Success for me started out being measured by the drop in my blood pressure and glucose numbers. Once those numbers normalized, success became a matter of feeling good about making the right choices and exercising. Those are the things that make me feel like I've made real changes.

Very well said and fits me to a T!

I think I find happiness in all kinds of ways I didn't imagine when I started. How much more energy I have, finding out that I can run AND I LIKE IT, discovering long lost bones, shopping wherever I want instead of the fat stores. The scale is the black and white measurement, but it's all those little things that I measure success with on a daily basis. It's the little things way more than the scale that keep me going.

LOL - I love how you put that :D

I love this thread!

My main measure of sucess is my willingness to try.

It started out for me to get my triglycerides down to a normal number (so far they have gone from 507 to 176 - with under 150 good. * I am almost there). Getting my lab numbers better was a big measure of sucess for me.

Since I can't check my own lab numbers that often, I started to focus on the scale - that "kept me going for a while". I can have very disordered approach to weighing - like eating only certain foods the day before or eating foods that are natural diuretics the day before I weigh. So - I am slowly changing that behavior to being willing to get on the scale and just weight without any shinanigans. That's a wonderful measure of sucess for me.

In the last almost 6 monthes it has transitioned into my sucess being measured by my "sanity" with food. I've had fewer and fewer binges or times of overeating. The scale goes down on it's own terms and sometimes it doesn't go down when I think it should and I deserve it. I have learned to be willing to mostly go right back to sane, thoughtful and healthful eating if I do overeat - that is a huge measure of sucess for me.

I measure my sucess by learning how to meditate and willingness to make it part of my daily life - this helps deal with stress which has always triggered out of control eating.

Of course - I LOVE it that my clothes are all too big and folks have started to notice, too. :)

EXACTLY! If I'm sticking to the plan, I see and feel the results and the success cycle continues.

I'm a scale addict but I also measure weekly and that's where the real payoff is for me. That and fitting (and shrinking out of) the smallest clothes in my closet!

Really, for me the scale is pretty important, because I am in chronic pain from my knees. And every pound gone is, in my mind, a step towards healing and a less painful life. I mean, even if I was totally healthy otherwise and looking fantastic, I have got to get this weight off or I will end up crippled.

But, that said, I also count my days on plan (green x's), measurements, and how I feel overall. This is a lifetime commitment for me.