Seeing the numbers go down on the scales is great. But don’t forget about all those non-scale victories that feel just as good as those numbers look.
Making sure to celebrate these wins is great for motivating you on the weeks when the scales won't move – because that’s the reality of any weight loss journey.
Non-scale victories keep you focused and help you remember why you're doing this – to feel your best. In this guide, we’ll list some of the ways to identify these wins and the best ways to celebrate them.
Three key takeaways
Non-scale victories are ways to mark your progress, such as better-fitting clothes and improved energy and sleep.
It's important to celebrate the physical, mental and lifestyle benefits that go beyond the scales.
Non-scale victories often reflect measurable health improvements that your GP can track, such as lower blood pressure, improved cholesterol levels, better blood sugar control, and reduced joint pain.
What are non-scale victories?
Non-scale victories are ways to measure your progress during your weight loss journey that might go unnoticed if your only focus is the number on the scales.
While stepping on the scales can sometimes be a good pointer for the progress you’ve made, it doesn’t always paint the whole picture.
For example, if you’ve been exercising more and have begun to build muscle, it might seem like your weight loss has plateaued if the number on the scales has stopped going down. In reality, you’re still taking positive steps towards a healthier lifestyle.
These can appear in many different ways, like not getting out of breath at the top of the stairs, feeling like you’re able to get further on a walk or having clothes fit more nicely.
Why do non-scale victories matter?
Losing weight isn’t easy and takes time. This is why it’s essential to find ways to stay committed and celebrate those small victories. Non-scale victories show progress continues even when the scales don’t move.
Non-scale victories are so important because of how your weight can be up and down, from day to day, for reasons you may not think about.
For example, factors such as hydration level, time of day, or hormone levels can all affect the number on the scale. Using this as your only metric for success can create unnecessary pressure and make your weight loss journey harder.
If you’re struggling to find ways to celebrate, we’ve gathered some of the most common ways that people have found to celebrate their non-scale victories – with the stats to back them up!
Physical wins
Clothes fit better
Most people who want to lose weight do so as they want their clothes to look better and fit more comfortably.
If weight loss treatment has helped you adopt a more nutritious diet and you’ve been able to increase your physical activity, then both of these changes will lead to you having more energy.
Mental wins
Feel more confident
Regardless of what the scales say, if you’re losing weight, you’re feeling more confident. Whether it’s off your face or waist, nothing beats getting out and knowing that you look good. Success comes in many forms, and one of the best is feeling confident in your own skin.
If your weight has been causing you to experience a low mood, then a more positive outlook might be a benefit that you’ve noticed. In a study, 82% of participants had reduced symptoms of depression when losing 5% or more of their body weight.
Lifestyle wins
Your waist gets smaller while your wallet gets bigger
You might notice that by spending less on food shops, takeaways and booze, you’ve got a little extra money in your pocket to go and experience things, whether that’s with family, friends or solo trips!
How to track non-scale progress
If you’re feeling like the scales aren’t helping you stay motivated, a good way to see how much progress you have made is to take monthly progress photos. When you see yourself every day, it’s hard to see how much slimmer you are compared to when you started – you might be surprised at how far you’ve come!
Alongside these photos, using another metric, such as the Body Roundness Index, can also help, as it considers changes in your body that you might not notice by looking in the mirror.
We have other tools on our site to help visualise your progress, especially when you’re trying to figure out “How much weight have I lost?” It can be really motivating to see how much weight you’ve lost as a percentage.
If you’re part of an online community, then it can be really useful to share your wins with others. It’s good to know that you’re far from the only person going through a weight loss journey, and sharing your non-scale victories can actually inspire others, in addition to yourself.
“The best progress trackers aren’t always numerical. Other methods can be even more positive. Some of my favourites that I recommend are:
Measure your waist, hips, and thighs; inches lost matter more than pounds.
Monitor how many flights of stairs you can manage comfortably.
Pay attention to how your rings fit, how your shoes feel, and whether you're reaching for afternoon caffeine less often.
“Remember, your journey is about so much more than numbers. Celebrate when you climb stairs without breathlessness, when your blood pressure medication is reduced, when you sleep through the night, or when you play with your grandchildren without fatigue.
“The scales might not always reflect your progress, but your body knows the difference. Trust the process.”
When you step on the scales and have maintained the same weight from the previous week, this is when it can be the hardest to keep going. We understand that this is the point that can be the hardest.
Whether it’s a weight loss plateau or you didn’t achieve what you wanted, this is the time that you need to search for these non-scale victories to help you stay motivated through your weight loss journey.
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