Week 10: What the Scale Didn't See (Tuesday, May 17, 2016)

I've read all the posts and articles about measuring success in ways other than the scale. I believed them and tried to think about those things, but they were little consolation when my number on the scale didn't move for three weeks.

Yes, my clothes were still getting looser. Yes, I was able to move more without being as winded. Yes, it was easier to exercise. Yes, I was probably trading muscle for fat, but why wasn't the blasted number changing?!

Maybe I should just go back to not exercising, I was dropping el-bees like a pound of bacon before. Maybe I'm exercising too much. Maybe I'm not exercising enough. Maybe I need to eat more. Or less. Or maybe -- just maybe -- I needed to just chill out, remember what I'd read, really -- and I mean REALLY -- take it to heart, and just keep doing what I'm doing. So, I did.

This week, the scale moved. Finally. Thankfully!

Tonight, I got my weekly update from FitBit and decided to compare it to where I was four weeks ago when the scale stopped moving. Only then did I see what the scale couldn't.

I'd increased my steps by 18%.
I'd increased my distance by more than 21%.
I'd increased my activity minutes by 96%.
I'd increased my calories burned by 12%.
I'd increased my calorie differential by more than 15%.

I won't lie, I feel better when the scale is moving, but at least I can see that the last few weeks weren't wasted or in vain. Now, let's hope that damn scale doesn't take another hiatus any time soon!

P.S. Ignore the stairs stat. It captures elevators too easily.