Well, there’s good news!  A recent study has shown that if you use your imagination, you may lose weight! Or at least reduce your cravings… 

The study involved two groups.  One group was asked to imagine eating 30 M & M chocolate candies and putting three quarters into a slot.

The other group was told to eat only 3 M & Ms and put 30 quarters into a slot.

Then the researchers provided a large bowl of M & Ms to each group and told them they could eat as much as they want.

Interestingly, the group who had imagined munching on 30 M & Ms ate less (50%) of the real candies than the group who visualized eating only 3!  (They determined consumption by weighing the bowls after the subjects ate their fill.)

If you think the study was a fluke you’ll be happy to know that it was repeated 4 other times and each time the results were the same.

So what does this mean for you? Well, if you just think about food your appetite will probably increase (like mine is right now as I think about supper!) but if you visualize yourself eating the food, your craving will decrease!

So don’t just think of food, imagine yourself eating it! In other words, munch away in your imagination and you may lose weight!

This study is consistent with what I’ve been writing about on this blog for years now which is that the brain can’t detect the difference between experiencing something in reality versus in imagination. 

By the way, his study has led to what is known as “The Imagination Diet.”

 The Study can be found in: Morewedge, C. K., Huh, Y. E., & Vosgerau, J. (2010). Thought for food: Imagined consumption reduces actual consumption. Science, 303, 1530-1533.

And yet – it is the making of those mistakes that you have your best opportunity to shine.  You have the chance to show people that you are a good sport; that you are gracious and accepting of your blunders; that you view mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow. You also can become more empathic and compassionate towards others who slip up. 

Remember, it’s up to you to determine how you will respond to set-backs and mistakes.  Show the world what you’re made of – good stuff.

Well, I couldn’t resist adding my two cents so after they finished, I told them about power words.

 I’ve written about power words before on this blog but because it’s so important, I’ll repeat it for you now. 

Whenever you create a mind movie of your performance (visualization), think of a word or phrase that captures how you want to feel during the actual performance. 

Some examples are “success” or “focused” or “dynamite.”  Then, when you run your mind movie and while you “see” yourself performing, say your power word to yourself and repeat over and over. 

Finally, at the time of the actual performance, say your power word to yourself to reconnect with the positive feeling from the mind movie. 

The team seemed to like the idea of power words and they then went on to get ready for their performance.  Afterward, one of the cheerleaders came up to me to thank me for the tip.  She said she used the word, “push” and it really helped her to stay focused and perform well. 

This girl (I wish I knew her name!) said the whole team nailed the routine and they were thrilled with their performance. 

Now I can’t take credit for their success.  Clearly this team knew about the power of mental preparation already but adding a power word can take your performance to the next level. 

Want to learn more about how to improve your performance at competitions?  Check out my training program – The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions in the Cheer Tools section of this site.

When you have a mental block you have programmed your brain in a particular way which is why it can take a bit of time and a lot of patience and effort to re-program your brain. 

One way to help you retrain your brain is to use a trigger word or phrase or, what I like to call a “power word” to direct your brain to respond in a particular way. 

Let’s look at Debbie Love’s 9^th step from her Breaking Free system: 

 The coach, parent and athlete need to agree on a focus word like “stop” so that when the athlete hears the word he/she knows to bring his/her mind back into focus. This can be used at school, home, practice, or competition. You can also have some focal thoughts to pull your mind back into focus like “Relax,” “I am able to do this,” “No big deal, let’s go.” When you are able to control your emotions, your mind is able to direct. 

As I have mentioned in previous posts, the ability to focus is essential to any performance success.  In this day of cell phones, smart phones, ipads, and so forth, your brain has a harder time getting focused.  (Unfortunately, extensive use of these devices actually trains the brain to be highly distractible – not good for anyone especially athletes!) 

Too many cheerleaders can’t even tell when they are distracted because this feels normal to them.  That’s why I am a big fan of focusing exercises.  Once you learn how to distinguish between a focused and a distracted state, devise a power word to attach to the focused state.  It can be simply “focus.” 

Similarly, come up with a word that helps you get re-focused if you are distracted.  Debbie wisely recommends that the coach or parent get attuned to the cheerleader in noticing when the athlete is not focused.  At this point, having the parent or coach say, “stop” (being distracted) or “re-focus” can help the athlete learn when and how to get focused.

Each time a power word is used to redirect the focus, you are training the brain to respond to that power word.  You will also be training your brain to be focused which is, of course, a good thing! 

This ends the series on Debbie Love’s 9-step system called Breaking Free.  Again, I encourage you to go to her website for extensive information and tips about tumbling.  Also, join our Facebook Page – http://www.facebook.com/unlockcheerleadingmentalblocks .

The 8^th step from Debbie Love’s terrific Breaking Free (from mental blocks) System is:

Put a box somewhere that you pass frequently. Put paper and pen beside the box. Every time you pass the box you should write something positive about your tumbling and about yourself. This has even improved school work in several cases. 

 If you follow Debbie’s advice, you will eventually be creating a good new habit and that is, replacing negative thinking with positive thinking.  Now, this won’t work if you write something like, “I am the greatest cheerleader that ever lived!” or “I am the best tumbler in the whole world!” 

It’s important to be positive, yes, but you must believe what you write!  (Of course if you truly believe you are the greatest, go ahead and write it down!)  I would suggest that when you write down a positive statement, you also rate it according to how much you believe it. You can simply rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 with 1 referring to little or no belief in your statement and 10 referring to absolute belief in your statement. 

This way, you will be honest with yourself and you will also be able to see the positive progress as your rating numbers move up, up, up! 

If you’re thinking that you won’t be able to come up with anything to say, here are some ideas: (Just add the rating number after each statement.)

• I am working hard each day on improving my skills.
• I was really focused and attentive at practice tonight.
• I am following through on what my tumbling coach has suggested.
• I get nice and focused when I am getting ready to tumble. 

Those are some typical things that you can write.  You can also, as Debbie suggested, include things about areas outside of cheerleading such as: “I was good at helping mom after school today,” or “I was nice and patient with my little brother today,” or “I was a good friend today.” 

Try it, you’ll like it! 

It’s competition season!  To help you get that winning edge, check out my training program – The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions! (Look above in “Cheer Tools” for more info.)

 Also – be sure you “like” our Facebook Page about mental blocks – http://www.facebook.com/unlockcheerleadingmentalblocks

Well, by writing things down, you can get them out of your head and onto paper.  And I mean paper, not a computer.  You process things differently when you actually write them down as opposed to typing them.  So,  with that in mind, take a look at Debbie’s Step #7.  The 7^th step in Debbie Love’s Breaking Free from mental blocks system is: 

 Journaling: You should get a notebook and record your goals (1 or 2 weeks at a time) and a plan on how to reach these goals. In addition to your goals, you should keep a record of your conditioning and daily thoughts. Depending on how severe the block is you could even set a daily goal. Make all goals reasonable, such as: Perform a skill 3 times without stopping.

 There are lots of ways to set goals.  One way is called the SMART system.  SMART is an acronym which stands for:

• S = Specific – the more precise you are the better!
• M = Measurable – make sure you can readily assess how you are progressing!
• A = Acceptable/Adjustable – this is your goal so you should want it!  And no need to be rigid; if it turns out that it isn’t right for you, Adjust it!
• R = Realistic –  This one is obvious.
• T = Time-phased – work out what you want to accomplish over a specific period of time. 

Debbie advises to create a plan to accompany each goal.  The goal is the hope or wish and the plan is the how. So, if your goal is to be able to execute a back hand spring without a spotter, your plan should include the details of how you will accomplish that.  You might write something like, “Exercise and condition 3 times a week; visualize successful BHS 10 times each night; meet with tumbling coach 2 times a week; and so forth. Get the idea? 

So, go out and buy a nice new notebook and start writing!

Getting ready for competitions?  Try my comprehensive training program – The Mental Game of Cheerleading: Training for Competitions.  Get that winning edge and learn secrets used by Olympic athletes!

The 6^th step in Debbie Love’s wonderful Breaking Free from mental blocks system is:  

Visualize 10-20 times a night the skills you are blocking on before falling asleep using the words from your scripting. Do this each night.

 If you’re wondering how this helps, wonder no more!  You see, your brain does not know the difference between imagining something and actually experiencing it.  It’s all the same to the brain. 

This means that each time you “see” something with your mind’s eye you are creating and/or strengthening neural pathways in your brain.  Of course this means that if you are “seeing” yourself performing poorly, you are training yourself to perform poorly. The reverse is true – “see” yourself performing well and you will be training yourself to perform well. 

Debbie is telling you to use visualization to improve your performance and this is entirely possible if you do it well. 

Here is one of many formats that I recommend: (I have incorporated Debbie’s idea of using a script.) 

• Choose a word or phrase that you associate with performing at your best (power word/phrase)
• Sit in a quiet place, eyes closed, and notice your breath.
• Exhale slowly several times.
• Use your out-breath to relax, to let go.
• Scan your body with your mind’s eye, noticing any tension and releasing it with your out-breath.
• Resume focus on your out-breath, letting go, relaxing.
• With your mind’s eye, see yourself see yourself at the gym where you practice
• Now see yourself as calm, confident, strong, focused  
• Use your power word to reinforce that experience
• Now see yourself and feel yourself executing the skill you need to perform
• As you do this, use your script to direct your focus on the execution of the skill (for example, “sit, swing arms, jump up and back, stretch shoulders, etc.)
• Repeat your power word
• Now repeat the visualization and use your power word to strengthen the connection

 When you actually go to the gym, use your power word to re-connect to this positive experience. 

Remember, each time you do this you will be training your brain and body to perform in the way you want!  Now – that’s power!

Join the conversation on our new Facebook Page – Unlock Cheerleading Mental Blocks!  Go to http://www.facebook.com/unlockcheerleadingmentalblocks

Here is step #5 in Debbie’s Breaking Free from mental blocks system: 

You need to do 10-20 repetitions of every skill you are blocking on three times a week. Stopping is not allowed. Complete each series whether connected or not. Otherwise, you will train yourself to stop. Make sure technique is good on each skill. You may spot, or if the athlete will do the skill somewhere by herself with good technique, that is fine also.

This requires careful coordination and cooperation between the cheerleader and the coach.  Coach needs to help the cheerleader learn and “feel” the correct technique and the athlete needs to execute appropriately. You do not want to execute with incorrect technique otherwise you will be reinforcing that! 

Just as in Debbie’s Step #2, where she indicates how important it is for you to learn the difference between a tense and a relaxed body, here it is essential that you learn to distinguish between good and not-good technique. 

Repetition helps with this.  Also, I would suggest that you take a very brief moment just prior to executing your skill and exhale (to remind yourself to relax), then “see” with your mind’s eye the skill you are about to do and as you are doing it, really note how it feels. 

There is a neuro-physiological reason why repetition is so critical to perfecting performance.  Repetition builds a substance called myelin which insulates the wiring in your brain.  The more myelin there is, the faster and more powerful is the connection in your brain and the better you will perform.  (I will be addressing this more fully in future posts.) 

It’s competition season!!  Don’t lose out – check out my comprehensive step-by-step mental skills training program to maximize your success in cheerleading competitions. 

This 2-CD program plus 40-page Action Guide provide you with everything you need to break through barriers, immediately improve concentration, eliminate distractions, and transform your performance.

Do these sound familiar?  Well, guess what – your brain perceives such statements as instructions!  Therefore it’s critical that you be careful about what you are telling yourself.  

Debbie Love understands this and so in her 4^th step, she advises cheerleaders to create a script to tell help you stay on track and focus on what is important – your skills! 

Here is Debbie’s 4^th step in her Breaking Free System:  Script each skill or series of skills using short action verbs to tell your body what to do. This trains your mind to focus on the skills, not on your fears. 

When you are anxious your attention is likely going to be turned inward; it narrows and moves inward.  Now under certain conditions, this can work well for you.  An example might be when you are memorizing a song or studying for a test.  It is appropriate then for your attention to narrow and move internally.  But, if this happens while you are trying to tumble, you will have problems because when you tumble your attention should be narrow and external, not internal. 

Debbie understands this and so she advises that you focus your attention outward, on the skills and not on your internal anxiety and negative conversation.  To help you redirect your focus, create a simple script or a set of instructions that directs you to execute each part of the skill you wan to master. Words such as bend knees, sit,, swing arms, jump, etc will help you to zero in on the task at hand.  While your brain and body are busy with this, you won’t have time to worry!

Please ”like” our Facebook Page – Unlock Cheerleading Mental Blocks!  Go to http://www.facebook.com/unlockcheerleadingmentalblocks