Sweet rewards

This weeks SOWL challenge is a fun one, rewarding yourself for weight loss goals met. Kerrie (SOWL founding mother) set up a schedule of rewards for every five pounds lost (you can see hers here). If I'm going to do this reward thing, though, I need to do it more often, like every two pounds. It takes so long to make any progress that I would get nothing if I waited for five pounds.

But I am a very hard person to reward. I am also a very hard person to buy birthday and Christmas gifts for. That is because I have no ability of delayed gratification. Whatever I need or want (within reason), I get for myself. Waiting for someone to give it to me? Pish posh.

Here are some examples of potentially good rewards that I don't need.

New clothes. Um, yeah, already got too many of those (old and new). Picked up a few cute new things at Renee's Sidewalk Sale yesterday, anyway. Wearing a new dress today!

New shoes. Same as above!

New running shoes. I get those whenever I feel my shoes are getting old, ASICs comes out with a new Kayano color, or the spirit moves me. (I just ordered a pair of Newton Running Shoes, which I had to exchange because they are too small, but I am anxiously awaiting the replacement pair!)

New running clothes. Also have too much of those already, including new stuff, plus lots of tech shirts from races.

Techy (and non-techy) running gear. Got my Garmin, got my iPod, got my fuel belts and so forth, plus more Gu than I can eat in a year (considering that I don't use it much). And socks? I practically own stock in FitSok.

Massage. The massage therapist already sees me once a month or more....

New music for my iPod. Something else that I already download whenever the spirit moves me!

Books. If you saw my house, you would know that I don't need any new books! Yet I will undoubtedly get something from Amazon or a bookstore sometime soon, anyway.

Pedicure. Well, that is definitely something my poor toes need! I probably should do it immediately, without delay!

Sign up for a new race. Well...there's already quite a few on the books. But I do have something as yet unscheduled in the works....

Destination race(s). Boston is already planned, just need to register and book our non-Boston post-race destination. But there is another that I am working on with my parents for next year...details may be forthcoming...but I am not going to make it contingent on weight loss (which may or may not happen, after all).

The other thing I don't want to do (as mentioned above) is make something contingent on weight loss that I really, really want or need. Just in case my set point is set in stone rather than clay. That means no iPhone or iPad on the list.

So, here's what I have come up with. We'll assume that I have been adequately rewarding myself for hitting 154 pounds last week. (I haven't necessarily stayed there, due to the horrors of fluctuation, but I don't get another reward every time I see the same number!)

152 - Pedicure. This is really more of a duty to society than a reward for me, as it will help hide my horrible toes from public view!

150 - Day off work by myself. Sleep in, run later in the morning, go to a movie. This is huge! Really, I should make it my reward for every level.

148 - Shop for bicycle shorts, capris, or pants. This is the one clothing item I do not have and I have been reluctant to shop for. It's not like I bike that much, after all. But by this point I'll be so skinny (haha) that I'll need a little padding, right?

145 - GOAL WEIGHT! Reward: Marathon PR. What do you mean, I can't guarantee that for myself? How about a 5K PR, that's not much, is it? Well, I'll be thinking about my alternative reward. I am thinking something to do with my trip to Portland for the Half on 10/10/10. Or if I must buy myself something, buying it in Portland sans sales tax.

Maintaining 145 (at, around, or below) for at least a month (and every month thereafter) - Go to a movie by myself. Don't need to take the whole day off work to do it, I guess. How else am I going to see any chick flicks? I might substitute in something else if I think of anything. And yes, I will continue to go to movies even if I never get to 145.

So there you go. Rewards for the most self-indulged person in the world. (But let me point out, I do drive a 1996 vehicle and don't have a lot of expensive hobbies other than travel!)