"Dieting and weight loss require a lot of behavior change, they require a lot of work," says Sandra Haber, Ph.D., a spokesperson for the American Psychological Association. "They require thinking, feeling and behaving differently toward food and exercise."

In order to remain motivated enough to modify bad habits and maintain better ones, people often need more than sensible diet and exercise programs, good intentions and support. They need to visualize successful results and believe that they're capable of changing. "Visualization techniques are very, very important for dieting both on a small scale and on a large scale," Haber says. "When you have a picture of what you're trying to achieve, it helps you move in that direction. It tells you the track you want to be on and how you're going to get there."

Getting there, or course, is half the battle. Because healthful weight loss takes place over a long period of time, people can't always notice, or appreciate, the visual changes in their bodies. One of the first cues people get that they're losing weight is that their clothes fit differently. Even so, without visual confirmation that they're achieving success, dieters can get frustrated and lose their drive. "Most people have trouble with motivation, which is the key issue when you are trying to change a behavior," Haber says.

Visualization, however, can keep you motivated in a number of ways, Haber explains. In addition to helping you imagine yourself looking differently, it can help you change your behavior-and in so doing, help you pursue a healthier lifestyle. "You can visualize yourself going into a restaurant and ordering healthy foods," Haber says. "That is visualization on a daily basis. On a yearly basis you might say 'gee, at the end of the year I would like to be two sizes smaller.' Both are important."

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