How do you celebrate your weight loss goals? For me, I realized (as I was sitting down to drinks with my wonderful husband to celebrate my 15 pound loss over this past month) that I always always celebrate with food. And usually “cheat” foods.
You Should Never Use Weight Loss Rewards
While this isn’t the worst thing (unless I binge on a pint of ice cream), it’s not the best idea either. So this week, I decided to be intentional about my celebrations going forward. The only rule I gave myself?
No “food” weight loss rewards.
That is it! My only rule. It was amazing to me how wrapped up I was with rewarding weight loss celebrations with the very thing that got me in this situation in the first place…food.
So, I started to brainstorm. What kinds of things or experiences would I enjoy? What did I need to keep up with my weight loss journey?
Ideas for Weight Loss Rewards
- New running shoes
- Tickets to a local sports game (professional or amateur)
- Take a cooking class (it’s not technically bad for you to learn new skills)
- A month of classes at a local studio
- Go to a local spa
- Beach weekend
- Go camping
- Get a massage
- Get a pedicure/manicure
- Sign up for a new intramural sport
- Go to a local roller derby bout
- Start a blog (it’s great for motivation!)
- Tickets to a play or musical
- Go see your favorite band
- Buy tickets to the Superbowl
- Get a facial
- Go hiking
- Take a bike ride in the country
- Get a new tattoo
- Sign up for StitchFix
More weight loss rewards
- Go to a midnight showing of Rocky Horror (and dress up!)
- Go window shopping
- Put money into a vacation fund
- Buy tickets to your local Renaissance Fair
- Go to the rodeo or fair
- Buy essential oils
- Buy new clothes
- Purchase a new piece of workout equipment
- Go rollerskating with friends
- Get headshots or family photos taken
- Take your kids to the zoo
- Go to a waterpark
- Try stand up paddle boarding or surfing
- Try a new class at the gym
- Add $1.00 for each pound lost to a “fun money” jar (like this one)
- Buy that YETI you’ve been eyeing
- Rent an RV and go on a road trip
- Visit a national park
- Buy a new kitchen gadget (if you don’t have an Instant Pot, start there!)
- Invest in new sheets
- Hire a cleaning service to deep clean your house
- Go to the cinema
- Get a Gilmore Girls mug
- Sign up for a photography (or pottery, or art) class
- Book an escape room with friends
- Book a tropical vacation and relax
I know that isn’t a full list…but it’s what came out when I tried to think of just 10 things. It’s amazing how much we ignore when we’re obsessed with food, isn’t it?
Yes, some of those items have to do with food, but they aren’t a trip to a restaurant, or a pint of ice cream. And if you know that you have a trigger (for me it’s going to the movies because I want popcorn and have a hard time saying no), then pick something else!