The Power of Belief Affects Your Weight Loss Success

May 15, 2007 8:15 AM
By Susan Parsons MD

Thinking your way thin? Your belief system affects all areas of your life, even your ability to lose weight successfully.

An interesting study conducted by Harvard mind-body researcher Ellen Langer demonstrates the power of belief.

Her study involved 84 women who performed physical labor cleaning hotel rooms. They were divided into two groups. Half of the housekeepers were persuaded that their regular cleaning activities counted as exercise. This experimental group was led to believe that their daily work activities met the guidelines for a healthy lifestyle. The other group was given no such suggestion.

After 4 weeks, the two groups were compared. The housekeepers filled out questionnaires to confirm that their work activities had not changed since the study began.

The surprising results? The women who held the belief that their work contributed to a healthy lifestyle actually lost weight. An average of two pounds in a 4-week period was lost, with no dieting or any other recognizable effort. On the other hand, the uninformed control group lost nothing.

What’s more, the Belief Group achieved a 10% drop in systolic blood pressure, a decrease in waist size, and a small but measurable drop in body fat. None of these positive changes happened to the Control Group.

I’m sure you’ve heard about the placebo effect in relation to medications. Often the medical benefits from taking a drug are at least in part due to the person’s belief that they will improve. The power of belief is so dramatic that any medical research that does not use a placebo group is deemed questionable.

So, how can we use these research findings to advance our own health and improve our weight loss efforts? I think we must recognize that our beliefs empower us. They can carry us to new achievements. Or, they can limit us.

Our beliefs truly shape our lives.

If you think your beliefs are assisting you to achieve your dreams, then great! Continue to reinforce them. Make them stronger. But if your beliefs are holding you back, it’s time to get some new ones.

Here are some examples of limiting weight loss beliefs as well as my suggestions for turning them around.

  • Limiting Belief: I hate to exercise.
  • Affirmation Suggestion: The more I exercise, the better I feel.
  • Limiting Belief: I just can’t live without my …doughnuts, potato chips, cookies, white bread, etc.
  • Affirmation Suggestions: I love yogurt with fruit for a snack. I’m very satisfied with a small healthy snack while I watch TV.
  • Limiting Belief: I just can’t seem to lose weight.
  • Affirmation Suggestion: I am learning the secrets of weight loss success and applying them to my life.

Create positive affirmations to counteract any negative or limiting beliefs you have. Then say or write them repeatedly for best effect. Many people have used this technique to achieve their goals. Give it a try!

************************************************

If you liked this article, or if you just want to learn the latest secrets for weight loss success, be sure to sign up for my email newsletter!

Comments

I liked your newletter message. I realize that my thoughts about weight loss are usually negative because I feel I'm not losing or making a few bad choices in a week, and I get so discouraged. I am going to try to keep thinking positively!

Posted by Mary | May 23, 2007 10:22 PM