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Joni, I think your weight loss is great. I didn't lose much either. The pre-op week of liquids, I didn't lose an ounce. I had lost ten pounds at one week post-op, but that was two weeks of liquids, one of which was clear liquids...And then recently, I did not lose a single pound for 18 straight days...then, I got on the scale and I had lost ten pounds overnight. I am 7 weeks out yesterday, and I have lost a total of 40 pounds, including the 7 pounds before my pre-op liquid diet. So really, only 33 since surgery...but, hey, I will take it...I would not have lost this much before surgery, and I can tell I am losing every single day. It may not show on the scale, but I know it is coming off. Also, my attitude is better, and I really do feel better...one of my NSVs was painting my own toenails and doing my own pedicure...my energy is still not 100 percent, but I am getting stronger every day, and you will too...and 24 pounds is awesome...

Dear Mama, you look beautiful at your son's wedding! I am sure that he was as proud of you as you are of him. The wedding album is very nice. Congrats on your NSV! Karen

@Gillybean I GAINED 7.5lbs once I switched from liquid to food, so consider yourself lucky. haha. Seriously though, I think this is totally normal. My surgeon said not to expect any loss for 6 weeks. And once we reach the green zone, we won't be losing more than 1-2lbs a week. So actually.. you are doing great. Avoid the scale for the next month. @whymomwhy Sounds like things are going well. @Lose_It Thats smart. I'm doing the same and no major issues. I found shredded beef in sauce worked A LOT better for me than ground beef with sauce. Easier to chew down. Its funny certain things work and certain things don't. Fish has also been very easy to eat. Well today I had my first NSV! I am going on a cruise in a week and I ordered 2 formal dresses online (one in size 18, one in a 20.. I normally wear 20). Tried it on when it arrived today and a size 18 was way too big on top! The dress is plus size so didn't even come in a 16 which I needed. I cannot wait til I am out of plus size entirely, but for now... this feels pretty good Here was my day: Breakfast - 1/4cup yogurt (I noticed my band was really tight this morning) snack - 8oz milk lunch - 1/3cup shredded beef, 1/4cup peaches, 2 small pieces of broccoli Snack - 8oz milk dinner - 1/2cup chicken noodle soup Snack - 8oz milk Exercise - did 30 minutes on the elliptical, some arm raises with 5 lb weights, and leg stretches.

I sent the first pic to my friend when I took it and was so proud...then I took the one on Saturday but didn't think anything of it til I was looking for an older picture to show my boss. That was when I decided to compare and was SHOCKED at the difference. My tummy was so big it could drive my car...now there is a huge gap! I thought my steering wheel needed to be checked because it was feeling loose...that's when I realized the huge gap. This honestly has to be the best nsv for me so far. I can't wait to see what happens in the next three months. I really want to be 100 lbs down by September! Maybe I will have to adjust my seat!

I'm a little bit of a slow loser I think (which is okay with me). I lost 17 pounds in the two-week pre-op low carb diet but only 15 since surgery on May 3 and I haven't had any food that are cheat foods. As long as I see the scale going down two or three pounds a week I am totally fine with that. I expect a stall at some point and I'll power through it. I haven't added much exercise yet but have an appt. tomorrow with my NUT and Fitness Consultant. I think when I add some exercise in and get my calories up a little, I might see a larger loss, but who knows what my body is going to decide to do. So far, a little peanut butter is the only thing I've tried that has not agreed with my sleeve. One of the things I have noticed is that I am much more 'in tune' to what my body is telling me. If I am a little bit down on my water, I get tired, so I up my H2O. I am pretty much able to gulp down water now too, so I can swig a glass before bed if I need to. I also had my best NSV ever and posted it in a different section. Put a pair of pants on and they promptly fell to the ground! My husband had to come in and see what I was laughing so hard at. I'm wearing clothes in my closet that I haven't worn for many years and other clothes that I wore that were tight now fit really well. It's such an incredible feeling and a great morale booster!

great NSV!!! Rock that sleeve!!!

Fantastic! I love these NSV'S!

Just had a check up at my dr's office. My hemoglobin A1C was 6.2 and rising which is considered pre-diabetic. I am now proud to say its 5.5 and I am no longer considered pre-diabetic! Best decision I made for improving my health has been getting sleeved!

Hey everybody! How's it going after a 3day weekend? Meredith...great NSV! dug my swimsuit out yesterday as well. Its a 20/22 and just looking at it I could tell it would be too big. I also have a tankini from about 4 years ago. Its a 16 but I haven't braved myself enough to try it on yet. LOL. JDI...good for you! I say don't deny yourself something as long as you count it...and great job on the workout. I'm planning to go to zumba tonight myself. The restriction is better...thanks for asking. Very tight in the a.m. so I've been having hot tea prior to eating or just having a protein shake for breakfast. I really do have to centimeter-sized bites now though. I'm at less than a cup of food finally (haven't been there since right after surgery)...and I'm down just a little more. Now...if I can just lose 6 pounds by Friday (HA!) to meet my June 1st Onederland goal...that would be great. LOL. I finally decided to part with more clothes that I'd been hanging onto, thinking oh, I can wear that one more time.HA! I tried some things on and looked in the mirror. Potato-sack is not a good fashion statement. So...I filled up a 30-gallon garbage and a HUGE Belk shopping bag and they're going to either Goodwill or our local homeless shelter for women.

Specifically about the sleeve, nothing I can think of. I wish I could have been more aware I would not have any major complications during surgery, lol. I do not think I sounded very confident to my Hubby sometimes. Actually, I think I would have liked to have been more realistic and reminded myself that knowledge is sometimes thwarted by experience. I knew so much, read so much, but it all FELT different, and actually dealing with it is more thorough, more time consuming, more of a complete change than I expacted - even though I knew what to expect. Oh yes!!!! The NSV's - I did not anticipate how important it was to have and acknowledge the NSV's. These small and not so small things are so very important. VST - I did not anticipate just how important daily interaction could be for me. Without VST this would be a very different, lonely experience. Hope that helps.

Congratulations!! I often think the improvements to our quality of life far outweigh the victories over the numbers on the scale. You have had some pretty huge NSV with your health it sounds like Thank you for sharing and the inspiration!

Chrissy, you are doing fabulous, congrats! How did everyone do over the 3 day holiday weekend? I survived for the most part. No major issues. I had a wonderful NSV that I didn't expect. After doing errands and cleaning yesterday, it was hot and I just wanted to sit in the backyard and get some color. We opened our pool yesterday and was not able to go in as it needs to be shocked, etc. I decided to look for some old bathing suits I had stored away knowing full well I wouldn't be able to wear last year's suits as they would be swimming on me, no pun intended. I found a tankini from NewPort News, a good 6 yrs old, still in good condition and size 14/16 {last year's was 20/22}. It fit and looked really good on me! I couldn't believe it! My husband also commented on how good it looked which was an added bonus although he's been very supportive all along.

I completely understand where you are coming from! I have been avoiding the scale lately. I try to remind myself that I did loose a lot prior to surgery and that may have something to do with it. It's still frustrating though. Keep going with those NSV's!

Great NSV there Congrats

Thank you for sharing! I love reading about these and you definitely did not overshare The NSV's are what make this whole process worth it. More than numbers and even clothing sizes. The NSV's make us shout for joy and plaster smiles on our faces... to read that someone else is experiencing it as well is an awesome feeling! It makes me feel proud, even though I don't know you personally. Good job and keep it up! I am so happy for you!

My husband and I took our kids to the carnival in town, they had rides there. The last time I had been on an amusement ride was over 3 years ago, it was an extremely tight fit, and so embarrassing I stopped riding all together. I thought I'd give it a shot since I'm almost 50 lbs down. I fit in fine and there was a little room to spare!!!!! This smile hasn't left my face all day

LapBandTalk Contest & Newsletter By LapBandTalk.com Newsletter Hey, Bandsters, It’s that time again…another couple of weeks, another newsletter! We keep you updated on the latest happenings on LapBandTalk.com, and there’s a lot happening! Here’s a quick rundown of this week’s newsletter. Launch of the LapBandTalk.com app for Kindle. Encouragement to welcome new LapBandTalk.com members in the ”Introductions” Forum. Tick and Track your way to success! Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan gets banded and loses 90 pounds – and inspires his little brother! First Member Spotlight: Coming Soon! Newsletter Challenge: summary of the previous one, and a new challenge to try. Visit LapBandTalk.com often to stay on track with your weight loss journey and stay motivated to follow your diet and exercise program to get the success you deserve with the lap-band. Stay involved in the discussion forums, and always let us know if you have any comments, suggestions or questions. Take care of yourselves and each other. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Kindle App Launched! The LapBandTalk.com app for the Kindle has launched! You can download it for free from Amazon for instant use on your Android. The Kindle app joins the lineup of LapBandTalk.com apps for iPod, iPad, iPhone and Android. All of these apps are fully functional, so you can read and post to the forums, upload photos and send private messages. Don’t go anywhere without LapBandTalk.com! Don’t forget about the contest to celebrate the launch of our new apps. The contest to win a free iPod Touch is still on, and you can get the details in the first LapBandTalk.com newsletter. There’s still time to enter; just complete your member profile and post to the forums to become eligible. The more you post and more involved you are on LapBandTalk.com, the better your chances of winning. Your chances improve when you post to the forums, join a group, comment on our new WLS magazine, upload photos or refer a friend. Wondering How You Can Help Out Other Bandsters Even More? LapBandTalk.com has more than 100,000 members who regularly come here for information, support and advice during all stages of your weight loss journey. Some of you visit often to read the forums, but you don’t post very often. Some of you post regularly. Both kinds of members are fantastic because LapBandTalk.com is dedicated toward helping everyone who needs it. We’re a welcoming, supportive community. We know that many of you Bandsters go above and beyond the call of duty, and want to know how you can use LapBandTalk.com to become even more supportive of your fellow bandsters. A few of you have asked about it, and we know a lot more of you are wondering the same thing. A great first step is to reach out to new members. Greet them when they post on the “Introductions” Forums, and answer any newbie questions to help them learn the ropes. And thanks! Tickers and Trackers Help You Be More Successful! What do you need to keep yourself on track, show the world who you are and remind yourself of what you’ve accomplished? Tickers and trackers, of course! Tickers let you mark your BMI, body fat, weight and countdown to surgery. They show your starting value, where you currently are and your goal value. Trackers are for recording your current body measurements. You get to customize them by choosing what they look like. We encourage you to make your tickers and trackers public, so that they are displayed when you post in the forums. That helps you stay and inspires your fellow bandsters. If you’re a little shy, you can make your ticker private so that only you see it. Lap-Band Helps Jets Head Coach Rex Ryan Look a Little More Athletic You already know that it doesn’t feel so good to have other people look at you and judge you because of your weight. It had to be tough for Rex Ryan, head coach of the New York Jets pro football team, to regularly be on national television weighing 338 pounds, and it probably didn’t help his ability to move around the football field while coaching. He got the lap-band in Since then, he’s lost close to 90 pounds. He’s approaching his goal weight of 250 pounds, and he looks a lot more comfortable in his clothes. He’s had no serious side effects beside slight indigestion following a post-game celebration, and he’s even inspired his younger brother, Rob Ryan, to get the band. Whom will you inspire? What do you think of the story? Post your thoughts and any lap-band talk news stories you see in the LapBandTalk.com News Forum! Coming Soon: Member Spotlights! We introduced them in the previous newsletter, and they’re coming soon…Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights! Each LapBandTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read all about our honorees. We’ll be Contacting You Soon! Don’t forget to post in the member spotlight forum to nominate yourself or another Bandster! Don’t be shy about it. Your story can make the difference in someone’s life. Within the coming weeks, many of you will be contacted through the LapBandTalk.com PM system about becoming a spotlighted member. Bandster Challenge! Highlights from the Last Challenge and a New Challenge to Try! Each Bandster Newsletter, we’ll give you a challenge. You can always find the latest news about the current challenge and check out the old ones in the Challenge Forum. The Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself to try something new or unusual. We encourage you to let everyone know how you did on the Challenge by posting in the Challenge Forum. Roundup of the Previous Bandster Challenge: Try a New Food! In the last newsletter, we suggested trying a new food or recipe that was healthy and a good fit for your meal plan. You can check out member contributions in the Bandster Challenge Forum. Here are three good ones. Breakfast – Cream Cheese Pancakes from MadcapMama. These pancakes are high in protein, low in calories and a sweet way to start your day. Lunch – Tandoori Chicken Salad from SageTracey. This salad has tzatzitki dressing – it’s a great for your lunch or dinner. It has 166 calories per serving, but SageTracey says she couldn’t even finish it all. Dessert – Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut butter from imperfect 1974. What else is there to say? Thanks to the three of you for sharing your culinary expertises! Don’t forget that you can always go back, try the old Bandster challenges and post your experience. Going public is a great way to motivate yourself, and other members can learn from your experiences! The New Challenge: Share a NSV! Okay, first of all, what does NSV mean? It’s short for a Non Scale Victory, and it’s just what it sounds like. It’s a victory related to your lap-band journey but not related to the number on the scale. We all have disappointing weigh-ins at some point, but it’s not all about the weight. The journey is about getting healthy, loving life and having new, positive experiences. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in the number on the scale that we forget to celebrate the other victories that are just as important. This Newsletter’s challenge is to recognize a new NSV and write about it in the Challenge Forum. An NSV can be anything that makes you realize what positive steps you’ve taken for yourself. Some possible NSV’s that you recognize might be: Going to a baseball game and fitting into the seat. Buying your new summer swimsuit in a regular store. Keeping your cool while you eat a meal with your hypercritical mother-in-law. Don’t be shy about sharing your NSV on the Challenge Forum. You can help other Bandsters learn to recognize their own NSVs and take pride in them! So that’s about it for this week’s newsletter, but there’s never a dull moment at LapBandTalk.com! Come by and post often, and be sure to share your opinions, advice and feedback. See you on the boards! 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

Congrats! !! I'm loving these NSV stories keeps me inspired

Pookey, Great NSV!!! I am laughing because your friend didn't recognize you! That's terrific! BTW, My sons love Rammstein, so I've definitely heard a good bit of their music! Pretty good, IMO!

I too am over 50 and I enjoy your telling it like is. This is just a tool. If we make the right decisions, it helps. If we make the wrong decisions, it's useless. Keep it up. You body is eating away the fat and you are seeing NSVs. Sounds like a success story to me.

What an awesome experience and thank you so much for sharing it with us. The closer I get to surgery the more I need reassuring and comforting stories to keep my mind balanced. I understand all the risks, I understand there are complications, I understand that it's not easy and I may be one that has complications, I am so aware of them and am going into this with wide eyes, but hearing positive and uplifting stories that some day things will be better, makes me so happy. I hope you have a great NSV every day!!!

NSV -- I attended my niece's bridal shower! I am 10 weeks post-op and I have rejoined life. A year ago I probably would have figured out how to NOT GO to the bridal shower because of so many things--self-image, feeling judged, discomfort, etc. Yesterday, I was confident and it made my niece and sister-in-law tear-up with happiness to have me there. During the sit-down luncheon, I was able to eat a little of almost everything. It was a beautiful vegitarian luncheon but I had a Protein Shake before going into the party so was comfortable I would get what I needed. I only had one person comment on how little I was eating. The amazing thing that hit me was when we were preparing to sit at the table -- I chose a seat in the middle -- not on the end. I have never done this before! I have always sat at the end so that I wouldn't overflow into someone else's space. Yesterday, I was "normal". Thinking back on it, I was still probably one of the larger guests at the party, but that wasn't even an issue for me as it would have been in the past. It was a very special day and I am grateful that I didn't miss out on it. I'm also grateful for this always-inspiring forum!

Thanks everyone! I feel even better now! I did my workout and usually I'm tired after a mile around the track and I managed to do 2 miles. Because it actually felt great! Nsv's are amazing. Lol