I am the mother of two kids, and for 15 years of marriage, I rarely spent any money on myself. Instead, I bought clothes and toys for the kids and new items for the house. Buying things for myself seemed selfish. Little did I realize that this selfless act was actually hurting me because not only was I neglecting how I looked fashion-wise, I was letting myself go physically. So, you have to be a little bit selfish and a little bit vain, if you want to stay on top of the way you look and ultimately the way you feel.
Rewarding myself throughout my weight loss journey, and even now as I maintain my weight, I feel is one of the things that helps me stay on course. How many times do you reward yourself with food? Probably a lot. Most people who are overweight grew up with food being used as a reward. Food can sometimes be used to fill emotional voids such as to soothe anxiety, cure loneliness or boredom, or make you feel better when you are sad. To get away from bad habits like these, it is good to keep your focus on other things. Not that you want to become super vain, but attention paid on how you look will help keep your mind set on the goal.
If you have not lost a lot of weight yet, maybe you are not ready to buy new clothes. If that is the case, why not try going for a new hairstyle. Also, a new pair of shoes or some new accessories, like jewelry, can be your best friend. You will be surprised on how splurging on these things will make you feel pretty. When you feel pretty, or handsome or cool (or manly for the guys), you will be less likely to chow down that candy bar. Feeling like you look good changes your whole outlook for the day just as the opposite is true.
Sometimes I think we need to be selfish in order to be the best we can be for others. Let me give an example. I feel it is a little selfish to spend time at the gym rather than time with the kids. In the long run though, it makes me a better Mom. I am more healthy and fit so I will live longer and be able to keep up with my kids now and with their kids later! I also have less stress when I workout regularly. Now that the kids are older I also feel I am instilling better habits in them. I try to get them involved too! Every Monday is DVD workout day with my son and he picks the workout. He likes the Jillian Michael and P90X workouts. It is fun; sometimes we get a little bit silly, and it is great that he is getting some exercise at the same time.
So, set some small goals, figure out what rewards will keep you motivated, and don’t feel guilty about spending some time and money on yourself. Trust me, it’s a very good investment. Remember, YOU are your best friend and YOU have to take care and love yourself FIRST before you can give love to others!
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Becky Pandolfo is a working Mom who has a wealth of experience with many diet and fitness programs. Her insight and information has helped countless individuals attain their weight loss and fitness goals. She plants her flag on a small corner of the web called Go Slim where newsletters flow and other insightful articles whisper on the digital winds.
The Slim Side of Me 