Weight Loss: Do Not Make Food A Reward

Living within your ideal weight range can help you stay healthy and well. Managing your weight over your lifetime can be difficult with hormonal changes happening, physical activity level changes, and the great taste of convenience foods. Be aware that you could be setting yourself up for failure if you are in the habit of using food to reward yourself.

This bad habit of rewarding accomplishments, fixing sad feelings or rewarding good behavior with food will mess with your weight and mess with your head.

When we reward ourselves with food or desserts we may be helping ourselves along the road to obesity.

Do not start this practice with your children and if you are in the habit of doing this for yourself STOP. This can set you up for and unhealthy relationship with food. Which in turn can play havoc with your weight.

According to the Yale Medical Group using food as a reward or as a punishment can undermine healthy eating habits.

Alternate reward options for adults:

Book a massage.
Learn a new skill: Take golf, dancing or piano lessons.
Treat yourself to a manicure or pedicure.
Treat yourself to a night out: a movie, play or concert.
Sleep in.
Pay someone else to do a chore for you: mow the lawn or clean the house.
Upgrade your phone plan.
Purchase improved craft or sport equipment.
Purchase a desired piece of clothing. Silk pajamas?

Alternate reward options for kids:

Extra screen time.
Getting to choose dinner.
Trip to the toy store.
Extra car privileges for those driving teens.
One on one time with Mom or Dad.
A new book.
Stickers.
Play date or sleepover.

Takeaway

Food should be chosen and eaten to fuel our bodies and help them work optimally. Good nutrition and a healthy view of food can help you maintain a healthy body weight for a lifetime.