Your Weight Loss Journey May Have Overlooked Benefits

Around 80 percent of people who try to lose weight fail. They either don’t achieve their desired results or they gain back the weight they loss.

Weight loss can be a long, tricky process. But your weight loss efforts probably weren’t a waste of time.

When you tackle weight loss by exercising more, eating healthier and cutting calories, you make your overall health better, even if it doesn’t show on the scale. Further effort to manage stress, improve sleep hygiene and reduce alcohol consumption also have a positive effect.

If you did these things when you tried to lose weight – even if you didn’t move the needle on the scale -- you still probably improved body composition, for example, which is more important than your weight in pounds. Your body composition is the percentage of fat, bone, water and muscle your body. The higher the percentage of muscle, the better. Our muscle mass supports movement, metabolism, mental health, bone health — and it can even help us burn more calories while taking up less space.

A proper weight loss program also revolves around living a healthy lifestyle. This means that even if you didn’t reach your goal weight, you may have inadvertently achieved other health goals.

These other goals are referred to as non-scale victories (NSV), a term coined by Melissa Urban in 2010. Looking at your progress from the perspective of NSVs help you see the bigger picture and your successes.  

Here are eight NSVs that you may have accomplished while trying to lose weight but overlooked.

1. Lower dosage of medication(s). You may be able to lower your statin, type 2 diabetes and/or blood pressure medication(s), according to Harvard Health Publishing.  
2. Increased endurance. You might find your exercise routine has make everyday activities easier because it improved your aerobic and muscular endurance.    
3. Better sleep. Your sleep patterns may improve by employing weight management tactics such as exercising, drinking less alcohol and managing stress.        
4. Improved concentration. Your brain health functions like attention and concentration usually improve because of a healthy lifestyle.        
5. Elevated mood. You may feel happier, as a healthy lifestyle can reduce depression risk by 57 percent, according to a study published in Nature Mental Health.
6. Looser clothes. You probably gained muscle, making it easier to zip up your jeans and button your jacket. Gaining muscle takes some work. It involves progressive strength training, a healthy diet and adequate rest. If you make significant improvements in your body composition, you may even drop a clothing size or two. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program. And you may want to consult a fitness trainer.  
7. Fairer skin. You can help you skin stay hydrated and prevent early aging by eating a healthy diet, including more water, less alcohol and plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and healthy fats is integral for weight management, as well as good skin.
8. Healthier joints. You can ease aches and pains by eating healthy and exercising.

Weight loss is a journey by that should not be embarked on with the guidance of your primary care doctor.  Don’t have a primary care physician? Consider joining an MDVIP-affiliated practice. MDVIP-affiliated physicians have more time to help you in your pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Find a physician near you and begin your partnership in health »