6 Non-Scale Victories and Their Importance (Tracking Progress Beyond the Scale)

00:00Real quick, if you want to learn more about macronutrients and understand that methodology on how they can help you achieve your body composition goals of changing the way your body looks, I put together a free 15-minute training where I dive into macronutrients and how you can control your body for the rest of your life with them. That link is in the description below. Click on it after listening to the show today. And I promise you that you're going to see way more changes happening in a progress photo than you are happening on the scale, especially when you are in the world of wanting to build more muscle, doing strength training exercises, and decreasing body fat.

00:38What's going on, you guys? Welcome back to The WarriorBabe Show. Or if you are a new listener, my friends, welcome to the show with Nikkie Stott, co-founder of WarriorBabe. And on this podcast, we talk about mindset, methodologies, tactics that will help you lose body fat, build muscle, be strong, and feel insanely confident. I'm your host, Nikkie Stott, and welcome to today's episode, episode number 89, where I want to walk through some amazing non-scale victories and their importance.

01:22Because tracking your progress along your fitness journey goes beyond the damn scale, okay? And I know all of y'all are attached. Like literally, you guys have this emotional reaction, whether good or bad, based off of what that number says on the scale when you step on it. In the morning, you choose to step on it, right? If the scale goes down, the rest of your day, you are absolutely elated. You're walking with a pep to your step, head held high, you got confidence, all the things because the scale went down, okay?

01:59Now, you step on that scale, but the scale goes up, and all of a sudden, the rest of your day is just filled with negativity, filled with misery. You go and stick your hand in Bob's M&M jar down the hallway because you're like, fuck it, nothing ain't working. My journey for the last two weeks ain't working. What I'm doing for the last month ain't working. And so many of you guys, and you know, maybe this is just for another podcast, but like there's ways I would say for you guys to use that type of measuring tool for your progress.

02:34There's points that I would say where it's good and where it's bad. And it solely depends on the relationship that you have with it. But today, for the sake of today's podcast, I want to talk about non-scale victories. Because like I just kind of touched on, like in today's world, many of us have been conditioned to rely on the number on the scale as like the primary indicator of whether you're making progress or you're not making progress. However, it's such a narrow focus. And, you know, there's so many other meaningful, impactful ways you can measure whether your progress is successful or non-successful.

03:11And the scale is by no means the only way or even the most meaningful one. And so I want to take a moment. I want to dive into today's podcast and I want to just delve into the other realm of non-scale victories, right? The other things that can, you know, help you to understand the pivotal significance to them and help you rely on them a little bit more than you rely on the scale. You really cannot give the scale and look at the scale to be 100% of you making progress or not making progress.

03:44It is not the only means of a tool to measure that type of thing. And honestly, in my opinion, in the world that I come from and wanting you guys to build muscle and aka be more toned and have a more athletic appearance, like that scale is probably like 20%. And like, don't quote me on that. But like, it is that little of importance when it's coming to you tracking your progress, whether you're being successful in that world of building more muscle and then obviously decreasing body fat and losing body fat and all this stuff. So it literally means little significance.

04:17Like, I don't, to date, and then I promise you I'm going to get into the podcast. But like, to date, I always, from the women that I've coached, have looked at every other means of and like these things I'm going to share with you today as a means of whether we're making progress or not. And then I'll go to the scales like the last end all be all. And, you know, that's what I really hope you guys gain from this podcast, you gain the other things to look at in terms of whether you are making progress or not.

04:48And you just kind of like step back from relying so much on the scale. Because you guys, it could literally paint the trajectory of your entire journey, the way that you're relying on the scale or not. And I don't want that to be for you guys because it's not because the scale reflects something doesn't mean you are not making progress. So and I could do a whole other, I should do a whole other podcast on the scale and why, you know, all the things I'm saying are relevant and why it doesn't matter too, too much and why X, Y, and Z. But for today's podcast, I'm going to dive into the other means of you focusing on some other victories that are not related to the scale.

05:25And so let's just dive into number one. The first and foremost, consistency in your routine. Okay, I want you guys to celebrate the win of working out for a certain number of days consecutively, right? Whether it's five days or whether it's like 50 days and that you have rest days in between. Obviously, every day you commit to your health is a huge triumph, you guys. And think about it, too. I'm going to touch on this in a later point. But think about like what you were doing two months ago that you're now doing now, but you weren't doing then, right?

05:58So like if you can celebrate the fact that two months ago you weren't going into the gym or you weren't exercising or you weren't drinking the water or you weren't focusing on your sleep or you weren't choosing whole foods over processed foods. And now you are. That's and you're doing it consistently. That's a huge freaking win. And I want you to celebrate that. And I want you to recognize that, you know, you're on the path. And I'm going to talk about this again later, too. But you're on the path to leading, obviously, a more healthy lifestyle for yourself with now what you're taking action on and that you're consistent with it.

06:35And whether or not you're consistent with it or not, like even in the first couple of weeks of getting into your journey, if you're at least working out once more than you were two months ago, that's a huge freaking win. OK, so I want you to celebrate that win. Number two, taking measurements and progress photos. OK, I really need to like highlight this one the most. I think it's probably one of the most important ones. Second to the last one that I'm going to share with you guys. But taking your measurements and your progress photos and like hold really quick because some of you guys are going to be like, oh, I dread progress photos.

07:12I hate the way that I look. I'm fat. I don't like these areas of my body. I'm very uncomfortable in my body. But that is the whole reason why you are on this journey for yourself. You're on this journey to make a change and you better be documenting it because the more that you make the change, you're going to love to look back at those photos and be like, holy shit, I did it. I made these changes. Right. And I promise you that you're going to see way more changes happening in a progress photo than you are happening on the scale, especially when you are in the world of wanting to build more muscle, doing strength training exercises and decreasing body fat.

07:54There's a whole nother podcast on the difference between weight loss and fat loss. So you can go and delve into that podcast. It's an earlier one. So go and find it and it will help you with this mindset that I'm talking about. But most importantly, what I want you to understand and why you need to take progress photos is because muscle is denser than fat. So as you engage in strength training, physical activity where you're applying resistance to your body, you may gain muscle and you may lose fat, leading to little or no change on this scale.

08:26But a significant change to your body composition. And that is because, hey, guys, love so much that you guys are listening to this podcast. If you ever want to have the video version of this, which usually has more effects and all that good stuff for those of you who are visual learners, check it out. YouTube channel Warrior Babe, if that's what you like. Either way, keep enjoying the show. Muscle and fat weigh the same. You guys, they're five pounds equally. OK, you put on a scale of muscle. You've probably seen this on Google. I've talked about this a lot. You put if you just Google muscle and fat, you'll see the image of five pounds of muscle and five pounds of fat weigh the same.

09:03The difference is that muscle is denser than fat, meaning it takes up less space than fat does. And so therefore, when you're focusing on changing your body composition, you will notice you're getting smaller and smaller, more toned. Right. That's because it's the muscles taking up less space than the fat does. And so with the two of them, though, they weigh the same. So when you go and step on the scale, little or no change may be happening. But you could see the changes happening in your body composition for the sheer fact of what I just elaborated on.

09:35OK, so taking your body motions, taking your progress photos can provide a visual and tangible record of your transformation. If you are not doing this right now, you are missing out on a pivotal experience for yourself along your fitness journey. And most importantly, to be able to tell a story to a friend that may be dealing with the same thing that you've dealt with and be able to share the experience you've gone through with this transformation picture. So take the damn picture, whether you hate it or not, because you're going to have a story to tell in six months to a year and then five years and then eight years.

10:17So please take the damn photos, because look, over time, even if that scale does not budge, which I have seen this hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of times. Even if the scale does not budge, you will notice that your everything is improving. Your progress photos are showing the difference. Your posture is improving. Muscle becomes more defined and certain areas on your body become more toned, even though the scale isn't budging. I have literally still to this day sometimes, man, I have to tell my clients or the warrior community that I have to just like help them break through this scale mindset.

10:59Because so many women are just still so attached to this scale, has all of this meaning when really, and again, I'm going to do, I shouldn't just do a whole other podcast on it. It doesn't hold that much meaning, especially with what I just unpacked for you guys. And I hope that that really dives, like drills it into your head that even though the scale isn't budging, yet you're engaging in physical activity like strength training or resistance that's causing your muscles to build. Muscles are more denser than fat, so it takes up less space than fat does.

11:30And why it still weighs the same, but you could still see your body composition changing, but nothing reflecting on the scale. Well, that's why it's so important to take the progress photos, because you could be getting smaller, aka more toned. The scale isn't going to show that. The pictures are. And this is what's so cool. Okay, last thing I'm going to say about this, because I literally weigh around the same. Actually, I weighed 10 pounds heavier than when I started my fitness journey. I weighed 140 when I first started my fitness journey. I do not look anything like I do right now.

12:01But I yet weigh 10 pounds heavier, and that is because I have more dense lean muscle on my body than I do the body fat that I used to have. Okay? So I hope that also, if you guys follow me, you know me, like you can paint a picture, right? I weighed 140. You could weigh 140 pounds, right? And you've gone through six months of a transformation, and you could still weigh 140 pounds, yet you could look drastically different. Okay? Okay, so to drill that one home, I just hope that that resonates a lot of light bulbs go off for you, and that you just accept this a little bit more.

12:36Why you need to take pictures? And fuck the scale. Another non-scale victory is an elevation to your mood and to your well-being. If you're feeling better overall, you're feeling more confident, you're feeling happier, you're feeling at peace, you know, you're walking into your work with a pep to your step, you come home to your hubby with confidence, right? That's a testament to the holistic benefits of a healthy lifestyle. That is freaking huge. Like, when you work out, right, and you strength train, you go into the gym, you do your physical activity,

13:11that physical activity releases endorphins. And it's often referred to as like the feel-good hormones, right? Which can uplift your mood, and it can literally combat any types of feelings of anxiety or depression. That is a huge non-scale victory. Think about this. If you are six months into your journey, how did you feel before those six months? Did you have anxiety? Did you have depression? Were you always irritable? Were you unhappy? Were you not confident, right? And now six months later, because you're doing all these things, you're working out, you're doing physical activity,

13:46you're eating better, you're sleeping better, you're drinking more water, you're, you have an elevation to your mood. Guys, that goes beyond the fucking number on the scale. That is huge. That is a true testament to you living a healthy freaking lifestyle. And it is so much more important than a number on the scale. So you should be celebrating that. That's a non-scale victory. Okay? Another one is a surge of fucking energy.

14:16Where, you guys, like, when I first started my fitness journey, I did not have near the amount of energy that I have right now. Thinking back to the years, like, sure, I did a lot of sports growing up. I was the captain of many sports teams, you know, but the amount of, and I had energy, but the amount of energy I have now is just absolutely freaking ridiculous. So if you, like I said earlier, if you're noticing a pep to your step, that is because regular strength training, regular activity, it boosts your endurance,

14:48it increases your cardiovascular efficiency, and it elevates your overall energy levels. Okay? So if you want to have more energy, which a lot of people are like, I've listened to so many women say, I just don't have the energy like I once used to. So it's because you're not moving as much as you probably used to, right? Or like, I don't have as much energy as I was in my 20s and my 30s, and I'm 55, 60 years old now. You're not moving as much as you used to in your 20s and your 30s, now that you're 55 and 60 years old. But I guarantee you, if you start working out,

15:20and you get your butt into the gym, and you do more regular physical activity, and you're eating right, you are going to have a massive surge in your energy. You're going to be able to keep up with your grandkids. You're going to be running it around, you know, them yelling, Grandma, Grandma, come on, let's go, rather than you sitting on the couch, just watching the memories slip by you. That is huge. That is a non-scale victory. That is something to celebrate. That goes so much far beyond a number on the scale. These are things that are like you,

15:51a number on the scale, right? It's a, you can look at it, you can see if it's, you're making progress or not making progress. But again, it's not telling you the whole story. You feel all these six things, or see all these six things, you are winning at your fitness journey. You are winning at you being on a healthier trajectory of your life. Ladies, are you feeling frustrated with body changes you're experiencing during menopause?

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16:53Take charge of your health and join our community of strong, empowered women. Visit warriorbabe.com forward slash apply today to start your transformation. That's warriorbabe.com forward slash apply. All right, let's get back to the show. That goes way beyond the damn number on the scale, my friends. Okay. And then second to like these last three things that I just said, a renewed zelle for life.

17:26You wake up excited to start your day. You wake up with great signs of both men's school and physical well-being. It means that you're not just existing anymore. You're thriving and looking forward to what each day brings. I can tell you that is a true testament to physical activity, physical exercise. You doing, you making progress along your journey. You won't feel like every day is a dread anymore. Right? Or like for those of you guys that wake up in the morning, the first thought is like, oh, I have to go to work today.

17:58I'm so tired. I just want to keep sleeping. I guarantee you, you show up for yourself. You discipline yourself into some new habits that you've never done before. You're working out every day. You're taking the rest days. You're getting enough sleep. You're drinking your water. You are going to be excited to wake up, kiss your husband, you know, maybe do some hanky panky in the morning. You're going to be excited to, you know, go and get into work and crush your day and be excited to go work out. Like you're going to have a new, you're going to have a new outlook on life.

18:31And that by far is a huge victory to be celebrated. Because if you think back again to six months prior to you starting your fitness journey, did you have that type of excitement to go about life? No, it's what I just said with waking up in the morning and you feeling like you're already in a negative attitude. Many of you guys can attest to this for sure, because I know you guys wake up in the morning and the first thing you do is work out and you're excited to go do that. Some days maybe not, but at least you have a consistent routine to it and you do it and you feel better afterwards.

19:02You have more energy. You have a new self for life. You're ready to go to work. You have an elevated mood, right? All of these things come packed together. But they're definitely one of the six that I wanted to just, I wanted to talk about because you sell it. You have to celebrate these non-scale victories. On top of one that isn't even in here, celebrate the fact that you're getting more strength when you're inside of the gym, right? You have, you're doing more than, you're doing now two pull-ups to your zero that you did two months ago. You're now doing 10 pull-ups to the two that you did eight months ago.

19:34You now are doing more miles on your running and endurance training than you did a month ago. You've now accomplished an Ironman or a half marathon more than you ever thought even imaginable than you would have been able to do five months ago, a year ago, right? So like these are things worth, they are huge things to be worth celebrating. And the last one, which I think is so important, I've kind of touched on it

20:06in each one of these six points or five points I had to share with you. But the sixth point is endurance growth or what I just said with strength, right? Getting stronger. That pride you feel when you recognize that you now can walk further, right? For walking as an example, that you now can walk further than or run or exercise or all of the things that for extended periods is absolutely valid to the things, to progress. It's absolutely valid to your progress.

20:36If you feel and recognize you can walk more, right? For example, the progression from a 10 minute walk to now a 30 minute walk is a perfect example for my friends that have weight to lose, right? Now you're just focusing on taking out processed foods and you're putting in whole foods. That is a step forward in the right direction and a celebration worth being celebrated, a victory worth being celebrated, right? And let me tell you guys, these non-scale victories,

21:06over time, as you remain consistent, your body adapts. And these tasks that won't seem daunting before become way more manageable. And that's where the journey is just so beautiful. Because for you to end up going backwards, you can't go back. What's that saying, right? Once you've seen things and once you've been aware of things and aware of a better lifestyle, a better lifestyle and a healthier lifestyle, it's really hard to go backwards. Um, but I mean,

21:38some people actually do it. And my brain just was like, well, people go on this journey, you know, and they lose all this weight and then all of a sudden they gain it right back. But I think that it's because so many people are focused on the wrong thing in that respect. So many people are focused on getting to a destination rather than learning the habits that they're instilling along the way to lose that weight that can actually be habits that are ingrained for longevity and the sustainability of keeping that weight off. So if you do these things, you celebrate these things, you're consistent about everything.

22:11Everything becomes far more manageable for you to accept that this is now part of your lifestyle. And it takes time to get to that point. It takes a lot of time to get to that point. I don't want you guys to think it's just an overnight process. You have to hit some bumps in the road. You'll fail along the way. But those are just opportunities for you to learn and get better. And I kind of just went off on a little rant there. But those are the six things that I want you guys to focus on and celebrate as non-scale victories, right? And understanding that your progress is made so there's so many things to be measured towards your progress

22:42that go way beyond the scale. And it's essential to appreciate these little small things that are a part of your health journey. They sometimes are like these small little changes that can have the most profound impacts to your journey, right? Like you by you just working out and exercising better, man. That can have a profound impact on when you go to your doctor and the next visit and all of your blood work comes back to looking better than it did six months ago. I've heard that one so many times.

23:13And that's one of my favorites because it's just one of my favorites. Like it's just a testament to it's not just all the physical, right? What the scale is. It's like you focusing on a number that makes you think that you're going to look better in your body, which is just so disluted. That's even a word. But anyway, right? Like it's just these small, these things have profound impacts. Like they seem small, but they have profound impacts. And like the non-scale victories, they might not always shout their presence, right? As much as like you stepping on a scale

23:45kind of shouts its presence, whether it goes up or down, like I talked about at the beginning of the podcast. But think about it like this. They're like the whispered reminders of your dedication, of your growth, of the positive changes that you're integrating into your life. And over time, those whispers compound. All of these small little things that don't always, like I said, shout their presence or people aren't so like, it's not, they're not sexy. They're not so gung-ho over. The over time,

24:16these things compound, these whispers compound, and they become this like roaring testament of a life lived in a healthy, sustainable way. And so next time you guys feel discouraged by like that damn number on the scale, that stagnant number on the scale, please take a moment to reflect on all of the other ways you have grown, you have transformed, you have triumphed. Like all of the ways

24:46that like what you're doing now that you weren't doing a year ago, what you're doing now that you weren't doing two weeks ago, what you're doing now that you weren't doing three years ago, I still look at that in respect. I'm like, damn Nikki, you know what? I'm so proud of you and I'm so proud of myself for all of these things I still continue to transform myself in my health and fitness journey. And that's what makes it so, these small things so impactful. So please, like next time you guys feel discouraged, be reminded, listen back to this podcast,

25:17save this podcast, share this podcast, and next time these numbers are stagnant or you feel like your mood is being either elevated or discouraged by the number on the scale, just take a moment to reflect back to these non-scale victories, check in with yourself and see how far you've come. Okay? So, I hope you guys enjoyed this podcast. I enjoyed sharing it with you all and please, I appreciate if you could just take like 30 seconds of your time following this podcast and leave a review, rate it. That's the only way this show grows right now. We don't have any ads,

25:48sponsored ads. We don't mind Ty as a podcast. You are what make this podcast in the top 20, you guys. So let's keep and hold our spot there. Let's help this message get spread to all of the other women that need to hear this and I appreciate you doing that. I'll see you guys in the next podcast. Hey guys, real quick, if you're interested in taking your body to the next level, lose body fat, build more muscle, feel more confident, do it alongside one of our 30 plus professional coaches. Work one-on-one with her to eliminate

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This transcript was generated automatically and may contain errors.