Celebrating weight loss shouldn't mean splurging on your favorite high-calorie foods. Think outside the box to find ways to reward yourself for your hard work and motivate you to reach your future weight-loss goals. Even if you haven't lost weight for a week or two, you can still celebrate the fact that you've maintained your weight, says Roz Harris, author of Friends Don't Let Friends Eat Donuts. Give yourself a hearty pat on the back for all your weight-loss achievements, no matter how small they might seem.
Step 1
Shop for new clothes. While you might be tempted to buy clothes that are too small for you to motivate you to lose weight, ultimately this tactic is self-defeating, says Sheryl Canter, author of Normal Eating for Normal Weight. Call up a few friends and ask them to spend the afternoon helping you pick out outfits for the new you in the mirror today.
Step 2
Buy yourself a gift every time you reach a weight-loss goal. Sock away money each week to go toward these gifts. Your presents to yourself can get bigger as you reach milestone goals such as 15, 20 or 30 pounds.
Step 3
Tell your weight loss story to others. Start a blog, call your local newspaper or spread the word at your workplace. You can even start a weight-loss challenge at work or in your neighborhood.
Step 4
Donate your old clothes to a thrift store, homeless shelter or other nonprofit organization. You'll be helping others while making room in your closet for clothes that fit and flatter you.
Step 5
Plan a weight-loss celebration party and invite your friends. Share your dieting tips with one another and swap weight-loss stories. Serve healthy snacks such as fresh vegetables with low-fat yogurt dip, baked tortilla chips with homemade salsa, pretzels and whole-grain crackers with low-fat cheese and fat-free frozen yogurt.
Step 6
Write yourself a thank-you letter that celebrates your accomplishments. "If we learn to appreciate ourselves, our sense of gratefulness for our own beings will be magnified and our tendency to notice all our flaws and failings will diminish," says M.J. Ryan, author of Attitudes of Gratitude. In your note, detail how hard you've worked and what you've achieved. Whenever you need encouragement to reach your goal weight, read the note to remind yourself of your determination and discipline.
Step 7
Organize a celebration walk with friends and family members. You can walk as little as a mile or set a goal of five or 10 miles. You'll help motivate the people in your life to get in--and stay in--shape, and you'll also get great exercise in the company of the people you support you.
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