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80+ Non-Scale Victories To Celebrate

Check out these 80+ examples of NSVs (non-scale victories) worthy of celebration from real women on their weight loss journeys.

What Is A Non-Scale Victory?

A non-scale victory is simple something outside of your weight that shows you are making progress on your weight loss journey.

Watching your weight change on the scale is one very helpful tool but it’s certainly not the only tool to use to prove you are meeting milestones!

Examples Of Non-Scale Victories

Aside from writing posts on this website, I also run Faithful Finish Lines with my business partner, which is a faith-based, grace-focused way to keep God at the center of your weight loss journey. We help you lose weight, get to your goal weight, and stay there for a lifetime.

All of the examples below of non-scale victories are not my words, but the words of women who are either in our Christian Weight Loss Facebook group (it’s free! Come join us!) or in our Faithful Finish Lines 2.0 program.

Woman holding arms out in celebration of a non-scale victory

Clothes Fitting Better

  1. Down a belt loop! Last one!!! 
  2. My pants legs are looser.
  3. My go-to jean jacket is now too big. I had to dig out the one I haven’t been able to wear in 3 years. And it fits!
  4. Found a pair of pants I was going to return months ago but forgot about them. Put them on today and the fit!!
  5. I tried on jeans that were very uncomfortable two weeks ago and they aren’t horrible to wear now. I wore them all day yesterday.
  6. Donated four bags of too-big-for-me clothing today. Thank you to FFL and this group that I won’t ever need those big clothes again because this is the last time I am going to lose the same pounds! Praise God that He is still working on me.
  7. We pulled out fall/winter clothes… none of my pants will stay up from last fall/winter! Such a cool feeling!
  8. More and more clothes are going in the donation bin.
  9. I just discovered I lost a size in shirts! I am soooo excited! I feel like a whole new fashion world has opened up to me.
  10. Nothing fit! 🎉 Everything was too big. Waiting for summer to be over, waiting for stores to open up, waiting for my “forever size”.
  11. Went clothes shopping for vacation next week. It was fun rather than depressing. Not a fan of clothes but it sure was nice not to be frustrated for a change.
  12. My daughter gave me two extra-large dresses for my birthday and they were too big. I asked her to exchange them for mediums, thinking that when I lost a few more pounds, they would fit. They fit now!
  13. My belly doesn’t hang over my jeans anymore!
  14. I wore shorts the other day for the first time in 18 years.
  15. I wore a pair of jeans! (I’ve only been wearing stretchy pants for years.)
  16. I had to buy a shirt in a bigger size but only because I needed it to be longer, not because I needed it to be bigger to go around my stomach! That’s the first time that’s ever happened.

Resisting Food Cravings

  1. I turned down pizza rolls!
  2.  I bought my favorite (small bag) of Doritos and got the food scale out and portioned out a serving in smaller bags!! This is BIG for me! I have successfully gone to the grocery store and not bought any candy or junk and hid it from anyone!!!
  3. My non-scale victory was leaving the Halloween candy alone! It was a challenge because I’ve been home alone (I’m a sneak eater) but using the 3 P’s helped me. Thank you, Lord.
  4. A couple of times I was able to not check out with candy in my bags.
  5. I just got back from a luncheon. I knew what was going to be served and planned for it. Dessert was pumpkin cheesecake. I love cheesecake, but not pumpkin so I wasn’t planning on having it. I tasted it though and it was actually pretty good. So I added it to my plan (I still had a couple hundred calories left for a snack) and ate some. But I left half of it. No way I would have done that a year ago. Thanks, Becky and Sara.
  6. I chose grapes instead of chocolate for an evening snack.
  7. Didn’t buy ice cream or chocolate or any other unhealthy snack items at the grocery store.
  8. I’ve been choosing fruit over sweets at work events!
  9. I made myself a bowl of oatmeal this morning and stopped halfway because I was full. It tasted so good I was tempted to finish and knew if I set it aside I would finish it. 
  10. I really was thinking about eating when I didn’t need to and went into “pause” mode. I decided to paint my fingernails because I couldn’t touch anything until they dried. By the time they were dry, I wasn’t “hungry” anymore!
  11. I dreamed that I was cutting into a pan of Christmas fudge and I was so excited. I suddenly felt convicted that I hadn’t planned it and I shouldn’t do it. I put down the knife and shouted “I am a woman who sticks to her plan!” and then more affirmations I can’t remember now. It’s even in my dreams. 😂😂😂 
  12. I ate one bag of Cheezits from the vending machine at work — and did not let it trigger me to blow off the rest of the day. Stayed within my calories goal. Treats are okay!
  13. I also exercised the 3 Ps yesterday, and got through those times of temptation! I also got thru someone asking me if I wanted cake and it wasn’t in my plan. At first, I felt sad that I couldn’t have my favorite treat. Then… God enabled me to make the mental shift that, “Hey, I can have some cake another time on plan!” That gave me such happiness and peace! ♥️
  14. My tastes are drastically changing. Veggies are like candy now and I prefer them to other things. I have begun having “sandwiches” or “burgers” without the bread and/or the bun, with a side of veggies and a small salad. I am LOVING the taste so much.

Spiritual Growth

  1. Deciding to join the Christian Weight Loss Facebook group and take that next step towards getting healthier, losing weight, and spending more time with God…He NEVER gives up on me even when I give up on myself.
  2. Praying more and being more aware of what I’m eating.
  3. I’ve been thanking the Lord before I eat anything.
  4. My NSV is that I’d been letting my quiet time with the Lord go by the wayside. Primarily due to a binge, I’ve gotten back on track in my relationship and on my food plan. It’s amazing how much my spiritual health affects my emotional and physical health.
  5. I started exercising with my favorite Christian songs. I get so involved with the music I forgot I was working out. To my surprise, the exercise video was already done.
  6. I’m praying before I eat. It’s helping me eat less and feel closer to God, too. (Here are 5 ways praying before eating can prevent overeating)
  7.  I’ve been praying God would remind me to use the 3 Ps and he did! So I stopped and prayed. Then came his way of escape that he promises in the form of a challenge to get in some extra steps. So I went for a walk! What an awesome Pappa we have! Thank you, Lord for your faithfulness. I wonder how many times I miss your gentle voice and promptings when my own desires are shouting so loudly.
  8. I prayed after I ate 2 bags of cookies last night. Instead of beating myself up, I traded my guilt for grace (this is a process we teach in our Faithful Finish Lines 2.0 membership).
  9. I’ve been praying about my weight loss and I can feel that I’m not alone anymore.
  10. I joined the Christian Weight Loss Facebook group and I already feel so much more motivated and encouraged. I can do this with God’s help!
  11. I wrote a Bible verse on a notecard that I keep on a fridge (she was using one of the Bible verses for weight loss).

Building Healthy Habits

  1. I am eating less chocolate this week. I am taking Becky’s advice and doing one small change at a time.
  2. Cooking more at home, and not getting take-out or fast food!
  3. Found baked veggie chips at Costco.
  4. Meal prepping a lot of healthy meals.
  5. I almost have my metabolism/calories figured out post-weaning.
  6. Meal prep and staying in my points with points to spare!!
  7. No soda since Sunday!
  8. Going to the gym after a long day at work even though I did not feel like it.
  9. Drank my water EVERY day, and stayed in calorie range!!
  10. Leaving food on my plate, choosing to walk instead of Ubering, enjoying my food without guilt! (Trading guilt for grace is a process we teach in our Faithful Finish Lines 2.0 membership).
  11. Ate more fruit & veggies!!
  12. I made homemade bean salad with olive oil and apple cider vinegar and chopped veggies. AND actually ate the whole big recipe over the course of a week. Instead of having to throw it out. Yeah!
  13. I bought some crackers that I love and divided them into the accurate serving size when I got home vs just eating from the bag!!
  14. I tracked everything, even when I knew I was over or indulged in a couple extra glasses of wine.
  15. I actually tracked every single thing that went in my mouth. I have always hated to track but it was worth it and I am still going strong!
  16. I have preplanned 2 days in a row and eaten according to my plan and sat down at the table to eat. Preplanning has not been a strong point for me at all so these are baby steps in the right direction.
  17. Getting much better at planning and journaling the day before – and discovering it really works! 😜
  18. Here lately at work people have been bringing tons of unhealthy food and snacks for the nurses. People want to show their appreciation for us during this time. Usually it is impossible to resist. But praise God it is not a problem to resist and I eat what I brought from home for lunch. This is a big deal for me. 😀
  19. I am no longer a member of the “Clean Plate Club”.
  20. I exercised 3x this week.
  21. I am actually loving getting my 4,000 steps in before breakfast! I look forward to moving and especially that feeling after the accomplishment and getting out of the shower after the workout! 😉
  22. “Perfect Move Week” with my Apple Watch for the first time since December!
  23. We had a ton of company over yesterday. I was around food all day…preparing, serving and then cleaning up. I was not even tempted to overeat. My focus was on the people not the food. That is a huge shift from my former mindset.

Physical Changes In Your Body

  1. I ran up 4 flights of stairs without my asthma roller ball.
  2. I was able to put on my flip flops for the first time in months, maybe a year, this weekend since my feet are less swollen.
  3. I had an annual exam. The nurse and then the doctor both were very surprised (happily) with my weight loss. My doctor asked what I was doing because she likes to recommend things that really work. I shared about FFL 2.0 and she put it in the computer. Pretty awesome!!
  4. Struggling since my leg injury not being able to run this week. 😕 But I have exercised EVERY day this week! 😃  Chin up here I come! 💪🏻 💪🏻
  5. I hauled 10 bags of mulch to the various places in my garden (used my wheelbarrow) and spread it.. and was NOT sore the next day!
  6. Every other month I measure all the areas… arms, bust, waist, hips, thighs and this month every area was down by inches!
  7. My victory is being able to recognize my full or satisfied feeling this first week. It amazes me how quickly my tummy is shrinking..because it got pretty stretched out!
  8. I am loving the way I feel energized after I eat, not lethargic and wanting a nap right away. If you would have told me a year ago (next month) that I would have changed so much, I would never have believed you. Praising God for His grace and for Faithful Finish Lines 2.0 membership!
  9. Hiked my first mountain today as a family. Last time I climbed a mountain I was a teen. There was no way I could hike a mountain let alone care my littles up when I was 75lb heavier. Happy Day! 🤩
  10. Last night I took a bath for the first time in several years. I actually fit in the tub comfortably and could get in and out myself! Last time I took a bath I felt squeezed into it and it was not relaxing… then my husband had to help me get out. Last night felt like a HUGE Win!
  11. God giving me a body that is able to clean a yard up after a hurricane comes through!
  12. Didn’t realize how much better I am moving now. Yesterday at church. I found myself going up and down the stairs frequently (on the greeter team to assist people to find a seat, following separation guidelines). No feeling of out of breath. I felt as if I was running up and down with no problem. An amazing feeling to feel this good. And my knees don’t hurt anymore like they did prior to the weight loss. I’m so grateful.
  13. I just want to share that yesterday when I went to put gas in my car I was able to reach the lever on the floor to release the gas flap. Just sitting there, no struggle, no contortions. It just made my day. Yes, boundaries do indeed give me freedom!
  14. I was able to put my wedding ring on yesterday for the first time in 5 years! Yeah!!
  15. I got down on the floor to play with my grandchildren this week. I usually avoid doing that because I can’t get back up easily but my body can just move more easily with that weight gone. I couldn’t have done this without FFL!!
  16. I played tag with my kids and I didn’t get out of breath right away. We had such a good time! They loved that mom could actually play with them.

What non-scale victory have you accomplished this week?

Share with me in the comments below.

Rene Pienaar

Thursday 16th of September 2021

I bought myself an exercise bicycle and started riding every evening. I have a set schedule and try to keep to it, even if I don't feel like it. I am now setting an example to my teenage daughter who is also struggling with her weight. She has joined me in riding the bicycle every afternoon. I'm still not making the right food choices, but have just read about the 3 P's and will start doing it. With God's help and your motivation I can do this!!

Janet

Wednesday 15th of September 2021

I did not make any dessert for supper tonight

Lois

Wednesday 15th of September 2021

I'm working on thanking God for the way He made me, instead of telling myself how fat and ugly I look in the mirror.

Charleen Boutá

Wednesday 15th of September 2021

I have included Jesus in my journey to make this body He created to share with me into the best temple I can share with Him.

Karen

Wednesday 15th of September 2021

Today my face looks slimmer and I don’t eat as much anymore.