Measure Progress Without the Scale
 

And...I plucked this from sparkpeople as well so...nyah :p


Frustrated. Disappointed. Hopeless. Skeptical.

Whichever you choose, these emotions are enemies of people trying to lose weight—especially when you feel like you have done everything right. For many trying to shed pounds, the elation from that initial weight loss is brought to a screeching halt when the scale stops moving. But instead of viewing this as a setback, look for other ways to measure your progress besides the scale. After all, good health isn’t always measured in pounds.

Losing weight usually involves a relatively simple calorie equation: burn off more calories with daily activity than you consume through food. So what happens when these numbers indicate progress, but the scale doesn’t? Before the aggravation sets in, consider why this might be the case. If you’ve been hitting the gym on a regular basis, participating in both cardiovascular and strengthening exercises, then chances are good that you have shed some fat. But the scale might not indicate this because you have also been building lean muscle. Since muscle is dense (a small volume of muscle weighs more than the same volume of fat), the scale might not reflect your hard work.


Check out the 4 Non-Scale Signs of Progress here: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/...les.asp?id=487

Thanks, Onderchic--these are great tips!

Cheers,

J

:hug:

Thanks, onderchic! This "these emotions are enemies of people trying to lose weight—especially when you feel like you have done everything right" rang true for me yesterday and these tips worked! I actually did measure and saw that even though my weight went up, my measurements didn't change. I also changed my attitude and decided to move on and keep going instead of focusing on this "failure" and giving up.

Good post! :D

You're welcome and kudos for overcoming those darn numbers :hug: