Nearly half of the worldwide population is trying to lose weight. If you’re one of them, it’s important to do it right and celebrate your achievements along the way. These achievements go way beyond just a number on the scale.
So, which milestones should you be looking out for? And how should you celebrate?
Read on to find out about the weight loss milestones you should celebrate.
Losing a Pound
Even victories that seem minor should be celebrated during the weight loss process. So, make sure that you take the time to celebrate losing your first pound. The most minor of weight loss success milestones can help you become more confident and stick to your weight loss plan over the long term.
As I like to say to clients even when there are temporary stalls or small “blips” up on the scale, “Look at your week and are you Directionally Correct”. Celebrate that you are going in the right direction to avoid riding the emotional rollercoaster with every little up and down oz on the scale.
Meeting Your Goal Weight
Of course, you should celebrate when you finally hit your goal weight. That’s a significant milestone, a moment you’ll never forget!
However, making your goal weight isn’t the end of your journey. Maintenance and staying healthy is a lifelong pursuit. And you shouldn’t feel bad if you do backslide. It’s important to stay positive, and get back on track at your own pace.
A set back in maintenance does not need to mean that it is going to be an upward spiral on the scale. If you can learn from the setback so you know how to prevent it in the future that is a huge win and worth celebrating. One of the key Principles that I teach my clients in my program is how to make a “course correction” both in the mind and in the body so setbacks are temporary and they can bounce back from that.
You Make A Major Change
Making minor changes to your lifestyle is always an occasion to celebrate along with the major changes. This will help you with positive reinforcement to ensure the change sticks. Take note of these wins no matter how small and give yourself a pat on the back.
These changes could include:
- Cutting sugary drinks out of your diet
- Committing to a regular exercise routine – even if only a couple of times/week
- Signing up for a helpful weight loss program
- Removing certain types of foods from your diet, depending on the diet plan that you’re adhering to
- Putting together and sticking to a fitness schedule, particularly over a longer period of time
- Adding more vegetables and nutrients into your diet,
- Planning your food for the week
- Making your own food rather than ordering in
- Drinking all your water
- Going to bed earlier
- Taking 5 minutes/day to do some mindful meditation
All these small and big changes are moving you closer and closer to your goal.
Dropping a Dress Size
Do you find your clothes are getting looser? It’s time to celebrate that you’ve dropped a clothing size or even that you can now wear some of your favourite pieces that just feel so much more comfortable and are not “pulling”. You can celebrate this occasion by buying yourself a few new items while you are still on your weight loss journey towards your final goal. Once you hit you achieve the weight and shape you love, go for the big reward and buy yourself a whole new wardrobe.
If you have dropped quite a bit of weight you may even want to hire an image consultant to help you with this first shop. I have an image consultant who worked with some of my clients who needed help figuring out how to shop for their “new body”. Their tendency was to just buy smaller sizes in the same styles that they used to wear when they had the extra weight. But with the gentle encouragement of the consultant they were able to experiment with other styles. Yes you can wear skinny jeans and they will be comfortable and you will look great:)
You can always donate clothing that doesn’t fit anymore, so you’ll be giving back while you celebrate your weight loss success. It’s the perfect time for a weight loss reward!
Having More Energy
Not all the weight loss milestones you’ll want to celebrate are about your physical size and the number on the scale. One of the weight loss benefits you’ll want to celebrate is having more energy to do all the things you love.
I have my clients keep track of their energy levels so it draws their attention to how much more energy they have. Often they notice it just after a few weeks of eating clean, doing some intermittent fasting and losing some weight. This energy boost will happen early in the weight loss journey, not just at the end.
So, once you have more energy, what better time to put that energy to good use and do some things that you love to do but stopped because you were just too tired.
Feeling Better
Losing weight isn’t simply good for your physical health. It’s beneficial for your mental health as well. Feeling happier and healthier is always something to celebrate.
But, working on your self-care routine can be a way of celebrating your improved mental health. It’s always good to continue working on yourself.
Take note of your mood, even ask those around you. Many of my client’s spouses and kids will say how they seem happier, more playful and calmer. This has a profound ripple effect through the family and in the workplace.
Fitness Milestones
You may be including fitness in your weight loss routine. If that’s the case, you’ll want to celebrate your fitness milestones as well.
If you’ve gotten into running, celebrate when you hit a new speed or distance record. You may be training for a marathon. Celebrate every new race you complete on your journey to the big one.
Or, you may have gotten into weight training. When you hit a new weight record, buy yourself something nice.
You may have joined a sports team. When your team wins any game, it’s nice to get excited. If you have a major victory, like you win a tournament, throw a party for yourself and your teammates!
Even if you are not doing a specific fitness activity just notice changes such as going up the stairs more easily and being less winded.
One of my clients told me she used to do her grocery shopping just across the road from her home and when she had the extra weight she usually had to stop for a brief rest when walking back home with her groceries. After a few weeks in her program she realized one day that she was able to walk all the way home and didn’t have to rest. That is a big win!!! So notice all these changes that occur as well as part of everyday life.
Celebrate These Weight Loss Milestones Today
Now that you know the weight loss milestones you should celebrate, it’s time to start your weight loss journey and pay attention to all the small and big changes that happen, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Are you ready to get yourself started on the path to a healthier you? Book a 15 minute assessment call with me so I can learn more about you, your weight loss goals and your obstacles and determine what it is that you need to reach your goal and maintain it.