(This post was originally shared on the T-Tapp forums)

Sometimes, on our journey, we find ourselves in a spot where the scales don’t show much, and the tape measure slows down or stops, too. It’s soooo easy to be discouraged, and you hear, “Focus on health benefits” or “Focus on improved stamina/flexibility/etc.” We hear that, but down deep, we want that tape measure to pull in tighter!

If we’re not careful, we’ll let numbers steal our joy! I found that true with the scales! I have “only” lost 20 pounds in just over a year of tapping–but 70 inches! I finally decided to not weigh regularly anymore. This is the second week I didn’t weigh, and it wasn’t even tempting! Too many times, the tape measure showed 1.5-2.5 inches of loss, but the scales showed nothing. Then I let that depress me. Steal my sweetness of success. I decided “Forget it! NO more!”

Well, the tape measure has been slowing lately, too, even though I’m not LTL nor close to goal! January and February found me fighting with the same .75 inch over and over and over! Finally I lost a few inches, then nothing. Then 2.5 inches, then nothing. Then nothing again! I have a choice–get down over it, or look at benefits–things you can’t “measure”!


So, here are some things I thought of:

I’ve posted before about my “lump” under one arm. It appeared 21 years ago when my oldest dd was born–a “misplaced milk gland” the doctor said. It fluctuated over the years, but after gaining all this weight, it was bigger. I noticed last summer it seemed a bit smaller, so I tried to “measure” it. I couldn’t measure it with a tape measure easily, so I used my fingers. It was 3 fingers across (not encompassing it) and stuck out almost 3 fingers. It is now 3 fingers across all encompassed (meaning I can enclose it with those fingers) and sticks out just a little over 1 finger! The “gland” or lymph node inside used to be much bigger–maybe the size of the end of my thumb. It is now about pea sized! THAT is a biggie for me, as I have been keeping a close eye on it!

(see update at the end!!!!! )

Okay, that was a long one! Here are some more:

• Better stamina (especially during the workouts–and I can’t use PG spray right now due to breastfeeding)
• Stronger quads (I used to not be able to last on a bike–last summer I biked around a campground with both my boys in a trailer with hardly a thought about it!)
• Better posture
• More energy (I don’t HAVE to have a nap now! )
• Less problems with my feet (I’ve had plantar fasciitis before, and I also cracked a bone in my foot a few years ago, and T-Tapp has helped the pain of both)
• Knee fat diminishing
• Pecs a bit perkier (amazing feat since I’m nursing my 9th!)
• Stronger back
• See the chiropractor less (which has PAID for the workouts I own many times over!)
• Less cellulite
• Buns lifting
• Skin tightening (especially in my belly area which has been my worst–I looked 7 months pregnant when I started and I was 3 months post-partum!)
• I look younger (So I’ve been told!)
• More firming
• Don’t need the supplement I used to take to help keep me “regular”
• Hormones more balanced (PMS not as bad!)
• Better immunity
• Less brain fo
• Better eating habits
• More awareness of my muscles–especially the lats and transverse abs
• I’ve lost sizes–FIVE now–and listen–

You just read how I’ve lost only 4.5 inches since the first of the year. Most of that it was nothing or the gains canceled the losses. In late January I couldn’t fit comfortably into 14s, so I would say I’m a “comfortable” 16. I’ve been a 16 for almost 6 months.

So imagine my surprise today to not only fit comfortably into 14s, but I could put on 12s, button and zip them!!! AND could still breathe! (Although they wouldn’t be comfortable long-term just yet!)

WOOO-HOOOOOO!

And yet I haven’t lost much inch-wise–but it is getting “jigglier”! And I still lost size-wise! Sometimes, even when the scales and tape measure don’t show a loss, the obvious drop in a size says something is happening!

Please be encouraged–you might be stalling, you might be slowing down– but your body may be rebuilding from the inside out or regrouping! Hang in there, and in the meantime—

Look for the results that you can’t measure except in how good you feel!!! 

Update #1
10-08-09:

Bumping this up….had to share about that lump under my arm! It reduced by at least another third during the retreat! 

Then Margie gave me a massage….and….

IT IS SMALLER THAN IT HAS BEEN IN TEN YEARS!!!!!!!!!! 

T-Tapp is MORE than just inch loss, ladies!

Update #2

I’ve lost another 46 inches since that original post—and gained 4 pounds!!! 

I rehabbed my shoulder–did something funky to it last May, and went to the chiro a few times, got too busy, was going to go back…..and realized I didn’t need to! Let’s see…..$35 a visit times at least 2 times a month….T-Tapp just saved me $140! 

Keep our eyes on the things that really matter–less pain, better health, better energy, better outlook on life!

Update #3
4-15-10:

I can’t believe I hadn’t updated this…but in February…


THE LUMP UNDER MY ARM DISAPPEARED!!!!!