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Very happy this week! The London gain of 3.5lbs has gone plus another 6lbs has joined it this week so I’ve hit my 2stones loss target 😊 Hubby has documented this by taking pics and I can definitely see a difference - my backside isn’t as much as a shelf now 😉 I will post pics when I gain more confidence but they are definitely worth doing for your own records, even if you hate and despise your photos being taken. I’m sat here with my feet on a circulation booster, with my feet and calves twitching away. I’ve got it for both me and hubby in the hope that it will help both of us with our circulation and start helping me strengthen my muscles around my knees. We had a chat yesterday and agreed to rejoin our local gym. I know I won’t be able to do cardio like the treadmill etc but I certainly do need to spend some time on the resistance machines and hopefully the free weights. I want to try and get some muscle tone going and avoid masses of sagging skin if I can. I desperately miss going to the gym so I’m definitely looking forward to it. I’m due at physio next week for knee exercises so we’ve said we will begin 1st Sept (helps with keeping monthly finances straight too) Lots of NSVs this week…can now take my wedding/engagement/eternity rings off when in the bath. That certainly hasn’t happened for a long, long time. I’m finding more clothes to wear when ‘shopping in my wardrobe’. I’ve actually had to buy a BELT for my jeans 😮😮😮 I bought 3 pairs in the sales some time ago. 1pair fit fine, 1 I could just about fasten but not breathe, 1 I couldn’t fasten for love nor money. Fast forward to Saturday and it’s now 1 too big, 1 fasten easily and 1 fasten but can’t really breathe!!! Hopefully a belt will let me get some more wear out of them before they go off to the charity shop pile. It’s our wedding anniversary in September and I’ve set myself a target of wearing a dress that I wore for our wedding anniversary dinner 2 years ago. It’s a lovely dress and I felt fantastic when wearing it so hopefully it will fit again. I would like to lose another 10lbs or so before trying it on so fingers crossed 🤞🤞 Hubby knows what I’m aiming for and is all for it. Need to remember to record my food diary next week, ready for the dietitian appointment the week after. I record everything now but not the moods pre- and post- eating which they need. I’ve already recorded a dietitian diary just before I began my weight loss journey so hopefully she will be able to see the differences. Have a fantastic week everyone 🤩 Onwards and Downwards!

Kind of feel like a broken record from what everyone says but....STALLS HAPPEN! Also, its okay to have imperfect days, were human, give yourself grace. I freaked out when I had mine so I totally get it! but your doing amazing!! Just from your profile pics I can see the changes in your face, you have lost 88lbs! to put that in perspective, that is my 7yr old and 2yr weight combined! you lost two little people lol Now your wearing a 1x?! damn killing it!! Keep doing what your doing it will come off, and focus on those NSV's they make all the difference!

I've had a very up-and-down sort of week, mentally/emotionally (and weight-wise too, I guess). It started in that I'd finally gotten out of a stall, and everything stayed good for 10 days or so? And then a week with absolutely no weightloss. On the back of a stall, it just crushed my spirit. I said fine, by next week it'll be better, stay off the scale... and instead I hopped back on 2 days later to a 1.4lb gain. I think I went into a sort of zombie-state. I was still doing what I needed to (work-wise, diet-wise, exercise-wise) but it was like some kind of emotional shock: I was functioning but apathetic about pretty much everything. My brain and heart just couldn't take it, and shut down. Then the physical side. I'm sure it will surprise nobody here, but when you're behaving kind of like an automaton you don't pay enough attention to things like time, or specifically eating slowly. Cue the foamies and vomitting. I think four times in the past week. Luckily, most of the time I caught it early enough to prevent anything too intense, but yeah. I'd thought I was smart enough / experienced enough at this point to learn from my mistakes, but that one I just kept making. Afterwards, the lingering nausea kept me from eating enough -- so the protein goals were not met for five days in a row. (Until I found Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Pudding which turned things around so I was exceeding my goals) I'm doing better-ish, now? I still feel mildly dissociated, but the past couple days it's been like... life & energy slowly returning and my mood improving. The universe waited for me to be in a better mental place, and all of a sudden knocked 4 lbs off the scale this morning. Sunday, I had a great NSV that I didn't feel hit me until today -- I'm wearing a 1X for the first time in over a decade. (Top and bottom, which is another NSV because ever since my late 20s, my bottom has always required me to go one size up from whatever shirt size I was wearing) But even this NSV, I'm able to acknowledge it and told a couple people about it because I knew they'd be happy for me, but it still just all feels pretty superficial. I only seem to be able to get excited and enthused about other peoples' good news, lol.

That sounds so wonderful!!! Have a fantastic time, you deserve it. And you're right, we all deserve to have time with the one we love and not worry about anything else. I call it "the bubble". For this amount of time, nothing but hubby and I are allowed in our bubble. All the stress and BS will still be there later, but right now, in this time and in this bubble, it's just me and my love. Nobody and nothing is allowed to bother us in our bubble. YAY on your NSV!!!! The first time I was able to paint my toe nails without straining or getting out of breath, I literally almost cried. I couldn't believe it!!! So being able to do that is definitely a victory worth celebrating. As for leggings, I still wear them all the time (when I'm not in scrubs for work lol) I love them. They're super comfy, and the smaller sizes have the cutest colors, styles, and designs. And like @summerseeker said, they hold my wobbly loose skin just enough lol Something @catwoman7 said really struck me. She said "not because I'm fat, because I'm not any more" and I stopped right there because HOLY CRAP, I'm not fat anymore!!! Sometimes I forget that. I don't know why that resonated with me so much, but it really hit me that I'M NOT FAT ANYMORE. I know you're going to hit your goals. We all have our ups and downs, and this journey is not easy and not for the faint of heart. But if you do it, and you really make the changes and do the work, it's BEAUTIFUL on the other side. And I know you'll get there. But for right now, put everything else out of your mind, get pampered, get in your bubble with your hunny, and have an awesome time in London ❤️

Hurray! We’re off to London this week 🤩 The past couple of weeks have been a little stressful but I managed to get last weeks 2.5lb gain off plus almost a lb more so I’m happy. I just want this to be a ‘normal’ week - no hospital appointments, worries or stressing over weight. I know my weight will go up but so what? We’re having a mini-break in a posh hotel, just the 2 of us. It can give us some badly needed time together where we’re just us, no work stresses (hubby) or health concerns etc. I think sometimes we lose sight of ourselves as an actual person and not a collection of ailments and anxieties over different things. Clothes are out and ready to be packed. I’ve tried to go outside my comfort zone a little and not just take the fat woman’s uniform of leggings and tops! I’m not taking dresses or skirts, purely because I haven’t managed to perfect getting on and off my scooter in a semi-ladylike way without flashing my wares to unsuspecting passers-by 😜 I have tried for a more dressier wardrobe so we will see. Nails to paint this afternoon and then hairdressers tomorrow. It’s nice to have that bit of a pamper (which we all deserve) I did manage toenails yesterday without making a complete hash of it so I will take that as a NSV as I was actually able to reach them, for once! Have a thoroughly wonderful week everyone. Onwards & Downwards!!

Amazing. OMG that loss in that timeframe is totally inspirational! Took me much longer from a similar starting point. I am in absolute awe of your regimen. I suspect you have further loss in you. Enjoy all of the feels, all of the NSVs. You are doing this gal! With or without any further surgery you've done this 🤲

Ah this is so part of the journey and of life after surgery. I love that you're focusing on your NSVs, but also analyse the HECK out of your down week to see where you went off piste. That will help you to ensure you don't fall into that particular trap again. Knowledge is power in this process. We've all made mistakes (we are human) what matters is how we take that experience forward. I hope you can regroup, rediscover your mojo and smash it next week!!! All here for you OP.

I think there must be something in the air! My emotions were also a rollercoaster, especially on the weekend where I spent most of it crying 😂 Really sorry you had such a low one - but can I just say how happy I am for you for your NSVs - you are doing amazingly x

I'm so sorry you had such a rough week!!! I hope the pain is getting better now. Just think positive that this will be a better week for you Fantastic job keeping your eyes on the NSV when the scale isn't doing what you want. That's exactly the right thing to do. Feel better!!!

I’m drawing a line under last week and moving swiftly on! Emotions were all over the place, pains were getting to unbearable levels and eating sensibly went by the by. 2.5lbs up on my lowest (it could have been so much worse 😮) Just putting it down to experience and carrying on. My clothing is fitting better and I’ve managed to wear a ring that I’ve not been able to get on my finger for quite some time so the NSV are continuing, which are all positives. Hope everyone has a great start to their week 🙂 Onwards and Downwards!

A 3 month stall??? Holy smokes, you are definitely stronger than me. The worst I ever had was 2 months and I was climbing the walls. I was trying soooo hard to pay attention to the NSVs but 2 months of nothing moving on the scale nearly drove me to insanity. I have no idea how you handled 3 months, but I give you all the respect, props, and credit in the world for getting through it. CONGRATULATIONS on hitting the 100 pound mark. That's absolutely AWESOME!!!!! I'm really happy for you. It feels amazing, doesn't it? Not only are you solidly in ONEderland, but you're so close to your goal!! I know you'll get there. Just be ready, because the lower your bmi, the sloooower the weight comes off. It took me a full 2 years to lose my weight, so don't get discouraged if it takes a while. But you can definitely get there. You got this!!!

Girl...if you don't smile... You look absolutely FANTASTIC!!! I definitely can see the difference. And don't worry about the scale. She's a shady bish that likes to cause drama. Pay more attention to your NSVs (Non Scale Victories). How are your clothes fitting? How are your rings fitting? How are you fitting in chairs with arms and booths? Are you able to move and walk and be active easier and more often? The thing that helps me is to look at the side by side pics a lot. Sometimes I still look in the mirror and see 421 pounds. But then I put on my size 30 outfit or my size 10 ring and it shocks me back to reality, Or I look at the side by side pics and then I can REALLY see the difference. You're doing AMAZING, especially since you're only 1 month out. Give yourself some grace and enjoy your progress. It's going really, really well.

I think I’m entering my ‘stall’ period now. Having had numerous attempts at weight loss in the past, I know my body sulks between week 3 and week 7. I’m just beginning week 5 so the timing is bang on. My weight has gone up 1.5lbs from my lowest weight this week but it happens so I will just keep on keeping on. Once my body has got over its sulk the weight should start coming off once again. A couple of NSV this week. I don’t know about anyone else but my clothing sizes can be a bit all over the place. One size of clothing can have 3 meanings for me, depending on what it’s made of. So, for example, there’s the ‘I’m kidding myself’ sizing - plenty of give, elasticated, stretchy material. It may say 22 but I know it’s really a 24+. There’s then the ‘huh, it’s not too bad’ sizing - some give, not that stretchy, a definitely generous 22, and then there’s the ‘unforgiving’ sizing - no give, no stretch, no elasticated waist etc, a definite 22. For long enough I’ve been at the ‘I’m kidding myself’ stage but I went shopping in my wardrobe and found a couple of tops with no give, a definite 22. Tried both on - they fit!! And they didn’t look like sausage skin!! Very happy dance around the bedroom! I also went out of my comfort zone at the weekend and bought myself a size 22 no-stretch denim maxi skirt. I can fasten it, just, but don’t rate my chances of sitting down and/or breathing in it 😮‍💨 However, I’m keeping it as I know I will fit in to it comfortably at some point. We’re off to London for a few nights in 3 weeks or so, so fingers crossed it may fit a little better by then 🤞🤞 Meds have finally been sorted and delivered, had my Oximetry test last week so hopefully that’s gone well. No Bariatric appointments this week but I have my endoscopy next week plus knee X-rays for my arthritis. Food wise things are going OK. My new favourite thing is Lindhals Stracciatella Kvarg protein yoghurt - oh, I could eat barrels of the stuff! I’ve also tried the Warburtons Protein Power bread as a change to the whole meal. It’s definitely nice as a change but doesn’t want to make me eat lots and lots of it, which is a definite plus! Hope everyone has a great week… Onwards and Downwards!

I lost 12lbs the first 2 weeks and I've lost 2lbs each week for the last 3 weeks. I only weigh myself once a week, as I'm afraid I'll become obsessed with weighing myself. I'm delighted with my NSV, needing to wear a belt with my trousers, and having the towel completely cover me after my shower.

Well that alone is a HUGE NSV!! whoop whoop!! 2lbs down yasss!!! killing it! How many calories are you eating? I had my surgery 1/24 I eat around 1000-1100 but I work out like crazy. I'm a bit coo coo LOL I started with walking on my lunches for 20min, worked up to 30min, now I still walk on my lunches for 30 min, go to the gym or work out at home, 30min weight lifting, and i take my pup for a run for 20-30min. Movement really helps! Just giving you a run down of what I eat and you can take it or leave it lol but I wake up make my protein coffee- Decaf cold brew with 2tbls of collagen and a café late premier protein shake (i know I know no caffeine allowed but I haven't had adverse effects) I make these crustless quiches for my bfast: eggs whites, spinach, 1 slice of ham (deli meat kind) top with thin sargento sharp cheddar cheese on top of it. I make like little mini loaves for the week, Lunches are always a protein and a veggie. One week I did Just Bare chicken bites and carrots lol- own little take on a Wing place- This week I am doing a bento box with grapes, strawberries, celery, cucumber, cracker or quinoa chips, turkey roll up with a laughing cow cheese and nuts. snacks are a Greek yogurt. I weight and measure everything. Input everything into my netdiary tracking app and stick to it for the week. I am not perfect at all, Ill come home and grab a popsicle or fruit and might go over my calories for the day, but hey this is a lifestyle change and this is life long. Its hard to remember that when we all have so much weight to lose and we want that immediate satisfaction, but we 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.

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

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!

@BlueParis you're looking great! I'm impressed you can stand in those shoes. I think I would end up in the hospital if I tried. And congrats on finally getting below that magical 70kg marker. I'm happy to report that after 7 weeks of very pokey weight loss in which I only lost 4 lbs total and stalled out completely for 2 of those weeks, I have now dropped 4 lbs in 4 days. I cannot begin to express how relieved I am. I know it will slow again soon enough as a pound a day isn't sustainable, but I plan to enjoy it as long as it lasts. NSV for me this week! So, I had gotten down to around 205 lbs back in 2017 through my hospital's nutrition program. Naturally, I bought some clothing back then, though unfortunately I regained steadily over the years. Because I had moved house 4 years ago, I purged most everything in my closet. This included almost all the smaller clothing, plus the remnants of my old "professional" wardrobe that was also in smaller sizes from a good 20 years ago. (I should say, I don't regret that too much as the clothing was way out of style and I never have cause to wear suits these days anyway.) But I did happen to hold onto one springy sort of dress that I guess I must have thought was too nice to get rid of, just in case it ever fit again. Well, I pulled it out of the closet the other day to wear to my daughter's special event at school and not only did it fit, it was loose. I honestly struggle to see the difference when I look at myself in the mirror sometimes, but there's no denying how clothing fits, and I know this dress never fit me loose back then like it does now.

Dang it! Back up to 200 today. I could see the digital scale contemplating telling me 199.8, but it decided nope. I've had days with tons of exercise. Days with no exercise. Days with over 1000 calories. Days with barely 500 calories because what I ate made me sick. None of it does anything to move the weight. I get on the scale daily because I like to see the graph as a visual. But I'd like it better if the number went down. On the bright side, my blood work all looks pretty good. A bit low in Vitamin A, zinc, and prealbumin, but so far no one has said I should change anything. @LisaCaryl I love the NSV with the jeans! What a nice surprise, even if you did get stuck wearing them to your group. I have one more week of school runs and after school activities before my kids are out for the summer. At that point, I am going to make a weekly meal plan and try out some new recipes from the bariatric cookbooks that are gathering dust because I've been too busy. I've also found a workout video to try with my pilates bar resistance band set, so that's going to happen this week, at least once.

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.

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!

Ok I'm the QUEEN of stalls lol So here's what I can say. Take from it what you will. Cold hands and feet: I have that, and for me, it's due to weight loss AND low iron. I'm anemic, so I take a bariatric vitamin w/ iron and an additional iron supplement w/ vit c and it keeps my iron levels at the lowest part of normal. When it dips down, my hands and feet are like literal ice cubes. Breaking a long stall: So I tend to gain 3-5 pounds when a stall hits and then lose the same 1-3 pounds over and over until it breaks (and I lose like 6 or 7 pounds all at once). My stalls can last anywhere from several weeks to 3 months. It SUX. When I have a stall, I change up my work out routine to confuse my body. If you do the same things in the same order every day, your body gets used to it and gets complacent and the work out becomes less affective. So I add new things, take things out, add or take away reps, etc. I pay extra close attention to what I eat and when. On work out days, my fluids, protein, calories, and carbs MUST be higher because if not, my body thinks it's starving and holds on to everything. I prioritize fluids, protein, and low carb above all else, but I still make sure that I'm at a calorie deficit while getting in enough to prevent my body from thinking its starving. I also only weigh myself once per week and pay special attention to NSVs, because even when the scale isn't doing what you want, your body still is. Fat gets redistributed, you slim down, that's when you see you drop sizes in clothes, rings, etc... When I work out, I keep my calories at around 1300 - 1400 depending on what work outs I do. I drink an electrolyte drink (Propel or gatorade zero) and an additional 64oz of fluids at LEAST. I keep my protein at 80-90g, my carbs at 40-50g, and healthy fats at 40-50g. When I'm not working out, I keep my calories at around 1000 - 1150, my fluids at around 64oz, my protein between 60-70g, my carbs between 20-30g, and my healthy fats between 20-30g. We need less when we aren't working out. We need more when we are. Just keep at a deficit while still providing more when working out. And make sure you change up the work outs. Right now, your body is really confused. You have to be patient with it, but at the same time, show it who's boss and shake things up to get it going again. You still have time to get where you want to be. Make sure you're not grazing through the day, be mindful what you're eating, when, and how often. Go back to your bariatric diet basics if you need to. You got this.

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.

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! 😜