Think thinly With the help of simple imagination ten times more weight loss
How Does Functional Imagery Training Affect Weight??
Can weight loss affect dieting when people imagine they are thinner than they really are? Researchers have now found that those affected actually lose up to 10 times more weight if they just think they are much thinner and use Functional Imaging Training (FIT).
Researchers at the University of Plymouth have found in their recent research that weight-loss has a positive effect on dieters when they think they are thinner than they really are. The physicians published the results of their study in the English language journal "International Journal of Obesity".
Do positive thoughts facilitate easier and more effective weight loss? (Image: Win Nondakowit / fotolia.com)How high was the weight loss?
By using the so-called Functional Imaging Training (FIT), the subjects lost an average of up to nine inches in waist circumference in a year, say the experts. In contrast, patients who used a weight loss technique with the help of motivational conversations, who were encouraged by a weight loss consultant, lost an average of just 0.24 inches at their waist, the researchers say.
141 overweight volunteers participated in the study
The physicians examined a total of 141 overweight volunteers in their study. Obesity was defined as a BMI of at least 25. Of the subjects, 55 used FIT for their diet and 55 participants received motivational interviews with a counselor.
What is FIT?
The FIT began with the subjects imagining them touching a lemon, juicing it, and then sipping the juice that accidentally spills into their eyes. This should show the participants how closely our ideas are related to our emotional feelings. Next, they were encouraged not only to realize their own goals and to imagine how good it would be to lose weight. Also, they should consider what they might be able to lose weight that they can not yet do, explains study author Dr. Linda Solbrig from the University of Plymouth. People should, in their opinion, be encouraged to lose weight by using all their senses.
How did the motivational talks go??
In the so-called motivational interview (MI), the subjects participated in two sessions, the first one-hour session being face-to-face and the second conversation involving 45 minutes on the phone. Then calls were made every two weeks for a period of up to 15 minutes over a period of three months. Later, there was a call every four weeks to six months after the start of the study.
What results were found after six months?
Weight and waist circumference were measured at baseline and six and twelve months later. After six months, those using Functional Imagery Training took about seven inches off their waists. The participants, who wanted to lose weight with the help of motivational conversations, lost in the six months only 0.24 inches of waist circumference. All participants reported a higher quality of life after six months, but the FIT group achieved better results.
Many people can not implement their diet goals
Most people are aware that they need to eat less and do more exercise for weight loss, but in many cases, those affected are simply not motivated enough to follow this advice, Dr. Linda Solbrig. FIT's main goal is therefore to encourage someone to develop their own idea of how change and feelings can develop when the goals are achieved and maintained. It is fantastic to see that people have lost significantly more weight in this intervention, although unlike most other studies, they have not been given nutrition and physical activity advice, the expert adds. It is believed that FIT is more effective than MI, as this method stimulates many different senses. This allows people to visualize how weight loss could affect them and this can motivate them to achieve their goals. (As)