Looking at Photos of Cakes Strengthens Women’s Determination

It’s never advisable to get someone to do something out of guilt because, presumably, that person would rather be doing anything else than that specific thing. Yet, when it comes to women and their weight-loss attempts, it could very well be that a little guilt is all they need to remember their healthy goals and get a boost of motivation, a new study suggests, as The Telegraph reports.

The guilt trap in question is prompted by something as simple as looking at a photo of a cake. Instead of triggering cravings or, even worse, indulgence, said action can actually have a very surprising effect in that it might stimulate women to focus harder on their healthy goals. At the same time, looking at a picture of a delicious cake also strengthens their determination to lose weight, the same study has learned, also because they feel guilty.

This conclusion was reached after psychologist Floor Kroese gathered a group of 54 female volunteers, all students. Half of them were presented with photos of chocolate cakes, while the other half was shown pictures of a flower. The women were told the purpose of the study was to determine certain aspects related to visual memory. Afterwards, they were asked about their eating habits and how much of an importance they assigned to healthy living, and then they were offered a choice between a piece of chocolate and an oatmeal cookie.

The study established that women who had looked at the photos of the cake placed healthy eating higher on their priority list, while also effectively showing that, with them choosing the oatmeal cookies. From this, it’s easy to conclude that favorite treats, such as chocolate cake, can be used to remind us of our health and weight-loss goals – and all we’d have to do would be to stick pictures of them on our fridge, The Telegraph says.

“Food temptations do not always trigger indulgence. It seems that seeing a food temptation reminded people of their goal to watch their weight, and helped them act accordingly.” Professor Kroese explains about the findings of the study.