7 Great Non-Scale Victories

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I am two weeks shy of nine months of my lifestyle change and I must say that May has not been the best month, I was so excited when I reached a major milestone at the end of April – 80 pounds! Yes, 80 pounds! However, today I will be celebrating my 7 great non-scale victories.

Why? Because I have not lost any more weight. Am I disappointed that I have not lost any weight in a month? Yes! However, I am so grateful that I have come so far.  Last year at this time I would have thrown a big party if I was just one size smaller!

Part of this plateau is related to my low thyroid condition. Your thyroid controls your metabolism and a low thyroid can cause weight gain. I was experiencing extreme fatigue and hunger so I had some tests done.

As I suspected, my thyroid was not functioning properly.  I had to have my medication adjusted. It’s only been a week with the new dose, but I hope to get my body back to working at my optimal level.

It is so easy to be stuck on the number on the scale. It’s an objective, easy metric to gauge your progress where you are on your weight loss journey. But what I have discovered over the last several months is that you must also document and celebrate just as hard when you achieve a non-scale victory. And I have 7 great non-scale victories to share with you.

Obviously, there are several non-scale victories that are expected when you lose weight. For example, you have a closet full of loose clothes, you are wearing a smaller size, you love seeing the inches decrease on your body, your progress photos are insta-worthy.

However, there are some amazing changes and non-scale victories that are unexpected or unanticipated when you lose a lot of weight. And this is what I want to focus on today.

So here are my amazing 7 great non-scale victories.

1 – No Pain

It’s hard to describe how much pain I was in when I was carrying all that extra weight day after day, month after month, and year after year. I had severe back and neck pain and spent thousands of dollars on chiropractors and physical therapists. I woke up in pain and went to bed in pain. 

In fact, because I got little or no relief, I accepted that was my life. Simple daily tasks like washing dishes, getting up from a chair, or walking were painful.

Now, pain is a distant memory for me. I can move, walk, run, jump, skip (yes skip!). Thanks to losing 80 pounds!

2 – More Energy

Sadly, extra weight frequently leaves you with little energy to do much. I sat more, laid down more, stood less, and moved less. I did everything to move less. I was the quintessential couch potato, the typical sedentary person.

But you shed a few pounds,  increased energy is an amazing byproduct. I don’t feel like a sloth anymore, now I have enough energy to not just do normal everyday activities but to slay.

And I exercise every day, twice a day. I never imagined in a million years that I would have become this active. When I started counting my steps I averaged about 3000 a day. However, I have been able to easily get 15,000 steps a day for the past six months. 

3 – Better Sleep

Over the years as the weight piled on, I increasingly kept my husband awake with my snoring. Then he would nudge and poke me to stop. For the last couple of years, he suspected that I was suffering from sleep apnea. I was never tested so I don’t know if he was right.

But what I do know is that I don’t snore anymore! Now both my husband and I sleep better! I didn’t need any special gadget, just weight loss to snore less and sleep better.

In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, your weight is one of the factors that can cause snoring, and conversely losing weight can help to stop snoring. I can certainly attest to this fact.

If sleep is an issue for you, check out my blog post, Everything You Need to Know About Sleep and Weight loss. 

4 – Improved Health

The health risks of being overweight and obese are well-established. You know, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and more.  In my case, I had high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Now, I can say that both my blood pressure and cholesterol levels are normal! Many experts say that losing just 5% of your body weight can significantly improve your health.

When we embark on a weight loss journey the primary reason for most of us is that we want to look better. But just as important or more importantly you can also improve your health and avoid many of the health risks associated with being overweight or obese. Perhaps this is the best of the 7 great non-scale victories.

5 – Stronger

I knew I was weak – how many strong sloths do you know? As the saying goes, “use it or lose it.” And boy did I lose a lot of muscles and strength over the years.

When I started strength exercises a few months ago I used 3-pound dumbbells, and couldn’t do most bodyweight exercises. Today depending on the exercise, I use 10 or 15-pound dumbbells,

I can squat, lunge, do sit-ups, and push-ups (okay, okay I’m still doing knee push-ups).  I know this is not much, but I am not comparing myself to anyone else. I just want to become a better, healthier me.

In addition to getting stronger, I also see and feel more muscle especially on my legs. I even see some definition on my arms.

When I started this weight loss journey, I was a crazy 60% body fat. Now I have reduced that by about 8% and gained about 5 pounds of lean muscle mass. It is still not where I want to be but it is a step in the right direction. Slow progress is still progress, right?

Imagine how much easier everyday activities will be now. Carrying groceries, shoveling snow, gardening, and more. Now, being too weak or not strong enough to do something is no longer an excuse for me.

6 – Clearer Skin

I didn’t have the worst skin, but I also didn’t have the best skin either. Now after almost 9 months of exercising regularly,  my skin looks and feels better, at least to me. In fact, according to research at McMaster University, the skin of men and women over 40 who exercised frequently is comparable to that of 20 to 30-year-olds!

So exercise can help you turn the clock back 10 to 20 years on your skin! Some people have even reported less acne, flare-ups, and rashes as a side effect of their weight loss. 

Who wouldn’t want to have better, clearer, younger skin as one of their great non-scale victories?

7 – Better Digestion

Did you know that some experts say the fewer than one bowel movement a day is a sign of constipation? Well, I was constipated for years and years!

No one needs to hear about my digestion and bowel movements. But I can just tell you that after improving my diet and eating more fiber, fruit, and vegetables, I am way, way more regular.

Let’s just say that it feels good to see and feel my improved digestion. The healthy food choices I am making consistently has not only moved the number on the scale but improved my gut health and digestion. 

7 Great Non-Scale Victories

So these are my 7 great non-scale victories that I can use in addition to or instead of the scale to know that I am healthier. There are a few other non-scale victories that I could write about, but I wanted to focus on what I think are great non-scale victories.

As I sit here, with my legs crossed (something I have not been able to do for years; another great non-scale victory) I am so happy that I have come this far. I’ll continue to eat healthy meals and exercise and trust in the process.

But although the scale hasn’t moved, I can celebrate achieving these 7 great non-scale victories.

What are your great non-scale victories?

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