When starting an exercise and diet regimen, most people only focus on what they want to happen with the scale. While monitoring your weight is essential to tracking your progress, there are other ways to track your progress as well. More often than not at some point in your journey the scale will stop cooperating. You can choose to be frustrated and think that all of your efforts are no longer working or you can focus on all the other positive changes you’ve noticed – the non-scale victories.
When I’m strictly adhering to my meal plan and exercise routine, sometimes the scale does stop moving. The scale could stop moving or even start creeping up for several reasons beyond my control such as water retention or hormone fluctuation. I’m a big believer in celebrating all of my non-scale victories. I think I celebrate my non-scale victories more than my actual scale victories.
5 Non-Scale Victories You Should Be Celebrating:
1. Your Measurements & Body Composition
When your body fat percentage starts to drop and your waist starts to shrink, it is definitely time to celebrate. One of the ways I really like to measure my body composition is progress pictures. I know that taking the dreaded before picture can be hard but it will be worth it when you compare it where you currently are.
2. Compliments from Others
If you are constantly getting compliments from other people about how great you look, you better be celebrating. When I first began exercising more intensely and eating better I would constantly get compliments from people, even though the scale had not moved at all. While it doesn’t always matter what other people think or have to say, I think everyone can admit that they like getting compliments.
3. The Way Your Clothes Fit
If you have been trying to fit back into your “skinny pants” and are finally able too, it’s time to celebrate. I honestly think there is no better feeling than being able to put on your clothes and feel good and look good while wearing them. Celebrating the way your clothes fit can be such a self esteem booster. I know that anytime I start to fit into something or drop down a size, I always notice my self esteem start to rise.
4. Your Performance
My favorite non-scale victories have to do with performance. The main focus of my training and meal plan is centered around performing well. For example, I get much more excited over being able to do a set of 20 pushups vs. being a certain weight. If you’ve been trying to accomplish something in the gym like deadlift your body weight or outside of the gym like being able to climb stairs without getting winded, its important to celebrate when you succeed at them.
5. The Way You Feel
If you’ve been eating really healthy and exercising regularly, my guess is that you’re probably starting to feel really good. Celebrating that your sleeping better, feeling better, moving better and having more energy is just as important as celebrating hitting a certain weight on the scale.
The next time you’re feeling frustrated with the scale, pause, take a minute and think about all the non-scale victories you’ve accomplished. What’s the best non-scale victory you’ve accomplished? Comment below and tell us all about it!
I don’t even weigh myself anymore. If my pants aren’t tight, I know I’m doing okay.
Going by how your clothes fit is a great measure of your body!
Some really good points you make here – sometimes it’s the little things that really count and make us feel great!
Exactly, it helps keep us focused on the end goal as well!
The way I feel and how my clothes feel are really how I need to be celebrating the no scale victories. Love all these tips.
Thanks, celebrating all the small victories along the way really do help keep us focused š
Yes!! This is super accurate! I am currently trying to get leaner and simply focussing on the weight results in such a narrow view of the body. It definitely helps me to focus more on how clothes feel and my energy levels. Thank you for sharing!
I’m glad you liked our article! Celebrating all the small victories along the way really do help keep us motivated š
HEYYYY! Love this encouraging post! It’s definitely important to celebrate your goals just like these. Awesome
Thanks! Celebrating all of our goals helps keep us focused and motivated š
Compliments for others is one of the best yardsticks to measure your fitness victories. Absolutely rightly said.
Agreed & thanks š
I like this a lot because sometimes I get hung up on the number!
Getting hung up on the number is the worst – it really is helpful when you focus on the other aspects of your journey.
Great points. How you feel about yourself usually affect how you work on your body to keep it healthy. It’s harder in my opinion to keep the weight off when hung up on the number
It is! It’s also more fun to focus on the other good stuff š
I know. It’s so frustrating check the scale and realize that it look the same or worst that you were expecting. Love these tips …the main focus is training !!!
Glad you agree! I like to keep my main focus as training because its way more fun to work towards a performance goal than it is to just focus on a number!
This is spot on. I threw my scale, the day I realized that the weight on is just total non-sense. Even 400gm down would make me sad. But yes feeling great, improved stamina, looking good in clothes-those are my scales
Awesome, glad you agree!!
I havent ate meat in a week and I havent look at a scale yet. I am going to keep going because I am enjoying how I FEEL not as lethargic.
Awesome, glad to hear it!
Some really good points you make here āsometimes itās the little things that make huge difference
Exactly they make a huge difference and help keep us focused on the end goal!
From this post, I got some really good points. Yes eating healthy and exercising regularly, works for me š thanks for sharing š
Thank you! Glad you liked our post š
I think the way you feel is one of the most important things. Of course, you feel great when you receive compliments and see that you buy a smaller sized dress and that keeps you motivated.
I agree those are two of the best things that really helps keep the motivation alive š
This is such a great post! I hadn’t really thought about these but it’s so true. We often time weigh out our progress based on a scale number and it can be so much more! Great post
Exactly! I’m glad you agree š
These are great points! It is so important to remember to celebrate your wins, but so easy to forget. Thank you for reminding me!
You’re welcome š
Seriously this was a fantastic read! Sometimes we need to focus on the little things because they certainly do add up!
Thank you š It really does help to celebrate all of the little things along the way š
Celebrating the small things is definitely important!
Agreed!
This is so important, yet sometimes next to impossible to remember.
Agreed!
To be comfortable is the most important thing and being healthy should be the concern love your post
Awesome, glad you agree š
This is probably the best way to go about it. I stopped worrying about the scale and started focusing on how my progress was transforming my body. That put my goals in perspective for me.
Awesome š
I have not weighted myself in ages not exercised or paid attention to my diet. I think wearing clothes that were not fitting anymore but do again is a great victory!
Agreed!
This is so true. When my clothes feel better, I feel better. Nothing the scales say makes me happy!
There’s nothing better than feeling good in what we wear š
Thanks for sharing this! People get too focused on a number, when they should celebrate some of the points you brought up!
Exactly, glad you agree š
Being healthy and happy, no matter what form and sizes we are is the best. We are all different, and have different skills sets and talents.
I think this was a very great post! As long as I am healthy I am happy, I used to be very insecure–but I realized it was fine as long as I wasn’t one potato chip away from a heart attack. Living a healthy lie style makes you feel so confident! I recommend that if anyone is feeling down, get work out or make a fruit smoothie, they make you feel 100% better in NO time! As you can see I am very passionate about it. Thanks for sharing!! š
I completely agree, living a healthy lifestyle really does help make you feel so much better š
Everytime I weight myself I get frustrated. Now, Iām just eating healthy, taking daily walks and paying attention to the way my clothe fits and how I feel.
Awesome š
I think that the idea of celebrating when someone compliments you is a lovely idea. And its such a great confidence boost too.
Agreed!
I myself do have a problem with the scale, but it really does help to focus on the other things. I’m trying to lose a few right now, and I put on a pair of jeans I had not worn in years the other day…they fit, and were even a little loose!! AMAZING!! I was so happy, I think the neighbors heard me scream with excitement, lol!! Great post!! š
LOL! That is great, I’m so happy you were able to hit the milestone of your old jeans fitting – it really is one of the best feelings!
This is so important- thank you for highlighting these! It can be so frustrating not to see the scale move when you work hard. I forget to look at the other victories. Just had a meeting with my trainer the other day about how I lost inches, but not weight. That is because I gained muscle. So important not to focus on scale!
Agreed, the scale is not always our friend and we should focus on other victories and celebrations.