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awesome nsv!

Today was a great morning...I had to move the hooks on my bra to the first one! Two months ago the hooks were hanging on for their dear life! Looks like I'll be making a trip to Victoria Secret soon

Congratulations . . . . that is an awesome NSV!!!!

Haha so true. I dont think I've ever weighed what my license says I do when I renewed it. Tee hee. And great NSV!! amazing

@@mnmlst happy for you thats great "crow" about it btw newbie SV???? sexy velvet??? the expression you are trying to say is NSV NonScaleVictory you are starting your new, wonderful, healthier, happier, longer life this could be considered a NSV enjoy your present life and look forward to the mannnny new NSV's in the future Good Luck Bud Kathy

What a great NSV!! I love going into the dept store and grabbing something I like, and NOT trying it on. But, getting home and having it fit perfectly! Great thread and motivator. Karen

This is such a great story, Megan; thanks for telling us. What a wonderful NSV -- a V over fear and rejection, among other things. Congratulations! Ride 'em, cowgirl!

For more years than I can remember, I've sat in the aisle seat on airplanes. Some of the reason was because my arthritis made it easier to get in and out of the seat but there was also another reason why I sat on the aisle. I was so heavy that it made me very self-conscious when I lumbered over the seats as I struggled to get past them just to sit down or head to the bathroom. In order to not feel so bad about this, I told myself that looking out the window was just for kids and folks who didn't fly often and since I flew alot, I didn't need to have a window seat. Well...tonight I purposely sat in a window seat because I can move around on an airplane much better than I used to between the weight loss and easing of my joint pain due to hip replacement. I live in New York City as many of you know and for the first time in a very long time, I was able to see my city in all it's glory as we flew over it. I had forgotten how breathtaking and spectacular Manhattan is from a bird's eye view. I could see the Statue of Liberty and then the Freedom Tower below me. I could also see the Empire State Building all decked out in red, white, and blue. Plus I could see the Chrysler Building, the Citicorp Building, and the millions and millions of twinkling lights below. It looked like beautiful sparking jewels as far as the eye could see. All I could think of was how much I missed this amazing sight and how grateful I was that my band made it all possible again.

That's so awesome!!! Great NSV!

Hey Guys, How about a check in? How is everyone doing this summer? How is the WL and or NSV? Are people noticing your loss? Compliments? All's well here. I've had another fill last month for a total of 5 cc's in my VG10 band. I can feel the restriction and that is a good thing. I'm down 44 since surgery in January. My exercise is intermittent...but I do keep re-motivating myself..and tomorrow it is back walking my 3 miles. How are you guys motivating yourselves for exercise? What types of exercise do you do? Lets hear all about it. Shawn

Oh yes, it is a total victory! What a great thing to be satisfied on just a little bit of food! Great work! Track this under your NSV list!

BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great NSV.:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: By the way, we're neighbors. I'm in Houston. :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

I can reach down and touch my toes with absolutely no issue. Strain or soreness. This from a girl who 15 months ago could not even see her knees let alone her feet.....Exercising is already seeing results!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that's a NSV.....Yes me!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations on the NSV. Lovely picture, lol.

OR but have to hold myself accountable. I have been feeling discouraged since I haven't been losing the lbs like I thought I would. I have had some nsvs though so that is motivating me a little. But the past week has been a bad week food wise. ( I haven't hit my green zone yet so I don't have a ton of restrictions) start my support classes on Thursday. So hopefully that will help. I have definitely noticed that I have been a lot hungrier since I have been running regularly. I know Protein and Water will help curb hunger. But it isn't enough to stop me, the hunger is still there. Does anyone know how long this will last? Or have any other advice how to curb this hunger?

What a great NSV! Happy for you.

I am losing weight sort of like @@OutsideMatchInside - from the top down. I just posted two days ago about my helmet I wear for work fitting looser, especially around my cheeks. I just hope the loss continues, and rapidly. I would hate to end up looking like a pear. http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/384197-i-guess-i-really-did-have-a-fat-head-nsv/

Good work Kim! Great NSVs!

Bumping cause I have new NSV's I went out on New Year's Eve. We went to dinner and I had a bandster portion of ravioli, some salad and a glass of wine. After dinner we went to this very chic opening of an art gallery. The gallery owners are friends and they are very wealthy. They did everything in a grand style, they had a band, an open bar with very expensive champagne and a beautifully catered buffet table. They also had the waiters and waitresses bringing around trays of the little delights. Now this has always been my very favorite type of food. We're talking crab and artichoke dip, baked brie, bacon wrapped scallops, shrimp scampi, YUM! You get the idea. Well, I was still full from dinner. Not only did I not eat any of that yummy food all night, but - here's the amazing part - I didn't even want any and I didn't feel deprived or anything! One night of victory over the food demon!!! Yeah ME! (and my band, of course)

Wendy, Wendy, Wendy...have you not read posts about just this very thing? Of course you lost alot of weight on liquids. But you can't be afraid of food. And you can't obsess over the scale. I mean it....put it away. Just focus on eating well, portion control, and exercise. That's all it is. The weight will come off...give it some time. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times...you didn't gain it overnight, and you won't lose it that way either. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. Follow your doctor's instructions, and don't look at that scale again for at least a month. Oh, and look for the NSVs...you'll find plenty, I guarantee it. Good luck!

Don't you love it? I have been getting rid of stuff that I put on and it's too big...it's the greatest feeling in the world. I hope by four months that I can purge 95 percent of my clothing...I still have some cute smaller clothes that are still in style...hopefully, by winter, I will need all new clothes. Love the NSVs....

happiness is having WLS, the sleeve for medical reason i am prone to fall. i haven't fallen in a few months. when i fall, i have to turn, roll on my knees ( both have been replaced) and with difficulty get up. i fell the other day, i got up a lot better than i usually do. I was so happy. I said to my DH, hmmm, do you think this has anything to do with my weight loss (lifting up 90 lbs less of me?) DH and i were walking today, i was walking pretty well, better than my usual tortoise pace - i said hey, do you think i'm walking better from my weight loss? i went to the mall today for the first time in a long time, i bought a smart phone. in the past, i wouldn't have gone into a big mall, amongst many people - my confidence is way up there now i am a happier person thanx to the sleeve - i am hanging around too, working hand and arm in the sleeve :D

I normally don't post alot - mostly read, read, and read some more but I am so excited right now I just have to share. I had been wearing my size 26 pants and was getting really tired of how baggie they were and thought I'd pop into WalMart to see if they had any good clearance deals on pants so I could actually get something a little smaller. I took a 20 and a 22 into the fitting room and tried on the 20 and they actually FIT!!! I was so totally excited that I grabbed an 18 as well (they were on sale for only $7.00 which I thought was a totally awesome deal) so I would have another pair for when I lose a little more. Well, I got home and decided to try on the 18's and guess what - THEY ACTUALLY FIT!! A little snug but they FIT!! I can't remember the last time a size 18 fit me. :cool2: I have lost almost 50 pounds since I was banded on 10/29/07 - things have plateaued a bit but I know I have lost inches since starting to work out 3-4 times a week. I don't think anyone will be wiping the smile off my face for a while - by the way - I LOVE MY BAND!!!! :huh2:

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

My question is, if you don't want, need, or have to tell anyone, then why did you join the forum? The post seemed almost bitter and resentful that you are a member here. It's great that you are doing what's best for you, but bashing members solicited advise and opinions is really not what the majority is here for. This is a forum for support. That's why we are here. It's a hard journey and some don't have support in their personal life so they turn to their on line family for the milestones NSV and questions, concerns, or advice.