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So, Friday, I spent the day at Cedar Point here in NE Ohio with my wife. We got there at about 10 AM, and we ended up leaving at 10:30 PM. In that time, I managed to ride almost every roller coaster that they had in the park. Only one of them was I completely too big for. Sure, some of the safety bars and harnesses were a little on the tighter side, even for their larger riders areas, but six months ago, I wouldn't have been able to ride anything. I had a blast with my wife, and as of today, my BMI is now enough under 40 that it no longer rounds up to 40.

This was posted by someone way back in 2015, but is one of the best responses Ive seen about stall concerns: It seems that at least 50% of the posts on BariatriPal are bemoaning a stall. Daily, and sometimes hourly, I am reading about how someone ONLY lost x number of pounds and now the scale hasn't moved in ___ [fill in the blank] days/months, etc. Oh no, they write, I am a failure/unique/my surgery didn't work/life is not fair, ... Why am I in a stall? I know I am exaggerating but I think you get the idea. Guess what? STALLS are a NORMAL part of the PROCESS of losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you will stall. Not just once, but over and over. And, guess what? A stall is where your body actually does the hard work of becoming smaller. It takes a lot of work and energy to dismantle a structure that has been holding up, in some cases, hundreds of pounds. For those who think they have to DO something to somehow "break a stall" (in my opinion, you do not break a stall, you just ride them out), here is my response: What can you do to "break" a stall? 1) STAY OFF THE SCALE Relax and stay off the scale if it bothers you so much. Weigh no more than once a week, or even less often. Weighing only at your doctor's appointments early in the process is a good strategy if your mood and self-worth are dictated by the numbers on the scale. 2) PICK UP A TAPE MEASURE In addition to using the numbers on the scale to measure your progress, take your measurements. Inches lost are also a great way to see physical progress when the scale isn't moving. Most people see the biggest physical changes in their body when the scale seems stuck. 3) TRACK YOUR Protein AND Water AND MEET OR EXCEED YOUR PROTEIN AND WATER GOAL EVERY DAY As long as you are getting in all your protein and water and following your NUT and surgeon's instructions, you are doing what you are supposed to do. If you aren't getting in all your protein and water, then increasing your protein and water is something you can do (and should be doing anyway whether or not you are in a stall). 4) EXERCISE If you aren't exercising, then you can exercise (and should be whether or not you are in a stall). You can start slowly by walking or even moving more around the house. Exercising will help you feel better, tone your skin and build fat-burning muscle. 5) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR NUT If you are unsure or unclear about what you are supposed to be, or should not be eating, then make an appointment with your NUT (which you should be doing whether or not you are in a stall). 6) REASSESS AND REEVALUATE About the only good result I see that comes from complaining about a stall is when you take an honest look at what you are doing and realign with the program recommended by your NUT and surgeon. Have you started eating more outside of your plan? Are you restricting calories? Are you eating enough carbs and protein for your exercise? Are you taking your Vitamins? Are you eating often enough? Are you eating slowly with protein first? Sometimes, all you need to DO is go back to basics. 7) JOURNAL One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil. -- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general. -- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place. -- Write about what life was like before surgery. -- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future. -- Write about your fears. -- Write about your NSVs. -- Make a gratitude list. -- Make a bucket list. -- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self. Just write. 😎 SEEK HELP Stalls are when too many people seem to revert to old, counterproductive dieting behaviors (restricting calories, over exercising, bingeing, etc.). If this is you, then another thing you can DO is to talk to a counselor or therapist or consider joining a bariatric support group or a twelve-step group like Overeater's Anonymous. The discomfort of being in a stall can also drive people to develop new, unhealthy coping habits or even transfer addictions. This is where you want to marshall all the resources you have available to you and use them. The last, and most important thing you can DO is: 9) EMBRACE THE STALL Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process. Our bodies are complex systems and not simple machines. Stalls go hand-in-hand with weight loss. If you had Weight Loss Surgery, then you probably want to lose a significant amount of weight. So, get ready to embrace the many stalls you will experience as your body is transformed. It will be worth it.

Had a great NSV today. My spa has normal/plus size robes for us ladies. Today the tech led me over to the lockers with the normal size robes. Could hardly believe it!

Okay. Just had another NSV. I’m at my local spa waiting for a massage to try to work these kinks of my lower back. I go to this spa about 3-4 times per year. Anyway, they have 2 sets of ladies robes: normal and plus size and they are on different sides of the locker area. I learned this once to my dismay a couple of years ago when I showed up for a treatment and they were running low on plus size robes. Until then I’d had no idea they had always led me to one side for a specific reason. Needless to say, it was humiliating to be told (kindly) that they were waiting for a robe my size. This time around after I checked in, they took me to the side with the “normal” size robes. Progress

20 years and looking the same. Great NSV.

So proud of you Gaby! Can you believe how far this group has come? I remember reading post of groups that were six months out and thinking, I hope I will be like that. Now here we are ... not quite six months but really successful. I did have a NSV...I went to see my hair stylist and she did not recognize me at first. c-r-a-z-y. The last time that happened to me, it was because I had gained so much weight. This time when it happened I was happy as opposed to beating myself up for letting myself get that size. So proud of us!

Yup!!! Dysmorphia Sheribear!!! Because you look absolutely beautiful and slender and I can't even relate to how you see yourself in this adorable picture!!!! Congratulations on the NSV on the plane!! I can only imagine how fantastic that felt!!! Well done!!!![emoji175][emoji175][emoji175][emoji175] Sent from my SM-N960U using BariatricPal mobile app

And I am out of gray- black- brown forever! Bought into that Dark Shades are Slimming HooHah! Have you EVER heard anyone tell a Charcoal Briquet they are looking Especially Slim Today? Nope, me neither! So Frustr8's Sartorial Rebirth? Colors, prints, Maybe polka dots? Leggings, always envied others wearing them, Now I do in 17-19 JUNIORS,my original goal was a 15 Junior, so Achievable? Oh Yeah!.And a NSV - type Victory? Saw my profile as I passed something Reflective, I am still a Larger- than- Life person, this regenerated Tomboy will NEVER BE PETITE, but no booty protruding in the back, little if any Pooch in the front, I actually look like somebody You might want to meet and greet on the street instead of a Train Wreck of Flesh, And I Think I actually look Taller now! And you'll please Excuse my 💦 of Joy because although it too also happened for OTHERS it never did before for ME! Although the Bariatric Clinic has gone out of their way to ignore and frustrate ME, Thank You Again Dr Needleman ! Between your skill and my perseverance ---A Miracle has been Wrought! Frustr8 is Absolutely, Positively Fantabulous!🌈😛😛😛

Well I started to update you guys the next chapter of the Frustr8 Follies and this fool smartphone dropped everything! I am about ready to heave it over on the couch, we are not having a happy time together. And my Beautiful Post is out floating in the Ether somewhere! I was going to tell you, gastroenterologist fou,d my small bowel is patent (Medicalese for open) but failed to mention number and degree unhealed ulcerations in my stomach and jejunem, and width of my stoma opening. Still having emesis bouts, he may have gotten through that day with his magic endoscope but will it stay open? Doubt it! Tomorrow I visit my opthamologist, hopefully my left cataract is not ready and there is another explanation for blurrier vision,like (shudder )OLD AGE. On Wednesday it's PCP and orthopaedic surgeon, something is wacky with my right hip. Pain, hardly able to walk with it, really limping, took in office X rays, no obvious deformity, doubts it's arthritic degeneration, his theory,is Stress Fracture of the hip, sent me for a MRI last Monday, then the next week I consult with the dermotologist, I have dark pigment blotches on my cheek area, really had them since I was carrying,Tomkitten, but as I lose weight they seem to have become more noticeable n people have been asking if someone,abused and bruised me. Then on Thursday Tomkitten and I both have sleep apnea evaluations so we'll see how That plays out. Heard from Roy, my dietician at OSU, wanted to know why they hadn't heard from ME, so I explained it all to him and told of my May fiasco which He Apologized that I was treated badly. And now I'll finish my take maybe tomorrow, I have more to tell, some NSV,and nicer things. See you on the flip side.

Great topic! I agree with so many on this thread, and it inspired me to write down a massive list of NSV's and goals of my own! Here's a few I haven't seen mentioned yet: Running faster than my 4 year old, and actually being able to play tag and chase with him Wearing my original wedding ring again (hubby bought me a new one for our 5 year anniversary, but it's now been 7 years since I've worn my actual wedding ring) Enjoying yoga again without having my extra rolls inhibit my movement/poses Normal boots fitting my calfs Keeping up with whoever I'm hiking with- not always dragging behind and either losing the group or people waiting ages for me Seeing my cheekbones again (I just make it look like I have cheekbones with makeup contouring right now...🙄😂) Ride behind my husband on his motorcycle Dancing with my 2 year old until we're both done (instead of getting too out of breathe from dancing and holding him after one song)

May you have many of these NSV and size surprises and few tears and sorrows as your Post-Surgery recovery progresses. Hoping to hear many more Success Stories from YOU. Smiles on this Beautiful Monday Morning!😝🌈😛

That’s a “NSV” for sure!!

Oh, I am in Central Ohio, the name of my city is Mount Vernon, population approx. 20,000. And hey I had yesterday an different type of NSV than usual. Was shopping at Wal-Mart yesterday and I met in the protein shake/ power bars aisle another RNY. Her name is Angie and she had her surgery at Grove City in May whereas my own surgery was o last September 5th at the Ohio State University Hospital- WEXNER Medical Center in Columbus, 48 miles SW of here. Now our local Hospital, Knox Community Hospital , will be instituting their own Small Bariatric program in 2020, neither ANGIE or I felt our own health concerns could wait for that, but they have started a b local Bariatric Support Group

Congratulations!!!! Appreciating the NSV will make the process easier.

Gorgeous Anna! Okay so I’m posting a NSV. Since June 21, I’ve only lost 3.2 pounds, but I’ve lost over 7 inches from various parts on my body, with 1 of those inches leaving my lower abs and 3/4 leaving both my waist and hips. Seriously I’m not sure how it’s even possible to lose that small amount of weight and lose so many inches that I measured twice. Then I realized that I’m fully 10 pounds heavier at my current clothing size than I’ve ever been before. It’s like my body weighs more, but is smaller than it’s been for that weight and I’m thinking it’s all purely body composition.

Hi! NSV= Non scale victory!

Two major NSV/ surgery victories today! I got my swabs to become part of the bone marrow donor registry. I had a friend die from cancer a few years ago who was unable to find a bone marrow match and he asked that friends join the registry so that other cancer patients could find matches. I was over their BMI limit and it really upset me that I couldn’t donate. I finally meet the BMI requirements and was able to send my swabs in today! Second NSV. I tried to get an IUD two years ago after my son was born but the doctor was unable to locate my cervix for insertion due to my obesity (we’re talking BMI of almost 60). Today I finally had my consult appointment for IUD placement!

fascinating! You can actually bring proof and they will give you half off? I wonder what other restaurants do this? I actually have a card in my wallet that my doctor gave me. Never knew what I needed it for. Well I guess I can take it to this restaurant and use it ! Yes and sorry, when I posted in NSV should’ve explained that. If you search NSV on this website you will find there is a forum of non-scale victories. I love reading those.

Yep! NSV = non-scale victory 🙂 Because sometimes it's more important to keep track of things that feel better than just a number on a scale! Especially when mental health things come in to play -- can't measure those improvements on a scale. Super important for me right now, because I once again haven't lost anything since 28 June which is, what? About a week and a half? I know from weight tracking in fitbit that I have little 'stalls' or slow downs like, around twice a month. This has been the longest, and I keep going up and down about 2-3 pounds. But I'm not too worried, because soon enough I'll probably lose again and I'll be like 'oh, fudgesticks! I don't wanna be just skin and bones!' Lol. This surgery totally stuffs with your brain, I swear. All the best for your upcoming move, Recidivist! I hope you have a pleasant, as-least-stressful-as-possible journey! 🙂

NSV is non-scale victory. Like maybe your numbers haven't dropped this week, but your clothes feel better, you can sit comfortably in a seat that you couldn't before, someone compliments you,etc... Sent from my SM-G955U using BariatricPal mobile app

I think, and I could be wrong, that NSV stands for non-surgical victory.

No regrets here either--and was having some major buyer's remorse in the first month, as you may remember. I'm starting to feel quite comfortable with what I can eat, and I'm branching out a bit so it doesn't seem so boring. I've recently added fruit--mostly berries--which has helped a lot! We moved out of our house a week ago in preparation for our move to Australia, which means I haven't weighed myself in a week--and that might be a good thing. I could of course find a scale somewhere, but it would likely not be calibrated the same as the scale at home and might not give an accurate result. So I'll wait! And nobody has told us yet what an NSV is!

What is an NSV? It sounds good so I wish I had one. But no. I have some bad news.... We went back to my home town for the 4th and I wanted to do all my favorite things, some of which included food stops. We have a great lakeside corn dog stand and I ordered one...and ate it all. Then we went to the old ice cream stop. I was able to eat an entire chocolate kids cone. And for my son's birthday, I had steak (filet mignon) for the first time. Zero dumping. I am happy I could eat a bit of steak and actually eat a small amount of ice cream, but I am upset that I still craved the breaded corn dog and ice cream and that I actually ORDERED them. I haven't weighed myself yet (I'll do so in the morning), but I'm seriously in danger of sliding into old eating habits. At almost 5 months out, are any of feeling the food cravings come back and eating things that would have made you ill (dump) a month or two ago? I HUGELY enjoyed the cheats, but they are haunting me! Not to mention snacking on potato chips on the 13-hour drive.....

I have a NSV to share, too [emoji4] Hubby took the week off last week and we went to Rainbow's End (as close as you can get to a themepark here in NZ.) Last time we went would have been about 2 years ago. The rides were hard for me, I had constant anxiety about my weight and I didn't do any of the extreme ones. Back then, we decided to try the fear fall just before we went home. Yeah... I was so big I couldn't fit in the seat [emoji22] It was super-embarrassing having the ride guy trying to squish the harness down on my too-fat body. Well this time, I not only fit, but my anxiety was under control and I managed to zoom around the park and do all the big rides with hubby... some more than once! Pic of the fear fall for reference [emoji28] Now I just got to find the time and money for that spa day and seeing the otters! [emoji16] Hehe! Sent from my CPH1719 using BariatricPal mobile app