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Hi everyone, Haven't been on here in a while and thought I'd check in to say hi. I've been having a wonderful summer, and although my weight is pretty stalled right now (finally getting my fill tomorrow) I have experienced a lot of wicked Non-Scale-Victories in the past few weeks and thought I'd share! The first round happened at my cousins wedding which was on June 21st. It was a huge wedding - over 400 guests and I was a bridesmaid. I saw a lot of extended family and friends who hadn't seen me at this low a weight in at least 5 or so years... it was a great feeling and I got tons of really sweet supportive feedback, as well as some of the annoying - "good work, but don't stop now," or "I'm so glad you're finally doing it!" UGH. But the sweetest feedback I got that night was from my friend Danger Dave (this is VT -all the boys have funny nicknames.) Towards the end of the night, we were sitting outside, taking a dance break, and he said something about "you look great Ange." I said thanks - mentioned the professional hair and makeup. He said no, it was more than that... I can tell you lost weight. This was definitely a bold move on his part - asking a girl about that, even mentioning that elephant in the room. It was super sweet though, because he just acknowledged how hard that must have been, and how impressed and proud he was. Definite warm fuzzies. It's kind of awkward to mention, haha, but Dave's not the only boy who's noticed a difference in me. A lot of them seem to be noticing me, period. It's funny - I'm still hanging out at around 230lbs, I've still got a long way to go weight wise, so what I think what these boys are responding to is the change in confidence I'm going through. I feel prettier, sure, but more so, I feel empowered, accomplished. It's wicked. My third, and my most favourite kind, was my shopping NSV. I was in California last week and got to pop in to one of my favourite stores, J Crew. I love this store. Once I can fit into all their clothes, I'll probably be completely broke with a completely beautiful preppy wardrobe. I saw this cute high-waisted skirt, and thought I'm not 100% a 14 these days, but eh, might as well try. I looked, but alas, they didn't have a 14 in the colour I wanted. I asked a sales associate for help, and she told me they didn't have any. I decided to just grab the 12 to take in with me while I was trying on some tees. And guess what... The 12 fit great. GREAT. And although it is a pretty flattering and forgiving cut, I still can't believe it's only a 12. And as I was coming out to show my friends, the sales associate said "I knew it would fit... You don't look much like a 14 anyways!" I couldn't believe it. So of course I bought it even though I totally can't afford it. I pretty much wanna sleep with it on I love it so much! Here's a pic of me wearing it for my nephew's first bday party - Well that turned into a long long entry. Hope everyone's doing well and enjoying the sunshine! xox

I'm excited to finally be able to post in here. I've been following since i joined. I will be getting my surgery this Tuesday. My NSV is finally being able to believe I can lose this weight and actually be thin. I've been overweight since I was 7 and in the past I've allowed myself to believe maybe i can just be obese instead of morbidly obese or even just overweight but never did I allow myself to believe I could be thin for fear of failure. I'm so excited to begin this journey and congrats to all of you for your progress I can't wait to be where you are.

NSVs I'm looking forward too: Not needing a belt extension on a plane Not having to search for the weight capacity of chairs and exercise equipment being able to wear cute bras! (like the little balconettes) Going to amusement parks and being able to RIDE the rides!! Not feeling like I can't go to the cool clubs because even though I'd kill everyone with my style, it wouldn't count since I weigh more then 3 of them put together. as posted on one of the first pages: seeing my va-jay-jay! and NOT through the mirror :thumbup: Not feeling like Shrek (like an ogre walking through town and everyone is staring at you) and I am so EFFING tired of hearing: YOU HAVE SUCH A PRETTY FACE. I'm sure theres more, Can't wait to check things off that list :thumbup:

Holy cow! You guys blow me away with your success! Not to mention all of the inspiration I get when I read through here, especially with Jane, Drew, and Laurrs little stories of NSV success. (I apologize- those are the only names I can remember off the top off my head.) 12/30/08: I tried to hide the fact that my 22s were far too tight. :thumbup: 07/20/09: I cleaned out my closet and threw out the 22s and the 20s. I picked up a pair of 18s that haven't fit in two years, the "skinny jeans" style in particular (oh, the irony of a fat girl in skinny jeans cracks me up every time I wear them), and those suckers fit!!! Not just "like a glove", but loose! :ohmy: ...and they made my posterior look cute once more! :thumbup: I'm still waiting on my old size 16 Gap corduroys from 8th grade to fit. Along with a number of vintage tees and retro dresses to fit that Mom bought me years prior, that never fit properly.

I guess a NSV that we really dont think about is self confidence. I was on the phone with one of my best girls the other day and she was like you know I have really seen an improvement in your self confidence and at first I was like is that bad and she was like no its awesome the old Kanina is coming back to us!!! Even though I'm not back to what I was just pulling old clothes out of the closet and being able to wear it again is an awesome feeling! I was posting before about my bathing suit...well I couldnt find any suits ANYWHERE its like everyone stopped selling them period. So we went out in the boat a few weekends ago Ive been trying to learn how to kneeboard...I couldnt do it bc everytime we'd start to go my bottoms would come off...no one could see me but it was so embarrassing but deep inside I was like heck yeah no more lanebryant bathingsuits for me!! I ended up having to tie my bathing suit with hair ties...lol :biggrin:

Had an amazing NSV happen recently! My mom is 5'0 and around 125lbs - not super skinny, but totally petite and cute! I have always felt giant compared to her. Well recently when I was home she was able to give me a jacket that she had bought that was too long on her AND a pair of her size 29 Hudson jeans that were too big on her now - i've inspired her to drop about 5-10lbs. Getting to share clothes with my mom is one of the most special NSVs yet!

Great NSV!

I havent been banded yet but i have a few in mind, 2 are NSV and the last is an SV. 1- To be able to go back to normal stores, as opposed to big and tall stores. And during my bi-annual shopping for clothes not having to move up another pant size every year. 2- I like to keep my "boys" trimmed, very difficult and dangerous when you can barley see them. I cant wait to see those motherfuckers again!!! 3- Be eligible for surgery to remove a Pylonidal Cyst (sp). The surgeon that healed the cyst said they wouldnt do surgery at my current weight, too risky and healing would be a major problems. If i lose 100lb i can get the surgery and rid myself of that god awful thing.

it seems like whenever i post in this thread i get new NSVs immediately after-- but not complaining here! so today i went to work out with my trainer at his gym. i was warming up on the elliptical while he was finishing up with a new client of his, who is older but had about my body type from last year. she was really struggling on the machine next to me while i was going fast, even though it was just for my warmup. out of breath, she told my trainer-- "well, she just makes it look so easy!" i laughed and kind of mentioned that i was slower than her last year and that she would get better in time, just wanted to encourage her but not get in her business or anything because i know how i felt a year ago when people tried to tell me what to do or not do. after my warmup i went to jog a few laps while i was still waiting for my trainer, and i came back over to them a few minutes later and the woman goes "i have to congratulate you on your weightloss! damon (my trainer) told me-- and you look incredible!!" i got a little embarrassed but my trainer was just like, "yeah, jane's my poster child!" made me feel so proud. like, yeah, i can see the results when i look at my before/after pics, but when you see me on a regular basis the improvements are harder to see, and this was the first time my trainer acknowledged that i'm his super star... and that he was bragging about me to other people! this random lady probably has no idea how happy she made me, because in actuality, she is the first person i have seen face-to-face that told me i was inspiring her.

I've got a couple of NSV's... the main one I have to say was going to 5 parks in Orlando, FL I fitting comfortably in every single ride! And this past weekend at church I actually had someone ask me if I had plastic surgery!?!?!?! I couldn't be happier with my band and I thank God for giving me the strength and courage I needed to go on with surgery when I was terrified! LOVE MY BAND!!!

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!

Yeah for NSVs!!! Thanks for checking in and enjoy yourself.

my 1 year band-iversary is tomorrow (and Thursday) and while i haven't reached my personal goal (not sure if I had one), I have lost over 80 lbs. I originally wanted to hit 140, dr. said that may be an unattainable goal, so i settled on 160 - but I am in a 10/12 and headed for my TT next month... so I have reached a NSV in that I don't shop in the women's department

again a stupid question about the terms! what is NSV?

Well, I don't know how much I weigh--have been camping for three days (as opposed to weighing myself at least 5 times a day when I am home)--so I know what the number is in a general way (I know, I know, I shouldn't weigh myself like that but I can't stop it)...... So we go camping--it's me, hubby and DS age 6. We have a pop up camper, a big honking canoe and all the stuff you have to lug along with you to "camp". We had never been to this park--but it looked pretty so we went. All weekend we were on the go--Lugged that canoe down to the lake, hopped in, paddled all over the place--all stuff I would NEVER have tried when I was pre-band--and it was soo fun! I can barely lift my arms over my head today, but what the heck, my shirt buttons up the front! ha ha After we were done canoeing--we lugged that sucker back to the campsite, had lunch and then went on a two mile hike that meandered in and amongst some pretty spectacular waterfalls and scenery. It was up and down a million steps and hills--I would have been sweating and breathing like a maniac before, but it was a breeze for me! (well not a breeze, but very DO-able!). today I am sore, but so happy and proud of myself! My biggest NSV this week has been only ONE tiny PB--no more of the daily stuff! (that was another thread you might have seen last week). I couldn't wait to get home and tell you all about this--

I gave up soda last year... it started as giving up diet soda, but i didnt want to gain, so i limited the sugar soda to a glass once or twice a month. So when they said no more after surgery, luckily i was in the right place that it didn't cause a problem. I have to say though... before I started the liquid pre-op diet I had been eating toast every night, with butter. It's my go to craving when I diet. Not sure why. But the most amazing thing was... when I started liquids on Monday, I actually didn't have a problem with toast. I didn't even think of it until last night (Wednesday). NSV? I think so. But back to the topic i guess... what do I miss? At this phase of my journey... I miss salty, savory and crunchy. A taste other than chocolate in my mouth.

I run through the following checklist when I don't lose for a few days: - Am I drinking 64+ of water? This is my main culprit. - Am I getting in 60+ of protein? - Am I taking all my vitamins? - Calorie check - I will raise for a few days, then drop a couple days. - Carb check - I will lower to 20-30/day - How much did I exercise? 3-4 days/week - Is it that time of the month? - Am I obsessing too much over the scale? Usually if I take a week break and do the other things noted above, I will lose. - What are my NSVs, I can always find one (ex. I found my neck bone, or dropped a size, or finally did 20 burpees without dying)

Everything you posted above my friend. Try to enjoy the ride Shelly. It really is the journey as much as the destination. Make a list of your NSVs and focus on that instead of the number on the scale. I bet you have dozens of them.

Great NSV's Harkingluv! jjsmiles~ Of course that is a true NSV! That's amazing! What an accomplishment. Oh, I have one more I forgot to mention. I can FINALLY wear my wedding rings again! I haven't been able to wear them since I was pregnant with my son almost three years ago! DH said he's glad I can wear them because he wants people to know I'm taken, lol! He's so funny....

Great NSV Loser. I just love reading these. My latest.... Today my doctor told me that I am now overweight not obese!!!

Congrats luluc and Renewed! Those are some great NSV's!

You guys have some great NSV's. It's very inspiring to read these.

I love this thread too! Great NSV's everyone!

Hi Everyone, As I See It At the risk of generalizing, it seems that many of us are within reach of the back door to Bandster Hell. Maybe we haven't found the elusive sweet spot yet (why does the Snitch from Harry Potter come to mind, fluttering in the air just beyond reach), but we are putting in the work, going for our fills, learning how to eat all over again through trial and error and maybe even seeing some NSV's or a little movement on the scale. Let me throw a Bible quote at you, since the Holy Land is my stomping ground: "Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid nor dismayed (Joshua 1:9)". I truly believe that there are great days out there for us, as long as we keep showing up and sticking together. Turning a Corner I have restriction after one fill. I have decided to blend my meals. I just don't have a supportive environment for eating slowly during the week, and I don't want to fight it. I'd rather get the food into me this way rather than dealing with the frustration of sliming and pb-ing in public. I think I'm done fighting the restriction and am ready to use it. I have roughly 3 cups of food a day along with a fruit between meals and clear Soup and herbal tea after dinner. Lately, the temptation to eat at night hasn't been there, and that is a huge relief. I feel I've turned a corner over the last few days and there's been weight loss as well; After having plateaued for a month, I'm down to 249 lbs (no longer morbidly obese!) from 286: a total weight loss of 37 lbs since surgery (I didn't have a pre-op diet). It is good to see the scale moving again. For All of You Firebolt, I strongly empathise with what you said about not wanting to count. I believe that some sort of frame of reference is necessary (cup size, plate size, serving size, or boundaries like not taking seconds) but I have to remember that the only thing dieting and obsessively counting my food intake ever did for me was made me gain weight, which is why I decided on the band! When you think about it, doesn't the band, with it's assorted gurgles, hiccups, and burps give us the best frame of reference at all? I don't mean to imply anything regarding what anyone else is doing. I only know that counting and getting into the diet mentality will only give me grief. Skinny Jill, good luck with Fill III. You are one determined, resolute woman; I would not like to be standing between you and something you want! Marilyn, despite your unpleasant experience after your first fill, I'm glad that things are moving for you, and that you've had some weight loss and pleasant encounters with smaller clothing. Boy, do you deserve it! Keep the good news coming! Marissa, I miss you - what's new?! Let's hear something from you!!! Longhorn, I loved your advice to Ovahkummer. Even when "giving in" to the hunger when restriction is not satisfactory, I've tended to eat less and bounce back quicker than before. I think that's better than assaulting yourself with diet frustration and guilt. Tlwempen, how are you hanging in there until your fill on the 18th? Towens, any more support group meetings? What are they like? Did you get in touch with your Doc after your second fill? And Ovahkummer - how was your adjustment today? I 'll close with Firebolt's words from a recent post of hers - she certainly speaks for me: "Again, I just want to say "Thank You" to each of you who continue to post & keep us informed. This is waaaay better than a "support group" that you only meet once a month. I feel like you guys are good friends now & we share so much together. " Love, Bandpal

What does NSV stand for? My happy moments have been that the roll above my waist is decreasing. My face does actually look thinner. I went from size 18 to size 16, thats walmart sizes, not designer sizes. I wish my breast size would significantly decrease, I hate being DD, miss C. I have gone from 208 on my surgery date to about 194. I can only bring myself to weigh once a month. I hate disappointment. My goal is 175.