When it comes to weight loss, using a scale to measure your progress seems to be the best option. After all, you want to lose weight, right? All my life I worried about that number on the scale. I dreaded going to the doctors for any type of visit because I didn't want people knowing that number. Even when I would exercise my heart out, the number wouldn't change and it got to be extremely frustrating. I know that there are people out there who can relate to me.
When I learned how to eat properly, I started noticing small changes. I joined a 60 day Summer Slim Down challenge group in June of 2013 and promised my group, as well as myself, that I wouldn't not step on that scale until we had to re-do our measurements on Day 30. So I spent a solid 30 days changing my eating habits and cleaning up what I was eating. I incorporated exercise and Shakeology into my daily routine and was feeling fantastic! Being that it was summer and I was home with my girls all day, I typically wore yoga pants and a tank each day, so, I didn't exactly feel a difference in my clothes. I remember going to the beach for our family vacation a week before the big "Day 30" was about to hit. My husband and I spent an afternoon shopping at the outlets and much to my surprise, I purchased a pair of shorts in a smaller size! I was pretty pumped up about it.
So, when day 30 finally came I stepped on that scale and wanted to cry. And I'm not talking about tears of joy. I was SO disappointed. I put all of this hard work in and I only lost 3 pounds. Yes, I felt great and yes I finally felt my clothes were starting to get big, but I was so concerned with that number. As part of my group I had to re-take my measurements and do
another set of transformation pictures. In doing so, I learned that I lost 6 total inches! I then took my second round of transformation pictures and did a little comparison. I was shocked! That was my "ah-ha" moment. It FINALLY sunk in that I wasn't doing a quick fix. I wasn't on a crash diet. I was on my way to a healthy lifestyle. While I do still step on the scale and want to see that number go down, I don't base my progress on it. I base my progress on my measurements and proof in the pictures.
It is so easy to get caught up in how others look and wishing you could look the same. It's easy to get frustrated when you hear about how much weight others are losing and you aren't. So many weight lose competitions are based solely on weight, and that isn't right! Weight loss is different for everyone.
A great way to get, and stay, motivated is to celebrate those small successes. Maybe you have created a new habit of exercising 4 days a week. Maybe those pants that were a bit snug can button comfortably! Maybe you started meal planning and you have been sticking to that plan, or maybe you have been consistent with drinking enough water each day. Take some time to sit down and think about your journey. What small successes have occurred? Think of how far you have come and how much further you will be a month, or even a year, from now! A recent small success that I had was finally being able to do the Crow in my P90X3 workouts! I couldn't do it for the life of me for the first few weeks! My girls got a good laugh at me too!
Just remember, everyone makes mistakes. We ARE human! I'm not perfect in what I eat and I know there are changes that I could make. My willpower sometimes gets the best of me too. The key is to make sure you have more good than bad days. So, before you consider yourself to be struggling with your weight loss, take your pictures and measurements! If you are still finding that you are not losing, start keeping a journal of what you eat, as well as how much you exercise. Then at the end of the week you can sit down and look at where you made some slip-ups. You can re-evaluate and create a better plan of attack for the following week.
You know that saying, "Slow and steady wins the race"? That totally applies to weight loss. When you focus on eating healthy rather than counting points and calories, IT WILL naturally happen! Sure, it may not be as fast as the latest "quick fix" your friends are doing, but guess what, your change is benefiting you AND your family in the long-term.
Enjoy your Day!
Labels: Lisa Decker, Non Scale Victories, Successfully Fit, Weight Loss, Weight Loss Journey, Weight Loss Motivation
