8 Other Signs That You're Losing Weight

Apart from standing on the scales, how can you tell that your health is steadily improving and your weight loss journey is progressing? Here are some factors to indicate that you're moving in a good direction:

1. You're not hungry all the time

If you're losing weight because you changed your diet to include more proteins and healthy fats and fewer carbs, you may notice that you feel full faster. That's because the amino acids in dietary protein send a satisfaction signal to your brain - and that signal isn't sent by eating the same number of calories in carbohydrates.

2. Your sense of well-being improves

Losing weight can lead to an all-around improvement in your psychological well-being.

In a 2013 study, people who were trying to lose weight reported that they felt more vitality, more self-control, less depression, and less anxiety than they had felt before their weight loss. If you're not feeling these emotional benefits yet, don't give up: Study participants didn't report these improvements at the 6-month mark. The big psychological changes showed up at the 12-month mark.

3. Your clothes fit differently

You may notice that you don't have to jump to pull on your jeans, even before you see a big difference on the scale - which can motivate you to keep doing what you're doing.

4. You're noticing some muscle definition

It can take some time - usually weeks or months - to build strength and see muscle definition. How fast you see changes will depend on your body and the type of exercise you've incorporated into your plan.

If you want to keep building muscle as you lose weight, experts recommend that you get enough (but not too much) protein and do resistance-type exercises.

5. Your body measurements are changing

A shrinking waist size is good news for your overall health. Researchers tracked 430 people in a 2-year weight management program and noted that a reduction in waist measurement was associated with improved outcomes in blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.

Other studies have drawn a direct link between your waist circumference and your risk of cardiovascular disease. Whether or not the scale says you're down, a looser waistband means better heart health.

6. Your chronic pain improves

Weight loss can help decrease pain, especially in weight-bearing areas of the body, like the lower legs and lower back.

In one 2017 study, people who lost at least 10 percent of their body weight noticed the greatest improvement in chronic pain around weight-bearing zones.

7. Your blood pressure is coming down

Being overweight can have a negative effect on your blood pressure, making you vulnerable to strokes and heart attacks.

One way to bring down your blood pressure is to lose weight with a healthier diet and more movement. If you're losing weight, you're reducing the strain on your heart and beginning to normalize your blood pressure.

8. You snore less

Snoring has a complicated relationship with weight. Researchers have found that people (especially women) who have metabolic syndrome (a precursor to diabetes) have a tendency to snore.

In fact, snoring and sleep apnea may even cause weight gain. For that reason, weight loss is often one of the targeted therapies for people who snore and who have sleeping disorders.

Final Thoughts

A healthy body weight improves your overall health and well-being in many, many ways. If you've changed your diet and exercise habits with the goal of losing weight, there's more to measure than just the number on the scale.