On and Off the Scale

I'm sure many of you out there know how fickle the scale can be.  For example, yesterday I magically gained and then lost six pounds.  Amazing.  I've decided that the scale may not be the best way for me to keep track of my progress, so I'm bumping weigh-ins back to every two weeks.  Hopefully this will allow me to see a bigger difference each weigh-in and will offset the bizarre fluctuations I see.  Because I've made this decision, I wanted to talk about things that a lot of you talk about: non-scale victories.

Non-scale victories are extremely important to recognize and reward ourselves for while we're on the way toward becoming healthy, happy people.  Not only does the scale jump around like a three-year old boy with ADHD after eating a pound of Pixie Stix, it can also become a point of unhealthy obsession.  If it wasn't so convenient (and satisfactory) to measure our success in terms of our weight, I would do away with the scale altogether.  Since we can't really do that as most health information is related in terms of that number on the scale, those non-scale victories that we notice daily are hugely important to keep up inspired, as well as a reminder that we are more than a number.  Although I'm not keeping up with it per se, I'm hugely in love with Tiff's I Am Worth More Challenge.  I think it's a fantastic way for us all to think about ourselves in terms of the men and women we are and are becoming through our endeavors, not just the number.  Although I'm not putting post-it's on my scale, I hid it under the sink in the bathroom and have been mentally noting some victories for me to share with you, as well as some general reflections on how I'm feeling about all this thus far. 

- I don't eat cheese at work anymore.  The past few shifts I've worked have been cheese-less, and as cheese is one of my most favorite kinds of food on this planet, I consider it a huge victory that I can look at it all day behind the deli line and keep myself from eating it.  I have also stopped getting cheese on sandwiches, which is a big deal.  I used to put just as much cheese on my sammiches as meat, and I like me a seriously big sammich.  It doesn't even occur to me to put cheese on sandwiches anymore - the only cheese I even buy at the store is string cheese for snacks and cottage cheese for the mornings. 

- I can say no to the cookies at work.  The other day, I had to wrap all of them - the day I posted those pictures.  As I wrapped each cookie, I mentally told it "I don't need you". "You'll just make all my hard work go to waste".  "These are for customers, not for me".  "Only the first bite is good anyway".  "I can use these calories in other ways".  "You're not even that tasty!", etc. 

- On a related note, on Tuesday night I covered a shift for a coworker and grabbed a cookie without thinking to stop myself.  I had about four little pieces of it, and was done.  I had satiated my craving.  I threw the rest of the cookie away, instead of mindlessly eating the rest of it as I would have done two months ago. 

- My workout pants are almost too big.  Wednesday at the gym, I did a little interval jogging around the track.  I had to stop and hit the bike because my pants kept sliding down my hips and I was having to hike them up with really awkward Frankenstein-waddling kinds of steps.  They're just stretch pants, so it feels good to know that these stretchy pants are getting too big. 

- One word: bootyliciousness.  I noticed after I got undressed to get in the shower today that I actually have a nice butt back there.  I've always thought my butt was nonexistent, and my friends and sister tease me about it endlessly.  But the more weight I lose, the nicer it's starting to look.  It's returning from exile after years of unhealthy habits, haha.  I can't wait to see what it looks like ten pounds from now. 

- I can feel my legs and hips slimming out.  If I stand with my hands on my hips, it feels different.  Where my hands are and where my memory of them always being are different places.  Even my boyfriend has noticed a difference.  They're becoming smoother as my love handles shrink, and when I practice dancing in front of mirror I can see the beginnings of some really nice definition between my hips and my belly - I'm not just one big jiggly jello-mold blob anymore.  I'm also starting to notice some separation between my thighs.  My thighs have always rubbed together (see The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly for a description of how annoying it is to wear dresses/skirts).  The longer I keep at this, the less my thighs touch.  I'm okay with there never being a slit of air all the way between them because I love my curves, but it will be so nice to wear dresses this summer with thinner thighs. 

- My stomach is getting smaller.  I noticed this yesterday when I went out for some dinner with my roommate.  He and I went to this place called Laughing Planet, where everything is fresh, healthy, and made on site.  I love this restaurant, and he was being totally supportive in letting me choose someplace good for us.  I got a salad with all kinds of lettuce, some beans and diced tomato, some tortillas chips, and medium-hot salsa as dressing.  Although it was kind of big salad, it wasn't as big as some I've eaten in the past, and I couldn't even finish it.  That's right, I left salad left over at the bottom of the bowl.  I was so full that I wasn't even hungry for another six hours (thanks, black beans!). 

- I'm the freakin' Energizer Bunny.  It's true.  I have a ton more energy now than I used to.  Working out hypes me up so much that it often means I don't sleep well because I work out at night and just can't sleep afterward!  Probably not a good thing, but definitely an interesting benefit. 

- Healthy eating is starting to become a habit.  When I get up in the morning, I automatically gravitate toward healthful cereal, fruit, cottage cheese, etc.  Lunch is almost always packed with vegetables, and my first instinct when I'm hungry is to think about something healthy.  I only have to remind myself to eat something healthy a couple of times a week now, versus five times a day when I first started this roughly six weeks ago.  Honestly, it feels so good.  I just feel clean and good to go.  Like a well-oiled machine, you might say.  I'm actually excited to live the rest of my life this way.  The only obstacle I see is once I start thinking it's become a habit for good and stop paying attention to what I'm eating.  However, that's how my weight loss attempt failed last time, and I learn from my mistakes.  I'm going to stay on top of it. 

- I love myself more every day.  Enough said.  : )

Well I know that writing these things down for all to see has really helped refocus my energy after the stress fest that this past week has been.  Next week is going to be just as bad, but I know I'm going to succeed.  I can feel it in my belly, haha. 

Goodnight, loves.  <3