repeat, for a total of five deep breaths.
Once you are completely relaxed, begin your visualization technique of choice.
The Journaling Technique
Grab a pen and a notebook or sheet of paper.
Begin by writing down what you want. Be as specific as possible without giving thought to grammar and punctuation - you're really just taking notes here. Write until you can't write anymore on the subject.
In terms of weight loss, you could include what you want to weigh and by when, what size clothing you want to wear, what kind of exercise you do, how you feel now that you've lost weight, or what a typical day is like now that you've developed healthier habits.
On a new piece of paper (or a new page in your notebook), begin to write a story about what you want as if it has already happened, including every detail you included in your notes.
Don't take this too seriously. Remember, you can always make a change. If you decide on something different later, you can do this technique again!
The Recorded Visualization Technique
This is similar to the previous technique in that you will be creating a story as if it has already happened. Only with this technique, you will be recording your story so you can play it back like a guided meditation.
Once you have your story planned out and written down, make a recording of your visualization. You can use a recording device or an app on your smartphone.
Some guidelines:
- Keep this visualization short - 5 minutes or less and listen to it often, but only as long as it's fun
- pump lots of descriptive feeling phrases into your visualization (for example: "you joyously..." or "you feel such a deep sense of gratitude because..."); the more descriptive you are, the more powerful the process
- Make your story something fun, something you look forward to doing or experiencing
- Record your visualization like you're talking to you; use the pronoun "you" instead of "I" (for example: "As you look at yourself in the fitting room mirror, you are delighted that you've stepped into a size 6 dress...")
The Mind Movie Technique
With the Mind Movie Technique, you simply prepare a story like it has already happened, but with this technique, you close your eyes and visualize the story from your perspective. So for example, you want to see the movie like you're looking out from your own eyes.
You are not watching yourself in a movie. Get the difference?
When you experience your mind movie in the first person, utilize your additional four senses. In addition to seeing what you would see, you want to smell what you would smell, taste what you would taste (remember the lemon?), hear what you would hear, and feel what you would feel.
The Treasure Map Technique
The final technique I'm sharing with you is the Treasure Map Visualization Technique. You may know it as the collage technique or vision board technique.
Get yourself a poster board, some magazines you don't mind cutting into, photographs, pens, pencils, crayons or markers, and any embellishments like ribbon or glitter that you want to use.
In the center of your poster, put an image of you or write your name. This really personalizes your treasure map.
Next, cut out pictures and words from magazines and paste them around you on your treasure map. You can also write phrases describing all of the wonderful things you intend to bring into your life.
Include your desires for your personal life, health and well-being, finances, family life, career, and for any other experiences you want to have. Put these symbols, images, and words all round you on your poster board - this symbolizes that your desires are being drawn to you from all directions.
Things to keep in mind:
- Keep your treasure map organized and clutter free - this symbolizes that the things you want will come to you in an orderly manner
- If you have a Higher Power, place a symbol for this above the symbol for you in the center - this symbolizes that your Higher Power is assisting you in this creation
- You can create one treasure map for all areas of your life or one treasure map for each area - so you'd have one for your weight loss journey, one for your finances, one for your family, etc.
- Keep your treasure map in a safe place and look at it often, intentionally feeling what you'd feel like when your desires have manifested
- When you're finished, release the need to control how your desires will come - simply celebrate your desires and go out and have fun with your life
Ready...Set...ACTION!
The final thing I want you to do is to take action. Visualization itself is active, so you're already one step ahead.
Not sure where to begin?
Ask yourself, "What can I do right now to move myself closer to where I want to be?"
If you think of something - do it. If you don't, that's okay, too. Just keep asking yourself what you can do to take action.
Think "baby steps" and when an action comes to mind, take it.
It really is as simple as that.
