Where to Start, Part 3: Weight loss Contract

In part 1 of this series I discussed setting goals. In part 2 I went into detail on how to set up an effective rewards system. In this final installment I want to talk about the final step into setting up your success, making a weight loss contract.

Step 4: The Contract

As with rewarding yourself, setting up a contract with yourself might seem a bit cheesy but as with everything else you are putting in your notebook it has a purpose. Having something 'formal' written out that clearly states you only get your rewards once you hit your goals will help you stop yourself from buying that new outfit even though you only ate your veggies 5 days out of 7. Your contract will serve as a reminder that you are doing this for yourself, that you do want this and you are willing to put in the work. As with everything else writing this down and having it in the front of your notebook (or posting a copy on the fridge door) will help you whenever you are feeling discouraged after a binge or a skipped workout.

The contents of your contract can be as simple or as detailed as you feel the need for. However it should include a few basic things.

1. Your contract should state your overall product goal whether it be a certain amount of weight you want to lose or a race you are looking to run so you always know what you are working towards.
2. Your contract should answer the question WHY? WHY are you doing this? Be completely honest with yourself and put some emotion into it. If you are feeling discouraged and are reading this what is going to help push you past the bump in the road and keep you on track? If you want to lose weight because you were walking through the store and overheard someone laugh at your weight and you never want to feel that shame again, write that down. Write down every negative thought you never want to think again that will remind you of the WHY you are doing what you are doing. You are the only one who ever has to read this contract. don't hide from yourself.
3. Include something about your reward system. You can be as brief or as detailed as you feel necessary but mention it so you know that you are bound by a contract get that reward when you reach your goal. It will help ease any guilty feelings of spending money on something that otherwise would seem frivolous. And if a spouse says something about wasting money, you can throw it in his face "it's in the contract damnit!!"
4. Promise to love yourself and remind yourself that you are worthy of losing weight. Yea, it might not seem that important but if you don't start to love yourself now, losing 50 pounds, fitting into a size 2, running your marathon, whatever your goal may be....it wont change the fact that you don't love yourself. No one ever tells you that weight loss isn't a magic pill for self-esteem. Self-esteem is something that you have to work at everyday by changing the negative thoughts into positive ones.

Once you write out your contract, date and sign it, you are ready to start on your successful journey! Remember that losing weight is a lifestyle change. This is not about a diet, or an exercise program, it's about eating healthy for life and being active for life. It's discouraging, hard and upsetting but in the end it's worth it!

Where to Start, Part 2: Rewards

In part 1 I discussed setting SMART goals and starting your notebook. Today I want to discuss the next important step in setting yourself up for success, planning your rewards.

Step 3: Rewards

Now that you have set clear, SMART, goals it's time to define and set your rewards.

Any parent understands the importance of Star Charts! 

Rewarding yourself for good behavior may seem silly, but positive reinforcement is important at the start of any behavior change. If  you know eating your veggies all month will end with you buying the dress you've been eyeing for weeks you'll be more apt to stick to the vegetable eating goal than if your only reward was losing 2 pounds. Knowing your hard work will pay off in a tangible way helps make the behavior stick, and while a better number on the scale is motivational in itself, it's not always reliable and after a while it may not be enough to make the behavior you're trying to change seem worth giving up the candy bars or potato chips for. 

Fun shoes are always on my reward list, they are something I know I'll work hard for! 

There are many ways to reward yourself. This is the way I go about it. I'll talk about other reward systems in later blogs but for now, I want to go into the details of setting up a reward system!

In order for rewards to be effective they must follow the SMART plan as well. 

1. They need to be specific, written out so you know what you're getting for your hard work. 

2.They need to be based on a measurable goal. If you just plan to buy yourself a new outfit when you lose weight, you'll either go out and buy a new outfit after 2 pounds or never buy that new outfit because you don't know when you hit your goal of 'lose weight'. 

3. It needs to be attainable, meaning you can't say that once you lose 20 pounds you'll go on a year long trip through Europe unless you have the time and money to devote to such vacation. If you plan a reward for yourself that is unattainable, you wont actually be rewarding yourself once you hit your goal.

4. Your reward should be relevant to you. If you set a small reward of if you finish an hour long workout you can play video games for an hour later in the day but you don't enjoy playing video games, then that reward isn't going to be something you work for. However if you really enjoy watching Desperate Housewives, setting a goal of getting to watch Desperate Housewives in the evening after going for a 5 mile run in the morning will be more fulfilling and motivate you to get up and run. 

5. Like being tied to a measurable goal, your rewards need to be set to a time-bound goal as well. Saying you'll buy a new pair of running shorts if you run 3 miles everyday and not specifying for how long will mean you eventually hit a point where you stop running everyday because the reward seems out of reach. Saying that if you run 3 miles 6 times a week for a month you'll reward yourself with a new set of shorts will keep it in mind that if you want those shorts you better work for it! 

Beyond needing to follow the SMART format goals also need to be flexible, revisited and updated often. For your reward system you will need to set product goals that are specific to your process goals. If one of your process goals is to eat vegetables everyday, now you need to pencil in a product goal of 'if I eat vegetables everyday for the next month I will buy a new pair of high heels.' Then at the end of the month you must evaluate how well you did with your vegetable eating and, if you meet your goal, reward yourself and make a new product goal. But instead of just eating vegetables this time make it more specific like "I will eat 4 servings of vegetables everyday and once at least once a week try a new vegetable.' You keep continuing this process until you feel you will be eating vegetables everyday for the rest of your life and not forcing yourself to eat all your broccoli. 

This process is valid for any behavior you are wanting to change. If you want to start running, set a goal of getting a new piece of athletic clothing if you run 1 mile everyday for a week. Then the next week make it 2, and so on until you are running everyday and loving it. 

Make sure you also set a reward for when you hit your overall product goal. If the whole reason you're running and eating broccoli is to lose 40 pounds, make sure you have a big reward in store for that 40 pound mark. For me it's to get my next tattoo!! 

I know I said I would talk about your weight loss contract in this blog as well but I'll leave it at just rewards for now and make the contract a separate blog. Leave a comment and let us know how you reward yourself for your progress!