It could be for anything... staying on plan for a day, or a week, or maybe it's a guilt-less dessert or treat that only tastes like it's not. Or maybe it's not a food reward at all - maybe you treat yourself to a dollar limit at your favorite store, or you send out the kids to a movie for a night alone to just "let go and let be". Scale victories, NSV, this could be for anything.
Whatever it is, I thought this would be a great thread for us all to share our own rewards for ourselves, and how we treat ourselves when we are doing a great job!
I'll start....
For me, cause the holidays are done and I'm kinda starting over LOL, I don't have a monthly goal yet or rewards, but if I stay on plan for one week, I let myself spend $25 or less at Family Christian Stores (my fave store). And every day, I make sure I have a guiltless dessert ready to go if I have stayed on plan - right now I have Smart Ones Brownies in my freezer, and jello I made with multiple flavors and fruit cocktail and mangoes in, that I will eat with fat free whipped topping.
I like buying new songs for my mp3 player...it is a bonus that helps me stay motivated for exercise, because new songs usually rev me up when I'm doing my cardio.
I have dessert everyday too, but don't consider it a "reward" - it is just a component of my plan. I'd be miserable without it.
I like to reward myself with new clothing in a smaller size. I couldnt not buy clothing during all this time... and it's worth how a smaller size makes me feel.
I also save calories for some sort of ice cream on most days. skinny cow's or breyer's are my dessert. I could make use of those calories with a better food nutritionally speaking, but I think having them keeps me from feeling depreived.
For every 15 pounds lost, I get a season of X-Files. I know it's weird, but I hate clothes shopping with a fiery passion and it feels like punishment. X-Files finally came down into my price range around the time I started going running, so rather than buy it all at once, I'm using it as a reward.
I save calories for dessert too, pretty much every night. I refuse to feel deprived, and as long as I can fit it into my calories, nothing is forbidden.
I sort of pick my rewards as I go & usually only use them to get myself through a rough patch where I am finding it hard to stay on track. My last one was a pair of pj's when I broke 250 - lol, that was awhile ago. I did also buy a new pair of jeans just before we moved but that was more to do with my worry that I wouldn't be able to find jeans down here that would be long enough (I'm significantly taller than the average Costa Rican).
My next reward is my big one - it's the one that I have had set for Years!!! I'm getting a tattoo when I reach 190lbs. It is also at the point that I reevaluate what my final goal weight should be.
I pick different rewards as I go too..lately it has been purse shopping (hit a fantastic sale!), getting my nails done is one of my favorite things to do as a reward, bargain shopping for new clothes is another favorite!
For every 15 pounds lost, I go to Ikea and by something new for the house. I get lots of exercise walking around the store for hours and I love making the house more up to date and comfortable.
I like buying new songs for my mp3 player...it is a bonus that helps me stay motivated for exercise, because new songs usually rev me up when I'm doing my cardio.
I'm am all over this reward! Thanks!!
I also enjoy Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches.
LOL about the Ikea hiking! I have to go there tomorrow and buy a gift card and I'm already wondering if I "have" to walk all they way through to checkout or if there's a shortcut.
if you like music, you can also go to limewire.com; they have a free file sharing thing, and you can opt to not share your own files (I do so I'm protected ) The basic version is free, or for faster downloading you can get the pro, which is what I have. I have over 8000 songs in my library, and those have only been downloaded in the last month (we were robbed so I needed to replenish my collection lol). Then I just put them on my external hard drive to back them up, or upload them on my work pc etc. I bought the PRO version as my reward a couple weeks ago
I have bigger rewards in mind for when I hit each mini goal, 225 then 200 then 175 then goal. Things like spa days, day trips, and a vacation once I hit my goal.
I too make dessert part of my everyday calories. Usually like a low fat fudge bar or frozen all fruit bar, and then maybe once a week a cup of frozen yogurt or low fat ice cream. Makes me feel like I'm not deprived.
well I do have dessert every day, I was talking about something beyond fruit or frozen stuff.... like brownies or something rich, out of the ordinary. I just can't have stuff like that everyday LOL, it would get so out of control.
btw girls - I weighed myself and gave in,.....and I lost 3 and a half lbs yeahhh! Definitely motivated!
Last edited by txangelgirl; 01-09-2008 at 09:21 AM.
Ugh--- THANK you txangelgirl for not making me feel like a FREAK!
I'm sitting here reading all these things and I'm thinking "you TREAT yourself to a DESSERT... of a frozen fruit bar???"
I make myself a couple homemade cookies for major goals... like "Jen, you've been so good, here you go." Instead of having them every day like I used to (gah, what a fat butt I am!) I will do it occasionally.
Or making a TINY portion of brownie mix and putting it in a cupcake tin and cooking it in my toaster oven... just ONE brownie (b/c I can't have a whole pan in my house, I know that--- my husband doesn't get how I just can't have one... but I KNOW I can't so I make ONE and eat it half cooked and gooey and hot... mmmmm)
Cookbooks, fitness mags, and special gourmet cooking ingredients. Of course seeing the scale drop just one more pound. I love the reward package system and was surprised it worked for me. I really don't get one unless I reach a mini goal!