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Congratulations on your success! We are pretty similar — I had my surgery just a week before yours, and I have also lost 100 pounds since my surgery (I lost about 70 pounds before surgery). My initial goal weight was 180 pounds based on average weight loss (this was before I lost the first 70 pounds), but now I’m shooting for 150, although I honestly don’t care all that much about the number on the scale; for me, it’s all about the NSVs. When I stop and think about it, I’m in disbelief that I have lost such a massive amount of weight. I used to see people who have lost 100+ pounds and think it was impossible, and now I’m one of them. i also have the same sense that it doesn’t feel like I’ve lost as much as I have. I am literally half the size I used to be, and of course I can tell that I’m smaller, but I definitely don’t feel like I’m half my old size. I actually like to cook, and I spend a lot of time on Pinterest looking at bariatric-friendly recipes (I find a lot of recipe on keto web sites, even though I don’t exactly follow the keto diet, but a lot of keto recipes are good because they’re low-carb). One of the cool things about being a bariatric patient is that my portion sizes are so small that I get a ton of servings out of a single recipe. I made a batch of turkey meat sauce that came out to 27 portions! I have a freezer full of single-serving meals from just a few cooking sessions. I’ve really enjoyed finding new, healthy recipes that I love, and I hardly even miss the old unhealthy foods I used to eat. I recently discovered that I like spaghetti squash! And I eat cauliflower rice all the time. I hardly recognize myself anymore. Anyway, it’s great to see someone else enjoying great results from WLS. It is truly life-changing!

I went clothes shopping today at a store (with the pandemic haven't done much of that). Not sure if it is the pandemic or my weight loss, but my experience today was SO different then in the past. I had a number of sales people approach me right off the bat. Friendly, offering to help. In the past, I would wander the same store on my own without anyone offering to help. I've seen others post about being treated differently after losing weight and while i'm not positive that's what this was, it's certainly something I'll watch for. The NSV --- I took one of the sales people up on their offer to help and mentioned after losing weight I'm not really sure what size I am. She knew immediately what options to pull and I am in a size 28 jeans! That's a size 8, as in single digits!!! I am also wearing a Small in a number of tops. Holy $(@*. 🤯

What is NSV?

I hit a couple of major NSVs today. I’ve lost 100 lbs (or near enough to count), and finally dipped down into the 100’s. I am pretty pleased with myself, and I am so glad that I had the surgery. HW = 299 CW = 199.4 SW = 280.0 Surgery Date = 07/23/2020 I follow my program of eating healthy extremely well. Cravings are at a minimum, but the weight loss isn’t a complete breeze. I feel like I need to make a conscious effort to stick to the plan. I’m a slow and steady loser, and weirdly each pound lost always feels like it’s going to be the last. Not sure why, because I am not a pessimist by nature. The body dysmorphia is strong, and I have absolutely no sense of how big or small I am now. I feel much better than before, and my clothes are getting looser, but I don’t *feel* like I’ve lost much weight. How very weird! It’s not disheartening - just kind of a clinical observation that my brain can’t quite figure out what’s going on. My initial goal weight was 165 lbs. I picked that weight because it was a goal just beyond what the average weight loss for my height was. I honestly didn’t think it was attainable. But now I do. I’d like to shoot for maybe 140 now. I initially didn’t think I was going to be interested in plastic surgery. However loose skin, age and gravity are not a winning combination. It’s on the table now! I’m glad I don’t have to think about it anytime soon, though. Other observations: * I log my food meticulously. I focus on high protein and low carbs, and feel like it’s a good day when my protein intake is > carb intake. I pretty much ignore the fat intake, but I am eating healthy so it’s just not a concern. * I’ve averaged about 1100 calories/day since the new year. * I don’t think I would have been this successful if i hadn’t been teleworking since the pandemic started. I live alone so I cleared out my kitchen of all temptations. * I walk 3.5 miles a day and I’ve grown to really enjoy it. I rarely miss - only if there are monsoon-like rains will I stay in. * I wear a Fitbit, and I think the most important and useful feature is the reminder to walk throughout the day. I typically average about 15K steps/day. * I have started jogging a little bit, and have been ASTOUNDED that I can do it. I’m super slow, but I can do it. This morning I jogged over 3 miles without dying a single time. 😂 * I do not like jogging. * I was going to the the gym, but stopped because of the crowd of ‘New Years resolution’ people who didn’t seem to be very good with the mask-wearing. I’ll pick back up with that once I get the vaccine. * I have become more limber, and a lot of my aches and pains have receded or disappeared. I love that I can cross my legs now. * My hair fell out. A lot. Started at about 3 months and it was just shocking. It was particularly bad around my temples, and around the crown of my head. It is growing back as seen by the scraggly hair sticking out in all directions. I am so pretty. 😱 It seemed to stop falling out pretty abruptly about 2 weeks ago. * Eating breakfast is still a struggle. I’ve always hated it and I still do. I almost always rely on the Fairlife shakes for breakfast. * I eat a lot of chicken, shrimp, salad, and Morningstar frozen vegan options. I am not a good cook, and as much as I think about food I guess I am just not willing to spend much time preparing it. I like the salad kits that most grocery stores have now. * I take a tremendous amount of joy in cleaning out my closet of clothes I can no longer wear. My closet is so empty! It is seriously so awesome! I’m not ready to do much shopping yet, though. I don’t need clothes for work (yet), and I’m hoping to still lose more weight. * I weigh myself every morning, and I think I’m always going to have to do this. It’s an accountability thing for me.

Great Job, NSV's are sometimes the best one!!!

Congratulations. We love a NSV here. So share all you want. NSVs always made me want to do a celebratory dance. So fabulous.

So, I haven't really told many people about my surgery. A few close friends know, my mom, and my sister. I tell my mom everything so she knows, but out of my few close friends, only one was really supportive--everyone else was a bit hesitant. They all struggle with their weight, including my sister. So I don't like sharing my victories as they all start feeling bad about themselves. But today was huge and I want to share with someone other than my amazing and supportive mom. I laid down today to do sit-ups and I could actually see and feel my ribs starting to show through. I thought it was too good to be true so I videoed myself and lo and behold, I could see them quite prominently. I haven't seen them since 2015/2016. I am so excited! I can't see them standing up, obviously, but man was it a surprise laying down. Just really happy! I also tried on a shirt that was too tight before and now it is baggy. Anyway, that was my NSV. Thanks for listening!

That's a wonderful NSV! I was so glad to get out of XXL and XL.

So I've recently been hired for a new job. As part of the "Welcome Kit", this company sends new employees a company T-shirt. They sent a size medium and in the past, I would have known there was NOTHING I could do with a medium T-shirt except maybe hang it up and look at it. It would have been just another one of those small indignities that you have to live with when you are bigger than the rest of the world. But today, the T-shirt fits perfectly and I'm starting off my new job without a reminder that I'm different from everyone else. How sweet it is!

Today is my 1 year surgeversary and despite everything going on in the world, its been a pretty good year. Since 12/31/2019 I am: - Down 120 lbs from surgery (161.5 total) - in the "normal" BMI range, for the first time in my adult life - almost half of my weight (and will be when I reach goal) My favorite NSVs - My knees, what finally got me to have the surgery, feel SO much better - I'm walking most days, anywhere from 1.5-2 miles and it feels so good both physically and mentally - I want to be out and experiencing life again, v. being so tired at the end of the day and just wanting to sit on the couch - I eat completely differently from before, and I have so much more energy - Clothes fit so much better! From 2x-3x to a Medium in tops. - Standard bath towels fit

I am totally scale obsessed. I actually have to get my husband to hide it from me sometimes. I weigh every day but I'm trying to train myself to limit weighing to once a week, the same time on the same day of each week, but I'm so curious as to what's happening with my weight. Water fluctuations don't help! So, long story short, I'd advise you to weigh yourself periodically, maybe every two weeks, to keep yourself in check, but not too often to get obsessed about it. Like you said, there are many other Non-Scale Victories (NSV) to measure our progress.

This is the best NSV ever!! Happy tears!!!!

One of my first NSVs (this one was actually before I had my surgery) was the ability to tie my shoes. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but at my highest weight, I could not tie my shoes while they were on my feet. If a shoe became untied, I had to take it off my foot, pick it up, tie it (loosely enough that I could slip it back on my foot), put it back down on the floor, and slip my foot back into it. And of course I didn't want anyone to see me doing that, so I would walk around with my shoe untied until I could find a spot out of anyone's view. I was so thrilled when I realized that I can just bend down and tie my shoes now! I've been able to do this for months, but I still smile to myself every time I tie my shoes.

Good evening! I love baths - so relaxing and feeling wonderful. my bod is shrinking and i’m more submerged in the tub. Baths are getting better lol. What strange way do you notice your bod shrinking? Another one for me is my seatbelt doesn’t strangle me any more lol. Down 53lbs in just under 3 months. Let’s gooooooo people!!!

So true, we need these Non-Scale Victories (NSV) and ways to measure our progress other than the scale.

I am about 10 lbs from goal, so I decided to splurge on some nicer tops since 1- you can only see my tops on my work video conference calls and 2- I don't think I am going to go down another size. NSV 1: I'm in a freaking MEDIUM! at 5'10 - holy cow!!! And this isn't a "in specific loose cut tops I can squeeze into a medium" - I ordered a bunch of nice work tops and I fit into ALL the mediums. NSV 2: I bought a pair of knee high boots. They are wide calf, but a narrow wide calf if that makes sense. My legs have always been where I carry a lot of my weight so I've never really been able to wear true knee high boots. They fit perfect (even over pants) and they look GREAT!

I did my 3 week stall at week 2, stalled until week 4, lost for 3 days and have been in another stall ever since 😭😭😭. I know it will come off, but stalls are the worst. NSV - I ran on the treadmill for the first time in 6 years this weekend! And I am down two pants sizes.

Congratulations! 90 pounds in 5 months is fantastic, and your NSVs are great as well.

I'm only only 5 months post op (sleeve), but I had to post this! HW 308, SW 288, and current weight 198! Yes!!! I've made it to onederland! I know I haven't had as much to lose as some others might have, but this is really exciting! Haven't been this weight since I was 14! It's been a hard road, and it ain't over yet (well, it never will be, really), but it's great to finally be here! Plenty of NSVs along the way! No more meds for blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides. No more snoring at night. Went from a tight size 44 waist to a loose 34. Sent from my SM-G986U using BariatricPal mobile app

I had my sleeve done on August 26th, two days after my birthday. My food funeral was a vanilla cupcake and a fish sandwich. I wasn't as nervous as I should have been. But there were no complications, and I stayed a night in the hospital. Didn't get much sleep. I didn't have a lot of pain, either, but I couldn't keep the Tylenol with codeine down anyway. I had that moment of "WTF DID I DO TO MYSELF?" anytime I vomited up the Tylenol or the potassium stuff they tried to give me. Having to take pills with tiny-assed sips of water was hella frustrating! And I barely ate the broth they brought me-- it didn't taste very good and I just wasn't interested in anything but the water. I had mainly gas discomfort, and when I got home all I really wanted was water and sleep. I didn't need the pain relief or the medicine to prevent nausea. I think I felt like tossing the cookies once at home, but I hadn't eaten anything so that was pointless. They put me on enoxaparin, Prilosec, and the worst-tasting vitamins in creation, but I got through that bit. Moved on to different vitamins, and am much happier. I'm on regular food now, eating maybe 3 oz., but I worry that I may not be eating enough. I still prefer to do my protein and nutritional shakes, because, TBH, sometimes I hate the feeling of my food digesting! Does anyone else get that? The other thing that annoys me is not being able to eat as many veggies as I'd like because "protein first", LOL. For the most part, I had a fast and easy recovery, and I'm grateful. I was working out, but between the incision where the excised stomach was removed hurting at some point and enduring The Crimson Beatdown, I kind of slacked off. I'm still losing, but I need to get back on track very soon. I think I'm a slow loser but some sleevers have said they didn't think so. NSVs make me happy, though! People are noticing I'm changing, and I can walk through a shopping trip without back pain. It's glorious. Did anyone's surgeon go through their navel area? Mine did, so I have four visible scars. I hate that he used staples to close-- the scars are noticeable af. The navel scar was glued. If you're on Instagram, let me know! I'll follow you. Mine is @gata.tale.to.tell .

Try staying off the scale and work on NSV Non scale victories, it helps, little things like remembering your vitamins, or taking a relaxing nap or Walking outside for five minutes. What works for you the first few weeks are exhausting physically and mentally. It was three weeks be fore I could return to work for no more then 2 hours, it pissed me off I love my job, so have patience with you the weight will come offf, your body has been through something very traumatic, and you have a lot of adjusting to do. Just keep asking question and if in doubt talk to your surgical team. Good luck.

@Deb9386that's a NSV to really be proud of! Hooray For you and your health!!!

I get to stop taking medication for diabetes!

A fun NSV. While on a call with my Dr. yesterday to check on some other things, she took a couple minutes to update my official medical record. Under issues, I used to have super morbidly obese --- she deleted it Also, on the scale front, officially 20 lbs to goal (which will also be half of my previous weight).

I'm down 80 pounds from my high weight, and 56 since surgery. I have 13 pounds to go to be below 300. My necklaces fit now without an extender! I can't wear my wedding rings anymore. They're too big. I had to have them resized to a 10 at my highest weight. I'll wait until goal to size them again. I also have clothes that were too small that are now too big! I was able to sit in a booth the other day! My BP is normal and my liver enzymes are half what they were! Congratulations to all of you on your success and your NSV's! Sent from my Nokia 7.2 using BariatricPal mobile app