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Hi ya'll. Im Kim. I've been a nurse for the past almost 30 years! I started in LPN school when i was 15. from there I got my ADN, then BSN, and then finally a MSN. I have worked primarily in labor and delivery with a specialty in High risk OB. I was sleeved on 12/26/12 and have lost 44 lbs. down from a 22 to an 18. Lost more than 15 inches. Lots of NSVs. feeling really good! Check my gallery for pre op and 3 month post op pics. I look forward to being a part of the support forum. I loo

Congrats on all the NSVs. keep up the good work!

So I had a rough weekend. I got to add soft food to my diet on Friday. One would think that after three weeks of not eating any "real" food that it would be great, and it was! I got up on Saturday and I was up a pound from where I was Friday morning. Now, I know that my body is saying "Hey! I finally got some food, I need to hang on to it cause I don't know when I'll get the next round," and that is why the scales haven't been really nice this weekend. I still am bouncing around the same stupid half pound since Friday and its just frustrating. In my "previous life" I would have been irritated and just eaten something that I shouldn't have to justify the increase on the scales. Now, I didn't do anything or eat anything I shouldn't have but, boy, did I have a battle with head hunger all weekend. One of my favorite places to eat used to be Moe's, my husband has never really cared for it and I think that we have eaten there together just once in the past 5 years. Yesterday I had to run across town and what does he ask me to bring him back for supper?? MOE'S!! i couldn't believe it and it just plain made me mad when I had to go in there and order his burrito. I wanted one so bad but instead, I ordered his just like he asked (with absolutely nothing that could be considered healthy on it) and brought it home to him. I fixed my supper and was satisfied with it. My dad used to say that it didn't matter if you got full off of black eyed peas or steak and potatoes either way you were still full. That is very true, steak and potatoes just taste much better, as would have Moe's last night. Anyway, I needed something to take my mind off of the negative and I figured I'd list the NSV's that I could think of to lift my spirits a little 1. I can get my wedding rings on again, I haven't been able to wear them individually since last June and it has probably been more than a year since I have been able to get both of them on at the same time. 2. I already have a pair of pants that are too big and I can no longer wear (at least my husband refuses to be seen in public with me if I do!) 3. Its easier to shave my arm pits cause they aren't so full. 4. I can bend over to paint my own toe nails again! 5. The seatbelt in my husbands truck doesn't lock just because I'm trying to put it on and pulled it out a little too far anymore. I can actually bend down and pick my purse up from the floorboard and it doesn't lock! 6. I can put on and tie my shoes with almost no effort. 7. I have bad breath. (Okay so maybe that one isn't so exciting but apparently when you are breaking down fat you get ketosis which causes halitosis aka bad breath. I must be doing good breaking it down cause even my 5 year old tells me my breath is stinky! LOL!) I know there are more but these are all I can think of right now. I'm going to keep working at it and keep working my tool. I know that I did the right thing and I know that I'll be able to eat more normally again some day. I did this for my kids and they are going to have a more amazing mom because of it.

Hi all, I've just returned from a weeks holiday to Sydney (Australia). My family and I drove up last weekend. We all had an amazing time, we walked everywhere and some days we were out from 8 am in the morning till 10 pm doing all the touristy things. We walked and walked and walked and I kept up the whole time, some days it was walking for up to 6 to 7 hours, I walked with ease, I climbed stairs with ease and even when it felt like my feet were ready to drop off I kept going. I even did a thunder jet boat ride ( amazing). If it was a year ago I would have been exhausted within the first five minutes of walking. My 15 year old son came up to me and hugged me towards the end of the week and said, "mum, I am so proud of you, do you realize how much walking you've done and you kept up with us all without even saying you need to sit down". He bought a tear to my eye, I feel so much more energetic and part of society again and don't feel like I stand out like I used to at my heaviest (366 pounds this time last year). My confidence levels are returning, I'm energetic and so much more alert. I walked through spaces holding my breath because I was scared I wouldn't fit but I did and with plenty of room to spare, I sat comfortably in every chair I sat in including booths. food wise it was fine, I was never hungry for Breakfast, lunch times if I still wasn't very hungry my family shared their meals with me, a bite here and there, dinner time I ordered my own meals focusing on Protein rich meals and one night I even had pizza and I enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine with dinner. We always walked after dinner. I managed to loose nearly 5 pounds in a week with all the extra walking and felt muscles waking up. This lapband has saved me and given me the quality of life I ached so much to have again. I still have a long way to go and for the first time in all my years of trying to loose weight I am confident I will get to my goal weight, even if it takes me another year or so. Food is no longer my focus 24/7, living is now and I have so much I want to do and will do. To those of you thinking about lapband it is an amazing tool when finely tuned and used correctly, sure there are struggles throughout the journey but so worth it. Less than a year into banded life and so many positive changes for me personally. To those of you that are struggling take a deep breath and try to refocus and get the support of your aftercare team, a crucial part of being successful is being open and honest with aftercare and a good team will get you back on track. The only pain is every morning going through my clothes to see what still fits ok without looking overly baggy or falling off. I'm at a stage where my smallest clothes are way to big so I need to get a few things and at this stage in my journey just dropping 10 pounds is making a huge difference from size to size. Life is good again, finally!

The first NSV I had this week was walking into the hospital from the parking deck without huffing and puffing and no leg cramping! I used to work in the hospital and even though I walked this three times per week it was a lot harder! The second NSV is that I am 4 weeks post op on Tuesday and I have lost 9 inches total in 5 weeks! So excited!! I am also down 12 lbs thus far but will weigh again on Tuesday as that is my weigh day!

I wanted to share an NSV with all of my fellow bandsters. A year ago today I weighed 289. This morning I weighed 233. I had my surgery on Feb 15th, 2013 and weighed 264 on that day. I have lost 56 lbs in one year and 31 lbs since the surgery. I know that I personally have mentally overcome many of my bad habits and continually find more and more of them that I need to work on. I have learned whom I have as a support system and which ones are not there for me in reality. I take each day as it comes, just as an addict would. Above all I am happy that I made this decision to be banded and take the challenge of becoming healthier and having a better life. I no longer have swollen hands, legs and feet at the end of the day. I no longer have to purchase wide shoes. I can run up and down 10 flights of stairs, twice a day without having an asthma attack or feeling like I am going to pass out. Each day is no longer a struggle to get up. I just wanted to share.

My favorite NSV ... I'm able to buckle my seat belt without lifting my butt/hip I can just click and go! I wear my watch and it slips up and down my wrist. .::SurgeryDate 7/25/12::.

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

Rocking heels again was one of my first NSVs. At 254lbs, I could only wear them for a hour at most. Now I wear them all day. I only hope that as lose more weight my feet become easier to fit. Right now I wear a wide width so it is hard to find cute styles.

I'm almost 7 months out & really haven't purchased that many items of clothing..(89 pounds lost). I had to buy a pair of black pants for a funeral & went to a store. I automatically went to the plus-size side. The saleswoman immediately came over & asked me "why are you in this section when you're so skinny. Get to the other side" - I went gladly!!!! Down 5 pant sizes....

Congrats! Nsv= non scale victory

The clasp. What is NSV??

Mine are in a drawer. I think its to early to get them sized down just yet. Yea! on your NSV! Awesome.

Your set looks a lot like mine! It's purddddddyyy! I was able to take mine off my finger for the first time in almost a year a few days ago, my first NSV! Sent from my iPad using VST

Had to get my wedding rings sized. Down to 6.5 from 7.75.

kmoore you are doing awesome girl, i so feel you on NSV. my dr at my 6 month check up told me the average lost is 60lbs in 6 months i was 6lbs shy, but when i showed her my before and after she was blown away. its not always about the numbers on the scale its the NSV and how you look and feel. i also researched my body type which is pear shape and all my fat is in my lower body unlike the apple who is in the middle. so i think its called substatious fat, if i am spelling it right and it is the toughest to lose. dar have you called your nut. what are you eating are you getting in water are you taking supplements. i noticed when i stopped taking my calcium the scale stopped and i found out my d was low. once i started both of them back the scale started moving. but its stuck again. but the dr said it will come off in waves. call your nut

6 months ago today I was shuffling around the halls of Northeast Medical Center as best I could after lifesaving/life changing surgery. Now one of my biggest goals will be achieved next Saturday when I complete Charlotte's Race Fest 10k...on my 34th birthday!! What's your favorite or most astounding non-scale victory??

I don't really frequent the forum much anymore because of my slow loser status. Surgery was Oct 15th, 2012. Top weight: 238lbs, SW: 209lbs, today's weight: 180lbs. I have gone from size 20-22 pants to a size 11-12 and from XXL shirts to M-L. So I DO see a BIG difference. But I see so many others posting they have lost so much more than I have in even a shorter time frame. I have been stalled for 2 months now too, which is discouraging sometimes, even though I am still seeing inches fall off....thank goodness I did take measurements or I really WOULD be upset I certainly haven't given up, but I so want to be in the 170's. I hit 179.5 last week, and went back up to 180 this week. I just can't seem to get out of the 80's...UGH! I would LOVE to be 135-140 as my ultimate goal...but I have really set my goal at 150lbs as I remember WAY by when I looked and felt great at that weight. Also, my main reason for this surgery was to be healthier and I am off of all of my meds...a HUGE NSV for me! Perfect sugar levels, no high blood pressure anymore and cholesterol looks awesome. Then I look at my percentage of weight loss and look at the stats and see that, really, I am right on track. Still want the 170's

I :wub: this! What a great way to reference our success. Congrats on a wonderful NSV. It only gets better from here!

... except when it's not! Okay, this is a pre-sleeve NSV for me. We went to the movie theater tonight. I actually managed to walk right past the concessions stand without stopping for either a popcorn (large, extra butter, please!) or a beverage! This is difficult for me. Recently I've been compromising - small popcorn, and a large unsweetened iced tea (now that our theater actually has decent iced tea!). But I LURVE buttered popcorn. It's something that I really want to eat - it's part of the movie experience, and it is something I have a weakness for. Tonight, I wasn't hungry as we had just had dinner, nor was I thirsty. I also knew I couldn't come back out later and get it if I changed my mind, since we were going to the late show and the concessions area closes about 15 minutes after the last movie starts. I just said no. Didn't even really think about it. Me: 100 points, Food: a big fat ZERO. I win! Anyone else had a victory in the battle of resistance this week?

So I noticed today that my inny that used to look like an inatube, bottomless pit, black hole is smaller and shallow! This is a victory for me! I hated the way it would look under my clothes like this huge hole in my stomach. Now you can't even see it! This is a fat girl victory for me. Highest weight:240 Pre op: 215 SD: 207 Current: 187 Loss of 27#!

CowgirlJane luv your before and after pictures you look great loosing 152 lbs - OMG - i know you must feel great "all over" congrats on all your hard work i was able to post my before and after pictures thanx to your help (i couldn't figure it out either!!) in my "vanity" i decided to repost my thread that i did a few days ago called "Proud Grammy is Proud" big NSV - me posting these pictures as DH posted pic - he looked at me and said "I don't remember you looking like that." Either do i!!!! strange!!! the times they are a changing i feel like the happiest person in the world I'm enjoying life to the fullest what a great "thing" i did for myself, having WLS DOS 12/15/11 235 lbs 5'3 present 130 lbs GOAL 59 years young still 5'3

My brothers and I don't get together very often but we were all there for our Mum's 70th birthday. My older brother has always been a very big man but all I have heard for a couple of years is how much weight he has lost. My younger brother has always been tall and whippet thin. well, this time (and forever more) I was the skinnier sibling! Yay for my band.

For those that have completed c25k, what is next for you? Time to set some new goals. Maybe you want to enter a local 5 k race or keep working towards faster and more challenging 5 k times. By more challenging I mean to run hills or trails instead of flat. Now that you know how to run the possibilities are limitless. Here are a bakers dozen running tips I learned along the way in my short running experience to optimize results ( others: feel free to add your own): 1. Focus on relaxation while running. ChiRunning is THE best methodology for this. It will take some getting used to, but there is no going back once you have mastered it. 2. Speed comes from challenging yourself. Try and throw in HIIT runs every so often to increase speed. Always set new goals. Every time you run is a chance to improve some quality of your running. 3 power comes from strong core and strong back. The legs and arms will take care of themselves. Always do a system check every minute to make sure your posture is good, your core is strong, no tension anywhere, your shoulders are relaxed, your feet are landing solid, etc. I am learning so much from cross fit postures and applying it to running. The basic squat is actually a good posture because of strong core and strong back. You do need to be a little straighter, but the general idea applies. 4. Your stride should always be a little ahead of the speed of the treadmill. Run with a good posture, solid core and relaxation. If the speed is too fast, you compromise posture and strength. This tires you out faster. I mostly run on treadmill, but I am sure the same principle applies to outside running. Some other running vets may want to chime in. 5. Buy the best running shoes you can afford. 6. Buy running socks to prevent blisters and/ or heated spots. I have not had any foot issues with my running shoes and socks. 7. Warm up properly. Maybe some sprints or even hill climbs to get your muscles ready. You can start faster with a good warmup. My warm up is usually at least 6 minutes long. 8. Use a roller after running. I just started this ( as in today) and wish I started earlier to avoid tight gluts, hamstrings, calves, etc. 9. Cool down properly. For me, cooling down means jogging for a few minutes and the walking fora few minutes after I have run a hard 5 k or 10 k. 10. Consume heavy protein within 20 min of running. It will help you recover and refuel faster. Not all proteins are equal, so do some research or ask questions. 11. Sometimes pre workout and amino acids ( like catalyst ) will help you perform better without fatiguing. Still experimenting with these to see what works best. 12. Give yourself the proper recovery time. It depends on how hard and how far you run. For me, a day of running is followed by a day of cross fit, repeat. I usually take Sunday off not only for body recovery, but also mental recovery. Need a slow day before it starts again for the week. 13. Pay attention to your diet. Performing optimally physically requires you to treat your body with respect and give it the lean and healthy nourishment it deserves. Results come from 80% good diet and 20% exercise. If you eat crap, your body will reward you with crappy results. It is that simple. Also, drink lots and lots of water. Best of all, enjoy running. Get high off the endorphins ( natural morphine). It is a very good addiction to have. Love it so much you are encouraging other runners. Report back often on your little successes. A single little running NSV may be just what someone else needs to hear to be motivated. Hope this helps!

I guess this comes under the heading of a NSV! I took a bath this morning for the first time in years. Not only did I get into the tub, more importantly, I got OUT of the tub by turning over onto my hands and knees to get up! I was amazed that I could maneuver my body around like that! Also, my pants are way toooo big! Sent from my iPhone using VST