Irish dance diet - 5 non-scale ways to find victory - PHOTO

Christy Dorrity 19 pounds lost
on the Irish Dance Diet
Photo: Christy Dorrity

When people ask me how much weight I've lost, I cringe. I've lost a bit more than 10 pounds since Thanksgiving, and that's pretty slow going for the amount of work I'm putting into it. The scale isn't the only indication of victory in my quest to be healthy and fit.

How I'm doing on my Irish dance diet:

Month: 5
Weight: 144
Weight lost: 11 pounds
Muscle gained: 8
Total fat loss: 19

So what are some other ways that you can keep motivated when the scale stays the same (notice that I did not lose even a pound this month, but my fat loss decreased)?

When you exercise and eat healthy:

Your body is happier.
My trainer had me do a test on the treadmill to see how my cardiovascular fitness is improving. Not only did I beat my last test by going further in the same amount of time, but my resting heart rate has slowed significantly. That means that my heart isn't working as hard, and I'm getting in better shape. Victory!

You can do more.
Last year when I started taking an extra Irish dance lesson with the teens in my school, I couldn't keep up with them when they would do stamina exercises, an exercise they fondly call "the circle of death". As they did leaps and skips in circles around the room, I would stick to the inside and let them pass me as I struggled to breathe. Now when we do the circle of death, I can keep up with them. Victory!

Your clothing will fit nicely.
I've found that as I lose weight, shopping becomes more fun, and a wider range of clothing look good on me. When I went to a writing conference in February, I went shopping and bought some new clothes to wear for the workshops. This weekend I put those same pants on to go on a date, and found that they are already baggy. Victory!

You look better.
Just last weekend I went out of town and went swimming at the hotel in my new swimming suit. A woman with two kids stopped me on her way out the door and told me that I look great in my swimming suit. Victory!

Your self-confidence will shine.
Self control is contagious. When I felt sluggish and unproductive about my lifestyle, the feeling spread to other areas in my life. I stumbled over my dance steps at a feis, and I began doubting my ability to finish the book I was writing. I've noticed that as I've taken control over my body, my confidence has blossomed. I'm able to get through my steps, and my book will be published this July. Victory!