How many times have you thought..."If I lose 20lbs, I'll reward myself with a big chocolate cupcake or a fancy dinner at my favorite restaurant!" During the Grace and Strength Program, it is not uncommon to lose 10-15lbs each month!*  So, you'll want to ensure that you have rewards ready for when you lose the weigh fast.

When you work hard enough to lose any amount of weight, what is the point of rewarding yourself with something unhealthy that will just make you feel guilty and defeated?!

During your journey with Grace and Strength, we encourage you find non-food rewards to weight loss. It's a great idea to set short term and long term goals depending on how much weight you need to lose. Since you will lose weight fast, you may want to come up with these rewards towards the beginning of your journey. Say for instance, set small semi cheap or free rewards for each 10lbs lost. Good examples are spending some time in a coffee shop (with an approved beverage) reading a good book, invest in a prayer journal or new devotion book, find a quiet nook to relax, buy a new nail polish, get together with a good friend, buy a new outfit or buy a new fancy water cup!

Set bigger goals based on how much you have to lose. For instance, set goals for each 20 or 30 lbs lost. It's also a great idea to set a reward for halfway to goal and once you reach goal. Some great ideas for larger goals could include: getting a mani/pedi, getting a massage, getting a new haircut or color, getting a few new outfits in a smaller size, buying new workout clothes, buying new undergarments (if you've lost enough....you'll totally understand this one!), scheduling a vacation or buying a new wardrobe.

The possibilities are endless!! Your rewards can be as simple or as creative as you want. I've heard of new moms making deals with the hubby. After 10lbs, dad would get up in the middle of the night to take care of the little one!!

Or

an end reward could be parasailing for the first time together as husband and wife...instead of going separately due to weight limits!

Or

Taking the kids to an amusement park and actually being able to ride the rides WITH the kids!!

Or

Having a photo shoot as the new healthy you!!

Start making a list of non-food rewards and prioritize them based on your goals. Make the final goal BIG and important to you! Use this blog to post your reward ideas in the comment section. Making goals are important to your success. Rewarding yourself for a job well done is important, but make sure to reward yourself the right way!!!

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* Individual results may vary.