Reward Yourself
You've been working hard toward your goals! You deserve some rewards for the time and energy you've put into losing weight!
Giving yourself nonfood rewards as you try to lose weight can help you stay on track.
You could reward yourself each time you reach a mini-goal. A mini-goal could be losing a certain amount of weight, or making your goal of walking every day after work.
Before starting the plan, why not draw up a list of mini-goals and plan a treat for each time you reach one?
Below are some ideas of rewards. Some don't cost anything at all!
Entertainment:
Concert tickets or go see some live music.
Post a new favorite selfie.
Healthy cooking book.
Go to the movies.
Clothes:
Workout gear.
Running shoes.
Goggles and swim cap.
Pair of jeans.
Health and beauty:
Makeup.
Massage.
Hour spent away from your phone.
Experiences:
Night out dancing.
Time taken off work.
Coffee break with best friend.
Healthy cooking class.
Frequent small rewards, earned for meeting smaller goals, are more helpful than less frequent, bigger rewards that require a long effort.
Keep a weight loss coin jar. Add 1 dollar to the jar for every pound lost. Or create your own reward system. The growing pile of cash will remind you of how far you've come and motivate you to keep going!
Choose rewards that will keep you on the road to health and fitness, not throw you off course.
Choosing nonfood rewards may also help break the habit of rewarding yourself with food or drink.
Try offering yourself a promise like this: "If I reach my goal this day, week, month, I will treat myself to a well-deserved reward." Think of something nonfood based that you want. It might be an afternoon off, a massage, a movie, or credit toward a larger reward.
Be creative and set up rewards for yourself often. Make sure you give them to yourself when you reach a goal!