Unexpected Ways to Measure Your Weight Loss

Unexpected

When you’re trying to lose weight, it can be hard to tell if you’re really making progress or not. I know when I was on my weight loss journey, I used to look in the mirror every day and judge how my body looked, but eventually I realized that’s not the best way to go about losing weight. Since then, I’ve found better ways to gauge my progress that aren’t so reliant on numbers on the scale or how my clothes fit—and they also helped me feel more confident in my body throughout my weight loss journey.

Get over your hang-ups

If you’re overweight, it can be easy to get hung up on what your scale reads. Don’t do it. Instead, focus on measuring your weight loss in other ways: Are you exercising more? Seeing results from healthy eating? Feeling better in general? Make progress—and celebrate your success—regardless of how much or how little weight you’ve lost. You’ll feel proud and confident throughout your journey. And who knows? Maybe those final 10 pounds will take less time than you expect!

Record your journey

Keep a log of how you’re feeling about your weight loss. Are you more confident? Do people seem to be treating you differently? Are your clothes fitting better? Tracking these physical changes can help remind you that, indeed, something is changing in a positive way. It will also give you concrete data points (e.g., your weight on day one and day two) that can help you recognize and celebrate any milestones along your journey. Lastly, tracking your progress isn’t just a good habit for staying accountable—it's also an effective strategy for keeping yourself motivated and aware of patterns in your behavior. If I want cake at 3 p.m., I might not be too concerned if there are still six hours left until dinner; but if it’s 5:15 p.m., I know what time my stress eating time bomb usually goes off and I have enough time to plan my reaction before it does!

Embrace your body

Though your goal may be weight loss, it’s important not to see yourself as a number on a scale. Weight is only one way that you can measure your progress—so look at other ways you’re achieving your goals. For example, if you’re starting an exercise program or switching up your diet, are you feeling more confident in your clothes? Are people commenting on how great you look? If not, don’t let these factors diminish all of your hard work. Remember, losing weight is not just about looking good; it’s about improving your health and quality of life! So focus on celebrating those little victories and remember, healthy living doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time!

Visuaylize your results

As you lose weight, it’s easy to become obsessed with how many pounds and inches have fallen off. But in order to keep yourself motivated, it’s important to remember why you started losing weight in the first place—whether it was better health, more energy or just a desire for a healthier life overall. Some people find that they are able to get back on track when they focus on what they can do again, rather than what they can no longer do; perhaps you used to be able to walk your dog for an hour every day but now can only manage a half-hour.

Use social media

If you aren’t regularly using social media, start now! Share your progress and inspire others by creating a profile on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. These are great sites for support and accountability, as well as for sharing your goals with others. Try including before-and-after photos to demonstrate how far you’ve come and keep yourself motivated. And don’t forget about old school networking—tell friends, family members and colleagues what you’re trying to accomplish, invite them to share in your success and celebrate your achievements together. For extra help tracking calories consumed through food or drinks, check out Lose It!. This app makes monitoring food intake easy and has helped many people lose weight.

Look at before and after photos

When you’re losing weight, it can be tricky to keep tabs on how much you’ve lost. Having a series of before and after photos can make it much easier to get an accurate assessment of your progress (and see if those jeans are fitting any looser!). For best results, measure yourself with a tape measure first, then retake those photos as you continue your weight loss journey. And even though you won’t be in front of that camera for long – being able to look back at images from weeks or months ago will help you accurately reflect on all that hard work! Plus, who doesn’t love seeing themselves slim down? It feels good every time!

Improve on what you have achieved

Once you've begun to lose weight, rather than becoming frustrated by a lack of progress, look for ways you can improve. For example, if you're trying out a new way of working out but it doesn't appear to be as effective as expected, find a different approach. If possible, discuss what changes you have made with your trainer or doctor. If there is still no improvement—or things have gotten worse—it may be time to change strategies completely. There are many options available; don't get stuck in one that isn't working. Find an alternative and keep going until you reach your goal!

Bypass obstacles that get in your way: Setbacks happen to everyone. When they do, use them as learning experiences and don’t allow yourself to become discouraged by them.