Losing weight is tough, and it can be a long process if you have a lot of weight to lose. It’s only natural that there will be times when your motivation will wane, and there will be moments when you’ll want to abandon your diet and exercise plan and go back to your old routine.
Staying motivated during a long weight loss program can be difficult, but rewarding yourself periodically with external sources of motivation can be beneficial.
In our society, we often turn to food rewards. After all, in many cultures, we reward children with food for good behavior and comfort them with food in times of sadness or pain.
However, if you’re trying to lose weight, rewarding yourself with food can be counterproductive to your goals. Therefore, having some non-food-based weight loss reward ideas can be a great way to recognize your weight loss milestones and stay motivated.
In this article, we discuss non-food-based weight loss reward ideas because let’s face it, you deserve a reward!
Let’s dive in!
12 Great (Non-Food) Weight Loss Reward Ideas
Weight loss takes discipline and dedication, so you should reward yourself and your efforts as you tick away progress toward your weight loss goals.
Although choosing healthy treats can be a totally reasonable solution (and even indulgent treats!), many people prefer non-food-based rewards for weight loss so that they don’t compromise their progress.
Here are some of the best ways to reward yourself for weight loss without food:
#1: Manicure/Pedicure
Treating yourself to a manicure, pedicure, or both can be a great non-food-based weight loss reward because it still helps you feel great about yourself and looks fantastic.
#2: Massage
We often think of getting a professional massage as an indulgence that we don’t “deserve.” However, the massage is an investment in yourself and your body. It can help you feel better physically and mentally and is truly a type of self-care.
Massage is also a wonderful way to honor your body and the healthy improvements you are making for it by losing weight.
Although a 60- or 90-minute massage can be quite costly, you can often buy a package of sessions to save money.
Or, schedule your massages for different weight loss milestones. For example, maybe you can get a massage for every 10 pounds you lose or after every 30 days that you stick to your workout plan.
If you are on a budget, an alternative would be to do partner massages. If your spouse or significant other is on your weight loss journey with you, you can work as a team to stick with your weight loss plans, and then as you achieve each notable weight loss milestone, you can take turns rewarding one another with a pampering massage.
#3: Kitchen Appliance
A great non-food-based reward for weight loss is a snazzy kitchen gadget that can support your diet and make food prep easier or more enticing.
For example, you might consider getting a high-quality juicer to help you juice fruits and vegetables so that it is easier to get nutritious produce into your daily diet.
We absolutely love the Nama J2 Cold Press Juicer, which allows you to add all ingredients for your homemade juice at once, and yields up to 60% more juice from leafy greens and 30% more from other fruits and veggies relative to comparable traditional high-speed juicers.
Another great option is the HUROM H310 Easy Clean Slow Juicer, which is super easy to clean and extremely compact, a combination that’s virtually unheard of in the premium juicer market.
Another great option would be an almond milk maker. These machines enable you to make your own plant-based milks in a matter of seconds using any kind of nut, seed, grain, or bean and water. Check out the Nutr Machine. It’s so easy to use and clean.
You don’t have to spend money buying expensive almond milk, and you don’t have to soak your nuts overnight. All you do is load up the machine, press the button, and in 30 seconds, you have fresh plant-based milk.
Fancy coffee makers, tea kettles, a spiralizer to make zoodles (zucchini noodles), or new kitchen knives are also great options for weight loss rewards because, again, they can help make your food prep and sticking to your healthy diet easier, and they don’t involve any extra calories!
#4: Clothes
If you lose a lot of weight, there’s a good chance that your clothes will not fit you well anymore.
Buying new clothes that you have your eye on as you hit different weight loss milestones is a great way to not only keep up with your changing body but also show it off and feel like you are getting rewarded for your weight loss success.
#5: Music/Entertainment
An excellent and practical reward for weight loss is buying a subscription to a streaming service for music or TV that you can enjoy during your workouts.
For example, perhaps you want to purchase a Spotify premium membership to curate a motivating playlist without ads to listen to during your workouts.
Alternatively, getting Hulu, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, or any of the other services can be a good option for those who exercise on a treadmill, exercise bike, or other indoor stationary cardio fitness machine and like to watch tv shows or movies while doing so.
#6: Tea or Coffee
Coffee and tea can be a good weight loss reward because it’s non-caloric yet relatively cheap and still sort of hit the food-based reward idea.
You can either go out to a fancy coffee shop and get a special drink or order some premium teas or gourmet coffee beans to brew at home.
#7: Running Shoes
Any type of workout gear makes a fantastic weight-loss reward. It can help keep you motivated and excited to exercise, ultimately supporting your weight loss plan.
A new pair of running shoes, earbuds, sports bra, running tights, or other workout apparel is a good investment in your health and fitness journey.
#8: Activity Tracker
A fitness tracker or GPS running watch is a great weight loss reward for hitting bigger weight loss goals because it can help you feel excited about being more active and track your workouts, heart rate, steps, distance, and calories burned.
For the best activity trackers, check out the WHOOP 4.0 and the Oura Ring, and for a great GPS running watch, you can’t go wrong with the Polar Pacer.
Each device provides unparalleled performance and can help you monitor your biometrics and stick to your fitness and health routines.
#9: Vacation
For a big weight loss reward after achieving major weight loss milestones, there’s nothing more rewarding and enticing than a vacation.
Taking a trip somewhere new or exciting will not only quench your thirst for wanderlust and introduce you to new places in the world but will also allow you to experience your healthier body in real life.
For example, maybe you have lost 50 pounds and would love to sport your new svelte physique on a tropical vacation at the beach, wearing a swimsuit you never dreamed you would have the confidence to wear.
Alternatively, you can capitalize on your fitter, healthy your body and your commitment to exercise and choose an active vacation where you might see walking miles a day along the Parisian streets, climbing a mountain in the Alps or the Canadian Rockies, or taking a hiking trip along one of the most beautiful trails in Hawaii.
Travel and going on a dream vacation are certainly motivating rewards for weight loss that don’t have to involve indulgent eating that will throw you off your weight loss plan.
#10: Exercise Equipment
For hitting big weight loss milestones, consider investing in home exercise equipment like adjustable dumbbells, a treadmill, an exercise bike, a yoga mat, or a set of resistance bands. Doing workouts at home will make your fitness routine more convenient and private.
#11: Fitness App
A fitness app or streaming services like Peloton Digital or Zwift can give you guidance and motivation to move your body, supporting your workout efforts.
#12: Water Bottle
Probably the number one tip for weight loss is to drink more water. Staying hydrated will support your metabolism and can help keep hunger pangs at bay.
A smart water bottle can be a fun way to make drinking water more enticing and easier. The Lucy Cap gamifies your water drinking, and the innovative Weo even electrolyzes the water you drink with the touch of a button.
If you love coffee and tea, consider a nice travel mug like the W&P Porter Insulated Tumbler.
What are your favorite weight loss rewards? If you would like some new workout routine ideas that will blast a bunch of calories, check out the following articles:
500 Calorie Workouts + 18 Top Workouts To Burn The Most Calories
Walking For Weight Loss: How Much Should You Walk To Lose Weight
Running For Weight Loss: Complete Guide, Training Plan + 6 Pro Tips
