Imagine You Thin Picture the Results…

How many times have you done something that perhaps was difficult to accomplish, and when you finally did get it done, you decided to give yourself a reward? Now how many times was that chosen reward food? Treating yourself is always a nice thing to do. It makes you feel good, it makes you proud of your accomplishments, looking forward to the next task at hand, and it allows you to sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labors. When we treat ourself to a reward, you may wish to consider something other than food though. Of course, it depends upon what kinds of foods we are talking about here. Typically, however, most people look at a food reward or treat as something sinister… something that they “shouldn’t” have.

To have the feeling that you are sneaking some “illegal” food makes you feel as if you are guilty and getting away with something, but it is actually more detrimental to your body than if you were to simply eat it with gusto and enjoy it. That’s right. Imagine savoring each and every bite of that decadent piece of cake, or that ice cream Sundae, or whatever food you have chosen to treat yourself with. Just think how much more you would get out of eating a “forbidden” food if you felt free enough to enjoy it. No longer would you have that nagging feeling that you were doing something wrong. And to top it all off, your body will actually react favorably by NOT stressing itself out with the typical mind tug-o-war.

One way or another, your body will always react to stress. Some people thrive on stress, while the majority of people simply collapse from within. So why give your body even more stress to contend with by having the thought of eating so-called forbidden foods weighing heavily on your mind. Have you any idea what that does to your body?

Take 2 people eating the same chocolate cake piled high with whipped cream, a rich, sweet cherry sauce covering the whole of the cake slice with a deep dark chocolate icing. Mmm, you can feel the saliva just building in your mouth – you can even taste it in your mind. And guess what your body is doing at the same time. Why it is packing on the pounds… mentally that is.

Perhaps not physically, but just the stress alone can add pounds to your frame. The only way to combat this is for you to allow you the time to enjoy this food both mentally and physically. Now why would I want to do that, you might ask? Simple! To deprive yourself of the reward that you desired, would make you crave it even more. Then when you would eventually cave in, (and you know you would), you would get the guilty feelings associated with eating something you just know you shouldn’t have eaten. By that time, you would just totally give in and possibly even eat more than one piece of the cake, or another scoop of the ice cream. Now it has turned from a treat to a pig fest.

Getting back to the 2 people eating the dessert, person #1 whom we shall call Rose, is rewarding herself with that same decadent chocolate cake. She is looking forward to enjoying it both mentally and physically. The cake comes, and she has a huge smile on her face. She picks up the plate with her piece of cake and takes a big whiff of the aromatic chocolate and cherries. Then she puts the plate down and with her fork in hand, takes the first bite. Closing her eyes and savoring the taste sensation and the texture, she swirls the bite around in her mouth and swallows with joy. With a big M-m-m-m, that tastes so good, she proceeds to put her fork down and have a sip of her beverage and chats with her companions. Within a few minutes, her ritual starts all over again. Rose is enjoying her reward as well as the company she is with. Her mind is happy and her body is happy too. As a matter of fact, she is only able to finish about half of her slice of cake before she realizes she just doesn’t want any more… no matter how good it looks, tastes or smells. The rest of the cake is not calling her name.

On the other hand, person #2, whom we shall call Ginger, orders the same dessert, but when it arrives, she looks from her left to her right at her companions to see if they are watching her and what she is eating. She imagines that they are shaking their heads at her because she ordered this decadent dessert. Deciding to finish it before anyone complains to her about her choice, she takes a big bite and swallows immediately. Hardly even tasting it let alone enjoying it, she immediately takes another huge bite and once again swallows right away. Now her cake is just about finished and Ginger can barely tell you what it tastes like. Taking a sip of her diet soda, she wolfs down the last of the cake just so no one else can look at what she has already eaten, nor how fast. Poor Ginger had no idea what she just did to her body. Besides not even enjoying her dessert reward, she mentally added 10 pounds to her body. How sad is that.

Now which of the two women do you think will be actually or even potentially adding those 10 pounds? That’s right… Ginger.

Rewards come in many shapes and forms. They don’t always have to be as a dessert. You can very easily go out and perhaps get a manicure/pedicure, or buy yourself a pretty accessory that you want, or get a new hair style, or even as small an item as painting your nails. The choices are endless. Of course, if you are looking to lose the weight, a great goal would be to have that “little black dress” as part of your goal, or something similar in the size of your desired end result. So many things to look forward to. So many ways to accomplish your goals.

So the next time you are looking to reward yourself for a job well done, keep in mind that that reward does not necessarily need to be food. But if it is, remember to slowly and totally enjoy each and every bite. Your mind will thank you and your body will thank you too! And for those of you who truly need that little bit of extra help to lose weight and stay in control, please seek out a competent professional hypnotist, or even a medical professional of your choice. Never be afraid to ask for help. There is no shame in needing help. The end results of you feeling good and looking good will be well worth your while. Best of luck!

Disclaimer: This information is for you to actually consider alternative possibilities for your success. Please seek advice from your medical professional before starting any weight loss or exercise program.