Mental Energy - Mind versus Matter

Most people believe that your mind and your thoughts have an influence on your physical body. A test study once revealed that often your mental picture or visualisation of yourself is manifested in your physical body. In other words if the mental image of yourself is overweight or ‘fat’, then that is indeed what you will be. Even when you diet and eat the right foods, exercise and do the right things, you might indeed take those extra kilograms off, but if your mental image, the picture you have of yourself doesn't also lose the weight, then you will just put that weight right back on.

So the link between your mind and body can just frustrate your efforts. It sometimes isn't good enough just to lose weight physically, you also have to lose the weight mentally.

Think about it for a minute. If you continually say to yourself: "I'm fat. I'm ugly. I'm overweight. I can't stick to this diet. I can't do this." That will indeed be true.

So if you want to find the best in yourself, the challenge is to do it on a mental level as well as a physical level. Most people who successfully achieve their goal weight and actually maintain it, also manage to improve their self-esteem and self-image.

The ‘Mental Energy’ section of the www.WhyWeight.co.za Website is designed for these sort of articles. Articles that will inspire you, articles that will motivate you, and articles that will educate you about the power of your mind and the influence it has on your body.

The best way to improve your self-image is by positive thoughts about your physical body. Please find below a list of affirmations that you might find helpful. Remember that you have a choice as to what your thoughts are. If you find that your thoughts are negative, you can make a conscious decision by saying "Stop", and then repeating some positive affirmations.

Firstly, as soon as you find you are anxious or stressed, and your thoughts are negative, take a deep breathe and hold it to the count of three. Remember to breathe out.

Secondly, breathe in through your nose and breathe out through your mouth. Deep cleansing breaths.

Thirdly, as you breathe in through your nose think the words: "Breathe in Love.", as you breathe out through your mouth think the words: "Breathe out Fear". Do this ten times, and then start repeating the affirmations.

I love myself.
I love my body
I am enough.
I am whole.
I am calm.
I like water.
I am happy.
I am positive.
I am motivated.
I love life.

You might find an internal argument developing, even while repeating these positive affirmations, in the back of your mind you are thinking, "I don't love myself. I hate my body." Be aware that this might happen, and it will require patience to overcome this very strong build up of negativity. Just persevere and continue with repeating these positive affirmations.

This is also your WhyWeight - Mental Energy webpage. If you have some experiences or feedback after trying the above affirmations, let us know what happens.

You can e-mail your comments to me and I will publish your feedback to share with others. If you have affirmations that work for you, and have helped you overcome certain challenges in your life, then please share them with us.

To the best in you and the body you deserve.
Mands [ Email ]

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Affirmations for Emotional Eaters
by Anya

I discovered a set of affirmations for emotional eaters some of which make good points to think about and develop even if you don't use the affirmations. Lots of sound sense in them so hope these will help others as they helped me. Here they are:

• My worth as a person is not diminished in any way by my body size or by my eating patterns.
   
• I will LOVE myself no matter what my eating patterns are.
   
• I will judge my days not by what or how much I eat, but by the accomplishments I have made and the love I have given.
   
• My life is a gift, and I will not let my enjoyment of it be diminished by feeling guilty over my body size or how much I eat.
   
• I am finished blaming others, situations or myself for the way I eat. I will take action minute-by-minute, hour-by-hour, and day-by-day until I can eat normally again.
   
• Compulsive overeating is a temporary condition in my life.
   
• There is a normal eater within me; I will let him/her take over my life more and more, each day, as I am ready.
   
• When I feel stressed, I will close my eyes and picture how my all-powerful normal eater would handle the situation.

Quotes:
Be a first rate version of yourself, not a second rate version of someone else.  -- Judy Garland

Acceptance is such an important commodity, some have called it "The first law of personal growth." -- Peter McWilliams