How do you reward yourself?

I know that small rewards at the end of the week or after a good weigh in are always a good thing, but I can never think of any appropriate ones (other than food... ugh).  I don't have too much of a budget either as we're trying to save like every one but I know little rewards are too important in success to skip.  I'd love to hear what you use to treat yourself after accomplishing a goal for the week!

~mrsg~

I don't have any tangible rewards set up, but I do have a pair of jeans that I couldn't zip up when I started this whole thing.  I try them on every single week.  Now I can slip them on and zip them right up without a thought. 

I am searching my wardrobe this weekend for one size smaller (we usually have them, something we can't let go of even though it doesn't fit anymore) and I am going to start using that as my gauge.  You would be amazed how awesome it feels to put on something that you haven't been able to wear for years, or a size you haven't fit into for ages.  It is better than money, it is better than food.

I bought "new" jeans and work pants from Goodwill (I don't count it as a treat...since I needed them)

I did get a necklace and bag I have been wanting :) 

Get yourself a piggy bank that has to be busted to open.  Then every week you have a good weigh-in put something in the piggy bank, say a dollar.  Then when you reach your goal, bust it open.

I used to go clothes shopping/shoe/make up shopping.

Probably not the best idea, but I treat myself with an extra piece of good dark chocolate when I reach a goal. That being said, I have a piece of good dark chocolate nearly everyday, so it has to be REALLY good dark chocolate!! Haha I need a new reward...

I treat myself with some cosmetics. Last time it was nail polish.

I buy books!

If you can find a place that isn't too expensive I think a massage is a great reward.
Extremely relaxing, great for the mind (good time to think and reflect) and also keeps you in touch with your body.
I got a voucher for a 1hr massage for my birthday last month and I'm using it as a motivation to loose around 6-7 pounds...once I've lost that I'll go get it =)

I totally do the same thing as teenabobeena! Just last night I excavated a few things out of storage in the basement - things that haven't remotely been a possibility for over ten years, but now can at least go over the hips.  May the Weekly Zippering Game now begin!

I also have a 'mini-goal'  plan that I've been using (and occasionally revising) since starting this many many pounds ago  - feel free to take a look on my profile page - I really do try to celebrate and acknowledge every few pounds. Some are totally free little rituals, like packing up too big clothes or taking new pics at milestones. Others are cheap rewards, like ordering a couple of new ITunes for running, or once ordering a healthy cooking magazine -- basically things that are tied to healthy new habits.   

Good luck and absolutely give yourself little rewards regularly throughout this --even if they are more mental rewards than physical things!!

I have to agree with tina's post too.  Nothing is better than having the pants that I couldn't even get up at the beginning of the year just glide up over my hips.  It helps to have a nice range of smaller clothes to move into.

Admittedly I'll treat myself to a nice dinner out if I've done well all week, but this undoes all the good for the week :/  I've sworn off dining out for the time being!  

Love the thrifts too.  There's always some treasure to be found :)

I go to the cosmetics counters at dept stores. They love to have 'warm bodies' to work on and I like to try new looks on.  Plus, it's FREE!!!!

In my life my best reward is 'time to myself!'.  Means dusting off all those bottles of bath oils and other smelly stuff that I get every Christmas and put in a drawer, dig out a good old paperback, light a few tealights (thank you IKEA) and having a wallowy over-long soak in the bath followed by self-indulgent exfoliating, moisturising, foot-scraping, eyebrow plucking... to emerge gorgeous and invigorated. (Goes without saying that it's instant disembowelling for anyone that interrupts...)

When I initially lost a lot of weight a few years ago I treated myself to an overnight stay at Champneys health spa.  Now that was expensive but it was really worth every penny.   I've promised myself that if I'm the same weight Summer 2010 I will repeat the exercise because that will be 5 years of successful maintenance.

I took a huge page of grid paper and made my own line graph... old school.... pencil and ruler.  It actually took more than one page since I wanted it to be a BIG graph.  The Y-axis ranges from about 5 or 10 lbs below my goal weight to about 10 lbs above my starting weight (*tell ya why in a minute).  Each block is 1 lb so that a measley pound or two per week REALLY shows up!  The X-axis ranges in time from my starting time to my goal weight (which is aaaaaaall the way out to next June!  That seems to be a realistic time frame to expect to loose 35 lbs) and is calibrated so that each block is one week.  Every Friday I get the pleasure of pulling out my pen and marking a dot on my homemade graph, which is posted on the wall in my bathroom. 

Doing it this way is so much more gratifying than seeing it on a computer or just knowing in your mind that you've lost weight.  It's a visual.  It's tangible!  (Ever read that book called The Secret?  An awesome read for when you're trying to loose weight... but I digress.) 

*I learned to make my Y-axis overshoot my starting and finishing weight through trial and error.  My first graph had my starting weight at the waaaaay top of the page.  I'd gained a couple pounds at the beginning of my road and was horrified to see that I was "off the charts".  This was murder on my self-esteem!  So then I had to make another graph bc taping another piece of graph paper at the top would just remind me of my failure!  As for overshooting my goal weight... well, anything is possible!

-Sherry

I bought a motivator outfit - Which happens to be for work and not even for going out. I work in a hospital and haven't been able to wear just Large Shirts and medium pants in a while. I could squeeze into them at 190, but at 180, my first goal weight, I know they'll fit.

I only spent 30 bucks on the set of scrubs and since I needed new scrubs I kind of snuck it in as a motivating reward

I'm hoping that when I reach third goal (155) even a large shirt and medium pants will look too big. By the time that happens I'll need  a new set of scrubs again anyway

I like to buy a new magazine or download a new song off itunes, so it's something I can also use when I workout!

The last time I hit a goal, I went to the library in the afternoon, checked out a good book, went to the park at sat there and read it from beginning to end. A peaceful afternoon in the park, plus I burned some calories walking around the lake.

My first goal was to lose 10 pounds and when I achieved that I bought new workout clothes. When I lose 5 more pounds I'm getting a massage. I love the other suggestions here and plan to use many of them.

One time I went on a weight loss plan and rewarded myself every week that I lost something, no matter how small, by buying a rose.  When they started to dry I hung them up to dry fully and at the end I had a nice bouquet of dried roses in the best vase to remind me of how many weeks I had been successful. 

The massage idea is really nice too if you can afford it.  If you live near a school that trains massage therapists, find out if they have a reduced schedule for therapists-in-training.

Love all the ideas here!

Sometimes I do reward myself with food - but more "expensive" but healthy ones!  Raspberries that are out of season; some especially nice mixed nuts; a lucious piece of salmon; a new box of great tea. 

But yes, sometimes I new work out outfit or piece of clothing, so I have something to fit into. 

A new lipstick or eye shadow.

The reward of what I see in the mirror is the best reward of all, but that takes time!!!! 

I like to reward myself by treating my husband to a movie of his choice -- after reaching a goal, it makes both of us feel good!