What kinds of incentives to you all use to keep at it? I'm having a hard time staying on track. It's hard when I have SO MUCH to lose! I know it's never a good idea to reward yourself with food, so what do YOU do? When I get to my official goal weight, my husband and I are going to get tattoos But what should I do at my mini goals?

Knowing how hot I will feel when I can get my skinny jeans back on keeps me on the straight and narrow!!!!!

I read a book (the Martha Beck 4 Day Win - I think is the title) and it talks about setting small goals for yourself - in her book like sticking to plan for 4 days, as well as having a few bigger ones - so maybe exercising for 12 days (3 4 day cycles) etc etc and having rewards at each stage. But the key was to make sure you go out and get that reward so that you link it to the behaviour

i reward myself with make-up. I've just discovered Bobbi Brown and love that range. There's a store in town where they'll do a mini-makeover for free, and having that done on a stool with everyone around is a big NSV/reward.

my goal reward is a Colour me Beautiful session.

I'm getting a tattoo when I hit goal as well! Okay, technically it will be a while after I enter maintenance--I want to give my body time to redistribute weight and settle at a new weight.

In the mean time, I am getting beads for my mini goals. My fiance bought me a Pandora bracelet (like a charm bracelet, but with silver beads instead of charms) with one bead when I got really serious about losing this time. The first bead represents making a commitment to do it. Then, as I hit mini goals, I am getting beads to represent that achievement. It also helps me stay on track because whenever I am tempted to go off plan, the bracelet is there on my wrist as a constant reminder.

I tend to buy myself more yoga clothes at mini-goals.

When I'm out of the 170's I'm getting a new hiking pack.

I haven't really thought about something at goal, I think that will be it's own reward. But when I get there I may reconsider...

Here are a few ideas:

exercise clothes/equipment/videos
cooking items/ingredients (nice spices, vinegars, flavor enhancing type stuff)
Books/magazines
Music for MP3 player
I love the bead idea above and would've done that if I'd thought of it
I did buy a very beautiful right hand ring when I reached goal originally, it's a nice anchor that I can see on my hand to remind me I can do hard things.
You could do tickets to an event
Candles
Clothes (yes, even if you're not done losing, they don't have to be expensive)

Peg

What kind of tattoos are you guys getting? Related to weight loss or no?

I haven't done that many rewards. At 50 lbs down, I bought my exercise bike and started googling weight loss forums to end up here -- that was to reinvigorate, though.

About 10-20 lbs later, I think it was, I bought my hand and ankle weights. Also more to move things along, but I am so cheap that I try to look at it as a reward of some sort.

Recently I have been doing crest whitestrips, because I've always wanted to whiten my teeth. I long thought of professional teeth whitening as a goal weight reward, but we can't afford it right now and so I am doing the strips instead, and earlier than Goal.

I would like to look into getting my leg veins lasered off or something, if there is something simple/not too expensive -- I read recently that this is done fairly easily now (?) So obviously I don't know much about that, yet.

My husband keeps asking me what I want to have or do to celebrate 100 lbs down. I'm not sure. Already doing the whitestrips ... of course, I would like to buy a bathing suit and go to the beach, but I do have more to lose after 100 lbs. I'm excited about that, though. Will do that eventually (the finally getting a new suit and feeling good at the beach).

I would like to think of something for 100 lbs down, which will hopefully be before my 1-year marker. If nothing else, my husband can take me out to my favorite restaurant that has a small plate salmon dish I love. Small plate salmon with a side of asparagus and a glass of white wine ... healthy, but yes, it is a food reward so I don't know!

Funny thing for me as I thought about this was that I buy what I want when I want it.

I do have some larger scale 'rewards,' so to speak. For instance getting a new kayak when I get to 250 or when at goal weight, get a a certain type of motorcycle when at goal. But that is really about lifestyle choices, not rewards.

So I guess the reward for me in the short term is watching the scale drop and feeling my body shape change and becoming more fit. I think in the end, I am intrinsically motivated once I have the mindset to being and see some results.

Maybe I should set up some system...but if I find some great exercise gear or a great dress, or want a pedicure or massage, I get it and don't wrap it around weight loss.

Oh, I should throw out there that most of my short term rewards are around behavior vs. weight loss. I only did weight loss reward for the big ring purchase (several hundred dollars). I do like the bead idea though just because you'd see it building but otherwise I'm a big advocate of focusing on behaviors.

Peg

I'm a penny pincher. I have the same weights from high school. I like jewelry but don't wear it. I do love to paint my toe nails and love chrome colors. I could buy some more cooler colors.

for a smaller goal--

a new weight set
nail polish
a pretty tea set.
a collectible antique
a paint set (for my artistic side)

For my large goal

an inversion table would be fun. I could see that as being a good goal present. Great to work the abs too! Maybe an all in one that doubles as a weight bench.

I love the outdoors. I think I would have to plan a camping trip for when I hit goal weight. As a nursing student, I don't have much money.

Later on to reward myself for all my hard work--I am seriously thinking of enrolling in dance school. I Love dance. I was in ballet, tap, jazz as a little girl. I didn't get very far-because my mom didn't have enough money for all 5 of us to go---instead we got karate lessons--(which I hated)-

I still love dance to this day.

I seem to just buy things when I want them, too.... Not that I have the money to spare... I'm just having a really hard time staying motivated to do this! I always lose 10 or 15 pounds and then stop. Since I have so much to lose, 10 or 15 pounds doesn't show on me at ALL so I feel like I'm getting nowhere. I don't KNOW what motivates me. I've tried losing weight with a partner, but I always end up making comparisons. I've tried a reward system, but I seem to just buy what I want when I want it anyway... And I've never been skinny before, so I can't use a "skinny picture" to stay motivated.... But I need to lose this weight!

My DH bought me a bracelett and for every 10 lbs I get a new charm that represents how far I have come and I don't want to have to take one off LOL so that helps me.

I'm being more generous with myself reward-wise than I have been in the past and got Botox as my 10lb reward and have other self-improvement treatments on my mental mini-goal schedule going forward and it's helping me stay on track. It's not cheap but it costs a lot less than being unhealthy does in the long run so I can rationalize it : ) Good luck!