We are six months into 2009. What a great time to stop and reflect on your efforts, successes and fitness challenges in regard to improving your overall health and remembering why it is so important. Success shouldn’t be measured by the number of pounds you’ve lost. The healthy lifestyle changes you’ve made, the fitness challenges you’ve overcome, the changes in mindset and improved overall health are the best measures of success. The weight loss is the icing on the cake. Think about these non-scale achievements to measure your success and keep you motivated as you progress.
- Clothes time. Most of us keep clothes that we just know are going to fit someday. Try on those jeans or that black dress you’ve been holding onto and see if they fit. Take a look at your everyday clothes. Are they fitting differently? Are they baggy or hanging? All good signs of hard work.
- Document Your Progress. Each week chart your weight based on the scale; each month record your body measurements and clothing size. Use a tape measure to measure your neck, upper arms, waist, hips and thighs.
- Let’s Get Physical. Get a physical and compare your blood pressure, body fat, BMI, cholesterol and triglyceride levels from six months or a year ago. If you’ve been following a healthy lifestyle, chances are these numbers are coming down.
- Mirror, Mirror on the Wall. Take a good look at yourself in the mirror while naked. Do you see muscle definition? Is your back and spine more pronounced? Does your buttock look firmer? What about the dreaded cellulite, is it tightening up or disappearing? Your workout routines for women are paying off.
- Attitude Power. Your hard work pays off in spades with a boost of self-confidence and happiness. As you embrace your success, you’ll feel more comfortable in your own body and begin to look at yourself differently. The inside chatter will become positive and your efforts to stay motivated will deepen.
- More Stamina. If you’ve taken off weight and added muscle, you’ll have more energy for your daily activities. And you’ll definitely notice changes at the gym, where you’ll have more stamina and strength, and exercises become easier to perform. If you’ve added another step in step class, can lift more weight, or have doubled your walking mileage, you’re making progress.
- Ready, Set, Go! Creating a good workout routine and combining it with a healthy eating plan spells success for women.
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Fell & Got Right Back Up. You feel guilty or really miss it when you don’t go to exercise class or to your fitness club. You don’t beat yourself up for indulging at a party. Instead, you acknowledge your actions and get right back on track with the next meal.
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What’s to Eat? Consciously reading labels, cooking healthier meals, eating more fruits and vegetables, weighing/measuring, buying whole grain and whole foods, eliminating processed foods and discovering new foods is progress.
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Hey, Doc. Another sign of success is being taken off medications you once relied on, blood pressure is down and you are breathing easier.
- The Wow Factor. Compliments are proof that those around you notice the difference.
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Life is So Good. This is probably the best measure of your progress. When everyday tasks no longer leave you out of breath, or you find why you have more energy than before, you know you are making strides to a healthier you, which is important to our overall health and fitness.
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