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Five Ways to Reward Yourself and
Lose Weight
Constance Weygandt
We are a society who eats, not only for nourishment, but for a variety
of emotional reasons. Some of those emotions are sadness, fatigue,
nervousness, boredom or stress. Another reason we eat is for the reward.
We’ve had a bad day and now we deserve that ice cream, brownie, etc.
While the optimal solution would be to retrain our minds to think of
food as only nourishment, it is not a practical one.
The following are simple
steps, that taken together or individually, will allow us to indulge our
emotions without adding to our waistlines.
1. Analyze your
weakness and control portions. Some of us favor sweets, others comfort
food and still others are major meat eaters. Find your preference and
whatever it is, cut your normal portion in half. Keep the number of
portions the same, one small bar of candy instead of one large bar.
2. Go out to
indulge. Don’t keep snack food in the house. If you really want that
donut, ice cream, etc., go to the store and buy one serving. This helps
to stop the reflexive hand- to- mouth action of immediate gratification.
If you really want that treat and are willing to stop what you are
doing to go and get it, then I say “Go for it.”
3. Have a hot
drink with a sweet. Snuggling up with a warm cup of tea or decaf coffee
is relaxing itself. Have your sweet with a warm drink and enjoy the
feeling of relaxation. This can also be a help in controlling the number
of snacks eaten.
4. Set a specific
place and time for rewards. Don’t grab your snacks on the run. Don’t
eat in front of the TV. Do find a quiet place at a time of day when you
can savor your treat. If you are going to choose those calories, make it
worthwhile.
5. Tell yourself
that you can have it. If you focus on what you cannot have, you are
focused on what you cannot have. This is self-defeating.
There are times when we
overindulge. During the holidays, for example, we are surrounded by a
cornucopia of goodies everywhere we turn. If you overindulge, you are
not alone. Move on. Stay guilt free. Guilt only leads to such emotions
as sadness, self-loathing, anger, fatigue and stress. Now we are back
where we began, emotional eating. When you follow one or more of these
steps, keep in mind that a reward is something that we give to ourselves
because we feel that we deserve it or have earned it. It is not a habit.
Constance Weygandt is an
Author and Balance Mentor who specializes in seeking a balanced approach
to good health. For more information or to receive Constance's
newsletter visit her website at
www.balancedwellnessonline.com
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