A few months ago, my cousin told me that she really wanted to lose 15 pounds. She has an awesome trip to the Bahamas planned at the end of April, and she was really motivated to make some healthy changes. It made me happy to learn that she was determined to keep the weight off this time too.
So, in pursuit of her weight-loss goal, she began eating smaller portions of foods that filled her up. In addition, she made an effort to move around throughout the day (no more elevator rides to her office!) and started exercising 30 minutes on most days of the week.
About a month later, I went over to her apartment for a visit. She enthusiastically informed me that she had lost 5 pounds! Excited over her great progress, she suggested we celebrate over a bowl of Chocolate Devotion at the nearby Coldstone.
I congratulated her on the fantastic progress she had made, but quickly reminded her that an ice cream “reward” wasn’t exactly what she needed if she was going to stick with her goal. But, still proud of her weight loss, we brainstormed over what we could do to celebrate her accomplishment and yet not undo all of her hard work.
Using food as a crutch for when we feel stressed, lonely, happy and angry is what often contributes to extra weight in the first place. To avoid the urge to use food as a crutch, it’s important to identify different coping mechanisms beyond just eating. So, as a result of me and my cousin’s brainstorm session, here is a list of what makes us happy and doesn’t add calories. Best of all, they are inexpensive, calorie free and fun.
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Make a date and head to a matinee with a friend.
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Visit a big bookstore like Borders or Barnes and Nobel and grab a cup of coffee or tea while browsing all the new releases.
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If you listen to music when you exercise, create a new mix on a CD or an MP3 player to give yourself something to look forward to at your next workout.
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Learn how to cook a healthier version of your favorite meal from childhood. Look for “recipe makeovers” at sites like eatingwell.com and tasteofhome.com for ideas.
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Go sightseeing in your own town! Odds are you haven’t seen everything it has to offer so grab a camera and become a local tourist (just don’t wear black socks with your sandals!).
Need some more ideas for non-food rewards? Here are a few more great ideas. If you have any other ideas for me, please share! What do you do to celebrate when you’ve met a weight loss goal?
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