Search the Community

i've had some nsv's recently: most of my pants are too big. i can sit in my boss's chair and my hips don't touch the arm rests. and then there's a scale victory that has an attached nsv: i'm down 42 pounds since 12/27/07. that includes 19 days of pre-op liquid diet, and then 21 days of post-op eating. some--but not a lot--of exercise. i've also down a total of 24.5 inches! (and i finally resized a picture for my avatar...i can see the difference from photos taken on 12/31/07 and photos taken today.) toni-o

Wow, where is the time going? I can't believe that I am seven months out already. This has truly been the best thing that I have ever done for myself and like I tell everyone every month, if you are on the fence or nervous about getting the surgery.... DO IT and don't look back! After 33 years, I can finally say that I have started to enjoy life and experience my life how it should have been lived a long time ago. I abused myself with food and found comfort in it but today, I look at back and think, what the hell were you doing. You ruined your childhood, your high school years and your college years because you were too obsessed with food and then too ashamed to go out in public. While yes, I was always the happy one on the outside, deep inside, I was not happy with my physical self. Today, because of this surgery, I can say I am truly happy. Yes, I still have a ways to go to hit goal but if I didn't lose another pound, i would be happy. I am down 112lbs and have hit onderland for the first time in 20 years and am weighing in today at 196lbs down from 308lbs and have gone from a size 24 pants to a size 14 and a 3x top to a xl or l top. I have had so many NSV's theY are hard to list. The best one though is that I can go out and live my life. That's my biggest non surgical victory! Thanks to all of you , I would not be where I am today withouth all of your kind words of support and also your encouraging pictures of your own success. Much love to you all and continued success on your own journey!

What a great NSV!!!

My husband never, ever compliments me. He supported and continues to do so me in me weight loss surgery, helped me research spoke with the surgeon (he is a surgeon himself), supports me 100% in everything on this weight loss journey. Even when I used to be thin young and good looking he would never ever say anything, that's just the way he is and I love him regardless. He was concerned when I started putting on loads of weight, went with me to see the Psychologist who specializes in obesity but never pushed me about losing weight just because of the way I looked. Now that I'm near goal everybody says something about how happy and healthy I'm looking, he just says that he's happy thatI'm happy and that yeah, he can tell that I've lost a lot of weight and that sex is better now. Today I was asking what other drinks I needed to get for New Year's Eve, and he said something about "too much" I thought he was gonna say don't get too much or we've already got too much. He actually said (and it's a bad translation from spanish) that I have "too much of a nice figure now" He actually complimented me, I am wearing a new pair of jeans and a fitted top and was putting my coat on, and he actually said that I have a nice figure, I'm still in shock!!!!!!!!!

What a great NSV!!! I bet you are just in heaven right now!!!

Oh my god, Terri, that is the BEST NSV I've ever heard!! Is this likely to continue improving? How fantastic!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

Congrats~~that Is Wonderful....may The Road Ahead Of You Be Filled With More Wonderful Nsv's!

re: "If the inches are disappearing then where are they going?" Another question may well be 'where did those inches COME from?' Fat is less dense and occupies more space than muscle tissue. While my body weight has not changed much over the past 8 months, my pant size has decreased and my belt size has decreased. My body shape is headed toward that of an actual human rather than a semi-mobile poof pillow. Those are 'NSV' Non scale Victories.....recognition and celebration of NSVs are an important part of postBand life. Semi-mobile poof pillow--Oh Jack I just love the way you phrase things! You must be quite adorable in person. I think I have finally stopped losing the weight without a fill...it is a bit discouraging, but I have had people tell me I have lost more weight, so I uess I have lost inches...I did not measure myself at the beginning...wish i had so I could see more of my NSV'S! Another NSV lately is how clothes are fitting...loser! I will be getting a fill mid February it is time!

@@MrsKarenC2008 clothes NSV's are terrific, exciting curves when you got it, flaunt it!! strut your stufffff you look and feel great!!! not a bad way to live 134 lbs gone, gone, and gone!!!! keep up the amazing job kathy congrats

:clap2: :clap2: Congrats for both of u!!!! a wonderful NSV... I am still trying to get into 18's

Jaygirld: wow.. congrats on jogging! I used to be able to do that, actually, it is how I quit smoking. I used to keep running until I didn't want to smoke !!!! Now, my boobs would knock me out..... LOL Bermy:::: yahoo!!!!! crossing legs is a big NSV... good for you! I will be there soon ... I hope : - ) CONGRATS TO BOTH OF YOU!!!:clap2:

Way to go ...what a great NSV

I was able to JOG a quarter of a mile. I was sooooooooo excited to jog. I have never jogged since being fat. I was so proud of myself. I end up walking a little bit over 2.5 miles. When I got home it was the best sleep I had ever had.:notagree I want to see if I can jog a quarter every other day for a month and then move to jogging 1/2 a mile.:clap2:

@BocaRat ahhhhh, i remember it well wonderful, wonderful i posted a NSV a few years ago.......... said something like........ i sat down in the airplane seat and realized it was bigger! (referring to the fact i was 105 lbs smaller GOAL) a nice, serious response was that's great - i'll finally have some extra room to sit (something like that) kathy congrats

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 think that 60% average is expected if a person eats moderately well, is moderately active and really leans heavily on the sleeve to define weight loss. There is nothing wrong with this and many will be satisfied with this level of success. However, a person can also achieve 100% if they work on making good / excellent food choices and implements a consistent and active physical lifestyle. Everyone has access to different levels of success depending on their goals, motivation and desire. Visualize your success, find heroes / mentors and be like them, keep your eyes on the prize, don't give up, put your focus on the small NSVs and accentuate the positive. You will develop and grow attributes of success. Good luck in your own sleeve journey!

My husband took me to The Nutcracker last night. Sixty pounds ago it would have been very difficult. We parked a block away, then climbed flights of stairs at the venue, then down those scary little nearly vertical stairs into balcony seats. But I had no problem, even though I wore (not very high) heels. And I consented to having a picture taken. (Wildly out of character.) This surgery has saved my life in so many ways. I can't wait to see what next Christmas brings. Here's hoping you all had a wonderful holiday, and here's to our bright days ahead.

I'm right with you, there are many days that I eat because I have to eat, not because I want anything, and nothing really sounds appealing, not the way it used to. I dunno if this is an NSV or not....

I think it should qualify as a NSV! Ha ha! : )

Thank you!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Haha thanks!! It was definitely a good moment that I'm still enjoying! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Thank you so much! I love reading the NSVs also! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Aww thank you so much! It definitely hasn't been easy! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Don't let others judge unless they walk in your shoes. I know I am off all my meds! I took 6 pills a day just to eat food and when I had the band I had my hernia repaired. My blood pressure is perfect, those pills are gone. That part is not being a failure but a NSV. Have you taken measurements and seen those numbers change? I use to wear a size 18-20 plus size jeans and now wear a 14 misses. I don't share with anyone but my husband and this site how much I weighed, how much I weigh now or how many pounds I have lost. Enjoy your weekend and don't let others bother you. You will do fine.

@@B-52 Amazing NSV to get out and kick ass in life. Your health and fitness level always keeps me interested in what you are doing to keep yourself in shape. Love your posts.

First off, I'm 64 years old, and had Lap band procedure coming up on 6 years. Prior to that, I was morbidly obese, diabetes, high BP, triglycerides, cholesterol, etc, etc, you name it, all out of control. Was seeing as many as 4 different Dr.'s all on a 4-month schedule. I was so out of shape I would become short of breath and need to rest doing the littlest things like carry groceries into the house. My PCP simply and straight forwardly stated that if I did not do something, specifically lose 50-80 lbs, I will not be around much longer. I should think about my family, etc, when I am gone. I told him, yet again, that I have tried every diet under the sun and was never able to keep it off. All diets started out good, but then I back slid and ultimately complete failure. I went for a stress test, and they found blockages in my arteries, which resulted in angioplasty with stents. It was then they discovered an area of my heart muscle was damaged which was a result of a Myocardial Infarction. They asked me when did I have a heart attack? I said never. They said Oh yes you did, a quite serious one...However it was silent which is very common for diabetics. Back to my PCP...suggested as a "Last Resort", I go for WLS. Which I did. WLS was 100% successful for me, once I got past the initial stages it became the easiest thing I could have ever done. Lost all my excess body fat, became a gym rat. I don't count calories or anything similar to traditional dieting. With the band I am forced to eat less so when I do eat I just make sure it is something as healthy as I can put together. Always focusing on the Protein. I indulge in things that are usually a hot topic here...point is, I'm not a glutton so a little here and then works just fine with me. Fast forward to a few days ago....went in for my scheduled Nuclear Stress test. Other people in the waiting room had O2 with them, were using walkers, etc...I came looking like I just came back from the gym knowing I would be running on their treadmill. Through every phase people would comment how good I looked and I surley worked out. One TECH wanted to know what my workout routine was. On the treadmill, where they take it to a high BPM (stress), they had me running at a good clip...I was also carrying on a normal conversation the whole time. Then they inject the isotobe and take pictures of your cardiac arteries First time I had one of these it didn't take more than a brisk walk, and I was so out of breath I could not speak. My cardiologist called me later and said I passed with flying colors..everything could not look any better...Perfect... This is what WLS did for me...literally saved my life. Turned around my Coronary Artery Disease, not to mention reversing my diabetes and everything else I was plagued with. I'm 64 years old and am the weight I was when I played football and ran track back in HS 45 years ago. I am at an optimal body fat %, (don't care about BMI's) cannot lose anymore because there is nothing left to lose. Wear normal clothes right off the rack, or order online without any worries, never short of breath, and I feel like I'm 30 years younger and can do anything. Last summer I climbed a volcano where the next oldest in the group was 1/2 my age, the rest younger...I led the pack most of the way up. I read posts on this forum all the time about people complaining about this and that, or having fears of failure only a year or less into it... People, PLEASE get over it....stop the whining!!! This thing DOES WORK...don't sweat the small stuff, focus on the big picture..like the rest of your life!!! Ok, off my soapbox. Thank You

Today is Tuesday march 7, and sadly to say today seems to be no better than yesterday. Damn I hate to whine and that is what I feel like I am doing. I keep tryin to tell myself all these other people are doing it and they arent whinning, suck it up and do what you have to do. Last night I had spagetti for supper, how much ? I have no clue, I ate until I thought I should be full and then stopped only to go back an hour later and eat more. Am I going to lose weight this way , I seriously doubt it. My husband is a wonderful man but he got on my nevers last night so bad, he watches everything I eat and then says "slow down" between every bite. I am a big girl and I know what the doctor said so I didnt need him to be reminding me through every bite I took. Did I say anything to him, oh yeah and it wasnt pretty. Ya know I am sick of thinking about my weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is has been an issue my whole life, do normal size women think about their weight all the time? DO they worry about becoming like me? I am sitting here thinking is there every a day that goes by that I dont think about my weight? I honestly dont think so. Wow how sad that is. I mean something as simple as going out to eat with my family can become an ordeal to someone like me, I have been humiliated more than once because I couldn't fit into the booth, or the chairs were so close together that I couldnt get between two people sitting at the table, so I have become the drive-through Queen. WOW that was tough to even type. I guess that will be one of my NSVs, fittin in a booth comfortably. SIGHHHHHHHHHHH Today isnt a good day for me, I am feeling a bit over whelmed. This damn weight thing, the kids, my job, my husband, money, housework, laundry, the dog and lets not even start to mention my Mom and sister. I have noticed that I have started taking more Xanax. I was diagnosed with panic disorder years ago. After being misdiagnosed for years, but to make a very very long story short I am given xanax to take as need when they seem to be gettin out of control. For the last couple of days I have felt like I couldnt breath, so I have taken a nerve pill to help. God I just want one day to go by with me thinking about my weight. I just never see it happening. No matter what I am doing weight is always an issue for me. I am sick of it, so it looks like I would be doing everything in my power to take it off doesnt it. See I ask myself that question all the time, you're scared of a heart attack yeah you do no cardio exercises, you hate being fat yet you over eat, your dad died when you were 12 of a massive stroke (he was 36) and yet you skip days of your own blood pressure medicine. Do I secretly have a death wish? No I dont think I am sucidical (sp) but I just want the madness to stop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on your NSV!