The What-The-Hell Effect

Jan 17

I recently read an article about a research study that was called What-The-Hell effect. It involved two groups of people. One group was people who are chronic dieters and the other was people who do not diet. In a nutshell, the two control groups were given a milkshake or other sweet treat. Then taken into a room where they were asked to taste test different types of foods. Everything from sandwiches to cakes and cookies. The chronic dieters group ate more than the group who did not diet. Since they felt like they “blew it” with the milkshake, they decided to just eat all the foods. This cycle of dieting, breaking the diet then overeating is called the What-The-Hell effect, since most participants rationalized their behavior as “Oh what the hell, I already broke it, I can’t stick to my diet now."

I tell clients all the time, “Just because you dented the car, it doesn’t mean you should drive it off a cliff.”

Moderation be Damned

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Your brain doesn't understand moderation. There’s no gray area in that gray matter. However, learning to eat intuitively by following a few simple principles, can make all the difference in making sustainable life changes.

The Pleasure Principle

Think about incorporating these 4 principles into your daily life. You’re probably already doing some of it and not giving yourself credit:

1- There are no good or bad foods. There are only foods which serve you, and those that don’t. Being mindful about what you eat, how and when you eat it, is how you develop healthy habits. Did you eat the ice cream because you had a maddening call with your mom? Did you order the pizza because you had a stressed-out day at work? How did it make you feel afterwards? What emotions are tied to certain foods before and after you eat them? (Sidebar: Not cooking because you don’t have time is a poor excuse. Most delivery services take between 30 and 45 minutes to arrive. You can cook a complete meal in that amount of time.) Conversely, eating that pasta and gelato on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Italy is exactly what you might do, if it’s worth it to you. (Barring any allergies or food sensitivities.) Once you get home, get back on track. No guilt, shame or remorse.

2- Stop Counting. Counting calories and weighing yourself only adds to limiting beliefs. Do you really put your entire self worth into a piece of plastic with a digital read-out? Instead, pay attention to your energy and focus throughout the day, and how much restful sleep you're getting when you’re eating according to what works for your body.

3- Start Counting. If you’re going to track anything, track your movement. How many steps do you get in one day? Everything counts. Whether you’re running the vaccuum or walking the dog. Start thinking of everyday activities as movement. (If you’re like me, exercise is a dirty word) Give yourself credit for what you’re already doing. Stop beating yourself up for not hitting the gym more often. When you see how much you’re actually doing, you’ll create the motivation to incorporate more movement into your routine. Add in a walk a few times a week. Do some chair yoga at your desk. Or put a set of small weights next to the coffee maker. Every time you pour a cup, do 5 curls with each arm. How many is that by the end of the week? And think about how you feel when you’re not moving! What feels better?

4- Sleep On It. Did you know that when you eat will affect how you sleep? If you stop eating 3-4 hours before bedtime, the “rest and digest” function of your gut kicks in, reduucing the need for cortisol (the fight or flight hormone) and increasing melatonin. You can create your own melatonin simply by adjusting the times you eat. You’ll sleep more restfully and have more energy and focus throughout the day. So consider stopping the late-night snacking. Brush your teeth and go to sleep.

Most importantly, respecting yourself, giving yourself grace and not focusing on negative self-talk are what ultimately change how you feel about yourself.