What really matters

If you start "getting fit" and "eating healthy", you may be motivated by a number of things:

1. Living a longer life
2. Avoiding potential health issues
3. Losing weight
4. Gaining energy
5. "Looking better"
6. Getting stronger and more fit
7. Getting a hobby

...and a multitude of other things!  I would say my motivation was mostly to be a healthier person overall.  That being said, I wanted something to measure my progress, and my primary metric was weight.  Weighing myself on a regular basis helped me see how I was doing, what patterns and habits changed the number on the scale, etc.

However, the thing you don't know when you make lifestyle changes is what developments you'll truly value once progress is made.  For example, it's amazing to be able to say, "I've lost 40 lbs."  But I've learned it's even more amazing to say, "Working out is part of my routine now", or "Working out is no longer a chore".  That's probably my biggest accomplishment: making working out part of my life.  The weight loss is great, but eventually it will level off (it kinda already has), and soon enough it'll stop because I'll have met my weight loss goal.  However, the thing that will continue is the exercise.  It's been incredible for my energy, strength, endurance, confidence, mental health, and so many more things I can't even articulate.

That's what I'm proud of!