Reward / Punishment = not playing that any more

Oct 02, 2012

I replied to a forum post here: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/VSG/4573780/How-do-you-reward-yourself/ that I did not reward myself for any moment of this journey.

Back in the days of my crazy eating it was all about reward and punishment. I would reward myself for, well, just about everything, with eating or shopping or both. Unfortunately punishment is the flip side of that coin and I was BRUTAL. Starve, binge, starve, binge. Being "good" by having a salad for lunch meant that I could get that death by chocolate dessert with dinner. That of course deserved punishment so there was no eating for two days. On and on and on.

What I'm doing now is what is normal. It is not special. It does not need to be rewarded other than by the natural progression of weight loss and feeling so much better in my skin emotionally and physically. I can do a little happy dance or cheer when I buy a size 14 jacket for the first time in 20 years, but the moment does not need to be marked any more than that.

Celebrate yes. Reward no.

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