When most people think of weight loss goals, one of the first images that comes to mind is likely that of standing on a scale. That said, as helpful as bathroom scales can be as a part of an overall dieting program, they are not always an accurate reflection of your successful (or not so successful) efforts to lose fat, and they can be quite low when it comes to providing many dieters with motivation.
For that reason, there is a growing movement of people who are using other types of trackers to help them to understand the progress of their weight loss. Many of these dieters find that these alternatives to the bathroom scale provide them with a great deal more drive to continue their efforts to reach weight loss goals, and they feel that it is much more likely that they’ll be able to keep the lost weight from coming back when they’re not depending on a scale to show them the way.
The following are some of the ways that people are skipping the bathroom scale in favor of other signs of progress and achievement:
• Paying attention to your body – the less you depend on numbers, and the more you actually listen to what your body is trying to tell you, the better you’ll understand your weight loss goals and overall health. Look for signs such as energy levels, skin health, regularity of bowel movements, and reductions in food cravings.
• Beating personal bests – this type of measure offers a new set of numbers that don’t require a scale. Instead, you can set goals to beat your previous records and then work to achieve those goals. Perhaps you’d like to run a mile instead of walking it. Perhaps you want to run it in a shorter time. Maybe you’d like to add another mile. Maybe you want to hold that plank position for another 10 seconds. Setting achievement goals and going for them is a new measure of your progress that can be very motivating and rewarding.
• Getting through your schedule – these days, schedules are tight, but when you’re in better shape, you’ll be surprised at how much more you can accomplish. A stronger body gives you the chance to put a larger number of tasks behind you during the day before you completely run out of steam. Pay attention to how much you’re getting done before you finally feel like you don’t have a choice but to sink into the couch or just go to bed.
