It can be hard to adjust to a new lifestyle, and the paleo lifestyle is no different. Sure, there will be a day when working out and eating healthy will be a routine that comes naturally, but for now it is just plain work. When you start to feel overwhelmed, it is important to break things down and take everything one day, even one step, at a time. Think about why you are doing what you are doing, think about where you want to be, and how these changes are going to help you get there. And if none of that helps, think about rewarding yourself every step of the way.
Rewarding yourself is the best way to feel good about your weight loss efforts quickly. Seeing physical changes in your body will take time, falling in love with the healthy foods you are eating is not going to happen right away. But rewarding yourself is a great way to start feeling like you are accomplishing something while your body is still adjusting to your other changes.
Where do you start? Try to do something slightly amazing for yourself every week that you do a great job. While your reward should not be food-based, you can still buy yourself a nice outfit, grab a movie, or maybe even take a quick trip to the beach.
Your rewards don’t have to be big, but it is a good idea to increase the size of the reward based on how well you do during the week. For example, if you made it to the gym every day you scheduled yourself to go, then instead of rewarding yourself with a book, give yourself a pedicure or a new piece of clothing. If you make all of your meals healthy for the week, let yourself indulge in a semi-expensive item that you have been secretly wanting but have not allowed yourself to get just yet.
Whatever your rewards are, just make sure they are right for you and make you excited. As you keep losing weight and finding a new way of life, you can adjust your rewards as you see fit. For many people, there comes a time when their new healthy lifestyle is the only reward they need.
One thing you don’t want to do in the beginning is denied yourself a reward. Suppose you promise yourself a reward you have to stick with that promise. It may seem silly, but at the beginning of your weight loss journey, you are going to need as much motivation as you can get. If you start to punish yourself for not meeting your goals, you might lose your motivation before you even get started. Instead, remind yourself that even if you stumble or fail one week, you are making the choice to keep trying to be healthy and that alone is very deserving of a reward.
