Today I had an unexpected and surprisingly satisfying NSV. I noticed that my belly button shrank. It's about 50% shallower than it used to be! Who knew I would be so pleased about less depth to my belly button? ?

Pre-surgery, I am down 3-4 sizes on bottoms (size 26-28 from size 32). I'm wearing big baggy tops for now. I've stitched up the size seams of all of my underpants and bras and swimwear so I won't have to buy new during the immediate transitional period. Surgery is just a week away, so I will have to buy more soon and also take a trip to Goodwill to buy pants and tops. I think can get by with my winter sweaters and coats.

Best NSV of all, I went out to lunch last weekend and sat in a booth, with room to spare between my belly and the table. That hasn't happened in years.

A new NSV for me at 9 weeks post-op is getting out of the tub is much easier and I can push myself up with arm strength alone.

I can sit in a booth again and behind my steering wheel without rubbing my belly.

NSV recently was for the first time in many years I am able to shop in the regular sizes and not Big and Tall.

It's been freezing cold here in SoCal (don't laugh, our homes are built to vent heat, not retain it, so 33 is truly cold). I went to the outlet mall and saw massive markdowns in Hollister. I kind of laughed, because that store is basically aimed at teenage lacrosse players whose bodies turn calories into inches and muscle without even really trying, and because pre-op I would never have fit in anything at all.

Well, I found a pair of joggers that looked warm and fuzzy and wonderful, and automatically grabbed an XXL, the largest size... and they looked like clown pants on me. Waaaaaves of fabric. I ended up buying a large and could theoretically have made a medium work! You could have knocked me over with an economy-size feather.

Edited December 17, 20214 yr by vikingbeast

Last few years I was able to get through the Pacific Northwest winters with basically a glorified hoodie. This year I actually bought a winter coat- in a size medium! Losing 172 lbs means a lot of insulation is gone.

Weirdest NSV of the week: went back for a follow up with my PCP for something I went in for two weeks before surgery, and after the nurse entered in my weight she got an error because the drop was so large so quickly that she needed a supervisor to come make sure the numbers weren't added incorrectly, and flag my file. Once I caught on to why she was so confused and concerned, I explained about surgery and everyone was VERY relieved.

Back with a new NSV: I officially weigh less than my husband. First time in our 25 years of being together. Not only can I wear his shirts, but they are baggy on me.

On 12/21/2021 at 7:54 PM, chiquitatummy said:

Back with a new NSV: I officially weigh less than my husband. First time in our 25 years of being together. Not only can I wear his shirts, but they are baggy on me.

My shirts that I've had for decades (literally - one is from a charity walk in 1994!) are now so big they are almost nightgowns. It's a great feeling.

I can't stop touching my collar bones and my hips!!!!

Also, I made a Santa suit in 2003. I sewed it by hand. It's red sequin fabric with white fake fur trim. Think "Liberace goes to the North Pole". I wore it at my heaviest (293lb) and now I'm 192! I know it will be falling off, but I have worn it every year and I will "make it work" at Tim Gunn would say.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Edited December 23, 20214 yr by lizonaplane

Me too!!!
Less than my husband for the first time ever. ?

1 minute ago, SBG said:

Me too!!!
Less than my husband for the first time ever. ?

I don't have a husband, just a "semi-ex-boyfriend" (in Spanish "amigovio") and he is 5'10" and weighs 135 holding a cheese stick and soaking wet. I don't think I will ever weigh less than him! (He doesn't have an eating disorder; he's just naturally thin as is the rest of his family.)

???

Being heavy really destroyed my knees and hips. Now they are getting closer and closer to being normal. I have now lost 158 lb and It took 480 days. That number 158 lb happens to be how much my lady friend weighs. So, 480 days ago my life was as if I carried her on my back day-in and day-out, 24 hours a day and seven days a week for all of the preceding years. That is very sobering!

Yes, I also weigh less than my husband now, which is amazing. He and I are almost the same height but for most of our marriage I was twice his weight. Now I’m ten pounds less. It was fun playing on the teeter totter at the park last weekend and being the light one for once!

He weighs almost the exact same amount of weight that I’ve lost, and I can barely pick him up for a second or two. It’s incomprehensible that a year ago I was going about my entire life with that weight on me. How did I even walk? Now I know why I was so exhausted all the time.