How to Think Yourself Thin
Hi Ladies,
Today I have a special post from a friend who is a top personal trainer and she has an interesting idea.
Here’s What Christine has to tell us…
What if I told you that with just a quick shift of the way you perceive things, you could lower your blood pressure, lose weight and feel better? Would you believe me? You should! Stanford professor Alia Crum has proven without a doubt that a positive mindset around eating and exercise can have dramatic and positive effects on the outcome you can achieve.
The Hotel Study
Crum took a group of housekeepers who inherently believed they weren’t getting any exercise in a day, even though they were highly active due to their job, and split them into two random groups. One that was told explicitly that their every day work was in fact good exercise, the other group wasn’t told anything at all.
The result? The group that was told they were getting exercise through their work had markedly better health markers in just 4 weeks. Their systolic blood pressure was reduced by 10 points, they lost an average of 3 pounds each and they felt more positive overall.
The Milkshake Study
Another example of mind over matter is Crums Milkshake Study. A group of random participants were asked to consume two different milkshakes. One group was told their milkshake was a high calorie indulgent shake, the other was told theirs was low calorie and healthy. Although, in reality it was the exact same shake!
The result? The group that was told their shake was indulgent had a three fold decrease in the hunger hormone (ghrelin), resulting in decreased appetite and in theory, weight loss over time. It wasn’t just perception, there were physiological changes in their body just from a different mindset! These studies prove it’s not just about what you do, it’s the mindset you associate with doing it.
Ready to think yourself thin? Here are 2 scientifically proven ways to change your body by simply changing your thinking.
1. FOCUS ON THE BENEFITS OF THE EXERCISE YOU ARE ALREADY GETTING
It has been drilled into us time and again that we aren’t getting enough exercise nowadays. And so, even when we do try, many of us are still left with the guilty feeling that we still aren’t doing enough. This can wreak havoc on our psyche, but can also negate the positive effects of the exercise we are doing. So, rather than having the belief that you aren’t getting enough exercise, look for the exercise you are already doing and focus on the many benefits you are receiving.
For example:
- Those trips up and down the stairs to bring up your laundry? That is great exercise for shaping your legs!
- Parking further away from your destination and walking the rest of the way. This calorie burning exercise will build your bone density and improve your mood!
- Playing with your kids or grandkids? Think about all the squats you are doing by getting up and down off the floor! Or the benefit of being on your hands and knees. These are all exercises that Personal Trainers have you doing in the gym because they are good for your hip mobility and building full body strength.
2. SAVOUR THE FLAVOUR & INDULGE
Instead of eating healthy food and thinking of it like medicine, focus on the flavors and freshness of the food, and how truly indulgent it is to have healthy foods at our disposal. But if changing your mindset around healthy eating is too hard, try changing your recipe up a little bit to make it more indulgent. This will lower your appetite and keep you full for longer, balancing out whatever few extra calories you might be consuming.
For example:
- Do you have a hard time with portion control? Serve yourself up a supersized bowl of broth-based soup. The magic here is that you feel like you are eating a lot because it is a big serving, but in reality, its foundation is just water!
- Do you have a sweet tooth? Throw a few candied pecans or roasted beets on your usual salad and all of a sudden it’s a sweet and full-flavored (yet still healthy) indulgence!
- Smoothies don’t keep you full at breakfast? Throw some unsweetened cocoa powder in. Not only does it add minimal calories, but what tasted healthy, now tastes like a chocolate milkshake!
Small changes bring big results. Follow these easy suggestions to think yourself thin and look and feel fabulous!
**Article by Christine Sachse. Christine is a Health Coach and Personal Trainer and the owner of Roseland Health and Fitness, a full-service Personal Training and wellness studio in Burlington, Ontario. To find out more, visit Christine’s website or follow her on IG or Facebook.
One item I’d like to add that results from good fitness habits is Posture. Focusing on your balanced core can help with your posture and is a means to Think Thin. I enjoy reading this article, too. 🌞
Hi Robin, This is so true. I think Pilates has helped me a lot with that. I’ve been doing it several years and I really enjoy it. It stretches out your spine and helps with posture.