Beyond the scale is where real motivation is found

We’ve been conditioned to believe that smaller numbers on the scale is the holy grail of weight loss. And sure, weight loss is easily seen on the scale, but that narrow focus as your only measure can end up hurting your journey more than helping it.

The scale can’t differentiate between muscle and fat, so if you’re losing fat and gaining muscle, the number might not change all that much. Hydration, food intake, and hormonal changes can fluctuate your weight, which will be even more discouraging if that’s all you’re tracking, leaving you thinking you’re not getting anywhere. If you weigh yourself daily and see any increase, it’s not uncommon to feel demotivated (Gin Stephens suggests weighing yourself daily but averaging the numbers over the week. The daily numbers on the scale may seem like you’re not losing weight, but over time you’ll see the numbers dropping when looking at the weekly average.)

When your body loses weight, it’s more than just losing fat – there’s a lot of healing going on that you can’t see. This is because underlying health issues often lead to weight gain, and so your body will prioritize healing those health issues (which you may see as a drop in weight at the beginning but is mostly inflammation) before burning fat. But eventually, the weight loss will begin.

When my husband, Karl, began intermittent fasting, the inflammation in his ankles disappeared within three days. Over the next few months, we watched the inflammation in his disabled arm, which had been injured in a car accident years ago, disappear. Amazingly, he regained most of his mobility and feeling in that arm—something his surgeon had said would be impossible.

There’s a false sense of control the scale can give and if the numbers don’t move in your favor, it can encourage increasingly drastic changes to your diet, exercise or fast. If you’re willing to let go of this control, you could find it to be liberating, allowing you to focus on the journey itself and the long-term progress of healing.

Recognizing that the scale is just one tool in your toolbox will open you up to all the other resources available to you in your whole health journey. While it’s helpful for tracking weight loss progress, it shouldn’t be your sole measure of success. Appreciating and using other resources beyond the scale will help you stay motivated on your journey (especially when the scale isn’t moving).

Celebrating all the non-scale victories (NSVs) along the way has a major impact in staying positive and keeping your determination to continue. They can also go a long way in improving your body image and supporting long-term healthy habits.

To help you find NSVs you can track, I’ve created a 180 non-scale victories checklist for you to download.

Being able to get up and down from the floor easily or bend over and touch your toes are celebrations you should be taking note of – they’re important improvements you’re making! Or how about better sleep and improved mood (I bet your loved ones would celebrate that with you)? Having more energy for playing with your kids, feeling comfortable being naked in front of your partner, or not caring that your friend just took a candid photo of you and posted it on Facebook (without you checking it first). These are all exciting milestones and need to be celebrated.

If you enjoy keeping a journey, make a daily or weekly routine to write about your journey and dig into your limiting beliefs. You can start with prompts like “What thoughts have you had about your body this week?”, “What did you do for your self-care today?” or “How would you feel if you were invited to a pool party, swimming was mandatory and only swimsuits (no shorts or t-shirts) were allowed?” You can track how you feel about these as you consider them at different times throughout your journey. You’ll start to see changes as you gain confidence in yourself and your body. You can also gain a deeper understanding of your mindset and identify any negative thought patterns that might be getting in the way of your progress.

Another resource is to read inspirational stories of others who have successfully used intermittent fasting for health and weight loss. There’s a load of stories at Intermittent Fasting Success (and when you’re ready, I would love to add yours!)

You can also set up a tracking planner. Weigh yourself as Gin suggests, take your measurements every month, take photos every two months and try on new clothing sizes every three months (and of course, move these around so that the order suits you.)

All the victories, big or small, are a positive step in the right direction. When you tap into all the changes happening for you on this journey, you’ll heal more than your body, and lose more than weight.