Some people call them non-scale victories. It’s a newer trendy term used by health coaches as a motivational tool, and honestly, it works! I like them better than seeing the number go down on the scale.
We are a weight obsessed culture and so many people have the daily routine of stepping on the scale each morning to determine if they are successful or failing at life. To me that personally sounds miserable, maybe because as a woman that scale is always moving in one way or another. But hey! It’s supposed to!! I wish someone had told me that a long time ago.
Anyway, the thing about weight is it’s all relative, every person has a different ideal healthy weight, that number for a woman should fluctuate throughout the month according to her cycle. That number also doesn’t really give you a good indicator of what’s really happening inside your cells.
1- Muscle weighs more than fat!
2-Water weighs a lot and you are more than 70% H20 and that amount fluctuates A LOT!
3-There are different types of fat and some you really really need!!
4-Fat is a protector and a provider and if you live in a toxic soup those cells are saving your life.
Regardless we all have a tendency to measure ourselves by the scale's number, but what about the non- scale wins!
When I first started the Carnivore Diet in January of 2022 in a desperate attempt to heal, I quickly lost 20 pounds. The non- scale victories outnumbered the amount of weight I lost though! I could think clearly again! My IBS resolved! I had learned that my body buzzed with anxiety my whole life, because all of a sudden it was gone! My joint and muscle pain began to disappear! I slept through the night! I also had sustainable energy and lost my need for a daily 2 hour nap to get through the day!! And so much more!
Then the scale stopped moving down after 6 months. But, my clothes kept getting bigger and looser. Hmmmmm, that’s weird, my toes also were getting skinnier and my ankles were smaller. My experience with the scale and what was happening to my body and symptoms were not adding up. See, the scale is not always an indicator of success!
This past summer after being in school and learning Biochemistry and how to use formulas for measuring food and increasing metabolism, ya know all those sciency health tools. I realized we were doing all the right things but the scale still wasn’t going down. So, I met with a Carnivore health coach, and it turns out the body functions a tad differently on a carnivore than a standard diet and I needed to adjust our formulas. I could go on and on about the new science I learned but I will spare you, I can feel my kids eyes rolling as I think about trying to tell them about it all.
Anyway, I reevaluated the numbers of caloric input and basically doubled our food intake for both me and my husband. Yep, we doubled our food intake and guess what happened?
He lost around 28 pounds and I lost 14 pounds in less than a month!!! Since then I haven’t stepped on a scale because I mentally want to stay a winner! Can you relate! Funny thing though, my clothes still fit the same. See sometimes what the scale says and what you experience just don’t add up.
This past week though, a beautiful client blessed me with a gift. A sweatshirt that came with the apology saying “I’m sorry it’s a medium the only size they had but I really wanted to get it for you, maybe you can use it as motivation to keep going!” Well, I got home and it fit!!! It fit perfectly! I haven’t been able to fit in a medium sized anything in over 8 years! This is a big non scale win!!! I would bet you the numbers on my scale haven’t changed much but my clothing size has officially dropped! Woo hoo!!
One way to stay motivated in your health journey is to stay focused on each and every individual win, because at the end of a week, a month, a year they add up!!! Just think, walking 1 mile a day for a whole year and you’ve done 365 miles! Staying consistent in the small things, adjusting or stacking habits along the way, and paying attention to EVERY SINGLE non scale win is a great way to keep your head in the game!
When you are coming from a life of chronic illness, frustration, and a long time of battling, counting your non-scale wins and thanking God for them are a game changer!
If you could dream up a list of non scale wins what would they be? A clear mind, more energy, better sleep, less pain, the ability to eat a donut and not land in bed for 2 days as a result! Time to dream my friend! Time to pay attention and notice your daily victories! You may even surprise yourself!