How to Train your Subconscious Mind to Lose Weight

If you've come this page, you probably realise the power of our mind when it comes to weight loss.

I'm glad you're exploring this concept.

Because no matter how much physical action you take, it won't yield long-term results unless your sub-conscious mind is geared towards weight loss as well.

What is the sub-conscious mind?

Before we start training our sub-conscious mind, we need to understand what the sub-conscious actually is.

​(The second half of this post will then give you an exercise to start training your sub-conscious mind).

Simplistically speaking, our brain can be broken down to 3 parts:

1. Neocortex – our thinking mind

This is the part of our brain responsible for conscious thought. Thinking, talking, listening, interpreting this beautiful blog post and so on.

2. Limbic System – our emotional brain

This is the part of the brain responsible for generating emotions. It is also the part of the brain that stores belief systems, habits and memory. (aha!)

3. The R-Complex – the reptilian brain

This is the part of the brain responsible for most of our biological and hormonal processes (i.e. breathing, energy balance, digestion etc.).

Hint: Our R-complex (reptilian brain) is significantly influenced by the limbic system (our emotional brain).

Eg. if you're in a relaxed mental state while eating, you are more likely to absorb more nutrients from the food (and stay fuller for longer).

Conscious vs Subconscious mind

Guess how much of our brain activity happens in the conscious mind and how much at sub-conscious level?
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Just guess. How much do you think?
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Are you ready?
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Brain Imaging scans showed that 5% of brain activity is happening in the conscious mind and 95% in the sub-conscious mind.

Now think about all the times you've blamed motivation and willpower for your failed weight loss attempts (i.e. your conscious thought).

What are the chances of success if you have only 5% of your brain working towards your goals?

Not much.

So the next question becomes:

How do we train our sub-conscious mind to lose weight?

I'm glad you asked. There are two key steps:

Step 1: Emotionalisation

This sounds like a fancy term but all it really means is - visualisation combined with adding emotions.

Unlike the conscious mind, the language of our sub-conscious mind is not logical thinking.

The language of our sub-conscious is emotions, feelings and images.

Our sub-conscious can't tell the difference between the past or the present.

Or what's real and what is not.

Here's an exercise to show this:

Think about a happy memory from your childhood. ​

Perhaps it was getting your favourite present on your birthday.

Or it may be when you saw a loved one after a long time.

Visualise one specific memory in your mind.

Take a moment or two.

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Got it?

Now ask yourself...

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How did that moment make you feel?

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Can you feel those emotions and feelings in the present moment?

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If you did the exercise and are reliving a past memory, chances are you are feeling those same emotions and feelings in the present moment.

Our memories have been stored in our sub-conscious through the feelings we've associated to certain images.

Being able to generate positive emotions towards a certain image is the key to training your sub-conscious mind.

If you want to train  your sub-conscious mind to lose weight, you need to generate the feeling of having a slim body in the present moment.

You need to visualise a scene in your mind's eye and most importantly, feel the emotions that are associated to that scene.

For instance, let's say you want to lose 10 kgs.

A lot of people start off with a logical goal in their mind.

And that's a good start.

But what is the feeling or emotions you are trying to achieve with that goal?

How do you want to feel when you look at the mirror?

Is it the feeling of freedom? 

A sense of vitality?

Perhaps feeling in control of yourself and proud?

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It's important to explore the deepest feelings you want to experience and keep that in mind every time you visualise your perfect body.

Ultimately, we strive for any goal because we want to feel a certain way after achieving it.

Start feeling that in the present moment through emotionalisation.

Once you do this, your sub-conscious will start aligning to your weight loss goals and create an external reality that matches your internal reality.

Step 2: Repetition

This step doesn't need much explanation.

But it's an important point.

Our sub-conscious has been wired over many years and decades.

To undo this wiring, it requires repetition.

The good news is that it doesn't necessarily take decades to re-wire your brain.

Once you start making a deliberate effort to re-wire your brain - the results can happen rather quickly .

With even just 2 weeks of deliberate repetition, you'll start noticing differences in the way you perceive yourself.

That is a significantly short time compared to the years it took you to shape your brain the way it is right now.

It is important to be patient, persistent and diligent when training our sub-conscious mind to lose weight.

It requires constant practice - and emotionalisation is just one of the ways to get there.

Another exercise that will complement emotionalisation is doing the limiting belief exercise (which is explained in the second half of the following blog post).

If combined properly, the limiting belief and emotionalisation exercise will help remove the majority of your sub-conscious blocks for weight loss.

- Kern 🙂