Rewarding yourself for meeting goals?

originalimagination13

So I've recently started on my healthy living journey, and for me the main thing is sugar. I'm pretty sure I'm addicted to it, and I've set a goal for myself to not eat anything with obvious added sugars. I've said that I'd get myself a fitbit (or similar tracker) if I can make it a month. I've been thinking of more rewards and came up with the following:

- 1 month: fitbit
- 3 months: gym membership
- 6 months: Personal trainer
- 9 months: dance class I've always wanted to do
- 1 year: get-away travel to a place I've always wanted to revisit

Now some of it might seem trivial or counter-intuitive: like why not get a gym membership straight away? Well, my thoughts are that I need to prove to myself that I want this better lifestyle enough for myself that I'm willing to do work on my own for it for a bit without a crutch. What are your thoughts? Do you reward yourself some way?

Jacq_qui

I did this when I started. Although I did mine in kg's lost, it's the same thing. An incentive to keep going because ultimately consistency pays!! (I don't do it at the moment, because I've lost the weight/gained some back/lost it again and have 4kg to go. I suppose I don't need the incentive because I know I feel when I get to goal weight and that's what drives me now!)

arhubbard30

I think it's great and only you know what type of rewards work for you. I used to use unhealthy foods as a reward now I don't do that as much. I now reward myself with clothes or accessories or other things that are pricey and I wouldn't really buy myself otherwise.

I do understand the idea of making sure you are going to stick with this before getting a gym membership. Something to consider is that healthy living or habits are behavioral and are not solely motivational. If you don't stick to something that you think you should stick to, then you just have to adjust things so that you can stick to it.

When it comes to exercise is the gym something you will enjoy enough to behaviorally make yourself go? If so, then join it now because it's an investment in your health. But if the gym is not fun to you then find an exercise method that is.

For me I only enjoy running. Even though I enjoy running I still have to behaviorally make myself run on schedule or I will make excuses. I didn't make my running shoes a reward even though they were expensive but they were instead an investment in my health.

So maybe you join a gym but your reward is buying better workout gear or something that's not a "need"

Exercise is a need. But this is all just my opinion. I wish you the best of luck I think you are definitely on the right track.

kshama2001

arhubbard30 wrote: »

I think it's great and only you know what type of rewards work for you. I used to use unhealthy foods as a reward now I don't do that as much. I now reward myself with clothes or accessories or other things that are pricey and I wouldn't really buy myself otherwise.

I do understand the idea of making sure you are going to stick with this before getting a gym membership. Something to consider is that healthy living or habits are behavioral and are not solely motivational. If you don't stick to something that you think you should stick to, then you just have to adjust things so that you can stick to it.

When it comes to exercise is the gym something you will enjoy enough to behaviorally make yourself go? If so, then join it now because it's an investment in your health. But if the gym is not fun to you then find an exercise method that is.

For me I only enjoy running. Even though I enjoy running I still have to behaviorally make myself run on schedule or I will make excuses. I didn't make my running shoes a reward even though they were expensive but they were instead an investment in my health.

So maybe you join a gym but your reward is buying better workout gear or something that's not a "need"

Exercise is a need. But this is all just my opinion. I wish you the best of luck I think you are definitely on the right track.