I was just reading the "how often do you cheat" thread and got to wondering how other people reward themselves (or plan to reward themselves) for reaching goals (little and big!). Here are a few of mine:

1. Bake a low-carb dessert - I don't usually make low-carb desserts because I try to avoid artificial sugars so this is a great "little" goal reward.
2. Workout clothes - does double duty because in order to actually wear the workout clothes, I have to work out!
3. Any clothes at all! I can't believe I'm starting to enjoy clothes shopping again.
4. Buy a full-length mirror - we don't have one. This is my reward for getting to goal weight.
5. Yoga - this is my reward for surviving the week.

I'd love to hear what other people do!

Lisa

My reward will be the Atkins cruise to the Carribean in April - and all the new smaller sized clothes I will have to buy!

My reward for hitting 239 will be a clothing binge. I'll have to buy new clothes anyway, because the ones I have now are already starting to hang on me. (Stretch jeans really shouldn't be baggy, should they?)

My rewards:

1) every 10 lbs, a bottle of Opi Nail Polish .... love that stuff
2) those big goals, S-h-o-p-p-i-n-g. At 30 lbs I over did it.... Boyfriend is scared of what I might do at 50 It can be anything, perfume, clothing, SHOES! I will never reward myself with food. Figure if I'm going to have something I'm going to have it and deal with the consequences. I've been safe so far. whew.

Nat

Nat - at 50 pounds, shop til you drop. Just remember to come home with lots of new lingerie... betcha he won't complain too much.

*lol* he asked me the other day when he could start buying me that stuff!

I think i'll hold off on the clothing for a while... I'm an admitted clothing horse... 3 bedroom house and while I lived there alone I occupied every closet in the place Of course one can never have too many shoes

N

I unfortunately still reward myself with food (for major goals anyway). I got in the habit of doing it because if I ever cheated on my previous attempts I would instantly quit with double load of mega guilt with a side hopelessness. Since, I believe its impossible to never ever eat some of the things I used to love again, its important to prove to myself that I can get back on the wagon, and heck. . . after not having one for four months, an oreo blizzard is enough to make a grown man weep.

For minor goals I like to buy myself things (books, tae-kwon do gear etc.)

I keep trying to tell my friends that my rewards would seem more. . well. . .rewarding if they came from someone else. . .but. . . they aren't buying it.

Mike

I echo the clothing rewards ... that's a natural consequence to the loss of inches and great incentive .... don't even have to feel guilty about it!

I don't reward with food because it defeats the point -- I had allowed myself a peice of cake on my daughter's birthday -- and believe it or not, it wasnt' THAT good -- much too sweet! Besides that it put me into the "cravings" again for a few days.

No ... my big reward is a trip back to Guatemala to clime the mountain I was unable to this past summer. Minor goals -- doing something special, clothes, a day off, I especailly like the lingerie idea :-), and I've even been known to buy myself flowers.

When I lost the first 50 pounds I bought jewellery. At 70 pounds, new clothing. I don't think of the stuff as rewards though, I think of them as physical markers for landmarks in my life.

Karen

Boy I really need to get my act together! I don't reward myself, or I haven't yet anyway. (BTW, I reached 40 lbs. lost today, WOOHOO!) I guess it just feels like the loss itself is the ultimate reward, seeing those numbers dropping, and my clothes getting looser. It sure wouldn't hurt though, to buy myself some pretties....lol.

Wendy

WTG Wendy!!! I think you deserve some pretties too

Nat

Thanks Nat! I'll tell my husband that you gave me permission to go shopping....LOL! Think he'll buy it?

Wendy

I just thought of another way I reward myself. I have recently fallen into the CGI art world. Models, meshes and textures can be reeeeeeally expensive. I think I'm going to reward myself with a new model or mesh when I hit a certain weight.

Woohoo! I feel more motivated already!

In case you're interested, here are some samples of my work (kindly hosted by Awol's Poser Gallery, with permission)

Into the Light

Vara of the Canyons

1st Day of School

Between the software and the models and textures, we're talking a few hundred dollars I spent on these three pics alone. I can't afford clothes for myself.

Me love new clothes

All the years of shopping for others, or spending my time in the grocery stores buying carbs and more carbs.

Clothes is much more fun

If he doesnt tell him to come talk to me