5 Tips to Avoid Food Rewards and Stay on Your Calories Loss Diet
A very common problem that stops people from successful weight loss is using food as a reward. For adults, almost all social activity revolves around food or drink so it is easy to associate food with celebration. Generally the cake, cookies and ice cream we eat at celebrations and wash down with equally celebratory champagne is not the type of food that we would include on a calories loss diet in a serious effort to regain our healthy body.
Did you win a big contract at work that the boss will probably take you out to lunch to celebrate? Do you have an important anniversary coming up when your spouse will probably make reservations at a nice restaurant? As there always seems to be a reason to celebrate in our lives, it is not surprising then that people use food to reward themselves for accomplishments.
Maybe you reward yourself for working out every day with a milkshake or a beer at the end of the week or you think that since you have been really good about watching what you eat all week you can have cake on Saturday. The trouble is, all these extra calories and small treats add up fast, and you can sabotage your calories loss diet by using food as a reward. If you really want to change these associations and behaviors, you need to acknowledge your natural disposition to reward your self with food and re-program yourself to celebrate in other ways.
Determine what causes you to reward yourself with food, and in particular where this behaviour originated. Childhood is often the source of life long attitudes to eating especially if your parents used food high in calories like candy or ice-cream as a reward for acceptable behaviours that may have included eating other healthier foods! After you have established why you use food rewards, you will be in a better position to change this behavior either independently or with the help of a health professional.
Consciously decide NOT to reward yourself with food as part of your next celebration and replace the food and champagne at a dinner evening with rewards of a different non-calorie kind. There are plenty to choose from so go to a museum or a gallery, take an afternoon nap, take an art class or even take an extra long, hot bubble bath. Choices like these provide a reward especially tailored for you and allow you to continue with your calories loss diet and successfully lose weight.
Choose rewards that last for longer than the time it takes to eat a meal as long-term rewards assist to extend your celebration and help you feel good about yourself over an extended time. Stay committed to your calories loss eating plan as well as your exercise routine and include in as part of these, special treats like buying a new lipstick or eye shadow, a new pair of shoes or piece of software or even going to the travel agent and get brochures to plan a special vacation. It doesn’t take long to find a store that has products and staff who want to pamper you so head in the direction of a Wellness clinic for a facial and makeover or a manicure and a pedicure and know that you are going to enjoy these for much longer than a meal.
Find places for celebrations near you that are not restaurants even if this requires some changes in your thinking because most of our lives revolve largely around eating and drinking. Instead of restaurants find places where the focus is more on what you do rather than what you eat and play golf, go bowling, take in a play, go to a movie or take part in any entertainment that do not focus on food. You will be surprised about how others you know will enjoy the prospect of fun without wall to wall food and drink.
Limit your participation at functions where food is a central part of the festivity as this will involve you eating food and is likely to slow your weight loss success. Consistently avoiding these events is not always possible but if you are the bridesmaid at your sister’s wedding or the MC at a corporate function make sure that you enjoy the people at the event or the entertainment there rather than the food. Take special note of the food on offer and carefully select dishes that are closest to your calories loss menu and will help you reach the goal you have set yourself for a new look and healthier life.
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