MISSION HILLS : Diet Program Gives Preview of Skinnier You

Mirror, mirror on the wall . . . who’s the skinniest one of all?

You are, if you are looking into a mirror that would reflect only a skinny you, no matter how much extra weight you carry. This image--a “skinny” version of you--is the focus of a weight loss program at a Mission Hills clinic.

While many diet plans are known for their limited menus and exercise regimens, the Lindora Medical Clinic’s approach puts the emphasis on the psychological side of dieting.

It incorporates visual imagery, a tool that founder Dr. Marshall Stamper believes has been instrumental in helping more than 75,000 patients reach their weight loss goals. His 30 clinics throughout California admit up to 80 patients a day.

He attributes a large part of their success to his “skinny mirror,” which he encourages patients to look into several times a day. Stamper created the mirror by altering the reflective glass so patients actually see a thinner version of themselves when they stand four to five feet away from it.

He says the “skinny mirror” is an ideal mental imagery tool, and an essential part of the Lindora diet program.

“By putting the skinny image into your mind, you can begin to accept a new you,” said Stamper, who said the mirror also serves as a motivational tool. “Patients get excited when they actually see how they’ll look once they’ve lost the weight.”

The program, which costs about $75 a week after initiation fees, also follows a “fat-burning” diet, where patients are encouraged to eat foods high in protein, low in carbohydrates. Once patients begin losing weight, they are taught to focus on metabolic adjustment, where they increase their calorie intake. Patients are required to visit the clinic five days a week to receive frequent supervision by trained medical doctors and counselors.

Granada Hills resident Rosalie Black lost more than 60 pounds in 10 weeks on the Lindora program. She has 24 pounds to go.

“I tried every diet in the world and failed,” said Black, who has gone from a size 22 to a size 16. Black said using the “skinny mirror” contributes greatly to her daily success on the diet. “Every time I look in that mirror I see a thinner me. Today, I’m smaller than I’ve ever been.”

Jan Hunter, director of Lindora’s nursing services and clinic operations, believes the program is successful because it first deals with the mental picture patients have of themselves.

“When we put someone in front of the skinny mirror, we are giving their brain a picture of what they can be,” said Hunter.

“In their subconscious they are thin. This is what helps them reach their goal.”