text: Want to know what you'd look like if you hit the gym and shed a few pounds? Now you can, thanks to a new app that calculates a slimmer version of yourself - without having to do any exercise. ‘Visualize You’ processes an image of you to reveal what you'd look like if you were thinner - and perhaps inspire you to achieve your weight loss goal. Visual Health Studios in Colorado has developed a weight loss app called Visualize You. It calculates what you would look like if you lost a specified amount weight. Shown on the left is TV star James Corden at his current weight, 210lbs (95kg), and on the right he is seen after digitally losing 60lbs (27kg) A picture of Bridesmaids actress Melissa McCarthy at an event in February is shown on the left, and on the right the star is seen after digitally losing 50lbs (23lbs) Users are shown an original and a slimmer version, with a slider, so they can compare how they would look before and after losing weight. The app, which costs £1.61 ($2.40) on Android and £1.49 ($1.99) on iOS for the full version, has been developed by US company Visual Health Solutions Inc but with the assistance of major American hospitals. The makers say that it uses algorithms which show the effects of weight loss more effectively than other apps which stretch or pinch images. The app has been developed with the Wellness Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Centre, and UnitedHealthcare. Actor Jonah Hill, pictured in June 2014, is seen on the left at his normal weight, and on the right he is shown with a digital weight loss of 60lbs (27lbs) It asks you to enter your current height and weight and your target weight, giving you flexibility over how ambitious you want to be. Weight loss specialist Dr Charlie Seltzer told Yahoo Health: ‘Visual cues are very helpful for a lot of people. ‘I will often recommend that people put up pictures of what they want to look like or what they used to look like, provided the body image is healthy. ‘l’d hate for someone to put [their photo] in and see themselves not the way they are going to look, and get discouraged and disgruntled that they’re not changing how they’re supposed to. ‘But my first thought upon hearing about this app, was: "It sounds like a really good idea."' Charlie Lankston (lost 20lbs/9kg) Charlie Lankston is seen here before (left) and after (right) digitally losing 20lbs (9kg) 'At first, I thought it was great. The "after" picture looks pretty realistic, which I wasn’t actually expecting, and it was amazing to see what I could potentially look like with a few more trips to the gym! 'However, after thinking about it a bit more, I started feeling a slightly ashamed about the size of my actual face. 'Realistically, losing 20lbs is actually a pretty tough task, and the likelihood that I’ll be able to achieve it - and attain my "skinny face" - any time soon is pretty "slim" which doesn’t make me feel too great. 'Looks like it’s time to hit the treadmill…' Erica Tempesta (lost 38lbs/17kg) Erica Tempesta is seen here before before (left) and after (right) digitally losing 38lbs/17kg . 'It was cool to see such a dramatic difference, but I feel as though the app just changed the shape of my face, which isn’t necessarily how I would look nearly 40lbs lighter. 'My face has always been oval, regardless of my size. The app just made my face look longer as if my cheeks were sucked in. 'I chose a somewhat unrealistic target weight, but it was the size I had been in high school, so based on past pictures, I already had an idea of what my face should have looked like with less weight. 'I personally didn’t think the app gave a realistic rendering of weight loss.' The app allows you to take or upload a photo. You then need to enter your current height and weight, and then also enter your target weight. It will then enable you to 'scroll' through various weights on your way to your target, to see what you would look like . The app, which costs £1.61 ($2.40) on Android and £1.49 ($1.99) on iOS for the full version, has been developed by US company Visual Health Solutions Inc but with the assistance of major American hospitals. The makers say that it uses algorithms which show the effects of weight loss more effectively than other apps . Visualize You is effectively a reverse version of the popular app ‘Fat Booth’ in which users were able to see what they looked like if they were overweight. Fat Booth was launched in 2010 and has been downloaded 35,000,000 times, earning its creators an estimated £16 million ($24 million). Opticians and fashion retailers have made use of similar technology to let users virtually try on glasses on their websites. Dr Michael Roizen, Chairman of Wellness at the Cleveland Clinic, said: ‘Visualize You is a major step forward in helping people approach weight loss in a more informed, educated and fun manner.’ Dr Holly Wyatt, Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Diabetes at the University of Colorado Anschutz Health and Wellness Center added: ‘The app offers individuals a clear-cut end goal for weight loss and provides [users] with an important tool to activate and achieve a successful programme.’ Visualize You was released earlier this month and there are free and paid versions of the app which are available for iPhone and Android.
target: Visual Health Studios in Colorado has developed a weight loss app .
  It calculates what you would look like if you lost specified weight .
  Inputting your height, weight and target weight reveals you new look .
  The app is available now for both iOS and Android .