Posts: 4,391
3/12/13 1:15 P

Towels. Back at my heaviest weight, there was a point where I had purchased BEACH towels - those very long and wide ones - just so I could get out of the shower and wrap it around me securely and covering everything important. Even when I bought bathroom towels, I got very large ones.

Anyway, I didn't really pay attention to the change because I've been using the gym's towel service for months now (it's easier than hauling two large towels every day) and their towels are skimpy to begin with. But this past weekend I had to wash one of the larger ones because I'd dried off the landlord's dog after a walk in the rainy weather. It was so big around me.

I think the most amazing thing to me was realizing how completely I didn't think about being "too big" because I could just buy bigger towels.

=================

Another NSV has to do with a flight of stairs I climb any time I go to a particular light rail stop. There's around 70+ steps and they're broken up with a couple of landings. I remember when I'd hurry up the first set of steps, slow down on the second, and practically plod up the third, breathing hard for a while, even after getting to the benches and sitting down.

Yesterday, I walked briskly to the stop, trotted all the way up all the stairs (just missing a train so I ended up waiting on the next) ... and noticed as I sat down that I wasn't even breathing hard.

current weight: 178.5

250 226.25 202.5 178.75

155

Posts: 14,362
2/3/13 8:20 A

That's very nice to hear!

Pounds lost: 10.2

0 11.1 22.2 33.3

44.4

Posts: 4,391
2/3/13 2:11 A

In the past month (January), I had two completely unrelated people at the gym approach me. They remembered seeing me when I first started a year ago and both were saying just how much change and improvement they've seen.

I still dislike lunges, but I'm getting better at doing them - enough so that my knees did not hurt after 2 sets today.

current weight: 178.5

250 226.25 202.5 178.75

155

Posts: 14,362
12/16/12 9:10 A

That's great!

Pounds lost: 10.2

0 11.1 22.2 33.3

44.4

Posts: 4,391
12/16/12 2:04 A

One of my semi-regular NSVs comes at the gym. When I use the cardio machines, I have a certain resistance level that tends to be "tough" enough that I only do short intervals of it. I remember when I was doing level 6 on the Recumbent Bike and occasionally pushing to 8 for about 30 seconds at a time and boy, oh boy, was that an effort. Yesterday I was doing 8 with no intervals and felt lazy, like I wasn't really trying. Sure enough, I'm up to a 9 or 10 for my routine and 11 or 12 for my intervals just to build a good effort.

Similarly, I remember when I started and it was so much work to maintain at least 70 RPM. Now I do 80 RPM without thinking and can push 100-115 RPM intervals, or be closer to 90 RPM depending on the song I'm listening to.

LOVE fitness progress like that!

current weight: 178.5

250 226.25 202.5 178.75

155

Posts: 14,362
12/14/12 8:53 A

My only NSV right now is that I've had a few days of eating well and am slowly building back to exercising consistently. My eating is defeating any progress on the scale.

Pounds lost: 10.2

0 11.1 22.2 33.3

44.4

Posts: 4,391
12/14/12 2:45 A

The scale can sometimes become too important, making us focus, even obsess, about a number. But a healthy lifestyle is measured by a whole lot more.

Measurements
How clothing fits
The accomplishment of goals
Walking/jogging/running further or faster
Sleeping better
Being more mentally alert

The list just goes on and on. SO ... share yours. They can be BIG. They can be small. They can be hugely important or seem absurdly silly. The only thing that matters is that you notice progress in the right direction.

current weight: 178.5

250 226.25 202.5 178.75

155