Ideas to REWARD Yourself After a Workout

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JennyElRad
JennyElRad Posts: 10
in Motivation and Support
Hello !

I know that alot of us who have trouble with binge eating or other addictions and managing our weight also likely have the need for instant gratification / short term rewards. I know this is definitely true for me.

Although I know that in the long term It will be helpful to work on patience, and value the long term rewards that come,(which I plan on working on) in the meantime, I am motivated by short term rewards or consequences so that is what I need. That is how I function. Specifically, I want to reward myself after an early morning workout where I will be going to work after. I work out from approximately 6:30-7:30am and then I come home and get ready for work which I need to leave my house for by about 8:40am.

I have heard things like have a relaxing bath or spend time in the sauna, hot tub or pool at the gym, or have a massage, which are great ideas and very healthy self soothing activities if i'm doing a weekend workout, but I don't have much time in the morning to do things like that. I am also looking for ideas that won't put me back to sleep :smile: . An invigorating shower with some fragrant body wash is one idea I have and also having some sort of a tasty healthy breakfast or protein shake are two things that I like, but I really hope to amp up my arsenal of tools even more.

I look forward to any ideas that anyone has :happy:

Thanks in Advance :heart: Jen

Replies

  • Jason7Scott
    Jason7Scott Posts: 33
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    Have you tried food? I do the same, wake up and workout. Not a morning person at all, so start with protein shake and black coffee for a jump start. I get hungry in the workout, so i look forward to breakfast. I fill this up with food i really want to eat/crave, healthy but tasty. I keep it balanced too so i get a great post workout meal and kick start of energy.

    My protein shakes also taste great, like a real milkshake, so i usually start craving that around the last workout :D

    You gota eat right.. might as well make it a great start and enjoyable.
  • fullersun35
    fullersun35 Posts: 162 Member
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    You are going to take a shower and eat breakfast regardless of whether you workout, right? I wouldn't consider them rewards if that is the case.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    Um. Well. I also just eat after my workout. and that feels rewarding. But ... I was gonna do it anyway. Also if you're following the MFP method and you eat your calories back (or some portion of that) many people find logging thoe calories rewarding.


    if you want something tangible -- I'd suggest you set up a token system. Give yourself one token after each workout, and then tell yourself how many tokens = a bigger reward. Use something visual - like a calender with stickers - so you can feel like you earned something.

    Then just pick rewards - ideally small ones, give yourself a few options like reward that costs 3, a reward that costs 5, and a reward that costs 10.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    Oh and PS:

    Rewards only work if you aren't allowed to have the thing otherwise. So like - if your reward is getting your nails done, you can't cheat and get them done outside of your reward system. Because otherwise, there's no incentive.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Um... a bottle of ice water and a shower?

    I dunno, I don't think rewarding yourself everyday for working out is a very good idea. IMO, I think you would be better served to save rewards for things like hitting a 5 lbs loss, or dropping a pants size, etc. Working out, in itself, should be rewarding enough. The feeling of finishing a hard workout, the feeling of your blood pumping and adrenaline rushing is pretty pleasing in itself. Plus the energy boost you get from it.

    Just my 2 cents though.
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    My gym has a whirlpool and sauna and steam room. Those are my rewards :)
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
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    You can have your ice water, I'll have good food :)

    yMFrAnTl.jpg
  • Velum_cado
    Velum_cado Posts: 1,608 Member
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    If you don't have time in the mornings, can you set yourself a goal to work out X number of days a week and if you reach that goal THEN reward yourself? Might give you more options.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    Shower head.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    to me, a workout IS a reward :)
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
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    When I first started, I would only allow myself a beer every day if I did my workout. I drank 1000 unique beers in a little more than two years.

    After about a year or...three, I had made exercising a habit and no longer needed the beer. Over time, the workout and its effects became the reward.
  • JennyElRad
    JennyElRad Posts: 10
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    Yes - I totally agree - food ( healthy food) is a great motivator. Thx
  • JennyElRad
    JennyElRad Posts: 10
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    Sooo true.... LOL
  • JennyElRad
    JennyElRad Posts: 10
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    I think that's the key tameko2 ! It should be something above and beyond my status quo of the moment.
  • Jason7Scott
    Jason7Scott Posts: 33
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    You are going to take a shower and eat breakfast regardless of whether you workout, right? I wouldn't consider them rewards if that is the case.

    Agreed, but i could have a workout and look forward to toast (really not exciting)... or i can look forward to something healthy that i may crave through my workout. For me, works like a treat when i get any form of demotivation :D

    Mentioned about my protein shakes, realised last night they taste like caramel shortbread, so i convince myself i'm almost getting a sugary snack. Once i have it, my cravings are gone and I'm back on track for my diet for the rest of the day.

    Guess its just what makes you happy. I use to love snacking, but i don't anymore so i can't cheat. Protein shakes give me that healthy fix!
  • JennyElRad
    JennyElRad Posts: 10
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    You can have your ice water, I'll have good food :)

    yMFrAnTl.jpg

    Love it :smile: !
  • JennyElRad
    JennyElRad Posts: 10
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    When I first started, I would only allow myself a beer every day if I did my workout. I drank 1000 unique beers in a little more than two years.

    After about a year or...three, I had made exercising a habit and no longer needed the beer. Over time, the workout and its effects became the reward.

    I think that this is awesome - For me personally though the beer is Not awesome ...LOL ....but that's just a challenge for me or other reasons. Its great however because, you not only enjoyed the sensations and flavour of the beer, but also it was probably something you were interested in and you are probably a bit of a connoisseur of diverse beers now. And the most important thing you said was "Over time, the workout and it's effects became the reward." I believe that does happen over time once a habit is built !! The Workout itself will absolutely be the reward in itself !!! The workout is already the reward for me on some days (good days) I just want these other short term rewards to get me through the building of the habit or to rely on (take out of the tool box and dust off) on those days that are not good days to make sure that the one bad day doesn't turn into 10.

    The ideas from "The Power of Habit" have influenced me to search for all of these reward ideas.

    Thx for all of these suggestions !!!! There can never be enough LOL :happy:
  • Giddyduck
    Giddyduck Posts: 212 Member
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    I agree with the other posters. Rewarding yourself after every workout seems extreme to me. Believe it or not the workout will be the reward. I feel great after exercise. I don't feel like myself if I miss a workout. Perhaps make the reward that you complete a reward after you workout 5 days a week (something similar).

    I just complete my BIG reward and went skydiving yesterday for reaching one of goals. I have lost a total of 40 pounds from the start of journey in about a year. I made little rewards along the way.

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