It is very easy for most human beings to think that they really do not have much control over their lives. It is really easy to think that we just simply respond to the things that go on outside of our bodies. In other words, we are kind of like pieces of driftwood floating on the sea, when there is a storm we basically find ourselves being pushed from one direction to the other.

There is really not much that we can do about it. It is easy to think this way, but the reality is that you have a lot more control over your world than you think. Think about it. If somebody smashes into your car in the parking lot, there is obviously no way you could have prevented that. There is obviously no way you could have physically avoided that situation from happening.

However, when you come out to the parking lot and look at the damage to your car, you are presented with two choices, you can become upset or you can remain in control. This is the power that I am talking about. Your mind is the most powerful part of your body because your mind always gives you that choice. If we look at the external stimuli that we are surrounded with every single day, from this perspective, we will be able to live happier and more fulfilled lives. This is specially true when it comes to weight loss and body image.

Keep reading below to get a full understanding of how this process works.

Your Mind Processes Feedback From Your Body

Your body is basically just a massive data collection machine. Your eyes can see visuals, your ears can detect sounds, so on and so forth. If left to its own raw form, this is just noise, this is just basically data. However, your mind creates stories out of these sensory data, there is a lot of filtering going on, there is a lot of editing going on.

You have to understand that the human mind makes sense of the external world. Otherwise, we would just basically be awash in raw data. Being clear as to how the mind processes all these stimuli, is the first step in achieving greater self control which leads to weight loss and better body image.

Your Mind’s Perception of Body Feedback Sends Feedback to Your Body

The feedback process is a two way street. Your body first collects the data, sends it to your mind, your mind forms a picture, then your mind sends the feedback to your body. This is the big difference between jumping back in fear and laughing. When you go to a Halloween haunted house show, you perceive all these scary images and your mind processes these information. Your mind also knows that you paid for this entertainment and that this is make believe. As a result, you respond properly.

Now, compare this with you just walking down a dark street and all of a sudden a dismembered body jumps out at you. Your mind, basically, is filtering the same type of information as you would see in a haunted house. However, considering the fact that you did not pay for that experience and there are other missing pieces of information, your mind would probably tell your body to respond in a completely different way. It is a very powerful interaction between your body and your mind.

You Can Worry Yourself to Death

Considering how important your mind’s role is in your body’s physical functions, it is really no surprise why some people literally worry themselves to death. That is how powerful your mind is. It can aggravate external stimuli, it can release hormones and other chemical signals to your body that makes you more tense. Many people think that they can resolve a problem just by consistently thinking about it.

They think that by obsessing about something, they are actually doing something about the situation. Of course, this is completely false, but this is how many people think. This is why people tend to age faster, develop ulcers and all sorts of physical problems because of their state of mind. You can worry yourself to death, and this is a crucial example of the connection between your mind and your body.

You Can Think Yourself to Recovery

On the flip side is the opposite effect. If you have a great attitude, you can think yourself to recovery. There are some medical programs where cancer patients are entertained by doctors or professional comedians. They laugh a lot, they feel better about their lives and they have a better outlook. According to these studies, the better the mental outlook of the patient, the higher the chance that the patient will recover from cancer or some other life threatening condition.

There is a very tight fit between your state of mind and your physical health. As mentioned above, the reason this is the case is because the feedback mechanism works in both ways. Your mind perceives data from the outside world, sends that conclusion to your body, and your body responds back. If you are in control of this interplay between mind and body, you can literally think yourself to recovery.

The Fit between Mind and Body Is Actually Quite Tight

It is really pretty interesting why many people have a tough time believing that you can think your way to recovery, or worry yourself to death. They think that the mind and the body are completely separate from each other. The reality is that, they have to be completely integrated. Why? The mind is the central processing system. It is the software of your body computer, your body is the computer hardware. They have to work hand in glove with each other. They can not be anything but be tightly integrated.

Unfortunately, many people think that the human mind is completely divorced from the human body. As a result, they tend to focus on drugs, they tend to focus on some medication. This is all well and good, but unless people get a clear idea between the tight fit between one’s mindset and one’s body functions, effective weight loss, decease recovery and other crucial processes can not proceed in an optimal way.

Take Control of Your Mind to Take Control of Your Body

There is a reason why yoga is so powerful as a physical fitness practice. When you take control of your mind, you take control of how your mind processes external stimuli. You also take a more active control of the information your mind sends to your body. The moment you are able to do this, you can then also start becoming conscious of the kind of messages your body sends back to your mind. By being in the center of it all and seeing everything, you can control the message.

When you do this, you can work with your body instead of against it. Unfortunately, most people who are trying to achieve weight loss, work against their body. They think that they only need to exercise their mind and focus on an objective, and they will achieve the results. No, they would not. People who have successfully developed healthy nutrition and exercise habits know the proper relationship between the messages your body sends to your mind and the messages your mind sends to your body.