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WOW... That is one super-duper NSV... and check out that photo... you look seriously strong there! What an amazing achievement at just 5mths out! You don't look like you have EVER been overweight!!

NSV in ANY language is a WIN!!!!! Congratulations & thanks for the story

Today was a good start. My trainer said he can see some refinement in my muscles...There you go..It is working. He said muscle!!!! Asked him if he could see it on my butt. But he just laughed and said we are getting there you know. It is going to be something when I get all my muscle mass back.... Can you call this a NSV!

Congratulations on your NSV! Nice to have moments like that

So before surgery my BMI was 54.1 now 23 months(1yr 11 months) later my BMI is 41.3 Down 12.8

NSV is Non-scale Victory, not sure about SLIMING

We have a huge thread about NSVs (non-scale victories) but I wanted to share a scale-related one. As I posted in another thread, I had to go to the emergency room. Once I was in intake and triage, of course the first thing they said was "hop up on the scale please." And for the first time in my adult life, I didn't dread it. I didn't dread a nasty "guess what we found those 8 pounds you lost and they brought their cousins" number. I didn't even empty my pockets. It felt so liberating.

You've already lost 24 lbs so in 7 months you should lose quite a few more - depends on how determined you are. Add exercise and lots of fluids and it will fall off. It's all a matter of choices and quality over quantity. Any amount lost will be a bonus for your trip. Remember to celebrate the NSV (non scale victories) too. They are just as important as the numbers on the scale. Good luck and let us know how you're feeling.

Today I finally noticed another change. After 6-8 weeks bouncing around the same weight, my longest stall so far, I put my pretty watch on, and it was super loose around my wrist. In my fat days, I could barely do its bracelet up, and it was digging into my skin. Today, it was half way up towards my elbow ..... And I lost a full shoe size! Even though my (I'm not happy with you right now) scales haven't budged much, obviously I am losing inches/centimetres .... Yay for small NSVs ! 8 months post op, and I am well past my honeymoon phase, and I am so grateful for any improvements.

Hi guys! I know there hasn't been a post here in a while, but I just wanted to share too. I gained weight this week (from over indulgence on my vacation) and I was feeling a little low. I went for a bike ride with my daughter today. I haven't gone in a few weeks. Anyway, I suddenly noticed that the strap on my helmet was WAY too loose! Small victory, I know, but I was feeling pretty down until then...hope everyone else is still experiencing those NSV's! Take care...

OH MY GOSH lingling I totally was writing this post in my head last night as I went to bed!!!! I have been getting up the past couple nights and changing out of my pj pants into a pair of panties. I just couldnt get comfortable with the pj pants on and last night the reason WHY clicked, THEY ARE TOO BIG! they ride up ALL the way to my thighs and get bunched up and are not comfy. I don't know why it took me so long to figure it out but it definately made me feel a little more successful as the scale didnt budge at all this week. This morning I was getting dressed and put my belt on and when I started this journey *IF* I wore a belt it was merely for decoration and I used the very largest hole on the belt. Today I was fastening it and realized that I am on the SMALLEST hole! I am almost too little for my belt, and i NEED it now! Okay final NSV for me and I'll hush. I haven't gotten on the scale since yesterday. I have resolved to NOT get on it until Friday morning. I need to get out of the mindset that it will determine my success. My success will be defined by ME everytime I make positive choices. Everytime I get in my exercise I am successful. Everytime I put my health ahead of my petulant inner foodchild I am successful. I feel good about myself and then step on the scale and feel myself deflate, this isn't the way I want to live my life and I am doing something about it. Congratulations on your NSV's Lingling! I am proud of you and your successes!!

Another NSV for me- My husband said to me at least 5 times on Saturday/Sunday "Your butt is getting smaller". I smiled and said thanks. Yesterday he says "Seriously, your butt is really shrinking. Have you checked your weight?". I told him that I've lost 33lbs since my highest weight in 1/09. He smiled the biggest grin and gave me a kiss. Double bonus NSV & kiss :smile:

I WORE A SWIMSUIT WHILE IN JAMAICA LAST WEEK!! Although I didn't go buy a new suit, I was finally able to wear the one I saved from like 10 years ago. Still cute as ever and still in style! It's open in the back so I wasn't able to wear it while I had the two rolls of fat around my middle. But now those rolls are gone and I actually have a shape so it looked cute. I didn't even care about my flabby thighs. They aren't THAT bad. Plus I was in Jamaica to have fun, soak up the sun and finally get my honeymoon. On a side note, my hubby and I married 1 1/2 yrs ago and something kept coming up to delay our honeymoon. Perhaps my "higher power" wanted me to go after I had lost some weight and could REALLY enjoy spending all day in a swimsuit? LOL! I didn't take many pics, I guess I'm used to not getting my picture taken and didn't really notice. That has to change though. Other NSV moments were: 1. My bum fit nicely in the airplane seat and the seatbelt had strap left over! 2. I didn't mind snorkeling bum side up....not self conscious about it at all. 3. I wore two cute sun dresses and felt like a girly-girl....FINALLY! 4. The life jackets fit without a problem when we went on a sail boat ride. I love my sleeve!

Awesome NSV, Tracey! I look forward to that day.

@@Elode - that is an awesome NSV! I don't think I will ever like mirrors -

This last Friday, March 17,2017, marked two years since my Gastric Bypass Surgery. I'm posting this mostly for myself but also for those that are researching and wondering what it might be like further out than the first few weeks or months. My whole, long winded experience: The first 10 weeks after my surgery I followed the post-op diet to a T. My surgeon had given me the green flag for a regular diet at my one month follow-up appointment and I stayed on course. Until 5 weeks later when my niece came to visit. I thought choosing to indulge a little was an okay and well-thought out decision. I wanted to be "normal", or rather, like a skinny person, meaning occasionally choosing a few bites of less than healthy foods or Desserts When post-op members say it's a slippery slope they are not B.S-ing you. I was so impressed with my new found restraint, just one fry or 2-3 small bites of dessert and I. Was. Satisfied! Now I know, I was just ignorant. My pouch was probably still swollen. What started out as a few bites a few days in a row turned into a handful of bites once a week and only if I went specifically, and out of my way, to get it. I quickly learned how many grams of sugar I could have before I'd dump and I became an expert at playing "Sugar Limbo", eating just under the amount that would make the stick (my blood sugar) come crashing down. Then I started bringing Atkins candies into my house, it just kept sliding from there. But of course I continued to be rewarded with steady loss because well duh, that's what the honeymoon period is all about. The first 11 months I weighed in once or twice monthly and saw a steady loss through the first 8 months. From mid November to February I bounced between 211.6 and 216.9 and I was consuming 50 - 125 grams of processed sugar a day. Just one month shy of my one year anniversary I moved from a state that I loved, Colorado, back to Wisconsin to be near my daughter and her growing family. I dislike Wisconsin but I love my daughter, it was not an easy decision. I was more content and regularly active while I lived in Colorado but my I missed my daughter and she missed me. I went from working with my personal trainer twice a week, walking my dog 0.5-3 miles/day (depending on weather) and hiking 4-12 miles in the mountains most weeks to sitting on my bum looking at grey, dismal skies and snow for weeks while I waited for my new grand baby to arrive. The depression hit me like a brick wall. I turned to poor food choices more frequently and it was made easier by living with someone having pregnancy cravings, who am I not to indulge or maybe even encourage those? And a son-in-law that was more than happy to participate and contribute to my coping method. For months nothing went any of the millions of ways I had prepared myself for. I anticipated returning to work for the same hospital system that I had been employed by for 15 years before I traveled but there was not a position I was interested in. I wanted to take my nursing career in a different path so I applied for 15-20 office and public health positions and did not receive any calls. I could write a short story alone just about how that made me feel. I anticipated being back to work within 6 weeks of my move and it was 8 before I even got my first interview. It went well and the feedback was so positive that I was certain I had it on lockdown. I was told I'd know in a week, two at the most. Several weeks and calls later and even more applications sent I was told I didn't get it but they wanted me to shadow for another position I had applied for. Two weeks later I was offered a position I didn't apply for and wasn't even sure I was interested in. My savings was depleted and so was my resolve so I accepted. Meanwhile my 12 year-old dog, and best friend and traveling buddy for the previous four years, became ill. I thought it was the stress of going from just the two of us in a 1200 sq. foot apartment to us with two more adults, a newborn and two cats. I continued to turn to my old friend, food, for comfort. My processed sugar consumption was up to a minimum off 100 grams a day, my workouts were scarce and I wasn't journaling any longer. I had gained 15 pounds in 8 weeks. Even with starting to work out twice a week again I only managed to maintain at that new weight. I also aggravated a shoulder/neck injury that I had gotten the previous September when I was rear ended by a 16 year-old when she was reaching for her cell phone that fell on the passenger side floor. Just short walks or holding my grand baby left me in pain for hours. When I started my new job I experienced more stress in the first two months than I did in the 2 years of travel nursing combined. It's proven to be a tough job in a tough environment. I had taken my dog to to the vet and changed his diet several times and spent a small fortune on medications but he continued to lose weight. In August I finally got my own place and had myself convinced that was going to be the cure for what was ailing my pup. But on August 26th I returned from work to find him unable to walk, he tried to greet me at the door like normal but just kept tipping over. When I brought him in to the vet I found out he had lost another two pounds in 3 weeks and in total had lost 40% of his normal weight since becoming ill. I made the tough decision to let him rest in peace. I can not even begin to explain how that has affected me. I miss him so, so much. I continued to have severe shoulder/neck pain from the simplest activities so I pursued a diagnosis. When I went to the doctor appointment and saw the scale I woke up, a bit. I had gained 21.5 pounds in 7 months. I found a safe, affordable trainer to work with but our schedules weren't going to mesh for the rest of the calendar year! I took what I could get. But I continued to fight the premise that diet makes the biggest difference. For reasons too in depth to ever post here I'll just say, I strongly dislike being told what/how to eat by anybody. Apparently including myself. Apparently even though I worked on that issue for 5 years prior to surgery, well my entire adult life really but with true intent for the last 5 years. Btw, it turns out I sustained two tears in my shoulder and that is why more than a year later it still hurts like the dickens. I have bounced between 229 and 233 since September. Admitting that I need to make more consistent and long lasting changes to my diet is the first step in getting back on track. I was told by my team that I could expect to lose 65% by now, I've lost 50% by their calculations but 55% by my more conservative ideal weight of 165. In the past I might have apologized for writing what may appear as excuses to some but not anymore. I write it as a reflection so I can see what's going on. My weight is not where I wanted it to be at this point post-op but even worse than that my life has taken a giant throat punch in the last year and in general I'm not where I expected or even strived to be. But I don't quit anymore and I sure as shooting don't let myself only see the negatives. I have a list as long as my arm of NSV's. The most recent of which is that when I spilled the juice from my fruit cup it didn't land on me but instead went right through the gap of the legs I am now able to cross due to my 79 pound loss. Unfortunately it landed on the chair I was sitting on, creating a triangular wet spot for everyone in the meeting to see when I stood up. Not being where I think I should be does not make me less proud of where I am...

Pete, Sounds to me like this is one of those NSV (non-scale-victory) weeks. The clothes are getting bigger so you have lost inches. Like they said Probably water weight. Hope i do as well as you.

Two weeks! Again, it's mostly flown by. This week was interesting for a few reasons. Per my doctor's instructions I advanced my diet. This means that basically I got to try eating anything I wanted to. I was very surprised at his recommendation to do this, because before my surgery I was told this wouldn't happen until week three, and in the hundreds of lap band stories I've read it seems that more than half of the bandsters didn't get to eat whatever they wanted to until six weeks post op. But my doctor is a smart man! I did quite well with his recommendation, and I've learned a LOT this week about eating. I haven't tried steak yet. I probably won't for a week or so, just because I've had issues with other meat. No big issues really, but I definitely have to take my time with it and chew, chew, chew. I have had a few things "stick" as they were on their way down... nothing to the point of getting stuck for hours though, and while it was uncomfortable, there wasn't much pain involved. I called it a gentle reminder to slow my happy butt down, and it worked! I've found that there are a few things that don't go down like you would think they would. Yogurt is the prime example here. For whatever reason, I can only eat a teaspoon or two of it, and that's it.. I don't know if it's because I only eat it in the morning, and that's when my band feels the tightest, or if it's simply going to be a "trouble food" like my good friend Tricia warned me! I have to say that I feel pretty great about eating after this week. I'm able to at least try whatever I want.. and that's very happy news for me. I've been able to partake in some of my most favorite foods this week, and I'm getting the taste that I was worried about never enjoying again, and am only able to eat a very small portion of it, which is of course very different for me, but it feels great! I had issues with my scale this week. It wouldn't budge for five days straight! My scale shows pounds, and ounces. Even the ounces stayed the same for those five days. I was bummed out!! I verbally attacked the scale for at least three out of those five days, but it wouldn't budge. Finally, yesterday morning it gave up 2.3 pounds putting me at 19.7 pounds in two weeks. Very nice, I'll take it! I finally made it to the gym yesterday for the first time! I navigated my way around the circuit room and did the treadmill. My doctor told me as soon as the steri strips came off of my incisions I'd be okay to swim, and they're off now, and looking very good. So, I swam for only about 15 minutes.. which was hardly worth the time it took to change into my suit, but it did feel good to get in the water for a bit. I'm going to walk this afternoon, and go back to the gym tomorrow. I'm starting to think about doing a class at the gym as well.. I'm wondering how I'd hold up in Zumba! It looks and sounds so fun, but I KNOW those girls get a hell of a work out! I can see myself stumbling around in there, sweat pouring off of my body and looking like something the cat drug in by the time it's over... maybe I should re-think that... I think I'll be okay now if my scale doesn't budge much.. losing those first 17 pounds so quickly really spoiled me. It's really awesome to step on there and not see a GAIN if nothing else! I haven't weighed myself today, and maybe I won't. (who am I kidding?!) I do have one little NSV (non scale victory) to share.. I haven't noticed much difference in the way my clothes fit yet, even with almost 20 pounds down the tubes. But yesterday I did accidentally put one of my smaller t-shirts in my gym bag. When I unfolded it to put it on I thought "Oh damn it, I grabbed the wrong one" but I was pleasantly surprised when it fit very nicely, and didn't hug those fat rolls on my belly! Sweet! I'm hoping for a few more of those little victories in the next few weeks! Countdown til the beach is... 60 days!! Woooo Hoooo! And actually a few days before that before my plane leaves! Sixty days til I'm lounging on the white sugar sands of Gulf Shores.. a full week of girl time with some of the best women I know! Right now, in this chilly, rainy spring weather in Nebraska nothing sounds more inviting than that beach for so many reasons!! Okay, signing off to see what week three brings~ I'll be back in-between now and then if anything exciting happens! Thanks for stopping by! http://www.myotherbutt.blogspot.com

Ling, Tere & Thin- Congrats!! Thanks so much for sharing your NSVs. I'm so happy for all of us! My NSV is that I can see the weight loss in my face. My clothes are looser but unfortunately they were really tight to begin with. I don't expect to change sizes for another 20lbs or more. But that is ok because I don't have money to spend on clothes. Though I am looking forward to shopping in my own closet in my "skinny clothes" section.

I have aNSV... I grabbed a pair of jeans in my closet that I thought were a 16 and pulled them on and they fit nicely... I then took them off to see if I accedently took the 18's instead, i did a double take when I saw that they were a 16 lol... granted they have stretch to them , but I was so excited seeing as if 7 weeks ago I couldn't even get them close to buttoned!!! so I can offically say I am a 16/18 wooohooo from a very tight 20!! And the other day I went into New York and Co and I saw a pretty shirt... It was a large and I figured hey I might as well buy it... it will fit eventually... well I got home and tried it on and OMGoodness IT FIT, and it wasn't even tight or awful looking.. it looked NICE WOOOHOOOOO!!!!! so exciting lol. Love this thread!! can't wait to hear all of your NSV and I'll post more as they come up! amy

Congratulations ! Great NSV's thank you for sharing !!

Great NSV's and a great post! Thanks for the smile.... I needed it.

What are NSVs and will I enjoy them?

What a great NSV! Congratulations on the smaller bathing suits, meaning a smaller you.

So I have severe sleep apnea (one that will likely be life long as it’s cause by how small my airway is as opposed to weight). It was bad enough that my insurance actually paid for a BiPap instead of the cpap for me. But anywho, for the past 2 or so weeks, sleep has been terrible. I’ve been exhausted and run down. My husband started to complain that not only am I roaming nightly but there is this whistle he keeps hearing and it gets louder as the night goes on. Well, I realized, the whistle was a leak from my mask. Usually adjusting and tightening fixed it, but a few days ago I realized I had my mask as tight as it would go. I wore a medium amara. Ordered a small to see if that would fix it. And it did! I slept so hard last night and it was amazing and there was no whistle. So kinda weird but after all this weight loss, my mask sizes have changed. I’ll chalk it up as an NSV.