The “What the Heck” effect?
Well, here we go. We are heading into the new year, and one thing I know for sure is that we all don’t need any more pressure. Whew.
I use to beat myself up for pressuring myself for not doing enough. Not enough exercise, not enough veggies, not enough clean protein, or swing over too much sugar, too many refined carbs or you name the most recent obsession. And then I would hit a wall and just say “F’ it. Only to wake up the next day feeling even more critical and guilty. This loss of control consumed my thoughts, choices, habits, and resulted in me not having any joy with food or exercise that I loved and adored.
Anyone else experience this pattern?
I was sharing how my relationship with nutrition has shifted over the years with my friend Sara Schairer, founder of CompassionIt. She immediately shared this research study with me and I couldn’t wait to share it with you.
This research study discovered an amazing truth around this “What the Heck” effect. The researchers asked a group of women to eat a doughnut within four minutes, then drink a glass of water so they would feel full. After eating the doughnut, some of the women received a message of self-compassion encouraging them to not be so hard on themselves for indulging.
The other group did NOT receive the self-compassion message. In the second part of the study, the women were presented with bowls of candy and were invited to eat as little or as much of the candy as they wanted. The women who had received the self-forgiveness message ate only 28 grams of candy compared to the 70 grams consumed by the group that didn’t get the message. That’s a 42-gram difference, and all these self-forgiveness grams add up.
The added message of self-forgiveness didn’t give these women the impulse to eat more; rather, it turned off the pipeline of guilt and prevented them from overeating during the candy challenge. It’s the feelings of shame, guilt loss of control, and loss of hope that follows the first relapse. (Resource)
Do you automatically shift into self-criticism and beat yourself up over losing control? Most of us do, especially if you are both rebellious and critical with yourself. This self-criticism only fuels the feelings of guilt and shame, which may lead us to numb out our feelings with food or other choices.
What I have witnessed from clients, friends and my own personal life is that the “all or none’ approach, stress from trying to be perfect and feelings being repressed in childhood or adulthood of what a ‘good’ girl or boy ‘should’ behave like is what is creating this constant REBEL/Critic distress.
If the trick is to shift into a mindset of self-compassion, how do we begin?
Have you ever put someone on a pedestal only to be disappointed by them? Think of how we do that to ourselves every day. If we start our day grasping the top of the pedestal then which direction are we going to go if we slip?
To increase self-compassion, it is ALL about the baby steps toward more feelings of healthy ambition versus the struggle with guilt and shame ruling your life.
If you are ready to turn off that pipeline and sprinkle extra self-forgiveness and compassion into your life, I am giving away my FREE 5-day class (upgraded version of my ‘ole Jump Start program) to help YOU NOTICE how you are approaching your nutrition.
Beginning January 11th, 2021, we will meet daily as you practice, experiment and shift your perspective from perfection to connection.
During the 5-days you will implement some of the gentle nutrition principles and concepts I believe in!
The calls will be Facebook Live in my private group with a call-in Zoom option, all calls are recorded for your listening convenience. You will have access to the course resources so you can go at your OWN pace for the week.
Click here to JOIN the FREE 5-day class to see how this NON-extreme approach can lighten up your life.
If you aren’t feeling the Free 5-day class and are ready to dive deeper by committing to a gentle versus an extreme approach, the 4-week LIVE Master Class registration is OPEN!
Beginning January 19th, for 4-weeks you will NOT go on and off another program, because YOU are the program.
- Once you join, you will be added to the Members group on Facebook. We meet weekly via zoom, all calls are recorded for your listening convenience.
- You receive the entire Master Class course materials, includes my four e-books, heaps of simple 5-minute videos, handy visuals, recipes, menu ideas & supplement support.
- You receive feedback from me! You will do 3-days of compassionate journaling and send it to me for feedback!
- And Sara will be an amazing guest speak for a BONUS call!
- You have access to all of the materials for 6 months, because I believe you do not need one more ounce of pressure!
Learn more about the Master Class
or reach out to me if you have any questions!
P.S. Join my complementary Facebook Group, click below!
