Yes, you read right. Here’s why you shouldn’t worry so much:

Weight is really just one factor in measuring a person’s overall health. Since I’ve started exercising regularly, I’ve lost about 8-9 pounds. This doesn’t really sound like a whole lot. The important thing is, I’ve noticed other benefits besides seeing a smaller number on the scale.

I didn’t see an immediate change in my weight when I started my diet, but I did notice that I moved down two belt “sizes.” When you’re first starting out, you might actually find that you’re gaining weight. This could be because you are building muscle in your legs, and muscle weighs more than fat.

Another thing I noticed is that eventually, the more demanding songs started getting much easier. Songs that I couldn’t even finish before were a piece of cake! Dance Dance Revolution is really good aerobic exercise (just don’t overdo it); once my heart started getting stronger, I got tired much less. Not only at DDR, but lots of other everyday things.

Now of course weight loss is an important goal, but it’s really only a number. There are a ton of other benefits besides that. If you find you’re not losing the amount of weight that you’d like to, ask yourself if there are other things you have gained. Eventually, your weight will go down, and you’ll be feeling much better than you were before.