In today’s episode I’m answering your questions about food rewards, earned indulgences and cheat meals. I’ll be sharing my perspective on whether or not you should use food as a reward and how to balance strategic indulgences that reflect a healthy relationship with food versus talking yourself into being inconsistent. Where is that line and how do you find it?
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Food Rewards, Earned Indulgences & Cheat Meals
The first thing I recommend you do is evaluate whether or not these strategies (food rewards, earned indulgences and/or cheat meals) are working for you:
- Is there a whole bunch of negative emotional wrapped up in it?
- Are you limiting your results or slowing your progress?
- Are they a slippery slope? Does a treat turn into overkill or a binge?
From there, let’s look at the idea of “earning” an indulgence. In the episode, we go into a whole lot more detail, but I want you to think about the following:
Would an alcoholic celebrate sobriety with a shot of tequila?
Alright, you’re not an alcoholic.
But would you celebrate your child’s great grades by suggesting he give himself a break from the next test? Or take a week off of school?
Resources
How to Overcome Fear of Missing Out