Weight Loss Motivation by Moose and Doc

The most basic of Google searches on the topic of weight loss presents us with an overwhelming array of fad diets and guaranteed techniques to lose weight. Thus, it is very easy to get lost in a fog of contradictory and sometimes misleading, information. So, how do we get motivation for weight loss?

It is easy to understand that most diets, if we could actually stick to them, are effective for both weight loss and weight control.

Throw in a bit of physical activity and in theory, you should be well on your way to your ideal weight. So, where does it go wrong? Here we will be looking at the most talked about motivational techniques to see what actually works and what doesn’t.

There are many pitfalls to weight loss, so before you resort to bariatric surgery (weight loss surgery) we are going to look at the top 7 scientific techniques to improve motivation for weight loss. We will be examining if they work and exactly how to use them to achieve a healthy weight.

I keep trying to lose weight… but it keeps finding me!

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Have you ever tried to improve your motivation by any of the following?

Visualizing yourself at your ideal body weight
Sticking a motivational image on your fridge or using it as your wallpaper
Setting out your weight loss goals
Being really hard on yourself and suffering with guilt after binging
Relying on and trying to improve your willpower
Obsessing over exactly which diet is right for you
Making a physical activity plan, or exercise routine but lacking the motivation to stick to it

Then you have come to the right place. We will be having a look at all of the above methods and giving you some top tips on how to separate the fact from the fiction.

You know that you’ve gained weight when you start accusing your towels of shrinking.

Visualizing Your Ideal Self

The concept that the mind and body are connected has become increasingly acceptable over the years. Thus, it follows that you can actually use your brain and thoughts to change your body and reach your goal weight.

Visualization techniques, yoga, meditation and hypnosis have all shown early promise related to weight loss.

In an interesting, recent study from the University of Pennsylvania, two scientific researchers, Gabriele Oettingen and Thomas Waden, took an in-depth look at the impact of both expectation and fantasy (visualization) in relation to weight loss.

The group of obese women in the study were split into 4 groups and asked to visualize four different fantasy situations.

Two of the hypothetical situations involved the selected women fantasizing about losing weight (positive).
Two of the hypothetical situations involved the selected women thinking about risky situations, or overeating favourite foods (negative).

Now, this is where it gets really interesting. The group who actually visualized the more negative scenarios lost around 12 kilos more than those who focused on positive visualizations.

You wanna know my fantasies, huh? They usually start with about 2,000 calories and end with a nap.

Oettingen suggests that positive expectations combined with negative fantasies produce the best results to lose pounds.

The women who fantasized about how much weight they were going to lose and visualized their ideal self were less motivated and less prepared for potential setbacks along the way.

It’s the holiday season. Don’t forget to set your scales back 10 pounds at midnight.

How to Visualize successfully: The Double Think Technique

Motivational studies by Oettingen, show that the most successful method for increasing weight loss motivation is the double think.

The double think technique involves holding two contradictory thoughts or visualizations at the same time. The technique enables a person to be optimistic in their expectations , but realistic regarding potential obstacles to the goal.

Visualize yourself achieving weight loss that will lead you to your ideal weight or goal weight . You can picture in your mind the weight falling off or you can imagine weight loss success by visualising yourself at your ideal weight.
Once you have clearly visualized yourself achieving a healthy weight that is right for you, then you must think about the top two benefits. So for example, see yourself looking and feeling really attractive, full of confidence or fit and healthy. The benefits must be personal to you and involve the main motivations for your attempts to lose weight.
Next think of the top two obstacles that may hinder you achieving your desired goal. An example could be you always turn to that delicious tub of ice-cream after an argument or you just cannot resist binging at a social gathering.
Next you do a kind of alternate imagining in your mind by imagining the first major benefit and then straight away imagine the first major obstacle and repeat for the second benefit and obstacle. For example, you could think ‘I’m going to look slim and great at my sister’s wedding next fall but I find it really difficult to not over eat when upset.’

Motivation #1: Use double think

It’s not enough to just visualize the end goal. The best motivational technique involves having optimistic expectations but being realistic about overcoming hurdles and obstacles.

Does Willpower aid Weight Loss?

The idea that the use of will power alone will be enough to help in the weight loss challenge has been branded around for many years.

Willpower is regarded by scientists as one of the weakest of the mental processes. Furthermore studies have shown that the more it is used the more it tires.

In his books on willpower and self control, Roy Baumeister revealed that people who rely solely on willpower tend to run out of it which is not best for long term weight loss.

Basically, if you use your willpower and energy trying to resist one temptation, you’re more likely to give in to another. There is only so much willpower to go round. Studies have even shown that dieters are more likely to be unfaithful to their spouses.

Furthermore, if you have stuck to your healthy eating and exercise plan all week, for example, using willpower alone you are more likely to give in to temptation following a stressful event such as an argument. Even fatigue, hormones and blood glucose levels affect your willpower.

If it wasn’t for my incredible willpower, I would be exercising right now.

Successful weight loss takes programming, not willpower.

Make a Public Commitment to Weight Loss

Several studies have shown that dieters who make a public commitment to weight loss fare much better in their battle with the bulge than those who don’t.

What exactly do we mean when we say make a public commitment? Well, tell your friends and family your specific aims and goals for your planned weight loss. Explain in detail your chosen weight loss plan. The support and encouragement from people close to you can help reinforce your motivation and strengthen your willpower.

Combined with this, making a public commitment plays on people’s fear of failure or public embarrassment. It is harder to publicly admit that you have not achieved your goals or have given up on your plan. Furthermore, loved ones can help you overcome those inevitable setbacks.

Why not use social media sites?

Use Social Media sites such as Facebook or Twitter to update your progress and receive that much-needed encouragement.

Find a website or software that will encourage you with daily motivational quotes to cheer you up and give yourself a boost when struggling.

Join a support group on these sites whereby you can share your triumphs and your setbacks. Scientifically proven to help with weight loss is the popular, Weight Watchers plan that offers personal coaching, on-line support and weight watchers meetings.

Motivation #2: Do not rely on willpower

Willpower alone is not a good weight loss motivation technique all in all. So yes, try and use a bit of willpower when the need arises but remember making a public commitment and involving your friends, loved ones and colleagues gives you much needed support and encouragement and will increase your chances of success.

Status Update: I’m having fruit salad for dinner.

Go Moose, well done.

Well, it’s mostly grapes. Actually it’s all grapes…fermnented grapes, I’m having wine for dinner

Where exactly is the ‘dislike’ button on Facebook!

Role Models and Motivation for Weight Loss

A study by leading psychologist Richard Wiseman regarding weight loss and motivation, showed that a mere 10% out of over 5,000 participants actually achieved their set goal.

Wiseman was able to analyze his data on weight loss and concluded that those who chose a celebrity role model, and perhaps put pictures of them around the house to encourage their efforts, did not actually achieve significant weight loss.

How surprising is this? In our celebrity obsessed, photo-shopping culture many of us aspire to our favourite slim and beautiful role model. The problem is that these images only inspire us in the short term to feel good.

In the long run when we are struggling against the obstacles of change such images actually are counter productive and can even encourage us to give up assuming that we can never achieve such bodily perfection.

How to use role models to help with weight loss

In a series of three studies, scientists found that each individual is motivated by a role model that fits their particular type of thinking. The different thinkers are:-

Promotion-focused Thinkers

These types of thinkers are inspired by following a weight loss strategy that fits with their desired outcomes. They will be most inspired by positive role models and the promise of success.

Techniques for Promotion-Focused Thinkers
The best role model to help you lose weight is not an image of a celebrity, but rather somebody who has achieved what you are setting out to do.

You need to be able to both relate and identify with them.

Choose a friend who has lost a lot of weight and spend time listening to how they actually achieved it. Whilst on your on-line support group choose a person who has lost a weight and follow their blog, read all their posts and aspire to adopt some of their techniques.

Furthermore, avoid stories of failure or negative images.

Prevention-focused Thinkers

These thinkers favour a motivational strategy of avoiding undesirable outcomes and will be more inspired by negative role models and will be most inspired by avoiding failure.

Techniques for Prevention-Focused Role models
If you are a prevention-focused thinker then find a realistic person who possibly has given up on their diet and gained more weight to encourage you not to go down that path.

If you do fit into this category, an image of a body perfect celebrity will only hinder your progress.

Prevention-focused thinkers should try and avoid success stories and stay focused on the very real possibility of failure.

Motivation #3: Use Role Models Wisely

It is essential that if you are trying to lose weight you first identify whether you respond best to chasing success or avoiding failure and use the strategy that fits your motivational type. In studies, motivation for weight loss was dramatically improved by finding the correct role model strategy to identify with

We’ve all got that one friend who eats twice as much as you do…

but never gets fat.

Unfriend them girl, especially if you’re a prevention-focused thinker!

How to effectively Set Goals for your Weight Loss

When planning your goals for weight loss the suggestions that you write down and say to yourself should be very specific. Many of us, when faced with a seemingly insurmountable hurdle have a tendency to become overwhelmed and give up.

This is why you need to break down your plan into effective bite-sized portions, no pun intended! Do not aim for quick weight loss, but do set short-term goals whilst aiming for a long term healthy lifestyle. Forget any weight loss aids such as slimming pills, appetite suppressants or supplements, just focus on fat loss over the long term.

When making a plan you need to set out your long-term weight loss goals very clearly. You should write down the goals that you wish to achieve in a manageable plan.

‘I want to lose a lot of weight’ for example, is just not going to do it. It is too general a statement and leaves one with the overall goal, but no real plan.

The 3 keys to successful weight loss statements

Key #1

The statements that you write and say to yourself need to be:-

(i) Positive: Always keep your statements positive and try and avoid the word not.

For example say ‘I will choose the lovely fish and salad option at lunch’
rather than ‘I will not eat the chocolate cake.’

Set out very clearly the main behaviours that you wish to address this will help enormously with successful weight loss.

An example of why we don’t use the not word in our goal setting and self-talk

Oooh, how exciting, do go on Moose.

Do not think of a large iced cup cake with sprinkles… See, I bet you’re thinking of it, aren’t you?

Key #2

(ii) Specific and measurable: Keep your goals both specific and measurable. When writing down what you wish to achieve try and avoid generalized statements such as:-

‘I will try and control my eating’ this is too general. Always avoid the word try too. You wouldn’t like it if your doctor said he’s going to try and do an operation, would you?
Rather use statements like, ‘I will eat three healthy meals a day and absolutely nothing else.’
Do not say ‘I’m going to take a lot more exercise,’ say ‘between 5 and 5:30 each evening I am going to walk briskly for half an hour’

Key #3

The more specific your statements, the more measurable your success will be.

(iii) Beneficial and empowering: When writing your statements and indulging in self-talk make your statements beneficial and empowering to you. So say:

‘I enjoy taking a walk now and I choose to take longer walks.’

Motivation #4: Plan your goals in bite-size portions

Numerous studies have shown that breaking the major goal down into minor steps is essential for success. Setting specific goals, measuring progress and reviewing outcomes are all techniques that are more likely to lead to weight loss. One step at a time, one day at a time..

Expect a few Setbacks along the way and mentally rehearse managing them

Anybody trying to change an entrenched daily habit is inevitably going to have to face a setback from time to time.

Picture this, you’re healthy eating plan is going really well, you’re on the tenth day and feeling fairly good about yourself. Suddenly, you receive a telephone call and hear some news that makes you feel really stressed and slip back into those old bad habits.

Whilst on the phone, you have opened the fridge and snacked on a couple of pieces of chocolate. Not too serious, but a bit of a set-back. The next thing you’re thinking, ‘what the hell’ and you’ve munched your way through half the unhealthy snack foods in your house.

I’m not thinking what the hell at that stage

Well, what are you thinking?

WTF or Where’s The Food?

This ‘oh, I’ve done it now so I might as well continue’ attitude is a major problem for some. There are people who over indulge in the Christmas vacations and carry on eating in the same way for the rest of the year.

How to use guilt and regret effectively

The answer is not to be too harsh on yourself. Be prepared for temptation and setbacks by using the double think techniques discussed earlier.

Most importantly, know that there will be times, or even whole days where you don’t stick to your plan. At the earliest opportunity, give yourself a break, allow a little indulgence, forgive yourself immediately and begin again the next day. Do NOT feel guilty

Studies have shown that feeling bad about yourself and feeling guilty after the event leads to a decrease in motivation.

The Guilty Study

In a very interesting experiment, Claire Adams and Mark Leary, two psychologists, studied a group of women who were trying to lose weight.

The women were split into two groups and encouraged to eat donuts and candy. Firstly all the women were given a large donut and a glass of water to make them feel full. They were encouraged to eat the whole donut.

Where exactly is this study and how do I apply?

Half of the test group were then given messages to alleviate any feelings of guilt and the other half were left alone. Both groups of women were then invited to ‘taste test’ the candy and eat as much as they desired to come up with their conclusions.

The group that had received guilt-alleviating messages and felt better about the donut eating ate 28 grams of the candy whilst the group who were left to feel guilty ate nearly 70 grams.
There have been similar studies that have affirmed the theory that:-

Feeling guilty always leads to indulging more.

Motivation #5: Give up on Guilt

Numerous studies have shown that feeling guilt about our failures and setbacks leads directly to overindulgence and a decrease in motivation. Make the mistake, eat the cupcake, enjoy it, learn from it and move on. Do not indulge in feeling guilty after the event.

That’s great then, we can do a big binge and not have to feel bad.

No guilt, and remember, one bad meal does not make us fat in the same way as one healthy meal does not make us thin.

Find the Right Diet for you

Basically if you eat fewer calories; less fats and carbohydrates, plenty of fruit and vegetables and lean meat you will lose weight. Most people are aware of this but the diet itself isn’t always the problem, it’s sticking to it that is the real issue for many of us.

In a ‘Horizon Special’ television programme medical and nutritional experts tested 75 people, looking at their hormones, genes and attitudes towards eating. The test groups were then split into the following three categories :-

Constant Cravers: The people in this group felt hungry all the time and the cause of this was found to have a genetic base.
Feasters: The people in this group were found to have a gut hormone that misfired leading to overeating and an inability to know when they are full.
Emotional Eaters: Simply eat more as a direct result of stress.

The three groups were given a specifically tailored diet that matched their eating style. The cravers had an intermittent restricted eating plan (the 5:2 diet), the Feasters were given a high protein, low glycaemic index diet to keep them feeling as full as possible and the Emotional eaters joined a main stream slimming club.

I think I fit all three categories. I’m an emotional, feasting and craving sort of girl.

To find out which category you fit into take the simple test.

I’m okay I only eat in three places. Here, there and everywhere.

Motivation #6: Finding a diet that’s right for you

The above examples of different eating types are a guide only. You can take the test but you know yourself and your eating habits so choose a diet that gives you the optimum chance of staying on track.

Keep a Weight Loss Diary

Right, so you’ve carefully selected and started a healthy diet and exercise regime. As mentioned earlier, most diets do work if you stick to them, but it is probably easier in the long run to choose a healthy eating plan that you can stick to for life, rather than a fad diet that you just can’t maintain indefinitely.

However, despite your most valiant attempts, the weight is just not coming off, or even worse, you continue to gain weight. How can this be?

The questions to ask yourself!

Most people trying to lose weight may well sit down to three healthy meals a day and presume they’re on track, but ask yourself the following questions to find those sneaky hidden calories:-

Just how many calories does that little bit of mayo or olive oil dressing contain?
How large are your portions?
How many calories are in each portion?
Whilst cooking did you do a little bit of grazing, here and there, a mouthful of the lovely chicken or rice – just to taste, or a little swig of the wine that went into that rich sauce?
If you have children, do you finish their leftovers?
Do you snack in between meals and what on?
Every time you open the fridge, do you have a little nibble on your favourite treat?
Think also about when you’re outside of your home. Your co-worker brings donuts and pastries of a morning, do you indulge?
Do you drink cans of fizzy pop, take sugar and full fat milk in your tea or coffee or have a few glasses of wine in the evening?
If you go out for an evening or go to a party, do you stick to your eating plan or do you nibble on all those fattening chips and dips?

Oh, that’s so me, I love to cook with wine.

Yes, a little dash of wine always makes a sauce taste twice as good.

I know, sometimes I even put the wine in the food!

Lose twice as much weight: The science

How can you lose twice as much weight? According to a 2008 year long study by the American Journal of Preventative Medicine of obese women, it has been proven that keeping an accurate weight loss diary can help you lose up to twice as much weight and increase your weight-loss motivation.

It is essential that you carry your weight loss journal with you at all times. An old fashioned journal and pen will do the job, or alternatively, there are apps for your smart phones, i-pads or tablets.

So the weight loss diary must be accessible to you at all times and you must record everything that you eat and drink. Let me repeat myself, that is everything, including that random mouthful of chips or cake.

I’m never going to eat too much again. Oh Look! Food.

Many of us, with our busy lifestyles get distracted and are not aware of just how much we are eating during an average day.

Studiously recording everything you eat can highlight problem areas and help you be more mindful of exactly how many calories you are eating; you may find a few surprises too. Keeping a weight loss diary may also help you achieve your long-term weight loss goals.

Although keeping a food journal may be time consuming and laborious at first it will soon become a useful habit and tool for weight loss.

A Food Diary can help you detect emotional triggers for Eating

Women in the study, who kept a weight loss diary found themselves more accountable for their choices. It can also be useful to record your emotional state each day. This helps you identify when you’re particularly stressed and unhappy and what triggers binging on unhealthy foods.

If you are aware of your triggers it is easier to avoid your habitual reaction to them. Emotional eating is often associated with intrinsic motivation. This is a behavior that has often been learnt in childhood and is associated with internal rewards.

Motivation #7: Keep a Food Journal

Keeping an accurate weight loss diary can help you lose twice as much weight. This simple technique can reveal hidden calories and eating problems. Be mindful of everything you eat and drink and be aware of your emotional state.

I think that all women can agree that bigger is better.

You’re right Hector, nobody wants a small bank account.

Questions and Answers

I started off with great motivation but now I seem to have lost it and I’m regaining weight. How do I get my motivation back?

The problem is that it is easier to maintain higher levels of motivation when we first begin a weight loss program. The weight begins to drop off and we are encouraged to continue. Invariably though, over time, as the weight loss goals are more within reach many find themselves losing motivation and slipping back into old, bad habits. The key is to change your whole mental attitude towards eating and exercising, so that healthy choices become a way of life, rather than a constant struggle.

It is important to differentiate between a minor lapse which is simply a small slip in motivation (see Motivational Tips #4 and #5) and a complete relapse which is returning to previous, unhealthy eating and life style choices.

On the one hand I need to lose weight, but on the other hand … Donut!

Top 2 tips to help regain your motivation to lose weight:-

#1 Improve your Body Image

More and more research has suggested that having a negative body image has a detrimental effect on weight loss and weight loss maintenance. If you constantly criticise yourself (negative self-talk) and your body or compare yourself to others this could be affecting your progress. Start by being kind to yourself, treat yourself to a regular massage and facial. If negative self-talk is a serious issue you may want to think about hypnotherapy or Neuro-Linguistic Programming or even a mindfulness course.

#2 Get Active

Initially most overweight people will lose weight simply by reducing their intake of calories. However, as your body weight adjusts to a more healthy range, weight loss may plateau and this can lead to a loss in motivation. Hence, adding some regular exercise to your regime may help with the weight plateau. To make this easier join a sponsored event, such as a run and raise money for charity. This will help because of the public commitment combined with the chance to socialize and do good.

Remember to exercise in the morning before your brain figures out what you’re doing.

I’m quite motivated to lose weight but I find the exercising part really difficult. What can I do to maintain my weight loss motivation?

We will offer you the best two proven motivational tips to help you maintain your exercise regime and therefore, your weight loss success.

#1: Choose your exercise wisely

#1 Choose an exercise regime that you enjoy and that is convenient

If you’ve always disliked the hassle of the swimming pool changing rooms, the wet hair in winter and your local pool is over 40 minutes away then the chances of you sticking to a swimming regime are slim (no pun intended!).

Choose an exercise regime that will not take up too much time out of your day. Some people, such as busy mums for example, prefer to exercise at home. A brisk local walk is as good as anything too. If you love to dance, then dance off the pounds and join a dance class or group. Find your passion and you are much more likely to be successful.

#2: Sounds help you lose pounds

#2 Turn up the sound to lose those pounds

Think about adding a little of your favourite music to your chosen exercise regime. Capuana, an American psychologist carried out a study involving obese women on a 24-week exercise program. All women used walking as a way of exercising but only half of them listened to music whilst doing so. However, after six months it was found that 98% of the walking group who listened to music stuck with the exercise regime compared to only 68% who walked in silence. Furthermore, the musical group lost over twice the amount of weight compared to the non-music group, averaging 16 lbs weight loss compared to 8 lbs. Listening to music whilst exercising can increase weight loss motivation and improve the outcome.

My favourite exercise at the gym would probably be judging.

I love working out to music. Check out the best motivational exercise songs.

Diana’s personal tale: A weight loss motivation story.

Hi, I would like to share my personal weight loss journey. Ever since childhood I have battled with my weight, I was always the chubby child at school and this continued into university and beyond. However, following the birth of my two children, my weight issue became a major problem for me. At 1.62 metres in height I weighed just under 210 lbs in the summer of 2015.

Like a lot of people out there with ongoing weight issues, the final straw came for me when I saw a photograph of myself at a family wedding. I didn’t even recognise that large, sad, self conscious woman as myself and I decided then and there to tackle this life long issue, for my health, for my esteem, for my family but most of all for myself.

It’s a funny old life sometimes, isn’t it?

Not when your country has an obesity epidemic at the same time as a skinny jeans fad.

Get Motivated

I did a lot of research on weight loss and much of this reflected the motivational tips in this post. The diet that I chose was the right one for my way of eating, or should I say, over-eating. I constantly craved food and would also use food as a comfort to cover most emotional states. If I was happy I rewarded myself with food, if I was sad, I comforted myself with food, if I was angry, I ate more… well, you get the picture. The 5:2 diet suited me and the weight started dropping off. It was amazing at first and I had little problem sticking to the regime.

The first hurdle with Motivation

However, after I had lost the first 20 pounds my motivation started to wane. The weight loss pleased me but I began to struggle on the diet days and my weight began to plateau. More internet research followed and I then put into place the following motivational techniques:-

Motivational Techniques that worked for me

Because I am a prevention focused thinker I set the wallpaper on my computer to a weight loss motivation photo of an extremely obese woman. In addition, I put a different weight loss motivation poster on the fridge so that every time I am tempted to graze, I have to think again.
Every day I looked at a weight loss motivation quotes on Tumblr, Reddit and Pinterest. Some are a little cheesy, but if you scroll through you may hit upon one that really resonates with you. If you do, write it down and put it somewhere where you can see it during the day.
As suggested in this post, I used the internet a lot to gain support and motivation for weight loss. Firstly, I went on Facebook, Twitter, You Tube and Instagram for weight loss motivation quotes and stories to spur me on.
In addition, I found weight loss motivation blogs that I related to so that I would remember that many others are fighting the same battle. I even got a weight loss motivation app for my i-phone. Furthermore, there are some great weight loss motivation podcasts out there too. If your new to the idea of podcasts I really suggest you look into them.
I used all the old fashioned resources too. In the evenings I often read weight loss motivation books and watched videos and movies.

Back on Track

After a few months I had started an exercise regime and the constant bombardment of weight loss motivation that I had surrounded myself with started to have an effect. I settled back into the 5:2 diet plan and I found that with that little bit of extra encouragement, sticking to the eating and exercise was fairly easy.

It is almost 18 months since I first saw the photo of myself at the wedding and it has been a rocky road with lots of ups and downs. I am a few pounds off my ideal target weight, although my mind sometimes has problems catching up with my new body size.

Healthy eating and exercise are just a normal part of my daily routine now … and that for me, is the simple key to success.

Dear Santa, This year I would like a fat bank account and a thin body. Please try not to mix the two up like you did last year.

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Motivation Quotes For Weight Loss

Have you ever been on your Facebook or Twitter account and stumbled across a motivation quote that has really resonated with you and your situation? Our expert panel has chosen a list of motivational quotes and inspirational quotes to keep you motivated for weight loss for the whole of your day.

Scroll down and choose the one that you most relate to and use it as your personal mantra – write it down somewhere big and repeat it to yourself throughout the day. When you need a change, simply come back and choose another.

You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be

What you do today can improve all your tomorrows

You have to fight through the bad days in order to earn the best days

Always do what you are afraid to do. Ralph Waldo-Emerson

Change of any sort requires courage. Mary Anne Radmacher

References

Oettingen G, Pak H, Schnetter K. (2001) Self-regulation of goal setting: turning free fantasies about the future into binding goals. J Pers Soc Psychol. May;80(5):736-53. PubMed PMID: 11374746.(Retrieved October 8^th 2015)
Baumeister RF, John Tierney J (2012) Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength Penguin books
Nyer PU, Dellande S. (2010).Public commitment as a motivator for weight loss. Psychology & Marketing: Volume 27, Issue 1, pages 1–12, January 2010 (Retrieved October 9^th 2015)
O’Rahilly S, Farooqi, IS.(2006) Genetics of Obesity. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. Jul 29; 361(1471): 1095–1105.(Retrieved October 6^th 2015)
Torres SJ, Nowson CA. (2007) Relationship between stress, eating behavior and obesity. Nutrition.Nov-Dec;23(11-12):887-94. Epub 2007 Sep 17.(Retrieved October 6^th 2015)
Hollis JF, Gullion CM, Stevens VJ, et al. (2008) Weight Loss During the Intensive Intervention Phase of the Weight-Loss Maintenance Trial.(Retrieved October 7^th 2015)
Pearson ES.(2012) Goal setting as a health behavior change strategy in overweight and obese adults: a systematic literature review examining intervention components.Patient Educ Couns. 2012 Apr;87(1):32-42. (Retrieved October 8^th 2015)
Adams CE, Leary M. (2007) Promoting Self-Compassionate Attitudes toward Eating Among Restrictive and Guilty Eaters. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Vol. 26, No. 10, pp. 1120–1144 (Retrieved October 8^th 2015)

The Talking Moose is a software app who uses the power of suggestion, positive talk and humor to help you achieve your goals. From weight loss to anxiety issues the Moose can help you with motivation and recovery.

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