No — I did not sneeze, but thanks anyway! The past few months, I’ve heard the term “NSV” more than I can count. As a certified “mumbler,” the first time I heard it, I thought it was just word garble. Then I heard it again, and I became a little more curious about it. Finally, I heard it twice in one day and decided I had to Google it. I figured it was probably a meme or some slang, but it turns out it relates to the people I work with every day.
NSV, as it turns out, is short for non-scale victory. Non-scale victories are the things in life that mean more than the number on the scale. When you’re on your weight loss journey, it’s easy to get hung up on the scale, but that’s far from the only metric of success. And in a world that revolves around numbers, it’s nice to remember there are more important signs to show you that you are improving. When you stop looking at just the raw number, you realize the long-term rewards of making healthy lifestyle changes. You notice yourself getting stronger.
I can’t tell you how many people have said, “Jess, I’ve been taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and I’m finally not stopping halfway to catch my breath,” or one of my favorite ones recently, “This is so girly, but I was blowing out my hair the other day, and I was like, ‘S---, I have definition in my arms!’” If you have the stamina to chase after your 4-year-old, you’re getting stronger; there’s no doubt about it. One of the other NSVs that I ask people all the time is pretty simple. I ask, “How do you feel?” It’s simple, but it’s a big one.
When I first started at STF, I was a runner — or so I thought. I would eat all the (bad) carbs out there: bagels, breads, and pastas, you name it. If I could go back to my 18-year-old self and slap her across the face, I would. What the heck was I doing to my body? When I finally started to control my nutrition, I saw how much it effected my energy. I didn’t need a scale to tell me that I felt better. More than that, having to throw out clothes that have become too big is an amazing feeling. Plus, you get to go shopping, and who doesn’t love that?
We had an athlete come to us a few months ago and tell us this is the first time in 20 years he’s been able to bend over and tie his own shoes. I play that over in my head time and time again when someone is upset about the scale not moving. How do you feel though? Do your clothes fit better? Are you able to tie your shoes or bend over to pick up a pen with ease? So, NSVs — do we love them or hate them? I personally love them. Sure, the scale can give you a definite measure of success, but what’s important is how you feel. The scale may not have moved, but the notch on your belt did. The scale may not have moved, but you’re able to run a faster mile than the year before. When it comes to the number, we tell our athletes that 1–3 pounds a week is average in the weight loss world. If you lost one pound a week for the 52 weeks in a year, you’d lose 52 pounds! But remember, you’re more than a number. Keep track of the small wins along the way, they’ll add up to a greater victory in the end. I promise.
–Coach Jess
@hackettstowncrossfit @hackettstownnj @hackettstown @warrencounty
