Celebrating Your Fitness Success

What’s the point of hard work if you don’t celebrate success once your goal is accomplished?

After you set your fitness goals, don’t forget to determine how you will celebrate success for hitting a specific milestone.

Choose Your Reward

Whether your goal is simple -- achieving 150 minutes-per-week of recommended activity on a regular basis or more complex -- like finishing your first triathlon -- write down a meaningful reward before beginning your fitness journey. And make sure you follow through when you reach your goal.

One caution: food rewards are generally not recommended because these reinforce unhealthy eating habits. If you have worked so hard to get active and possibly lose weight, but then reward yourself with a high-fat meal or treat, you may sabotage some of the healthy habits you have worked so hard to create!

Tangible Rewards

Here’s an example of tangible rewards that may appeal to you:

• New clothing
• Concert tickets
• Vacation
• Night out with friends
• Spa day
• Relaxation/time alone
• Health rewards

The following are some of the health rewards that may come with achieving physical activity goals. It’s important to celebrate these less tangible, but very important rewards, because they serve as additional reminders of your success. A simple screening at your doctor’s office or at a worksite wellness fair -- before and after -- your program will show you the progress you’ve made toward these health rewards:

• Healthier weight
• Lower blood pressure
• More-stable blood sugar
• Better cholesterol numbers
• Quality sleep
• Improved muscle tone