Suzon... Teri beat me to it but I agree. Visualizing, affirming and meditating before falling asleep is great! Keep doing it and eventually you will stay awake through the process then sleep much better afterward.

As for me... I caught myself saying something negative about myself the other day. I can't remember it now but I told my husband that I thought it and immediately became accountable and changed the thought.

A funny way of dealing with negative thoughts...

I was once told that if you happen to have a particular trait that you see as negative you simply need to tell youself that it's so very unlikely of you to do or be that way. I'll use clumsy as an example. You trip (like everyone does) but instead of saying to yourself "what a clutz I am," or "good gravy, I tripped again, I hope no one was watching" you say "that is so unlike me to be clumsy." And you say it out loud whether there is someone with you or not!! And because you know you really are clumsy, you laugh as you say it. **AT FIRST** Just that act of laughing at yourself takes most of the negative out of your thought. Then after enough times you start to believe it. It seems silly but it's actually very powerful. Try it!!

Hi Teri --

Very interesting -- I didn't know you meditated. I have for years, and usually meditate between 45 - 90 minutes a day. Part of my routine is a "metta" meditation, that is, a meditation on lovingkindness. Before radiating lovingkindness (or "metta," in an archaic Indian language) to one's surroundings one expresses it for oneself. I can incorporate a weight loss element in that part of my overall meditation routine . . .

metta -- Vimala

Cre8tvgirl - Actually, that "technique" you talk about sounds familiar. I have a friend who used something similar when she quit smoking. Whenever she'd get a craving she'd say to herself, "Hmmm. Well isn't that funny that I should get a craving for a cigarette! I'm a non-smoker!! Why would I want a cigarette?!" She says that was a very powerful process for her!

raharris - So good to see you again! I must check your journal to see how you've been doing! I"ll drop by soon. I wish I could say that I've always had an active meditation practice....but I haven't. There have been periods in my life when I made it a priority and that was much more easily accomplished when I lived alone. I can confidently say that those times were the most "centered" I've ever been in my life....and I am grateful for the skills I learned then. I am trying like crazy to find a way back to a more disciplined lifestyle.... and struggling to do so.

I LOVE THIS THREAD! Thanks for everyone's participation!!

I just recommended this thread to Joan .. I believe that positive thought can do amazing things ... and the mind has amazing control over the body and it's workings ...

I also read through the thread and found it really interesting .....

You may just be stuck with me hanging around ..

Talk later ...
:reheart:

There has been some mention of ppl using affirmations to stop smoking. I read of some several years ago...
1. My lungs are healthy and clear
2. I breathe in healthy air.

The premise was to do this even before trying to quit, and your body would get the message, and you would quit craving them. I use to smoke, but it was never really an addiction for me. I could buy a pack, smoke them, and not smoke another for years! I have friends who envy that. My hubby quit last November, so almost a year for him, and he used a nicotine patch... he tried that for 5 days, and then didn't put any others on... he smoked about a pack a day. He sold the rest to his sister and her bf, and they had quit for 2 weeks, and didn't think of any other way to combat stressors, so both of them went back to smoking!! Hubby and I knew there was going to be some stressors, and let me tell you, I bit my tongue more than once, just because I knew he was undergoing nicotine withdrawals! I am very proud of him though, almost a year, and I doubt it would ever be something he would ever do again~!! Will be back later after I look up some stuff~ Ciao for now~

TeriDoodle,your gadget sounds really neat but it would be really funny if there's more than you sleeping in your bed. Your spouse may wake up with beleiving he can obtain the figure your looking for

Isn't it funny how things happen? I think I said before I was interested in this but hadn't gotten serious about it...then I found this thread and it gave me the motivation....
Well that was yesterday, and today I had something pretty major happen in my personal life (forgive me if I dont go into detail). But to make a long story short, a lot came up about "self fullfilling prophecy...negative thoughts...and visualization. It was like the extra "slap" in the face.
I now know without a doubt that this is what I need to do...positive thinking is going to be hard. I can say it, but them it is almost like back in my head i am going "yea right"...does that make sense? I have to get rid of that little voice and TRULY let this work. I am exhausted, but I am gonig to try a little tonight, but IF I fall asleep, then tomorrow is a totally positive thinking day...I will try my best...see where I need help...and do a 30 min. meditation.
I am hooked on the belief that this is exactly what i needed...Teri...once again you are a life saver!
Thanks for letting me babble.
~Michelle

Here is another website with affirmations for weight loss.

http://www.weight-dieting.org/

I have been using just one suggestion from this thread for the past couple of days, and that is replacing the word *try* with *choose* and that simple change in words has made a big difference in my everyday life.

I choose to live a low carb lifestyle.
I choose to be happy.
I choose to teach my kids.

I think by making these conscience choices the appropriate action has come naturally.

My problem is a husband who dwells on the negative.

Michelle - Don't worry about that little voice that keeps saying "yeah, right".... just keep turning around negative thoughts into positive ones and saying your affirmations. Pretty soon the voice gives up and goes away. Trust me on this. Just keep at it!

DuPont - Sounds like you need to add one more affirmation: "I choose to invalidate DH's negative comments." !! That might take some deep-breathing-counting-to-10 exercises, too!

Yesterday I did get off my butt and walked a mile... while I did I said out loud, "I make healthy food choices. I enjoy exercise." I said it the entire time I was walking.... and found that that "tape" got stuck in my head and said it to myself many times again throughout the night! Pretty cool! Whatever works, eh?

loved reading all this
My personal aim is to stop obsessing about the woe, and just relax into it. So my affirmations are more in line with "Iam calm and relaxed " etc. suits me best. anything else sets me off lol.

I read somewhere.... and I think it was in the book... "Conversations with God " ( sorry cant recall author)..... about being careful what you ask for. If you ask "I want...." or similar.... then the universe will deliver just that. The wanting. Youve got what you asked for in full measure

so the most powerful word is... "I Am..." well it sort of makes sense

the other thing I find useful is when Im in a " oh it'll never work " frame of mind, is to actually say STOP out loud. ( careful who Im with o' course )

Hi --

As long as we are posting resources for meditation/visualization let me tell you about two very good books.

Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness by Jon Kabat Zinn. Yes I know that weight loss does not necessarily fall in the categories of "pain, stress, and illness," but all of these things can play roles in our lives. Kabat Zinn runs a stress reduction clinic in New England, and you may remember him from Bill Moyers series on mind/body health on PBS some years ago. He is a very good writer (even if his taste in book titles is somewhat suspect!) and covers a number of meditation techniques useful to people in all areas of society.

Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana. This book is more explicitly rooted in Eastern philosophy more than 25 hundred years old. Don't let the peculiar name of the author throw you -- he speaks better English than many of my American-born college students! He is one of my teachers and this is one of my favorite books -- I think everyone can benefit from his approach to meditation.

Metta,

Plum... Conversations with God is an *Outstanding* book (and the sequels). They were written by Neale Donald Walsch and are so very, very insightful.

DuPont----I used the "I Choose" tactic to successfully quit smoking. I forgot all about that until I read your post just now. Funny how the mind works...
I was "trying" to quit smoking for months--found myself sneaking and "borrowing" from friends and co-workers. One day I was sick of my own excuses, so instead of avoiding cigaretts, I bought a pack and kept them unopened in my purse at all times. I saw them everyday and chose not to smoke them. It was a very empowering experience. My way of thinking changed completely at that time and I realized that by taking responsibility for my actions and choices that I was in complete control of the situation. While I am not ready to carry around bags of chips or cookies, nor am I saying that I will ever do that, choosing to eat well and exercise instead of trying to is a very big difference in thinking. Thanks for the reminder!!

Trying out a previously posted technique: "It's so funny how I did not want to get up and work out this morning. It's so unlike me!"

I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.
I choose NOT to indulge in Halloween candy.

Teri -
That's pretty funny... I was sitting here thinking "what the heck - guess I will go ahead and eat some candy tonight.... not doing a great job on this diet anyways" THEN your message comes through

Guess I need to start chanting now " I will not indulge in Halloween Candy" to get me through this !!!! before I get home to the kids and begin Trick or Treating.