You're not a dog, don't reward yourself with food

You're not a dog, don't reward yourself with food

Those of you who want to lose weight and get in shape need to remember this important point - you are not a dog, so don't reward yourself with food. The reason I bring up this topic is because people who are trying to improve their daily diet often feel like they deserve an edible reward if they can get through most of the day in a healthy way. For some reason, they convince themselves that they “deserve” a treat and unfortunately stuff their mouths with their old favorite treats.

Do you also often take part in such reward systems?

When someone does this, they are essentially trading a few minutes of euphoria for their weight loss goal. Achieving weight loss depends on calories. When you consume (or burn) fewer calories than your body needs, you lose weight. If you eat or drink too many calories, your weight will increase.

If you choose to reward yourself with food, you're likely to go way overboard in the day's calorie department unless you have extreme control over quantity and portion size.

First things first: If you get cravings during the day, it means you're either thirsty (for some water, not soda) or too much time has passed between your last meal and you need a little nutrition to tide you over until your next meal. The longer you wait to feed, the stronger the hunger cravings become, and you are much more likely to give in and indulge in some sort of edible pleasure.

Let's be clear: you should definitely eat snacks between meals, but they should be healthy snacks, not slices of cake next to glasses of soda.

Instead of dealing with this dilemma over and over again and essentially putting the brakes on your weight loss, here are some alternatives you can choose when considering rewarding yourself for your daily healthy efforts.

Three ways to reward yourself without food

Reward yourself #1:Start a weight loss journey

Here's a great way to reward your weight loss efforts without using food. Instead of spending money on buying some type of food or drink as a “reward” (which is actually a punishment when you look at the bigger picture here), you can save money instead. Give yourself a financial reward after completing positive habits that will benefit your weight loss efforts.

For example, if you've eaten healthily for an entire day (without over-snacking), you can put two dollars in a jar or box or container or whatever you want to use. After each workout, put a dollar in the container. Every time you lose a pound of weight, a full five dollars goes into the box.

Not only will you be surprised at how much more inspired you will be to stick with the weight loss, but you may be able to accumulate a significant amount of money after just a few months. Give it a try and see how much these weight loss savings can inspire you to continue your commitment.

Reward yourself #2:Treat your body to something special

Another way to reward yourself without food is to treat your body to something special. This is a very thoughtful gesture, especially since your body can endure all workouts and deserves to be treated well. Maybe after two weeks of healthy eating and consistent exercise, reward yourself with a one-hour massage, which you can probably find near you for around $25.

You can also reward yourself with a spa day, which will probably cost a little more but is worth it. This is another reason to start a weight loss journey to pay for those special “body days”.

Reward yourself #3:Buy a new practice tool

Since weight loss is the main concern here, another way to reward yourself without food is to buy something for yourself that will not only help improve your results but motivate you at the same time. A bike, for example, can open up a whole new world of exercise options to expand your repertoire. Taking a local fitness class like boot camp or CrossFit can be another way to reward yourself without food. Think about what will further inspire your commitment to training and reward yourself that way.

Remember that your desire to lose weight has probably come to the forefront of your mind because you have been overindulging in food and drink over the past year or more. Don't reward yourself with more food when you've done something healthy! This defeats the entire purpose of all your weight loss efforts. If you can find an alternative outlet that works for you, you will find success much more quickly.