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I know I'm getting in here late, and probably too far along in this discussion, BUT.... I agree and disagree with the cost of plus size clothing for men and women. First off, it does cost the manufacturers more for the fabric and labor. Secondly, I think it highly depends on where you shop to see a discrepancy between the cost of regular sizes and plus sizes. For example, Lane Bryant and Torrid are very pricy stores. This could be equivalent to a Ann Taylor Loft or White House Black Market for smaller women. The problem comes in to play that plus size men and women don't have the less expensive clothing store options, for example, like an Old Navy (with the exception of shopping online). And that brings me to another point, why is it that plus sized people are inherently forced to shop online if they want selection? Matt Z is right, the men's section is slim to none as well. Why is it that the plus size section at Target is TINY and mixed into maternity, that is even TINER? Don't these retail stores know that the average US woman is a size 16. And don't get me started about undergarments for large women. When you can't find your bra size anywhere but Lane Bryant and have to pay $50+ for one, GIVE ME A BREAK...I mean unless you want to order bras online, *rolling my eyes again* Needless to say, no longer being a plus size woman is the BIGGEST NSV there is. I'm glad I don't have to struggle with which stores will have my size, or pay extra for those clothing options.

I went shopping and bought size 14 pants (down from a tight 22), XL shirts (down from 2x), and today I took my ring in to be sized before they fall off and get lost. I'll be wearing a 6 1/2 next week when I pick them up! And I still hate shopping, but it was nice to not have to go to the women's section to find clothes that fit.

Yup although I hadn't really noticed till you mentioned it. NSV!!!

Idk if this is a NSV or a reason for shame/embarrassment but I've since discovered spots on my legs that have not seen a razor in some time...

I just had a rant and I want to counter it with some positivity. I know a lot of ppl were sleeved fairly recently and I've seen a lot of new "stalls" threads pop up. I'm avoiding my scale so I'd like to focus on some NSV's to help boost morale. Previously tight clothes are now comfy. Some pants that didn't fit now fit snugly. Bittersweet: bras fitting better around, but alas, looser in the cup. Saw my dad on Easter and then a week later and he was impressed with the "obvious" weight loss in a week. Hubby says clothes fitting me different and he loves "the girls" even tho they're shrinking.

I thought I'd start a thread to share the special times of our journey. I invite everyone to participate. I think it helps to "feed" on others success. You might help make a difference in someone else's life. I've received a lot of my motivation from guys like ousooner and Jack. I'll start it off by saying that today is my 6 month mark of being banded and I haven't regretted one minute of it. After a fast start, my weight loss has slowed down, but I'm very happy to be 2/3 of the way to my goal. I go in for a fill on Thursday. I have always had a nice weight loss following fills, so maybe I'll be under 200 in the next couple weeks. I tend to lose in bunches and I am due. I'd like to be at my goal (170# or a 25 BMI) by year's end. I've been able to up my exercise lately because my RA has been much better, so that helps. Anyway, enough of my rambling; let's hear from others who are at a special point or passing a benchmark. Stand strong brothers! Bruce

I'll post a couple. I am 6 months out from starting my band process, pre-op diet Jan 24, surgery Feb. 14. I passed the 100lbs lost mark in the last few weeks and have never felt better. I have gone from over 60% body fat to 30%, so not only am I losing weight I am gaining lean mass. I was planning on keeping my band private, but that seems to be out the door having lost so much weight in so little time. My job requires me to appear on the news from time to time. After an appearance the other night I had people who dont see me that often phone me up to ask me what the hell is going on. My Mom also had to call me up the other night to tell me that all the ladies at her work think I am really "cute". Sorry ladies, I'm taken. Other NSV include not having any clothes in my closet since that all hang off me and having to get my wedding band resized because it kept falling off. There are more, but that is a pretty decent start. Andrew

What a great feeling. You must look fantastic! What a wonderful NSV-Losing 10 years!!!

Yay! NSV's are wonderful and inspiring. Congrats on your awesome weight loss before surgery! Don't worry about not changing clothing sizes much at this point. Plus size clothes are cut generously and usually have a lot of give in them. Also, I tended to wear my same size clothes even as I gained weight the clothes just gradually stretched with me. I started in a very tight size 22 jeans and it took almost 50 pounds before I was able to get into a size 20 jeans. It took so long because my jeans were so tight prior to surgery and I refused to buy bigger pants because I knew surgery was coming and I wouldn't be wearing them long. Secondly, I carry my weight around my middle which sucks for pants because even though my legs, butt, and arms were losing quickly, my belly and waist line didn't. I was stuck in my baggy jeans until I lost enough in my waist to be able to wear the smaller jeans. Hang in there and you will be dropping sizes soon. Keep up the great work and we will see you on the loser's bench soon!

Surgery is May 18. I start my pre-op diet on April 20 for a four week liquid diet. I've been on a low carb diet per my nutritionists orders since February and I've lost 29 pounds on that so far. I've been getting discouraged because I thought almost 30 pounds would FEEL like something but my clothes don't seem different and I don't feel different. But today I realized my office chair at work isn't digging into my hips because of the arms anymore. I have wiggle room! A small thing. But I feel better now. Any NSV's before surgery for you guys?

I have something I'm happy about, instead of a NSV it is an TSV but there is no " thread " for that! READY? I now weigh less than my son the Tomkitten! Does this give us the same BMI? Nope, PCP says he measures nearly 2 inches taller, do I am beat still there but I believe that may come also. On my official ( bariatric scale at clinic in Columbus) I am 245.1 pounds, he is 245.4. I am weeping my teats💦 of joy , at my highest we were very very far apart in weight and I felt it was insurmountable. Even if he does try to lose weight, and since PCP has taken to put " Morbid Obesity" on his appointment summeries, he told me I may talk to Dr Needleman at your next visit, he doesn't have the GERD I did, so might be a mere metabolic weight loser or at worst as VSG. Told him that will be between you, Dr Needleman or Dr Noria, because that is who I am fated to see in Apriln this is a decision your. Mother can't make for YOu! But for a short time I can really be called his LITTLE MAMA and it will be the truth.👸 &👨

Sometimes the Non-scale victories are more exciting than the numbers on the scale going down. Hooray for NSVs!

So I had a rough weekend. I got to add soft food to my diet on Friday. One would think that after three weeks of not eating any "real" food that it would be great, and it was! I got up on Saturday and I was up a pound from where I was Friday morning. Now, I know that my body is saying "Hey! I finally got some food, I need to hang on to it cause I don't know when I'll get the next round," and that is why the scales haven't been really nice this weekend. I still am bouncing around the same stupid half pound since Friday and its just frustrating. In my "previous life" I would have been irritated and just eaten something that I shouldn't have to justify the increase on the scales. Now, I didn't do anything or eat anything I shouldn't have but, boy, did I have a battle with head hunger all weekend. One of my favorite places to eat used to be Moe's, my husband has never really cared for it and I think that we have eaten there together just once in the past 5 years. Yesterday I had to run across town and what does he ask me to bring him back for supper?? MOE'S!! i couldn't believe it and it just plain made me mad when I had to go in there and order his burrito. I wanted one so bad but instead, I ordered his just like he asked (with absolutely nothing that could be considered healthy on it) and brought it home to him. I fixed my supper and was satisfied with it. My dad used to say that it didn't matter if you got full off of black eyed peas or steak and potatoes either way you were still full. That is very true, steak and potatoes just taste much better, as would have Moe's last night. Anyway, I needed something to take my mind off of the negative and I figured I'd list the NSV's that I could think of to lift my spirits a little 1. I can get my wedding rings on again, I haven't been able to wear them individually since last June and it has probably been more than a year since I have been able to get both of them on at the same time. 2. I already have a pair of pants that are too big and I can no longer wear (at least my husband refuses to be seen in public with me if I do!) 3. Its easier to shave my arm pits cause they aren't so full. 4. I can bend over to paint my own toe nails again! 5. The seatbelt in my husbands truck doesn't lock just because I'm trying to put it on and pulled it out a little too far anymore. I can actually bend down and pick my purse up from the floorboard and it doesn't lock! 6. I can put on and tie my shoes with almost no effort. 7. I have bad breath. (Okay so maybe that one isn't so exciting but apparently when you are breaking down fat you get ketosis which causes halitosis aka bad breath. I must be doing good breaking it down cause even my 5 year old tells me my breath is stinky! LOL!) I know there are more but these are all I can think of right now. I'm going to keep working at it and keep working my tool. I know that I did the right thing and I know that I'll be able to eat more normally again some day. I did this for my kids and they are going to have a more amazing mom because of it.

Losing your pants is the gold standard of NSVs. Congratulations!

A great NSV, well done!

This is awesome! Congrats, what a wonderful NSV. oh, and I like the blond...

Congratulations, that is awesome! I am pre-op but I already my first NSV planned out!

Wow, what a huge victory, and you're only just getting started! Here's to many more wonderful SV and NSVs to come. Congratulations!

You look great and have made fantastic progress. You have nothing to worry about. What you want to look at are your NSVs (Non Scale Victories). Here are a few of mine: I was able to fit in normal sized chairs at doctor's offices and the movies I was finally able to properly cross my legs when sitting My clothes were getting looser and not fitting as snugly I was able to wear 18" necklaces and they didn't fir like a choker My ring size went from a 10 to a 6 I could sit at a booth in a restaurant and there is plenty of space between my stomach and the table and I wasn't squished up against it I can wear bracelets and anklets now I am no longer diabetic, no longer have painful joints, no longer have high blood pressure, and am off all the meds for those issues When the scale isn't doing what we think it should be doing, look to your NSVs. That's what REALLY tells the tale with what your body is doing. Now, having said that, you gotta get back on your bariatric diet and re-dedicate yourself to it. The trick is to not undo all the progress you made. For me PERSONALLY, I can't let things like holidays and birthdays and special occasions be an excuse to go off my diet. I know that if I do, it'll be 10x harder to get back on track. So I make sure ahead of time that I have things I can eat that are compliant with my diet and still taste really good and allow me to be included with everyone else. Just keep that in mind going forward and you should do great.

Congrats on your NSV!!!!!!!!!!!! I know how you feel. I found an old XL size T-Shirt in my closet and put it on just for fun AND IT FIT!!!!!!!! Here I was thinking I was still a 2XL kinda guy. Now I have to rethink my whole wardrobe.

Awesome NSV~I hope you feel as great as you look!!! Strut your stuff girly.

Keep it up! Many more NSV's to come!

thanks for sharing how you can tell that you're losing weight. i guess i was looking for some NSV and other cues because people keep asking me ''don't you see you're smaller? don't you feel smaller?'' and so forth. but i honestly don't. it's only when i put on my clothes. that made a lot of sense about my shape being the same. no wonder i look the same(derp!). i really hope my love handles melt away so i'll have a waist again.

My first major NSV - Today I did the grocery shopping. I even pushed the cart. We went to a huge grocery store and did a huge shopping and I walked THE WHOLE WAY and my back didn't hurt AT ALL. Crying with happiness here. The main reason for my having the surgery was because I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes, much less walk, without being in agony from my back.

I'm 4.5ish months out as well (7/3). I've lost 79lbs. It's been small steady amounts with some weeks w 0 loss. I think we are still in a good range. I know it's frustrating to not see that scale move but try to focus more on NSVs like how your clothing feels, your energy levels, coming off RX meds, and your overall mood. Hang in there. We can do this!! Prayers :-)