Is it by the amount of weight lost, sticking to your plan, getting in your exercise? What makes you feel accomplished?

I've decided to celebrate leaving a weight behind -- from 270, to 260, etc. as well as making it through the day while sticking to plan.

It is NOT by amount of weight lost because that can be contrary and arbitrary. More and more lately it is on-plan days, and how long I've been maintaining my lifestyle changes - coming up on a year soon! To me that's more important than the weight lost, because it's something I never thought I could do.

And also lately, I've gotten more serious about the exercise component. I'm tracking my exercise minutes for the month, and it looks like I'll far exceed the goal I set, so that is a big success to me also.

For me, it is the little things that I really celebrate.

The small behavioural milestones that tell me I am changing the way I think about food-related things. For me, I interpret these changes as increasing my chances at maintaining my goal weight. I have never had trouble losing weight once I set my mind to it. Keeping it off has been an entirely different story.

Pulling an old, patched pair of jeans out of my drawer at the cottage, where they had been sitting for 4 months because I was no longer comfortable in them, and putting them on...effortlessly!

Bending over to tie up my shoes, or do up my snowshoes without feeling like I'm going to pass out!

And, I'm still at the point where I actually like seeing the loose skin developing at the bottom of my belly. This will likely change

I measure my success by a few different things.

To be sure, nothing will stop me from feeling great as I see those numbers move down the scale.

But, I decided to pick up a few other "successful" feeling habits after reading about maintainers. (After all, I have to stop losing at some point.)

I have to make it daily. (I'm like a kid... I need this sort of pat on the back daily.) I follow the Monthly Points Challenge and eat healthy, exercise and drink my water.

Increasing the speed and/or incline on my treadmill also makes me feel successful.

Putting on smaller pants.

Knowing that I'm coming up on a one-year anniversary of "lifestyle changes" (These anniversarys are becoming more important.)

I measure success in a lot of ways.

By the change in body measurements
By the change in the scale number
By how my clothes fit
By how I feel
By how well I am sticking with my plan

The only thing that is really important is how I feel....but I like to track the facts, like weight, calories, exercise minutes, etc.

Yeah, what she said!!!

Honestly? The number on the scale. Second way would be wearing smaller sizes. But, that weight number is a biggie for me. Maybe it shouldn't be.....but, it is what it is.

ditto!

I am so glad I don't own a scale. As mother to a teenage girl, I refuse to set up that kind of dynamic in my home! As I get closer to goal, it may become more important for me to weigh more regularly, but there's a scale at the gym and I should be there daily or at least a few times a week, so I figure I'm good with that kind of access.

I'm only 2 weeks in and do not have a scale at home (purposely) I will weigh in for the 1st time on April 1st, so right now I am going by the fact that when I look down, my boobs stick out further than my belly so I know something is happening! Also, my stomach does not touch the steering wheel now...it's not far from it but it's not touching either! It's the simple things!

Yup, what everyone said! I do focus a lot on the number on the scale: Is it going down, how much is it going down... but I do also focus on how great my clothes are fitting, how I am feeling, accomplishments in my exercise routine... And every sugary snack I pass up is an accomplishment to me!

Actually, all 3 make me feel accomplished, plus fitting into smaller clothes. Oh, and I also do the body measurements. I love seeing the inches lost. Every time I make a good choice, I feel good about it. I don't know if that feeling will wear off after a while, but I hope not. It's all the little accomplishments that keep me going.