Celebrating NSVs

I am sure you have seen the hashtag #NSV in social media posts. While we use the scale as a way to monitor our progress, it is important to look at our NSV’s. Non-Scale Victories are all around us. I did not realize it until I was well into my weight loss journey. They had always been there from the beginning but I was so obsessed with what the scale told me every week that I did not think to look at other things. It is easy to let the scale dictate our mood and whether we have a good day or not. As I began to notice what was happening other than the number on the scale, my overall outlook changed for the better.

I have had many NSVs along the way and I celebrate each one. Sometimes I post on my Instagram page and other times I quietly pat myself on the back. Either way, I acknowledge the victory. To people who have not dealt with weight issues, these may seem silly. But to me, they are huge. These validate the work I have done even when the scale does not always do so. 

NSVs pop up in a number of ways. I remember being so excited to buy a smaller camp chair for using at baseball games when in the past, I had to make sure I bought one that I always hoped would never embarrass me by breaking. One of my favorites was being able to order a lady’s cut fan shirt after so many years of either not buying one at all or needing to get a man’s style. Knowing you will need to buy new clothes throughout weight loss is obvious but when you realize you even need to buy new shoes because your feet are thinner… NSV! 

Completing my first 5K last year… NSV! 
Walking into an event and feeling confident… NSV! 
More room in a dining booth… NSV!

You get the idea. The list goes on. Do not underestimate the power of a Non-Scale Victory. Celebrate them. You deserve it for a job well done! Comment below and let me know your NSVs. I would love to hear from you.

—Monica