how to reward myself

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Replies

  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    edited April 2021
    For me, it sets up a bad mindset to put food in the "reward" category. I start thinking things like.."I had a bad day at work and I'm stressing over X or Y, so I "deserve" to have an extra large blizzard!" or "I lost 10 lbs so I "deserve" to have a "cheat" day!" Pretty soon I'm undoing the good progress I made and the habits I've been forming. Building in daily treats that fit your calorie goal is a much better option, then that takes the emotion out of it. I mean, why can't a walk in the sunshine by the river be a reward, or some other favorite activity? Why does it have to be a "cheat"/free/binge day?
    Another thought...If your plan requires such strict discipline to adhere to that you want food rewards, then maybe the problem is that it's TOO strict? I mean, there's nothing that says you can't build in maintenance days. It's actually good practice for when you get to your goal weight, it gives you a break, and has nothing to do with "rewards".
  • ChickenKillerPuppy
    ChickenKillerPuppy Posts: 297 Member
    dragon_girl26 wrote: »
    For me, it sets up a bad mindset to put food in the "reward" category. I start thinking things like.."I had a bad day at work and I'm stressing over X or Y, so I "deserve" to have an extra large blizzard!" or "I lost 10 lbs so I "deserve" to have a "cheat" day!" Pretty soon I'm undoing the good progress I made and the habits I've been forming. Building in daily treats that fit your calorie goal is a much better option, then that takes the emotion out of it. I mean, why can't a walk in the sunshine by the river be a reward, or some other favorite activity? Why does it have to be a "cheat"/free/binge day?
    Another thought...If your plan requires such strict discipline to adhere to that you want food rewards, then maybe the problem is that it's TOO strict? I mean, there's nothing that says you can't build in maintenance days. It's actually good practice for when you get to your goal weight, it gives you a break, and has nothing to do with "rewards".

    Yes, I agree! If I have a “free” day once a month where I can eat whatever I want to “reward” me for restricting, I would be thinking all month about all the stuff I could cram into that day to eat, and I would restrict even more the other days to make room for it, and that is exactly the mindset I am trying to change, and the mindset that has caused a life long struggle with weight. I don’t want to have a “good food” and “bad food” mindset, I want to eat what I want and work on portion control and generally staying in my calorie range.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,403 Member
    wmweeza wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »
    Leggings.

    If they don’t hurt your head to look at, they’re no fun. Zero calorie, and motivate me to stay slim so I can continue wearing them.

    sc93uuqm5itl.jpeg

    I love leggings too! I just got ones covered by Kermit the Frog and they make me so happy!

    If they had Fozzie Bear I would be over the moon!
    springlering62 wrote: »
    kenyonhaff wrote: »
    springlering62 wrote: »
    Leggings.

    If they don’t hurt your head to look at, they’re no fun. Zero calorie, and motivate me to stay slim so I can continue wearing them.

    sc93uuqm5itl.jpeg

    I love leggings too! I just got ones covered by Kermit the Frog and they make me so happy!

    If they had Fozzie Bear I would be over the moon!

    https://www.redbubble.com/i/leggings/Fozzie-Bear-by-NeverGiveUp/15734789.7DWO7?country_code=US&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyN-DBhCDARIsAFOELTmimqVJHoK2zBtIWCVaX3kQrenp-OyYRl4RYzEIaP2HenYYfCZmazsaAg4MEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

    ...ooooooooh.

    I saw the Socrates one, too, and am off to see if they have Gandalf or Frodo.
  • czichealh
    czichealh Posts: 1 Member
    The reward of keeping a healthy weight is seeing ladies looking at how young and we'll lean I look at 47yrs old
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,886 Member
    dragon_girl26 wrote: »
    For me, it sets up a bad mindset to put food in the "reward" category. I start thinking things like.."I had a bad day at work and I'm stressing over X or Y, so I "deserve" to have an extra large blizzard!" or "I lost 10 lbs so I "deserve" to have a "cheat" day!" Pretty soon I'm undoing the good progress I made and the habits I've been forming. Building in daily treats that fit your calorie goal is a much better option, then that takes the emotion out of it. I mean, why can't a walk in the sunshine by the river be a reward, or some other favorite activity? Why does it have to be a "cheat"/free/binge day?

    Another thought...If your plan requires such strict discipline to adhere to that you want food rewards, then maybe the problem is that it's TOO strict? I mean, there's nothing that says you can't build in maintenance days. It's actually good practice for when you get to your goal weight, it gives you a break, and has nothing to do with "rewards".

    I was thinking this exact same thing.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,886 Member
    dragon_girl26 wrote: »
    For me, it sets up a bad mindset to put food in the "reward" category. I start thinking things like.."I had a bad day at work and I'm stressing over X or Y, so I "deserve" to have an extra large blizzard!" or "I lost 10 lbs so I "deserve" to have a "cheat" day!" Pretty soon I'm undoing the good progress I made and the habits I've been forming. Building in daily treats that fit your calorie goal is a much better option, then that takes the emotion out of it. I mean, why can't a walk in the sunshine by the river be a reward, or some other favorite activity? Why does it have to be a "cheat"/free/binge day?

    Another thought...If your plan requires such strict discipline to adhere to that you want food rewards, then maybe the problem is that it's TOO strict? I mean, there's nothing that says you can't build in maintenance days. It's actually good practice for when you get to your goal weight, it gives you a break, and has nothing to do with "rewards".

    When I drank alcohol to excess and learned a few cognitive behavioral techniques it was really easy to recognize these thoughts as sabotaging. I could just not drink though. Now that my Addictive Voice has switched to food the struggle can be much harder unless I am extremely mindful.

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