Okay friends... I'm sick to death of being stuck at 215 (been as low as 213 but I keep coming back to 215) now..been stuck there for several weeks now. It's my fault. I've been crazy with school starting (elementary and graduate) and I've been so tired. I've been doing great on exercise and water, but the food is absolutely out of control. I need some extra motivation!!

I remembered tonight about reading on the MOB list several years ago (anybody remember it??) about a 5 Pound Reward Box. The idea is that you find a pretty box and write down on little slips of paper lots of little non-food treats for yourself. Every time you lose 5 pounds, you get to pick a treat and buy it for yourself. I sat down tonight and made my list..manicures, pedicures, herbal wrap, cds, books, and shoes are on my list. I hope this will help me to get going again (and save me some money too since I can't buy treats unless I've "earned" them).

Hope everyone is having a fabulous week!

I like that idea! One I used for a while was similar. My biggest obstacle was exercising, so I went and got about 80 dollars worth of 1 dollar coins from the bank, and a very pretty glass candy dish with a cover.

Every time I exercised, a dollar went into the dish. When I had enough, I used the equivalent money to treat myself to a show. Here in the DC area, lots of musicals and plays come through -- the Warner theater, the National theater, the Kennedy Center.

I didn't actually spend the dollar coins (I had to go to three different banks to get enough in the first place!). With the glass dish I could see my reward growing each time I exercised. And I could use the web to plan which show I was saving up for.

That's a great idea! I can think of 2 things that I want (don't need) right now. I'll have to do that.

that is a good idea, I'm going to do it too!

Great idea! I am going to try that!!

What a fantastic idea. Excellent! Thanks.

What kind of stuff are you guys putting on those lists?

Juuuuuuust wondering. -Apryl

I put manicures, pedicures, herbal wraps, cds, books, dvds, etc. in my box. All that stuff that I want but don't need! Have fun!!

I made a box like that once, but it didn't seem to motivate me. I am doing something similar though that seems to drive me. Everytime I lose 10 pounds, I buy a $10 gift certificate and give it to one of my family. It gives me pleasure to do something nice for them, and I seem to try harder to get something for someone else than I did to get something for myself.

Gayle

I like this idea, too, and so I've made 10 reward slips (hhmm, most of them say "book") and put them in a cup in my underwear drawer.

My daughter is trying to lose weight, too, so that she can join the Navy. Poor kid has PCOS and has gained about 50 lbs. in the past year. She happened to be over when I was making up my rewards, liked the idea, but has no money, so I told her that I would pay for her rewards for each 5 lbs. she loses. She caught me on pay day. If she'd caught me a few days before pay day, I wouldn't have been so darn generous!

Anyway, I think this will be a good motivator for us.

Great idea! I love a good treat