Non Scale Victory: Feeling Full & Satiated

Non Scale Victories are little signs of progress that cannot be measured by the bathroom scale. We need to acknowledge our NSV’s as progress and celebrate them as they are a milestone on the journey towards our goals. Rather than using a scale which only indicates one unit of measurement look out for the series of NSV posts which I’ll write over the next few weeks.

I coach my clients to eat more food, not less. Sometimes I hear messages such as this, “Wow, I’m eating so much food, I finally now what it feels like to be satiated“.  I LOVE hearing this! Ample protein, healthy fats and smart carbohydrates are very nutrient dense and filling. My clients are never hungry after meals.

As we digest our food, the gut sends signals to the brain about how much energy we’ve consumed which triggers satiation (the feeling of fullness) so we know when we’ve had enough. However, eating non-nutritive food is easy to stuff into our mouth, causing craving for more yet not satisfying our true needs. These non-nutritive foods are those foods which are more highly processed and energy dense (higher in calories yet lower in nutrients). They usually contain a combination of intense salty/sweet/fatty/crunchy/creamy tastes and it excites our brain and sends the message to keep eating to store enough energy for weeks! This is a wonderful, natural system that works well in times of famine.  Problem is, these foods are everywhere and we are not in a time of famine. So we are left with almost no nutrition and no satiation yet a whole lot of calories and other less-than-stellar ingredients.

Imagine
You’re eating slowly. You’re choosing fresh, whole foods. By filling up on these foods you naturally have less room in your diet for processed foods. You are choosing fresh fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, beans, and legumes which are nourishing you, helping you feel satisfied. You are feeling nourished. You are feeling full and satisfied. Your gut is happy and your brain is calm. Ahhh…

This is an early sign of progress, that you’re on the right track even though you haven’t lost any weight on the scale yet. And this is all fine as the bathroom scale rarely marks the milestones along your path to a trimmer, healthier body.

Our bodies are marvellously complex. Our body undergoes changes that are often hard to see and track. We feel and function differently even if we can’t fully describe what is going on with these changes – we just know that it is positive, albeit it, subtle. It is these Non Scale Victories (NSV’s) that help us to persevere through the tough times.

Take Action

• Write these NSV’s down – everything counts regardless of how small you think they are.
• Share with your coach, loved ones or supportive friends – celebrate the little wins!