100+ (Non-Food) Reward Ideas

Experiment with these unique and fun ways to celebrate progress toward your goals without food or calories.

 
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What Are Rewards?

Rewards are positive ways to recognize, celebrate, and reinforce positive behavior as you work to achieve your goals.

A reward can be free or cost money. It can be as small as a sticker or checkmark on a piece of paper to acknowledge your success, or as big as contributing money to a vacation fund.

When it comes to using rewards on your health, wellness, or weight loss journey, a reward can be anything that you:

  • Find meaningful

  • Think you would look forward to

  • Don’t typically take the time to do

Benefits of Using Rewards

As you work to change your behavior and build new healthy habits, it’s important to acknowledge and celebrate small steps and successes along the way. This can be done using rewards.

Rewards can:

  • Serve as incentives

  • Give you something to look forward to

  • Increase the chances of following through with your desired behavior

Rewards may also encourage you to stick with a behavior long enough to experience some of the benefits or results you’re ultimately looking to achieve.

Certain results like lower blood pressure and weight loss take time to achieve. Many people get frustrated and quit before they get to this point. Rewards can encourage and incentivize you to keep going.

Other benefits of rewards include:

  • Providing motivation

  • Encouraging consistency

  • Helping you feel good about what you’ve done

  • Making the process of change more enjoyable

3 Rules for Using Rewards

Whether you’re using rewards for a health, wellness, fitness, nutrition, or weight loss goal, here are a few important rules to follow:

  1. Reward your behavior (e.g., walking) instead of a result (e.g., weight loss). Behavior is what you have control over and behavior is what leads to results.

  2. Use rewards that are compatible with your goals. Rewarding yourself with time off from exercise for example, isn’t compatible with a goal of establishing a consistent exercise routine.

  3. Match the size of the reward with the size of your goal. Choose smaller rewards for smaller goals or actions and larger rewards for larger goals.

You might decide to award yourself one point (small reward) for every 30 minutes of exercise. After completing 30 exercise sessions (or accumulating 30 points), you might treat yourself to a larger reward.

Non-Food Reward Ideas

Below are 100+ ways to recognize and celebrate your own positive behavior as you work to achieve your health, wellness, nutrition, fitness, or weight loss goals.

The ideas are sorted by category. Some are free or low-cost rewards and others involve treating yourself to special items, classes, or outings.

Find what will work for you!

Verbal & Written Rewards

Congratulate yourself out loud or in writing. Give or send yourself (a):

  • Compliment

  • Congratulatory talk

  • High five

  • E-card

  • Pat on the back

  • Positive note

  • Sticker

  • Verbal praise

  • Etc.

Hobby-Related Rewards

Treat yourself to a new item or supplies for a hobby or passion:

  • Board game

  • Book

  • Journal

  • Magazine Subscription

  • Paint

  • Planner

  • Puzzle

  • Yarn

  • Etc.

Event Ticket Rewards

Reward yourself with a ticket to a special event:

  • Concert

  • Exhibition

  • Fair

  • Movie

  • Performance

  • Show

  • Sporting event

  • Webinar

  • Etc.

Clothing & Apparel Rewards

Buy or wear a favorite clothing item as a way to feel good and celebrate your success:

  • Jacket

  • Jeans

  • Pajamas

  • Shirt

  • Shorts

  • Skirt

  • Socks

  • Underwear

  • Etc.

Clothing items don’t have to be expensive. You can purchase items from a secondhand store or online marketplace, trade items with a friend, or style the clothes you own in a new way.

Accessory Rewards

Buy or wear a favorite fashion accessory as a way to feel good and reward your progress:

  • Belt

  • Earrings

  • Hat

  • Purse

  • Ring

  • Scarf

  • Shoes

  • Slippers

  • Sunglasses

  • Tie

  • Wallet

  • Watch

  • Etc.

Beauty Product Rewards

Celebrate the changes you’re making with a new personal care item to enhance how you feel:

  • Bath product

  • Body spray

  • Hair accessory

  • Hair product

  • Lotion

  • Lipstick

  • Makeup

  • Nail polish

  • Shampoo

  • Etc.

Activity Rewards

Take time to enjoy a fun activity as a reward for your progress and persistence:

  • Dance

  • Get some extra play time in with your pet

  • Listen to your favorite song

  • Plan a date night

  • Spend time on a hobby

  • Visit with a friend

  • Work a puzzle

  • Etc.

Goal-Related Rewards

Purchase an item that rewards your behavior and also helps you achieve your goals:

  • Exercise or yoga mat

  • Fitness tracker

  • Gym bag

  • Headphones or earbuds

  • Healthy cookbook

  • Kitchen gadget (steamer, blender, spiralizer, etc.)

  • Lunch box or bag

  • Meal prep or food containers

  • Sweat towel

  • Water bottle

  • Etc.

Time Off Rewards

Take a break! Earn a morning, afternoon, or night off from:

  • Cooking

  • Doing dishes

  • Giving the kids a bath

  • Running an errand

  • Work

  • Etc.

This type of reward might involve the cooperation of others (significant other, family member, roommate, etc.) who are willing to support you and pitch in.

Outing Rewards

Head to an indoor or outdoor location that makes you happy:

  • Beach

  • Bookstore

  • Museum

  • Park

  • Pool

  • Spa

  • Store

  • Zoo

  • Etc.

Self-Care Rewards

Pamper yourself with an at-home or professional treatment:

  • Face mask or facial

  • Foot scrub

  • Haircut or color

  • Manicure or pedicure

  • Massage

  • Spray tan

  • Teeth whitening

  • Wax

  • Etc.

 

Monetary Rewards

Save money in a jar or an account and spend it on a larger reward:

  • Camera

  • Day or weekend trip

  • Gift card

  • Horseback riding

  • Hot air balloon ride

  • House cleaner

  • Membership

  • Personal training sessions

  • Skydiving

  • Spa day

  • Ticket to an event

  • Vacation

  • Wardrobe

  • Etc.

 

You could even start a matching program with someone who wants to support your progress.

Digital Rewards

Treat yourself to a new download:

  • App

  • Audiobook

  • Computer game

  • E-book

  • E-gift card

  • Exercise video

  • Movie

  • Music

  • Podcast episode

  • Program or software

  • Etc.

Equipment Rental Ideas

Rent the gear or equipment needed for a new activity or experience:

  • Boat

  • Bowling shoes

  • Electric bike

  • Golf clubs

  • Jet ski

  • Kayak

  • Paddle board

  • Skates

  • Skis

  • Etc.

Relaxation Rewards

Treat yourself to some rest and relaxation:

  • Do nothing

  • Enjoy peace and quiet

  • Light a candle

  • Put your feet up and rest

  • Read a book or magazine

  • Sleep in

  • Soak your feet

  • Take a bath

  • Take a nap

  • Watch the sunset

  • Watch your favorite show

  • Etc.

Home Décor Rewards

Buy an item for your home that you can enjoy in your space:

  • Bouquet of flowers

  • Candle

  • Picture frame

  • Pillow

  • Plant

  • Wall hanging

  • Etc.

Class or Lesson Rewards

Celebrate success while learning something new or improving a skill:

  • Acting

  • Art

  • Computer

  • Dance

  • Design

  • Language

  • Music

  • Photography

  • Self-defense

  • Sewing

  • Sports

  • Etc.

 

Final Thoughts on Rewards

Hopefully this list of ideas has you thinking about ways to reward your own progress and success on your journey toward health, wellness, or weight loss.

As you start or continue to build new, healthy habits, take the time to acknowledge positive changes to your behavior. Use one of the reward ideas we’ve shared or come up with your own! The important thing is to choose a reward that is realistic and meaningful to you.

With a little recognition and celebration, you'll be well on your way to a healthier lifestyle!

“Treat every small victory like you just won the Superbowl.” ~ Lewis Howes

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