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I just got back from Hawaii! 5 Glorious Days. Four planes, no seatbelt extenders, and full use of the tray tables. I went parasailing, which was amazing and life affirming. So blessed to be on this trip in the first place, but so grateful for this life changing journey.

When you can no longer shop in your favorite plus size stores anymore When you and your 12 year old and raiding each others closets When you reach a weight lower than your hubby and kids When you buy Jeans from fashion nova in a size 13 (juniors) and they are a little loose so you buy another pair in an 11 and when they arrive you realize you could have gone down 1 more size When you don't have to try on your clothes anymore when shopping. You can pretty much eyeball it. When you wear clothes that were purchased as a NSV award during previous weight loss attempts and they are now too big When people see you and say I want to look like you

That is one HECK of a NSV!!! (nonscale victory) These are some of the things that keep us goin g for sure!! I can personally say that wouldn't work for me because my hubby has always way outweighed me. But he had his Sleeve surgery and is losing great now! When we got married (I was 17 and he was 23) I weighed 135#'s and he weighed 350. He made me feel so tiny. LOL I did get scared at my highest weight. I got as high as 285#'s. I thought you better do something or you will catch up to him. LOL Something like so many others I fought my weight all of my adult life. Thankfully I got my WLS July 2, 2013. I have maintained my 124# loss for 3 years now. I can't wait for him to get his weight off so we can begin to live life again. Way to go on your weight loss!! KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!

It seems to be that there are lots of people going through stalls right now !! If you are going through a stall or pre op PLEASE read the following wonderful post from Inner Surfer Girl in 2015, who sums it all up perfectly: It seems that at least 50% of the posts on BariatriPal are bemoaning a stall. Daily, and sometimes hourly, I am reading about how someone ONLY lost x number of pounds and now the scale hasn't moved in ___ [fill in the blank] days/months, etc. Oh no, they write, I am a failure/unique/my surgery didn't work/life is not fair, ... Why am I in a stall? I know I am exaggerating but I think you get the idea. Guess what? STALLS are a NORMAL part of the PROCESS of losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you will stall. Not just once, but over and over. And, guess what? A stall is where your body actually does the hard work of becoming smaller. It takes a lot of work and energy to dismantle a structure that has been holding up, in some cases, hundreds of pounds. For those who think they have to DO something to somehow "break a stall" (in my opinion, you do not break a stall, you just ride them out), here is my response: What can you do to "break" a stall? 1) STAY OFF THE SCALE Relax and stay off the scale if it bothers you so much. Weigh no more than once a week, or even less often. Weighing only at your doctor's appointments early in the process is a good strategy if your mood and self-worth are dictated by the numbers on the scale. 2) PICK UP A TAPE MEASURE In addition to using the numbers on the scale to measure your progress, take your measurements. Inches lost are also a great way to see physical progress when the scale isn't moving. Most people see the biggest physical changes in their body when the scale seems stuck. 3) TRACK YOUR Protein AND Water AND MEET OR EXCEED YOUR PROTEIN AND WATER GOAL EVERY DAY As long as you are getting in all your protein and water and following your NUT and surgeon's instructions, you are doing what you are supposed to do. If you aren't getting in all your protein and water, then increasing your protein and water is something you can do (and should be doing anyway whether or not you are in a stall). 4) EXERCISE If you aren't exercising, then you can exercise (and should be whether or not you are in a stall). You can start slowly by walking or even moving more around the house. Exercising will help you feel better, tone your skin and build fat-burning muscle. 5) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR NUT If you are unsure or unclear about what you are supposed to be, or should not be eating, then make an appointment with your NUT (which you should be doing whether or not you are in a stall). 6) REASSESS AND REEVALUATE About the only good result I see that comes from complaining about a stall is when you take an honest look at what you are doing and realign with the program recommended by your NUT and surgeon. Have you started eating more outside of your plan? Are you restricting calories? Are you eating enough carbs and protein for your exercise? Are you taking your Vitamins? Are you eating often enough? Are you eating slowly with protein first? Sometimes, all you need to DO is go back to basics. 7) JOURNAL One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil. -- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general. -- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place. -- Write about what life was like before surgery. -- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future. -- Write about your fears. -- Write about your NSVs. -- Make a gratitude list. -- Make a bucket list. -- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self. Just write. 8) SEEK HELP Stalls are when too many people seem to revert to old, counterproductive dieting behaviors (restricting calories, over exercising, bingeing, etc.). If this is you, then another thing you can DO is to talk to a counselor or therapist or consider joining a bariatric support group or a twelve-step group like Overeater's Anonymous. The discomfort of being in a stall can also drive people to develop new, unhealthy coping habits or even transfer addictions. This is where you want to marshall all the resources you have available to you and use them. The last, and most important thing you can DO is: 9) EMBRACE THE STALL Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process. Our bodies are complex systems and not simple machines. Stalls go hand-in-hand with weight loss. If you had Weight Loss Surgery, then you probably want to lose a significant amount of weight. So, get ready to embrace the many stalls you will experience as your body is transformed. It will be worth it.

Hi July Sleevers! I'm down to 146, BMI of 28.5 and still chugging along. I don't even remember surgery and the initial post op stages at this point lol. I can eat whatever I want as well, just small amounts of it and I've become accustomed to focusing on dense protein. I love the newfound energy, the confidence, and all the new clothes. I'm looking to at least another 16 lbs, but I'm also focusing on getting toned. NSVs and good vibes abound.

Well, it may not seem that big of a deal but yesterday was the last day that I had to take Ursodiol (used to prevent gall stones). I am so happy that there is now one less pill (tablet) that I have to take everyday.

So...4 months out and (almost) 4 stones down...the before and after photos are at 3 stone off, I look SO different again, just need to take a pic. I have lost 12 inches off my waist and 14 off my 'mum tum' (its flabby flap has gone from 3 inches of sag to under 1/2) I am lighter than my other half...therefore no longer the heaviest in the house *high 5* I have lost the combined weight of my 4 year old, the cat and 2 of our hens I buy a UK size 16 off the peg (previously a 22) I have just applied for and got a job which I wouldn't have dreamed of even applying for 5 months ago...start tomorrow eek! My 4 teens are super proud of my new look and (though they aren't consciously doing it) are actively spending more time with me around their friends...and my 4 year old is thrilled with my new energy levels. I'm away to take climbing instruction and have joined 2 groups to learn that and ukulele...and am involved with sorting a 20yr reunion for my high school (a stark contrast from my previous very anti-social self) I have legs...really nice ones...I have always totally viewed them as my worst asset and had no idea that these shapely beings existed beneath my previous tree trunks. My boobs are no longer my best asset...this really worried me pre-op as I was massively defined by them...you know what??? I don't care (and neither does he)! I can go buy vintage clothes...and they fit...and they look amazing (hand knitted 70s dress from a charity shop is my absolute favourite buy) The skin looseness is nothing like I thought it would be Learning that food is fuel and not enjoyable is hard and the mental process behind it isn't a nice one...but the feeling of accomplishment helps more than I could have ever believed! I love yoga! This is the best investment I have ever made in myself...I am just so, so happy! yes...there are negatives, but they are far outweighed by all the zillions of good stuff :D

That's a GREAT first NSV! Mine was fitting comfortably into the seats at a concert with my niece 2 months post-op. Before, there's no way in hell I would've been able to without dying and being uncomfortable. But thanks to just those 2 months, I was able to comfortably and we had a great time. It's the NSV's like that that mean more I believe.

The point where I knew I wanted surgery last year was when I went to the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hollywood, CA and I couldn't ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It was so embarrassing, I went with some girls from work and because my restraint didn't make that third click, they quickly ushered us off the ride to a tester seat, no one knew what was going on (except me) and I finally had to YELL at the team member just to let them ride without me. Because literally no one knew what was going on and I just kept saying "just let them ride" and they were like "no no let's just check really quick" and I just said "please just let them go" and they were like "let's just check to make sure " and I finally just blew up and said "CAN YOU PLEASE JUST LET THEM GO!" Everyone was so understanding about it but it definitely put a damper on the rest of the trip (it made it incredibly awkward for all of us). I always feared going back, out of heartbreak and just being traumatized by the whole experience. A couple weeks ago I learned a few friends wanted to go check it out and out of fear I almost bailed, but today my sister and I went to check if I could (I've lost 45lbs since that incident, so ya never know) and BOOM, fit with NO ISSUES! A team member overheard my excitement (I was crying) and he gave me a front of the line pass so I didn't have to wait in line! It was one of the most magical moments of my life, makes all the pain and hardships worth it! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I would try Stevia. Sugar and sometimes sugar substitutes can trigger carb cravings, so just be careful with it. Have you measured yourself? People say muscle weighs more than fat, but that's not accurate. A lb is a lb. A lb of fat weighs the same as a lb of muscle; However, muscle is more dense and takes up less space. That's why you can lose inches when you gain muscle, without the scale moving. Maybe if you see these NSVs, it will motivate you and provide you with positive reinforcement. Good luck!

The obvious answer is go back to basics.....original protein/fluid/carb goals. Go back to measuring and tracking if you've stopped. Basically whatever you did to lose those 164 pounds the first time is what you have to do again. I was run over by a tractor and shattered my pelvis and femur when I was just shy of 3 years postop. Was in the hospital for a month and gained 10 pounds on the carb heavy food they served. Went home in a wheelchair and transitioned to a walker over several months. I was extremely depressed over being so helpless. I had stopped seeing my therapist about 6 months earlier but went back to regular visits to help me with my depression so those 10 pounds didn't turn into 100. So if you aren't seeing a therapist, I suggest finding one. In the meantime work on finding your motivation. Dig up old photos of the "before" you. Sit down and make a list of your NSVs. What can you do now that you couldn't do 164 pounds ago? How do you feel? If you don't want to go back to the old you, pull up your skinny girl panties and do what you know you need to, and can do again.

How's your weight loss? I was stalled for a couple of weeks but it's starting to fall off again.Same here.... But I am focusing on NSV's

Good idea... also let's hear about the NSV's... thunder32

2/17 & NSV's are shopping in any store not just the plus size section, not thinking about fitting a ride (went to universal had to try those "seats" outside the rides) & no longer thinking you look great but then you see yourself in pictures and look huge Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I have a non-scale victory to share that some of you may be familiar with. I'm off my Detrol! For those who don't know what that means, it means I can laugh and sneeze without peeing my pants! LOL. It's amazing how a few pounds lost can make a difference with this problem. I've had issues for years, and finally can go in public without fear of needing extra pants. Woohoo! Sent from my LG-H810 using the BariatricPal App

I can't wait. Anybody else with a January 30th date? To all us pre ops, what are some NSVs you can't wait for? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Awesome! This is actually one of the NSV goals I set for myself! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App it'll happen soon enough! Best of luck Paul12677

Awesome! This is actually one of the NSV goals I set for myself! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

43lbs is a lot of weight since 11/18. You are doing great! Try to focus on some non scale victories(NSV) or look how your clothes are fitting. You are doing a lot of exercise so you need some carbs. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Happy Anniversary!! And thank you for staying and being honest about the struggles. I am 3 and 1/2 years out. I have maintained my 124# loss for 3 years. So I it is so different being in the maintance than the losing phase. Lets face it watching and feeling all those changes is really liberating!! Now we have all of the NSV's to keep us going. When you have been at goal, people stop talking about the weight loss so we all need to find something else to keep us going. For me it is coming here getting and giving support. Because if just one person is helped thru something that is holding them back then ALL IS GOOD with me. Again Thank you for your post.

As exercise, I'm learning to dance Kizomba, it's amazing!! You Tube introduced me to it and now I've got enough nerve to actually learn how!! So excited!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App