Weight-loss psychology

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I picked up a book called The Abs Diet a few weeks ago, its a good read, and it made a VERY interesting point.Everyone always hears whenever you're trying to reach a goal, that you want to think positive. When it comes to losing weight, people do exactly that. Think positive, "I'm gonna lose X pounds."But maybe that's exactly it. Coming from an American standpoint (but humans in general), we don't like to lose. It's like we're passively thinking negatively by saying we want to "lose weight"...we're losing. The book said to think of it as "gaining fitness"I don't know, I thought it was an interesting idea, thoughts/comments/concerns? :P

That's a weird way of thinking about things.

Never would I associate "losing weight" with "negative". Just because the word "lose" is involved doesn't make it automatically bad.

Yeah, I see where you're coming from, I feel the same way.I just thought it was an interesting point of view

I just thought it was an interesting point of view It is, but how many people really say "I want to lose weight" and then think "why am I being so negative" ? Probably not many.

I also said it's a passive thing. I'm too lazy to go downstairs and get the book and get the actual quote. I don't think anyone is upset with losing weight.

I can agree with that psychology. You can even see examples in advertising. They don't say this product is CHEAP, they say it's a better value (a positive instead of a negative, see below)The second part I totally agree with; the goal shouldn't be just to lose weight, it SHOULD be about "gaining fitness" and promoting good health.

It's probably based on the fact that the mind doesn't understand negatives. So if you're telling yourself something like "don't mess up," your subconscious mind is probably thinking "mess up."

Hawker has it pretty well. Do you realize that punnishment isn't really negative reinforcement? If you reach out and touch an electric fence, you get shocked. You get something(the shock) and you learn to not touch the fence.Negative reinforcement is when you lose something, or nothing happens. For example, pulling your hand OFF the fence stops the shock, that part of it is the negative reinforcement. Minds are funny things. How many people really would think about the act of removing their hand, as apposed to thinking I will get shocked if I touch that fence again?If your trying to reach a goal, the same thing applies. I could die if I am out of shape, or I have poor self esteem (others make fun of me) because I am fat. I have always found it far better when I was loosing weight to think more along the lines of I want to fit into those size 7 jeans. If I think about LOSING weight, all I think about is food...Here everyone, try this. I DON'T want you to think about bananas.You can't MAKE it go away, now, think about dogs. Only by replacing (positive) the thought of banannas with the thought of dogs in this instance, did the thought of bananas leave for a second.Now that I am thinking of the cartoon weener dog only instead of a hotdog with legs, a banana with legs....Losing weight is similar. You replace the thought of wanting to lose weight, with the though of gaining health, (or size 7 jeans) and that positive will be more effective. Remember, it isn't the thought of pulling your hand away that reminds you not to touch the electric fence again.