A different way to consider weight loss success

I have been on a healthy eating challenge for a while now with the purpose of losing some weight and feel better about myself. For quite a while my weight has just hovered around the same area of the scales with the occasional small lose, but then a counter gain again. I do find that I fall into the trap of having lost a few pound treating myself for a job well done, so undoing all the good I’ve worked hard at.

The bathroom scales have not been my friend this last week. They kept bobbing up and down by three or four pound despite the fact that I had actually been quite good with what I’ve been eating.  I have struggled a bit in the heat with water retention too, my ankles and fingers swelling up. However, with the slightly cooler weather over the last couple of days, things have started to turn around again.

Its important to understand that not all victories can be measured by the bathroom scales.  I have noticed a few other things, known as non-scale victories.

My clothes fit better.  I noticed it most when I was wearing my jean shorts.  I was actually able to take them off at the end of the day without undoing the button and zip.  My work trousers also seem less tight and are no longer cutting the circulation off!

I can do more things without getting out of breath.  This included keeping up with C as he walks.  He has much longer legs and stride than I do and I used to get a bit out of breath trying to keep up with him.  Although it still makes my calf muscles burn to speed walk to keep up, I am less breathless doing so.  I can also climb the spiral staircase to the ringing chamber at the cathedral, 53 steps, without getting so out of breath. 

I think my skin has improved too, with less greasy skin moments or breakouts at certain times of the month.  I also have chronic urticarial and dermographism but since I’ve been eating more fruit, salad and vegetables, I have felt less need to try and rip my flesh off my bones.  I have been able to cope with one tablet a day, when I would occasionally need two.

I would still like the bathroom scales to be friendlier but I recognise that they are not the be all and end all and that we should celebrate the non-scale victories as well, and acknowledge the progress along weight loss journey. Just not with a hundred weight of chocolate and cake.