Dogs are motivated by food. Food treats are the easiest way to train a dog into good behaviours. You can teach a dog to do almost anything with enough time, repetition and with enough food treats as reward for achieving the desired behaviour.
You’re not a dog. Stop rewarding yourself with food.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported that 63% of Australians are overweight or obese; a new record. It’s no wonder given our preoccupation with food and our love affair with this highly addictive drug.
Let me throw this potentially slightly challenging question at you – What if you only used food to nourish your body?
“Oh but Lisa, I deserved to have that chocolate block because I trained so hard this week”. Really?......Are you honestly manipulating yourself with these kind of thoughts?
Many of us have been trained from an early age to expect food as a reward.
“If you finish all your dinner you can have dessert”.
“I’ll buy you a lollipop if you’re good”.
“If you get good marks on your report we’ll go to Maccas”.
“I can have the pancakes for breakfast if I train hard today”.
Have you heard these before? Is this how you were brought up? Are you telling yourself this kind of thing regularly? Are you using these with your own kids?
So how do you break out of the cycle of using food for a reward? Simply – learn to use other things that you enjoy as a reward:
Read a book.
Go to a movie.
Call up a friend.
Go for a surf.
Write a letter.
Do some gardening.
Ride your bike.
Buy your favourite magazine.
Snuggle up with your partner.
Get a facial.
Go for a drive.
Have a massage.
Go to a day spa.
Go to the beach.
Go for a walk.
Play with the dog.
Surf the ‘net.
Do a crossword.
Chat online.
It doesn’t matter what it is. Everyone will be different. What may be a reward for me may be a chore to you. Perhaps it’s something that you are normally deprived of. Perhaps it’s something that you normally don’t have time to enjoy.
Think outside the box. Let me know by leaving a comment underneath what your new reward will be.