The what the hell effect

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

Post Reply
Ambee
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:33 am

The what the hell effect

Post by Ambee » Wed Aug 08, 2018 6:09 am

Ok I’m really new to posting in a forum but I need some advice please.
Firstly some background, I have been a lurker of no s for a long time but as always I change my mind every week as I literally read every book & article in regards to nutrition & then decide to do it that way for a bit. This time I am determined to just concentrate on vanilla no s as I already do eat well the majority of the time (it’s the night time chocolate or cake at work or snacks with the kids that seem to de rail me) & I exercise daily because I love it & always have.
I don’t have a lot to lose but I do have enough, so I really want to concentrate on habit change so I’m not on or off anything.
So I had a great first week (as you do) & then, well then I didn’t. I had some chocolate on Monday, a snack on Tuesday etc etc, & while I feel like I know why I did (bad sleep, that time of the month etc etc) I don’t want excuses & I hate failing. So ok clean slate tomorrow....
But that’s my problem. Today becomes a red day because I ate cake at ten at work for a bday shout and then I think because I’m already like, oh hey I failed, the day is red, I will have to aim for green tomorrow, pass me all the chocolate & then I’ll try tomorrow...
It’s because according to my habit cal I already failed so what the hell.,.
Does anyone else do this? And how do you resolve it. Should I split my habit cal into an am / pm thing or split the no s habits (I just have no s diet as one) so that at least my no seconds is green (I don’t generally have seconds)?
Suggestions would be gratefully received.
I want to do better. I don’t know why I don’t and I truly think it’s because I do this and it snowballs. Also it’s because I obviously change my mind every week too, I know!
I’m 41 on Saturday. Kind of time to grow up a bit. Stop make excuses and succeed.
Oh as a side note, I typed this On my phone & really have no idea if it makes sense or will actually post properly (or even if it will somehow post my full name because that would be terrible), my apologies if I made a mess of it. Thank you

naeman
Posts: 41
Joined: Mon Nov 07, 2016 2:45 pm

Post by naeman » Wed Aug 08, 2018 2:52 pm

I've had a lot of similar problems to the ones you described.

I have tried splitting the habitcal tracking into separate habits, like you mentioned. So far I've enjoyed the shift in mindset that has come from it. If I mess up and have an ice cream bar at work, I mark it as either a snack or a sweet, and then I still don't feel like the day is a loss. As a result, I get the experience of messing up a little bit but still continuing with the diet.

I also am weighing less often, even though losing weight is my ultimate goal. Perhaps once I get N days down, I'll still need to learn to do better on S days or eat a little cleaner, but for now I just want to focus on the vanilla habit and see where it gets me.

It's also interesting to see how each week I seem to struggle less, and I now know that I struggle most with snacks, then with sweets, and seconds are really not a problem for me so far. I think it might be worth a try since we have had some similar struggles.

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Wed Aug 08, 2018 3:17 pm

Hi Ambee,
I definitely get where you are coming from! I think for me having a daily check in made the difference. Yes it might be red on the habit cal but I would still say what it was on the check in so that kept me in a better line. I always thought that on NoS you’re only one period away from succeeding so if I failed for breakfast I’ll be on track for lunch etc and then proudly report that I didn’t give into the what the hell effect which is a win for me as someone who likes a bit of a binge.
I am also typing on the phone and while my spelling sometimes gets messed up (tiny keyboard eh?) it has never posted my name.
Welcome and good luck
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Ambee
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:33 am

Post by Ambee » Wed Aug 08, 2018 6:27 pm

Thank you so much for your replies. I will split my habitcal to differentiate between the no s habits and I might look at doing a daily check in. Maybe it is time to do things differently until I get these habits down.
It’s a hard way to think, the old I have ruined things anyway for today, this month, this week, this month etc, so I’m also not focusing on the weight loss, but more success to just continue.
I guess I am obviously very black or white and there’s no such thing as perfection.
I re read the no s book yesterday and looked at the daily check ins also and noticed even Reinhard had some shades of grey, sometimes.
So today, I’m going to focus on hitting some greens and not thinking it’s better to start Monday, after my birthday 3 day weekend....(yes technically the celebrations start Friday).
Then I want to try for that 21 club!
Thanks again

eschano
Posts: 2642
Joined: Wed Jul 18, 2012 2:20 pm

Post by eschano » Wed Aug 08, 2018 11:43 pm

Sounds great and also, I find the transcripts of the podcasts really good. There is a very useful one on the what the hell effect and also one on strictness
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

Ambee
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:33 am

Post by Ambee » Thu Aug 09, 2018 12:12 am

There’s a podcast regarding this? I didn’t know, I’ll go find it! Yay
Thanks again, hope you are doing well with it all. I can see you are a long time member so you must have lots of knowledge to share.
Thank you

sharon227
Posts: 292
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 12:13 pm

Post by sharon227 » Thu Aug 09, 2018 2:47 am

That is totally me: I already “failed†today and have to mark red in my calendar, so I might as well make the most of it!

I do have 3 calendars now: One each for no snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Maybe I need a fourth: No letting little-if-definite failures turn into a pig fest. At least then I’d still get to put a green box somewhere for showing a bit of restraint.

Imogen Morley
Posts: 1022
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

Post by Imogen Morley » Thu Aug 09, 2018 11:25 am

Maybe you could try differentiating between "stumbles" (one fail) and "fails" (true WTH fender-benders) in your HabitCal? Like marking the former yellow, and the latter red?

Ambee
Posts: 4
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 2:33 am

Post by Ambee » Thu Aug 09, 2018 8:23 pm

Thanks Imogen. I was thinking after seeing Sharon’s post that it’s almost worth me doing a paper calendar & using a different shade of red. So pink for a blip but I got back to it or bright red to be hmmmm I ate the fridge.
I think I need to concentrate more not on the failure of eating say a chocolate bar but how often I autocorrect from that.
It sounds so easy really, don’t eat the chocolate in the first place! That would solve it! Maybe I need to try & remember the spiral before starting on that downward track. Or just think of my s days, because knowing I can enjoy it then without guilt or ruination is an amazing freedom.
I overthink things. It’s very annoying. I am determined though because unless I fix this nothing I do will ever really work and I want to see it work.

Blithe Morning 2.0
Posts: 2
Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2018 6:38 pm

Post by Blithe Morning 2.0 » Fri Aug 10, 2018 4:20 pm

Also keep in mind that just because you dinged the fender doesn't mean you should then plow into a wall and crumple the body.

A piece of chocolate is a fender ding. In terms of red, it's the palest, lightest blush. No need to make it deep, brick red.

kw313
Posts: 9
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:29 am
Location: Bellevue, WA

Post by kw313 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 2:46 pm

Blithe Morning 2.0 What an effective analogy! Fender bender vs crumpled body really spoke to me. Thanks!
Karen

Measurement at belly button level:
Start: 52 inches
Current: 47 inches
Goal: less than 35 inches (a Dr. Oz suggestion I like)

"And I think to myself...what a wonderful world."

oolala53
Posts: 10059
Joined: Mon Oct 06, 2008 1:46 am
Location: San Diego, CA USA

Post by oolala53 » Mon Sep 03, 2018 11:36 pm

BTW, the WTH effect is the NORM, not the exception, for most dieters. It's bee found time and time again in research. I've come to think it's a defensive reaction to voluntarily curtailing the food supply, which was just not in our evolutionary best interest. But it has been overcome by culture before; now we have to make our own culture.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23

There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)

Post Reply