I saw a quote that caught my attention. "'God helps those who help themselves". Well that got me to want to read the article.  The article was about cancer patients who are positive in the face of terrible adversity.  According to the article, its seems that when a cancer patient is positive, focused, plan for their success, and put those plans into action the results are favorable.  Even in spite of setbacks or remissions the statistic were showing the patients who were determined and remained eternally positive had a higher success and survival rate.  So this got me to wonder.  Can you will your self into winning the disease of obesity?  Does your mental state effect your outcome?  

Yes, without a doubt, your mental state has a great deal to do with your success at this and everything else you do in life.  This is one of the reasons that I did a two week protein drink diet even though my doctor told me that it was not necessary in my case.  I wanted the mental advantage of programing myself for success.

Did you find that when you were mentally in tuned with your body the results started to show?  Cause it seems like the physical body seems to align itself with the mental self.  For example I here people say it clicked for me and all of the sudden I started to see results.  

Yes, when I stay in tune with my body everything get easier.  I now know exactly what certain foods will do to my body and I am much more sensitive to what I need to do to keep things in balance.

For me, this process is 80% mental, 20% physical. 

I there with you on that one.  I understand knowledge is power.  And educating your self about what you eat and how it effects you will help in your success.  But I was wondering if it chemical too.  Like dopamine.  Does your brain send signals which effects your emotions thus effects the physical body?    

Your neurotransmitters are always  sending signals. But I suppose if you're in a good mood, your body will respond to this in a positive way. I don't think your NT will vary that much unless there is a mental health component to it, like depression, or you're taking a medication to specifically change it.

But, with that said, the article is also talking about your immune system reflecting mental changes with regards to illness. As a nurse, I've seen what a bad attitude can do for a patient versus what a fighting attitude does. Our mind is connected to our body. People tend to think the brain and body are separate, but there's a reason our spinal chord is there. :) And that's my soap box for the night as a psych nurse.

I probably didn't answer your question well, but it's kind of complicated in the NT part. But yes, your brain can send signals which effect emotions which effect your physical body. But I think I would argue it's a continue circle of your brain sending signals, effecting emotions, thus effecting signals sent, then effecting the body, then effecting your emotions, then effecting the brain signals again, etc. etc. etc. 

OMG!  It's a vicious cycle, like dieting used to be...LOL!  Thank you for the NT explanation.  That was cool! 

Deb

I get what your saying.  And that explains some things.  Thanks. :)

Definately can be chemical. if one is  the kind of person who stresses over everything and is always expecting the worst ,those emotions cause a huge surge of cortisol in our bloodstreams. cortisol is the "fight or flight" hormone and if one goes around all the time with a 'fight or flight" mentally,either real or imagined, the influx of cortisol all the time will cause weight gain/inability to lose.

This constant drain on our cortisol stores can also cause adrenal fatigue or insufficiency,which is a whole nother post.