Hello runner friends!
Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series
MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!
Now let's get started by talking about why many runners allow the numbers on the scale to dictate their mood for the day and why hiding it can help motivate a person to consistently make positive changes without the roller coaster of emotions the scale can elicit.
To illustrate this point, check out what runner Lisa Geary said on her 17th day of a 45-day program she is participating in that uses non-scale victories to track success. "17 days in and I can tell a difference in how my clothes fit different. Had to move the scale out of the bathroom to take away temptation!" Did you catch that? Lisa is enjoying not weighing in so much that she eliminated the 'thing' that might attract her to slip back into her old routine. As one of her coaches in this program, I wanted to hear more about her decision knowing that it would inspire someone else to follow her lead and ditch the scale (at least for a while). "Can you tell me why non-scale victories are worth celebrating for runners and how keeping their eyes off the scale can help a runner regain their motivation?" was the question I posed. You'll love Lisa's response... I always thought the scale was the only way I lost weight. Whenever dieting I would catch myself weighing every other day and would feel defeated if I didn't see a change. Not realizing it was an obstacle in my success. By removing the scale for 45tofit the large obstacle in my way made it possible to keep on the right trail to success. My clothes fit better, I feel better and slowly I've noticed my runs improving. I'm learning to take my small wins of success over time instead of one big number on the scale.
Asked the same question, runner Laura Murrieta, who is also doing the 45-day program, had this to say... There is a such thing as called skinny fat, which is somebody that may be skinny when it comes to the scale (or at a healthy weight) but have no fitness to them. Non scale victories that we can look forward to are maybe how fast we can recover after one of our training sessions or activities, maybe when we've increased by a push up or pull up, or maybe starting to have personal records on our endurance whether we're running further in mileage or maybe running faster. When we strive for non-scale victories we are not just following another fad diet to get "skinny" but we are really trying to implement lifestyle changes so we can become the better version of ourselves. When we truly focus on becoming fit versus skinny we can really start to learn to enjoy the world as our playground. A few of the non scale victories I've had lately is I just did my fastest 5K even after doing 5 miles that morning My clothes are fitting better and I don't get as winded easily as I would before.
Do you just love that or what? And if you need a few more reasons to put away your scale to increase your motivation, check out what healthline had to say...
Whether weight loss or well-being is your goal, building a healthier life is a multifaceted process. And it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes imagination, bravery, and sustained commitment to develop healthier eating and movement habits. Focusing on just your weight as measured by the scale can often be too limiting to keep you motivated for long. So, how do you learn to celebrate those non-scale victories that lift your spirits, reinforce your resolve, and identify results beyond the scale?
What exactly are non-scale victories? Non-scale victories, also known as NSVs, are health improvements that result from small life changes. They may go unnoticed if you’re only focused on the scale as a measure of your success. A bathroom scale shows a number — a snapshot of your weight at a given moment on a given day. But the journey to a healthier life can’t be reduced to a single frame so easily. You can create a truer picture of your progress by recognizing the many improvements you’re experiencing day to day.
In light of that, check out these 15 Non-Scale Victories that you should celebrate.
1. Your clothes fit better than they used to. Your pants may let you know your weight is changing before the scale does. If your clothes are feeling more comfortable than they used to, your efforts are very likely paying off. Celebrate!
2. You can do more of the things you love. Physical activity doesn’t have to take place in a gym. If you’re on the path to a healthier life, you may find that your new habits are making it easier for you to get out and do things you enjoy more often. Playing with your children or pets, working in your garden, dancing to a favorite tune, or taking a brisk walk are all activities to celebrate.
3. You have more energy. When you’re eating more nutritious food and increasing your physical activity, you’re bound to feel more energetic overall.
4. Your sleep has improved. If your new activity and healthy eating habits have changed your weight, you may be sleeping more soundly at night.
5. You’ve reached a fitness milestone. Exercise has many health benefits. If you’re moving more than you used to, you’ll probably notice changes in your fitness levels the longer you stick with it. More reps, heavier weights, and longer exercise sessions indicate that you’re moving in the right direction.
6. Your mind is sharper. When you change your diet, exercise more often, and lose weight in the process, your thinking skills are likely to improve. Studies have shown that weight loss is associated with better memory, increased attention span, and faster mental processing. The bottom line is that positive health changes may help your brain to function better.
7. Your skin looks better. Healthy eating and regular exercise improve the health of your whole body. But research shows that eating lots of fruits and vegetables may produce benefits that show up on your skin.
8. You’ve lost inches. Exercising, especially strength or weight training, can change your measurements. One important number to track is your waist circumference. It's been proven that losing inches around your middle can reduce your risk of life threatening cardiovascular diseases.If you’re looking for another NSV to measure, keep an eye on your waist-to-hip ratio, and notice the changes as you continue with your health habits.
9. Your coping mechanisms are healthier. When people are stressed by illness, conflict, loss, or trauma, about 80 percent change their eating patterns. Roughly 40 percent increase the amount they eat while the other 40 percent decrease the amount. Stress eating, sometimes called emotional eating, has been linked to the release of dopamine, a chemical associated with reward centers in your brain. The eat-reward connection may be part of the reason why stress eating becomes a habit. if you’ve noticed that you don’t use food to cope with stress like you may have in the past, this is a victory worth celebrating. You may have retrained yourself to use healthier stress management techniques like exercise or mindfulness.
10. You’re in less pain. Losing weight reduces the stress on the joints in your body that are weight-bearing — your legs and lower back in particular.
11. Your mood is improved. Another non-scale victory may be an improvement in your mood. According to studies, 82.2 percent of participants who’d been feeling depressed reported a positive change in the severity of their depression symptoms after losing 5 percent or more of their body weight. What’s more, their improved mood remained even 2 years after their weight loss.
12. Your medical markers are getting better. If you’ve made healthy changes to your diet and exercise routines, a doctor’s visit may show that important health markers like blood pressure and blood sugar are improving. When those numbers change, it can boost your resolve. It can also reassure you that the changes you’ve made are improving your health. In fact, a study based on the National Weight Control Registry showed that medical concerns are highly motivational. People who lose weight because of a health concern often lose more weight at first and keep it off over time.
13. You have new sources of social support. Partnering with a friend, a therapist, a support group, a nutritionist, or any number of other personal and professional helpers may make it easier to reach your health goals. You may have noticed, for example, that you’re more likely to take a walk if a fitness buddy is waiting outside for you. Or you may find it’s easier to keep a food journal if a nutritionist gives you weekly feedback. Choose your support carefully. You want people on your team who are genuinely interested in your well-being.
14. Your plate is a thing of beauty. If you’re eating more fruits and vegetables, your plate is probably bursting with color. Red peppers, leafy greens, deep orange sweet potatoes — colors so bright and bold you may feel compelled to join the millions who photograph their food before diving in. Take advice from the pros: Adjust the lighting, simplify the background, add tasteful accessories, and choose a dramatic angle to accentuate your beautiful and healthy meal.
15. Your wallet doesn’t miss the drive-thru. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the average American household spent roughly $67 a week on eating out in 2018. This included restaurants and fast food. If you’re doing more meal prep and less eating out, or if you’re eating more whole foods and fewer processed ones, your budget and your body may both be getting healthier.
So there you have it friends, there are lots of reasons to put away the scale and celebrate the non-scale victories in your life. As someone who used to let the scale dictate the day, I'm happy to say that I don't even own a scale, haven't weighed myself in years, and use other ways to measure my success. And remember this... when you're measuring success by the changes you see in the mirror, don't stop there. Consider all the ways running and adopting a healthy lifestyle has made you better on the inside as well. Now smile and get out there for a run. Setting a new PR today, or even braving the cold for a short run or walk, could be a great addition to your list of non-scale victories.
Happy Running!!!
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