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Glad to see all are doing well, keep up the good work. :wink2: It is wonderful that we have this forum. I read but don't respond much. To date of have lost 70 pounds and down 2 sizes. I have a long way to go, but enjoying every pound that comes off. Have had lots of NSV. Fitting into a airplane seat and putting the arm rest down, still need the extender but it is inches away from being gone. No more extenders for the vehicles. I am 57 pounds from my personal goal of 250. I can now see the light at the end of this long dark tunnel. Regards, Donna

I can't help it. . I love hearing about everyone's NSVs (non-scale victories). They are just plain inspiring. If you have some to share, please post away! :sad: Here are a few recent ones I have had: - Being able to shop in the regular department and finding out that I am finally back in a size 12 (OMG!!!); - I can wear heels all day without my feet killing me; - I can run without my compartmental syndrome (a co-morbidity) cutting off my circulation and pinching my nerves! In fact, I am going to run the Komen Race for The Cure in September! I could go on, but I really want to hear other people's! Catherine

@@charley27 I started at a size 22 jeans...Well I had popped the button and my sweet husband moved it over for me. Reality a size 24. I'm now a 0 to a 3. I have no hip's or butt. Not sure how many sizes I went down. When my husband would mention my jeans are baggy in the butt...Or if clothing was sliding off my body. I knew it was time for new clothing. My big size drop was a size 16 to a 10 in a short period of time. It was a great NSV.

These are so great!!! I love it that so many people had so many different ones to share so far! Kdub -- I'm doing the Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure (raising money for breast cancer research). ThereItGoes, I bet this will cure your compartmental syndrome! I can't wait to see that in your NSV list! :biggrin: Catherine

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

Here’s a no-brainer: You get weight loss surgery to lose weight. You qualify based on your BMI, and you watch the number on the scale decrease, sometimes by leaps and bounds, and sometimes painfully slowly. Any “successful” Weight Loss Surgery patient will tell you that weight loss is only one measure of success. There are many other ways to win, so keep your eyes out. Recognizing your non-scale victories (NSVs) will keep you motivated and let you get the most you can out of WLS. Here are just a few ways you know you are winning. 1. Your clothes fit (or don’t fit). You fit into clothes you “outgrew” on the way up, and your pre-WLS clothes are so big they are falling off. Better yet may be the feeling you have when your wedding ring fits again or you can slip into your high school prom dress again. 2. You are happy to go to the doctor. After years of bad news about your health, ranging from vague warnings (“You can get heart disease because of your weight.”) to scares (“You will be lucky if you live to see your children graduate from high school.”), things are different. You may get good news, such as being able to reduce your medications and seeing your numbers improve. 3. You like other activities besides eating. You will know success when you treasure your morning walk more than doughnuts, you want to focus on the movie without a tub of popcorn, and you are happy to talk to your friends instead of eating fast enough to serve yourself second helpings at dinner. It is a good feeling when you realize that the thing you will enjoy most about your granddaughter's birthday party is seeing her open her presents, not tasting her birthday cake. 4. Shopping is fun. You can go to regular stores, see a nice selection of fashionable clothes, and try them on without cringing when you look in the mirror. Plus, you have the energy to enjoy the experience. 5. It’s fun to focus on yourself. For some, getting a massage or going to the hairdresser can be a reminder of how unhappy you are in your body. You know WLS is working if you find yourself enjoying these activities again instead of avoiding them because of poor body image. Going to the doctor can also be embarrassing when you are overweight if you know that your health concerns are caused by your extra weight. 6. You do what you want to do. You make your plans based on your schedule and desire rather than which venue has the biggest seats and bathroom stalls. The size of booths at restaurants, the width of airplane seats, and weight limits at amusement parks become less important than the menu choices, the cost of the airfare, and who your favorite cartoon characters are. 7. You are bigger. You may be shrinking physically, but your personality is bigger. You no longer try to hide. You are confident in stating your opinions and being yourself, even if that means standing out a bit from the rest of the group. You have a voice, and you are prepared to use it.

Ah, that is still my favourite NSV to date, and it takes a while to sink in too, I still think of myself as bigger than my husband even though I am over 35lb less than him now. Enjoy it, it just gets better and better! xx

hey bud Love your updates!!, keeps me busy off the streets and out of trouble!! i wish i had written a journal. Putting in all my NSV's would have been great. you are keeping great records. It keeps you busy, writing things down that you can look back on. Exciting things to remember, like when you had your first BM, when you passed gas!! Ahhhh, it's the little things. I see you are mending day to day, 15 lbs down!!! Holy Moly!! keep drinking and feeling better kathy

great photos, and congrats. So, what are your top 10 NSVs?

Hello, the same thing happened to me but Trust...it will come off! And I had NSV (non-scale-victories), my Clothes...had to get New wardrobe in my second week. Surgery was 11/18/14 and I don't weigh until Doctors visits..GET OFF THE SCALE!

Laura - that's wonderful! Gosh - I don't think I've EVER been a size 10! I shared this NSV in another thread with my February 2008 friends, but it was so encouraging, I'm gonna share it here. Last November, I had to fly to Dallas, and on the plane, the belt was so tight, my tummy hung over the top and I had to cover it with my magazie so the flight attendent wouldn't make me wear a belt extender in front of my work friends! Yikes! I was so embarassed it was one of the reasons I decided to take the LB plunge. Anyway, I flew to DC last week, and the belt was actually loose - with about 4 inches of slack! And my butt didn't make the arm rest pop up in between me and my seat mate. I loved every minute of the flight.

NSV = non-scale victory.

What a great NSV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm loving what I see in the mirror- I haven't lost any weight this week but, I am very proud of myself. I know my body is changing even if the scale says differently! I hope you all have a wonderful day

hi i have never heard of it either but i walked 9 holes golf friday arvo so i guess that was a nsv

Mrs Husker-- big W00T for breaking your plateau! That always feels good. OH Julie--WOW great avatar pic! You look hot! And you are so close to onderland, you will get there soon I'm sure. Everyone--we are doing great at 1 year. Big props to all! I finally got into the size 8 jeans the other day, that was a big NSV for me. :clap:Running really seems to help. I can only run for 6 minutes at a time so far, and last night I did a total of 17 minutes in 4 blocks over a 49 minute session on the treadmill. It's getting better, easier (a little). About sizes, I think it's funny that the sizes we hated when we were gaining weight, we LOVE when we lose weight again. I remember MANY years ago getting to a size 10 and being disgusted that I was in "double digits". Wow, that was probably 15 years ago? I never saw size 10 again until a couple of months ago, and it was like a long lost friend. Of course, sizes are a little bigger than they were 15 years ago...(shhhh!) OK, ladies, have a great weekend and happy bandiversary to the early Marchies!

How did your brothers birthday go...........?? Hope you weren't too stressed and saw our messages! Roberta, i wanna go belly-dancing it sounds fun, maybe I should buy a DVD to use! Bluehill congrats on NSV, isn't it great!!!!! AmouretteXX

Hello MGBGers! Happy Monday! I am 21 days Post-Op today and have my follow up with my surgeon this afternoon. Current weight is 229 which is 32 pounds down from my starting weight and 21 pounds down from my pre-op surgery date weight. I broke down and bought clothes this weekend. I have a business trip coming up and even the few clothes I saved I’m starting to drown in now. Big nsv- I was able to shop in the regular side of the store - even purchasing some Shapewear in sizes M (shorts) and L (tank - for breasts) No more XL or 1X or 2X! Also this week my diet expands to include fish and soft veggies and hummus and all different flavors and textures! I’m super excited! I hope everyone is doing well. Looking forward to taking 1 month pictures next Monday and seeing the difference. Post how you’re doing! SW: 261 Pre-Op: 250 CW: 229 GW: 135-140 range

Go ahead Ana...cry...But never give up okay..I had 14 surgeries while I was in the hospital and 2 since I came out....It is quite a trip for both of us....I know I will not give up and neither will you...Your a strong woman and need to trust in your health care provider..Tell him your fears and concerns...... I came through it so will you...one step at a time girl...one step at a time....Each little NSV will mean so much to you.. I know it does for me because I paid a huge mental, emotional, and physical price for it..... Soon you will be able to encourage others. And give them hope and when they think nothing else can be done..You'll know better....... Come on Ana...show me what you got eh!!!!!!

Hahaha I had a partial chinectomy, but not a full one yet. I am hoping my next NSV is visible collar bones!

That's awesome. And it's very cool that you're inspring others. That's a huge NSV. Congrats!

So, I'm in reasonably nice food hall, which belongs to a major brand in the UK; picking up a couple of nice bits to munch on for the weekend. Noticing that my food bill has been slashed dramatically in the process and since this thang.. Anyway, I decide to exit through the clothing bit and spot a dress on sale. I think 'hmm, that's nice. Do I really 'do' lace though? Besides, is it be big enough?'. I ummed and ahhed over it for about 5 minutes - purely because I didn't want the embarrassment of getting it stuck over my shoulders cause it was too small. Anyway, after lots of mental debating, i decided to try it on. It fit. I didn't get it as it happened, because the lace aspect did my head in.. But as I left and trotted on down the high street, I couldn't help but walk into another lovely dress shop. Found a jacket I really liked. Lady approached me and said 'May I help you?'. I replied with 'Umm, yeah.. Do you have this jacket in a size 20-22 please?' She looked me up and down as if I'd come from Mars and replied 'Erm, you don't need that size my dear. You need a 16-18.' I have been neither of those sizes for nearly 15 years... I can see that THIS might be a problem in the future. I could be a size 14, but will still see a size 22-24 in the mirror.... I may have to work on that. In the meantime... size 16-18?! I'll bloody take it! Yipppppppppppppppeeeeeeeeeeee!

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

Here is a list of some of the abbreviations used on this website. ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AGB = Adjustable gastric banding AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible (crossfit) BB = belly button bc = because BCBS = Blue Cross/Blue Shield BED = Binge Eating Disorder bf = best friend BM = bowel movement BMI = Body Mass Index bp = blood pressure BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder or Biliary Pancreatic Diversion bs = blood sugar btw = by the way CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy CC = common channel c diff = clostridium difficile cos or cuz = because CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure CRNP = certified registered nurse practitioners cw = current weight CXR = Chest X-Ray DDD = degenerative disc disease Dr. = doctor DS = Dumping Syndrome or Duodenal Switch EGD = Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EKG = Electrocardiography ff = fat free GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease GI = gastrointestinal GNC = General Nutrition Corporation store GP = general practitioner or family doctor HBP = high blood pressure hr = heart rate hw = highest weight ICU = Intensive Care Unit Idk = I don’t know IMHO = in my humble (honest) opinion IMO = in my opinion IUI = Intrauterine insemination LAP Band = Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band lol = laughing out loud LSG = Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy med = medicine MFP = my fitness pal msg = message NASH = Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis nf = non fat NG = Nasogastric NP = nurse practitioner NSAIDS = Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSV = non-Scale victory (“scale” means “weight scale”) NUT = nutritionist OA = Overeaters Anonymous omw = on my way Onederland = a magical place or destination for those trying to lose weight. It might correspond to attaining a weight in the hundreds or losing a hundred pounds. op = operation OSA = Obstructive Sleep Apnea Oz = Australia PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PICC= Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome POSE = Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal postop or post–op = post-operation or post-surgery PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitors ppl = people preop or pre-op = pre-operation or pre-surgery PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PVC = Premature ventricular contractions RA = Rheumatoid arthritis RH = reactive hypoglycemia RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y RTD = ready to drink RYGB = Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SADI-S = single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy s/f or sf = sugar free SG = Sleeve gastrectomy SIPS = stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing surgery smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SO = significant other SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck TTC = trying to conceive Ty = Thank you. [but according to the urban dictionary “Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight or :-) = = smiley face or :-( = = sad face

Had my 6 month post op appt on Wednesday. Went FANTASTIC, but still in this stupid stall. Officially 3 weeks on Wednesday. So so annoying. Really ready to have it break so I can get on with it. Have to get bloodwork done, but all vitals and stats look excellent. Happy with my progress and my NSVs and my improved health. My dietician told me to keep my calories between 1100 - 1200 per day and add 2 days of weight training to my workout routine. I was doing light weights and cardio 5 days per week and she said to add the weight training to the 2 days I'm not working out. She said my diet and drinks and Snacks are all good, the amount and frequency I'm eating are good. So hopefully this will help. Today was my first day doing it. This stall is just driving me nuts. She also said if I get to 5 weeks, it's considered a plateau at that point and not a stall anymore. And then there's different things I would need to do if I'm in a plateau. Hope it doesn't get to that. I know stalls are normal, but I haven't even lost 100 pounds yet, and I'm nowhere near my goal, so slowing down this much at this point is really frustrating. Just gonna keep on keepin on until the stall breaks and the scale makes me happy again.