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I'm spending Labor Day weekend with DH at a lovely old restored hotel. The mirror in the room is a skinny mirror! It's slightly distorted and makes me look 5'9 and 140 lbs instead of 5'4 and 192 LOL. Gives me a glimpse of what the future holds...wish I could take it home with me, but it's screwed to the wall...heehee

3 years ago I brought a pair of GAP Long & Lean jeans in size 20 without trying them on because I hated trying on stuff and going to the fitting room, I was so disappointed when I got home and I couldn’t get them ½ up. This was a turning point for me; this is when I started thinking of WLS. Today 10 weeks post op I am wearing them to work. I am so happy for this NSV! DOS 12/1/12 287 CW 2/10/12 249 Down 38lbs

Post-op life has been incredible so far. Even when I was in the hospital right after surgery, I was so positive. I was so thankful to the nurses, doctors and hospital staff - and I told them so endlessly - that many of them told me that I was the sweetest patient they'd had in a long time. Why? Because I was so thankful to be alive, to be doing okay (in pain, but no complications), to have them helping me, to know that IT WAS DONE... I just couldn't help but want to thank each of them so much for being there to help me through the hardest part (first few days post op). It was wonderful. Through all the pain and discomfort, I was guided by the idea that this is exactly what I wanted. I was exactly where I wanted to be. It was only gonna get BETTER from there. And it has. SO MUCH!!!! So, last Thursday was my 12 weeks post op. My stats: High weight: 459 Surgery date: 417 Today: 370. In 11 more lbs, I'll be at 100lbs down. And my high weight is from November 2012, so in LESS THAN A YEAR (cuz I know 11lbs will be coming off soon) I will have lost 100lbs. This surgery is my miracle. And I am an agnostic cynic who doesn't really believe in miracles. At my highest weight, it was impossible for me to have any sense of fashion or feeling cute in clothes. All my pants had to be ordered online and were usually somewhat ill-fitting. Almost all my clothes were bought from catalogs because plus size store tops were just too snug, even in the highest size. About 6 yrs ago was the last time I was able to buy pants at a store. Tops were okay, but jeans/pants were too small. Well, now just about everything I have is way too big. So, I started pulling clothes out of "the archives" a few weeks ago. I had held on to some of my nicer work clothes from Lane Bryant from about 5-6 yrs ago when I could still fit in them. Now, even those are all getting too big. The smallest size I remember being in my adult life is 26/28 and 12 weeks post op IT'S TOO BIG. I still find it so hard to believe! Well, I went clothes shopping this weekend. I waltzed into the Lane Bryant outlet and grabbed a pair of 28 jeans thinking "I'm sure all my old clothes are stretched out/worn in. So we'll see just how much more I have to lose before these brand new ones will fit", guessing that I'd get them pulled up but would have trouble buttoning them. Wrong. More like "Um, Miss, can you get me a 26?" A 26!!!!! And yes, I realize this is still big. I have a long way to go still, but just the idea of buying something in a store - something smaller than I would have bought even 5 years ago - it blows my mind!!! I got a bunch of cute tops in size 22/24 - and by the end of summer THOSE will be too big because they are already just a tiny bit big in the shoulder area. Anyway, aside from the clothes shopping (which I always LOVED back when I could actually shop in stores, so it kinda made me giddy to be able to do it again!) - I also have some NSVs. I've started parking on the 3rd floor in the parking garage at work. I was on the 2nd and would take the stairs every day. There are 5 floors, so I want to work my way up. Not sure how long it will take, but I just want to be able to do it! I can cross my legs at the knee. My thighs are still so huge (UGH), but small enough that I can cross my legs, and I was NEVER really able to do that comfortably in my LIFE. I moved my seat up in my car about 2 inches. Never thought that would be something I'd have to do because I'm almost 6 ft tall, but without my gut (well, with LESS of a gut) I felt a mile away from the steering wheel! I no longer fear any chair. Sometimes arms with chairs were just too tight and I couldn't sit in them. Now, I don't have that problem. Next challenge - sitting in a booth at a restaurant! this last one may sound snarky - but I have an overweight friend who's been acting a lil jealous of me lately because my weight loss is getting noticeable. I'm REALLLY close (if not already there, really), to being smaller than her. I've ALWAYS been the biggest friend. Always. I know that may sound petty - but I am just so sick of being the fattest person in my family, at work, in the store, of my friends - I have always been the fattest person... and now - I'm not! however that comes across, there is something about that fact that makes me proud of what I've accomplished! And last but not least - I met a guy. He's a really good one, too - so far. I haven't shared all my secrets with him or anything, it's still really new. But I do thoroughly enjoy him and want to see where this could go. It's got some potential! I haven't had the confidence to date in YEARS, and I go on this one blind date and am lucky enough to meet a really great guy. Another miracle? I dunno. Maybe I've been overdue for some miracles in my life! lol Anyway, that's about all I got to share at this point. Hope everyone else is doing well out there, too! <3 <3

So, I'm getting ready for work this morning & kinda got frantic. I tried on one pair of pants - too big. Tried on another pair of pants - too big. Went to the smallest ones I have and thought "whew! this works". Typical morning - rush, rush, rush. Drop the youngest off at daycare & drive into work with my hubby (we work at the same company, same building, same floor - LOL). Thursday are free coffee days in my department, so my hubby always comes by to chat. Yeah right - we all know he wants free coffee. Part of his "charade" is to stop by my desk. He walks in my office & sees me standing up. He's like "What are you wearing? Those clothes are falling off of you." I was crushed. I was like "it's all that would fit". He says back "Those do not fit. You need to show off how you are looking, not hiding behind those clothes. At lunch, we are going shopping and buying you some clothes that fit." Luckily, there is a decent thrift store near work, so we went at lunch. The pants I had on were 12's. I went over to the 9/10 section, held up pants and went "no way" ... but, decided to try them on anyway. Every single pair I tried on fit!!!!! Some were too short or I didn't like them when I got them on. But, THEY ALL FIT! Some were even a bit loose. I can't remember the last time I fit into 10's. Maybe for a week or two in my twenties, but that's it. WHAT A DAY!

Cute couple Congrats on a great NSV!

I've learned some other abbreviations along the way. CW = current weight, SW = surgery weight, HW = highest weight, NSV = non-scale victories (like smaller clothes size). Hope this helps.

This week I had my 6 week postop appointment. I am down about 43 lbs total, including my 2 week preop diet. After hitting 40 lbs down at 4 weeks, I went up & down the same pound for about a week. After 3 or 4 days, I stopped weighing myself every day & just waited about 5 days or so before weighing again. When I did, I was down 2 pounds & another one came off before my follow up appointment. I think my body was adjusting to having more solid food. At week 5, I was finally able to start cooking again & enjoying the kinds of food I love. I'm still focusing on softer foods, but being able to cook good food & start sharing dinner with my husband again has really boosted my outlook. In addition, I can tell my clothes are getting too big & I'm starting to pull out clothes I haven't worn in years. I found a really cute knit pencil skirt online at Target & I bought both a 3X and a 2X (Target stuff runs small on me). The 3X fits great now & the 2X will fit before too long. It's perfect for somebody with a bountiful booty & the hubs loves it. A new cookbook I am exploring right now is called Well Fed by Melissa Joulwan. It's a paleo cookbook, and Melissa also has a great blog called The Clothes Make The Girl. The paleo style of eating seems to fit in really well with our postop guidelines, so I decided to check it out. So far, I have really enjoyed everything I have tried from the book. She includes a sections on staples of a paleo pantry & ways to cook ahead the simple parts of a meal (meat, veggies, etc) that you then can use over a whole week with many variations. I found Well Fed on Amazon, along with several other paleo cookbooks I'm thinking of trying now. Over the last couple of weeks, I have had several social things to go to, plus a couple of times where I have had to be away from home for a whole day or overnight without much access to decent food. I've had to plan ahead for eating properly, and I've also had to get over my nervousness about social or party eating. I've been surprised at the things I've been tempted by & the things I have NOT been tempted by. One party was hosted by a friend who is a very good baker, and his parties always include some yummy cakes. I expected to be pretty tempted to have a bite of cake, but I wasn't. It was so weird, but I was happy with cheese & some olives & hardly looked twice at the cakes. However, last night we were at another friend's house they put out some Triscuits. OMG, I absolutely HAD to have a damn Triscuit. I was actually distracted from the conversation because I kept glancing at the Triscuits. Seriously, I'm obsessing over a Triscuit?? WTH??? I ended up eating 4 over the whole evening & they were yummy. I also had a little wine, but I didn't even finish one glass. I have noticed that I am starting to feel hunger again. A couple of times, I have been very hungry & my first 2 or 3 bites have been either too big and/or taken in too fast. Each time, I have thrown up right away. I need to do better about keeping it slow & small no matter how hungry I am. I am also struggling to take in 64 oz of water a day. I carry my bottle around, but forget to drink from it. The most I usually drink is 36 to 48 oz, and I know I need to do better than that. The other thing I'm noticing is that I'm "hungry" to get out and do more stuff now. My knees are feeling much better, and I am so much more enthusiastic about going shopping or to the grocery store or to a party without worrying about pain from standing or feeling like I am stuck in a chair while everyone else is mingling. Call it hunger for life, but that's the other hunger that's coming back & I am so grateful to feel it. Life is for living, and although I was never a person who withdrew from life, I certainly felt restricted in what I was physically able to do. My next NSV outing will be to go to our big farmer's market on a Saturday morning. Maybe next week? We'll see!

One of the things that really pushed me to have surgery was the embarrassment that I felt last summer not being able to ride rides at the amusement park and having to get off of rides because I didn't fit. This all happened in front of friends of ours too. We are on our way home from the amusement park now and I fit on every ride! Even the kiddie roller coaster that I have never been able to fit on! So excited it feels so good!

That is a great NSV! These are better than looking at the scale and wo.dering if it will move today or not.

Bunny great NSV many times over the years, i didn't want to be recognized or noticed now - we want people to take note of our new 'hot appearence' when people don't immediately recognize the "new" you, thats ok too! when they finally realize who you are, make sure you have smelling salt around if they faint in shock congrats girlfriend on eventually being recognized keep up the good job/work kathy

I had to come share my new NSV moment with you all because my husband doesn't get it. I have hit a bump in the road after tearing my meniscus and possible ACL in June. I am scheduled for an arthroscopy next month. My workouts have been cut WAY back to a recumbent bike only and I am only able to tolerate 20 minutes. I have been maintaining my weight loss but have not lost anything since April. Today I went to WalMart looking for some shorts that fit and was able to fit into misses 18 shorts and get them buttoned!! Along with the shorts I was able to buy 2 sundresses in an XL which I don't think I have worn in over 12 years. After feeling down the past couple of weeks this was a much needed pick-me-up. Thanks for letting me share. Doing the happy dance right now.

NSV's are wonderful. Congrats on yours and keep up the good work.

I fractured my ankle and foot last night, but they put me in a standard size wheelchair instead of the super wide ones and I fit! With room to spare!

Yahoo!! I am one month post-surgery and the scale hasn't moved a ton---(about 15 pounds) however, I tried on capris from 2 summers ago (couldn't wear them last year) and the fit!! Keeping my eye on the distance!! Greta

I was banded on 4/19 and went today for my checkup with my primary care doctor. Before surgery, my A1C was down to 6.5 with diabetic medicines. Today, my A1C was 6.0!!!! Woo hoo! Able to go from 3 pills a day to 2....the doctor stated I will probably be off all meds in a few months! Two years ago, my A1C was over 8. I'm so excited...I wanted the lapband for mainly health reasons with the weight loss as a bonus. Can't wait for the future!!!!

About once a week or every two weeks I have lunch with my mom. We also spend lots of time shopping on the weekends together so its not like she hasnt seen in eons or anything. Anyway, she picks me up for lunch at my work this week and it was such a nice day that I decided to wait outside for her. I saw her pull up in front and I started walking towards the car. I get in the car and she goes "ok, I was like "who is this girl walking towards my car"" She didnt even recognize me at first. Her own daughter who she sees all the time. What a compliment!

Linkinchic its these "little" NSV's that are great you lost 12 lbs pre-op?? 20 more in the past month!!! my math says you've lost 32 lbs all together you are doing terrific!!! keep up the good job/work - while your weight goes down you are enbarking on a great new healthier, happier, longer life!!! keep up the great job/work continued luck and happiness kathy congrats

I can totally relate to that! I went out to eat awhile back and had to ask for a table because I couldn't fit in the booth. It was so embarrassing! All of the other customers just stared at me and I heard some laugh. I wanted to crawl under that table & disappear! I still have some issues with booths, I'm always afraid I won't fit even though I do now. That is an awesome NSV!!

So many nsv's to come.......this trip can be fun!! And good for you for getting out there and playing football!

I think the best advice I've ever read on here about stalls is to avoid the scale. I weighed at my 2 week appointment and stupidly again after that. Caused too much anxiety, so I put my scale away I'm a month now and haven't weighed since, and I can still see differences in pictures and people who haven't seen me see the difference too. Don't let the number define you, go off of your NSV's and how you feel:)

I can cross my legs again! First time in over 5 years. I'm beyond thrilled!!

@@cutiecake all NSV's are great this one is a doozey all the running around, improvements for yourself - and your son too!! 34 lbs down!!! woo hoo!!! good for you!!! keep up the wonderful job for the rest of your healthier, happier, longer life kathy congrats

NSV= Non-scale Victory. Thanks everyone for the words of encouragement!

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

I kept forgetting to post this, but got reminded by another board. When I was trying to get my PCP to write a letter to insurance for me, back in December of 2006, he made me get blood work done. Well, at the time, my cholesterol was 286. I got it redone in early February of this year, as part of my 6-month post-op check-up. Guess what? It was 185!