Two thirds of Americans are struggling with excess weight or obesity. If you are one of them, do you find yourself saying things like: "When I lose weight, I'll treat myself to new clothes" or "When I lose weight, I'll treat myself to a huge ice-cream sundae as a reward." Many years ago, when I was trying to lose weight, those thoughts raced through my mind. You can change those thoughts like I did.
Let us take the first comment, "When I lose weight, I'll treat myself to new clothes." It wasn't until I realized that I had to love and accept myself right where I was, that the weight began to melt off my body. I dressed myself to look great at the weight I was at the moment. The clothes fit. They were bright and attractive. I got compliments on how I looked even with those extra pounds. This helped boost my self-confidence and encouraged me to stay on track.
Let us look at the second comment, "When I lose weight, I'll treat myself to a huge ice-cream sundae as a reward." Are we really rewarding ourselves when we put sugar-laden foods into our body? Well no -- not if we want to keep the weight off. We need to get the sugar out for a whole host of health reasons including weight loss and maintenance. If we lose weight and then reward ourselves with treats, aren't we setting ourselves up for a yo-yo weight loss program where we lose then gain weight? Plus, sugar is addictive and eating it only makes it more desirable. I recommend you take sugar out of your diet at every opportunity. Sure, we may slip up at times and give in to its seductiveness but then get back on track. Find alternatives to sugar-laden foods.
My next point is very IMPORTANT. Do not use food as reward. I dislike it when teachers in schools use junk foods for reward. It is TEACHING bad habits. And when you learn about how harmful junk foods are to our bodies, you can see that it really is an awful gift -- well meaning, but misinformed. Find NON-FOOD rewards that are fun to do or make us feel happy. A toy, an inspirational quote on a bookmark or plaque, the gift of time or knowledge, a gift certificate to a museum or movie are just a few ideas. There are many options.
If you need to have some sort of food as a reward or as part of a celebration, make a healthy choice. Choose a big watermelon at a picnic. Bring a few bags of oranges or apples to school to celebrate your child's birthday. Make a beautiful cut-fruit tray. Make carrot or zucchini muffins. I make mine with almond flour. They are tasty and nutritious.
So, remember.... Make the best of your looks right now at whatever weight you are. Work on loving yourself as you are. Feed your body nourishing foods. Reward yourself and those you care about with thoughtful non-food gifts. Work to break the tie between food and reward. If you must have a food reward, make it healthy.
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