Motivation, Accountability and Rewards

Once you make the decision to be healthy, what will motivate you to keep going?  For me, it was the realization that I could feel as good as I did after completing the 24-hour challenge every day going forward.  To stay motivated, I have a Fitbit watch.  It keeps track of my exercise and steps.  I try to get at least 10,000 steps every day.  When I reach that goal, the watch has an animated display that celebrates the accomplishment.  It also lets me know, by buzzing my arm 10 minutes before the hour, if I need to add steps to reach at least 250 steps within each hour.  I have it set to track for 9 hours.  When I get 9 of 9, there is another animation to celebrate my accomplishment.  These are small rewards that make me smile.  Fitbit also tracks my sleep, letting me know how long I was actually asleep and the stages of sleep.  My reward each day is to see how many of my goals I can reach. 

Some may need more incentive.  I have a friend who uses DietBet.  How this works is that you bet on yourself to lose weight.  If you reach the goal, you then split the pot with the others in your group.  My friend has lost 40 pounds by doing this.  Others need to talk to someone every week or so to report their progress and hold themselves accountable.  You need to figure out what works best for you and then do it.

Here’s to your health!