EP 255.5: 11 Recovery Wins That Have Nothing to Do with the Scale (Celebrate Your Small Victories)🎉

Sister, friend, we've got to celebrate all that you're accomplishing in eating disorder recovery. And one of those accomplishments? Maybe you're listening to today's show and starting to recognize this is a problem in your life. Celebrate that win.

Your life has been measured around LESS. Less food, less weight, less energy. You're more successful by being less, running on less, weighing less, consuming less. But today, we're celebrating victories that have nothing to do with the scale.

Host Lindsey Nichol shares 11 recovery wins to celebrate that measure MORE goodness in your life - not lack, not weighing less, not being less. Because girlfriend, you're gaining so much more than the weight you're terrified to gain.

This process of recovery, of letting yourself BE (not letting yourself go, but surrendering to who you truly are inside) - that's what we're celebrating today.

Stop measuring your worth by a number. Start celebrating these wins.

The 11 Recovery Wins to Celebrate: Win #1: When You Eat MORE

Celebrate: That snack. Adding nuts to your oatmeal. Adding something versus restricting. Truth: When you eat more, you think bigger. Your mind uses fuel to function. Action: Add one extra thing today - more protein, more than coffee for breakfast, something.

Win #2: When You Challenge THAT Thought

The thought: "You shouldn't have had that. Now you have to wait until dinner. You need to run an extra hour." Celebrate: When you sit that thought down and tell it to shut up. Truth: "Not today. I'm not running 45 minutes because I had carbs. I'm taking a walk and nourishing my body."

Win #3: When You Face a Fear Food

Not: Going from nothing to 50 donuts (that's not what we're doing). Celebrate: Integrating something that's been a struggle. Breaking a rigid rule. Examples: Having cashews at dinner when you only "allowed" almonds at breakfast. Two tablespoons of peanut butter instead of one. Action: Try something outside your normal rigid routine. Eat at a different time. Try a new snack. Get conscious with your eating.

Win #4: When You Get Intuitive and Reflect

Celebrate: Journaling. Getting present with your feelings. Truth: "Today sucks. I don't want to gain weight. I'm feeling heavy. I'm not sure I'm all in. I'm going to let these feelings in, sit with them, and move on." Remember: We cannot heal what we cannot feel.

Win #5: When You Exercise for Enjoyment (Or Don't Exercise at All)

Celebrate: Moving your body for FUN, not punishment. Examples: Taking a walk just to reflect. Going to yoga to try something new. Skipping exercise to REST. Truth: No one said you weren't allowed. Grant yourself permission.

Win #6: When You Want STRENGTH Over Skinny

The shift: Wanting to feel STRONGER versus wanting to be skinnier. Celebrate: When you're putting yourself first, nourishing your body, starting to believe in the process. Truth: You're going to feel liberated, clearer minded, STRONGER. That's winning.

Win #7: When You Go Out to Dinner Without Anxiety

Not overnight: You don't go from making excuses to avoid restaurants to enjoying dinner stress-free immediately. Celebrate: When you can be PRESENT in the moment. When you hear the nasty thoughts and say "Not for these 45 minutes." Win: Saying yes to events instead of isolating.

Win #8: When You Get OFF the Scale

The game changer: No longer allowing the scale to define your worthiness. Truth: Not looking at the number to define what you can eat today or what you have to restrict tomorrow. Celebrate: If you're not weighing yourself every second and you're starting to lay that down - that's MASSIVE.

Win #9: When You Notice More Energy and Better Sleep

Celebrate: Having more brain function. Getting clearer, more sound sleep. Truth: Your body's not running on SILENCE anymore. Things underneath are working properly because you're nourishing yourself. Notice: Different energy spikes after eating. Give yourself props for this.

Win #10: When You Let Go of Shame and Guilt After Meals

Celebrate: "I gave myself permission to eat something I normally don't eat. I'm on this pathway to recovery. I know I'm fearful, but I'm creating a healthier place for me." Action: Set down the shame. Ask yourself: "What do I need to do right now to not let this consume me?" Win: That's MASSIVE. Celebrate that victory.

Win #11: When You Get SUPPORT and Commit

The biggest win: Acknowledging you need help and support. Truth: You weren't meant to do this alone. You just weren't. Question: Wouldn't you want help from somebody who's been there? Wouldn't you want to fast-track the process instead of struggling longer?

Key Takeaways:

✨ Your life has been measured by LESS - recovery is measured by MORE

✨ Eating disorders become a game - the more successful at restriction, the more achievement we feel

✨ We need to measure with a NEW measuring stick - small victories

✨ When you eat more, you think bigger - your mind needs fuel

✨ Challenge the thought - sit it down and tell it to shut up

✨ We cannot heal what we cannot feel - sit in the discomfort

✨ Want STRENGTH over SKINNY - that's the breaking point toward triumph

✨ Getting off the scale is where the game changes

✨ Recovery takes time - celebrate the small wins in the messy middle

✨ Every single thing against negative behaviors needs to be PRAISED

Powerful Quotes:

• "Your life is measured around success of LACK. Your life is measured off of having less"
• "Eating disorders become a game - the more successful we are at restriction and manipulation, the more personal achievement we have"
• "We are not measuring lack. We are measuring the small wins creating more goodness in our life"
• "You are gaining so much more than weight that you're terrified to gain"
• "When you eat more, you think bigger"
• "We cannot heal what we cannot feel"
• "Celebrate wanting to feel STRONGER versus wanting to be skinnier"
• "Recovery takes time. Sometimes you live in this messy middle place where it feels hard, it feels mundane"
• "Your success is a series of small victories and small wins"
• "The first and greatest victory is to conquer you" - Plato
• "Today is your opportunity to create the tomorrow that you want"

Why Celebrating Small Wins Matters:

The Perfectionist Trap: Living in black and white thinking makes it hard to find wins because we measure against an unrealistic stick. But counting each win grants compassion and grace to create momentum.

The Messy Middle: Recovery isn't linear. You slip backwards, move forwards, slip backwards again. You throw your hands up and wonder "Was I really that miserable before?" THIS is where measuring small victories matters most.

The Scale Obsession: When you've been chained, obsessed, and addicted to taking personal worth inventory over the scale, it's hard to measure differently. But we MUST celebrate victories that have nothing to do with that number.

The Truth: Every single thing you do against negative behaviors keeping you stuck is something that needs to be PRAISED. This creates the momentum you need to keep going.

If You're Not There Yet:

Listen: If you're thinking "I want to celebrate recovery wins but I'm not in recovery yet" - STOP.

Celebrate THIS: You're listening to this podcast. You're not here by accident. You're not searching for the new craze diet. You're here because you know something is going on. You're tired of this struggle.

Praise that. Hold that close to your heart. You were brought here for a reason.

The reason? It has more to do than just experiencing freedom from food controlling your life. When you start finding your purpose because you have more brain capacity, because you're nourishing yourself, because you're finally LIVING - that's where life lives. That's where you're supposed to be.

Ready to Stop Doing This Alone?

You weren't meant to do recovery by yourself. Wouldn't you want help and support from somebody who's been there? Wouldn't you want to fast-track the process instead of struggling longer?

Recovery Collective Group support program with accountability outside of yourself. Bi-weekly coaching calls, supportive community, and the focus and action you need to get from one place to the other.

One-on-One Recovery Coaching Personalized support to help you celebrate these wins and create more of them. We literally walk over the bridge together - from where you are to where you want to be.

Why it matters: Accountability is a MUST. Recovery coaching is an extra layer to your care team that's going to get you THRIVING.

Learn more and apply at www.herbestself.co

Connect with Lindsey Nichol:

Website: www.herbestself.co

Apply for Support: www.herbestself.co

Facebook Community: www.herbestselfsociety.com 

Instagram: @thelindseynichol

Your Challenge:

Pick ONE of these 11 wins and celebrate it today. Then come share it in the Her Best Self Facebook community. We want to celebrate WITH you.

Remember: Simple, still moments bring the most peace, clarity, and confirmation for your success. Your success is a series of small victories and small wins.

Share This Episode:

Know someone who needs to celebrate recovery wins beyond the scale? Send them this episode.

If this touched your heart today, please:

• Leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts
• Share on social media and tag @thelindseynichol
• Screenshot your favorite win and post it
• Join the Facebook community and celebrate your wins with us

Remember, Friend:

"The first and greatest victory is to conquer you." - Plato

Start believing in YOU. Start believing this is possible for you. Look around and believe you're worthy of it - because you are.

Celebrate your small wins that have absolutely nothing to do with the measurement of a scale.

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About the Host

Lindsey Nichol is a former competitive figure skater turned God-led entrepreneur, boy mom, and digital CEO. She understands how core beliefs formed in childhood can create and maintain eating disorder patterns, and she's passionate about helping women identify and transform these beliefs to find lasting freedom.

If this episode helped you feel hopeful again and remember your worth isn't found in your body or on your plate, please share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Your support helps more women break the chains of limiting beliefs.

*While I am a certified health coach, anorexia survivor & eating disorder recovery coach, I do not intend the use of this message to serve as medical advice. Please refer to the disclaimer here in the show & be sure to contact a licensed clinical provider if you are struggling with an eating disorder.