Woman in Red Non Scale Victories

Why You Need to Focus on Non-Scale Victories

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When you’re working towards losing weight, checking the scale to see your progress can become like an addiction. But the scale doesn’t always move, resulting in shattered motivation. Luckily, non-scale victories are there to remind you that your hard work is actually making a difference.

In this post, I’ll explain what non-scale victories are, and give you some examples to look out for.

What Are Non-Scale Victories?

A scale is a great tool. Seeing that number change each week can push us to keep moving forward. But it doesn’t always change as quickly as we’d like it to. When we reach a weight loss plateau, we need to find new ways to motivate ourselves to keep going.

That’s where having non-scale goals come in handy. Non-scale goals are other achievements that we aim for alongside weight loss. These achievements can be any positive side-effect of losing weight, eating healthier, and getting in shape. For example, aiming to feel more energetic each day is a non-scale goal, and when you reach that goal, it becomes a non-scale victory.

Unlike your weight, a non-scale goal can be something completely non-physical. Improvements in your mood or mental health commonly result from healthy eating and exercise. This is something you can aim for.

Also, the number on the scale doesn’t necessarily indicate health. When focusing only on your weight, it’s important not to overlook the other positive changes you’re going through. Otherwise, you’re missing out on small achievements that boost your motivation.

Why You Should Focus on Short-Term Goals

Focusing only on the scale can lead to disappointment, which discourages us and makes us want to give up on our goals. But overall, our body weight will fluctuate throughout the week or even throughout the day. Therefore, it’s best to not weigh ourselves too often, or fixate on the number given.

Also, exercise can make us gain muscle mass which weighs more than fat. While the scale isn’t budging, we can still drop a pant size and get more physically fit.

The plans people have in mind when losing weight are typically non-scale in nature anyway. People usually want to lose weight to fit into their clothes better, improve health and fitness, and increase their confidence. None of these goals are represented by a scale.

Having short-term goals will keep you motivated in the long term, and encourage you to keep going. Also, making these goals in small steps will always give you something to be proud of, which will keep your willpower alive.

To give an example: during my weight loss, I was encouraged by new, interesting things I could see on my body. It was the difference in my feet that caught my attention first. Seeing new muscles and ligaments moving in there blew my mind, and proved that I was making big changes.

Non Scale Victories Foot Comparison

Examples of Non-Scale Victories

Here are some examples of non-scale victories to keep in mind when losing weight and improving fitness.

The way you look:

  • Seeing new muscle definition. Finding muscle tone where there wasn’t any before is proof that you’re making progress and getting stronger.
  • Old clothes and rings are fitting better. Here, Catherine talks about fitting into some old pants but looks forward to fitting into the ones that are still tight. It’s the little goals keeping her focused.
  • Your body fat percentage scale is showing a reduction in fat.
  • Your skin is clearer and brighter. Consuming more water, fruits, and veggies can make the skin appear more vibrant.
  • You see a big difference in the progress photos you’ve taken along the way.

The way you feel:

  • Confidence to join that new fitness class you were too insecure to sign up for.
  • Increased energy.
  • You feel more attentive. A healthy diet and exercise can increase mental clarity.
  • Improvement in mental health. Diet and exercise can have a huge impact on our mental well-being and mood.

Things you can do now:

  • Crushing a personal record. Can you run farther now than you did a year ago? Great job!
  • Better physical fitness. Lifting something easier, keeping up with the kids, climbing the stairs without getting winded: these are all great examples of non-scale wins.
  • Fitting into somewhere that you never could.

Improvements in health:

  • Improvements in blood pressure/blood sugars.
  • Deeper and more restful sleep.
  • Someone mentioned how healthy you appear. While health isn’t necessarily defined by weight, many of the benefits of losing weight can make you seem happier and more energetic. And people are sure to take notice!
"Acknowledge all of your small victories. They will eventually add up to something great." – Kara Goucher Click To Tweet

Body Fat Percentage Scale

Just one final note: if you don’t have a scale that measures body fat percentage, I highly recommend purchasing one! This Bluetooth body fat scale made by FITINDEX can calculate the body fat and muscle mass, along with many other metrics to give you a full overview of your body. Also, it connects to your phone using the FITINDEX app and can have unlimited users. Meant to be shared by the whole family!

Connect it with your Apple Health, Google Fit, or Samsung Health to keep all your fitness info together. Click the picture to check it out, right now it’s on sale!

In Summary

While many people have losing weight as their main goal, it shouldn’t be the only objective they have in mind. Non-scale victories are a helpful way to keep motivated when the scale stops moving in the direction you want. The scale is only there to give you a number, not determine your overall health. When focusing on short-term goals you will keep yourself on the path to betterment.

In reality, that weight on the scale only shows us the number representing our gravitational pull to Earth. There’s so much more going on in your body to be proud of. Eating well and exercising is a way to honor the body and everything it’s capable of. So, notice the changes you’ve made, and be proud of how far you’ve come. Your health is important, and you’re already winning by making it a priority!

Do you have any non-scale victories of your own you’d like to share? I’d love to read all about them. Let me know in the comment section!

That’s it for now everyone. If you’ve found some value in this post, please share it to inspire others too! Thanks!

The Name Ang in cursive black text. There is a magenta heart next to it. Ang Signoff Heart

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28 thoughts on “Why You Need to Focus on Non-Scale Victories”

  1. Ang, this is GREAT! Sometimes when I was exercising, my weight would actually INCREASE because muscle weighs more than adipose tissue (fat). But I was still getting healthier and in better condition. YOU are terrific! 😊

    1. Definitely and thank you! I actually gained weight this week, but I’ve been doing harder workouts lately since getting my leg brace. I’m getting fitter for sure!

    1. Yernasia Quorelios

      💜 YOU!!! ARE Most Welcome; it’s a Pleasure to Share and Serve, Stay Strong and Serene

      …💛💚💙…

  2. This is a beautiful and kind way to acknowledge all the hard work that we’ve put in. Small victories are still victories and they add up on the long run!

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  17. I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post.

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