Teasers of a Different Kind: A System of Rewarding Discipline

I used to get teased a lot when I was a kid. But this is not what this is about. It’s about discipline. And rewarding self for ones achievements.

I’ve decided I’m going to reward myself for every 2.5kg lost. Yes, I know it isn’t all about the (scale) weight – but it does serve as an indication of progress towards one of my key goals that I am committed to achieving in the first half of 2010.

The first target has been set to 75.0 kg. And my ‘teaser’ – the carrot I’ve dangled in front of my face (quite literally) is two CD music albums. I bought them on Monday afternoon but they will remain in their Sanity bag and out of my stereo, my computer (via iTunes) and iPod until such time that I reach 75 kg. I’m nearly there too – I was 75.5 kg this morning. So, it looks likely it’ll be available for my listening pleasure by Christmas.

How can I be so strong, you ask? Easy. Like I said before, it just comes back to discipline. Sure, I could easily whack the new CD’s into the CD player and put them onto my iTunes and iPod, but I’m not, because this is a commitment I’ve made to myself. And I don't want to hear about 'will power.' It's about discipline and focus and commitment. Will power might save you for 5 mins but beyond that its bullshit.

It was my 30th Birthday Sunday week ago (on the 6th) and the dinner I had on that day at Montezuma’s has been the only ‘cheat’ meal I’ve had since Monday 19 October when I recommenced keeping a daily food diary (that’s writing in it every day, not every third day or when I’ve been ‘good’). On the Tuesday just gone, I put together a little party for my family – nothing over the top, just some basic party food with the favourite thing for each of my family (Mum: licorice allsorts, vanilla and strawberry wafer biscuits, Dad: marshmallow snowballs, my brother: cheese flavoured corn chips and sundried tomato and French onion dips). And I even made my own cake on Sunday - a Lite Mixed Berry Cheesecake. The chocolate ‘happy birthday’ plaque is from the mini mud cake I bought my parents from Michel’s for their wedding anniversary. Honest – I really did make the cheesecake, it wasn’t a Michel’s one! Though it looks pretty damn good if I must say so myself! I had a teeny weeny slither with my family at the party on Tuesday and it was really nice. It was very pink! The chunky berries really made it.

I’m still giving thought to my 'schedule' of subsequent rewards. Here is my draft one:

75.0 kg – two CD music albums

72.5 kg – Lorna Jane top (one only, Jules!)

70.0 kg – DEXA scan at Body Composition Australia which involves a trip to Sydney. I’m going to go with Sarah who also wants one when she gets to 70kg.

67.5 kg – VO2 max bike test at UQ (University of Queensland) or QUT (Queensland University of Technology)

65.0 kg – Garmin GPS (for running)

62.5 kg – TBA

60.0 kg – TBA

57.5 kg – glamour photo shoot

* Body fat composition to be assessed at (around) 57.5 kg

A few other thoughts that spring to mind are:

Facial (I've never, ever had one)
½ head of foils and my hair cut and straightened
Nike shoes from Harbour Town (Gold Coast) – I want some funky flat boots for BodyJam
Flexibility Highways – a DVD by Chuck Wolf
LIVE STRONG cycling shorts and jersey

It's important to work hard, but it's also important to enjoy what you've created and achieved.