Reward Yourself

For the bulk of my life, I have been using food as a reward.  I am certain I am not the only person who has done this - but I am also very certain that it is a major contributing factor to my current predicament (that I am huge).  I aced that test - I probably need a donut.  I got a raise - let's go out to dinner (with the inferred: and completely over indulge).  I am another year older!!  Let's go out to dinner, and follow it up by consuming 4,000 calories in alcohol!!  (Added bonus for the birthday celebration?  You will be too hung over the next day to go work out - so it is even more destructive)  I just went to the gym and did an hour on the elliptical - I should probably go get a huge soda, and maybe some Cheetos.  None of my clothes fit any longer - I should probably go drink...  And regardless of what is going on - the diet is always starting tomorrow.

With FC (my ultimate "tomorrow") on the horizon - I have been challenged to come up with new and innovative rewards.  I am in complete agreement that getting healthier should be my biggest reward - and it will be - but I also like to have the carrot dangling in front of me (see how good I am getting already?  working veggies into my blog entries).  I don't have a ton of extra cash to go on elaborate shopping sprees - so I am looking for new ideas.  Do any of you use a reward system?  If so - I would love to hear your ideas for non-food rewards.  (if I was on Biggest Loser - you could insert the gratuitous Extra Sugar Free Gum speech here.  You want Chocolate cake?  Have a 5 calorie piece of gum instead.  Riiiiiiiiigggghhht.)   

I am going to stay on track, regardless of  the reward system (or lack thereof) that I come up with.  I will be recruiting friends and family to help keep me busy, and moving. (a couple of friends may even hire me to mow their lawns!  yippee!!  I can be 13 again!  Well, hello calorie burn while in the sun - nice to meet you)  Sadly - they won't fire me from the gym for not getting my workouts in (trust me -  I have been testing this for years!!  As long as you pay your monthly membership fee they don't care if you come in or not).  You would think they would miss seeing me - as delightful as I am - but they don't appear to.  Gym dates will be a regular thing - so everyone get ready!   

I am looking for your ideas - - Do you have any cheap (or free) reward ideas that I might be able to incorporate?