Common Mistakes You’re Making When Setting Up an Exercise Reward System

Delicious donuts
Photo by Kobby Mendez on Unsplash

An exercise reward system is a great motivational strategy that will give you the encouragement you need to make it through your workout. It’s entirely up to you to choose the way in which you’re going to reward yourself, but there are a couple of mistakes people are often making when setting up their personal reward system.

Unhealthy Snacks

There’s nothing wrong with using food as a reward—after all, you’re going to burn more energy after starting your fitness program and you’re going to be hungrier than before. You should still tread lightly when picking your snack rewards and avoid unhealthy ones or eat them in moderation.

Slacking Off

You should also not use a successful workout as an excuse to skip the next one. Slacking off is not a reward that you should even consider because it leads to bad habits and an unhealthy relationship with fitness.

Too Big or Too Small

It’s extremely important to be realistic with the rewards you’re choosing and match each one to your goals. If the reward is too small, you won’t strive towards winning it, but big ones, such as a weekend getaway or a major purchase, should be saved for the moment when you achieve important goals.