Best Ways To Reward Yourself For Losing Weight

Sticking to a healthy lifestyle can be hard work. Resisting office treats and Friday night cocktails is sometimes worthy of an award in self-control. Okay, no one is getting to step up on a podium for saying no to a few muffins, but some are getting paid.

A new study, published in the journal Social Science and Medicine found that those who participated in a cash reward weight loss program were shed twice as much weight after four months than those who did not have a cash incentive.

Unfortunately, getting cash for losing weight isn’t a mainstream project (sadly), here are a few other ways you can reward yourself for your hard work.

Workout clothes

Getting a new pair of workout leggings can make you more likely to get a workout in, so use this as motivation. If you have weight loss plans, reward yourself with an awesome pair of workout pants when you drop a size. The more pairs of cute leggings you own, the more you’ll want to show them off.

Kitchen scales

Portion control is a very effective and praised method of losing weight. In the last 20 years alone, our portion sizes have doubled and the ‘must finish everything’ mentality contributes to many people’s weight gain.

Rewarding yourself with scales will not only be great for your kitchen décor, but you’ll be more likely to keep losing the weight by actively controlling of what and how much you eat.

– RELATED: 7 Healthy Snack Tips To Help You Hit Your Goals –

A gym membership

If you started your weight loss journey at home and have been successful, well done! Working out from home can be tough as many people lack the motivation to stay focused in a comfortable environment.

In fact, a study from Iowa State University found that gym members were 14 times aerobically active than non-members. So, if you’ve started to see results and want to push your fitness to the next level, it might be time to get a gym membership.

A yoga mat

Getting hot and sweaty is amazing for weight loss, but according to research from the journal Qualitative Health Research, women who practised yoga at-home saw a reduction in binge eating after 12 weeks which resulted in some major inches lost from their waist. Hit another target? Reward yourself with a yoga mat and spend some time getting your ommmmm on.

A bike

Spend your morning commute stuck in traffic? Investing in a bike may be a great way to satisfy your reward system and improve your overall health.

Reports suggest the average person loses 13lbs in their first year of commuting by bike. Add these stats to your already active lifestyle and you could reap the fitness rewards and save on gas money as well.

Your favorite food

Restricting your diet can be difficult to stick to in the long term, especially if all you want is a slice of pizza rather than a slice of apple. This is why cheat meals exist.

The psychological effects of cheat days have been shown to help improve your chances of sticking to a diet in the long term. Furthermore, by accepting cheat meals as a part of your diet, you’ll be less likely to slip into a cheat week.