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I've been wearing size 20 in pants for the longest time and today when I finally went to buy new pants, I fit into a size 16! I can't believe it! I'm ecstatic!

Such a "guy-themed" post LOL. I love it TommyO. I'm having a good band day today, so I'm right here with ya on the "It Works!" excitement. I just updated my scale journal on my NSV thread, and the small ups and downs add up to a consistent loss over time. The scale inches lower by the week. Yay! "Don't take a knife and fork to a gunfight." Excellent advice.

Congratulations!!! NSV for sure! I know how good it felt when I had my jeans moment.. i would still be wearing them if they hadn't gotten too big for me lol.. oh well it was good two weeks of wearing them LOL... Enjoy those capris you'll be there SOON!

I think I have been a little to premature in reducing my pain killers. I spent virtually most of today sleeping! The last time I did that we discovered that I wasn't gewt proper sleep because of the pain, hence why I am on so many pain killers. I suspect that because have cut down my daily pills the nighttimes one haven't been working as effectively. I relied to much on the psychological impact of doing such a positive thing, rushing into silly behaviour! Time to re-introduce my day time pain killers, even though in theory the pain is bareable, my body and brain don't think it is (my feet and knees always seem to be in pain anyway it is ease to use mind over matter!). Had wondered why my bed looked as if I had danced a tango over it each night lol. I had a most horrible pain th is morning, I thought the band could have slipped, but after going back to bed, the pain eased off and it hasn't returned. A lady did tell me what it felt like if you had a slippage, something like chest pains, this wasn't the case with me, it was lower down, I guess more orund the bowel area, maybe the fod I ate had finally decided to disagre with me. I don't want to lose control like I did that day, eaing small amounts but very frequently which is very bad! So the pain was really just punishment. Still after all that I still love the fact, that the inches are slowly creeping off my frame, I put on a black dress that I hadn;t worn for over 4 years because it had made me look like a michellin man! It's still not as loose as it was when I first wore it, years ago; but, it really doesn;t cling and show off all te bumps like it had done! So that was a very poisitive NSV! I have a fake fur jacket which is also somethign that I can;t wait to wear again! I think a lot of my NSV's are based on clothes! Protein Powder now this one confuses me slightly. Do we have to have protein powder for the rest of our lives?? Think I need to search through the forum see what answers I can come up with!

Since I haven't been back to work yet since my surgery, I'll throw this out there just for fun. I just got a rejection letter on Saturday from a job interview I went on about a month ago (I know, Happy New Year to me). It was a state job with excellent benefits and would have meant a substantial promotion (more money, more responsibility). I was qualified for the position, and the interviewers seemed happy with my responses to their questions during the interview. I couldn't help but wonder if my weight played a role in not getting the job. There! I said it! I think that people in a professional setting do not take me seriously because of my weight. By the way, one NSV for me was that I DID NOT stick my head into a vat of ice cream because I was rejected. I was certainly devastated because a job at this level doesn't open up very often. I boo-hooed a bit and decided that there must be something better out there waiting for me and that's why I didn't get the job.

I love it! Good for you! what a great feeling! Mine involves jeans too. I bought a new pair of jeans and was so thrilled with the smaller size I wore them for an entire weekend. After I washed and dried them I pulled them out of the dryer and thought, "OMG they shrank! Look at the teeny tiny little jeans! I will never be able to wear them again." I figured I would try them on and see just how much more I would have to lose before I could even think about wearing them. They fit! I zipped them up with no problem! My brain has not caught up with my shrinking size. I learned a lesson that day. Do not just hold up clothes to figure out if they will fit. I must try them on. As you get farther along in your journey you will find that most of the time, these NSVs mean so much more than what the scale says.

About a week post-op, I got so sick I could not eat/drink a thing w/o feeling like I was going to throw it all up. I could not stomach the Protein shakes, so I know I was not getting enough nutrition in any form!! It was a vicious cycle for about a week! I had about 2cc of Fluid removed on about Day 12...and he told me I could start eating SOFT foods. A by-pass-patient friend recommended Taco Bell refried Beans....= HEAVEN!! lol BUT, this meant I had virtually NO restriction...so for the past 3 weeks I've been free-lancing!! And like Joann, BOY DID I EAT. Not much during the day (stayed busy) but at supper, when I am fixing for my family - wow. I got some fluid put back in yesterday - not as much as was taken out, but we discussed taking this slow to avoid any complications. Today, I'm feeling hungry, but will drink my Water until its time for lunch. Supper I CHOOSE to do what is right. Its unlikely you have harmed yourself...BUT, like everyone said, TODAY/TOMORROW is a new day. Face your "crime" - and clearly you have done the time (berating and hating yourself = been there/done that!!)...so move forward. Make a list of your WHYs....why you want/need to lose weight. Here are few of mine - and maybe yours are the same!? - 1. Get off the floor w/o help (or a wench) 2. No shame at the beach - both in my swimsuit AND getting up from sitting 3. Crossing my legs - without havng to hook a foot on something to keep it there! 4. Riding some of the rides at an amusement park (I have not fit into a seat in YEARS - shoulder bar crushes the girls and kills my back - NOT WORTH THE EMBARRASSMENT) 5. Holding my head high at a school function w/ my children 6. Shopping for clothes that do not start w/ a "2" and end with a "W" 7. Making love to my husband w/ the lights ON. (and add shopping at Victoria's and actually BUYING something!) 8. Shopping at CHICOs. 9. Seeing my feet when I look down. 10. Not getting stares in a restaurant, knowing I will no longer be judged because I am EATING. (these are not necessarily in order of my priorities - just what comes to mind!) That's the short version...but making a list of my WHYs has been really REALLY helpful. I have not lost a ton of weight (16 to date), but I am noticing some NSVs - rings and watch are looser, pants are looser in the fanny and around the waist (tho not falling off yet by any means)...those COUNT. I will not give up...and neither should you!! We are all walking the same pathway here...some are a little farther down the road, but there is nothing new under the sun for those of us who've let our stomachs be our god. ITS A NEW DAY. Now, hop up, look yourself in the mirror and hold your head up and tell yourself "I am worth it"...then go write down your WHYs...and you're off!! We're rooting for you!! Kim in IN

@@jane13 i always say/think that "our" clothes sizes (going down) are the best NSV's can't beat those smaller clothes sizes nice giving clothes away to women shelter that is a wonderful NSV 50 lbs down, down and dirty!! keep up the good job kathy congrats

Woo-Hoo!!! Hit the 50lb loss mark this morning!!!! I am so pumped about hitting that milestone. To top that off - the shorts I just got back into after about 5 years of not being able to squeeze into - are too BIG! I can wear shorts to work and about a month ago I went through my clothes and donated to local women's shelter anything size 20 or larger (depending on how they fit). I have been wearing 18s and some 16s. This morning I tried on a pair of shorts that a month ago seemed too snug and now they seem really loose! I am going home today and trying on the 16s!!!! These are the best NSVs ever!

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! I hope this newsletter finds you well and making progress towards your surgery, weight loss, and health goals. Now that summer is officially over, it’s about time to take advantage of what autumn has to offer to help you lose more weight. We hope this newsletter will help you do that, and here is what you will find. Ready for Weight Loss Anytime, Anywhere Appreciating the Weight Loss Surgery Journey Autumn Weight Loss: Take Advantage of the Season Take a look at the newsletter for some inspiration and ideas. Then, why not put what you learned to the test by planning the next stage in your weight loss surgery journey? The BariatricPal forums are always there for encouragement and support, so you can be confident that you’re never alone in your journey. To your health! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Ready for Weight Loss Anytime, Anywhere Your best bet for sticking to your weight loss surgery diet is to be prepared. For starters, you can stock your kitchen with fresh vegetables and fruit, chicken, tuna, yogurt, and other lean proteins, and instant protein breakfasts and entrees to use in a pinch. There may be times when you need something even faster, and you can be prepared to get a healthy meal or snack anytime, anywhere. Shakes, Bars, and Snacks A healthy snack can give you needed protein while curbing hunger, but putting together a fresh snack is not always practical. Protein shakes, protein bars, and protein snacks, such as protein chips and protein pretzels, can do the trick when you are time-crunched or have other things on your mind. You can find the calorie-controlled, ready to use choices you need at The BariatricPal Store. New to our store? Use coupon code BPNLSEP2016 for a 15% discount on your first purchase! Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Unjury and Opurity BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, Chicken Soup Flavor, and Unflavored. These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable calcium, vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. Healthy Options at Every Corner No matter how careful you are to plan ahead, life can throw a wrench into your plans. When life happens, you can be caught empty-handed and starving. Even then, you can find something that fits into your weight loss surgery diet. Fast food restaurants have a lot of bad options, but they have some good choices, too. Whether you are stuck with a coffee shop, a burger joint, a pizza parlor, a sandwich shop, or another type of national franchise restaurant, you can fit something into your WLS diet if you order carefully. You might want to consider your options ahead of time so you can be confident in your choice when you have only a few quick minutes to decide what to order. These are some likely possibilities to look for. Eggs and cheese from a breakfast sandwich. Chicken or turkey breast, a burger patty, or cheese from a burger, sandwich, or taco. A side salad or green salad with chicken breast. Fat-free yogurt. You always have the choice of how much to eat, so do not ever pressure yourself to eat too much just because you received too much food. Also, you can pick and choose what to eat. Never feel obligated to eat the bread when all you wanted was the chicken breast inside the sandwich, and feel free to pick out the shrimp and vegetables from a rice bowl, while leaving the rice untouched. Appreciating the Weight Loss Surgery Journey There is a lot to think about from the moment you begin the weight loss surgery journey. Goal weight may be at the front of your mind. Also at the forefront are probably milestones such as getting through your pre-op diet, having surgery itself, progressing to solid foods, and, if you are a lap-band patient, finding the green zone with your band. On top of all that, you need to focus on working hard day in, day out, on following your WLS diet. There is truly a lot to concentrate on as you chase weight loss surgery success. That is good because it can keep you focused on track, but it can keep you from noticing some of the great things that are happening every day of your WLS. Making an effort to notice these exciting moments on a daily basis can keep you motivated and make your entire journey easier. Recognize Great Choices On a daily basis, you are faced with countless choices that affect your weight loss surgery journey, from what to eat to whether to exercise. No matter what else happens in your life, you are in control of your choices. If you make a habit of noticing and praising yourself each time you make a good weight loss surgery choice, you will be motivated to make more good choices. They build on each other. Here are a few choices you might recognize. They may seem small, but they show your commitment to your weight loss, and they add up to big results. Measuring portions instead of eyeballing them. Packing a lunch the night before so you don’t rush out of the house empty-handed the next day. Getting up to walk in the morning instead of rolling over in bed. Making the effort to go to your support group meeting instead of staying at home. Phoning a friend to talk through your feelings instead of drowning them in food. Enjoy Daily Progress You will not hit a major milestone each day. The scale will not go down each day, or even each week. But you can still progress in your weight loss surgery every day. When you appreciate your progress, you can see the links between your hard work and the benefits that it leads to. In turn, that can increase your motivation. All kinds of progress can happen on a daily basis. Many of them will be NSVs (non-scale victories) that can pop up at any time. For example, there might be that first day when it takes you a moment to see that the skinny figure reflecting back at you from the shop window is…you. You might find that you ar Or, you might realize that you chose to order the grilled chicken salad instead of your old go-to of nachos supreme not because you had to, but because the salad actually sounded more appealing for your new palate. Autumn Weight Loss: Take Advantage of the Season Ready or not, summer is over and the chillier weather is coming in. You might as well embrace it, though, since autumn can be a great season for weight loss. For one thing, the distractions of summer vacations are over, so it is easier to focus on routine, including the routine that you know will get you to your weight loss goals. Here are a few more ways you can take advantage of fall for weight loss. Walk outside in the invigorating brisk air instead of avoiding the summer heat. Snack on crisp fall apples, or bake them with cinnamon and serve them with Greek yogurt for a guilt-free dessert. Discover winter squashes such as acorn and butternut as one of the most nutritious starch choices you can make – packed with fiber, potassium, and antioxidants. Find a local farm where you can burn calories picking apples or pears. Curl up with a hot cup of protein cocoa or cappuccino on a chilly evening. Go to a gym regularly, since they are fairly empty at this time of year. Get creative as you think of ways that the fall season can help you lose weight, and take advantage of every opportunity that comes along. Whenever you have ideas or need ideas, hop on over to BariatricPal and get those conversations going! I hope you enjoyed the newsletter and got some inspiration from it. You are always welcome to share your questions and comments over on the forums, and I hope you will! Have a great fall, and thanks for your support. · Unsubscribe from all BariatricPal E-Mail.

Good for you! It's interesting how you can find an NSV in a hospital stay.

What a difference a day makes! See that grin on my face?!! I woke up to a loss this morning...180 lbs. for the first time in a long time! Yeah baby...I'm headed back to the 70's (let's hope soon!)! I had a follow up with the Urology Specialist today downtown at Magee Hospital (the one who put me on Vesicare...working great still BTW!). I first saw a nurse who I'd not met before. After 'suiting up' and leaving my sample, the doc finally came in. She started with 'I saw you walk by my office and didn't even recognize you!! I had to ask the girls if I had a new patient today they forgot to tell me about!!' Then she went on and on about how great I looked and asked me all kinds of questions. The best part was when she must have looked up my age. She explained to me that they just had a group of medical school students in yesterday and in medical school they teach the students to describe the patient's (I think she called it) apparent age...do they look older, younger or about their actual age. She went on and on about how much younger I look than my actual age (just the thing that someone who just went through the trauma of turning 50 needs to hear). OK, I'm gloating here and she was probably laying it on thick as she complimented me at least a dozen times...I was embarressed actually, but it made my day, make that my week. I can count the number of NSV's I've gotten from people outside my family on one hand (sad, but I expected that as people generally see you lose slowly and I've lost weight before), so I'm allowed to revel in this a moment. OK, gloating over...but I've still got that stupid grin on my face! I had a little bit of a down day yesterday, but today turned me around...I'm Doing A 180!!!

What an exciting NSV!

Saturday my hubby took me to Breakfast at a market we work at every Saturday. We are vendors there and so once a year we get a free breakfast. I ordered bacon and pancakes. He ordered a breakfast burrito. As my hubby got up to get coffee and tea out food was being set before me. the lady who delivered it said this is a lot of food for such a little thing like yourself. she then smiled and walked away. I stared in disbelief because I still see myself most times as fat. oops. when my hubby came over I told him what she said and he smiled and said you are tiny. I looked at him and then stared at the woman who had said it. Then it dawned on me that I recognized her from somewhere but could not put my finger on it....Then I broke down crying. It just happened. I remembered her. she was one of my favorite nurses who looked after me when I finally came home from the hospital. I called her over and asked if she remembered me and was she still a nurse. She said no she did not know me and yes she worked part time as a nurse. I told her who I was and of course it was not hard to place me as I was the only patient who had a category 5 bed sore. She stood there and clasp her hand over her mouth and said OMG I would have never known it was you. I told her how much I liked her and how much I appreciated her honesty with my health and that she meant a lot to me. She came over and hugged me hard and thanked me for the compliment. I turned to my hubby and repeated what she said and she said yup. It's true I did say that. We laughed and she asked me to remind her husband that she was a gem....We laughed and she went back to work serving. After breakfast I got up to get my coat on and a lady behind me asked me how I was doing. I said fine. Do we know each other? She said you don't know me then? I said no. She said I worked at the drug store but no longer do. I have been wondering how you are doing. You were so sick. We thought you were not going to make it. I said me either and I laughed. She told me I looked amazing and so healthy and she was so pleased to see that. I thanked her for remembering me and for the kind words. My day was wonderful yesterday. All this hard work and trouble has been so worth it. I face surgery ( repair work on my butt from the bed sore ) on Thursday and no longer feel bad or fearful. I am going forward not backward and these people helped me see that.... Sorry for being long winded but it was an amazing feeling for people to say such lovely things.....

Great NSV for your DH,Crystal. I bet he is loving it too. And I bet you can not wait to see him also. Tell him "great job and keep up the good work."

I was chatting with a work colleague who I respect for her straight talking. She is one of the few here who know I have had the band. She asked how much weight I have lost and how I am feeling. I was my (new) positive self and told her how great I was feeling, what a fantastic ride I had to work this morning etc. Her next comment stunned me! She told me that in the past, i.e. pre-band days, I would only ever talk about how sick I was or how much my knees ached. While it might sound negative, it was a real reminder of just how far I have come and how much changing my life for the better is also have a positive effect on others. I publicly apologise to all those who I had brought down with my misery guts outlook on life in the past. Life is glorious!

thats such a fabulous NSV!!!!!

I am having to drop my daughter off at school this week. Normally, my husband does it because I have a 30 mile drive to work and he works in the town we live, therefore if I take her, we leave extra early! My daughter doesn't mind because usually I will get drive-thru Breakfast which is a rare treat for her. Anyway..she loves to eat a sausage patty sans the biscuit and a 1/2 of a hashbrown and a small sweet tea. (hence why it's considered a treat). Granted ..it smelled really, REALLY glorious, and deliciously breakfasty! She finishes her normal amounts, hops out the car, we say our goodbyes, have a good day, etc, & I drive away...my thoughts start to focus on that biscuit and 1/2 a hashbrown. Maybe a bite? My conscience screams loudly "NO NO NO..you haven't come this far to stop ..NO!". And you know what..I listened. So I drive the 30 miles smelling the food the whole way..never touching or thinking about it again until I get out of my car at work to throw the bag and all of its contents away. My sleeve is the tool that allowed me to learn self-control, something I was unable to learn until now. So ..what did I have for breakfast? Something pretty satisfying..see the below picture..and a self indulgent pat on the back!

In two days I will post my 6 month anniversary pic...but for now I wanted to show what I can wear. Since I have lost..I can now wear cute scrubs and not pay an arm and a leg for them!! My sleeve is working its magic!

@raine Well I have been heavy since I was a kid, if I'm completely honest here I would have one of my greatest NSV's if I ever get to where some woman is checking out my butt! That would probably get even me to cry lol. @kemo, You wi my friend! You gonna be in great hands, and the losers bench is gonna welcome you with open arms. Keep us posted! When is your date again?

I just have to say that whey I need a little pick me up this is a great place to be. I don't really know where I want my weight to be but I know I have over 100 pounds to loss since I started @ 316.8. I have set my first goal at 180 don't know why just that it was a reachable number and under 200. So far in just over 4 months I have lost 60 pounds and this is the less I have weighed in years! I love that my clothes don't fit me anymore. I hate the idea of buying new thought. (Thats the give and take I guess) My wedding bands and mothers ring are almost too big for me. I flew for the first time in Sept since surgery and I didn't need a seat belt extender. I love thinking of NSV and this is the first time I have written them down somewhere. I guess there could be others but these are the ones that stick out in my mind. Hope everyone is doing great and hang in there Brenda you will be losing again before you know it. Plus when you figure out what you need to do you can post it here and when we get stuck we can look at your advice. Here is what helps me now.... I write down EVERYTHING that goes in my mouth along with the calories. This keep me @ 1000 - 1200 calories a day plus it lets me know when I can reward myself for going so good. I don't exercise like I should I do walk everyday 20 - 30 mins at a time everyday though..I figure that is better then nothing. If someone can tell me how to get going I have a Y membership that isn't used but they offer great classes I just always make excuses. Anyway the other thing I do is I drink ALL my Water. the whole 64 oz....if I don't I can tell it really slows me down. I can't wait to read more about everyone...lets keep this 100+ thread going!!!

I was banded 14 1/2 months ago. Needless to say, I'm still fat. I have no one to blame but myself. I just ate whatever I wanted thinking I would still lose weight. Uh, no. That did not happen. And I wound up gaining more weight. So after a binge on chips and dip 3 weeks ago Wednesday, I finally realized that I cannot continue to live and eat the way I had been. So the very next day, I recommitted myself to making a change in my life. God willing, it will be a lifelong one. I have no clue how much I weighed 3 weeks ago, but I know what I weigh now. And based on the scale, I weighed less than I thought I did when I recommitted, so that's a plus. And as of 2 days ago, I'm back in the 220's. Two twenty-eight to be specific. Yay!! Now onto the NSV. I have a body frame where I'm large from the waist up (very broad back), and smaller from the waist down. My tops are a size or two larger than my pants. Four years ago I lost weight the "right" way. I watched what I ate and exercised 5 days per week. That lasted all of a couple-three months, but in that time, I got down to a size 16. Not a 16W, but a regular ol' 16. So I had a pair of size 16 capris in my closet. Well, I pulled them out of the closet for the first time a couple weeks ago. I was able to wear them, but not zipped or buttoned. I held them up with a rubber band. I do that with all the jeans/pants I can't zip up. I wore those capris again today, using the rubber band to hold them up. As the hours passed, I noticed how loose they were, so I decided to try and zip and button them. And I was able to w/o any effort!!! Yay!! Now, sitting down in them wouldn't be pretty due to my HUGE muffin top. (A lot of my weight is in my stomach) So I need to still lose a good amount of weight in my stomach, but I was still thrilled that I was able to zip up and button a regular size 16 pant!!! That's my first NSV and I hope it's followed by many more.

I had a major NSV this weekend. I got stuck in the middle seat of an airplane for one leg of my flight to Austin. For years, I've been terrified of getting stuck in the middle because I knew that I'd be cramped and uncomfortable, and that the people on either side of me would just be hating me the whole time. BUT, at eight months post-op and 48 lbs down, I fit in that seat with a bit of room to spare! Woo-hoo! :tongue_smilie: Catherine

NSV-Non Scale Victory

I went to Knotts berry Farm on Friday. I had not been for 2 years because I was a millimeter from not being able to fit into the rides. This time there was room to spare! I couldn't even get the bar over my stomach in the bumper cars and there was plenty of room to spare. I ran everywhere and only had enough when the temp reached 105 and I had gone on Xcelerator twice. I went into Goodwill and found size medium tops and size 10 jeans and shorts. They now almost fit. The pants I mean. I am wearing medium tops. I went into target and got this cute little dress off the rack and it fit beautifully. It was the first time I have worn a dress in AGES. We went grocery shopping after church and the girl at the deli counter looks at me and says, "Have you lost weight? You look incredible!" That made my day and I told her so. I didn't even think she remembered me from week to week.