Reward Yourself

Reward Yourself to Help Make Working Out a Positive Habit

Sometimes you need motivation to make something like working out a positive habit. John Acquaviva, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Health and Human Performance at Roanoke College, regarding rewards. He said, "people want to see a reward... make a deal with yourself, this is fairly effective, make a pact with yourself. If I exercise two days this week, I’m going to take myself out to a nice dinner or I’m going to buy that dress or the pair of shoes that I want."

He further explained a simple method for reminding yourself of your goals: "What are my goals this week? I’m going to work out Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Write it down and post it in a place where you can see it, post it on a bathroom mirror or put it on your refrigerator or on your desk at work or even in your calendar." Here are some other tips :


Pack your gym bag and place it by the front door.

Put your walking shoes or running shoes next to your front door.

Leave your workout clothes next to your bedside.

Your gym bag and walking/running shoes are obvious triggers. Place them where you will see them in the morning..

Hope these tips help you to stay motivated to workout. Remember to reward yourself... not with a tub of ice cream though. You get my drift.

Stay healthy and energized.

Joyce Hearn

www.joycehearn.com