Chances are there’s an internal struggle going on inside you.

Your experience has proven to you that there is more to optimal weight and wellness than just diet and exercise alone . . . yet there is so much information out there on diet and exercise that you keep going back to that as the solution.

And while there is a part of you that knows happiness contributes to overall wellness . . . part of you wonders if when it comes to your weight, it’s not just a bunch of woo-woo.

Compared to diet and exercise, how much of a difference can your emotions really make to the number on the scale?

I get it.

I struggled with that for a long time.

But what if science is backing up the impact of positive emotions—such as happiness and gratitude—on your weight and wellness?

Here’s what a recent study on positive psychology found:

“An important fact that has emerged in the last few years is that happiness is causal and brings many more benefits than just feeling good. Happy people are healthier, more successful, and more socially engaged, and the causal direction runs both ways.”

Bottom line: being happy makes you healthier.

Here’s the thing.

Most women who struggle with their weight believe they will be happier when they lose the weight.

The truth is, getting happier will help you release the weight.

There are many reasons for this.

One is that being happy literally impacts your body’s physical processes down to the cellular level, ultimately making it easier to release—and maintain—your weight.

Another is that when you are happy, you make different choices and have different motivations.

For instance, from this more positive place, eating healthy is something you want to do instead of something you have to make yourself do. Moving your body is something you do because it is fun.

When you are emotionally high, an indulgence is sitting in nature feeling the sun on your skin rather than eating until you feel physically and emotionally sick. You savor that piece of dark chocolate rather than continuing to eat long after your tongue has gone numb.

If you are so aware that your body isn’t where you want it to be, it’s a little like having a happiness black hole. Your happiness dips every time you look in the mirror, feel your snug waist-band, or sit down to eat.

Even if you are happy in a lot of other areas of your life, it will be challenging to try to transform your body shame to body satisfaction all at once.

One way to begin is to shore up your overall level of happiness. Even a little bump can have a big impact on your wellness.

Psychologists have scientifically proven that one of the greatest contributing factors to overall happiness in your life is how much gratitude you show.

And just to be clear, the study on positive psychology defined happiness as:

(a) positive emotion and pleasure (the pleasant life); (b) engagement (the engaged life); and (c) meaning (the meaningful life).

The amazing impact of gratitude on your overall level of happiness is brought home beautifully in this video.

Send thank you notes to five people who deserve a little recognition. If you can call them up and read them your note, even better.

Pay attention to how this feels.

Notice what self-care actions you are inspired to take from that good feeling place.

Ask yourself how being at your optimal weight contributes to your living a meaningful life.

Bonus! You are proving to yourself that being happy is one of the keys to creating the body you want.

Together we can do it!