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A Merry Life

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Measuring Success Beyond The Scale

September 17, 2009 by Mary

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for details.

Ah. Today wasn’t the finest day for me.  I still felt a little bit under the weather so I skipped most of the activities.  I had a nice restful day and feel a bit better all things considered.  I got a text from my mom and found out she isn’t doing well with her lupus right now so if you could send up a prayer or some good vibes for her please do.  I hate that she has to deal with all that, so my mind is a bit wrapped up in that situation even though there is nothing I can do about it.

One of the classes I did attend today was Measuring Success Beyond The Scale.  Seems timely since tomorrow is my first weigh in/fitness assessment since I’ve been here.  Originally I intended to do it weekly but Jen (the fitness director who does the assessments) suggested every other week instead so that is what I’m doing.  I’m pretty excited to see what the scale and other measurements say.

In the class we discussed other types of measurement besides just weight on the scale because when people focus on that number they tend to foget about other things they have accomplished like inches lost of change in clothes size. Since my focus had previously shifted away from weight loss as the goal and more as a byproduct, I was happy to hear it mentioned in the class that weight loss should be the outcome not the goal.  Weight loss is all well and good but it is not the only measurement of success. In fact when you move away from weight loss goals and have a variety of goals weight loss eventually happens on it own.

So what other kinds of ways can you measure success?  Well, let me count the ways for you!Some concrete (numbers based) ways to track and measure progress include:

  • Distance walked, biked, or swam in a set time frame like 30 minutes
  • Days exercised – if you check days off on the calendar you can see how it adds up!
  • Flexibility testing (oooo, stretching farther is great!)
  • Resistance training progress (going up in weight or reps)
  • Body measurements (inches lost!)
  • Clothes fit or new sizes

And you can always create or think of more ways to measure successes.  It’s not always about the scale even if that is part of your measurements for success.  I do in fact like using the scale as a measure of success, just because it’s easy to share with others and quick to measure.  I do also use measurements but don’t do that as often (maybe like every couple months) just because it is a hassle.

Meals:

Lunch Thursday 917 MexicanishColdEeze!!  x 10Dinner Thursday 917 Salmon Not pictured: breakfast – pancake with syrup, veggie sausage patty on toast with hot sauce and ketchup.  Also, snack of triscuits, cheese, and half a Hershey bar.  Yep.

Moves:

45 minute cardio on the fitball class

.5 mile walk

Alright, that’s it for me.  I’ll let you know how my assessment goes tomorrow!  Hopefully I will have multiple successes to report back. :)

And in the meantime, let me know how you measure success.  Do you just do weigh ins?  Do you measure?  Do you have a pair of jeans or other clothing item that marks the goal?  Do you try to beat your time walking a mile?

Filed Under: Healthy Living, Weight Loss Tagged With: food, Green Mountain, workouts


« “Realistic” Weight Loss and Expectations
Checking In: It’s Assessment Time! »

Comments

  1. Foodie McBody says

    September 17, 2009 at 8:32 pm

    I so believe in NSV (non scale victories). I got a great one today- my cardiologist said my health is now “spectacular” and I only need to see him in six months instead of six weeks! Woo hooo!

  2. Lisa says

    September 17, 2009 at 9:09 pm

    sounds like a great class!

  3. Amanda, another priorfatgirl says

    September 17, 2009 at 9:35 pm

    i weigh myself almost every day, but the only one i REALLY count is my weekly weigh-in at WW.

    i am victorious when i feel good in my clothes … and my own skin.

    i am victorious when i complete a workout and run all the way through my predetermined finish line.

  4. Art says

    September 17, 2009 at 11:35 pm

    I weight my success on everything. If I lose some weight, awesome! If my clothes loosen up, amazing! If I ride an extra mile, incredible! If I decide not to eat that ice cream, hip hip hooray! I celebrate all of my achievements. I’m a happy guy in that way.

  5. Miz says

    September 18, 2009 at 3:43 am

    success for me is being about to gogogogogogogogogogo all day with my CRAZY up at crack of dawn NO NAPPING child…at 40.

    no joke.

    cant wait to hear about your day.

  6. South Beach Steve says

    September 18, 2009 at 5:10 am

    I measure success in a lot of different ways. The scale, the tape measure, body fat analyzer, exercise goals . . .

    By the way, I love the quote, “weight loss should be the outcome not the goal”. That is the best way I have heard it put.

  7. Amy H. says

    September 18, 2009 at 5:25 am

    I mainly use weight as my measure, but I’m learning to appreciate other things, like I can zip up my skinny jeans (major muffin-toppage still), and some of my “fat” clothes are getting looser. Not sure, but I think my hair is getting softer from better nutrition. Ditto with skin.

  8. Sarah says

    September 18, 2009 at 6:45 am

    HEY MARY! Good luck with your assessment. Feel free to email me to discuss. I’m sure you’ll do well… especially if you’re not focusing ONLY on weight! I hope you feel better soon.

  9. Lynn C says

    September 18, 2009 at 8:08 am

    I really need a class like that, I swear.

    I am so stuck on the damn number. One number. Not that I’ve gone from a 24 jeans to a 4. But the weight on the scale seems to measure who I am. Very crazy-making. I’m trying tho.

    For me, that’s a measure of success, actually; that I’m still trying to make it NOT about the scale. That I constantly remind myself of my other accomplishments.

  10. Fitcetera says

    September 18, 2009 at 10:34 am

    I measure my success every day with every forkful of healthy food and every step of activity. I consider myself successful with each healthy choice I make.
    I get kudos every day this way and don’t have to wait for a number to tell me I’m succeeding.
    I weigh once a month because let’s face it the numbers are the *sexy* part of this but I also have a pair of my friend’s jeans that I’m trying to get in to.
    Hope you’re feeling better, Mary.

  11. Hanlie says

    September 18, 2009 at 11:05 am

    I always take note of positive improvements. The other day my husband says that my heart doesn’t race so much anymore and of course I snore less. I loved that!

  12. Christy, The Fat Girl says

    September 18, 2009 at 12:38 pm

    That’s awesome how you’re doing the assessments. As far as how I measure success, I’m slowly learning to not let the scale dictate my life. I pay more attention to how I feel, how my clothes fit, and the fact I can now walk up and down the steps several times a day without feeling winded.

  13. Chef Lisa says

    September 18, 2009 at 12:55 pm

    For me, it’s all about how my clothes are fitting. My black chef coat will feel tighter in the hips when I’ve been making, shall we say, less healthy choices…and when my “skinny” jeans fit, I know I’m on the right path. I threw away my scale when I started working at Green Mountain and have been much happier without it in my life. :)

  14. Jody - Fit at 51 says

    September 18, 2009 at 1:09 pm

    So glad you are feeling better and I LOVED THIS POST!

    There are many weight to measure success & again, it is individual but thinking beyond the scale is good. I do use the scale, how clothes fit, challenges in my exercise routine & more. They all factor in!

    You are getting it so right!

  15. Jack Sh*t, Gettin' Fit says

    September 18, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    I measure weight loss success every way that it can be measured: scale, fit of clothes, measurements, compliments, NSVs, the way I look, the way I feel… if I keep looking at enough different things, something’s going to give me good news.

  16. KCLAnderson (Karen) says

    September 18, 2009 at 3:15 pm

    Timely post for me, Merry. I’ve just created a new goal for myself based on my waist measurement and not the scale! I love that there are so many ways to gauge our success!

  17. Bella says

    September 18, 2009 at 7:33 pm

    These are great ideas of things we can use to help us measure our weight loss success, beyond the scale. Thank you for the reminders.

  18. Dr. Kal says

    September 21, 2009 at 11:03 am

    Great post.

    I use clothing as my principle weight loss guage. As I was losing weight, I would buy a size smaller than I was currently wearing.

    When I was finally able to fit into the smaller outfit, I would have a great sense of accomplishment. Then I would buy another outfit that I couldn’t fit.

    Now in my closet is a Large shirt and 32 inch waist pants that I have been trying to get into for a year now. One day they will fit and I’ll finally be where I want to be.

    Keep up the great work!

  19. merri says

    September 22, 2009 at 5:50 pm

    Mostly I measure my workout success by how I feel afterward. When I first started taking lift class, id be KNOCKED OUT after. Literally I’d have to sit down outside the gym for a while and rest before I went home. Now, a couple months later, I’m sore, but able to actually function! Soon, I’ll be able to add weight on! Other things, like going up levels on the step machine or eliptical, or learning the routines in kickbox or dance class work too. Or, just seeing someone struggle to lift something at work, and I go over and pick it up and its not heavy! Lol. I’m behind on your blogs so hope youre feeling better by now. :)

Trackbacks

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  2. Fitness Blogger » Blog Archive » Measuring Success Beyond The Scale | A Merry Life says:
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    […] Mary wrote an interesting post today onMeasuring Success Beyond The Scale | A Merry <b>Life</b>Here’s a quick excerpt […]

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