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Today was the first time since I was 11 years old that I actually went into a store and bought clothes a size smaller (one was actually 2 sizes smaller). I mean, I've lost weight before but I honestly can't remember purposely buying smaller sizes because my clothes are not fitting me good now - with plans that I will get smaller. Its weird! I guess because I haven't lost almost 50 pounds in a long long long while. I always just dealt with my clothes I had because I always knew I'd gain weight back. Now I KNOW I will just get smaller. I am due to have surgery in late May but I am proud of what I've done so far. I know with the sleeve, I will be able to do wonders! So that's my NSV and I am relishing it big time! Can't wait until there are more to come. Of course, a couple of scale victories would be awesome too!

I gave up all processed sugar and flour on my pre op diet and now that I am almost 5 months out and can eat anything. I still have not had one single bite of a cracker, bread, chip or anything with processed sugar or flour. It is my slippery slope. I made myself a promise not to consume anything of the like until year's end. I think I need that time for me to adapt to my new me. I don't miss it right now and am ok but yesterday, I almost buckled and gave in as to not hurt someone's feelings. I have a group of friends and we meet for lunch once a month. We Celebrate birthdays, usually with just a card and small gift. My birthday is next week so we were celebrating mine. One of the ladies brought me a fancy cupcake with candles on it. I just cringed inside but thanked her. None of them know about my surgery but they do know that I have changed my diet. She was already annoyed with me because she had chosen the restaurant I commented that I was looking for a Pasta free dish and she asked why? I simply told her that I was not consuming any processed flour or sugar for the remainder of the year. She made a little comment about how it wouldn't hurt. I just said thanks but there is a great looking Cobb salad and changed the subject. About 5 minutes later it hit her that I may not eat the cupcake. She asked loudly so are you NOT going to eat that cupcake then? It got everyone's attention so now, all eyes were on me. I had to decide at that moment which was more important to me. My promise to myself or cave in and let someone pressure me? I decided in that moment that I was more important and worth keeping my promise to myself and just said, No, since I have made the commitment to not consume processed sugar this year, I would love to share it with you all or I can take it home and freeze it, it was so sweet of you to think of me though. She snapped at me and said, "well, I think you should eat anything you want, just eat less and you'll be fine." That pissed me off so I told her, "thank you, but I AM eating anything I want, however, I am also NOT eating what I don't want and I am very happy with my decision." That shut her up. A few minutes later I think she realized she was out of line and said, "you know, you should do what's right for you and I didn't mean to sound like I was telling you what to do." This is the place my mouth usually will get me in trouble but I just smiled and said, "thank you for saying that and I am doing what is right for me." I felt like It was a big victory for me, in realizing that I am worth following through with me! So, does this qualify as NSV??

Today I went to my doctor for my monthly follow up. He walked in and said "Hey skinny!' Then he said i have lost 9 pounds since my last appt. last month and my % of body fat has gone from 52% to 36%. He asked me how many pant sizes I have gone down and I said from an 18 to an 8, and he said well don't by anymore 8's because you will be in a 6 soon! He said that I only have 11 more pounds to go until I am at his goal for me. Then he told me that I have lost more weight each month than any other of his sleeve patients monthly follow ups! Boy did I feel good when I left there, so I stopped on the way home and went clothes shopping! (But no pants just tops). LOL!

Congrats! Can't wait to hear all the NSVs and SVs.

So I haven't weight trained since my VSG on January 8, because I didn't want to do it until I'd gotten clearance at my three-month post-op checkup, which was last week. (I've been swimming and walking for exercise since surgery, but no weight training.) I got clearance from my surgeon to resume weight training last week, so I went to the YMCA (where I work out) today. The YMCA has a computer system called ActivTrax that will generate weight-training workouts for you so you don't work the same muscles all the time or get bored, and I wanted to have a trainer re-evaluate my ActivTrax weight stats before I just went back at it willy-nilly. I did the re-evaluation today, and I am right where I was before surgery. The last time I weight trained must have been December sometime, but I guess the swimming helped keep my muscles strong, because the trainer didn't have to adjust any of my weight levels. I can pick right back up where I left off. I am so happy I haven't lost any strength. I love weight training (cardio bores me but I do it anyway), and I am just tickled pink that I can still do what I was doing pre-op. YAY!

I was told tonight at my favorite store that I can't shop there anymore...the woman behind the counter told me they don't carry my size at all.... What is strange is that a little over a year ago I was in the biggest size in the store and just barely fitting into it it was so tight.... Wow eh!!!!!!!!

I think at first everyday I was discovering new "non-scale victories!" It's very exciting!! Congrats on your journey!! I think one of the best unexpected "NSV" for me has been how everyone has commented on how much younger I look now. I definitely wasn't thinking necessarily of looking younger as a benefit of losing weight. :-) But I'll take it!!!

I took a friend to the hospital today for tests. After they told me I could go get my car and pick her up outside the front entrance. So I was walking a long and there was a mom and a little girl behind me.... The little girl was chattering away about everything and nothing. Then she stops and says, 'mommy why is that lady's leg so little?' I knew she was talking about me because we were the only ones around. Her mother did not miss a beat! She said,' honey I think she was born with them like that.' I looked around and the mother smiled faintly at me hoping I did not hear. I smiled back. I thought, " you should have seen me two years ago, they would have been hidden from view." Is that a NSV or just an observation by a little girl with big blue eyes!

Hi All, I thought I'd share some of what I thought were the odder moments of surgery. First off was I had been in my room several hours before I noticed the gown I was wearing when I was willed in was a different one. Now I know during surgery we are all laid out like Sunday chicken but it still felt odd to think of someone undressing and redressing me! I also had something called an On Q pump an odd little gizmo that pumps in a novacaine type drug into your stomach area. The last was a bit of a NSV well not really but felt like it they came to take me to x-ray for the upper gi they brought this wheelchair big enough to almost fit two of me in it. The barium stuff was nasty as could be but with someone like me with bad reflux I was able to do it. Oh and a last bit of advice for anyone waiting on surgery, when they bring you your first liquid tray do not go crazy mixing in the unflavored Protein into every thing (G) Nancy

I am 16 days out from surgery and down 31 pounds from pre op until today. I took my younger son to the playground today and was able to keep up with him the whole time! Climbed up, down, around everything and even slid down all the slides (I would not have fit before) and never once was out of breath. It was an amazing day. I never thought something that little could make me feel this good. My sons are a big reason for my surgery, I want to always be there for them. Today made me realize that I can do just that!!

Hello! I should be getting sleeved by mid-March. I am excited and nervous. Can some of you please share two things with me: 1. What (if any) complications did you have and were they remedied? 2. Any NSV's you have had and about how long into the process you had them?

I know what you mean..I don't think my collar bones showed this much when I was a teenager....enjoy your NSV and write it down and be ready to pen more and more and more!

Good for you!! Think that should be an NSV. Actually forgetting to be buck naked for weight

Whoohooo!!! That is a great NSV!!! I looove to run so I know how amazing this feels. May you continue on the right path and run run RUN!!!

My week has been exhausting, just a preview of what's to come this week. Hubs is having his cancerous tumor removed this coming Friday, and we have a very challenging week ahead of us, not to mention the weeks and months to come. SOOOOOO....please give me some outside joy, and tell me your NSV's, funny stories, uplifting tales....to help me through my days of waiting. Get my mind off the negatives, and onto life-lifting thoughts.... I always look forward to reading what you all like to share, so keep 'em coming... for those of us in the waiting rooms....A burst of laughter is sometimes all we need to get through the tougher moments..... BTW, I am sorry I can't respond like I used to, or want to, there just isn't time. But I am still here, still supporting you in my thoughts and prayers... Thank you.....

I was at a spa the last couple of days that I've been to in years past but not recently. I suspected the robe would fit better and it did. I didn't need the extra large and the regular robe closed just fine. However...what I didn't expect and didn't even think about was that I could put my arms at my side and they would stay on the massage table. LOL! In years past I always had to stick my hands under my butt to keep them in place. Wasn't even really aware of that until I didn't have to do it anymore. It just reminds me how we adapt over the years to our size and how that impacts our lives in a negative way. I am so grateful that normalcy is slowly coming back to my life.

So this morning I am sitting there, enjoying my coffee & watching the news when I got an itch on my shoulder. I reach up & scratch only to discover this hard lump near my neck. Imagine my surprise when I took out my phone for a selfie and discovered {GASP!} my collarbone!! It's actually showing. No longer hidden beneath all the layers of chubb that used to reside there, I could actually SEE IT. Had to take a photo to show my hubby too, after he walked in on me giggling like a school girl and rubbing my neck ... admiring my collarbone! (Don't know why the photo is sideways, but that really is a bone showing!)

Ok, so BIG NSV yesterday. Since before I had surgery 2 years ago, I dreamed of riding rides with my boys and knew it may never happen. We moved to Florida last year, and finally had a chance to visit Legoland yesterday. Not only was I able to keep up with them and their friends, I was leading the pack! AAAND riding roller coasters and other rides with them, and I didn't have to worry about fitting. There was ONE ride with a teeny car and the girl had to really push down on the bar to lock it, but that's ok! I've got a ways to go, but I've come SO far! I'm back on track with a trainer and we're going to get this job D O N E!!! KEEP WORKIN' IT PEOPLE!!!

Yesterday I stopped at a Farmers Market on bike ride and I was very interested in a booth that was offering info on a fruit and veggie supplement (as I don't feel after protien, I get enough of) and the effects of exercise and oxidative stress on the body. Long story short the lady called me athlete, blush blush,, while yes I am riding like the wind and working out, I never thought of myself as an athlete!

These are the fun NSVs! One day at about 6 months post op I noticed I was sitting on the bed with my legs crossed Indian style! I hadn't done that since the birth of my youngest son! He is 34 years old! Last week I had another one! Both hubby and I are morbidly obese. Now I am normal, he is still morbidly obese at 285lbs and 5'10". I used to be heavier than him at 310, same height. Anyway we went out to dinner with my son and granddaughter. They are both normal size. We got a booth, I slid in and told hubby to sit next to me. Normally we sir across from one another. I am so small that he fit in with me and we still had a lot of room! We used to have one kid next to each of us! He was in awe when he saw how much room between me and him and me and the table. He looked at me and said you are so tiny I can hardly believe it! I just looked at him and grinned like a Cheshire Cat. He got the good boy award for the day, making me feel so good!

YES, THAT's a great NSV!

Congrats on the NSV and the 50lbs!

Great NSV many more to come.

simple or not, NSVs are great. congrats and here's to more of them!

So I have lost 36 pounds (pre-op diet included) so far and today I went to get my shoes on. Usually with sandals that you have to fasten, I would struggle to put on because my big stomach would get in my way... well today... I did it! There was still some discomfort because I'm no where near my goal, but man did it feel nice to be able to have more breathing room to fasten and buckle the sandals without losing my breath! I don't ever want to be where I was again! It can only get better from here on out! Can't wait for the changes ahead. Just wanted to share with ya'll. May be simple but it surely was exciting for me!