So many people are dependent on their bathroom scales to determine their progress during a weight loss program. However, there are plenty of variables that can make your weight fluctuate, including hormones, the weight of a meal, water retention and the time of day.

There are more efficient ways of making sure your diet and exercise program is producing results. A “No-Scale Victory” is any progress you can see or feel within your body other than stepping on a scale.

1)     Inches Lost

Using a measuring tape is a classic and easy way to record your body’s progress. The typical places to measure are the thigh, hips, waist, bust and bicep. Loss of inches around these places indicates fat loss better than a scale can.

2)     Clearer Skin

Not only does a healthy diet filled with leafy green vegetables, fibrous fruits, adequate protein and an ample amount of water provide nutrition, but it will also reduce your breakouts and make your skin glow.

3)     More Energy

You know you are making progress with your diet when you realize that you ignored the snooze button and skipped your morning cup of coffee, yet are still bursting with energy. You will feel a noticeable difference regarding energy and mood within the first two weeks of a new nutrition plan.

4)     Clothes Fitting Better

If your jeans or top begin to fit looser, then you must have lost inches. Some people even see a difference in the way their shoes fit on their feet.

5)     Personal Records

Successfully squatted an additional 20 pounds today? No way you would have been able to do that a month ago. You do not need a scale to alert you that your muscles are getting stronger, therefore your exercise program is working.

6)     Faster Run

Rather you are walking, jogging or running, shaving 10 seconds, 30 seconds, even a minute off of your mile is a red flag indicating that you are conditioning your body and its performance is improving.

7)     Face

When in doubt that you are making any progress, take a look at your face and neck in the mirror. This area of the body is one of the first places to shrink when you begin to loss body fat.

8)     Craving Healthy Foods

When you begin to lose interest in sugary, greasy, salty and carb-filled snacks and actually crave veggies, fruits and whole grains, then that means you have succeeded in training your body and brain in a healthy way. This is important signifier of your consistency since it takes around 66 days to form a habit, according to the Huffington Post.

So you see now that a bathroom scale is not necessarily the best tool to measure your diet and exercise success. A better option is to evaluate how your body looks in the mirror, how it performs in a gym and how it feels in general. What are some of your no-scale victories?