How do you judge success?

RainHoward
RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
in Motivation and Support
I know most things are relative, so how do you measure your success? Is it by the pound? By the inch? By the activity? I get excited when I make it up a few stairs without feeling like I'm going to die. Of course, I'm a rather extreme example.

I totally blew the holly he ll out of my calorie limit today. In fact I damn near doubled it. On the one hand I feel like this is an abject failure but on the other I feel like I did better than I use to do under the circumstances. So, do I consider it a failure or a success? I don't know.

We decided to go out for Chinese food tonight, a buffet down the road from our house. Now, in the past I would eat until I couldn't move, putting away 5 or 6, sometimes more, plates of food. I would gorge myself and not care. This time, I was able to limit what I ate and I made sure to make better choices. I also noticed that I got much more full much faster than I have in the past, resulting in eating much less.

I made sure to use all the tools I have acquired over the last year or so. I ate slower, I made sure to make better choices (mostly), I ate the more healthy, more filling items first. And yes, I took in a massive load of calories. But I did better this time. I'm just trying to decide if I should be happy about that and get over the going out. I feel guilty about going out and I feel even more guilty about eating what I did. I feel like I let myself down. On the other hand when it's in the mid 90's and you don't have AC in your house, going out to a nice cool place to eat is a lovely treat.

Replies

  • mfkn_Titanium
    mfkn_Titanium Posts: 131
    By how many people on MFP tell me I have a nice *kitten*. *shrugs*
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    By how many people on MFP tell me I have a nice *kitten*. *shrugs*

    well add one more to that count
  • blondie0942
    blondie0942 Posts: 146 Member
    I honestly think it was a success for you. It doesn't have to be "all or nothing," so if you did better than you used to, great job! :) I judge success a few different ways. The most rewarding feeling for me is knowing my months of hard work are paying off in ways that everyone can see. It's definitely something to be proud of, and no one deserves to take that feeling away from anybody.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    By what I see in the mirror. The scale lies to me... It hadn't changed much... The mirror (and camera) is usually pretty reliable. That and my speeds, distance, endurance increasing.
  • kittyconni
    kittyconni Posts: 62
    I am a slave to the scale. I judge my success by the numbers on the scale!
    I think you should view today as a success. You knew your limits, made healthier choices and stopped when you were full. That is a major change from what you described in the past!
    I don't think you will find one person that has been on a diet that doesn't eat out and eat off of their diet plan every once in awhile. I have. It keeps me from sitting and obcessing about food that I want all day long. Just gotta pick yourself up, and start again tomorrow. Remember, take it one day at a time. Yesterday is done, nothing we can do to change any of it. Today is here and we can make better choices today!
  • RainHoward
    RainHoward Posts: 1,599 Member
    By what I see in the mirror. The scale lies to me... It hadn't changed much... The mirror (and camera) is usually pretty reliable. That and my speeds, distance, endurance increasing.

    Totally of topic, but it's my topic so it's OK. You have flippin fabulous abbs. Like, wow.
  • mywayroche
    mywayroche Posts: 218 Member
    By the way I feel. Healthy eating and exercise make my life a better place on a daily basis, losing weight makes my life better in the long run... put those 2 together and you've got what I want lol
  • tadpole242
    tadpole242 Posts: 507 Member
    At the Moment?, by the holes in my work belt, there used to be three, and now there are eight. And by my speed on my cycle to work, It used to take 45 - 50 minutes, now it takes 28 - 30 minutes.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
    By the way I feel. Healthy eating and exercise make my life a better place on a daily basis, losing weight makes my life better in the long run... put those 2 together and you've got what I want lol

    ^This
    I feel way more motivated than I have after some quite trying times (voluntary redundancy, career change, freelancing so all the financial uncertainty that brings)... but I am a talented individual and I am regaining my discipline in terms of exercising and that is making me feel more motivated, focussed and less tired and stressed.

    In just two weeks of really focussing on my diet and introducing small and steady exercise back in my life after 13 years since quitting athletics through injury, I feel better.

    Now.. if those natty grey jeans fit a little looser next time I try them, then that's a big tick for me!
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
    I used to judge by the scale. I used to b a slave to it, but now since hitting a certain point, while I would like to lose about 15 more lbs, I just by inches. I am so desperate to lose BF%. I look fat for my weight because of it.
    Anyways, I would def call what you did a success! Any time you can eat less than you used to is a total success. And it's REALLY hard to not go all out eating Chinese Buffet or any buffet. So u did great! Be proud of yourself! I will just say that one day isn't going to hurt you as long as you get right back at it 2moro :) I myself am planning a cheat dinner this weekend & I'm gonna force myself to not count to celebrate 1 yr of weight loss
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
    I Judge by the changes I see in my body, both the visual ones, and the physical ones. Food is important to me, in the sense that I have to make sure I always eat enough (I'm a gainer/maintainer), but I tend to make mostly good choices and as calories are not an issue, I don't have to be at all restrictive...The scale does have some impact too, esp when I was actively gaining. it was crushing to have a week with out results the exact same way it is with weight loss, so yes scale is still an indicator of my success. But really the way I feel and my improved strength and endurance, and the difference in my before and now pics are the main things I judge by.

    I think any kind of behavior changes that leads you to a healthier life style, no matter how small, can be counted as a success. An the ability to keep going even when you fruck up is the biggest success of all.
  • AvonLucyR
    AvonLucyR Posts: 124 Member
    By how I feel and how my clothes fit. Congrats...I consider your trip out a big success! Any improvement is always success! Guilt is totally useless!! You said you did much better than you would normally do, how can you feel badly about that? Next time you go...try to do a little better. Don't try to be "perfect". None of us can do that!! I think you should be patting yourself on the back and looking forward to future improvement.

    I don't trust the scale anymore. If you are exercising, the muscle you build weighs, so go for how you measure and look and feel!! Numbers are nice, but not always true. Continued success!! You're doing great!
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    So you had a night off, but from what you said about the way you were and are now, you have changed in your approach and attitude to food. That in my opinion is the biggest success. It's one of the hardest to do, but it will change the way you eat for life.
  • Flybeetle
    Flybeetle Posts: 387 Member
    And give yourself credit just for the fact that you are here and trying to get healthy! :)
  • justjenn1977
    justjenn1977 Posts: 437 Member
    ......
    So, do I consider it a failure or a success? I don't know.

    We decided to go out for Chinese food tonight, a buffet down the road from our house. Now, in the past I would eat until I couldn't move, putting away 5 or 6, sometimes more, plates of food. I would gorge myself and not care. This time, I was able to limit what I ate and I made sure to make better choices. I also noticed that I got much more full much faster than I have in the past, resulting in eating much less.
    ....

    it depends...

    I take each instance and decide success or not based on how I feel about it...

    generally I consider it a success if I do better than I did before...

    buffett? if before I would eat 8 heaping plates and three dessert plates on top of that and barely be able to drive home because of the food coma... but now I can eat three sensible plates and a dessert plate... and be able to go for a walk after... success...

    I try to do more each time I go out... try to cut my time each time I go out... I compete with myself...

    it is all a mind game :)
  • Crystalchaos72
    Crystalchaos72 Posts: 531
    The scale is a part of how I measure/judge success but bodyfat trumps over it everytime. I judge success when I can lift more weight than the last time, hike further and faster without getting winded, and most of all how my muscles look. I love my muscles.
    Congrats on doing better than in the past :) I love chinese food and could easily put away 3 plates piled high at the buffet! :)
  • Betty_Canada
    Betty_Canada Posts: 85 Member
    Waist to hip ratio, mostly. especially my waist measurement.

    To a lesser degree, the scale.

    Probably the single most important measure of my success with have nothing to do with the appearance of my body at all. It will be when my testosterone gets down into something like normal human female ranges. It may never *quite* get there, but I'm pretty sure it will get closer as I drop the weight and fix my crazed insulin response.

    =Betty=
  • kateblue72
    kateblue72 Posts: 113
    By how I feel, more energy and now that I sleep better and don't seem to have that afternoon 'crash' anymore. The compliments from my husband and co-workers are great too. And I agree with most of the above, you need to give yourself a break :smile: ... don't fall into the guilty pattern. It could be more destructive than you know. Celebrate that you took the time to enjoy your food, and didn't gorge yourself. You will feel better for that this eve and tomorrow.
  • horsehockey
    horsehockey Posts: 24 Member
    By the pound, or by how I feel physically. Even a minor improvement is success, as I've certainly come to grips that this is a very slow / consistent sort of process
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
    to me healthy = happy and thats my #1 goal. good luck!

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