Reward suggestions

[fire00f1y]

Hey everyone!

 

I'm coming up with a reward structure for my goals and I'm hitting a wall. My first thoughts were exactly the kind of thing I don't want: bad food, day off exercise, etc... Now I can only think of big rewards instead of smaller ones for smaller goals.

 

What are some examples of rewards you've given yourself for hitting goals? 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

NF gear when the online store was up, a lot of people use fitness gear as a positive motivator. 

[Kat Savage III]

Great topic, fire00f1y!

 

Before I get into my smaller rewards I think it's helpful if I say what my smaller goals are. These are the things like working out on a weekday, doing my finances once a week, not using salt at dinner, etc. To me, smaller goals are routines/habits that you have and bigger goals are things you are trying to accomplish (do a handstand, travel to Turkey, etc). Like you, I'm not so hot at finding good rewards for smaller goals, but here's what I use for rewards:

 

--Get to read a chapter of a book I'm reading (usually fiction, so it's less work and more fun)

--Get to check social media for 5 minutes

--Get to figure out a new recipe to try that excites me 

--Get to do something relaxing like lighting a candle or visiting my apartment's hot tub

--Get to do something fun, and that I enjoy, like 15 minutes of swimming, walking or shooting pool

--Get to read an inspiring article/motivational post that pumps me up. I lump reading NF articles and visiting the forums in this category

--Get to listen to music for 10 minutes (helps when I'm studying or doing something that involves concentration)

 

Hope this helps!

 

Kat

 

[fire00f1y]

Thanks for the response!

 

It actually made me think a lot more about how I live my life, as crazy as that may sound. All the things you listed are things I quite regularly so they wouldn't be rewards for me (except the hot tub :)). If there is any entertainment that I want to watch or play or whatnot, I just do so. This makes me think that controlling my free time (trend towards productivity rather than leisure) is going to be one of my biggest hurdles.

 

Plus, then I could use those as rewards!

 

Bryan

 

[calanthrophy]

If the only rewards you can think of are big ones, give yourself "points" for meeting small goals. Once you get X points you get big reward Y.

[Anim07734]

What about rewards for progressing to a new exercise?  Things like "I'm ready to start training pullups, so I'll get a doorway pullup bar." 

 

I just got some gymnastic rings so I can work on dips more consistently.

[Luds]

...  for me it's cheap(ish) t-shirts. obscure bands (Slomatics, Mantar..) or tv/movie stuff (Initech, Tyrell Corp. logos), things i normally wouldn't buy "cause it ain't sensible".

...buying the next size down, if i feel like getting on my own nerves

[IslandGirl_Becks]

I like "temptation bundling" to incentivize things I don't want to do. For example, great podcasts are reserved for listening to while I work out. For big goals, I'm with @Tanktimus the Encourager, it's workout gear! New running shoes  for doing my PT every day for a month? Yes, please!

[Lydiechan]

On 10/4/2016 at 3:01 PM, fire00f1y said:

What are some examples of rewards you've given yourself for hitting goals? 

 

Massage!  Granted, that's a "big" one.  For small ones, I basically give myself a pat on the back.  One of the NF members does stickers on a calendar - and I think that's a good way to see your progress.

 

Remind yourself that your "reward" is that you feel and look better when you're taking care of your body.  I read a great quote the other day:

 

I exercise because I love my body, not because I hate it.

 

Made a big change to how I thought about my work out sessions.

[Wobbegong]

On 10/4/2016 at 5:57 PM, fire00f1y said:

Thanks for the response!

 

It actually made me think a lot more about how I live my life, as crazy as that may sound. All the things you listed are things I quite regularly so they wouldn't be rewards for me (except the hot tub :)). If there is any entertainment that I want to watch or play or whatnot, I just do so. This makes me think that controlling my free time (trend towards productivity rather than leisure) is going to be one of my biggest hurdles

 

I think it's a great idea to take stock of the "pleasurable" things in you're life to which you currently have unfettered access. (So good I might just adopt it myself.) Discipline is a big issue for a lot of people, myself included, and setting boundaries for yourself is a great practice no matter what your circumstances are.

 

Plus, once you've weaned yourself off of a free time standard (watching TV, hanging out on tumblr/facebook/reddit/whatever, eating candy), when you engage in your limited access reward time you might begin to realize it's actually just a time sink and you don't really need it in your life at all. 

[JonWalter]

When I have hit my goals I like to have a treat, it may be some fruit or a shake.There's no point in knocking yourself out with exercise, if you can't reward yourself now and again.

[Irroxin]

I don't really have small goals, but I have a big one: when I reach 280lbs, I'm going to get my first tattoo. I am 25 lbs down and I have 20 to go. I'm scared to get a tattoo but I've always wanted a Legend of Zelda tat, and it is some great motivation for me to reach that goal. 

[Juni0r83]

So I've been struggling with rewards to motivate me to actually achieve my goals. But, I've done more this challenge than I have in probably the last 3 challenges combined by adding a monetary reward to each challenge item (for instance, I need cardio, for every burpee workout I do, I earn $2.5). This is particularly effective for me because I really want (but don't actually need) good coaching, but can't traditionally afford it. The monetary reward then gets added to a savings account that will hopefully one day be able to pay for some coaching services at some point or other.

[LondonIrishEwok]

Cool (nerdy) T shirts? New kettlebell? Concert tickets?

 

I also hear bowties are cool. ;-)

[Mary K]

I like to reward myself with new clothes or playing my favorite video game. I tend to get lost in games and spend HOURS on my bum which is not good. So when I do exercise, I treat myself to something like that. I recently reached a small goal and so I bought myself a new shirt for the fall and binged out on some video games yesterday. 

[Juni0r83]

On 8/27/2017 at 9:21 AM, LondonIrishEwok said:

Cool (nerdy) T shirts? New kettlebell? Concert tickets?

 

I also hear bowties are cool. ;-)

I've tried things like this in the past. I discovered that: 

1) I need new shirts occaisionally, whether I've earned them or not, and if I'm buying shirts, they're going to be cool and nerdy. 

2) If there is a piece of fitness equipment that I want, eventually I will justify it's purchase whether I've earned it or not.

3) Concerts are awesome, and everyone should go to more whether they've earned them or not.

 

They all seemed like good ideas when I started out, but somewhere along the way it all got lost when I decided I needed it, and thus waiting to earn it didn't make sense.

 

Bowties however, are cool, and it's kind of hard to claim that you actually 'need' more. Except that we all probably do need more bowties in our lives.

[LondonIrishEwok]

Get things when you need them, but get an extra one or a fancier one when you've earned it. Regardless of when you last replaced something because you had to.

 

Also make achieving goals the only "justification" you'll accept.

 

It's not about denying yourself anything, unless you're going full Spartan, it's about acknowledging and rewarding a tough job done well.

 

P.S. if you've got bow ties, consider a fez. Fezs are cool too ;-)

[Juni0r83]

Yeah, its the self discipline thing that I find doesn't really work out so well. My current method is working though. I'm saving for two objectives (one for my wife's benefit, and the other for my own). So currently I put $50 per fortnight away for those two objectives, and set myself some goals. If I achieve all of the goals, I get all of the money. For every goal I miss, that money gets added to the objective for my wife. In this way it fixes that self discipline issue. I need the money for both, but would prefer to pay for my own objective more. In this way whether I succeed or fail, I still achieve a savings outcome and feel less inclined to cheat the system and just keep all the savings for myself. 

 

Key point: discover and acknowledge personal limitations, find a way to work within those limitations to achieve success anyway.

[PayShi]

Hey. Great topic and loving to see what people are using as their loot... here's my current 8 week loot plan.  It comes off extremely materialistic...lol but some of the stuff I actually need like new clothing, a new hoodie, and socks... also might help keep me from buying random stuff I want just cos' I want it... now I need to earn it.

 

Work Out Goals

• If I complete 3 workouts every week for 2 weeks, I will buy a new workout outfit from Torrid.
• If I complete 3 workouts every week for 4 weeks, I will buy a new pair of tennis shoes.
• If I complete 3 workouts every week for 6 weeks, I will buy a new workout outfit from Torrid.
• If I complete 3 workouts every week for 8 weeks, I will buy a new workout outfit from Torrid.

Healthy Eating Goals

• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 1 week, I will buy myself Antihero on steam.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 2 weeks, I will buy 2 packs of new socks, and throw out all of my old ones.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 3 weeks, I will buy a new hoodie for fall.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 4 weeks, I will go get a massage.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 5 weeks, I will buy this waterbottle I want.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 6 weeks, I will go see a movie in theaters.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 7 weeks, I will buy this for my car.
• If I eat healthy, whole foods for 8 weeks, I will buy myself a Smart Watch/Fitbit.

[GregT.]

I am just starting but for small goals and trying to stay healthy how about things like take yourself to a movie, or some other venue that you can put off doing until you complete a small challenge.  Buying new workout gear or clothing is good but sometimes you need that stuff anyway.  I would hate to see someone wait for new underpants because they had an order of French fries.     If it is going to be a quick goal, 2 weeks or so, look for a concert you want to attend and make attendance dependent on completing the goal.  Do not buy tickets until you complete.  Or maybe if the new blockbuster is coming out, same thing.  If you enjoy the outdoors, book a nice sunset cruise on lake, river or ocean.  treat yourself to a fun drive through the mountains etc.

 

  I'm trying to figure out what to do as well, but one of my goals is to get out and do things with actual people, so movies and karaoke are things I avoided before but now am trying to force myself to go. 

 

 Just remember TANSTAAFL!

[Juni0r83]

4 hours ago, GregT. said:

TANSTAAFL!

 

Damn loonies. 

[GregT.]

Just Throw Rocks at them.  the Earth Worms won't know what hit them right Myke? 

 

  Wish I had thought to make my Name Adam Selene.

[farflight]

When I started out, I guess you'd say the biggest reward was not dying and not being in constant pain.

 

As far as material/experiential rewards go, I think I'm more in line wit Junior83, if its something I need, or really really (rarely happens) want I tend to just get it or wait for a birthday/holiday. I tend to live a pretty spartan existence when it comes to materials (granted, I did, literally squeal when I found my pressure cooker at goodwill for $7).

 

In looking back over the years of weight loss and the year of actually exercising, I've realized the the TRUE rewards are in saved time and energy expenditure. Now that I'm not lugging around 80+ lbs of weight, I can cut the grass (front and back) in just under an hour with little-no break. I can clean and get shit done without having to stop, I can go on long hikes (just did a 7.4 mile at fort pillow 2 weeks ago), and I just feel better. 

 

I guess it depends on how you live your life (again, I tend to "save" big things for birthdays and holidays because I suck at generating lists for my family). Just be sure that as you continue through your goals that the activity itself becomes the reward. If you always working FOR something, if that something goes away, you could face discouragement and start failing to achieve your goals.