Day 20 Dieter Incentive Plans

The Procter & Gambles and Microsofts of the corporate world all have "Employee Recognition Programs" in place to reward stellar performers for jobs well done. These initiatives offer, obviously, salary increases, but also four star restaurant gift certificates, La Jolla getaways, or Steelers tickets. You may not be contributing revenue to a blue chip company ledger, but, believe me, you are enhancing your own bottom (and hip) line. And you, like strong performers in the business arena, need reward and affirmation for what you have accomplished to this point on The Plan.
As Weight In #3 draws near, you should be thinking about a reward, a little motivational perk that will keep your resolve firm and your eye on the prize. There must be dozens of items you've been putting off buying for yourself until you "lose the weight." We tell ourselves that "when we go down two sizes, we'll finally buy that medium black dress."
Don't wait until you lose all twenty pounds, get it now. You deserve it. You've been counting every speck of rice pilaf and pumping your butt off every day for nearly three weeks. Indulge yourself NOW, only not with calories.
In the day, when I attempted to "diet", I would mentally prepare a plan for my rewards, which always centered around high caloric, sweet masterpieces: bittersweet fudge sundaes, butterscotch pie, Snickerdoodles, by the dozen. How crazy is that? Picture me, standing trance-like, in front of the Dunkin Donuts bakery case, ogling all the goo filled dough pouches. As I stand there, with a glazed stare, I am tallying up all the French Crullers (170) I'm going to eat and all the Vanilla Bean Coolatas (440) I 'm going slurp up when I get off the "diet". Of course, I never stayed on a diet long enough to reach a goal, but it didn't really matter, I ate the "rewards" anyway.
I am through rewarding myself with food. On The Plan I can treat myself 24/7. I don't deprive myself with foods that previously I considered "food for thin people." Now, If I am craving Haagen Dazs Sticky Toffee Pudding ice cream, I am going to have a scoop or two. Food is no longer a reward. It's a part of everyday life.
I plan on rewarding myself with non food indulgences after each remaining Weigh In. Small things that will incite me to plow on when the first weeks of anticipation may begin to wane.
Do you remember your first lipstick? Mine came from Walgreen's. Probably a Maybelline, 40% off. But I wished it was a silver ridged, luxurious tube of Clinique sheer coverage, brilliant shine, vivid colour Copper shine. I could never resign myself to blowing fifteen bucks on pigmented bees wax when the kids needed new underwear or baseball cleats.
The crazy thing is I wouldn't splurge on something that made me feel GOOD, but I had no issues with splurging on something that made me feel really bad (four pints of Ben & Jerry's = 1 Clinique lipstick). Go figure.
Start planning your first reward, I know what mine will be.