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I am 6 months out HW 380 SW 330 CW 263 I did it! I did a practice run to work and back 5 miles total, I would have never been able to think about riding a bike to work. I lost 117 lbs so far and I can't believe I just rode a bike 5 miles. I feel amazing. It's been a journey that I am glad I took. And guess what I weight less than my husband, well depends on the day. I went from a tight 28w to comfortable 20w clothes. I still have a ways to go, but nothing can stop me now. Next on my bucket list is skydiving. Let's do this! Sent from my SM-S901U1 using BariatricPal mobile app

I did it!!! I just got offered a job IN MY CHOSEN FIELD!!!!! I busted my butt (finished my program early and with a 94), chased a dream I thought was lost to me (thanks to the surgery, getting my health under control, changing my diet, and believing in myself that I could actually do it), and I just got my first job in the medical field!!!!! I literally cried. I'm so so excited!!!! I start on Monday!!!!!! Even though I'm a Medical Administrative Assistant, I won't be at the front desk when you first walk into the office (checking people in, collecting payments, verifying insurance, etc). I'll be the one that comes to get you and takes your vitals, takes you to your exam room, asks you questions and updates your chart, go over any doctor's orders, and then checks you out at the "check out" desk. I'll schedule follow up appointments, handle referrals, and call in any scripts and refills. AND, they will provide the scrubs I'll be wearing. I'm in an AWESOME mood!!!!! I can't believe I really did it. I wasn't sure I could, but here I am!!! I literally cried when I got the call today. I still can't believe it!!! And after 6 months, they will pay for me to continue my training to become a Clinical Medical Assistant and get all the certifications that come with that. All I have left to do is get this last 50 pounds off and then I'm literally living my very best life

The little things are sometimes the best NSV. Just going into regular shops will never get old to me. Congratulations on your weight loss and the NSV.

@AmberFL Congratulations on your NSV, it is certainly a massive one! Really impressive I am glad your week got off to a good start

Today I had an unexpected and surprisingly satisfying NSV. I noticed that my belly button shrank. It's about 50% shallower than it used to be! Who knew I would be so pleased about less depth to my belly button? 😆

I'm going to try and keep this from being too long, but there's so much to say!!! First I'll start with my newest NSVs. I'm officially in a size 18 clothes (from my original size 30), size 10 shoes (from my original size 11), size 6 1/2 ring (from my original size 10), 18" chain on a necklace (from my original 24" chain), and 2x jacket (from my original 4-5x). I can now comfortably fit on a massage table without fear of it creaking or breaking. I can now ride a bike because I'm within the weight limit. I now am able to hit my favorite thrift stores and walk out with seriously cute clothes that look nice, sit well on me, and actually fit comfortably!! My asthma is almost completely gone (I only have it when I get super sick now instead of all the time). My blood work came back and my hormone levels are almost in the normal range (I have PCOS) and my cysts that completely COVERED both ovaries are totally gone (without having taken any meds or done any hormone therapies!!) I did a 6 mile hike this past weekend with my son. I am completely pain free and am able to go full on beast mode with my workouts again. I can go up 5 flights of stairs before I need to stop and rest. Now for my new chapter in life and old dreams becoming new again. So years ago, I wanted to become a nurse. I completed all of the academics with a 4.0, aced all the labs, but couldn't do any of the clinicals because I couldn't do all the walking, I was 400 pounds, and my health/joints/back were way too bad. So I gave up on it. Then about 2 years later, I thought "well, maybe I can be a medical assistant. Surely THAT'S not as hard" and once again, I couldn't do the externship because I couldn't do the physical stuff. So I went into other areas for work, ballooned up to 421 pounds, worked remotely, and made good money. I loved what i did, but there was always a part of me that regretted not being able to go into the medical field. That was my heart's desire. So fast forward to now. I'm between jobs and miserable. I had to stop working because of all my complications from my first surgery. Now that I've been cleared, I can't get hired anywhere. So I decided that now is a great time to go back to my dream of working in the medical field. So on Sept 5th, I start school to become a certified pediatric oncology medical assistant. Most of my previous credits transfer over, so I only have about 6 months of academics to do and then the externship. Then I sit for my certification exam and then I get to finally FINALLY do what I've always wanted to do. By my 46th birthday next June, I should be right where I want to be, doing what I want to do, and hopefully at my goal weight. I'm sitting here in tears as I type this, because I thought this was something I would never see happen. I resigned myself to being morbidly obese, extremely unhealthy, and needing a cane to get around. I may not be at my goal weight (the weight comes off a lot slower with a revision, and also as your bmi gets smaller and you get closer to your goal) but I believe eventually I'll get there. But the things this surgery is giving to me, the dreams I can live out, the health and wellness and years of my life I'm getting back..... it was all worth it. The complications, the uncertainty, the pain and healing and stalls.... all completely worth it. We all start this journey wanting the numbers on the scale to go down. But there's SO MUCH MORE this surgery gives you. I will never, ever regret my decision. Never.

I agree with @BlondePatriotInCDA. Definitely check out the NSV thread. That's what got me through when I was needing motivation or when I needed to get through stalls and feeling frustrated.

Happyyyyyy Monday!!!! Yesterday I ran 2.5miles with my pup and that was a HUGE NSV for me! I have been working up to it, but kinda of a weird weekend. It was such a busy weekend so I grazed a bit instead of sitting down and eating a full meal. so that annoyed me that I did that when its not my typical eating habits. Other than that, so far so good!

Pretty much everyday I just KNEW I wouldn't make it here lol I had to block out all the noise and just focus on my mind, my body, my health, and my goals. I had to make sure the number on the scale wasn't my main priority. When I did that, I eventually got here. But all the NSVs along the way were the real rewards.

Congrats!!! The first 2-3 weeks seriously suck. After that, it gets easier and you really start to learn your new body. Just prioritize walking, getting in your fluids, and getting in your protein. Don't rush things, stick to your meal plan, and trust the process. Weight loss stalls are NORMAL and to be expected. Watch for NSVs (Non Scale Victories) when the scale isn't moving. You got this!!

an NSV in the same vein: vacation packing is soooooo much more satisfying. our smaller clothes take up way less room so we can either: (a) bring more clothes, yay! no need to pick and choose, just bring it all!! OR (b) bring smaller luggage, yay again! i have been on many vacations now (several of them for 2 weeks or longer) where i only needed a carry on for my stuff. Win!

It is a critical psychological shift to not be labeled as "obese," anymore! Sending lots of congrats on those NSVs, too 😎

been going to the pilates studio almost everyday now (a few times ive gone twice a day, thats how addicted i am to it). got tired of washing the same 4 pairs of yoga pants every few days, so decided to buy some new ones! got these babies in 5 colours (black, pink, blue, red and these brown ones)...for $10 each! bonus NSV: finding my size in abundance in the clearance section! win! ...now i gotta buy some new tops..

Heya! Definitely close enough haha! I am really happy to hear you are excited, and it seems like this is a big step for you in your journey, I wish you nothing but success with it all ❤️ Ohhh see I was gonna buy some new slippers, but I am thinking crocs will probably be a smarter thing to do! Definitely a lip balm too! Whats the heating pad for if you don't mind me asking? That is such a lovely NSV to look forward to ❤️ We've definitely got this!

I would definitely switch up the tomato soup. That can cause havoc on your stomach. 29 pounds in 2 weeks is awesome. That's about where I was. If you look at my signature, you can see I was someone that responded EXTREMELY well to the surgery. But even with that, I had to learn to manage my expectations. Stalls happen. They're real, they suck, they will continue. It's important not to obsess over the number on the scale and pay attention to NSVs (Non Scale Victories). How are your clothes and rings fitting? How is your mobility? Are you able to get off any meds? Can you fit in booths and chairs with arms better? How do you look? When stalls happen, stay off the scale for a while and pay attention to NSVs. In the beginning, you lose the most weight because of water weight, inflammation, and your body's general "OMG wtf just happened??!?!" response to the surgery. The rate of the loss WILL slow down. It's inevitable. That doesn't mean it won't be a success. It just means that you have to change your expectations and relearn the process for what it is, not what you saw on tv or read online that it would be. The higher your bmi and starting weight, the faster you initially lose weight. As your bmi and weight get lower, the weight loss slows down. That doesn't mean it'll stop, it just gets slower. Be very mindful of what you eat, how much, how often. Pay attention to actual hunger vs head hunger. Avoid slider foods. This is the stage where you work on your mindset and relationship with food. No cheating. No alcohol. No junk food. Stick to your diet religiously. Listen to your body.

Thanks for all the encouragement guys! This mad me laugh out loud! I may be wishing this at people a lot 😂 My hubby’s company is self insured so they just changed administrators (the surgery should be covered). I think it’s just a bunch of red tape between the MD office and ins co. at this point (we asked for this, they didn’t send that back and forth nonsense). I just hate it when I don’t really have a lot of control over it and like things taken care of quickly so this is sending me into outer space and shooting my anxiety through the roof. @NickelChip great on the NSV! I’ve been loving grabbing things in my closet that were too small before, that I can wear now. We can just stick our tongues out at the scale when it decides to be rude! 😜

My newest NSV. Life is so tough now. I have just caught myself complaining that there is too much choice in the clothing sites online. I used to rage when I could not find clothes in my pre op size.

@RonHall908 You look amazing!!! NickelChip, I had a similar experience about 5 years ago. I got down to 202 pounds and couldn't get under 200. Then, I started to gain weight and, over the next few years, reached my highest weight. I am hoping to push under 200 without a big stall, but if it does happen, I'm going to fight hard to not let it mess with my mind! I find it interesting that so many of us are stalling at the same time. It makes me think this is a normal pattern after surgery. So far, I've been steadily losing weight —even if it's a pound a week. I'm guessing I'm going to be stalling sometime soon, too. This is when we have to look at the NSV's (Non-scale victories)... Ron's pictures for example!! Hang in there everyone!

Yes, do it!! I love kayaking. Well, I did it once almost 20 years ago. But have been dreaming about it since. Once I'm able to sit on the floor again, I will definitely be trying it too! One NSV is that I am starting to see loose, wrinkly skin on my stomach and butt. It's not pretty, but it's a symbol of my hard work! Looking forward to having a jawline someday, not there yet~ A weird thing is that I weigh less now than I did 20 years ago (in my 20s), but I'm bigger than I was then. My low-hanging apron and jawline/neck, specifically. I guess body fat to muscle ratio? Plus just ageing, I suppose. It'll be a huge NSV for me when (if) I have my panniculectomy~

I'm glad weighing once a week is helping. Sometimes it's difficult... I want to get on the scale way more often and sometimes do. All my adult life I have considered a loss of 2 pounds a week to be right on track. The first few weeks of this got me spoiled with bigger losses. At this point I'd be very happy with a consistent 1 - 2 pounds a week. It seems like the slower it comes off, the easier it is for my body to adjust. An NSV, well, not really a victory, but a surprise... I had to go to support group at the hospital last night. I was running late and threw some jeans and a T-shirt on after my shower. I hadn't had those jeans on in a few weeks, and oh my gosh, they were huge! Not just the waist, which is elastic, but the legs were so funny. I didn't have time to change them, and they are my favorite jeans. In fact, I have a pair that is 4 sizes smaller in my closet waiting for me! lol.

I didn't dare give myself goals. I had my heart broken too many times. Every sure fire diet got my hopes up and then it failed and I crashed. I had hopes of loosing 70lbs because I had done this before three times. When I began getting NSV's these really boosted me. I had rid myself of diabetes, blood pressure and water retention. These meant so much more than the numbers on the scales. I doubled my expectations and I love my saggy skinned old woman body now. For the first time since I was six years old, I fit in this world.

So for me, I've had stalls last anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 weeks. I tend to gain 2-4 pounds during a stall and then drop like 5-6 pounds when it breaks. Once I see I'm in a stall, I stay off the scale. Normally I weigh myself 2-3 times per week. When I'm in a stall, I do it once per week, just to see when it breaks. I stick with my diet, I change up my workout to "confuse" my body (if you do the same thing at the same time al the time, your body gets use to it and the exercises become less effective), and I focus on NSVs (Non Scale Victories) such as how I look, how my clothes fit, how my rings fit, if I've dropped inches, if I can fit into seats/booths better, etc...

What a fantastic NSV! Truly life-changing. Congratulations and I hope you enjoy learning to drive your new car.