Rewards and Motivation

They (weight loss experts) say it's good to set up small rewards for yourself along the way, to keep you motivated.  My big reward is a tropical vacation (not to mention my health, a longer life, more fun with my kids and husband, etc.).  I haven't been this excited about something in a long time.. that vacation seems to really motivate me.  Every time I want to eat something naughty, or sit on my behind and not exercise, I think, "Is it worth delaying my vacation?"

So I've come up with awards at 25 pound increments along the way.  I thought I'd share them with you.. and I need an idea or two from you, because I've found that I don't really know myself all that well.  Here goes.

1. When I get under 300 pounds, I get to go on an overnight getaway with my best friend Angie.  Don't know where we'll go yet, but that'll be part of the fun--planning the getaway.  So we don't even get to start planning until I am at most 299.

2. Under 250 pounds, I get to go on a weekend getaway with Ricco.  No kids, no animals, no internet, limited phone access.. just us, somewhere for 2 nights.  I'm thinking somewhere in the mountains.  Maybe the same place we went on our honeymoon.  It was a little place along the Blue Ridge Parkway called Doe Run Lodge.

3. Under 200 pounds, we're going to Carowinds.  I haven't been able to go on a roller coaster in years because I've been too big, and I LOVE roller coasters.  So this is one I'm really looking forward to.  I could probably go at 225, but I don't want to chance being told that I don't fit, so I'm waiting until 200.

4. At 175, my goal weight, I'm going on a tropical vacation.  I've already talked about this one, so I won't bore you with the details again.

So, as you can see, I don't have any rewards planned for 275 or 225.  I don't want a shopping spree to be one of the rewards; because that's just something I'm going to have to do anyway. 

I was thinking about 225 to be go skating.  I loved to skate back in the day.  I wasn't that great, but I enjoyed it.  Now, it's too dangerous for me, though.  I could easily break a bone if I fell because of my weight.  I think 225 could be a good goal for that, but I may still be too heavy.

But first, I need to come up with something for 275.  That's the milestone coming before 225.  I haven't been that small in nearly 10 years.  I was 250 when I got pregnant with Avery.  I gained 42 pounds with her.  I lost 20 the day I had her, and then lost even more when I had my gallbladder taken out a few months later.  I definitely got down to my pre-pregnancy weight after that.  I don't know when I went back up, but I'm sure it wasn't too much longer.  It's all a blur -- I was too busy working and taking care of Avery, and not myself.  Then I was working overnights, sleeping crazy hours and planning a wedding.  I don't even know how much I weighed when I got married.  Isn't that silly?

So, send me your suggestions.  Things you know that I used to like to do, but haven't been able to because of my weight, or because of my lack of motivation and self-esteem.  I'm hoping I'll get to the 275 pound milestone by Christmas this year, so we've got some time.

BTW: writing this blog has helped me see what words and phrases I use way too often.  One of them is the word "so".  I'll try to stop using it so freely. :)