There is no shortage of advice on how to lose weight. Everywhere you turn you see articles on “easy ways to lose weight” or advertisements that claim you can “lose weight without even trying.” If all these get thin quickly schemes really work then why is the obesity epidemic still rampant? Because the reality is, if it seems to good to be true, it probably is. Losing weight (and keeping it off) is hard work. And unfortunately hard work alone isn’t always enough. Sometimes you have to play a little mind games. By employing some easy mind control techniques you can control your weight.

The cold hard fact is that there is no magic secret to lose weight. It’s a very simple formula: eat less, move more. But sometimes we need to trick our brain into doing just that. The following techniques will help you change your mindset about eating and eventually change the reading on your scale.


• Don't multitask while eating. "The mind cannot pay attention to too many things at once, so if you're doing more than one thing, plus eating, the food doesn't really register," says Evelyn Tribole, M.S., R.D., coauthor of Intuitive Eating. So that means don’t read, talk on the phone, walk around or surf the Internet while eating. It may seem awkward at first but eventually your mind will quiet down enough to register that you are eating. And after a while you will find you will actually enjoy your meals more this way.

• Downsize your dinnerware. Researchers have found that when people are given a larger bowl they served themselves more food and eat more than if they had a smaller bowl. Fortunately the reverse is true: smaller bowls led to smaller portions. Our minds just see that the plate (bowl, cup, etc.) is full so we are going to eat it all. So even though it may technically be a “salad” plate use it for your entire dinner. You’ll find that over time your eyes and mind will become used to smaller portions and find those completely satisfying.

• Portion your snacks. Along the same lines as eating from smaller plates, eat your snacks from smaller containers. In other words, instead of sitting down with a bag of crisps, pull out a couple of handfuls, then close the bag back up before you start eating. This will give your mind (and stomach) a finite amount of food to eat instead of the seemingly endless supply from the bag.

• Picture yourself thin. Visualisation is a powerful and effective tool. Athletes use it all the time to see themselves running faster, swimming farther or winning a tennis match. You can do the same and imagine yourself winning the weight loss battle. Imagining yourself in the body you want helps your mind start to act like you actually have that body: act thin, be thin.

• Assume you’re thirsty. The majority of time we mindlessly eat our bodies are really just thirsty. So the next time you want to overeat, stop and tell yourself you have to drink one full glass of water (half a pint) then you can eat whatever you want. Chances are, you’ll find that after that glass of water you won’t be hungry. By training your brain to assume thirst and not hunger, you will save your self potentially thousands of unwanted calories.

• Convince yourself exercise is fun. Many people view exercise as a “must do” as opposed to a “get to do” part of their lives. But if you can find a form of exercise that you enjoy you will not only tend to participate in it more often, but after a while you will actually start to crave the movement.

Losing weight is a life long struggle for many of us. And even once you reach your goal weight, maintaining that weight can be just as difficult. However permanent weight loss is possible. While the biggest hurdle may be convincing ourselves this is true, learning to control your mind will help you stay in control of your weight for life.

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