Real Women Share Their Weight-Loss Tips

Visualize

Dieter: Judith Lederman, 48, New Rochelle, NY: Lost 80 pounds; blogs on thethinclub.com

Tip: "Each day I visualized myself thin. Similar to meditation in yoga, I'd focus on releasing the 'inner thin' version of myself by replacing the outer and unpleasant images I'd been holding on to."

The expert weighs in: "The most powerful weight-loss weapon is your mind," says Tom Kersting, PhD, author of "Losing Weight When Diets Fail." "When people diet, they usually only change their eating habits, but what they first need to do is change their mind-set." He explains that the subconscious can’t tell the difference between reality and what you’re imagining: "If you imagine yourself feeling healthy, looking thin and eating the right foods, your body will want to live that lifestyle and will crave a healthier diet."