Non-scale Victories

People losing weight get caught up in numbers. Pounds of weight, pounds loss, body fat percentage, body mass index, percent of protein in my food, etc. And numbers are important. They're a way to measure progress, and perhaps the best way to measure it.

But they aren't the only way. And this is where "non-scale victories" come in.

A non-scale victory is something that you've done or are able to do that you wouldn't have been able to accomplish before you lost weight. It doesn't need to be a gigantic task, such as climbing Mont Blanc in winter or winning a stage of the Tour de whatever. Usually most non-scale victories are small milestones, things thin people take for granted but fat people can't. For instance, fitting into a booth at a diner. Having to adjust the driver's seat in the car forward. Dropping clothing sizes. Running further and harder. Biking further and faster.

Non-scale victories are easily forgotten. How often do you pat yourself on the back for fitting into a diner booth, for instance? But they should be remembered, especially at those times when the number on the scale doesn't budge or goes the wrong way. After all, you aren't losing weight to make the number on the scale smaller. Numbers are important for measuring. But living better is more important.