So, I have had a bit of a backslide with my weight these past few weeks. I can honestly blame it mostly on feeling sorry for myself. My way of dealing with stress and the issues I can't fix at work was to eat. At one point, I was back up to 193.5 lbs which was horrifying as I was over halfway back to being where I was before.
And then it hit me. The last time I successfully lost weight was when I was doing this weight loss contest at Kmart last year and lost about 35 pounds. Now part of the reason I was doing so well was because I was using slimfast for some meals instead of junk food, but I'm still convinced that the primary reason was because they gave out rewards. Every time I met goal, I got rewards. Some of it was stuff I would never use like microwaver steamer bags (I don't have one), but for the most part, I got some pretty good stuff like conditioner or a exercise dvd or a pedometer and it was great motivation to stay on track because I wanted the rewards.
Then it hit me.
I could do the same thing myself. Except this time, considering my minor obsession/hobby of cooking, I would use bake ware as my rewards. For every 5 pounds I lost, I get to buy myself something that I could technically live without. Cookbooks, cake pans, kitchen blowtorches etc etc.I spent an hour the other day going through my King Arthur Flour Catalog and picking out rewards :)
This may just be the missing piece I needed in the weight loss puzzle. I've already picked up my first reward for losing 5 pounds - a new cake pan. Just in time for a recipe I've got to make for The Cake Slice group on the 20th.
Oh happy dance. 5 days of eating better behind me. 5 pounds of junk food weight off me (okay, a little water weight in there too).
Life feels a lot more balanced today with some discipline in my life.
Rewarding yourself is a good idea for sticking to weight loss when your motivation is flagging. Once eating healthy and exercising becomes a habit, then you won't need to rely on rewards to keep yourself good. I'll be cheering you on!
ReplyDeleteThat is a great idea! I love to bake (and eat!!) as well. I'm pretty young so the weight thing isn't too big a deal yet but it's now at the point where I am aware of it. Maybe I'll put the Cuisinart food processor I've been lusting after on a list like you are doing. Good luck!
ReplyDeletePalidor, so far so good. Made it through a week which is big for me getting back on the wagon and now I'm motivated to keep going.
ReplyDeleteMe - so far I love this rewards program although I'm going to have to keep some restraint here and keep the bigger prizes for the big milestones like 25 lbs + 50 lbs. Originally I had my increments going up every 5 lbs so that I would have spent a couple hundred by the time I got to 50 lbs.