Episode 119 | Secret Weight Loss Hack: (Almost) Instant Gratification

Have you ever felt like the delayed gratification is just too delayed?

You weighing what you want to weigh is just so far into the distance, you can barely see it?

If you can’t seem to sell yourself on the delayed gratification of having lost weight for the last time, this hack I’m about to give you might just be the answer.

First, let’s get clear on the difference between instant and delayed gratification…

Instant Gratification vs Delayed Gratification

Instant gratification is when you give in to the temptation to something that might jeopardize your long-term goal. You’re sacrificing a future benefit to get a less rewarding, but more immediate feeling of pleasure. So that could be deciding to munch on a cupcake even though you know that won’t move you closer towards your weight loss goal.

On the flip side, delayed gratification is when you put off satisfying your desire so you can gain an even better reward or benefit in the future. We often know this is the more sensible behavior, yet still struggle on a daily basis with the temptation to give in to our immediate desires. 

So why is it so hard to choose delayed over instant gratification?

Intellectually, we know that choosing delayed gratification will make us feel more energized, make us love ourselves more and feel more confident to throw that bathing suit on. But when we choose to eat the cupcake, we get a double dose of dopamine. We get one hit just by making the decision to eat it, and then another hit when we take that first bite. So our brains literally light up with pleasure when we opt for instant gratification.

Immediate gratification isn’t followed by rainbows and daisies though…

Once we’ve had our cupcake, we often get the delayed sugar hangover and the shame spiral. We start avoiding certain clothes and dont have much zest for the day. It’s almost like instant gratification is followed by delayed despair!

So is it a black and white choice between instant or delayed gratification? 

NO!!

These are absolutely not our only two choices. There is a happy medium between the two…

(Almost) Instant Gratification

You do not have to wait 3, 6, or even 12+ months (or however long it might take to reach your dream weight) to feel gratification. You can feel it before then.

Yes, it will involve having to say ‘no thank you’ to the cupcake (not all the time!) but right on the other side of saying it and not getting the instant gratification, you will get what I’m going to call (almost) instant gratification. I know that one doesn’t roll off the tongue as much as I’d like…

You see, it’s really not all doom and gloom when you turn down the cupcake. When you say ‘no’ and are convinced by your decision, you will get an immense feeling of pride. Yes it may initially feel uncomfortable to reject it, but the 30 seconds after you do, is when the gratification arrives. To know that you have honored your word and followed through is truly an amazing feeling.

Let me ask you this…when was the last time you felt proud of yourself? When you felt really accomplished? I want you to bottle up those feelings and those thoughts because that is exactly what lies on the other side of ‘no thank you’. Pretty great, huh?!

But it’s important that you indulge in that feeling. Really live it up. Tell your partner, your friend, say it out loud if you need to! The next morning, remind yourself of what a badass you were making a decision that helped move you forward. 

You need to treat that decision like you just got a new promotion, ran a marathon, or just gave birth. Let’s not underestimate how much of a HUGE feat it is to say ‘no’ to the very thing that's been designed to get you to have a crazy desire for it. It’s like saying no to a very addictive drug. So you can now give yourself that dopamine hit just by thinking how amazing you are and how much of a big deal this is.

The sooner you make putting an urge in your urge jar a big freakin’ deal, the sooner you will get to your dream-come-true body. 

So let’s promise to strengthen the muscle of saying ‘no thank you’ rather than the muscle of giving in. 

You got this hunni!

Laura x