Now that a new year is upon us, many people have resolved to lose weight. Often, it’s a specific amount they want to lose like 10, 20, 50, or more pounds. Or sometimes there’s a certain number they’d like to see when they step on the scale.

Whether you dream of weighing 120 or 250 pounds, focusing on the scale can prevent you from appreciating other positive health changes that are just as important.

How do you learn to celebrate non-scale victories that can keep you motivated and lift your spirits at our gym in Thornton, Colorado? Read on to learn more.

What Are Non-Scale Victories at the Gym?

Also known as NSVs, non-scale victories are life improvements that are a result of the work you’ve done to be healthier. You might not notice NSVs, however, if you only measure your success by a number on a scale.

When you step on a scale, you see a number that’s a snapshot of your weight at one moment in time on a certain day. But your fitness journey can’t be reduced to a single frame that easily.

You’ll see a more accurate picture of your progress by cherishing the many improvements you’re enjoying every day, throughout the day.

So, instead of concentrating on your weight as the only measure of your success, take a moment to savor some of the following non-scale victories!

You’ll Gain Strength at the Gym

As part of your efforts to lose weight, you’ll probably start a strength training program. When you lift weights 2-3 times per week, you’ll notice that as the months go by, you’ll be able to lift heavier and heavier. Before long, you’ll be lifting more weight than you ever thought possible!

And not only will you be moving bigger weights at the gym, but you’ll also lift more outside the gym, too. Before, you might have struggled with lugging groceries from your car to your kitchen, but now it’s a breeze! And lifting that suitcase into the overhead bin on a plane? No problem! From taking out the trash to moving furniture, everything is easier now because you’re stronger. And nothing feels more empowering than that.

You’ll Gain Endurance at the Gym

In addition to regular strength training, you’re also getting the recommended amount of cardiovascular exercise each week. Cardio burns extra calories so that you can lose weight and see those scale numbers go down.

As a bonus, regular cardiovascular exercise will also increase your endurance. This can allow you to climb stairs easier, walk longer distances (and walk them faster), dance the night away, and play for hours with your kids and pets. Having more endurance means you’ll be able to do more of the things you love, whether it’s hiking on mountain trails, shooting hoops with your friends, or shopping at the mall all day.

Your Body’s Composition Will Change for the Better

When people say they want to lose weight, what they mean is that they want to lose body fat.

And, it’s true that losing body fat can make numbers on a scale go down.

If you engage in strength training and eat plenty of healthy protein while you go into a calorie deficit, however, you could lose body fat and gain muscle at the same time.

This is called body recomposition, or recomping. When your body’s composition changes, your weight might stay about the same or go down slowly. This might frustrate you if you only look at your scale, but in reality, it’s great news because it means your body fat is being replaced by muscle. This allows you to achieve the lean, toned, “ripped” physique you want even though you might weigh about the same.

One main challenge with body recomposition is knowing how much fat you’ve lost and how much muscle you’ve gained. A scale won’t tell you these things.

That’s why AFAC gym has an InBody 770 device that can measure your current muscle and fat percentages during an easy, non-invasive test that only takes a few minutes. Instead of standing on the scale, you can stand on our InBody 770 and hold the hand electrodes. The machine will print out a full, detailed report on your body’s composition – including fat and muscle percentages – that you can save for future reference.

While you work to lose fat and gain muscle at the gym, you can measure your body’s composition on a regular basis at AFAC gym to verify that your fat percentage is decreasing and your muscle mass is increasing. These reports provide the data you need to tweak your workouts and nutrition to achieve your goals.

Members of AFAC gym can receive InBody 770 assessments free of charge as a benefit of their membership! Just ask any member of our team for assistance.

You’ll Lose Inches at the Gym

Losing fat and building muscle at the gym also means that you can lose inches off your body. This is true for a couple reasons.

The first reason is because pound for pound, muscle takes up about 15% less space than fat. That’s enough of a difference for your clothes to fit better and for you to appear slimmer, even if you weigh the same.

The second reason is, simply losing fat – even if you don’t build muscle – will cause you to lose inches throughout your body. To get the most accurate assessment of your losses, measure the circumference of the following areas every two weeks or so:

Your arms
Your thighs
Your waist
Your hips

Your waist circumference is perhaps the most important number to track because losing inches around your middle can reduce your risk of life-threatening conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.

You’ll Gain Energy at the Gym

Did you know that regular exercise at the gym can increase your energy levels? It’s true! Even though it seems counterintuitive that moving more makes you feel less tired, a University of Georgia study found just that.

In the study, sedentary people who regularly complained of fatigue increased their energy levels by 20% and deceased their fatigue by 65% by engaging in regular, low-intensity exercise.

The study also found that improvements in energy and decreases in fatigue were not because study participants had achieved better aerobic fitness. Instead, the study suggested that exercise acts directly on the central nervous system to reduce fatigue and increase energy. What this means is every step of your workout not only brings you closer to a healthier body, but also a healthier mind.

In addition, the healthier diet you’ve been following to lose weight can also boost your energy. By giving it the most nutritious foods possible, your body will have the fuel it needs to maintain maximum energy levels for you. Below we’ve listed some of the top fatigue-fighting foods. Notice how they mirror the foods you’re eating to lose weight?

Whole, unprocessed foods — Processed foods like candy and boxed meals are full of sodium, sugar, preservatives, additives, trans fat, and artificial ingredients that can drag you down.
Fresh fruits and vegetables — Fresh, in-season veggies and fruits that ripened naturally typically contain higher nutrients. Also, bananas are packed with potassium, vitamins, fiber, and a perfect amount of carbs to give you a big boost of energy.
Lean proteins — Chicken, turkey, and fish provide quality protein with less saturated fat than marbled red meats and pork.
Whole grains and complex carbohydrates — Refined carbs like white flour and sugar that are found in cookies, cakes, crackers, and biscuits add little nutrition to your diet. Choose whole-grain foods and complex carbs instead to get the full benefits of these foods. You can find whole-grain versions of bread, rice, flour, pasta, and cereal at most grocery stores. Other examples of complex carbs include oatmeal, legumes (chickpeas, green peas, split peas, lentils, black beans) and other starchy vegetables like corn, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.
Nuts and seeds — Try cashews, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, and Brazil nuts.

Your Sleep Will Improve

If you’ve lost weight thanks to your gym workouts and healthy eating habits, you’re probably sleeping better at night, too. One 2018 study found that people who successfully lost about 15 pounds had an improved quality of sleep. A loss of belly fat had a particularly positive impact on study participants’ quality of sleep.

Your Mind Will Be Sharper by Going to the Gym

While you already know that exercise will help you maintain a healthy body weight, many studies show that exercise can also boost your thinking skills. How?

Exercise reduces insulin resistance and inflammation while also encouraging the production of growth factors. These changes can increase the growth of new blood vessels in the brain and support the number, survival, and health of new brain cells.
Parts of the brain that control thinking and memory are larger in volume in people who exercise than in people who don’t.
Exercise can boost memory and thinking by improving sleep and mood, and also by reducing stress and anxiety.

Since it can take about 6 months to notice the cognitive benefits of exercise, be patient as you watch for results. And then, continue exercising for life, making it a habit almost like you would for taking daily supplements or prescription meds.

Your Skin Will Look Better

Because exercising at the gym can make you flushed and sweaty, many people with chronic skin conditions like acne, rosacea, and psoriasis might worry that working out can lead to skin issues. Research has found the opposite to be true. Here are four ways that exercise can benefit your skin:

The increased blood flow during exercise means all of our body’s cells – including our skin cells – receive extra nourishment. This leads to improved skin vitality and better skin cell repair and replacement.
The improved blood flow during exercise also means nutrients are delivered to skin cells – and toxins are leaving skin cells – faster.
When the body is under stress, hormones are elevated and the immune system is weakened. Exercise decreases the body’s responses to stress, which can minimize the risk of chronic skin condition breakouts. Exercise also keeps the immune system more robust and better able to fight health concerns, including skin concerns.
One study examined the skin of individuals who were 65 and older. During the study, participants maintained a moderate aerobic exercise program for 3 months. After the 3-month period, individuals who exercised frequently had skin that closely resembled the skin of people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. This research indicates it may be possible to turn back the clock on your skin through 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day. And, you can avoid sun damage by exercising inside the gym instead of outside. If you do exercise outdoors, make sure to wear sunscreen, long sleeves, pants, a hat, and sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes from the sun’s damaging UV rays.

Exercising at the Gym Improves Your Mood and Coping Mechanisms

About 40% of people who experience stressful situations will eat more food to soothe themselves. This is called stress eating, also known as emotional eating. This type of unhealthy coping mechanism can lead to weight gain.

People who commit to an exercise program often find that their gym workouts become a new and better way to cope with mental health issues like stress, depression, and anxiety. Not only do workouts burn calories and build strength, but they also retrain you to use healthier stress management techniques. Now that’s a victory worth celebrating!

Additionally, according to a 2015 study, 82.2% of participants who felt depressed reported improvements in their sleep duration, sleep quality, and mood after losing 5% or more of their body weight. These improvements remained even two years after their weight loss.

You’ll Be in Less Pain

Joint pain is a common issue for people who are overweight. The good news is, as your weight slowly decreases, you’ll feel less joint pain because your weight-bearing joints will be under less stress. On top of this, your gym workouts will build muscle around your joints, reinforcing these areas so they’re stronger and better equipped to function without pain. According to at least one study, losing weight and staying active might reduce your risk of osteoarthritis, as well. And finally, using dynamic stretching techniques before working out at the gym benefits those with arthritis by enhancing their range of motion.

Your Numbers at the Doctor Will Get Better

Once you make healthy changes to your diet and workout routines, your next doctor’s visit will likely show improvements in your blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Seeing those numbers improve will reassure you that the changes you’re making are, in fact, bettering your health beyond what the scale says. This will also boost your resolve to continue with your program.

You’ll Find New Sources of Support at the Gym

Exercising at the gym provides you with ample opportunities to connect with new friends, support groups, fitness classes, personal trainers, and many other people who will make it easier for you to reach your health goals.

Not only will these people provide you with feedback and advice during your fitness journey, but some of them could become lifelong friends.

You Can Save Money by Being Healthier

Living an unhealthy lifestyle can be expensive. Eating at restaurants, indulging in treats and alcohol, making extra visits to the doctor, and buying prescription medications can all put a dent in your budget. If you’re preparing more healthy meals at home, eating out less, and needing less medical care, both your wallet and your body can benefit.

You’ll Feel Better About Yourself

Sometimes, our self-esteem can take a hit when our bodies don’t look the way we want them to. And changing our bodies is a long, arduous process that we must achieve on our own – no one can do it for us. It can’t be bought or inherited. And, once we have it, it’s ours. We earned it.

Having the drive and determination to go to the gym and eat a more nutritious diet will give you a sense of accomplishment. As you become stronger and healthier, your confidence will improve. You’ll love the way you look, and you’ll wear it like a badge of honor.

Going to the gym is also the perfect way to get your mind off your troubles. It’s your “me time” that allows you to relax, blow off steam, and think things through. You can even use that time to catch up on podcasts and audiobooks that you’ve been wanting to listen to.

To make your gym time even more therapeutic, make sure to use the cryotherapy chamber and hydro massage bed at AFAC gym.

Win Your Non-Scale Victories at AFAC Gym

According to Statista.com, 40% of people say that “losing weight” tops their list of New Year’s resolutions. While it’s fine to step on a scale every week or so to check your weight, that number isn’t the only way to measure your success during your fitness journey. There are many non-scale victories that you can notice and celebrate, which will motivate you to stick to a lifelong journey and a healthier lifestyle.

Are you looking for a gym where you can celebrate all your health and fitness victories? One that has an abundance of equipment, classes, and personal trainers to support your journey? Then we hope you’ll consider joining us at Adventure Fitness Athletic Club. The team at AFAC gym is here to give you a tour and show you why we’re the best gym in Thornton, Colorado. Our team of personal trainers can assist you with tailoring a strength training and cardio program that will provide maximum results for your efforts.

If you’re not a member of AFAC gym but would like more information, please stop by and speak to our team. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.