18 Non-Scale Victories To Celebrate That Prove You're Losing Weight

Focusing on non-scale victories while you’re losing weight can be so motivating! Keep reading to learn some of the best non-scale victories!

If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, the scale might not be your best friend. You’re not alone! The scale is only one way to measure progress on your weight loss and health journey.

It’s also a great idea to set non-scale goals and celebrate non-scale victories!

In this article, we rounded up non-scale victory examples to inspire you on your journey!

What Are Non-Scale Victories?

Non-scale victories, often referred to as NSVs, are health changes and improvements that you will see as you improve your nutrition, get better sleep, incorporate exercise and more.

These health changes are often undetected by a scale and you might not notice them if you are only tracking your weight on a scale.

Being mindful of and tracking your non-scale victories can help you see your progress in a more complete way!

Why Should We Focus On Non-Scale Victories?

The scale is just one way to measure progress. When we embark on a weight loss or health journey, we may be losing inches, healing our gut, getting better sleep and countless other things that a scale would not pick up on.

Focusing on the positive health changes that you are seeing can keep you motivated, even if the scale isn’t moving!

18 Non-Scale Victories To Celebrate That Prove You’re Losing Weight

More Energy, Clearer Skin, Better Mood

Since I started eating pro-metabolically, whole foods, and lifting weights I have more energy, my skin is clearer and my mood is much better. I have also seen a lot of muscle growth and have gotten stronger in the gym!

— Just Jes Lyn, Just Les Lyn

Getting Dressed Without Drama

My best non scale victory is getting dressed without the drama… no more avoiding certain clothes bc of how they look, no more tears in the dressing room or trying to find something in my closet, no more camouflaging certain body parts. I can just find something pretty and feel confident it will work. Coming in second is feeling comfortable in my own skin.

— Kate Landry, A Hundred Affections

Improved Mental Health

My best non-scale victory is the improvement in overall mental health. After a serious injury I found myself immobile for over two months. It was the long road back to health that made me realize all the benefits of consistent exercise/activity was having on me (and most of it had nothing to do with what the scale said).

My energy levels, my mood, how well I slept at night and my outlook on life were all SO affected by my activity levels. I can see and feel the affects on my mental health and I won’t be going back anytime soon!

— Lisa Jaspers, Board Walk Skater

Feeling More Physically Capable

A non scale victory I’ve enjoyed is feeling more physically capable for whatever life throws at me. I’m less worried I’m going to sprain something while chasing after my escaped dog or feel exhausted after doing dolphin dives with my kiddo at the pool.

— Jess, Make And Do Crew

Finishing A Marathon

One of my favorite non-scale victories was finishing a marathon! I was a sedentary kid who didn’t get active until my 30s. I had worked my way up through 5ks, 10ks, a few half marathons, and decided to go for it. It was HARD, but the feeling of crossing the finish line was absolutely amazing.

— Summer Yule, Summer Yule

Being Able To Do My Own Pedicure

My all time favorite NSV has been able to do my own pedicure again. I have never been too comfortable about people touching my feet. But, when I got to a large weight, I couldn’t do them. The lifestyle change not only made it possible to bend, I could easily sit on a mat. Not to mention, I was able to save so much money that I spent on the biweekly manicures.

— Rini, Healing Tomato

Being Able To Lift My Baby As She Grows Heavier

Being able to lift my baby as she grows heavier and heavier is my non-scale victory! She’s 16 months and I can still lift her with ease, something I couldn’t do with my first daughter at this age.

— Katy, Katy Kicker

Renewed Energy

With weight loss comes a renewed sense of energy and vitality that cannot be ignored. Metrics such as how you look in the mirror are great, but what really matters most is how you feel. Not all weight loss is healthy or necessary, which is why using your overall energy as a barometer of progress is a more accurate metric of your real progress than a number on a scale or how you look in the mirror could ever be.

— Ubaldo Perez, Hush Anesthetic

Improved Cardiorespiratory Health

For those who rely on fitness trackers, one metric in particular can give you a clear understanding of how beneficial your workouts are. Don’t rely so much on the numbers on a scale, but the number (and graph) that reflects your cardio fitness, also known as your VO2 score.

Your VO2 max measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. The higher your VO2 max, the better your cardiorespiratory health is. In other words, the higher your score, the healthier your heart is. A healthy heart and a healthy metabolism go hand-in-hand. A healthier heart is a precursor to your clothes fitting better.

— Alan Ahdoot, Adamson Ahdoot Law

Clothes Fitting Better

The one check I have to know that I’m losing weight is how much better my clothes fit. They aren’t as snug as they once were and I can zip things up easily. That means more to me than what the scale says. After all, one of the primary reasons for losing weight is to look better and be able to wear the clothes I love.

— Steve Mascarin, Taunton Village Dental

More Reps

There’s a place between muscle growth and weight loss where you physically experience your improvement.

As you acclimate to your exercise routine, start shedding pounds and building muscle, there comes a point where you quite literally feel the difference during exercise. Your 30 reps that you struggled with becomes 30 that don’t feel like anything. Then you go for 40 reps and it comes surprisingly easy. You feel lighter, stronger and generally more healthy.

This feeling of overcoming your limits really highlights your fitness journey. It gives you the drive to keep pushing and a tangible result that you can take pride in.

— Caleb Ulffers, Haven Athletic

Hearing What Other People Say About Your Weight

My personal favorite non-scale victory isn’t any specific metric, but rather simply what other people think or say about your appearance. If you are losing weight, your friends and family will be the first to notice and will comment on your progress whether you want them to or not. The perception of others is the easiest way to know if you are losing for sure. After all, you can always trick yourself into thinking you’re doing better than you are but there’s no way to fool the people around you.

— Michael Burghoffer, PicoSolutions

New Experiences

I was able to ride a roller coaster with my daughter for the first time in almost 20 years after losing around 130 pounds.

— Hollie

Looking Younger

A clerk at liquor store asked for my ID. That’s normal, they do that for many ages. But her comment made my day….”why are we the same age (59) and you look so much younger than me!”

— Laura

Being Able To Tie My Shoes Without Holding My Breath

I am a huge fan of NSVs, as I am a firm believer that scales are so one dimensional and inaccurate in how our journey to health and weight loss is going. Having lost 35 kg in under 6 months, it was the NSVs that kept me on track.

Here are some of my favorites:

Being able to tie my shoes without holding my breath
No longer feeling like I want to get changed with the lights off
No longer craving sugar in the afternoon
Sleeping deeper
No more snoring
No feeling bloated every day
No more acid reflux

— Bridget Foliaki-Davis – Chef, Author, Health and Wellness Mentor

Being Able To See Your Body

Looking down, and seeing parts of the body that haven’t been easily visible for a long time!

— Vicki

Comfortable In Bathing Suit

I am finally comfortable walking around in a bathing suit!

— Jennifer

Mental Clarity

One of my favorite non-scale victories during my 37 pound weight loss journey was the mental clarity I gained/the brain fog I lost.

It is hard to describe in words what it actually feels like. Brain fog is one of those things that slowly but surely creep up on you. Often, too slow to notice any differences until you actually lose the weight.

Additionally, if you like to use exercise, continuously beating your previous personal records feels great.

And lastly, while I knew you should not care too much about what other people think, it did still feel great to get those compliments about how much better and healthier I looked after losing weight.

This also adds some extra confidence.

— Matt Claes, Founder of Weight Loss Made Practical

If you’re struggling to lose weight, you may enjoy our guide on why am I not losing weight on Weight Watchers.

Bottom Line

We hope this non-scale victories list helps to motivate and inspire you on your weight loss and health journey. There are many other non-scale victories that aren’t yet included on this list!

Keeping track of non-scale weight loss victories are important! The scale is only one way to measure progress!

What is your favorite non-scale victory? Comment below and let us know!