The scale isn’t the only way to measure.

Trying to lose weight can be more than frustrating, it doesn’t matter whether you’re trying to lose 5 or 50 pounds. A huge part of that frustration comes from our frienemy, the scale. When those numbers are going down, you’re on top of the world, nothing can stop you. Of course when the numbers stop moving, or heaven forbid, they creep up on you, it’s hard to fight the urge to just give up on all your efforts. The scale can also be a dangerous piece of equipment when you become addicted to it.

What took me a while to figure out is that there are much better ways to measure weight loss than stepping on a scale.

How do you feel? Do you have more energy? Have you noticed you are happier than you were a few weeks ago? How you feel about yourself is much more important than what those numbers are doing.

In my humble opinion, the absolute best way to gauge your weight loss is by how your clothes are fitting. While those pesky numbers might not be showing any signs of progress, the fact that your jeans can come off without unbuttoning them says something.

A little something to keep in the back of your head; muscle weighs more than fat. If you started to exercise, you’re going to be gaining muscle, so your trusty bathroom scale might not tell you the whole story.

I had one of those amazing, non-scale successes this week. My jeans were starting to get a little worn out, so I went and bought some new ones (at New York & Co. since they were buy one get one). I didn’t have time to try them on in the store since I had the boys with me, but I just picked up the size I’ve been wearing and off I went.

Imagine my surprise when I tried them on at home only to find that I could use them to do one of those cheesy diet commercials. Without even noticing, I shrunk. I thought my old jeans were just worn out, now it seems they’re just too big now. My best guess as to how I shrunk without noticing is that damn scale. My numbers have not only stopped going down, they’ve been sneaking up ever so slightly.

My little jean story should be a good example of why you shouldn’t let the scale bog you down. Those numbers really aren’t as important as we all make them out to be. The numbers on a scale don’t tell your whole weight loss story. Make the scale a part of your weight loss measurement, not the sole factor to determine success or failure.

Happy Hump Day!