A Different Approach

For as long as I can remember, I've heard people talk about all the things they'd do when they reached a certain weight... the ways they would reward themselves for hitting certain numbers on the scale. I'm sure we've all done it... said something like "when I lose 20 pounds I'll get myself a new outfit" or "when I hit my goal weight I'll treat myself to a spa day." Seems like a great plan, wonderful way to motivate ourselves. And hey, I'd work my a** off for a new Coach bag... so why not?

But, what happens when you work your a** off & the results are slow to come? Or *gulp* you just can't hit that "magical" number? Do you get discouraged, thinking you'll NEVER get there & throw the idea of the coveted reward out the window? Does it lose its motivational value when it takes so long to achieve it?

That was me for a very long time, I'd have this grand thing I was working toward... but setbacks would always hinder me, I'd get discouraged & give up the idea of the reward (or I'd get impatient & buy it for myself anyway). So... I came up with a new approach.

Rewarding myself for doing what I consider to be essential elements of living a healthy lifestyle. Examples of things I've done for rewards so far are:

• When I reach 25 miles on the elliptical, I'll get a pedicure


• If I track my food & exercise every day for a week, I get to pick a new nail color


• If I drink all my water 25/30 days, I'll get a new water bottle


• When I "collect" 25 days with no sugary soda, I'll get new bubble bath


• When I reach 6,000 floors on the StairMaster, I will get a massage

Hopefully that gives you an idea of what I mean. I try to make most of them things I can achieve within a month, so that the "prize" is always within sight. Some are more long range goals to keep me going. Also, while the rewards are things that I will enjoy getting, they aren't the types of things I'm likely to run out and buy on a whim. For example, it would be silly for me to put a new outfit as a reward... because in all honesty I can't go more than a couple weeks without buying a new piece of clothing, lol.

This has been working pretty well for me as far as motivation & I like it better because my efforts are rewarded regardless of what the scale says... and let's face it... when the scale is slow to recognize how hard we're working, being rewarded for consistent effort can be a very motivating way to keep ourselves going when the lure of a big chocolate donut tempts us.

I know the gym gives away prizes for "Around the World," but considering I was lucky enough to win one last year, I'm not holding my breath on winning one this year. Here's what I'm working for as my personal reward... when I finish the entire challenge I will get this:

Its from Coach's Poppy Collection & I've been "in love" with it since the first time I saw it. I'm saving for it so the money will be there... but I haven't told The Husband yet, lol.

And because I was once of those people that told myself I'd reward myself when I hit my goal weight (not that I'm even sure what that is anymore), The Husband and I had this discussion long ago... probably 7-8 years ago now. He agreed that if I ever got to my goal weight, I could get the diamond stud earrings I've daydreamed about since I was a teenager. Honestly, getting them as a reward isn't that big a deal to me anymore because my philosophy on this has changed so much since then... BUT this is The Husband and I'm holding him to his agreement. I'm pretty sure he never thought he'd have to live up to his end of it... but at Christmas when the base exchange was having a good sale... he let me put these on layaway.

In three months, they will officially be mine. While I don't have an actual goal weight, I've decided 160 is the magic number for being able to wear these beauties. I suspect there is gonna be some gap between the time I get them paid off & reaching 160... so they will sit on my dresser, staring at me, being the ultimate in "I have no choice but to finish this now because The Husband shelled out hundreds of dollars for these earrings" motivational tool. :)

How do you reward yourself? What kinds of things do you pick for rewards?