Time for the penultimate installment of Nutritionist Lisa Maffucci's five part series on engaging your brain in your weight loss efforts.

Suggestion 4: Change the way you think about rewarding yourself.

Many people use food as a treat. When they've had a hard day, they reach for high calorie snacks to comfort themselves. Or they celebrate an accomplishment with a high-fat meal in a restaurant. Rewarding yourself with high fat, high calorie, unhealthy food, whether it's because of a rough day or a great day, is counterproductive. I can't tell you how many times I've heard 'Well, it was a special occasion', as though it's a license to not take care of yourself. If you are trying to improve your health, it is for YOUR benefit. Why would you choose to undermine your efforts? Once again, learn to recognize your excuses. Special occasions and poor eating don't have to go hand in hand.

By the same token, food is not a reward. Think of other non-food ways to reward yourself for a job well done. Get a massage, or a manicure. Buy a book that you've been planning to read. Go see a movie. If you don't have the money, do something that doesnit cost. Eating food that you don't need costs you in many ways, so it’s not an excuse. The point is to do something for yourself that doesn't involve food. Remember, you need to associate food with hunger, not other emotions.

Stay tuned for next week's hindmost installment. Same time, same channel!

Previous posts:

Suggestion 1: Change the way you think about diets.

Suggestion 2: Learn to recognize hunger and satiety.

Suggestion 3: Change the way you think about healthy food.