A personal journey of the power of visualisation

A personal journey of the power of visualisation

As you are aware, I am on a weight loss journey. I am putting my health and well-being first, along with many others who have joined Slimming World. I am pushing ahead to get the body I want and the health benefits of a slimmer and fitter me. Slimming World has many tools, and I use all of them, but the one I want to discuss today is the Visualisation of Weight Loss. 

I know that embarking on a weight loss journey is a combination of physical and mental challenges. While eating a healthy diet and exercising can play crucial roles, the power of the mind and visualisation should not be underestimated. Indeed, you can see this whenever you join a Slimming World group. Their visuals are all over the place. The group’s warm orange and yellow banners, The Slimming World Certificates and the shiny stickers we receive when we lose weight. Yes, adults enjoy receiving stickers as well.

visualisation on weigh loss

I have started to use visualisation as one of my weight loss tools. I want to share with you the importance of incorporating this powerful tool into your weight loss strategy and how it could help you. This is not to say I am not following the Slimming World Food Optimising Plan because I am. This is just another tool.

Why Visualisation on Weight Loss Matters:

Visualisation is a technique that involves creating a mental image of your desired outcome. When it comes to weight loss, this means vividly imagining yourself at your target weight and embracing the positive changes in your life. The mind is a powerful force, and by aligning your thoughts with your weight loss goals, you can pave the way for success.

When to Start Visualisation on Weight Loss:

Start incorporating visualisation from the very beginning of your weight loss journey. The earlier you integrate this technique, the more it can positively influence your mindset, motivation, and, ultimately, your actions. Visualisation can provide the mental strength needed to overcome challenges, whether you’re just setting out on your journey or hitting a plateau.

Top 10 Tips for Effective Visualisation in Weight Loss:

1 Set Clear Goals

Defining your weight loss goals is the foundational step in your journey. Be specific about what you want to achieve –shedding a certain number of pounds, fitting into a particular dress size, or reaching a specific fitness level. The more detailed and clear your goals, the more tangible they become in your mind, enhancing the effectiveness of your visualisations.

2 Create a Vision Board:

A vision board is a powerful visual aid that brings your goals to life. Collect images that resonate with your aspirations and arrange them on a board. Include pictures of your ideal physique, images of healthy meals, and snapshots of activities you want to engage in. Place your vision board in a prominent location where you’ll see it daily, reinforcing your commitment to the journey ahead.

3 Morning Visualisation Routine:

Begin each day by dedicating a few minutes to focused visualisation of Weight Loss. Close your eyes and picture yourself making positive choices throughout the day. Visualise yourself enjoying a nutritious breakfast, engaging in a satisfying workout, and feeling the energy that comes from living a healthy lifestyle. This sets a positive tone for the day ahead.

4 Positive Affirmations:

Integrate affirmations that resonate with your weight loss journey into your visualisations. Repeat phrases such as “I am strong and resilient,” “I make healthy choices every day,” and “I am transforming my life for the better.” Positive affirmations act as anchors, reinforcing your positive changes and building a solid foundation for your mindset.

5 Use All Your Senses:

Make your visualisations more immersive by engaging all your senses. When imagining your meals, visualise the vibrant colours, savour the taste of nutritious ingredients, and feel the satisfying textures. Envision the sensation of energy coursing through your body during a workout and hear the upbeat music from your favourite playlist. Engaging all your senses makes the Visualisation experience more vivid and exciting.

6 Visualise Overcoming Challenges:

Anticipate and visualise scenarios where challenges arise, such as a tempting dessert or a skipped workout day. Imagine confidently overcoming these obstacles, making healthier choices, and staying on track. This mental preparedness empowers you to face challenges with a positive and determined mindset, reducing the likelihood of setbacks.

7 Celebrate Small Wins:

Regularly take time to Visualise and celebrate your achievements, no matter how small. Whether it’s sticking to your meal plan, completing a challenging workout, or making a healthier food choice, acknowledge and savour these moments. This positive reinforcement boosts your confidence, builds momentum, and keeps you motivated on your weight loss journey.

8 Incorporate Visualisation into Workouts:

While exercising, visualise the physical changes happening within your body. Picture your muscles getting stronger with each repetition, envision yourself becoming more flexible, and imagine getting closer to your ultimate fitness goal. This mind-body connection enhances your workout experience and reinforces the positive changes.

9 Evening Reflection:

Wind down at the end of the day by reflecting on your achievements. Visualise the positive choices you made throughout the day and replay moments of success in your mind. This reflective practice reinforces your commitment, provides a sense of accomplishment, and sets the stage for continued motivation in the days to come.

10 Stay Consistent with visualisation on Weight Loss:

Like any habit, consistency is crucial for the effectiveness of visualisation. Integrate visualisation into your daily routine – whether in the morning, during workouts, or before bedtime. Consistent practice reinforces positive thinking patterns, strengthens your connection to your weight loss goals, and cultivates a resilient mindset that will carry you through your entire journey.

Conclusion Visualisation on Weight Loss:

In the pursuit of weight loss, it can be a powerful tool that can reshape your mindset and fuel your journey towards a healthier you. By incorporating these visualisation techniques into your routine, you’ll enhance your weight loss experience and cultivate a positive and determined mindset that will contribute to your overall well-being. Remember, the power to transform begins within your mind, visualises your desired success and lets your journey unfold.

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Have you been lying to yourself when on a diet?

Have you been lying to yourself when on a diet?

Have you been lying to yourself when on a diet

When a person makes the mammoth decision to embark on a weight loss journey, the subtle art of self-deception can often become a stumbling block. One poignant question always lingers: ‘Have you been lying to yourself when on a diet?’ This subtle dance between commitment and compromise can be challenging when trying to lose weight. This is often the experience, challenging many Slimming World Consultants every week. There is a tendency for members to deceive themselves and the consultant when the scales are not moving in the right direction.

Are you really telling the truth or lying to yourself when on a diet?

As many of you who follow this blog regularly know, my best friend is a Slimming World Consultant, and I help her with her group. This week, we had a member come in and weigh. They were confident that they would have a loss this week and happily stepped on the scales. This is when the results of their deception to themselves are discovered. They were so disappointed at the results on the scales and talked about leaving Slimming World, as it wasn’t working for them. They were adamant that they stuck to plan 110% when discussing how their week went. There should be no reason why they have not lost weight. There weren’t tears, but they were about to chastise themselves and Slimming World.

After some brilliant questions from my friend about how their week went and what they ate, they saw where they had gone wrong. It’s not that this person was lying to their consultant, but they were lying to themselves and didn’t realise what they were doing.

This is what I had, honest.

For example, when asked what they have for breakfast, they replied that most mornings they had porridge (their healthy B option). When asked if they weighed out the porridge, they said no. They just did it by eye, and what they thought was about 40 grams. When asked how they made the porridge, they said it was with water and milk.

Slimming World porridge lying to yourself when on a diet

Asked if the milk was part of their ‘Healthy A’ allowance, the answer came back as No. It was just how they made their porridge. This was just one meal out of 21 in the week. They are absolutely convinced that they have followed the plan when, in actual fact, they have been lying to themselves about the amount of food they consumed that week.

Well, maybe not, but no one saw me.

Lying to yourself when on a diet is a subtle art, often veiled by the best intentions. This is all about the psychology of weight loss. The missteps are not grand betrayals but rather the whispered compromises—the splash of Olive Oil when frying onions, the extra dash of milk in the coffee, or omitting a few syns. These small, seemingly inconspicuous lies form the psychological labyrinth of weight loss, where the concept of “Fear of Missing Out” (FOMO) takes centre stage. Lying to yourself when on a diet is so easy to do. To a certain extent, I think that we all do it. A bit of cheese has slipped off the knife when cutting some for a sandwich. No one will see me eat that extra piece of bread, but it’s outside the day’s allowance. All of these slip-ups come under the title of lying to yourself when on a diet.

The psychological battle is encapsulated in the whispers of that inner voice, resistant to change and protesting against the newfound food limitations. The struggle arises from the perceived unfairness of reduced portions and the perception that habits should remain unchanged. This internal turmoil can undermine the most steadfast commitment to a weight loss journey. And there it is, the crux of failure when on a diet. That little voice at the back of your head that is having a tantrum because you can’t suddenly have something. You need to restrict your food intake and be mindful of what you eat.

I want, I want it now.

If you want to lose weight, you will have to make some changes to your eating habits. Some are going to be pleasant changes, others are changes that are going to be difficult, and the remaining ones are just painful. The most significant change you will have to make is to stop lying to yourself when you are on a diet; it won’t help you get to your end result. It won’t help you lose weight and be on target.

  • Why can’t I have,
  • I always have had it before.
  • It’s unfair that I have to have smaller portions than anyone else.

The most significant shift in this journey is in dietary choices and the commitment to honesty with yourself. You have to stop the self-deception, as it won’t help you achieve your end goal. It won’t give you the weight loss you desire or bring you closer to your target. The journey to successful weight management begins with authenticity in actions and self-reflection. Embrace the changes, be truthful with yourself, and witness the transformative power of an honest approach to your weight loss endeavours.

Lying to yourself when on a diet

This member has now resolved to reread the books, write down everything she eats and weighs, and measure where appropriate. I wish her luck in the week ahead, as it’s hard. Changing those habits. It’s even harder when you know and accept that your weight loss this week was hindered by you. This week, you were lying to yourself when on a diet.

What about me?

Current Weight: 13 stone 6 Pounds (It’s out there)

This week, I have found a new passion for weight loss. I have been sticking to my plan and enjoying what I am eating. It’s a bit strange, as I don’t know where the passion has come from. I woke up on day one of the new week and made the decision. I am trying to lose 3 pounds this week. That will push my weight loss along very nicely.

On this journey, I have removed all weight as I wanted to keep my weight to myself. However, putting on my big girl pants, here it is. My current weight is 13 stone, 6 pounds. By Christmas, I would like to be 12 stone 7 pounds. It’s a bit of a leap, and I am trying very hard. I have a few Christmas meals to navigate and a drinks party that has already been planned. My focus is to move forward and not damage my weight loss.

I am looking forward to getting the maintenance book.

What I think it is, I am fed up with being on a diet. I want to be on the maintenance plan as I believe that will be much easier than the restrictions I have lived with and have done for most of my adult life. It’s a whole different story once I lose the pounds and get to Target. Fingers crossed. I will let you know how much I lost next week.

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Portion Control on Slimming World is the key to successful weight loss.

Portion Control on Slimming World is the key to successful weight loss.

Embarking on a Slimming World weight loss journey is an empowering decision, often involving re-evaluating our relationship with food. One integral aspect of this transformative process is mastering portion control, a cornerstone that can significantly influence your weight loss success.

Understanding the Importance of Portion Control

Portion control with Slimming World

In my journey with Slimming World, I’ve developed a profound understanding that mastering portion control isn’t just about deprivation; it is a strategic approach that enhances the enjoyment of a balanced and sustainable diet. The significance of effective portion control becomes increasingly evident when considering the following key aspects:

1. Calorie Awareness: Enlightening Your Food Choices

Portion control is a powerful tool in heightening your awareness of the calories you consume. Even seemingly healthy foods can contribute to unwanted weight gain if consumed excessively. By embracing a mindful approach to portion sizes, you actively strike a delicate balance between nourishing your body with essential nutrients and effectively managing your overall caloric intake. This awareness empowers you to make informed choices that align with your weight loss goals.

2. Preventing Overeating: A Guardrail Against Temptation

In a world teeming with tempting treats and oversized meals, it’s easy to lose track of the quantity of food we actually consume. Portion control is a buffer against overindulgence. You create a protective barrier that prevents mindless overeating by consciously moderating your portion sizes. This fosters a mindful and intentional meal approach, allowing you to savour each bite and cultivate a healthier relationship with food.

3. Balancing Macronutrients: The Key to Holistic Health

A harmonious balance between carbohydrates, proteins, and fats is critical for weight loss. Portion control emerges as a guiding principle that empowers you to distribute these essential macronutrients effectively throughout your meals. By embracing this balance, you support your weight management goals and contribute to overall health and well-being. The strategic allocation of macronutrients ensures that your body receives the fuel for optimal function while aligning with the principles of a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

Mastering portion control transcends mere dietary restrictions; it becomes a holistic approach to cultivating a conscious and balanced relationship with our food. By incorporating these principles into our daily lives, we navigate the complexities of modern eating habits, ensuring that each meal is a mindful and intentional step toward achieving our weight loss goals and fostering enduring well-being.

Practical Tips for Portion Control

Now, let’s delve into some practical tips that have been instrumental in my Slimming World journey:

  1. Use Smaller Plates: Opting for smaller plates naturally limits portion sizes. It tricks your brain into perceiving a fuller plate, fostering satisfaction with smaller portions.
  2. Practice Mindful Eating: Slow down, savour each bite, and focus on your body’s hunger and fullness cues. Eating mindfully can prevent mindless overeating and promote a healthier relationship with food.
  3. Weigh and Measure Food: Investing in a kitchen scale or measuring cups lets you be precise with your portions. This accuracy ensures you’re staying within your Slimming World guidelines.
  4. Prioritise Water Intake: Drinking water before meals can help you feel fuller, preventing the temptation to overeat. Sometimes, our bodies confuse thirst with hunger.

Workout Portion Control: A Balancing Act

Balancing portion control with a workout routine is a dynamic duo for effective weight loss. Here’s how to strike that balance:

  1. Fuel Your Workouts: Consume a balanced meal containing carbohydrates and proteins about 2-3 hours before your workout. This provides sustained energy and helps preserve muscle mass.
  2. Post-Workout Nutrition: Refuel your body with protein and carbohydrates after exercising. This aids in muscle recovery and replenishes glycogen stores.
  3. Remember to stay hydrated: Many people overlook proper hydration in weight loss journeys. Drinking water is vital for overall health and aids in controlling appetite, supporting your portion’s control efforts.

What Happens if You Overeat?

While occasional indulgences are part of a balanced lifestyle, consistently overeating can hinder your weight loss progress. Here’s what might happen:

  1. Caloric Surplus: Consuming more calories than your body needs results in a surplus, leading to weight gain. Slimming World emphasises creating a calorie deficit for effective weight loss.
  2. Slowed Progress: Overeating, especially high-calorie foods, can slow down your weight loss progress. Finding a balance that aligns with your Slimming World plan is essential.

Ideal Portions: A Visual Guide

Understanding what appropriate portions look like is pivotal. Here’s a visual guide to help you navigate your plate:

  1. Carbohydrates: A portion of cooked rice or pasta should be about the size of your clenched fist. For potatoes, aim for one medium-sized spud.
  2. Proteins: A portion of lean meat or fish should be roughly the size and thickness of your palm. Eggs can be considered one protein portion.
  3. Fruits and vegetables: Aim for at least a third of your plate to be filled with various fruits and vegetables. These are low in calories but high in essential nutrients.

Conclusion: Your Path to Success

Mastering portion control is not a restrictive measure but a liberating strategy that encourages you to make informed choices. Combining this approach with regular exercise, staying hydrated, and understanding your body’s needs will set you on a path to success in your Slimming World journey. Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. Celebrate the minor victories, stay consistent, and embrace the transformative power of balanced portions in achieving your weight loss goals.

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Healthy Eating Habits and Nutritional choices with Slimming World

Healthy Eating Habits and Nutritional choices with Slimming World

The fundamental principle of Slimming World is creating healthy eating habits and nutritional choices. This is the same with most good eating plans, but sometimes you get waylaid with the newness or sparkle of what you are looking at. For example, the marketing material is exquisite when you look for a new diet to lose weight. It promises fantastic weight loss. It promises a new lifestyle that will bring you the happiness you have been missing, all at the rock-bottom price of £12.99 a month. The last one I really took notice of was the Atkins diet. I am not saying that the Atkins diet doesn’t work. It does. Like any diet, it restricts the number of calories you take in, and therefore, you will have a loss. Atkins states you will lose weight if you limit your refined sugars and carbohydrates and increase your fats.

This is not the same as Slimming World. Yes, there are some sparkling adverts, but once you get into the plan, you understand that the plan is all about eating healthy and creating good eating habits. It’s about giving you choices and helping you make the right ones. It’s challenging to understand this when you start with this plan. Sitting down and having the new member talk when you are told about the plan is exhausting, and there is so much information that it’s challenging to see the wood from the trees.

The Concept of a healthy eating habits

Slimming Worlds concept of a healthy eating plan consists of free foods, speed foods, healthy A and B and then the Syns. (Read this article to find out more) here is a lot of information coming at you quickly. My friend told me that the new member talk should only take 25 minutes, and they have to put you on the right path to a fantastic weight loss. It’s not long, 25 minutes to change the eating habits of a lifetime. To introduce new habits, consider your current eating habits and make changes.

What is the definition of habit?

A settled tendency or usual manner of behaviour. Sally’s habit of taking a morning walk.

B An acquired mode of behaviour that has become nearly or completely involuntary.

It’s true that most people’s eating habits are not the best to start with. We must be honest. You wouldn’t have to have help and advice on weight loss if your eating habits were healthy. I wonder if our weight gain over the last few years is down to schools not teaching cooking lessons anymore or the lack of sports. It’s been a while since I have been in school, but I think there must be some correlation here. Also, we rely on more processed products than ever before. The final straw came when I saw Baked Potatoes partially cooked for sale. Have people got so little understanding of how to cook that they can’t even put a potato in the oven or microwave? Look at me going off on a rant. I don’t mean to, but it’s one of those days.

eating habits

I’ve finished my rant – honest!

Back to the point, Slimming World is about creating new healthy habits. It’s about looking at the foods you should eat to have a healthy diet and eliminating those that will make you gain weight. Those foods that have fat and sugar. The sad fact about those foods is that they taste nice. Foods that have added sugars and fats hit our neuroreceptors. These pleasure centres of the brain tell us we want more. We must have more, and we demand more. We eat our fill, and then the self-reflection comes in. Why did I eat this? Why didn’t I resist? It’s a bit of a self-fore fulling prophecy. We want more, eat, and attack ourselves for our weaknesses.

Slimming World Weigh Day

Resisting these high-fat, high-sugar foods starts at week one with Slimming World. In that first week, Slimming World knows you will have your highest resolve. It’s that week when you will have the most significant weight loss. Week two will also be good. The aim of Slimming World is to get you to lose half a stone in your first three to four weeks. This is when you demonstrate to yourself that you can lose weight if you follow the plan.  

Image Therapy

Image Therapy then kicks in, and this is where you are going to be re-educated about your food intake and how to lose more weight. The consultant will ask you how much you want to lose and what you will do to lose that weight, and the consultant will keep a check on you to ensure you get that loss. Now, it must be said that you are an adult, and the consultant cannot stand over you and tell you what to eat. That is down to you; it’s your choice. All the consultants can do is coach, guide, and support you. If you are not eating well, that is down to you. If you are not losing weight, that, too, is down to you.

When someone comes to a group and has not lost weight, it will be because they have not followed the 100 per cent plan. By this, I mean that they have not swapped high-fat, high-sugar foods for healthier foods. They have not had a third of speed foods on their plate at every meal, and they have had more syns or not counted those syns all week.

Most people fail to understand that this food restriction is only temporary. Once you have reached your goal weight, you are off the restriction part of the plan and will then enter the maintenance plan, which is a whole new beast. I expect we will discuss this in a later post when I get there!

In Conclusion

In short, the critical principle of Slimming World is that their plan is to help you re-educate your eating habits for the long term. It’s there to support you when you need that help. Unlike other eating plans, the Slimming World plan is there for life; it’s there to help you when you have lost that weight and prevents you from putting it back on.

Before you ask, if you have put weight on after Slimming World, I suggest you have used the plan as a diet and not as a way of life. You have not changed unhealthy eating habits for healthier ones, and the call of high-fat, high-sugar foods has become a habit.

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What are Success Stories and Transformations with successful weight Loss

What are Success Stories and Transformations with successful weight Loss

The allure of success stories and transformations in the magical realm of weight loss is undeniable. How did they do it? Did they have a magic pill or system? Was it easy and did it take 24 hours? The impact of success stories and transformations can be profound, serving as powerful motivators and sources of inspiration for those embarking on their own journeys. They can serve as beacons of hope, guiding us towards the promise of transformation, healthier futures, and the empowerment that comes with shedding those extra pounds. These narratives often carry the weight of inspiration and motivation, reminding us that change is possible and within our grasp.

Are success stories and transformations worth the read?

I’m in two minds on the subject. On the one hand, success stories and transformations play a crucial role in some people’s weight loss journey. They are more than mere stories; they embody what’s achievable. They provide insights into how individuals achieved their goals, the strategies they employed, and the valuable lessons they learned along the way. These narratives offer guidance and encouragement, telling us, “You can do it too.”

Success stories and transformations can be inspirational.

They can resonate with us personally, offering tangible proof of the extraordinary changes that can take place. If we have that belief in ourselves and in our own ability to make a change. They remind us that success is within each of us and that the path to transformation is within our grasp.

However, the extent to which these narratives resonate with individuals can vary; some may find connecting with the stories being told challenging. I have experienced moments where I struggled to relate to specific success stories and transformations, leading to feelings of frustration and a subsequent disconnection from the narrative.

However, it’s essential to acknowledge that within these stories, a somewhat frustrating aspect exists—the tendency to justify the reasons for weight gain. I must clarify this point. We all face challenges and adversities in life. Life events such as parental illnesses, job loss, family issues, and personal health problems can put tremendous stress on us as individuals. Sometimes, this leads to stress eating and then weight gain.

Why lose weight in the first place

When people think about losing weight, they tend to look at themselves as they are now and where they were three, four, or twenty-four years ago. The weight difference can be massive. Some of us could have been a size 10; now we are a size 20 or 24. In some of these photos we could look unrecognisable. Looking back is often the starting point of most eating plans. Others may have had a visit to the doctor and are advised to lose weight for health reasons. Whatever reason you used to decide to lose weight is a tough decision. Now you have to choose how and what it is you are going to do.

The other side of Success Stories and Transformations

There is, however, one side of a success story and transformations that annoys me. The bit where someone justifies why they have put on weight. Let me explain. We all have different issues in our lives. We may have parents who have a life-changing illness, redundancies, children, death, divorce, personal medical issues, etc. Many of these success stories and transformations are brought to the forefront and explain why people put on weight.

Do you find them inspirational?

Most people are already on the road to increased weight. By the foods we eat and portion sizes we consume. Yes, I agree that a life-changing event will push you towards the cupboards where the biscuits lives. Stress eating is real, and comfort can be found at the end of a chocolate bar. However, some of us put on weight because we EAT TOO MUCH. Some of us put on weight because we like chocolate, biscuits and cake. This was evident during the pandemic. I agree it was massively stressful and the restrictions on our lives and liberties. How many of us took advantage of the time at home to get fit and healthy or to exercise more? To learn something new or did we take advantage of the time to eat whatever we liked? To eat lots of it, knowing that people can only see your head on a Zoom call.

Am I being mean here?

I don’t know. I am lucky in that I have never lost a child or a parent. But I have had other life stresses. I worked 70 hours plus in a week, staying in a hotel because my boss wanted me in the office at 7 am, and I couldn’t leave until 9 pm (I was bullied in the workplace), being made redundant, setting up my business and then just living. There is stress there. This, however, is not why I put on weight. I put on weight because I overate and I didn’t care about my health, and I wanted instant gratification. I own this story, and it’s mine. It is not one I would include as part of the success stories and transformations you read about in magazines. 

These stories are helpful if you can relate to them. If not, then they fall on deaf ears. What are your thoughts? Am I being very mean and closed-minded here? I firmly believe in taking ownership of our choices and recognising the role of our habits in our weight management journey. I refuse to let external circumstances overshadow my responsibility for my dietary decisions and their impact on my overall well-being. While I acknowledge the validity of the struggles faced by others, I believe that a genuine narrative should encompass honesty and self-awareness, shedding light on the true motivations and behaviours behind weight gain and loss.

Back to Me

Why start, what was your reasoning?

There are so many diets and eating plans you can choose from; selecting the correct one is the most critical decision you will make. For me, it was Slimming World, but you could choose another eating plan. I like the freedom of the Slimming World; I can select any food I want, and nothing is off-limits. (Check this post here for more information about the plan).

Reflecting on my recent journey, I recognise the importance of staying focused and committed to my goals. While facing challenges and setbacks, I put on half a pound this week. I remain determined to make even positive choices, such as prioritising breakfast and packing nutritious lunches. I am setting the stage for a more prosperous and fulfilling week ahead.

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