Search the Community

Ok, I've had to do some journaling to stop and change perspective. Instead of focusing on what's ahead of me, to focus on what's happening today and what I've done this week. 1) Stopped drinking alcohol and I have only wanted to have a drink last night when **** hit the fan at home. 2) Stopped drinking soda and didn't miss it, crave it or anything. 3) Have gotten better about watiting at least 30 min between eating & drinking fluids 4) Consistenly getting about 68 oz of fluids each day 5) Reduced my caffiene intake (on 1/2 caff, not extra bold) coffee. I had caffeine withdrawal one day, and I've been fine since 6) Started exercising each day on my bike at home. 7) Started logging my food again and wearing my fitbit 8) Writing in my journal daily about EVERYTHING! That's a lot ot accomplish and I'm just gonna focus on this for today!

Yay for having fun with intimacy finally! I thought that I was going to feel very insecure and uncomfortable, but I'm not. One of my favorite NSVs =)

Boy, sorry to hear this. I had a very different outcome from my WLS. At nearly 70 years old, I look decades younger than I did before being sleeved. My pain (from arthritis) is practically nil these days. I haven't had an Aleve or any other NSAID in 17 months. I walk for nearly 4 miles each day for exercise, plus the walking I do at home and at work. My physical rejuvenation and ability to move are some of my best WLS NSVs. I lost 95 pounds, am maintaining at 140 pounds easily (am 5'5") and definitely do not look "skeletor." I am a standard size 8 (and vanity sizes 6 and even 4) and look hawt for my age. My pre-WLS, agoraphobic self was definitely depressed. My 14-months post-op 140-pound cute self is definitely not depressed. Obviously, everyone's mileage varies considerably. I endorse others' advice that you seek some good counseling and medical care for the things that are plaguing you these days. You don't have to put up with these kinds of outcomes.

I have secretly been wanting to run into a certain ex-boyfriend of mine. I dated him for awhile before I had my surgery and he told a friend of mine after we broke up that the reason we broke up was because I was fat. Not that he had a problem with it but that I had the problem with it and I was miserable about it. He told her that if I wanted to do something about it I could and just not eat as much. hahhahhahaha! We all know how easy that is. So I haven't seen him in nearly a year and ran into him yesterday. He took a double take before he realized who I was and walked over to speak to me. The weird thing is no words came out of his mouth. He just stood there looking at me....... I finally said hello to break the tension and still all he could say was "WOW". I said thank you and walked off. This helped me realize two things. 1. All this hard work I put into this was WELL worth it. and 2. He was right. I had to make the choice to "do something about it". I would do it again in a heart beat just so I could see the look on his face again!

My very best NSV occurred late last week: to be asked to participate in a professional photoshoot and tell my story for my WLS Center website and other promotional material. It is exciting to be able to do this and to have an impact on many future WLS candidates!

Best nsv to date... Completing 4 half marathons in a year!

Best NSV for me was going from 27 prescribed pills a day to 11! 3 more will be gone in June!!

I will be 34 in march I havent been able to shop in the regular section of the stores since I was in highschool ! Well Ive always shopped at cato's and woman that know there is a plus size side to shop on and a regular side well i finally after all these years shopped on the other side and it felt great

I too had a nsv this week....I have walked every day 5 miles one day and yesterday on my way home from work I stopped at a place called 1000 steps....its a trail up the side of a mt here in PA and i walked to 250 step....all alone....I was hoping to get to the top...but I know i will some day....

Julie, Couldn't agree more. My nemesis was also insatiable hunger, which the band has corrected. And like you, for years now. I was scared of losing my familiar food-comforts too; afraid I wouldn't find a suitable replacement. In the beginning, I didn't really have to. My band-journey was during the course of numerous surgeries, so the band wasn't necessarily my main focus for most of my weight loss. It was: Surgery --> laid up --> PT appointments, (no choice / no excuses exercise) --> back to work in a hostile, toxic work environment --> , then another, then another... 8 times over four years. I just listened to my body (restriction) and did what the ortho surgeons told me to do, made my intermittent fill appts, as prescribed. I was Knee-deep in the medical industry, and I come from a long line of doc avoiders. Oof! Not a happy place. Every once in awhile, I'd get dressed, look in the mirror, and say wow! THAT doesn't look very good anymore! Way too big! Sweet! Then, all of a sudden, returning to work after the last surgery, everyone called me skinny. Whaaat? Seemed odd. Still felt like me. I WAS still me! Just lighter; in pounds, in spirit and in mind. I think that's how it works with the band. Slow transformation over time - fine by me -cocooning (pre-surg liquid diet, first fills), then adding exercise (for me, just intermittent PT), and more fills, and the realization I'm living life sans insatiable hunger! Cool. And suddenly, out pops a butterfly! Amazing! Love my band! It not only saved my life (Co-morbidities) but made my long ortho-surg ordeal much easier, as pressure on my joints, and pain, lessened. Now, hardly any hip/knee pain to speak of. Fabulous! Presently, I'm thrust to focus on my band again, maybe for the 1st time. Before that, for the most part, It simply worked in the background. So grateful my band worked like that. And exercise, need to get back on track with THAT, ok- probably for the first time since banding too, now that it's not "mandatory" i.e.: PT appts. Do you agree that as vets, instead of fighting hunger, complacency is our new struggle? Are you paying attention, Professor? This is the ghost of x-mas future... For me, Remembering to self-reward NSV's, remembering to exercise, remembering how many oz (or was that grams?) of protein/diem, Am I still supposed to eat only 1-2 tbsp of carbs, because sometimes, I'm tanking. How many CC's are in that thing? Does knowing really matter? How important is it for me to stay in that band-inflaming, extremely toxic, bizzaro-world I work in? Should I tough it out to retire "early"? Or do I go back out into another scary unknown- a new career? Which ones scarier? (After this past week, without a doubt, it's work). IMO, Our bands are for LIFE! There will always be struggles and our bands are in it with us. Sometimes we'll be more band-conscious. Most of the time though, it works, unconsciously.

I can still distinctly remember having that fear of not fitting in a desk at school going back as far as grade school. This is indeed a monumental NSV! Congrats!

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!

That's a great NSV!!! Congrats!

Yesterday for the first time ever, i balanced with my husband on the teeter-toter at the park when we took my granddaughter there!!! 27 years together and that's never happened! Love this!lol

That's a great nsv!

So! I did it! I reached my first goal. March 10, 2014 I had my lapband surgery and I weighed in at 343lbs. This weekend I weighed in at 298.2 and that is a number I haven't seen in probably 4 years. I had been over 300lbs for quite some time so I ate my first goal to loose 44lbs, to make me less than 300. I'm loosing on average about 2lbs a week. It is slow and steady but I am super happy with my lapband decision and everyday is a new day to learn and grow into a better, healthier me. I am down a pant size or two and I am loving all the compliments that I am getting. I feel like I am glowing! My next goal is to loose another 20 by September 6th! I have a wedding to go to so I am setting my standards high and reaching for the sky!!!!

@LadyDrDenyse i have had a turkey neck since i was a teen. i'm 64 years young. After i lost 105 lbs (goal) i decided to have a face lift, getting rid of my TN. this was a gigantic splurge for me. (money!!) but i came to the conclusion that I was worth it!! Wonderful NSV kathy

No longer classified as obese according to the Bmi calculator. My Bmi went from 42 the day of surgery to 29.9today. Yay!

Thought I would give an update here. VSG was done 9/14/2021, today is 11/14/2021. THE GOOD: Down 55 lbs from surgery, 64 lbs from the start of the pre-op diet, and 94 lbs from my heaviest weight. Hypertension and asthma diagnoses were officially withdrawn. Hypogonadism is under review. CPAP average setting went from 16 cm H2O to about 7 cm. Have an appointment soon to see if I need it any more. Depression has almost completely been put in remission. Went from 52/34 to 36/34 in the same cut of jeans, and actually need to go see if they have 34/34 at the outlet. Went from 4XL or even 5XL shirts to L or XL (mostly XL). Went from 15EE boots to 12D; my arch has returned, which shocked my surgeon and my PCP. Running and enjoying it for the first time ever. Way too many NSVs to count THE BAD: Still occasional bouts of constipation which mess up scale results, but then it all, um, resolves and the number on the scale goes WHOOSH. Had to fire my NUT for being a horrible person. Found a new NUT who is amazing and who does the same fitness I do. The extremely restrictive diet (especially under the old NUT's "guidance") caused a massive drop in strength, which did not help at work. It also caused me to stall out. The new NUT increased my intake from 600-800 to 1000-1400 cals a day, and WHOOSH went the scale once again. It actually hurts to sit down because my butt is bony. I'm cold all the freaking time, even when it's objectively-by-any-sane-standard not cold. Needed a chiropractic adjustment because my hips are not used to carrying 25% less of me and were hurting badly. Had to replace expensive work boots because they were giving me blisters. Clothes I can get from the Goodwill and Ross Dress For Less; work boots not so much. THE UGLY: Eating too fast or even one bite too much means spending the next 30 minutes to an hour in great physical discomfort. It takes time for the full signal to arrive in my brain. Eating lettuce salad was, in hindsight, a really, really bad idea. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. Some gnarly skin tags as my fat melts away, and the beginnings of some loose skin. Added in a daily dose of collagen peptides to help. One incision is still quite visible, though it's healed over. Starting to notice a little more hairfall, including head, beard, and chest. Still the best thing I've ever done for myself.

oooh, I love NSVs!!! I have a few too! 3. walked into a restaurant (that I go to all the time!!!) where a cute waiter says, I know you look familiar, but I dont know where I know I know you from!, then as I leave, he tells me to come back and see him again soon. And I am married!! Ha!! But it still feels good. 2. got rid of all my size 16 pants, and fitting comfortably into size 14. I have 1 pair of size 12, but I still think they are a bit snug. 1. I can take the stairs at work and not be huffing and puffing when I get to the third floor!! Keep up the great work everyone!

I had a great NSV this week. My PCP lowered my blood pressure meds. Then today i went for a fill, and the nurse there took my blood pressure and said, it is probably time to see your PCP about lowering your blood pressure meds. I told her I already did that this week, and she was amazed that my blood pressure was perfect.

Love to hear these NSVs!. I think it's easy to get focused on that number on the scale which can lead to discouragement. I am struggleing to get back on track after some regain, going for 3 good days in a row. Hopefully some NSV's to come soon!

I was just thinking the same thing, about making my own NSV goals. Or whittling them down to a small list, anyway. 1. The ability to sit on the floor/ground, so that I can play with and train my dog 2. Walking more and eventually being able to jog and do 5ks 3. Kayaking 4. Swimming. My late grandfather swam competitively until he was in his 80s, so I'd love to get lessons at his swim club. 5. Wearing a bathing suit that's not a swim dress, and not feeling self-conscious about how I look 6. Shopping for non-plus size clothes 7. Reducing/eliminating meds & sleep apnea. Would love to not have to use a CPAP

My favorite NSVs do not belong to me. Coyotegirl (Terri) walking a few steps for the first time in years Being able to put my arms around my husband for the first time in our relationship because he's lost so much weight. My fingers actually touch! (he was 600 pounds when he was first banded 3 years ago.) My favorite NSVs that belongs to me: I didn't die from resperatory failure. My second one might sound weird, but it has to be being finally diagnosed with Cushing's. I would have never been diagnosed with it, and it too would have killed me.

@ Justine13: Well they go up to a 3X so I'm hoping I can realistically be in a 1X-2X by November. That would be at least a 50 lbs total weight loss for me. I have a lot to lose. I have my "skinny" clothes on hand in the house and I don't foresee buying anything new except bras, underwear and pants as the weight comes off. I have a whole stable of black pants and leggings on hand, but none have belt loops or zippers.They truly are my "big girl" pants with the elastic waist. I just can't wait to feel comfortable in my own skin. Just comfortable being able to cross my legs like a lady, wear a mini-skirt on "date night," sit comfortably at a booth in a restaurant, not have to request a seat belt extender on the plane, and sit Indian style on the floor w/o effort. Little rewards like that, I want to experience. I think the lingo on the forum is NSV (non scale victory). I think I got it right?....LOL. I just look forward to what I will be able to accomplish with this new tool (The Sleeve) to help me with my weight loss and health. Sigh...Lots of work to do!