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So this morning I am sitting there, enjoying my coffee & watching the news when I got an itch on my shoulder. I reach up & scratch only to discover this hard lump near my neck. Imagine my surprise when I took out my phone for a selfie and discovered {GASP!} my collarbone!! It's actually showing. No longer hidden beneath all the layers of chubb that used to reside there, I could actually SEE IT. Had to take a photo to show my hubby too, after he walked in on me giggling like a school girl and rubbing my neck ... admiring my collarbone! (Don't know why the photo is sideways, but that really is a bone showing!)

Very touching and inspiring post, thank you for posting this!! What wonderful NSV's those are, keep up the fantastic work! It is great to remember where we've been as well as where we're going! Congrats! :cheer2:

A NSV is a Non-Scale Victory. And there will be plenty for all of us.

What a week! <A style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 1em; FLOAT: right; MARGIN-LEFT: 1em; CLEAR: right; cssfloat: right" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XY28b1Yte7Y/Tc7ls5jjiFI/AAAAAAAAALw/fV5JfT8plVw/s1600/treadmill.gif" imageanchor="1">Well I have had an exhausting week! I went back to work on Monday! OH BOY! I have so much catching up to do (Paperwork)! I must tell you how nice it is though; I went back to work and the folks (developmentally/intellectally challenged) were so happy to see me! They showered me with hugs and kisses! It made me feel so good to know I make that much of an impact on their lives! I am so happy to get back into routine and I missed work so much! It is just great to be back! So let's get to business! This pic over here on the left is me last week! I took this pic and was amazed at what I saw! I was looking at this pic and feeling proud of all the things I went through to get to this point! Going through everything I did... it was a HUGE eye opener! It really makes you cherish life for what it is worth! I went to the Lung Dr. this week! I have a major NON SCALE VICTORY (NSV)... I am no longer on my inhalers for Asthma! This is HUGE! HUGE!!! My numbers are excellent! My Dr. could tell I was exercising cause my pulse and blood pressure were much lower than they ever had been! I am so much HEALTHIER! That is all I wanted out of all this! To be Healthy! Guess what.... I AM! I must tell you how much I have missed "FOOD"! I am stickin to my healthy lifestyle though and making good choices! I am actually eating a meal! Not a few bites; A MEAL! I am still trying to stear clear of the Carbs!!! Those are my worst enemy! Cause I love them oh so much! I have been walking! EVERY DAY I walk! I am now up to 3 miles a day! It takes me about 45 minutes to walk! But boy it feels GREAT! I love the rush it gives me; the way I feel after! It really makes me proud to know I can walk 3 miles! Then I come home and do a bit of resistance bands for some toning! I am getting into a great workout routine! This week was my first week really doing this on my own again! Back to Weight Watchers! So I really thought I would have gained because of the amount of food I had been eating! I lost .6 this week! I keep thinking to myself it is better than NOTHING!!! But I guess because I was so used to the big weight losses every week, I was a bit bummed! I feel good though! I am proud of myself! A total of 89.4!! Wooo Hooo Well I hope everyone is doing well! I have been so busy I am really falling behind on blogging! I haven't read blogs in about a week! Shame on me! Well till next time! Take care and stay healthy! ~Mandy

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to give a little update for some who might wonder how it is after being sleeved. I recall, not to long ago wondering how I might feel a month or two out. First let me say, I went to Mexico, had surgery with Dr. Kelly. I lost 12lbs preop (if I recall right lol). Since the time I was sleeved I have lost 25 more lbs. I am tickled. I was on liquids for 2 plus weeks and around the 3rd week I started mushies. About 4 weeks I started soft foods. So far this has been a blessing but my sleeve has tolerated EVERYTHING. I have not ate one thing that has bothered it. I must say that I do pretty much stay by the book. I eat protein first always. I have tried a lot of different foods. I even can eat not huge amounts but never have I ever felt like I was going to be ill. I do feel sometimes that I have had enough. I did take 4 weeks off from work. I am a server at a very high volume restaurant and also clean houses for a living. Very physical work. I have no problems with energy level being low. I get in all my vitimans, protein and liquids. Everything has went almost to smooth. If I did say I have had an issue it is that I continue to deal with constipation ( sorry if TMI). Some NSV's (non scale victories) that I am so happy about are 1) I measured before and then a month after surgery and had lost 14inches total. 2) I went from a 20 tight, probably 22 to a 16 wide easily 3) My husband is lean , no weight issues and now finally after many years I way less than him. YEahhh. He is tall but .... who cares I weigh less. 4) I have been walking atleast 3 miles aday, sometimes twice a day now and have started jogging also. ME JOGGING, CAN NOT BELIEVE IT!!! 5) I can sleep all nite now, I also can sleep lying down, not with a bunch of pillows sitting me up. 6) I can not believe I am going to say this but..... for the first time I feel attractive. It is not how I look but how I feel about myself. I can breath and not huff and puff when I walk. 7) Oh yeah, I can cross my legs...lol. I love this. 8) Okay... I am going to say it kinda.... lol , by choice I have not been getting a lot of sleep. Not only am I happy, my husband is a very happy man these days. Something woke up, my hormones have been screaming. ok I am done.

Ok, so like many people, I have a birthmark. Mine is a mole tucked so far up my thigh I have literally only seen it when contorted, and it has never seen the sunshine. So today I am wearing some silly underwear which fasten at the crotch, and after I pee I am hopping around trying to re-fasten things, when I see myself in the mirror (dont allow them at home), and notice a new mole on my leg. I'm at an age where these things happen so wasn't thrown, until it occurred to me that it was a familliar size & shape! So I check it out, and as the lbs have shifted so has my birthmark!! What was once very hidden is now sat at the top of my leg clearly visible, even in granny knickers! A very odd, and unexpected NSV!

I bought two new pairs of jeans two weeks ago at Kohls and they were size 12 but a tiny bit loose, I wore one and put the others up and now two weeks later I am going to have to take those back and get a size 10, I bought one new pair from Target and they were 10's also! havent been a size ten in a long time. I was wearing 14's but had gained 15 pounds in those and stretched em so I am sure I would have needed 16 if I had bought any jeans right before surgery. I am going to post the pre-op pics and my success thus far when I hit the 40 pound loss mark. I am hoping I can lose that 5 pounds in the next two weeks. It is also really awesome because the tummy tuck I had 3 years ago is finally showing! I am excited and pleased...i am almost giddy.

Good question. I had a lot to lose and I recall my clothes were all elastic waists so I didn't get a hint from them.... It was about 40 lbs down when someone I hadnt seen in months asked me if I was losing weight... I think that was the first NSV. The second one was down 90 lbs and I flew for the first time being banded.... And I didn't need a seat belt extender. That was a great day.

Yay! Down 32lbs since surgery Nov 7th and I just went to my hairdresser and wasn't disgusted having to look at myself in her mirror for an hour.

I said to myself the other day, I want to go rollerblading again. Now, I have not done this is probably 10+ years. So today it was nice out, not to hot, not to cold. So I said what the hell. I put on my rollerblades, stood up, a bit shaky. And went out, went around the parking lot a bunch of times, just to get back into it. Then decided to go down the street. And I kept going, before I knew it I was about 3 miles away from my apartment! At this point my ankles were starting to hurt a bit, so I turned around. So in total I went 6 miles!! I am quite happy with that. When I got home my ankles were killing me, but after having them off for a few minutes they felt fine again. If I continue doing this, I may buy a new pair, maybe they make them a bit more comfortable now, after all I've had this pair for like 15 years or so. But I think today was a good day!

Here it is, my first NSV I bought a pair of Old Navy womens size 20 shorts in April for a family cruise. I am now able to yank them down (over the backside!) without unzipping them! My twin sister knows this and I had the pleasure of being "pantsed" this weekend!

Happiness is being able to apply sunscreen on your own back with no help!

Hi! Ive come to this site for encouragement during low moments and I want to join in. I'm Gail, 44, in California and had lap band surgery mid-June of this year. My first fill was last week. I started the process last November and had the surgery June 14. According to the home scale, (which is painfully close to the doctor's scale) I've dropped from 243 in May to 209.5 this morning. I'm 5'4" and my goal is to drop back down into the 130s, where I was for most of my 20s. I've been seriously battling my weight for 14 years and am eager for these pounds and bulges and bags to let loose! Right now, what I'm struggling with most, is battling old habits. I'm a spec. ed. teacher, mom and grad. student and now that school is back in session, I see how much time I spent actually eating every evening. I'm also struggling with exercise right now, too, working it into my schedule and seriously committing to it. I'm also struggling with redefining myself and finding comfort in something more than food. I'm fine during the day, downing Water mixed with Crystal Light and Protein shakes, but it's those hours from 5-11 that may do me in if I don't turn it around. I'd love any advice that anyone may wish to share. I've got 5 CCs in a 10 CC band and feel some restriction. My doctor is conservative and does fills only every eight weeks max. I'm happy to have lost this much, and today had a mild NSV when I realized that a pair of capris I couldn't even get over my butt pre-op were getting a little too loose today, but I'm feeling just a little blue right now, especially as I face my old high caloric habits square in the face. Thanks everyone! I have been soooo inspired by all of you!

I have kind of an embarrassing NSV to share. I've lost about 44 pounds this year and about 16 since surgery 8/14. Had my first fill yesterday. I finally weigh less than my husband again. He's been eating healthy and working out as well.

It is so hard for our minds to catch up to our actual body size. I still see pictures of myself now, and I can't believe that they are actually of me. I was walking next to my skinny husband ( he has always been thin) and I saw our shadows, and I just couldn't believe that my shadow was smaller then his....that is a major NSV for me! Another NSV that I thought would never happen....my hubby is able to scoop me up in his arms and carry me! It is so thrilling, and makes me feel sooooo sexy!

Congrats on your NSV! And great that you are learning to slow down your eating! excellent advice for newbies!

happy camper peaking at older posts and saw your post wondering how you were doing??? little hijack update on my part............ per doc i couldn't drive for 6 months post surgery but, understandable driving all over doing this, that everything - being so happy since losing 45 more lbs (total 105) meds were slightly reduced again meds are necessary - no more reduction is possible - but the lower dosage is/was a wonderful unexpected NSV great weight loss for you happy keep up the good work kathy

Hi, I am realively new to this support group and there have been several abreviations used that I'm afraid I don't know their meaning. I'm not as computer savey as a lot of you obviously are. Could someone please tell me what does PB stand for? NSV? Sorry to ask such a dumb question, I have tried to figure them out, but so far I am just drawing blanks. Thanks for any help you can give me.

I am elated and in awe that I am at 390, while I was heavier it seemed impossible to get below 400, but I am grateful I'm below 400. My next goal is below 300, then 200, then I want to stop somewhere between 150 and 169lbs. Any hoo, on to the NSV: 1. My Christmas present was new clothes because all of my 7x, 6x, 5x shirts and 42 and 44 pants are way too big, I can now fit a 22/24 sweater comfortably and 26 jeans, before I couldn't get one leg into the avenue's largest pair of jeans a 30/32 2. I actually ran up the flight of stairs into my apartment and didn't feel like my heart was going to explode LOL 3. I jogged through the parking lot with my daughters, (because of the cold) to the store entrance and one of my daughters said, "Mommy you can run now? Wow!! Before I would slowly lumber through the parking lot and feel like passing out, and one day my daughter 5 at the time told my husband, I don't want to walk with mommy, she walks too slow, I wanted to cry. Now I can keep up and most times I'm a few feet ahead and waiting on everyone else. 4. All of the heels in my closet are now too big! I wanted to start wearing them but now they flop off my feet when I walk in them. 5. My next goal also is the notorious booth :ph34r: It's been a long time and I want to see if I can fit without turning sideways. 6. Turnstiles are no longer scary. 7. I can do a few laps at the mall without having to find a bench to sit on or a motorized cart, same for the grocery store.

Thanks everybody for your encouragement. It is now day 6 and I believe I am just now beginning to feel the full brunt of this event. I'm very tired and the littlest effort poops me out. Today I've decided to get in the full 60oz of water, even if that means coming nowhere near my proper protein amounts. Dehydration is scary. I will also shuffle over to the market and see if they have any of these sugar free syrups you guys mention, something to reduce the nastiness of my proteins. For now I will sit on the couch in my pj's, wrapped in blankets, and read while staring out the window at the lovely foggy ocean view. It would help if I could get some kind of nsv here soon tho ...:crying:

My hubby and I are bikers, Bikers for Christ members to be exact. I had surgery 3/19/12 I've list 27 lbs so far, I have no restriction yet, just cut out carbs. Anywho, my man told me today that he could tell I'm losing weight because my stomach used to be against his back and now he doesn't feel it. WooHoo, thats even more awesome being as its summertime and it feels so good to have some air between us. C:

NSV stands for non-scale victory. There is a great thread in the success stories someone started called NSV shout outs that is really inspiring!

Fear not! Stalls are a normal part of any weight loss journey. The two previous posts have great advice but I would add, try to spend some time with your feelings. Why are you feeling down? Is it just the weight loss stalling or is something else going on that's "feeding" into it. Depression is a common issue for many of us who have and are struggling with weight and when I'm feeling down I always have used food as a source of comfort. The only difference now is that I can't do the same level of damage I did before I was sleeved. Lastly, look for some NSV's like your cloths being too big, measurements getting smaller, easier movement, etc. to gauge your progress. You are in the midst of a huge life change and it's really only the beginning. Love yourself for your courage and determination! Sent from my iPhone using VST

My target outfits are about as fancy as I get, lol! I love this NSV!!! I can't wait to say goodbye to my lumpy back fat. Maybe I'll throw it a funeral. JK - BYE FELICIA!

Luv this post! Never even noticed, but I just went to check my size 8 pockets. They do seem awfully small. I don't have any of the 22's I used to wear so I can't compare. Not every NSV is positve! Thanx for pointing that out! Congrats on the fantastic loss!