A weight loss journey is like a rollercoaster: there are many ups and downs and turn-em-arounds. It’s possible for the number on the scale to increase just as you saw it decline for weeks at a time. This is called hitting a weight loss plateau, and it can seem like all the effort in the world won’t get rid of more pounds. 

Many factors influence how you lose weight. There isn’t an excuse to stop what you’re doing just because your weight stops going down. Sometimes, you just need to evaluate your weight loss strategies and see what else your body needs to continue your weight loss. Oftentimes, a weight loss plateau means that the body is in a phase where it needs to maintain that weight for a bit. When that isn’t the case, hormones, diet, or other factors may be at play. The numbers that don’t budge should not discourage you from staying on the healthy path, though. 

The scale is merely one instrument that indicates progress. There are many other signs that are worthy of celebration. Keep an eye out for the following weight loss indicators and celebrate them when you notice. Celebrating small victories can boost your morale and may even encourage you to work harder and push forward. 

You Feel Stronger

Are you lifting heavier at the gym? Do you pick up items that used to seem heavy with ease? Increased strength is an indicator that you are on the right track toward your weight loss goals. A stronger body can mean that you have more muscle mass than before, which means the number on the scale may stop going down. Eventually, as you adapt your routine, you will build muscle mass and lose more fat to continue your weight loss journey. Trust in the process and be proud of your stronger body.

Your Heart Is Healthier 

Improving your metabolic markers (blood pressure or cholesterol levels) can play a big role in the health of your heart. A healthier heart is always worth celebrating, especially on your weight loss journey. You don’t have to see a gigantic jump on the scale to improve metabolic markers either. A small change in body weight can do more for your heart than you realize. 

Your Clothes Fit Better

Sometimes, you may lose inches quicker than you lose weight. This is why you shouldn’t always base your progress off the number on the scale. It’s very uncommon for people to measure their thighs, arms, waist, etc., all of which indicate weight loss. Keep an eye on how things fit during your journey and give yourself a pat on the back if a pair of pants or a jacket goes on more easily after working hard. 

You Manage Blood Sugar Better

Feeling discouraged about your weight loss journey because the scale isn’t reflecting your hard work? Check your blood glucose levels because stable levels can indicate immense progress. Fat is hormonally active, so your blood sugar can be hard to regulate when you have excess body fat. This is why blood sugar regulation can be difficult for people with insulin resistance, or those who are overweight or obese. When you make positive changes in your diet and lifestyle regimen, you should have an easier time balancing blood sugar. Check the numbers and be proud of the control!

You Have More Energy

Do you have a little more pep in your step than you did before you began your health journey? More energy is a big indicator of progress, even if the pounds are not coming off as quickly as you’d like. When you have extra weight on the body, you can become physically, emotionally, and spiritually tired very quickly. To no surprise at all, weight weighs you down, but prioritizing your wellness and doing the work can help you feel more energetic. The same movements that used to tire you out may no longer have that effect. Celebrate that progress because you deserve it.

You Like The Way You Look

Praising your body can be a difficult hurdle to jump over, especially if you have a history of body image struggles. When you start admiring what you see in the mirror, you need to celebrate the progress that got you there. You did the work, boosted your confidence, and changed your health! Just remember that self-confidence isn’t a number on the scale, and that embracing your body can be a game-changer to your weight loss journey. Write down compliments about yourself every day as a way to affirm your progress.

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Within recent years, mental health and emotional health have become popular topics of conversation. More people continue to speak out about struggles with anxiety and depression, and it’s both inspirational and beautiful. During these conversations, one of the common threads is self-love, which is different for every single person. 

There are many people who simply don’t know how to practice self-love. When you can’t figure it out and you see other people that love themselves without issues, it can cause a depression spiral. We are here to help you achieve total self-love, and we have seven habits that will assist you on your journey. Continue reading to learn how to love yourself without fail.

Make A List Of Things That Work For You

It’s easy to unearth all of the negatives in life, but seldom do people take time to acknowledge the positives they already have. Make a list of things that work for you. This is a baby step towards self-acceptance. Once you have a visual of how many positives are in your life, it will be easier to start loving yourself. 

Stop With The Comparisons

People are naturally competitive, and this is a dangerous human trait. When you compare yourself to everyone else, you head down a dark path. There are 7.8 billion people on this planet. Why compare yourself to everyone? Take all of your energy that you spend comparing and channel it to focus on your own journey. This will free you from comparison and help you appreciate your accomplishments. 

Set Boundaries

Boundaries help preserve your mental health. Some people work their whole lives to establish boundaries, but establishing them can keep you from becoming emotionally and mentally drained. It’s okay to say no! Decline a work project, a relationship, or activities that deplete you. You’ll find that you have more emotional and mental capacity when boundaries are in place. 

Let Go Of Toxic People

This comes after the previous tip for a reason: eliminating toxic people from your life is an important boundary. Toxic people often absorb the energy of good people, and you can’t love yourself if others suck up your love, time, and energy. To achieve self-love, you may need to distance yourself from others that drain you. Don’t be afraid to do this, even though it may be difficult. 

Explore Spirituality

Often times, people find peace and acceptance when they open themselves to spirituality. Don’t close off doors to Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Taoism, or anything else that may help establish a loving foundation in your being. Allow yourself to go on a journey of self-exploration. You may find that getting in touch with your spiritual side unlocks the door to a life where it’s easier to love yourself.

Learn To Forgive Yourself

This is hard to do because most people are naturally hard on themselves. This is partially rooted in comparison to others, and it’s another human flaw. There’s no reason to punish yourself for making a mistake because mistakes are teachable moments that help you grow. When you begin to accept that it’s human nature to fail at things, you’ll be one step closer to self-love. On the flipside, practice self-praise when don’t make a mistake!

Do Things That You’re Good At

It’s nice to feel good about yourself, and one of the easiest ways to make that happen is by doing something or things that you’re good at. Self-esteem and self-love are connected! When you get do something you excel at, there’s a natural endorphin rush that makes you feel good. If you are an excellent painter, put your brush to canvas. If you are an excellent cook, spend a long evening in the kitchen preparing your signature dishes. Whatever you do well, do those things and you’ll feel good about yourself. 

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Everyone experiences negative thoughts every now and again, but frequent negative thoughts about poor body image can take a major toll on your mental and physical health. Anxiety, depression, or social withdrawal can stem from lack of self-confidence, and the constant onslaught of tan, sculpted physical specimens on Instagram posting #travelgoals adventures in next to nothing does not necessarily make you feel awesome.

Studies show that the increased screen time, especially in regards to social media, has lowered overall self-esteem. According to DoSomething.org, roughly 91% of women are dissatisfied with their bodies, and around 40% of women and 20% of men have considered some form of cosmetic surgery to improve physical appearance. There’s no need to delete your social media accounts, because there are easy ways to boost body confidence. The perfect body does not exist, despite what history or advertisements have displayed. On National Plus Size Appreciation Day, embrace your beauty and consider the following tactics to increase body confidence.

Focus On What You Love About Yourself

Talk about your hair, your ankles, your boobs, your legs, or your butt. Focus on what you love about yourself and say it loud. Statistically, hearing what you like about yourself, as opposed to saying horrible things in the mirror, has a positive effect on self-esteem. Start with one body part and address why you love it and what you love about it. It may seem odd, but it may help to fight body image issues.

Find A Workout You Really Enjoy

Movement is movement, and we encourage everyone to engage in physical activities that interest them. Exercising works to release endorphins (happy hormones), making it hard to think poorly of yourself. Walking, biking, lifting weights, or swimming may not be for you, and that’s okay! There are so many workouts, classes, and exercise programs out there, so don’t confine yourself to one mode of exercise. Get creative and join a local roller derby league, try hula hooping, go to a yoga class, or whatever makes you happy.

Be Grateful

Even though you may not feel like it, others may be jealous of the way you live and what you have in life. Constantly worrying about the way you look is, quite simply, a waste of time and energy. Focus on the things you have achieved and take the time to appreciate what you have. Be thankful of the beautiful people in your life, your pets (if you have them), and love what you have instead of the things you don’t have.

View Your Body As Your Friend

When you look in the mirror, acknowledge all of the things that your body has been able to do. Perhaps you successfully gave birth, completed a half marathon, or maybe you have regular bowel movements. Your body is not the enemy; rather, it is your friend, temple, and shrine to appreciate and love. Throw yourself a compliment every day.

Affirmations Are Everything

The more positivity you adopt into your life, the better off you’ll be. You may think that reciting or listening to positive affirmations every morning is ridiculous, but these affirmations can become somewhat of a belief system. Try the affirmation, “I can do anything I set my mind to.”

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This article is for anyone who’s ever felt different or misunderstood from either your family or from society.

There is nothing wrong with individuality, so don’t feel ashamed if you’re the family’s designated “black sheep.” In fact, the great transformational changes in our society have arisen from so-called black sheep, from people who are not afraid to look at a problem from a different perspective.

So welcome to the category of black sheep, and congratulations as well!

The connotations associated with “white sheep” are less than flattering. White sheep traditionally embody the herd mentality and tend to follow their leader regardless of the consequences. They thus represent passivity and ignorance. In contrast, black sheep don’t simply follow the herd, but instead make their own path.

The political implications are clear. Blind, unquestioning faith in any institution can be dangerous, because there is always the potential for corruption. It is the civic duty of Americans to be politically responsible and actually think about issues, rather than merely following the party line. Independent thinking can never be a bad thing.

So ask questions. Think for yourself. Don’t just follow the crowd or embrace the current fad. Recognize the social wrongs and injustice in the world around you and do your part to help change the world for the better.

It’s not easy to be different and follow a unique path. Many times you may feel lost, confused, frustrated, or ostracized, and that is completely normal. You may feel pressure from your loved ones who want you to follow a more conventional path. Yet happiness comes from being true to yourself. Recognize your own needs and desires, and try to be comfortable being different from others.

Many people want to quit their jobs and find work that satisfies emotional and mental needs, rather than purely financial ones, yet are crippled by fears of financial obligation. Remember that your life is your own, and it is too short to spend occupied with things that don’t matter to you.

You must make up your mind to be true to yourself before being true to anybody and anything else.

Love yourself! Honor yourself! Trust yourself (especially your intuition)! Be true to yourself! Know that your path in life is YOURS alone. Let the next person live his or her own life path. Respect other people’s choices!

Every problem has an answer. Sometimes it is actually easier for “black sheep” to solve issues, because they look at issues in a creative and unorthodox way. Such answers can lead to opportunities that are yours to seize.

This is YOUR life! You write your own life script and thus you must take responsibility for your actions and choices, be they good or bad.

You are powerful! No one can make you do something you don’t want to do. There are always choices available – start making the ones that benefit you.

For people wanting more direction in life, astrologists recommend having your numerology chart or birth chart read. There are many books available on the subject, so it is possible for you to learn how to do so yourself.

Consider a life guidance consultation.

There are hundreds of free, insightful, and enlightening articles on the Dherbs website that are designed to provide guidance and inspiration. If these articles resonate with you and you wish to know more, consider going to the library to read more about the subject.

As the Bible says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you!” (Matthew 7:7).

Know what you want in life, and make the necessary accommodations so that you receive it. And above all, trust in yourself and trust in the decisions that you will make.

Peace and Love!

Thank you for reading!

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