Bribery doesn't work for me. (Just ask my mom, who used to try to get me to take naps when I was a kid by promising that she'd make caramel-covered apples for a snack if I slept for just an hour.) If I don't want to do something for free-why would I do it for money?
But reward me for doing something I've been meaning to do-like exercising more or eating better: well, that's an entirely different story. And it seems that, these days, many companies are encouraging employees to live healthier lives by giving them access to organic foods and fabulous gyms. In some cases, they're offering bona fide prizes, sometimes even cash. Can this actually work? Yes, according to a new study, which showed that providing financial incentives for losing weight helps people to shed pounds.
So, great: money (or another reward) can motivate you to lose weight, but it's certainly not going to show you how to go about shedding those pounds. The best way to do that is to track calories and to know what reasonable portion sizes look like. I absolutely love EatingWell's Mini Chile Relleno Casseroles because I get my own personal serving-so there's no sneaking an extra-large helping. I make them in small 6-ounce ramekins so I can have two-it makes me feel like I'm eating more-but you can also make them in larger 10-ounce ramekins. One serving (one large or two small) has only 217 calories! Now that's priceless.
By Nicci Micco, Senior Editor, Features & Nutrition, EatingWell
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