What would you reward yourself with?

[LurkingFromTheShadows]

Hi everyone,
Need some ideas for a "reward" that's non-food related. I've grown up with treats and rewards always being food centred.
I'm going to do a no chocolate, no biscuit November in a bid to kick the cravings I have for these. As an incentive, if I make it, I'd like to have something to look forward to.

What kind of things do you reward yourself with?

Makeup, clothes, Jewellery, home accessories etc

All the nice things! 😊

Pampering. Face pack, bubble bath, new nail varnish. Works in evenings when urge to snack is high

Thanks for the suggestions :) I need to try find something I find motivating enough😅

For me the weightloss is the reward. Feeling fitter and more healthy and ultimately happy, means I don't really feel the need anymore. Presumably you're aiming for a behaviour change around eating habits? You need to move away from treating yourself for eating well, it's a really mixed message. Eating should be a neutral activity.

This is the shift in mindset that I've gone through after a lifetime of failed dieting, treating myself for every lost pound, berating myself for every gained pound, feeling guilty, hating my body and being fat.

Setting a period of prohibition no chocolate, no biscuit November - forbidding anything just makes it more desirable so you are fighting yourself.

Try the reward of that feeling that you could eat it but instead are choosing to not eat it

You might not trust yourself at first but practise and it gets easier and easier. The pleasure of eating it lasts minutes maybe even only seconds.

The feeling that you can choose to not overindulge is brilliant. It lasts and lasts and also longer term builds your self esteem to so you want those things less. win:win.

After a lifetime of constant shame around overeating and gradually increasing weight, this has Finally (sic) put be back in control of my eating. Good luck

Perilously close to the old MN panacea "a spa day" but I love a massage.
You'll be feeling better about your body and a lovely, relaxing massage to pamper it would certainly be an incentive for me.
Or a facial, if you prefer.
Good luck with November and well done for making the decision.

Well you'll need new clothes if you lose weight!

This is tough if food has always been a reward and you are used to regular rewards for just getting through life. Apart from anything else, cost wise there’s a difference (if you are used to a daily reward of a 70p chocolate bar, shifting to a £5 nail varnish or £15 lipstick isn’t going to work).

so you need a change of mindset around rewards. You don’t need rewards for getting through your work or to do list etc. instead think about occasional nice things like painting your nails or face masks, although these take much more time than eating a chocolate bar.

I had to be strict with myself about no daily treats to get through bad work days. (I also realised that I was often rewarding myself for not speaking my mind to a colleague I struggle with, managed to change a few things so now I only have to spend a full day with her one day a week and it’s insane how much easier it is not to reach for the biscuits at work!)

So start with why you need rewards.

A really hot new outfit!

I find that a decent dinner or sufficient carbs makes a difference to the evening. A salad dinner and I'm a biscuit queen!