How to ASSFACE Your Life

Erika Rawes
Aug 26
3 min read

For years, the word “ASSFACE” was just an insult. You'd hear people calling others the term "ASSFACE" to describe them as a contemptible or ugly person--that's the definition currently floating around the internet, and that's how the term was used when kids used it to poke fun at me. But words evolve—and I’ve redefined it.

To ASSFACE your life means to turn your life around after a period of bad habits, burnout, or emotional struggle.

It’s about choosing health over chaos, joy over exhaustion, and triumph over hurt. And yes, the ASSFACE Diet® is at the center of this transformation—but it’s bigger than food. It’s about building a whole life that fuels you instead of draining you.

What Does It Mean to “ASSFACE” Your Life?

To ASSFACE is to take back control, one habit at a time.

• Cutting out what’s toxic (whether that’s added sugar, toxic relationships, or self-sabotaging thoughts).

• Feeding yourself with what fuels you (real food, positive thoughts, quality rest).

• Reclaiming your energy, resilience, and joy.

The Pillars of ASSFACE Living

1. Added. Sugar. Sucks. (Not Just in Food)

• Nutrition: Cutting added sugar stabilizes blood sugar and reduces cravings

• Life: Identify the “added sugars” in your routine—things that taste sweet in the moment but leave you drained (doomscrolling, negative self-talk, overcommitment).

2. Fruits and veggies. Also contain. Carbs. (Reality Over Myths)

• Nutrition: Don’t fear real carbs—fiber-rich produce supports gut health, satiety, and weight control.

• Life: Don’t fear taking on real challenges either. Stress isn’t the enemy—chronic, unmanaged stress is. Face it with balance, support, and recovery.

3. Eat those! (Fuel Your Body and Your Life)

• Nutrition: Fill your plate with whole foods, legumes, dairy, and proteins. This builds strength, supports your metabolism, and keeps you satisfied

• Life: Feed your mind with therapy, positive relationships, and mindfulness practices. This builds resilience.

Beyond Food: Other Ways to ASSFACE Your Life

• Therapy and Mental Health: Burnout recovery often requires talking it out, breaking cycles, and rewiring thought patterns. A reported 75-80% of patients benefit from therapy, according to Beaming Health.

• Mindfulness: Meditation and breathwork can lower cortisol and improve decision-making. Multiple studies also found mindfulness can be effective for reducing stress, anxiety, and depression.

• Movement: Exercise improves mood and energy as much as it burns calories.

• Mindset: Shift from a mindset of “surviving” to “thriving.” Ask: Am I living in hurt, or am I living in triumph?

How I ASSFACED My Life

I had a difficult early life. I experienced a lot of traumas, I am diagnosed with Asperger's/Autism level 1, and my father was in and out of jail during my teen years, so I didn't have adequate parental support. ASSFACE was a term I was called by a group of older kids when I was in elementary school and early middle school, and that term continued to play in my head on repeat throughout my life.

By my 30s, I found myself 260 pounds and using wine to cope each day. I realized I needed to make a change. I went back to therapy and worked on my mental health. I started exercising regularly and eating well. I then decided I needed to reframe the term "ASSFACE" and make it into something totally new and different. All of these factors made me feel confident in myself, taking me from a "hurt" mindset into a mindset of "triumph."

How You Can Start Today

Cut out one “added sugar” in your life—food, negative thoughts, hurtful people, or otherwise.
Add one “fuel”—a healthy meal, a supportive habit, or 10 minutes of mindfulness.
Keep repeating until the positive momentum takes over
Maintain your new mindset

Closing: Make “ASSFACE” a Verb for Good

To ASSFACE your life is to take it back. It’s not about perfection—it’s about choosing health, balance, and resilience when life tries to knock you down.

That’s what the ASSFACE Diet® is really all about, and that’s why I’ll keep using this word until it doesn’t mean insult anymore—it means victory.