Non Scale Victories (NSVs) Are All The Little Signs That Let You Know You’re Doing Great.
That You’re on your way to your own Unique Body Goal.
There are some obvious signs, of course. But there are also more subtle ones too that let you know how much healthier and lighter your body is getting. NSV’s are all the little signs that tell you you’re losing weight.
These little messages from your body that you’re on the right track, are actually the real indicators of how well you’re doing. They help to keep you highly motivated and feeling positive about your new way of eating, if you get used to listening to them and relying on their feedback, instead of just using the scales.
Why Are They So Vital?
The scales are nowhere near an exact science, and definitely not a reliable reflection of what’s going on in your subtle body chemistry. All the little minor fluctuations on the scales are what we all have in daily life, and they can really get to you if you don’t take notice of all the other messages that your body is trying to tell you.
These messages tell you about the bigger picture. NSV’s tell you how it really is…by showing you the results of what happens to your body over time, and not just what you ate last night!
If you use these messages as a kind of compass, they will help to guide you in the right direction, so you intuitively listen to your body’s messages and innate wisdom. You can always use the scales as an occasional check to see how you’re doing…say once every couple of weeks or so? (or even longer if you could possibly bear it!). If you use them less often, you take the pressure off and give yourself a little space.
Just think…they will show you a much bigger drop that way, instead of the one or two little pounds you might get over a couple of days. Isn’t that so much more satisfying?
Here are 10 of the most common NSVs that have been reported to me by clients and programme members over the years…
- APPETITE diminishing…this one of the best, as it helps you naturally regulate your appetite and reduce your portion sizes
- MORE energy…again a real biggie! Once your energy levels begin to soar, there’s no way you’re going back to feeling drained or sluggish!
- SLEEPING better. I really hear this a lot when people knock out sugar and processed carbs, and up the fats…its complex, but the changes affect your brain chemistry and give you a better nights’ sleep!
- BETTER mood. Again, there are lots of reasons for this…not only the obvious one of feeling better because you’re losing the weight and feeling more in control, but there is growing evidence that sugar and processed carbs contribute to poor mental health.
- SKIN looking better. Your skin is the biggest organ in your body and reflects everything that’s going on inside. Sugar is known to age your skin very quickly, whilst fat will leave it looking radiant and glowing (and it will iron out wrinkles too, as the fat will plump skin cells!).
- DECREASE in IBS symptoms. Again, the reason for this is because you reduce the inflammatory effect from too much sugar and processed carbs on the lining of your colon when you take them out your diet. You then reduce irritation, which is one of the main causes of IBS.
- YOU will have more desire to exercise. The lighter you become, the easier it is to move. You have lots more energy…PLUS feeling better about yourself too! Your motivation will be much higher. We know the benefits of exercise for weight loss too, and this earlier article I wrote a while ago is exactly about that! Even moderate exercise will help you shift the pounds so much more easily…and will leave you feeling healthier than ever.
- HORMONAL symptoms decreasing. Hormones are fat soluble, and cannot function properly without a good source of fats such as avocados, nut oils, coconut oils, butter and other good sources of vitamin E. These could be menopausal symptoms, as well as your monthly hormonal cycle; so if you’re really suffering then there is nothing better than changing your way of eating to help regulate your hormones.
- LOVING what you’re seeing in the mirror! And all the compliments from others too! They let you know that it’s not just you, but others are starting to notice the difference in you! That moment when you catch yourself in the mirror and realise that your shape is changing, is absolutely priceless, and makes every little food choice all the more worthwhile!
- I SAVED the biggest, and by far the best NSV to last.
And it is this…dropping a clothes size and finding a renewed interest in your wardrobe! It’s not called The Changing Room Happy Dance for nothing, and it will be the biggest ever motivator to help you refuse the doughnuts and crisps! That wonderful buzz when you get into an outfit that has been calling you from the back of the wardrobe forever is the best ever feeling…and rightly so…you deserve this!
Using NSVs to help you stay on track is a much more natural, and therefore easier, way of keeping a check on how you’re doing. After all, your body and clothes never lie, but the scales can!
If you’ve enjoyed this article, then please feel free to share it with any of your friends who may be addicted to the scales, or just for the fun read.
Do you have NSV’s of your own that you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments section below and you’ll give me something else to look out for!
