Food is not a reward!
When I was a child, if I was good on a Saturday, I was allowed sweets. If we were staying with my nan over the school holidays, if we were good we were guaranteed what she used to call ‘a goodie’. I get the feeling my grandmother enjoyed having grandchildren because she could send us back to mum just before the sugar crash…
Unsurprisingly, my grandmother whom I adored unconditionally independent of her indiscriminate administering of sugary treats, developed type 2 diabetes in her 70′s. Naturally, we suspected this having something to do with her junk food intake. You see, my nan, bless her, preferred a packet of crisps and two chocolate bars to a proper meal. Whilst she was in hospital for the last three months of her life, you were greeted with a big smile if you had a multi-pack of McCoy’s steak and onion crisps in your hand!
This scenario is pretty typical except some grandparents and parents take it to the extreme. They reward a child’s good behaviour with food and sweets. Did well in your exam? We’ll take you out for a slap up meal! Did you home work? Have a chocolate bar! Hungry before dinner? Have a biscuit and get out from under my feet!
It is people who were brought up to believe food is a reward for achievement who suffer the worst food-related problems. As an adult the thought process goes: bad day at work? Have a take away, a bottle of wine too? Why not!
It is fine to treat yourself. I am the first person to say that it is important to reward yourself… just not with food! Instead of eating a giant slice of coffee cake to congratulate yourself for something, why don’t you find something else to make yourself feel special? Here is a short list of cheap things to treat yourself with using the fiver you would have spent on the cake and latte:
- Trashy magazines. I love it that the puzzles in them are really easy so I feel really smart
- Bubble baths – Imperial Leather have got some fantastic smells out in the shops. I like ‘snug as a bug’ because it’s really luxurious.
- Brightly coloured make up. Barry M dazzle dust is £4.50 a pot and it lasts ages. I own an obscene amount of Barry M stuff. Rimmel also have some great coloured nail varnishes.
- Buy a pretty notebook. I am a sucker for gorgeous note books and love writing in them for the first time. It’s like I’m Cecily writing in her diary in the Importance of being Ernest!
- Amazon have certain tracks in their MP3 store for 29p. Play your cards right and you can burn a whole CD of music for the car for a couple of quid.
Tip: Food is not a reward. Treat yourself with other goodies if you have had a bad day at work or if you have won a small battle in your life. There is nothing wrong with congratulating yourself and treating yourself!
