Reward Yourself when you lose weight

Looking better and feeling great may be their own rewards when you lose weight, but it
never hurts to reward yourself for reaching goals and sticking to your eating plan. Building
in incentives is a time-honored way of helping keep yourself on track. Did you pass up
that piece of cheesecake at lunch? Reward yourself with a pot of fresh herbs! Did you get
out and exercise for your daily half-hour? Take a luxurious bath with scented oils. Went
the whole week without falling off your new routine? That calls for a big reward! Treat
yourself to an evening out, or buy that book you've been dying to read.
Need some excuses for rewarding yourself? Try setting one of these goals to give
yourself something to shoot for:
1. Weight loss goals.
Pretty traditional here - treat yourself to something special whenever you can mark off
ten pounds toward your goal weight. Get a manicure to make you feel extra special.
2. Look, Ma, I dropped a whole size!
Well, that certainly calls for buying yourself something in that new size, even if it's just a
pair of new exercise sneakers!
3. Whew! I made it ALL the way through the half-hour workout without stopping ONCE!
Now that's impressive! Call your best friend or your mom and brag - or just chat. Even if
it's long distance.
4. I didn't do it! That chocolate chip cookie dough sundae was calling my name, but I
turned my back and walked away.
In that case, don't you think you deserve fresh flowers for your desk?
5. I finally fit into THAT dress!
I'd say that calls for wearing it out somewhere special, wouldn't you? Take yourself out
dancing to show it off!
6. I lost weight for the third week in a row. I'm so proud of myself!
Here's an ongoing reward - for every pound you lose, drop a dollar or two into a jar, and
watch the money build up. Entertain yourself with plans on how you'll spend it when you
reach your goal weight.
7. I got stuck for three weeks, but I finally budged from that plateau!
I'll tell you what - sticking to a diet when you're not seeing results is one of the hardest
things that you'll ever do. Get yourself something that will make it easier to reward
yourself. For example, buy a blender for whipping up frozen fruit smoothies.
8. I'm halfway there!
You deserve a Halfway Party, don't you think? Pull out all your old fat clothes and try
them on so you can feel great about how far you've come.
9. I've been slugging away forever, and I'm starting to get discouraged...
Okay, so it's not a 'reward' situation -- but it is. You deserve a reward for sticking to it this
long. Want a quick pick-me-up? Pick up the phone and get together with someone you
haven't seen in months. This will guarantee that you’ll receive compliments at how great
you look!
10. I did it! I made it! I reached my goal weight!!
Well, sweetheart, that calls for pulling out the stops! Remember that money you've been
paying yourself for losing weight? Time to cash it in for something fabulous!
Eating healthy and losing weight are gifts that you give yourself, though they may not feel
like it at first. By rewarding yourself along the way, you’ll not only increase the chances
of your success, but you’ll enjoy the process a whole lot more!