Have you ever gotten on the scales and it hasn't budged for 2 weeks despite your best attempts to lose weight?
We've all been there and after bariatric surgery, no movement on the scales can be not only frustrating but also disheartening or even devastating.
But during every weight loss journey there will be weeks where we stick to the weight loss plan yet the scales doesn’t move. Sometimes it could be something we've changed and we are unaware of it, other times we need to make certain changes to get it going again, but in general sometimes you'll just have a few weeks there that the body almost takes a vacation from weight loss and nothing happens despite your best efforts.
While the scales are a helpful way to see how you are going and keep you on track, it shouldn't be your only measure of success. You should have at least 3-4 other goals (or more is even better) that you working towards other than the scales. Each week take a look at all your goals and not just the scales. (PS. please don't weight daily as weight can go up and down depending on what you've eaten, your fluid intake, bowel habits, fluid retention etc so daily weighing isn't very reliable).
Here are 8 other weight loss goals to focus on:
- Reduction in waist circumference or other body measures: Aim for an eventual waist circumference under 80cm for women and under 94cm for men.
- Drop in clothes size, looser clothing or dropping a notch on the belt. Nothing feels better than going to the shop and buying the next size down!
- Feeling more energetic and healthier
- Being able to do the little things e.g. tie shoe laces, walk up the stairs without puffing
- Being able to exercise or increase exercise
- Improvement in health or from a health condition e.g. improvements in your blood glucose levels if you have type 2 diabetes
- Reducing your medication dose or eliminating some medications completely
- Improvement in dietary habits – knowing that you are looking after your body and health, making healthier choices. You could set nutrition targets to work towards based on the recommendations of your bariatric dietitian (if you need to see a bariatric dietitian, our dietitian specialises in this area. Click here to enquire: bariatric dietitian)
If you focus on the whole picture rather than just the scales, those weeks when the scales are a disappointment won’t phase you as much but rather motivate you to keep on track. When you have those weeks where nothing moves on the scales, take it as an opportunity to assess your dietary and exercise habits and work on improving these even more.
Best wishes for your weight loss journey! :)
