7 successes of health progress besides weight loss

Embarking on a journey toward getting healthier often revolves around the number on a weight scale. While stepping on a weight scale can be one method of measuring success toward health goals, it should not be the only way.  There are many, many other ways to measure healthy change success that have little to do with how much you weigh.

First, if you are that person who has made the decision and has started to make or improve upon healthier lifestyle choices, good for you. Making strides towards achieving overall health, wellness and fitness should be the focus of the end result. When you take the initiative to eat healthier, include more exercise, develop better sleep habits and stress management, or quit smoking, you are practicing important self-care routines.  And once those routines become a natural, everyday part of your life, that’s when you’ll see significant victories in how you look, feel, and even how you think about life.

Here’s a look of at least 7 successes you can achieve besides weight loss when starting new healthy habits:

1.  Improved appearance of your skin

One of the best ways to get a natural glow begins with feeding your body lots of fruits, vegetables, and fatty fish like salmon.  These foods contain antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and salmon is one of the best sources of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, good for skin. If you are exercising routinely, this improves circulation and is a known youth-defying booster.  Adequate sleep is another important booster aiding towards healthy, firm skin.

2. Increased energy

Noticeable improvements in energy levels will be a huge difference in how you feel. When you take the time to eat regularly, spaced meals filled with nutritious foods fueling your body right, you will feel more energetic and have more stamina to keep active all day long.

3. Better biomarkers of other body numbers

The number on a weight scale is not the only health number to be tracking. You know your efforts of making healthier changes are paying off when other healthy biomarkers are improving.  Positive numerical changes of your blood sugar, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, or even body fat percentage, are other important heath numbers assessing your overall health. Keep in mind though, that genetics also plays a role so some people will see more changes due to diet and lifestyle than others.

4.  More restful sleep

Routinely exercising, better sleep habits and stress management should result in a more restful night’s sleep. Instead of tossing and turning or waking up extremely groggy, better sleep habits can a significant part of you automatically feeling better overall.

5. Noticeable improvement in better digestion

Improving upon eating habits by not skipping meals, eating more fiber-rich plant foods, reducing eating out, reduce late-night snacking, and stopping eating when you are satisfied but not full, are all valuable ways to experience better digestion.

6.  Increased strength and stamina

Regular exercise does not automatically lead to weight loss but it does improve your strength and endurance. Not only are lean muscle and cardiovascular fitness important for health and healthy aging, but you’ll find that many daily activities become easier as you become fitter.

7.  Improved outlook on life

Just by setting and making healthy lifestyle habits can make your feel more in control and in charge of your health. As you begin to progress in feeling more energetic, looking healthier, and are embracing an attitude towards overall wellness, it just makes sense you outlook on life will be enhanced and filled with more enjoyment than ever before. And positivity can be one of the best preventative medicines of all.