We’ve all been there: That moment when you’re obsessing so hard over the number on the scale that you can barely see how far you’ve come since the beginning of your journey. Well, it’s time for some real talk. There’s a lot to celebrate in the pursuit of better health and wellness — and much of it has nothing to do with how much you weigh! Need a little reminder of all the amazing things that are happening to your body? We asked 11 fitness trainers and bloggers to revel in their favorite non-scale victories. Here are the stories they shared.
11 Insanely Satisfying Non-Scale Victories
1. That Time You Dominated Your Luggage
“I all too clearly remember when I could not hoist my carry-on into the overhead bin without assistance. I also clearly recollect when I was able to place it in the bin by myself but it took much effort, and the [people] behind me would grow restless as they waited. Now? At age 46, I toss it effortlessly into the overhead bin — and that feels fantastic. Every damn time.” — Carla Birnberg, blogger behind Unapologetically Myself
2. When Waking Up Early to Sweat Became the Norm
“Every workout I start is my non-scale victory. I don’t have to get up at 5 a.m. to put in the miles; I choose to, because it will set the mood for the rest of my day and remind me of the person I’ve chosen to be.” — Amanda Brooks, blogger behind Run to the Finish
3. When You Finally Discovered That Pull-Ups Are Possible
“I thought doing a pull-up would be impossible — that is, until I installed a pull-up bar in my dining room. Not only is it a classy addition to the decor, but it also makes me try to do pull-ups frequently. It’s still a work in progress, but I am able to do several neutral grip pull-ups where I didn’t even get close before!” — Erin Whitehead, Fit Bottomed Girls
4. That Time You Organized Your Whole Life to Better Fit in Workouts
“Over the last few years, I have ruthlessly eliminated non-essential activities from my day — checking Facebook and Twitter every five minutes, binge watching rubbish on Netflix, etcetera — and have been forced to plan days — often weeks — ahead in order to make sure future workouts don’t clash with anything else. This approach has made me much more productive not just in the gym but in all areas of life!” — Henry Croft, blogger behind Gym Talk
5. When You’re Suddenly Two Dress Sizes Smaller
“As I approached my 40th birthday, I knew I needed to make a change. I decided that I wasn’t going to let the scale dictate my progress, so I tracked my results by taking my measurements instead. After months of making small changes, I’d lost two dress sizes!” — Michelle Hobgood, Fitness and Nutrition Coach at Daily Burn
6. That Moment You Realized You Didn’t Need “Cheat” Days
“[One] of my favorites: Eliminating the term “cheat” from [my] food vocabulary. Restricting food or classifying it as bad or cheating typically only serves to make you want it more. Learning to make sensible, balanced choices most of the time but also allowing yourself to occasionally eat the foods you crave is a much more balanced approach.” — Lindsay Livingstone, blogger behind The Lean Green Bean
7. When You Dominated Those Stairs That Used to Be Hard
“My non-scale victory is being able to walk up the 30 steps to my front door [while] holding my two children or with about 20 grocery bags strung across my arms… and not needing help from anyone.” — Adrienne O’Connor, Daily Burn 365 class member
8. That Time Biking Became Your Preferred Mode of Transportation
“My husband and I recently downsized to just one car, and it’s been awesome to see how easy it is for me to hop on my bike to go just about anywhere I need to go on days when he’s got the vehicle. Unless I really push the pace, I’m rarely out of breath upon arriving at my destination (although I have experienced a case or two of helmet head, I’ll admit). And my legs have yet to protest a commute, even going to and from a workout.” — Kristen Seymour, blogger behind Fit Bottomed Girls
9. When You Went Beast-Mode on a Daily Burn Challenge
“I am happy to share that I am fitting into my clothes much better (at only five months postpartum), and my body just feels better overall…[And ] perhaps the most motivating thing for me is my constant improvements in the Daily Burn workout challenges. I know that I have to push myself, and to improve by one or more reps keeps me motivated and coming back!” — Yonka Beckem, Fitness and Nutrition Coach at Daily Burn
10. When You Realized You Could Literally Do Anything
“Non-scale victories are what I focus on exclusively. Some of my favorites are moving pain-free, being able to hoist and carry two 30-pound bags of dog food in a single trip, and mostly having the ability to do dang near anything I want to do — such as hike, mountain bike, ski-board, try a flying trapeze class, or any other physical activity. Health and fitness is meant to make your life more awesome. These non-scale victories are what matter most.” — Nia Shanks, blogger behind Lift Like a Girl
11. The Satisfaction of Deadlifting Like a Champ
“I hadn’t done a one-rep max of a deadlift for years — and the last time I did it, well before I had my 11-month-old daughter, I struggled to make it to 195 pounds… So I was definitely nervous to try it again. I set a goal to deadlift 200 pounds. If I did that, I thought, I would be really, really proud of myself. I ended with a one-rep max of 250! I totally blew past my goal — and it felt awesome. I credit carrying my 21-pound daughter around all day, every day!” — Jennipher Walters, Fit Bottomed Girls