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Thank you for sharing this wonderful NSV! Congratulations!

This is truly a wonderful NSV! You will have many more to come!

Today, I went to a friends job to pick up some cosmetics she ordered me. She works @ St. Vincent's Medical Center, which sits on a hill & had notoriously crappy parking. So after I finally weddgie my big 'ol truck into a teeny tiny space at the bottom of the hill, I headed up to the main hospital...that's when it hit me...the last time I was at this hospital, I was attending the first of many weight loss seminars, and I remember nearly passing out trying to walk up the hill And here I am, 14 weeks post sleeve today, down 70 lbs and I breezed up that hill without a pause! I wasn't even breathing hard when I got to the top! Tiny Sleevie has made the impossible possible & I am sooo blessed to be on this journey. I would do it all over again without a moment's hesitation! I feel wonderful...and yes, I'm looking pretty darn rockin' good these days! Sent from my iPhone using VST

So I am about 4 1/2 months from surgery and since the day I returned home from the hospital I have become a workout junky...I started slow and now workout an 1 - 1 1/2 hours a day, I can do an hour on the elliptical with no problems, can run intermittently on the treadmill and my energy is through the roof, I couldn't have done any of this prior to surgery even though I use to workout some....I lift light weights on my off days from the gym and feel guilty if I miss one day of working out, go figure ...Since my surgery I have had no complications and easily get in 80g - 120g of protein daily, don't get me wrong I have not been perfect with my diet and was starting to get discouraged with only losing 63lbs since surgery, I thought I should have been losing it faster with all the working out I was doing.....I thought of something Lil Ms Diva said a while back which was to celebrate every pound and realize that this process is a journey (paraphrasing) but it was something to that effect...I can say I am happier and feel awesome....I give much props to my surgeon Dr. Nick Nicholson...to those of you starting your journey the surgery is worth it and definitely life changing! My stats below haven't been updated current weight: 248 lbs.

Ok ..so I went to a store for the first time..not just digging through my closet and yes..I am finally down one pant size. Now that may no seem like much BUT I haven't seen this size for 11 years much less even squeezed myself into it! They slipped right now and zipped effortlessly with room to spare! (sorry gentlemen..this next part you can disregard!) I also had a change in bra size ..when down a full 2 inches and went up a cup size! LoL ..maybe things just shifted in that aspect! But still who ever heard of going up a cup size wild!!! I am proud of me and my sleeve! I am on a journey and I hope it continues to go well! 9 w and 5 d out and down 49# and I guess that is good!

BIG SV today - I lost 5 lbs. in 4 days!!! That's more than I have lost in the last MONTH! I did lots of yard/house work on Saturday, treadmill for a little while both days and have been tracking my food, keeping under my allowance everyday except one. It paid off - praying that it stays off! That put me at reaching my first goal, which was to lose 30 lbs. Also had a NSV today - a co-worker told me that I was really "slimming down and looking good". After last week, I really needed to hear that. I think I will go home and take my measurements - something I haven't done in 6 months. Hope this is the beginning of finally getting over the hump slump I have been in the last few months.

Big hugs!!! Boy oh boy can I relate about the plane!! Ive traveled internationally since Jan 06 --Ive been overweight longer then this -- but from 2006 til 2008 I traveled alone so I was always seated next to strangers. International airlines arent always very nice about big people traveling. I always have to ask for a seat belt extender, Ive never been able to buckle one. It is so embarassing. I ask as soon as I get on the plane, as I am walking to my seat. Ive sat next to some pretty rude people, but I just apologized for crowding them. Thankfully in 2011 and this year I have had my girlfriend and 4yr old son to travel with me so usually its us 3 in a row together so the only people I am crowding dont mind. It still sucks so bad to crowd anyone, need a seat belt extender, and not be able to use my tray table I cant wait to have those nsv's! All this will be in the past very soon! Hang in there!!!

Congratulations!!! And ALL NSVs are big!!!!

I just has surgery last Tuesday. I got out of the hospital on Thursday and have been staying with my parents until today when my dad brought me home. When I went to get dressed, I put on my bra for the first time since surgery and it just wasn't fitting right. There were these little gaps in the front. Ya know, like I wasn't filling it out. I didn't give it much thought though. I just kinda figured it wasn't on just right. After all, it didn't go on as smoothly as preop since I was trying to make sure I didn't mess with any of my incision areas. Anyway, when I got home I weighed and found I'm down 21 pounds since my preop diet. It all the sudden occurred to me that is why my bra isn't fitting the same. So yeah, I know I'm losing weight. The numbers on the scale say so. But, my first glimpse of actually seeing it is in my bra. Not a big NSV, but for me a special one because it was my first one. I am so excited to take this journey I'm just beginning.

Congratulations ! You're doing a great job ! Its those Nsv's that will keep you motivated when the scale is'nt moving . You will start noticing little things happening that you did'nt see coming, but are very encouraging. YOU"RE AWESOME !!!!!!!! I was so excited too , when i got banded last December, 2011. My Dr agreed that if i followed the food rules 95% of the time, got my fills as needed, and exercised 3-4 x a week, i would be successful. Well, he was right ! Im down 42 lbs, gone from a size 18 to a size 14, and look and feel 100 better ! Yesterday a female co-worker ( who had the band several years ago) said to me "I hope you dont take this the wrong way, but your ass looks amazing !" We couldnt stop laughing !!!!!!!! Heres hoping you ass starts looking amazing too ! Best of luck !

I've been having some issues with my sleeve playing bad head games on me. The psychologist at my surgeon's office suggested that I don't go off my daily 30 mg dose of Cymbalta and I'm glad I didn't. I've been stalled for about six weeks now, going back and forth from 207 to 210. The stall is getting SO DISCOURAGING. My highest weight was 273 and I'm feeling a lot better, but I'm still so far away from my goal of 135-140 pounds. I'm about five-and-a-half months out. The NSVs are definitely a tradeoff with the negatives. NSVs (Non-Sleeve Victories) include going off one of two blood pressure meds, going off an anti-inflammatory med, knees and feet feel a lot better. I'm about out of another pair of too-big jeans. My stress incontinence is about over, and my cheekbones are starting to emerge. My husband says my sleep apnea is waning and I'm not snoring nearly so much if I nap or fall asleep without my CPAP. On the negative side, I am definitely grieving food, although I believe you can still eat beautiful, fabulous food prepared well -- just not as much of it and definitely not some things. My face looks like a red-dotted road map with zits and I've been having hair loss, although I think I may be turning the corner on that. The nausea that hits if I eat too quickly is a little disconcerting, but I'm dealing with it. But all in all, I'm glad I did it. I feel much better and have lots more energy. Onward, Carol

Hey, Bandsters! Now that Memorial Day has passed and we’re well into June, it’s summer time! Why not use the warm weather and casual dress code for motivation to stick to your diet? Of course, the newsletter’s a great way to remind you to be good, too! We keep you updated on what’s going on at LapBandTalk.com, and we’ll jump right into this newsletter with: Alex Brecher, founder of LapBandTalk.com! Kosher bandsters…and way more. These groups are smaller discussion forums for bandsters who have a lot of things in common with you even beyond your lap-band. They may have great solutions to problems that you’re having, and they can be super sympathetic to your situation. You can make close friends on these boards because you already have so much in common, and because you can spend a lot more “one-on-one” time with them. Come on over to the food or recipe. It’s pretty simple. Come up with a new recipe or try a new food that fits on your diet. Tell us about it! Recognize your non-scale victory (NSV): An NSV is something that is an accomplishment during your lap-band journey, but it isn’t based on the number on the scale. It might be something like fitting into a dress you like or being able to keep up with your grandchildren without getting tired. It’s never too late to try the old challenges and write about them. Share what you come up with to brag a little and help out others. The New Challenge: Be an Exercise Buddy! This challenge is great for your health and the health of a lucky new or old friend. Why? Over the next two weeks, your challenge is to do a workout with a new person. Some ideas for the challenge are to: Ask your neighbor to take a walk with you Ask someone at your gym to be your partner while you both lift weights Go for a bike ride with your kids or spouse Take a new exercise class Be creative! The goal is to do something fun and healthy, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way. Don’t forget to post your challenge results in the Challenge Forum. The forum’s also great place to go if you need ideas or have advice for other Bandsters. Good luck! And Finally: We Need Your Help! We’d like to ask you to support us when you can. Hopefully you value LapBandTalk.com and all of its free services. We’d like to remind you to please ask your surgeon and other healthcare providers to post LapBandTalk.com fliers in their offices. The fliers are all ready to be printed in black and white or color. We’re always growing, and you can help. Thank you. That does it for this newsletter. Thanks for reading and for your continued participation on the boards. Take care! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

Note: Some of you may have received a duplicate of our previous newsletter and we apologize for the inconvenience, please find the current newsletter below. Hey, Sleevers! Now that Memorial Day has passed and we’re well into June, it’s summer time! Why not use the warm weather and casual dress code for motivation to stick to your diet? Of course, the newsletter’s a great way to remind you to be good, too! We keep you updated on what’s going on at VerticalSleeveTalk.com, and we’ll jump right into this newsletter with: Gastric Sleeve Support Groups: Are you taking full advantage of special forum groups on VerticalSleeveTalk.com? To Tell or Not to Tell – Do you tell others about your vertical sleeve surgery? Member Spotlight – None other than Alex Brecher, founder of VerticalSleeveTalk.com! Sleever Challenge – This is a great one to kick off the summer. We encourage you to stay involved with VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Ask your questions, answer your peers and keep your profile current. All of your participation keeps you on track and helps everyone else! Always let us know when you have suggestions, comments and questions. Enjoy the newsletter. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Sleever Support Groups: What are They, and How Do They Help You? VerticalSleeveTalk.com can be a huge part of your life. Many of us check the boards every day or more, and depend on the site for support, information and encouragement. Joining one or more VerticalSleeveTalk.com support groups is a great way to get even more out of VerticalSleeveTalk.com. These support groups are like private clubs, but all you have to do to join is to participate! Just look at the different types groups we have. Monthly groups based on when you got the sleeve Groups based on your hometown, age and weight goals. The sleeve buddies and mentors forum in case you need a little extra help or want to help someone in their weight loss journey. And more…for African-American sleevers, diabetes patients, Christian sleevers…and way more. These groups are smaller discussion forums for sleevers who have a lot of things in common with you even beyond your gastric sleeve. They may have great solutions to problems that you’re having, and they can be super sympathetic to your situation. You can make close friends on these boards because you already have so much in common, and because you can spend a lot more “one-on-one” time with them. Come on over to the VerticalSleeveTalk.com support group page and see which groups you want to join! Hot Topic: Coming out of the WLS Closet To tell or not to tell? That’s a pretty sensitive question for a lot of weight loss surgery patients. It’s normal to feel embarrassed about the sleeve, especially when you’re dealing with people who look down on you. Always remember that you don’t have to let others make you feel bad. As long as you’re healthy and happy, you should feel proud of your accomplishments. Anyone who truly loves you will also be proud. It’s a personal decision about telling people about the surgery. You might tell your closest friends and family first, and let others in on the secret when they start to ask you how you lost so much weight. You don’t ever have to tell if you’re shy or just don’t want to. Or, if you prefer, you can tell everyone as soon as you set the date for your surgery. Maybe that’ll make you feel more accountable and inspire you to success. What are your thoughts? Do you tell people that you’ve gotten the sleeve? How do you choose when to tell, how much to say and whom to tell? Do you have any tips for other gastric sleeve patients? Tell us about it! First Member Spotlight – It’s Alex! We promised, and now we’ve delivered! It’s time for the first true Member Spotlight, and who better to be honored than…Alex! He’s the founder of VerticalSleeveTalk.com and the other communities belonging to WLSBoards.com. He manages and promotes the boards to make sure that they’re here for everyone. He is truly passionate about helping others reach the same weight loss success that he did. Here’s his story. He’s the handsome, friendly face you see hanging out on the forums, but he took the same journey as many of you to achieve those looks. Alex struggled with obesity and diets for years without finding permanent weight loss success. He finally realized that he needed to lose the weight if he wanted to be around for his children for years to come. Alex got the lap-band, lost more than 100 pounds and never looked back. Thrilled with his new energy and health, Alex had the motivation and confidence to stop smoking. Today he is an active, lean family man who loves to run, bike and spend time with his children. In 2003, Alex founded LapBandTalk.com, which quickly became the largest weight loss surgery community in the world. He started VerticalSleeveTalk.com in February of 2009, and the other WLSBoards, RNYTalk.com and SleevePlicationTalk.com, followed in 2011. Alex works hard to make sure that all members to have positive experiences and benefit from being part of the communities. Do you have someone you’d like to see featured in the Member Spotlight? Would you like to be our spotlighted member? Come tell us in the Member Spotlight forum! It’s a regular feature of the newsletters to let you learn a little more about someone in our community with an inspirational story or who helps out our members. Thanks for your nominations so far! Sleever Challenge! Challenge Yourself and Achieve Something New! We give you a challenge in each Sleever Newsletter. It’s not a challenge for you to compete against anyone else. It’s just a way to set a new goal for yourself to try something new or push yourself a little harder. Nobody’s keeping score, so try it! You can always find the old challenges in the Challenge Forum. So far, the two challenges have been: Try a new food or recipe. It’s pretty simple. Come up with a new recipe or try a new food that fits on your diet. Tell us about it! Recognize your non-scale victory (NSV): An NSV is something that is an accomplishment during your weight loss journey, but it isn’t based on the number on the scale. It might be something like fitting into a dress you like or being able to keep up with your grandchildren without getting tired. Congratulations to LBM! Her NSV is that she can cross her legs! What a great feeling – and thanks for sharing. It’s never too late to try the old challenges and write about them. Share what you come up with to brag a little and help out others. The New Challenge: Be an Exercise Buddy! This challenge is great for your health and the health of a lucky new or old friend. Why? Over the next two weeks, your challenge is to do a workout with a new person. Some ideas for the challenge are to: Ask your neighbor to take a walk with you Ask someone at your gym to be your partner while you both lift weights Go for a bike ride with your kids or spouse Take a new exercise class Be creative! The goal is to do something fun and healthy, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way. Don’t forget to post your challenge results in the Challenge Forum. The forum’s also great place to go if you need ideas or have advice for other Sleevers. Good luck! And Finally: Please Support Us! Just as a reminder, we’d like to ask you to support us when you can. Hopefully you value VerticalSleeveTalk.com and all of its free services. We’d like to remind you to please ask your surgeon and other healthcare providers to post VerticalSleeveTalk.com fliers in their offices. We’re always growing, and you can help. Thank you. That does it for this newsletter. Thanks for reading and for your continued participation on the boards. Take care! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

Hey, RNYTalk Members! Now that Memorial Day has passed and we’re well into June, it’s summer time! Why not use the warm weather and casual dress code for motivation to stick to your diet? Of course, the newsletter’s a great way to remind you to be good, too! We keep you updated on what’s going on at RNYTalk.com, and we’ll jump right into this newsletter with: Gastric Bypass Support Groups: Are you taking full advantage of special forum groups on RNYTalk.com? To Tell or Not to Tell – Do you tell others about your gastric bypass surgery? Member Spotlight – None other than Alex Brecher, founder of RNYTalk.com! Bypass Challenge – This is a great one to kick off the summer. We encourage you to stay involved with RNYTalk.com. Ask your questions, answer your peers and keep your profile current. All of your participation keeps you on track and helps everyone else! Always let us know when you have suggestions, comments and questions. Enjoy the newsletter. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder RNYTalk.com RNY Support Groups: What are They, and How Do They Help You? RNYTalk.com can be a huge part of your life. Many of us check the boards every day or more, and depend on the site for support, information and encouragement. Joining one or more RNYTalk.com support groups is a great way to get even more out of RNYTalk.com. These support groups are like private clubs, but all you have to do to join is to participate! Just look at the different types groups we have. Monthly groups based on when you got your bypass Groups based on your hometown, age and weight goals. The bypass buddies and mentors forum in case you need a little extra help or want to help someone in their weight loss journey. And more…for religious bypassers, PCOS patients, women, men, atheist bypassers…and way more. These groups are smaller discussion forums for bypassers who have a lot of things in common with you even beyond your weight loss surgery. They may have great solutions to problems that you’re having, and they can be super sympathetic to your situation. You can make close friends on these boards because you already have so much in common, and because you can spend a lot more “one-on-one” time with them. Come on over to the RNYTalk.com support group page and see which groups you want to join! Hot on the Boards: Coming out of the WLS Closet. To tell or not to tell? That’s a pretty sensitive question for a lot of weight loss surgery patients. It’s normal to feel embarrassed about your surgery, especially when you’re dealing with people who look down on you. Always remember that you don’t have to let others make you feel bad. As long as you’re healthy and happy, you should feel proud of your accomplishments. Anyone who truly loves you will also be proud. It’s a personal decision about telling people about weight loss surgery. You might tell your closest friends and family first, and let others in on the secret when they start to ask you how you lost so much weight. You don’t ever have to tell anyone if you’re shy or just don’t want to. Or, if you prefer, you can tell everyone as soon as you set the date for your surgery. Maybe that’ll make you feel more accountable and inspire you to success. What are your thoughts? Do you tell people that you’ve gotten roux-en-Y gastric bypass? How do you choose when to tell, how much to say and whom to tell? Do you have any tips for other gastric bypass patients? Tell us about it! First Member Spotlight – It’s Alex! We promised, and now we’ve delivered! It’s time for the first true Member Spotlight, and who better to be honored than…Alex! He’s the founder of RNYTalk.com and the other communities belonging to WLSBoards.com. He manages and promotes the boards to make sure that they’re here for everyone. He is truly passionate about helping others reach the same weight loss success that he did. Here’s his story. He’s the handsome, friendly face you see hanging out on the forums, but he took the same journey as many of you to achieve those looks. Alex struggled with obesity and diets for years without finding permanent weight loss success. He finally realized that he needed to lose the weight if he wanted to be around for his children for years to come. Alex got the lap-band, lost more than 100 pounds and never looked back. Thrilled with his new energy and health, Alex had the motivation and confidence to stop smoking. Today he is an active, lean family man who loves to run, bike and spend time with his children. In 2003, Alex founded LapBandTalk.com, which quickly became the largest weight loss surgery community in the world. He started VerticalSleeveTalk.com in February of 2009, and the other WLSBoards, RNYTalk.com and SleevePlicationTalk.com, followed in 2011. Alex works hard to make sure that all members to have positive experiences and benefit from being part of the communities. Do you have someone you’d like to see featured in the Member Spotlight? Would you like to be our spotlighted member? Come tell us in the Member Spotlight forum! It’s a regular feature of the newsletters to let you learn a little more about someone in our community with an inspirational story or who helps out our members. Thanks for your nominations so far! Bypass Challenge! Challenge Yourself and Achieve Something New! We give you a challenge in each Bypass Newsletter. It’s not a challenge for you to compete against anyone else. It’s just a way to set a new goal for yourself to try something new or push yourself a little harder. Nobody’s keeping score, so try it! You can always find the old challenges in the Challenge Forum. So far, the two challenges have been: Try a new food or recipe. It’s pretty simple. Come up with a new recipe or try a new food that fits on your diet. Tell us about it! Recognize your non-scale victory (NSV): An NSV is something that is an accomplishment during your weight loss journey, but it isn’t based on the number on the scale. It might be something like fitting into a dress you like or being able to keep up with your grandchildren without getting tired.. It’s never too late to try the old challenges and write about them. Share what you come up with to brag a little and help out others. The New Challenge: Be an Exercise Buddy! This challenge is great for your health and the health of a lucky new or old friend. Why? Over the next two weeks, your challenge is to do a workout with a new person. Some ideas for the challenge are to: Ask your neighbor to take a walk with you Ask someone at your gym to be your partner while you both lift weights Go for a bike ride with your kids or spouse Take a new exercise class Be creative! The goal is to do something fun and healthy, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way. Don’t forget to post your challenge results in the Challenge Forum. The forum’s also great place to go if you need ideas or have advice for other RNY members so they can complete the challenge. Good luck! And Finally: Please Support Us! Just as a reminder, we’d like to ask you to support us when you can. Hopefully you value RNYTalk.com and all of its free services. We’d like to remind you to please ask your surgeon and other healthcare providers to post RNYTalk.com fliers in their offices. We’re always growing, and you can help. Thank you. That does it for this newsletter. Thanks for reading and for your continued participation on the boards. Take care! Sincerely, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

Hey, Sleeve Plication Talk Members! Now that Memorial Day has passed and we’re well into June, it’s summer time! Why not use the warm weather and casual dress code for motivation to stick to your diet? Of course, the newsletter’s a great way to remind you to be good, too! We keep you updated on what’s going on at SleevePlicationTalk.com, and we’ll jump right into this newsletter with: Sleeve Plication Support Groups: Are you taking full advantage of special forum groups on SleevePlicationTalk.com? To Tell or Not to Tell – Do you tell others about your sleeve plication? Member Spotlight – None other than Alex Brecher, founder of SleevePlicationTalk.com! Sleever Challenge – This is a great one to kick off the summer. We encourage you to stay involved with SleevePlicationTalk.com. Ask your questions, answer your peers and keep your profile current. All of your participation keeps you on track and helps everyone else! Always let us know when you have suggestions, comments and questions. Enjoy the newsletter. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder SleevePlicationTalk.com Sleeve Plication Support Groups: What are They, and How Do They Help You? SleevePlicationTalk.com can be a huge part of your life. Many of us check the boards every day or more, and depend on the site for support, information and encouragement. Joining one or more SleevePlicationTalk.com support groups is a great way to get even more out of SleevePlicationTalk.com. These support groups are like exclusive clubs, but all you have to do to join is to participate! Just look at the different types groups we have. Monthly groups based on when you got your surgery Groups based on your hometown, age and weight goals. The sleeve plication buddies and mentors forum in case you need a little extra help or want to help someone in their weight loss journey. And more…for religious sleevers, gay, lesbian and bi sleevers, crossover addicts, biker sleevers…and way more. These groups are smaller discussion forums for sleevers who have a lot of things in common with you even beyond your weight loss surgery. They may have great solutions to problems that you’re having, and they can be super sympathetic to your situation. You can make close friends on these boards because you already have so much in common, and because you can spend a lot more “one-on-one” time with them. Come on over to the SleevePlicationTalk.com support group page and see which groups you want to join! Hot on the Boards: Coming out of the WLS Closet. To tell or not to tell? That’s a pretty sensitive question for a lot of weight loss surgery patients. It’s normal to feel embarrassed about your surgery, especially when you’re dealing with people who look down on you. Always remember that you don’t have to let others make you feel bad. As long as you’re healthy and happy, you should feel proud of your accomplishments. Anyone who truly loves you will also be proud. It’s a personal decision whether to tell people about weight loss surgery. You might tell your closest friends and family first, and let others in on the secret when they start to ask you how you lost so much weight. You don’t ever have to tell anyone if you’re shy or just don’t want to. Or, if you prefer, you can tell everyone as soon as you set the date for your surgery. Maybe that’ll make you feel more accountable and inspire you to success. What are your thoughts? Do you tell people that you’ve gotten weight loss surgery? Do you explain to them what a sleeve plication is, since they probably don’t know? How do you choose when to tell, how much to say and whom to tell? Do you have any tips for other sleevers? Tell us about it! First Member Spotlight – It’s Alex! We promised, and now we’ve delivered! It’s time for the first true Member Spotlight, and who better to be honored than…Alex! He’s the founder of RNYTalk.com and the other communities belonging to WLSBoards.com. He manages and promotes the boards to make sure that they’re here for everyone. He is truly passionate about helping others reach the same weight loss success that he did. Here’s his story. He’s the handsome, friendly face you see hanging out on the forums, but he took the same journey as many of you to achieve those looks. Alex struggled with obesity and diets for years without finding permanent weight loss success. He finally realized that he needed to lose the weight if he wanted to be around for his children for years to come. Alex got the lap-band, lost more than 100 pounds and never looked back. Thrilled with his new energy and health, Alex had the motivation and confidence to stop smoking. Today he is an active, lean family man who loves to run, bike and spend time with his children. In 2003, Alex founded LapBandTalk.com, which quickly became the largest weight loss surgery community in the world. He started VerticalSleeveTalk.com in February of 2009, and the other WLSBoards, RNYTalk.com and SleevePlicationTalk.com, followed in 2011. That’s right – we’re only starting our second year, and we’ve already got thousands of great members! Alex works hard to make sure that all members to have positive experiences and benefit from being part of the communities. Do you have someone you’d like to see featured in the Member Spotlight? Would you like to be our spotlighted member? Come tell us in the Member Spotlight forum! It’s a regular feature of the newsletters to let you learn a little more about someone in our community with an inspirational story or who helps out our members. Thanks for your nominations so far! Sleever Challenge! Challenge Yourself and Achieve Something New! We give you a challenge in each SleevePlicationTalk Newsletter. It’s not a challenge for you to compete against anyone else. It’s just a way to set a new goal for yourself to try something new or push yourself a little harder. Nobody’s keeping score, so try it! You can always find the old challenges in the Challenge Forum. So far, the two challenges have been: Try a new food or recipe. It’s pretty simple. Come up with a new recipe or try a new food that fits on your diet. Tell us about it! Recognize your non-scale victory (NSV): An NSV is something that is an accomplishment during your weight loss journey, but it isn’t based on the number on the scale. It might be something like fitting into a dress you like or being able to keep up with your grandchildren without getting tired.. It’s never too late to try the old challenges and write about them. Share what you come up with to brag a little and help out others. The New Challenge: Be an Exercise Buddy! This challenge is great for your health and the health of a lucky new or old friend. Why? Over the next two weeks, your challenge is to do a workout with a new person. Some ideas for the challenge are to: Ask your neighbor to take a walk with you Ask someone at your gym to be your partner while you both lift weights Go for a bike ride with your kids or spouse Take a new exercise class Be creative! The goal is to do something fun and healthy, and maybe make a new friend or two along the way. Don’t forget to post your challenge results in the Challenge Forum. The forum’s also great place to go if you need ideas or have advice for other Sleevers so they can complete the challenge. Good luck! And Finally: Please Support Us! Just as a reminder, we’d like to ask you to support us when you can. We know you value SleevePlicationTalk.com and all of its free services. We’d like to remind you to please ask your surgeon and other healthcare providers to post SleevePlicationTalk.com fliers in their offices. We’re always growing, and you can help. Thank you. That does it for this newsletter. Thanks for reading and for your continued participation on the boards. Take care! Sincerely, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.sleevepli...&tab=newsletter

Congrats!! Such an awesome story & great NSVs!!

Awesome NSV! You are doing great.

So excited today is my daughters first birthday! We got her little 'ducky' party all ready!!!

I have been wearing leggings and yoga pants since January. I stopped wearing jeans when jeans stopped fitting me, ultimately I stopped shopping all together. Yesterday, I went to get a dress for my sisters graduation. Dress looks great but I put on these size 24 shorts way to big, that was a shocker because I have been a 24 for a while then 24's from that store (dots) stopped fitting. So I put on a pair of 22 denim shorts and omggggg they fit like a dream! So now I'm down from a 22/24 in tops to an 18/20. and from a 24 in jeans to a 20! This feels awsome and I'm closer to being able to buy my Forever21+ jeans. Oh and I'm a 2x now too! ahhhhh Things are going sooo well! I needed my bf's motivation to get me through the gym yesterday, today I got it covered on my own!

Wow!! Congrats on the NSV AND on your awesome losses... that was FAST! =)

That is awesome!! It's definitely a NSV I'm looking forward to after my surgery. Congratulations and great job!

I'm only 1.5 weeks out and down 20 lbs total (Lost half during pre-op) but noticed that my lovely, soft, Egyptian cotton bath towel wraps around me! I am completely covered! So cool!

Okay, I have to give a shout out for my newest NSV!!!!! I have never been in favor of exercise (my favorite Bible verse is "Bodily exercise profiteth little..." lol - not really!) But, at 2 years out things have to step up to keep my new body/health in check. So I bought a bike and started riding several days a week 2-3 miles and today, I DID A WHOLE 30 MINUTES ON THE ELLIPTICAL! Now, that is BIG for me! ha! Anyway, I have seen a real change just by increasing exercise and lowering carbs. Fight the good fight, 50's!!!! Peace.