I am often faced with clients who tell me they are not losing weight as fast as they want to or expected to for the effort they are putting out.  The frustration is real and can lead to returning to old eating habits.  My first response is usually, “if you go back to eating the old way, you are likely to regain all the weight you have lost thus far. We don’t want that.”  That remark keeps the value on what the scale is saying and I am beginning to realize that is not the most important piece.

If you are at a plateau and are feeling like you want to throw in the towel, consider this….

1.  Has your exercise regimen improved? Try keeping an exercise log and witness, on paper, how your fitness has grown.

2.  Has your mood improved? Try keeping a log of how you are feeling emotionally.  It can be a simple symbol on your calendar or a paragraph of your day.

3.  Has your sleep improved?  A good night’s rest can mean more than any chocolate eclair can taste.

4.  Has your energy level improved?  Remind yourself of all those slumps throughout the day you experienced in the past.  The 3:00 pm low that a cup of coffee or a Snickers bar pulled you through.

5.  Have your food cravings lessened?  Or better yet, do you think about a crisp apple now like you use to about that bag of Doritos?  I suspect you are pleased to be fueling your body with healthy fare.

6.  Have your blood values improved? Has your blood pressure gone down? Have your anxiety levels reduced? Has your sex drive increased? Is your foggy mind now clearing?

There are so many ways we can measure the success of improved eating without stepping on the scale.  Think outside the box (or the scale) the next time you wonder if eating regularly spaced, moderate portioned, and wide variety meals are “worth” it.