The forgotten value of not gaining

Most people, when they undertake weight related lifestyle changes, measure success by the scale.

How many pounds did I lose this week? This month? This year?

Of course many of those same people, when they started making changes, were regularly gaining weight. Not necessarily massive amounts, but perhaps somewhere between 1-10lbs annually, which over time, adds up.

Now lifestyle change is difficult, and many people don't feel like they've succeeded.

The thing is, I wonder how success is being defined. If the only definable success is a dramatic loss, sure, a great many folks are going to get disappointed, quit their changes, and once again start their slow marches up.

On the other hand, if folks recognized the value of simply not gaining, maybe, just maybe, we'd see our ever increasing obesity rates, begin to level off. And who knows? Perhaps, over time, as a person gets more and more comfortable with their changes, then slowly, but surely, they'll start losing too.

I guess what I'm trying to say is - don't underestimate the value of simply not gaining.

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