Frusterated with the Scale

Hi Guys,

So I have seen a lot of 'I'm not losing any weight', 'what am I doing wrong?' or 'I'm stuck/plateau' posts. Here's my two cents....

I posted my profile picture on facebook a couple days ago. This picture has a lot of sentimental meaning to me because the picture on the left was when I decided I was sick of feeling like crap and being down on myself and traveling for work was no excuse to sit around and pout and gain all the weight I had lost back. Don't get me wrong 2015 threw some NASTY curveballs my way and at the end of the year I found out I was being rolled off my project so I spent a few weeks in December job hunting and got super lucky and found another project right away, except I would be traveling and living out of a hotel and only be home on the weekends. When I started traveling I gave myself permission to 'relax' and 'eat out' and not exercise. I was MISERABLE after a month and finally in February my dad confronted me and asked what was going on. There were multiple factors which contributed to me being in this headspace. So that talk, as harsh as it was made me look at things differently and want to take control of my life. So the next day I signed up for Daily Burn and started, the picture on the left was taken in March 2016, right before my first Daily Burn workout. I was so excited and reenergized and ready to kick *kitten*!

Fast forward a year, 2016 threw some curve balls my way too and I spent a couple of months feeling down and depressed, and I had another harsh chat, with my mom this time, and she re-motivated me. And while there were periods of time over 2016, when I didn't go to the gym and maybe I gained a few pounds from eating too much chocolate, when I compared the picture on the left to the picture on the right, I might have only lost 10lbs or so, but my entire life has changed. I am stronger and more determined and healthier than I was in March 2016.

When I shared this comparison picture with my mom, she asked 'how much weight have you lost?' and I didn't really answer her, because, to me, it's not about the number on the scale, it's about the victories outside of the scale, like I completed New Rules of Lifting for Women and I am about to start Stronger. I am comfortable in my clothes and know they'll fit when I put them on in the morning, versus a year ago when I was trying to pack clothes that would fit and worried I'd have to go and buy more clothes that would fit. I am stronger and more confident and I have taken my life back.

So to those of you feeling like you're struggling and battling the number on the scale, look outside of the scale for other victories (e.g. can you now walk around the block without being winded, are you training for a 5k, are you eating healthier than you were this time last year)?