Seeing Is Achieving - Using Visual Cues To Be A Fitter You
September 2, 2010
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It’s coming to the end of the summer season here in the Northeast, and I have been thinking about autumn. Actually, I can “see” it in my mind, based on decades of visual images that I can call up, much like a file on my computer.
Visual images hold astounding power. They are also attached to emotions that go with them, in this case, maybe the spectacular beauty of nature when fall colors break out in all their splendor.
I’m making this my topic today because you can harness this power to your advantage to create a fitter you. Surround yourself with visual cues that illustrate the goal of health and fitness. These images can encourage your actions, even when the pictures are out of sight.
According to brain specialist Amy K. Hutchens, 99% of learning is done on a non-conscious level. “That’s a fancy way of saying that vision dominates your brain activity and behaviors,” she says. Basically, what we see can determine how we act.
Your brain needs a method of filtering through the clutter and locking onto what’s important. This is where the science comes in. The “reticular activation system” (RAS) sorts through those millions of bits of data, making sure that you’re only aware of certain things. It calls your attention only to the details that you don’t want to miss such as hearing your name in a crowd.
Fitness and weight loss is a priority that can be “registered” the same way. Write down or create a vision board with pictures about these goals. A clear vision or image of how you want to look, your vision will pop up when you need it, helping you feel powerful and in control.
Once you write something down or see a picture of your goal, your brain starts to work on that goal without you even realizing it. You’ll notice people wearing the same swimsuit you want; you’ll see bike and walking paths that you didn’t notice before; you’ll see healthier menu items that you skipped over in the past. You’ll be drawn toward making the right decisions.
Another way visual cues can help keep your motivation high is through the power of positive association. Seeing a positive stimulus increases the production of serotonin, which is responsible for feelings of well-being and satisfaction. Seeing that same cue often enough builds a pattern of positive response that creates momentum. Soon, the positive feeling will transfer to your goals as well.
Dr. Daphne Stevens, a psychotherapist with 30 years’ experience working with weight control and fitness issues, says that this connection between picture and motivation only grows stronger as you achieve and see results. “Pardon the pun, but a sense of mastery ‘feeds’ on itself,” she says. “The satisfaction of doing positive things for the body substitutes for the quick-fix rush of sugar or simple carbs that put on the pounds.”
So write your goals down right now, plaster that fridge with positive pictures, tape an inspiring message to your dashboard, do whatever it takes to surround yourself with visual cues.
You’ll see success – both in your mind and in your life. *
*Adapted from Seeing is Achieving- Picture Weight Loss Success with Visual Cues by Mike Kramer, Sparkpeople
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