Non Scale Victories

[Over50Newbie]

For those of us trying to lose weight, sometimes we lose sight of the fact that the number on the scale is not the "end-all" of being healthy.

I thought it might be fun to list some of our NSVs (non scale victories) that show that we are becoming fitter and healthier even though the number on the scale is not exactly where we want it.

I will start - please join in!

Some of my NSVs:

I can now fit comfortably into my size 8 jeans.

I was picking up a 50 pound bag of cat litter at the back of the local pet store and the store clerk came over and asked, "Do you need any help?" and I replied, "No, I can get it" and proceeded to pick it up and carry it to the cashier at the front of the store without any problem at all.

I was driving my car with my left hand on the wheel and my right hand resting on my right thigh. As my right foot came off the gas to hit the brake, I could feel my right quadricep bulging through my pants. Pretty cool!

During another car ride, when I had my hand on the steering wheel, I glanced at my arm and saw a new muscle popping up between my wrist and my elbow. I didn't even know I had that muscle, and there it was, popping up and saying, "Notice Me."

I can run 5 and 1/2 miles without stopping, swim a mile in under 30 minutes, and bicycle 100 miles. I can also swim, bike, and run back to back when I compete in my triathlons.

I can downhill ski all day without my quads complaining. And I can ski people who are much, much younger than I "right off the mountain."

As I lose weight and tone up my body, my husband of 30 years thinks I am getting sexier every day and he can't keep his hands off of me.

I was bending over at school the other day, helping a student, and another teacher whispered in my ear, "Your butt looks so small!"

I now have "oblique defintion" in my abs, and I am on the way to getting a "six pack" - I already have a "two pack."

My waist has shrunk 5 inches since I started eating healthy and faithfully exercising .

I sleep like a baby every night, and have flown through menopause with hardly any symptoms at all. My ob/gyn attributes this to my healthy lifestyle.

I have normal blood sugar levels in a family where my grandmother died of Type 2 diabetes, my father died of Type 2 diabetes, and my brother has Type 2 diabetes. My grandmother was obese, my father was obese, my brother and sister are obese, and I am at a healthy weight. I am beating my genetic history!

And I can't forget that I am in the category of "one tenth of one percent of women over the age of 50" that has completed an unassisted pull-up from a dead hang.

A Very Determined Lynette

[OakLeaf]

I am in the category of "one tenth of one percent of women over the age of 50" that has completed an unassisted pull-up from a dead hang.

Way to go! I love that statistic, where did you find it (I just have to keep going for another year and a half )! Great job on all your fitness achievements!

[Over50Newbie]

Oakleaf,

Thanks.

It was a statistic that I read in a physical fitness training book a few years ago. And, just to let you know, I worked on pull-ups for 2 and 1/2 years before I was able to do one. I used the assisted pull-up machine at the gym where I was able to put the pin lower and lower until I could finally pull up my own weight. It seemed to take forever, but I didn't give up until I could do one on my own.

A Very Determined Lynette

[Tuckervill]

Way to go, Lynette!!!

One of the first things I noticed was that my belly didn't stick out as far as my boobs any more. (I have a big bust, so that's not saying much.)

Another thing is that I'm curvy, not round. My waist is actually narrower than my hips again.

I had a big lump of fat on the outside of my right thigh that I could cup my hand around. It's gone.

My face is very slender. I have a jaw-line again.

I can cross my legs at the knees, and line my calves up together.

I can wear a size MEDIUM, in SHORTS! (What?!)

People really don't believe me now when I say I'm a grandma.

A recent change that I've noticed--I can do boot camp in the morning and go for a long fast group ride in the afternoon, and I'm not exhausted and I don't have to eat a lot afterwards.

I can't do pull-ups or push-ups (haven't been trying), but I can run a mile and before I couldn't. I can do 50 full-length sit-ups (which I hear is the "new"/old way to do them, now).

Hard physical labor doesn't tire me out. I'm not begging for help lifting heavy boxes. I can move the 30 heavy cases of soda in the concession stand at the ball park by myself. I can shovel a lot of dirt and mulch in the garden without hubby's help. I actually want to push the lawnmower.

Little changes started 5 years ago (eliminated Diet Coke, the rest are too numerous to list). Real efforts towards weight loss started in December, 2006. 42 lbs so far. 30 or so inches.

Karen

[CATWOMAN]

Although I have experienced much of what y'all talk about, I still want improvement. Sometimes I fear that I am never happy; but that's not it because I am happy, just not done.

When I go out with my friends my age (47) I feel young. They dress older, look older, and act older than me. They don't understand my 3 new tattoos. I love them!! My son's girlfriend, who waited on a group of us in her restaurant said, "You don't look like you belong with them!" It was a great compliment.

I went to my brother's for my niece's HS graduation and didn't recognize his wife She had become middle aged-whatever that is.

Everytime I look at a pair of pants that I used to dread trying on at the start of a new season I'm sure they will be tight, but they aren't.

My tops are getting tight across the shoulders and upper chest due to increased muscle

I had a complete hysterectomy last December 14th. Two weeks later I was in the gym doing cardio (It took awhile before I could get on a bike seat). When I went in for my checkups at the GYN the nurse kept saying, "Man you just bounced right back!" They attributed that to my lifestyle.

At the beginning of summer I shop for new tops--cami's and tanks. Most women my age don't wear these anymore, or at least they shouldn't

I like the way I look when I look in the mirror! That's not bragging, that's a lot of f***ing hard work at the gym, mountain, and bike path.

I love every minute of exercise, both self imposed, and through a day of hard work in the yard/house.... The last 4 days I was painting and made sure to do a lot of squats, shoulder work, and ladder climbs. I got 4 days of leg work and my downstairs looks awesome. I rewarded myself with a 20 mile ride.

My kids say I have had tastebud surgery. Actually I have come to enjoy no or low sugar food, whole grains, and grilled dry meat. One day they too will endure tastebud surgery. I think it happens during sleep

[Tuckervill]

I like the way I look when I look in the mirror! That's not bragging, that's a lot of f***ing hard work at the gym, mountain, and bike.

Holy crap, YES!!!

Don't look at me and think I had it easy. It's simple, but not easy!

Karen

[Tabby]

I can cross my legs at the knees, and line my calves up together.


Karen

Isn't this great, I know, I noticed this too! I am so proud of this seemingly small, yet very significant success! It's fun to cross my legs and have my calves line up so nice.

PJ

[Crankin]

I loved reading these stories. Like Shooting Star, I have been maintaining my weight over decades, with a lot of hard work that you all described. It's no mystery, just a lifestyle commitment. The reactions you get from co-workers and others are things I have experienced since I was in my thirties (What? You just had a baby? How come you can fit in regular clothes? That was said to me on the way out of the hospital after having son #2. They weren't my regular sized regular clothes, but gee, I did exercise right up to my delivery!).
I am heading towards 55 and while I have some health issues, I still feel like I want to show off my body. I feel much younger than most of my friends who do nothing but complain about their bodies, but do nothing about it.

[Goldilocks]

Isn't this great, I know, I noticed this too! I am so proud of this seemingly small, yet very significant success! It's fun to cross my legs and have my calves line up so nice.

PJ

So true. Finding your collar and hip bones is another great bonus. Those three little things are what left the biggest impression with me.

[shootingstar]

Then there are those of us who have been trying to maintain their good, fit weight for last few decades. THis also takes physical effort and food eating consciousness. It's not magical genetic predisposition nor natural fast-burning metabolism.

My victory is small compared to others...just to fit same clothing that I wore 15-20 years ago. I have to remember as I age,...to extend that goal...make it 15-25 years ago.

[Pedal Wench]

Then there are those of us who have been trying to maintain their good, fit weight for last few decades. THis also takes physical effort and food eating consciousness. It's not magical genetic predisposition nor natural fast-burning metabolism.

My victory is small compared to others...just to fit same clothing that I wore 15-20 years ago. I have to remember as I age,...to extend that goal...make it 15-25 years ago.

I'm with you here. I know that I weigh more than I did when I started seeing my BF again 10 years ago. At that point, though, I was very depressed, and financially broke, so I was really, really thin -- never exercised, drank too much, ate too little, no muscles whatsoever. Too thin. But, I had bought a gorgeous dress to wear to a special event back then. I thought I would never ever fit into it again once I started riding. But, I just tried it on -- and it fit! So, I just finished a 430-mile weeklong tour and can still fit into my little dress. Life is good.

[Tabby]

But, I had bought a gorgeous dress to wear to a special event back then. I thought I would never ever fit into it again once I started riding. But, I just tried it on -- and it fit! So, I just finished a 430-mile weeklong tour and can still fit into my little dress. Life is good.

and a BIG WOOOOO-HOOOOO, geez, don't ya just love it when that happens!!!