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Set your goals and support them with rewards

Having trouble getting out and exercising? Betty Doyling says a reward can help

Many of us have been enjoying our home and outdoor workouts.However, there are some who still really struggle to motivate themselves to leave the house and get some exercise.If you find yourself in the latter category there is one method that you can use that seems to work really well.The trick is to reward yourself for success — it’s easy with kerbside pick-ups and home delivery now readily available.Start by finding an item of clothing that you really like, anything really as long as it’s not food, and make a promise to yourself to buy it if you hit your goal.If you are using exercise to lose weight and clothing is your motivation — a fitted dress, a pair of skinny jeans, a slim fit polo — it should ideally be slightly smaller than your current size so that you can only buy it if you achieve your goal.This method also works well if you have other types of goals.If you are trying to gain weight or want to see a little more definition in your shoulders or abs you could promise yourself a really beautiful two-piece bikini, or go for that kitchen splurge that you’ve been longing for — but only once you start seeing changes. Men can also use shopping online as a form of long-term motivation; the reward doesn’t have to be related to the goal.For example, it may take a few months for a man to bulk up or get his body fat percentage down; a new watch or set of golf clubs might be appropriate incentive.Sometimes you can even make purchases as encouragement, to push you in a healthier direction.During the last few weeks I did a bit of shopping, which brightened my day and pushed me to make healthier choices. I purchased a gift bag from Long Story Short as a reward for just pushing through all that has happened over the last three months; in an effort to drink more water I bought some tea from Novel Tea.I also bought new baking utensils from International Imports Ltd so that I could make fresh breads for the family.With the spas closed I purchased some products to help me relax at home from The Retreat; to ensure running comfort I bought running socks from Sportseller.So ... the point I am trying to make is that you can create big and small goals with small incentives along the way to help push you in to the right direction.Whether it’s gaining weight, losing weight or just finding the right balance, start with a goal, and give yourself a little extra motivation along the way to hit those targets. Support your goals, shop local and B-Active For Life!• Betty Doyling is a certified fitness trainer and figure competitor with more than a decade of experience. Look for B. ActiveForLife on Facebook