Dump Food Rewards that Prevent Calories Loss and Slow Your Diet
Eating food as a way of rewarding yourself is a real challenge faced by many people who really want to experience permanent weight loss. For many years our social gatherings including birthdays, weddings, retirements and bar mitzvahs have all included a large component of eating and drinking. This celebration food is not always the kind that is ideal for losing weight and would rarely be found on a healthy calories loss menu.
You can probably think of a number of times when you took part in or even arranged some kind of celebration over recent months. In a world where so many of us work so hard, just surviving another week is cause for celebration but where does that leave those people who are overweight and genuinely want to shed unwanted fat? The secret to successfully losing weight without having to become a hermit and missing out on life's fun is important to discover fast.
Perhaps you treat yourself to dinner at a restaurant after a frantic project at work or you may have been exercising regularly and want to acknowledge the effort this has taken with a bowl of wedges and a beer. The problem with this is that while the idea of reward is OK, even worthwhile, if you do this with food your capacity to stay committed to a calories loss menu will diminish. To alter this kind of thinking, it is important that you recognize how you are undermining your healthy eating and find other ways to celebrate in your life.
Decide why you use food as a reward, whether it is a habit you have developed or if it comes from one of your family traditions. As soon as you understand why you reward yourself with food, you can take steps to modify your behavior, either alone or with the assistance of a therapist. Many of the attitudes we have towards food come from childhood when parents offered candy to kids to stop crying or to eat their vegetables.
Make a point of not rewarding yourself with food the next time you have cause to celebrate. Instead of celebrating an achievement at work, or a special event at home, instead of going for dinner, drinks or even coffee and cake, go shopping instead, pamper yourself with a spa treatment spa or even go to a movie or a play. Rewarding yourself with treats like these will help you feel pleased with yourself and you will have the added bonus of sticking with your calories loss diet and continuing to 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 locations for celebrations where food is not a temptation and potentially a way to sabotage your healthy eating and weight loss progress. There are many places where families and friends can celebrate without eating; beach volleyball on the beach, touch football in the park or surfing, body boarding, or even an afternoon at the ice skating rink are fun alternatives to a day of eating. If you set the trend of fun without food, you will probably be amazed at how your friends will be attracted to this idea.
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.