“You have to have an emotional connection to your goal," says Joanna Grover, LCSW. Joanna, a cognitive behavioral therapist, joins us to discuss the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to successful, healthy weight loss, plus: - Joanna’s background & health journey (~00:11) - How gratitude transformed Joanna’s health outcome (~04:13) - What is functional imagery training? (~05:41) - How to overcome unhealthy food cravings (~07:24) - The difference between functional imagery training & visualization (~11:20) - How to reduce emotional eating (~13:42) - Why we often fail at nutrition & weight goals (~18:08) - How to become more self-aware about your cravings (~22:34) - The power of asking yourself questions (~24:47) - How to convince your friends & family to live healthier lives (~29:21) - Research on functional imagery training vs. rigid diets (~33:21) - How to use functional imagery training for anxiety (~37:19) - What to imagine when you feel overwhelmed (~39:42) - A breath work exercise for anxiety (~40:57) - The dangers of bed rotting (~43:00) - How to raise confident kids (~46:28) - How to tap into your natural ability to persevere (~57:13) - How to identify your true values (~58:53) - How to start functional imagery training today (~01:02:02) - How imagination can save your life (~01:03:40) Referenced in the episode: - Joanna's book, The Choice Point. - mbg Podcast episode #493, with Gretchen Rubin. - mbg Podcast episode #482, with Jillian Michaels. - Learn more about functional imagery training at the University of Plymouth. - A study comparing functional imagery training to weight management programs. We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices