Does anyone reward themselves for losing weight? I could really use some new clothes and I don't want to go on a shopping spree when I'm trying to lose weight----why buy something that fits me now when my mini-goal is lose another 13 lbs by Aug. 23rd? So, I was thinking of doing a reward system, nothing big, but something along the line of clothing items.........what do you think?
I think it's a good idea. I'm rewarding myself when I hit certain mini goals. My first reward was going to be going to salon and getting my hair styled, but I think I might change that to a new workout dvd and cookbook. I also have diamond earrings, ihome, dvds, clothes, etc. planned for future rewards. I can't wait until I'm able to get them!
Because I am low on money till I start work (work for school so off during summer), I am considering setting a goal that when I get down to 150lbs (10lbs) to buy myself this bracelet from ilovecolor.com. These are diet tracking bracelets. Beautiful colors on the first row then they coil around and have clear or white smaller beads behind them that represent 100 calories (or a certain amount of carbs, etc). Then you move one bead into the counting area and it stays. Also you can do it by using charms which you can move across the pretty braclet (if you want a thinner bracelet). You can have 2 rows of clear bracelet to track 2 different goals throughout the day. I THINK this is how it looks. I know that is the basic idea. Check it out. It would be good to use this at goal as a way of self journaling without doing the online journaling anymore.
I've been slowly getting new clothes to go with my new size, but that's not really a reward so much as a sanity check- if I wear something a size too big then I look that size bigger and it does nothing for my body image. I'm pretty frugal about those.
Every 15-20 pounds, though, I buy one or two frivolous clothes that I wouldn't necessarily have justified as part of my everyday wardrobe but that I love. So I got a pair of swooshy pants to go dancing in, and I bought some silly t-shirts (on sale!). When I hit 155 I think it will be time for another reward so I'll have to figure that one out. There will also be something bigger that I buy when I reach an ultimate goal- possibly a techie toy that I never would have bought for myself otherwise. Luckily by then I'll have started getting paid again so I can afford it. (Sometimes it sucks being a student)
Forget about clothes as a reward while losing (especially since you are looking at losing quite a bit)-only buy the staples when you absolutely have to. I find that most clothes fit awkwardly, and I don't want to spend money on clothes until I know what size I am going to settle in. I think in some ways, since clothes tend to fit oddly when we are losing, buying clothes as a reward could make us feel bad when things still don't "look" right.
As for rewards, Tuesday, I got a hot stone pedicure ($40) as my reward for making it through the first 50lbs. I plan to reward myself with something special like this every 50lbs I lose. Actually when I get down to 250lbs, I will have lost 102lbs, and the cost of my reward will equal the amount of weight I lost. By the time I reach goal, that will be a $152 reward, which will probably be spent on clothes. (and gives me time to save up!)
Get a pedicure, a manicure, a massage, go to a movie or a museum, or plan a fun night out with friends to celebrate. Whatever you do, make sure your reward makes you feel good about you and doesn't revolve around food.
I think rewards are a great idea. I try to stick with rewards that will benefit my weight loss efforts, like a new work out DVD, or a CD that I can burn calories to. Since I am the type that gets board easily with my routine, I find that switching it up a bit helps keep me motivated. I just reached my mini goal of 15 lbs. (yeah!) as a reward I finally bought the MP3 player i'd been saving up for. and it feels darn good to know I worked extra hard for it. As far as clothes rewards go... I am saving that for my big goal.
Reward's all the time. I droped ten pants size's im always on the hunt for new stuff.
And food rewards one day a week maybe a candy bar or some kind of treat I find for my self it is better to allow my self to have some thing or its going to drive me nut"s thinking about it all the time so just do it the you don't have to fight the head demons. well good luck JOHN.
I never EVER use food as a reward...thinking of junk food as a privilege or something earned through hard work is part of what got me to this point in the first place. Instead, I eat junk when I feel the need, just much less of it, and, like I said, never as a reward.
As for clothing, I agree--I buy only what I need to as I'm osing weight and odn't use it as a reward because until I'm below a size 16 or 14 and can actually find clothes I like that fit in just about ANY store rather than a select few, clothing shopping will always be frustrating to me rather than feel like a reward (right now, I'm in a 22 pants and 24 or higher shirt, depending on fabric and style).
I don't use things like massages, pedicures, manicures, or salon trips simply because I'm not that girly of a person--things like that feel more like torture than a reward to me I also don't use music or movies because we have Netflix and online music accounts, so we get music and movies all the time. We also go out to movies maybe a couple times a month just as a way of going on "dates," not as a reward for anything, and I don't want to change it so we go out on dates less frequently. I don't buy books because I have a very writing-intensive profession, and after reading, editing, and writing all day long at work, the last thing I want to do when I come home is read
I do think it's important to recognize milestones and somehow reward ourselves for positive progress. I'm just not sure how to reward myself, so I haven't been doing it. Money is pretty tight thanks to living so close to the city (DC), and my sister is pregnant with my first neice or nephew, so I'm saving up some money to go crazy baby shopping. So, for now, just seeing the changes in my body and the lower numbers on the scale as I lose will have to be reward enough in itself Once I get a few sizes smaller (maybe to a size 18?), we'll plan a trip to an amusement park. I haven't been in a few years because I'm pretty sure I won't fit into the restraints on all the roller coasters Plus, I can get discount tickets through work
These are the rewards I like the most:
- gift cards (instead of the actual clothes while I'm still losing)
- new workout clothes, something cute I can run around outside in or not be embarassed to wear if someone pops over while I'm working out
- trips to places I can't usually go to, can't get my husband to take me to or wouldn't usually go to because I was embarassed about my weight.
- stuff that will help me keep going like new workout videos, cds that will make me get up and dance, new running shoes or hiking boots, a bike or skates, etc.
My first motivation was losing 30 before a trip to New Orleans and some new clothes to wear while there and I got to 22lbs, but went anyway.. because 22lbs was a big deal since I haven't lost weight in years. My next goal is 25 more and then I get to buy a whole new set of clothes, get a total beauty makeover and go on a bunch of new adventures (go kayaking, take a rock climbing class, go to seaworld, go to Florida, learn a martial art). So yeah, that's what motivates me... not only looking cute in some new clothes with a new hairtsyle, but getting to make a ton more exciting memories and having the satisfaction of knowing I was physically fit enough to do certain things I haven't been able to do in a while or never could before.
I haven't figured out what kind of short term reward I can do. Money is tight until I start my part time job next week. Clothes just have never held an appeal for me. Even when I'm smaller, I just hate shopping with a passion. Of course thats why all I own are blue jeans, Tshirts and a couple of professional type suits. I will be way over dressed at my job next week because the office is real casual and I'm not very good at office casual.
Rewards?
and it feels darn good to know I worked extra hard for it. As far as clothes rewards go... I am saving that for my big goal.
I also don't use music or movies because we have Netflix and online music accounts, so we get music and movies all the time. We also go out to movies maybe a couple times a month just as a way of going on "dates," not as a reward for anything, and I don't want to change it so we go out on dates less frequently. I don't buy books because I have a very writing-intensive profession, and after reading, editing, and writing all day long at work, the last thing I want to do when I come home is read 
Once I get a few sizes smaller (maybe to a size 18?), we'll plan a trip to an amusement park. I haven't been in a few years because I'm pretty sure I won't fit into the restraints on all the roller coasters 
Plus, I can get discount tickets through work 
