If you’re on a weight loss journey, there’s no doubt you pay attention to the numbers on your bathroom scale and enjoy the victories of seeing those numbers go down. We all know that weight loss can be a long process that requires motivation to keep going. To stay motivated, it helps also to enjoy your non-scale victories. Known as NSVs, non-scale victories are health improvements that come from small life changes that you might not notice if you are focused only on the numbers on your scale. Here are some NSVs to celebrate and help motivate you.
Your clothes fit better than they used to
Your clothes might let you know your weight is changing before you step on the scale. If your clothes are more comfortable and fit better, your weight loss efforts are paying off. Feeling and looking good in your clothes is a powerful motivator.
You can do more of the things you love
As you eat more nutritious foods and increase physical activity to lose weight, you’ll feel more energetic and able to do things that were difficult before. You might find it easier to dance to your favorite song, take a walk in your neighborhood or just to play in the yard with your children or grandkids.
You get a better night’s sleep
Many studies and lots of research have concluded that weight loss improves the quality of your sleep, especially the loss of belly fat. Sleeping better and feeling rested in the morning is great motivation to lose weight and keep it off.
You reach fitness milestones
The neat thing about exercise is that the more of it you do, the better you get at it. If you have been exercising regularly to lose weight, you’ll see improvements in your fitness level and will be more likely to stick with it. You can do more reps, lift heavier weights and run longer than ever before.
Your mind is sharper
To lose weight, you are eating better and exercising more. This is likely to improve your thinking skills. Studies have shown that weight loss is associated with better memory, increased attention span and faster mental processing. Positive health changes are good for your mind and body.
You’re in less pain
When you weigh less, your joints don’t have support as much. Your hips, lower back, and knees, in particular, will benefit, as these joints tend to be the most painful for obese people.
The takeaway
While you are working to lose weight, there’s certainly nothing wrong with measuring your weight on a scale. That scale, though, is just a snapshot of a single moment in time. Measuring your success with all the non-scale victories that come with better nutrition, increased physical activity and weight loss will help keep you motivated and keep you on track to become a healthier you.