I’m not a big reader…wait I should rephrase that…I’m a picky reader. I don’t often read for pleasure. Yet, when I find a book that sparks my interest, I have a hard time putting it down. Most of the books I read have something to do with cooking, personal development, or fitness. Recently, a friend recommended Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin. I must admit I was a little skeptical because my friend is a huge reader/writer and well, me not so much. But, I was glued to the pages the minute I picked it up.
Better Than Before is all about habit formation. How we form habits, why we form them, how we stick to them or don’t, and the benefit of having habits. I love habits. I love everything about them. I love making them and I love the challenge of keeping them. It’s no wonder that I found this book intriguing from the get go.
Something that stuck with me was the idea of rewarding one’s self for keeping a good habit. I see this all the time in the fitness world, the idea of allowing yourself to have a “cheat meal” once a week. This can be detrimental to those trying to lose weight since it’s common for one “cheat” to lead to another. I’m a firm believer in training the mind to think differently, which Gretchen touches on in her book.
Rather than thinking of an entire meal as a cheat, simply change it to a TREAT. The difference is that "cheats" tend to make us feel guilty about our decisions. After you have that high-sugar, high-fat meal, you’re left with the feeling of remorse. On the other hand, if you think of enjoying a treat you are speaking to yourself in positive terms. Also, a treat is something you’ve earned - another positive affirmation. The key though, is to make sure that you don’t turn your treat into a habit. What makes a treat so rewarding is that we know if we accomplish our goals, we allow ourselves to have this one thing. The minute we start enjoying a “treat” regularly it loses its magic. Once the magic is gone, your treat no longer works as a source of inspiration.
So next time you think of rewarding yourself: don't cheat, do it with a treat. Instead of having an entire meal made up of unhealthy choices, indulge in small dessert. Instead of ending a month of savvy spending with a shopping spree, only buy one item you’ve been eyeing. Treats are a wonderful basis for motivation…in moderation.