It may sound silly, but small, token rewards, challenges with myself (as well as the contests and challenges my TOPS chapter runs for members) really help me stay motivated.

For example, every 5 lbs, I add a bead or charm for my cheapy knockoff of a Pandora bracelet.

When I go out to eat or to my TOPS (taking off pounds sensibly) meeting, I usually wear the bracelets (one bracelet holding 20 bead/charms representing 100 lbs, and the second bead holding 1 bead so far).

I don't wear the bracelet every day because of my arthritis (the bracelet actually hurts my wrist if I wear it too long).

Wearing the beads actually does help me stay focused though, so I found a neat way to motivate me, without having to wear all 21 beads.

I found and bought a ring (at Hobby Lobby) that holds one of the donut beads. And I bought a new bead (despite the fact that I haven't "earned" it yet).

That bead is my prize/reward for losing 110 lbs - but because I haven't earned it yet, itt's not yet "mine" (that's how I see it).

And if I want to keep it (add it to my bracelet) I'm going to have to earn it.

Once I earn the bead on the ring (that I wear all the time), it will go onto my bracelet, and I will buy a new bead that I will wear on the ring until I "earn it" by losing another 5 lbs.

Because I've had a hard time staying motivated, I've decided to give myself a 3 month deadline for losing that 5 lbs. If I don't lose the weight in that time, I'm not going to beat myself up for it, but I am going to have to give up that bead permanently (I'll give it away, maybe to someone in my TOPS group). I'll buy a new one to put on the ring, but I'll have lost the opportunity to keep the current bead, and I'll set a new deadline for earning the new bead.


I hesitate to do time-based goals, but I've had a really hard time getting past 105 lbs, losing and gaining the same few pounds over and over, so I'm hoping the constant presence of that bead, and wanting to "earn it" will help me stay more motivated.

I did pick a bead that I really loved, and I really would hate to "lose it" so I think it will give me that added incentive to get off the next 5 lbs.

And at the very least, it's keeping the whole weight loss process fun and exciting (for me, that's really key. Nothing kills weight loss for me, like boredom. I have the attention span of a gnat).

I love using a token economy which btw works wonders with children. I used to use small pony beads on a leather string years ago for every pound. I have a large glass bowl that I put acrylic gem rocks in for every pound I lose. I also put star stickers for every pound I lose on my diet diary.

Ooh, behavioral psychology, yeah. I got a BA in psych from Illinois Weselyan the curriculum at the time was 95% behavioral science and 5% cognitive-behavioral psyhology). I have a master's degree in Developmental Psychology only because the behavioral program was filled when I applied.

Maybe all my weight loss experience predestined me for behavioral psyc - because I was using charts, graphs, stickers, rewards.... for weight loss since kindergarten.

I have a sticker-chart as well, counting down the pounds. The chart looks like pages and pages of bingo cards each square representing a pound. Each box has two numbers, my weight and the pound lost (for example the first box has 393 in one corner and 1 in another (for 1 lb lost) and the second box has 392/2..... Each row represents 5 lbs.

I was giving myself small rewards for each 5 lb, but finally decided to switch over to the beads (so I technically got "double rewards" for lbs 30 through 80 or so).

I was trying to do it for exercise too, but I never kept up with it.

I love the beads, because I can wear them anytime as a reminder.

When I get to goal, I think I'm going to keep going with the beads, but I'll switch over to maintainance (maybe getting a new bead for every month of maintenance).

It's only been about a week, and I'm really surprised at how well I've stayed on plan. I haven't been this perfectly on plan for a long time. I keep looking at the ring (and spinning the bead), and it's really helping me focus.

Every time I'm tempted to eat (even if it's an on-plan meal or snack), I remind myself that I want to "earn" this ring - so I make sure I'm really hungry and that I don't fudge the portion size or eat off plan in other ways.

Yeah bead! Yeah Me!

I saw you post about this on another thread. I love the idea. Not only is it fun to get the new bead, but they do a great job as a visual...and the craft store, etc. donut beads are so pretty!