Use rewards to achieve your fitness goal! We’ve heard about people doing this but how do you do it without sabotaging the progress you’ve already made?
Reward yourself for completing the ACTIVITIES that it takes to accomplish a goal.
Too many people reward themselves for achieving the goal. That’s cool too, but focusing on only the goal doesn’t help you make progress. Focusing on the activities that it takes, and doing them consistently is what walks you to the doorstep of your goal. So how do you stay on track?
Use a coin jar (or dollar bill jar) and reward yourself for great choices. Then use the money you collect to reward yourself with something that WILL NOT sabotage your progress.
Get out a piece of paper and make two columns. In the first column, list the behaviors that you want to focus on. Ex: exercise more, plan my meals, make more food at home, eat more fruit, drink more water… In the other column, make a list of things or experiences that you want… Ex: pedicure, date night, family fun, new jeans, new shoes, something sparkly…
Now match them up! Start with one or two rewards to focus on for now. When you feel like that one becomes more natural and you don’t have to bribe yourself to do it, move on to the next one. Keep your lists and refer back to them. Over time, you’ll be shocked by how many healthier changes you can make. THAT is how you make a lifestyle change!