With a few lifestyle changes, women just like you can start to see some BIG results pretty quickly in their weight loss journeys. But, lots of the early results don’t come on the scale. In fact, focusing only on the number on your scale can completely ruin your day (or your week!) Instead, we need to focus on non-scale victories! I’ve prepared a non-scale victories list below, but first, we need to look at…
What Are Non-Scale Victories?
Every woman’s weight loss journey is different. They come with ups and downs, successes and failures. And we all know that weight loss doesn’t happen overnight. That being said, when we focus on non-scale victories instead of the numbers on the scale, we can start to notice things pretty quickly!
Non-scale victories, or NSVs for short, are noticeable differences in our bodies. The journey to a happier, healthier life isn’t all about the numbers on the scale. It’s about feeling great in our skin! When you learn how to celebrate the non-scale victories more than just the on-scale victories, your new lifestyle becomes a whole lot more fun and easy. You are actually going to start enjoying the food you are eating. Maybe you are going to feel accomplished when you wake up in the mornings. Or maybe you are going to feel sexy when you go out with your friends!
So what are some examples of non-scale victories? I have broken down the explanation into a few different categories. Here they are:
- Overall health non-scale victories
- Relationship with food non-scale victories
- Body image non-scale victories
- Pain non-scale victories
In our non-scale victories list, I have a number of non-scale victories in each category that you can use to add some victories and successes to your day. Although not all of these non-scale victories are going to apply to you, there are sure to be quite a few that you can (and should!) start celebrating!
Overall Health Non-Scale Victories List
In this category, I’m talking about all of the ways that your overall health is going to improve when you are making healthy choices. In another article I wrote, “Be A C+ Student In Your Weight Loss Journey,” I talked about how you just need to make a few healthy decisions each day.
As you start to make a few more healthy decisions each day, these decisions start to become habits. As they become habits, then you don’t need to use so much brain power to make these decisions, and you start living a healthier life. This is when you are going to start noticing the overall health non-scale victories!
1. Your clothes fit better than they used to
So many women in our community see their clothes fitting better way before they ever see the scale change. But isn’t that exciting!?
I love when women have a goal of “fitting into their summer dress” or “getting back into those skinny jeans that you haven’t been able to wear in a few years.” These are the types of non-scale victories that are super fun and need to be celebrated!
2. You have lost inches all over your body
Just like #1 above, losing inches doesn’t just happen to your waistline. No! Losing inches can happen all over your body. As you start to make healthy choices in your new lifestyle, you might start to notice things like:
- A slimmer neck
- Tighter abs
- Tighter butt
- Less flab on your arms
- Your rings fit better on your fingers
- Your ankles aren’t as thick
There are a lot more places that you can lose inches, but these are some of the popular ones. Make sure to measure yourself once or twice a month to see your progress! It is going to blow your mind and you are going to love the results!
3. You have more energy than you used to
In the Weigh Down Lifestyle Community, we often talk about “Fueling your body with the right fuel.” Imagine this:
If you have a gas powered car, you need to fill it up with gasoline. But what happens when you fill up your gas tank with diesel instead?
Well, I’m not a mechanic, but I think the answer to this one is pretty easy! The car isn’t going to run.
The same is true with your body. If you consistently fuel your body with the wrong nutrition, your body isn’t going to run very effectively. However, if you fuel it with the right nutrition, then you are going to be amazed at the energy levels you have!
4. You sleep better than you used to
This is another amazing non-scale victory that happens to so many women in our Weigh Down Lifestyle Community! As you start to fuel your body with the proper nutrition, one of the benefits that starts to happen is you start sleeping better!
For some women, this means that they have a much easier time falling asleep. For others, they stop waking up in the middle of the night (they sleep the whole night without waking up). No matter what, if you start making healthy decisions each day, your sleep is going to improve!
5. Your mind is sharper than it used to be
Coming back to the “fueling your body” analogy again, another non-scale victory that you are going to see is brain function. Yes, your mind is going to be much sharper when you fuel your body with the right nutrition.
Plus, when you are sleeping better, you are going to be less tired, which also means that your mind is going to be sharper. You are going to remember things better and be able to make quicker and more efficient decisions!
6. You have an improved mood
Think about all of the non-scale victories that I have already discussed. Wouldn’t you have an improved mood if you are having these NSVs? If you were having more energy, sleeping better, having a better memory, and your clothes were fitting better, wouldn’t your mood improve? Mine sure would!
All of these non-scale victories compound on one another, making them all that much more effective. All of these are going to contribute to your improved mood, and you’re going to feel great!
7. Your blood pressure is lower than it used to be
One of the benefits of making healthier decisions is that your overall health is going to improve. One way that I’ve seen women improve their overall health is by having a lower blood pressure.
Women in the Weigh Down Lifestyle Community who have high blood pressure have been amazed at the results they’ve been seeing. Some have actually gone to the doctor for check-ins and their blood pressure is way down!
8. Your blood sugar levels are healthier than they used to be
Same as blood pressure, women who have trouble with their blood sugar levels are seeing great results when they start making small lifestyle changes. Just a few healthy choices per day can lead to NSVs that get your blood sugar levels more balanced.
9. You have less acid reflux
Another overall health non-scale victory is that you can reduce your acid reflux. This doesn’t happen for everyone, but again, if you start making some healthy choices each and every day, your body is going to function better.
As your body starts to function better, one of the benefits is going to be improved digestion.
One of the ladies in our community was taking acid reflux pills almost every single night, and by making healthier decisions, she was able to almost completely eliminate the need for these pills!
10. You have improved digestive function
Like I said in #9 above, fueling your body with the right nutrients is going to allow your body to operate at optimal levels. This means that one of the benefits is going to be improved digestive function.
Your body will have an easier time digesting foods, getting the proper nutrients out of the foods you eat, and your bowel movements should show signs of improvement as well.
11. You have less bloating
I see this non-scale victory happening a lot. It seems that when we eat processed food and junk foods, our bodies always feel bloated.
So, instead of having that cheeseburger, fries and soda, we can eat a healthier meal and our bodies are going to respond appropriately! I can’t overstate this enough: when you fuel your body with the right nutrients, you are going to reap the rewards with your overall health!
12. You have a higher sex drive
This one could have gone farther down the list under “Body Image Non-Scale Victories,” but I decided to put this one here because our sex drive is still part of our overall health. All of these NSVs that I’ve already mentioned play into this one.
When we have more energy, improved mood, we have lost inches and our clothes are fitting better, then you are more than likely going to have a higher sex drive! It’s one of the beautiful gifts that God gave us. When we treat our bodies well, then this gift is going to be at the forefront!
13. You stop taking your medications
This one needs a disclaimer because I’m not trying to say that healthier decisions are immediately going to make you stop taking your meds. That is not true.
However, there is lots of evidence that making healthier choices actually leads to less medication needed. Just like #9, when you fuel your body with the right nutrition, sometimes that means that you don’t have acid reflux anymore. Other times, it means that your blood pressure is down.
All of this makes a difference and can potentially lead to less medication. Of course, be sure to talk to your doctor before stopping any prescribed medication.
Relationship With Food Non-Scale Victories List
Next on our list of non-scale victories is the relationship with food. When you live an unhealthy lifestyle, sometimes your relationship with food can suffer. You start putting harmful substances into your body and fueling your body with the wrong nutrition.
This relationship with food actually causes your overall health to suffer, which can take away the NSVs from the first section above! Here is my list of relationship with food non-scale victories:
14. You start enjoying healthy foods more
As you start fueling your body with wholesome healthy foods, your body is going to start to love all of the nutrients that you are feeding it. Your body is going to start getting used to having these nutrients. Once your body gets used to having the correct nutrients, it isn’t going to want to give them up.
This means that the more you feed your body the right nutrients, the more your body is going to crave these nutrients. And as your body craves these nutrients, you are going to start enjoying these healthy foods more because your body is literally telling you how much it loves the healthy food!
15. You start craving junk food less
At the same time, while your body is getting used to the healthy foods and good nutrients, it is detoxing from all of the bad stuff in junk food. The more detoxed your body becomes, the less you are going to crave that junk food.
#14 and #15 work together. Your body is going to change, where you actually start craving healthy foods more, and you will start to dislike junk food more and more.
16. You spend less money in the drive thrus
This one is easy – when you don’t crave junk food as much, you stop eating it! This means that your fast food bills are going to be much less! Why spend money on fast food when it doesn’t even taste good anymore!?
17. You start being more adventurous with food
So, now you aren’t going to the drive thru nearly as much as you used to, and that leaves a whole lot of meals that you don’t know what to eat. So what do you do? You start being more adventurous with food. Maybe you try a new restaurant, or maybe you make a new dish that you’ve never tried before.
You’ve never felt so adventurous with food before, and you’re going to love it!
18. Your taste buds start to change
This is basically summing up all of the above non-scale victories. Basically, as your body starts craving healthy and nutrient-rich foods, your taste buds will actually start to change.
You are going to start liking foods that you didn’t before. And bonus… you are actually going to start thinking that fast food isn’t as good as it used to be!
Body Image Non-Scale Victories List
This is where true life transformation starts to take place as you start making healthier decisions. Your body image non-scale victories are going to make you feel amazing! These ones are the non-scale victories that are hard to measure, but they are important.
Here is my list of Body Image Non-Scale Victories:
19. You start liking the way you look
When was the last time that you looked in a mirror naked? Did you like what you saw?
Based on other women I’ve talked to, there is a good chance that you felt embarrassed, depressed, or some other negative emotion. Some women can’t even handle looking in the mirror because it is too tough.
However, when you are starting to make healthier choices in your life, you are going to see physical changes to your body. As your body physically changes, you might even start liking the way you look!
20. You start doing more of the things you love to do
As your body starts getting healthier, you can start to do more of the things you love to do. There’s no more body image concerns that will be holding you back, and that is something to be celebrated!
Maybe you’ve been too embarrassed to go out lately, so being able to do the things you love again is definitely a non-scale victory!
21. Your skin looks healthier
I thought about putting this one under the “overall health non-scale victory” but I figured that it fit better under the body image section. As you start fueling your body with the right nutrients, you are going to get that glow back in your skin, and you are going to look amazing!
22. You have a renewed sense of confidence
All of these non-scale victories are starting to add up, and your confidence levels are skyrocketing. Your clothes are fitting better, your skin is glowing, you are feeling great. You have every reason to be confident, and your confidence is growing on the daily!
23. You feel less guilt
Sometimes, women get into a rut of feeling guilty over how they look or over the things they are eating. So, as you start making healthier choices in your life, the guilt is going to start to diminish. What an amazing non-scale victory.
Guilt can be crippling, so when your guilt starts to go away, you need to celebrate looking and feeling great!
24. You feel comfortable being yourself in pictures
So many women that I talk to absolutely detest being in pictures. It’s sad, but so many women don’t like the way they look and they feel guilty about it. No longer!
When you start making healthier choices, you are going to feel less guilty and you are going to start liking the way you look again. When these non-scale victories happen, then you are going to start being comfortable in pictures again.
What a gift! Pictures are a great way to preserve memories, and you can be in them again!
25. You feel comfortable wearing a bathing suit
With all of the physical changes happening to your body with healthy choices, you are going to be looking great! So let me ask you a question…
When was the last time you felt confident wearing a bathing suit?
Your sense of body image is on the mend, your body is becoming healthier every day, and pretty soon, you are going to be able to celebrate the fact that you are comfortable wearing a bathing suit!
26. You stop missing out on activities due to negative body image
Have you ever said “no” to an activity because of negative body image?
Well, you aren’t going to do that anymore! You are stunning, and you are excited to do the activities that you love to do! Maybe you’ll even try a few activities that you’ve never tried before.
27. You start trying new things (sports, swimming, hiking, etc) that you wouldn’t before
Your body is transforming and you have so many possibilities. Your knees don’t hurt anymore… you are glowing in your skin with confidence, so you can try new activities and find new hobbies!
Next time your friends want to go try something new, you won’t be hesitant because of your body image. No! You’ll be ready to go.
28. You are becoming more active!
This one is the last one of the Body Image Non-Scale Victories list because it encapsulates the whole list. Your body image is becoming stronger by the day, and this is going to affect every area of your life, including you becoming more active. It’s exciting!
Pain Non-Scale Victories
We are on to the last 4 on my non-scale victories list! These last 4 have to do with pain, and as you make these healthier changes to your lifestyle, you might see some of these pain non-scale victories show up in your life!
29. You have less pain overall
Sometimes pain is hard to describe, but when you don’t have it anymore, it’s very noticeable. This might happen to you – you don’t even have the words to describe it but you know it’s true.
With all of the healthy changes you are making in your life, you have less pain. You feel it in your joints, in your muscles, and in your bones. Your body is becoming nimble, and it feels good!
30. You have better stress management / coping mechanism skills
I mentioned in #5 that your mental capacity is going to increase when you become healthier. This also means that you are going to be able to cope with difficult situations better.
When stressful events happen (and they are going to happen), you will have the mental capacity to deal with them appropriately and without breaking down.
31. Your knees and ankles don’t ache like they used to
Did you know that for every 5lbs that you lose, it’s like losing 20lbs of pressure on each of your knees?
Isn’t that amazing? Your results can be amplified 4x on your knees, and that is going to cause you to have much less pain, and feel much better.
32. You can play with your kids / grandkids without getting tired
This is one of my favorite ones, so I left it for last! When you start becoming healthier, you get so many benefits that we’ve talked about in this post. When you have all of these benefits like pressure off of your knees, less pain, and better-fitting clothes, then you will have all the confidence in your body to be able to play with your grandkids!
What a joy it is to be able to physically engage with your kids and grandkids. You are going to create lasting memories!
How To Celebrate Your Non-Scale Victories List
So, there you have it – my list of non-scale victories. Celebrating your victories and your successes is a huge part of your weight loss journey! It is crucial to get excited about your wins and to celebrate YOU! You are doing amazing!
We have a whole blog post on this topic, which you can check out here: https://weighdownlifestyle.com/weight-loss-rewards/
And remember, it’s all about progress over perfection. You don’t need to be perfect, because no one except Jesus is perfect.
Instead, just focus on making a few healthy choices each day, and soon, you are going to be living a happy healthy life!
If you want to learn how to find freedom with food, register for our Food Freedom Workshop here! In just 5 days, you are going to learn how to transform your relationship with food, make healthier choices, and start having non-scale victories to celebrate!
Tell me in the comments below, which non-scale victories do you usually celebrate? Did I miss any in my list?
Blessings,
Ruth Verbree