These past two weeks a friend who had lost 80kg via bariatric surgery within the space of 2024 alone, made me again ask myself the question “Am I the fool for having done things the way that I did it?” My husband says it must feel to me like saving up to buy an expensive car for three years, and then having the car go on sale for a third of the price the day after I had finally bought it. That’s not a bad analogy. But it’s not the most accurate analogy either. Every journey and what’s gained or lost during each is different.

What makes me feel better is to pause, look back on my journey, and acknowledge what I’ve achieved. And that is this: I lost 80kg through lifestyle changes alone. It took nearly three years, and I’ve maintained it for five years. That’s remarkable! Research shows the odds are against people who’ve lost significant weight naturally when sustaining it. But I am trying my best to defy those odds and be the healthiest me I can be within my means.

As humans, we love measuring health. Weight, height, resting heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol—all these numbers are meant to paint a picture of our health. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned through my journey, it’s this: true health extends far beyond numbers. It’s an unmeasurable sense of overall well-being.

I can’t measure the habits I’ve cultivated, but I know they’re steady and reliable, allowing me to manage my weight sustainably through consistent effort.

I can’t quantify my strength, but I feel it in every challenge I face and overcome. Maintaining weight loss is infinitely harder than losing it, and doing so without surgical intervention or aid speaks volumes about my inner strength and discipline.

I can’t put a number on my character, but I know it’s shaped by every tough decision, every sacrifice, and every moment I’ve persevered. My mental toughness has been tested time and again, and I’ve grown stronger with each trial.

Yet, of course, there’s still room for growth. No one ever arrives; not me and not someone who made different choices than me either. In particular, I’d like to work on pushing myself outside my comfort zone more—especially when running. I’ve done it in other areas: therapy, writing, running marathons, working with a coach. Each time, my “comfort bubble” expanded. Perhaps that’s another “health unmeasurable”: the size of one’s comfort zone.

Recently, I chatted with another mum who shared how her running has improved since partnering with someone faster than her. She’s motivated to keep up so her partner doesn’t have to wait, and it naturally pushes her to run outside her comfort zone. That resonated with me. I tend to avoid running with others because I fear holding them back, but maybe it’s time to step outside that fear and embrace the challenge.

Have you ever experienced health in ways that numbers couldn’t capture? What has your unmeasurable been?