Yep some non surgery victories :-D Friday I went to the movies with a friend and was able to put both arm rest down and still have plenty or room in my chair :-) Now my niece can hug me and wrap her arms all the way around me :-) oooo... Was able to wear a REALY cute pair or wedges all day :-D Okay I wanna hear some of y'all's now :-D

Any ideas about what type of swimsuit to look for? Saggy boobs, a wrinkly, flat butt...what type are you guys looking to buy this year?

I know this is women's territory. But I'd like to share my own NSV, if I may. I was going through my old clothes, (mostly suit coats and sweaters), which I haven't worn for over ten years and found out they all fit! A couple of my suit coats could even be altered now to make them double-breasted! But my 19-year-old daughter saw me styling them and said "Ugh Dad, those are so '90's!" Little does she know they're actually '70's and '80's! Oh well, more donations for the thrift stores.

Where did you find such great deals?

Kohl's clearance. Plus I had an extra 30% off with my coupon. They have lots and lots of clothes on clearance but I was only looking for warm weather clothes. Anything left over from last summer is 80% off. I paid $2 - $3 for short sleeve and sleeveless tops. :-) :-) :-) :-)

Macy's has a lot of sweaters on clearance. I'm okay for sweaters and cold weather clothes - they're a little big but they'll do till spring. I've been slowly buying what I need as I've lost. But come the warm weather I have nothing to start with. Last summer I was in 2X and then 1X. Right now even XL and L are way to big. NOT complaining...

Any ideas about what type of swimsuit to look for? Saggy boobs, a wrinkly, flat butt...what type are you guys looking to buy this year?

I bought a one piece with some ruffles on the midsection to disguise my saggy belly. The top part fits like a bra - lifts, shapes, and separates. :-)

I know this is women's territory. But I'd like to share my own NSV, if I may. I was going through my old clothes, (mostly suit coats and sweaters), which I haven't worn for over ten years and found out they all fit! A couple of my suit coats could even be altered now to make them double-breasted! But my 19-year-old daughter saw me styling them and said "Ugh Dad, those are so '90's!" Little does she know they're actually '70's and '80's! Oh well, more donations for the thrift stores.

NSV's are everyone's territory! :-) Congratulations!

I'm so happy right now. In five months

I'm down from a snug size 24/26 jeans to a loose 18 jeans and 1x tops. I also had to get new smaller bras! Yeah!!! :-) :-)

Also being prego my boobs are getting bigger and not so deflated looking like they started to with loosing weight.

I just had a nice surprise. My husband and I are going to Italy and Greece for 2 weeks in June. I don't know what made us start talking about our passports but we did. So he goes and pulls mine out of our lockbox. We got it renewed in March of 2008.

Here is where I digress a bit... so, my 'ah ha' moment was in november of 2006 while at my moms house. I didn't own a scale and she had one in her guest bathroom. I jumped on it and saw 267 pop up and realized I can't do this anymore (at 5'2", I was easily 140lbs overweight). It was right there that I decided to do whatever it took to take the weight off. If someone told me shooting horse pee into myself would work, I'd do it. Luckily for me my answer wasn't as gross. I scheduled a consult at the mayo clinic to get the lapband. Mayo has an extensive bariatric program and requires six months of appointments prior to surgery. I jumped in full force. By March of 2008 I was 25 lbs down, tracking my food religiously and exercising regularly. So when I had that picture it wasn't even my 'come to Jesus' moment but wow five years makes such a difference. As many of you know the band didn't work for me. I had it placed in June 2008 and did well the first 2 years. Then I started having terrible reflux and playing what I referred to as my food games ( waiting until 2 or 3 in the afternoon to eat, get stuck, throw up, look longingly as others ate around you knowing darn well you can't even swallow Water but you are starving). In December of 2012 I couldn't ignore it anymore. I made an appointment with mayo again to get an EGD and find out what was going on. I found oyt later that week that the two years of vomiting, reflux and heartburn had manifested itself into intestinal metaplasia. It was then I decided the band has to come out and I wanted converted. Having a friend die from Barrets several years ago, I knew I was done playing.

June 2013 (almost five years to the day from my lapband) my band was taken out and I was converted to RNY. I was 220 on the day of surgery and am 160 this week. I am confident I will reach my goal if it takes me another 20 years. God willing horse pee won't factor in.

So back to my NSV.. Seeing that picture was a great visual reminder of my journey to this point and reminded me how every step along the way helped me get here. My relationship with food is better than it has ever been, I feel healthy and while I have the all too damiliar freakouts from stalls I never take my eye off of the prize. Me and my worth to achieve anything I desire.

NSV's are everyone's territory! :-) Congratulations!

Thanks Terry!

I just had a nice surprise. My husband and I are going to Italy and Greece for 2 weeks in June. I don't know what made us start talking about our passports but we did. So he goes and pulls mine out of our lockbox. We got it renewed in March of 2008.

Here is where I digress a bit... so, my 'ah ha' moment was in november of 2006 while at my moms house. I didn't own a scale and she had one in her guest bathroom. I jumped on it and saw 267 pop up and realized I can't do this anymore (at 5'2", I was easily 140lbs overweight). It was right there that I decided to do whatever it took to take the weight off. If someone told me shooting horse pee into myself would work, I'd do it. Luckily for me my answer wasn't as gross. I scheduled a consult at the mayo clinic to get the lapband. Mayo has an extensive bariatric program and requires six months of appointments prior to surgery. I jumped in full force. By March of 2008 I was 25 lbs down, tracking my food religiously and exercising regularly. So when I had that picture it wasn't even my 'come to Jesus' moment but wow five years makes such a difference. As many of you know the band didn't work for me. I had it placed in June 2008 and did well the first 2 years. Then I started having terrible reflux and playing what I referred to as my food games ( waiting until 2 or 3 in the afternoon to eat, get stuck, throw up, look longingly as others ate around you knowing darn well you can't even swallow Water but you are starving). In December of 2012 I couldn't ignore it anymore. I made an appointment with mayo again to get an EGD and find out what was going on. I found oyt later that week that the two years of vomiting, reflux and heartburn had manifested itself into intestinal metaplasia. It was then I decided the band has to come out and I wanted converted. Having a friend die from Barrets several years ago, I knew I was done playing.

June 2013 (almost five years to the day from my lapband) my band was taken out and I was converted to RNY. I was 220 on the day of surgery and am 160 this week. I am confident I will reach my goal if it takes me another 20 years. God willing horse pee won't factor in.

So back to my NSV.. Seeing that picture was a great visual reminder of my journey to this point and reminded me how every step along the way helped me get here. My relationship with food is better than it has ever been, I feel healthy and while I have the all too damiliar freakouts from stalls I never take my eye off of the prize. Me and my worth to achieve anything I desire.

Another NSV is people double-taking on my passport and DL. I'll have to get new ones. But at $200 for the new passport and $25 for the new DL, I'm thinking it'll be the DL first!

I was able to hike down the beach and through the Redwoods. Beautiful!

I am getting my hair braided, and as all my sista's out there know I'll be here for hours. Every time I sit in a chair like this, for hours I dream of this moment of comfort, and now it is here!

My NSV is that I'm sitting in a hair salon with my legs crossed enjoying this iPad comfortably in this uncomfortable salon chair. I'm leaning to side a bit so I'm not 100% there yet, but this still so exciting!!

No one here knows how excited I am about this on the inside. I do not know the stylists here very well so I'm not gonna tell them, but I had to tell someone, so I choose you, my BariatricPal's. Yay me!

So, how's your hair? I haven't done any braiding before, but my hair has thinned out so much, I'm looking at options. I usually relax it, and my stylist has been giving me keratin treatments between relaxers. Th has probably helped lot.

Any ideas about what type of swimsuit to look for? Saggy boobs, a wrinkly, flat butt...what type are you guys looking to buy this year?

Lucky for us, the fashion has gone back to the era of high-waisted styles! LOL! According to my daughter, that will continue to be the trend this summer. Look at those old photos of Marilyn Monroe, etc. if possible, I don't know if I will brave the bathing suit thing with these thighs!

Lucky for us, the fashion has gone back to the era of high-waisted styles! LOL! According to my daughter, that will continue to be the trend this summer. Look at those old photos of Marilyn Monroe, etc. if possible, I don't know if I will brave the bathing suit thing with these thighs!

I l8ve a tankini. They are my favorite style but I am a woman well into ny forties. If I was in my 20s I'd be rocken a sexier style this summer. Landsend always has something for me.

Lucky for us, the fashion has gone back to the era of high-waisted styles! LOL! According to my daughter, that will continue to be the trend this summer. Look at those old photos of Marilyn Monroe, etc. if possible, I don't know if I will brave the bathing suit thing with these thighs!

I'm hoping lots of walking from March to Memorial day will firm things up a lot. If not? Then it is what it is. I'd rather be a little saggy, baggy, and comfortable than an overheated 'great white whale' on the beach! Lol

I grew up in Newport just two blocks from the beach. I used to go for a swim after work on hot summer days but I've been too embarrassed to do that for close to thirty years. I'm looking forward to spending a lot more time on the beach - swimming, walking, exploring tide pools, clamming, crabbing, and enjoying cool breezy evenings. I live just a couple miles from some of the prettiest coastline in RI and southeastern MA. We've got Horseneck Beach, the Westport River, Little Compton, Sakonnet Point, and the Sakonnet river all a few minutes away. What's the point of living on the coast if I don't get out and enjoy it? :-)

This time last year I was feeling miserable and hopeless. It feels good to look forward to something for a change. :-)

My daughter has two kayaks in our shed. Maybe I should take up kayaking...