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Forgot the NSV's that I have had so far... Looser fitting clothing already! I am wearing a T shirt that I bought and wore once 2 1/2 years ago because it shrunk. Now it fits! Fitting into booths at restaurants! I have taken the kids out to eat a few times and I already fit into booths that my gut used to drag on! My knees can already feel the difference!

Such a great NSV! Congrats

Major NSV!! Something like that is more concrete than a number on a scale. Especially when you realize than in a few months, you have erased 9 years of unhealthy living from your body. When are you going to take that big suit OUT of your closet forever?

After reading so many comments about people being near their goal weight, I have to question my own goal weight. The Dr asked me what I thought my goal weight should be based on what I believe my bone size (I said medium). So anyway I currently weigh 265 ish and I am 5'8" ish. I told the Dr that my goal was 160-170 and he smiled. He did not disagree. I wouldn't mind getting back to 145-150 lbs but wonder if that is "too thin". I would rather be 170 and very fit. Since I recently had spinal cord surgery, exercise will not be as intense as it is for other Sleevers. I included that knowledge when factoring my goal weight. The thing is, I wasn't planning on worrying about my weight, but instead to use NSV's as a tracking mechanism. I planned to weigh in maybe once every two weeks.... but I constantly read people weighing in daily (?), or every couple days. Maybe I am looking at this wrong?!?! Lastly, I focused more on other types of goals instead of my weight, such as: - being able to exercise for a full hour per day - I want to do one charity race per year (Avon, Walk for a Cure etc) - walking up the stairs without being out of breath - Walk up multiple stairs LOL - getting into a size 12, 10 or 8 - being able to play with my kids (not be winded or tired) - maybe I will never run again, but chase my kids, or even a light jog daily.. that would be nice - able to have amazing stamina in the bedroom (bow chicka wow wow) LOL - I desire steamy romance, but being big makes it kind of uncomfortable and limits my stamina - and maybe getting a few looks here and there... - this is a selfish NSV, I know. But I am 30y/o and there is still a need to feel sexy. Honestly, I wasn't so fixed on a number. Any number under 200 would be welcomed at this point. I know it sounds odd since so many people have that "number" and stay strict to it. I have always been the odd girl out, never following the norm.. So yeah, my goals seem to focus not on weight but on NSV's and I wonder if that is going to be a problem.

That is a truly awesome NSV, Coops!!

Congrats, these NSV are better than the scale! Best wishes! Karen

Hiya Sue, HUUUUGE CONGRATS on this momentous Williams related NSV !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I, as you know, do not scoff at the inspiration of the one and only Williams, he truly has magical powers !!!!!!!!!!!!! Just think, when you got your Tshirt in 1999, you got it for Robbie the boy. In June you will be wrapping yourself in it for ROBBIE THE MAN !!!!!!!! I am a great believer in fate. It must be meant to be that after all these years our boys are back together in the very year that you are able to wear that treasured Tshirt for the first time. Today really is a good day!!!!!! Keep up the great work love and stay positive. Not long to go now, June is just around the corner !!!!!!!!! Love Angela xxx

Awesome NSV I'm going to see the Backstreet Boys in July and can't wait to be able to buy a smaller shirt

Good NSV...good thing you kept it in a safe place! Have a great time at the concert.

Ok, so I thought I would post something a little more positive, and hopefully a little slice of humour... In 1999 I had the pleasure of seeing, the one, the only, the amazing Robbie Williams, live in Cardiff... it was a good day, evening and night!,, Anyway, at the concert I bought the mandatory tee shirt... when I got home it was WAY tooooo tight, so it has been put 'safe' until it fits! I tried it on today and... IT FITS!!!! But it fits well enough for me to wear, and in public.... I am sooooo happy! You all laughed at me when I said that The Robster was my inspiration...heheheeeee! So, now I am eagerly awaiting the Take That concert, on the 16th June, where I will be treated to not just Robbie, but his little friends too.... YEY! Lets just hope that I am able to buy a smaller tee shirt at this concert ... Today is a good day...

Greetings fellow November bandsters! I was banded on November 22nd and am teeter-tottering between 75-77 lbs. lost. My first fill was on January 7th and my second one is scheduled for this Friday. Unfortunately, I'm in desperate need of fill as I can eat almost anything I want to in any amount. Right now, it is back to the early stage will power....ugh! I've started a hard core exercise program that reminds me of what they do on The Biggest Loser. This is my thrid week with that and I have gained 2 lbs. I'm contributing that to either muscle or my need for a fill! I plan to get back on track Friday. NSV include: Being able to bend over and tie my shoe; Going down 3 sizes in clothes; Walking without being completely out of breath; Blood pressure meds gone; Saving money at restaraunts by sharing a meal or eating off the kids menu; Positive self esteem! Would I have Lap Band surgery again? ABSOLUTELY!!!

Excellent NSV! Thanks! Dave

LOL feel like im reading my own NSV"s!! i just realized the towel thing on sat!! and yesterday i bought my first size 12 levis!! yea hit 198 yresterday!! so happy for you too:)

Congratulations! Ths is a great success! So inspirational! I really hope that people who still have doubts aboout this surgery will read your NSV!

6 months ago, I was at my highest weight in my life. I couldn't even walk to my mailbox and back without being out of breath. My driveway is only 2 car lenghts long, so that is very sad for a 32 year old woman. I would walk to get the mail, walk back in, and have to lean over the counter to catch my breath. I would take out the trash, and have to rest if I made more than one trip. I could barely make it thru a shower. After I showered, I would lay in bed naked. Once I got a flat tire in my neighborhood, and had to walk like 4-5 houses back to my house, which isn't a far distance. When I got home, I didn't think I could even make it inside. I was sweating and dizzy. I even stopped shopping at the grocery, because it was too hard for me to get in and out of the car and walk thru the store. That's how I got even fatter, just drove thru the drive thru. That was at 369 pounds., Now when I go to the store, I park far away, on purpose! I had a garage sale once, and my sister and I were hanging signs, I had her get out and hang them when I drove, because it was too hard for me to get in and out, I would have gotten too out of breath. I knew at the time it was really bad, but its now that I realize just how bad that was. I am so glad I didn't let it get any further than that. I was 369 pounds and gaining. I haven't exercised much post-op. There was a 2-3 week time frame where I was working out somewhat, but then I got sick and never got back to it. Well, this week I decided I was going to walk, no matter how much I could do. Tuesday I walked 2.5 miles, with both of my boxer dogs. It was kinda tough, but I made it. Thursday, I walked 2.5 miles with just one dog (the other has arthritis pretty bad and I thought it was too much for her). Then, Saturday I walked 4.5 miles!!!!! There are paths all around where I live, thru neighborhoods, around a lake, etc. From my house to the lake it exaclty one mile, and the path around the lake if you go a certain way, is 2.5 miles. So, I walked there, around the lake and back I was so proud of myself. Then, today, I was like, lets top that! I walked to my sisters house and back! I walked past the lake, to her house, hung out with her for a bit, got some Water, and went back home, for a total of 5 miles!!!!! I did take a break in the 5 mile walk, but still, I walked 5 miles, in 1.5 hours!!!!! My average speed was a little over 3mph. I got lost on the way there because I coulnd't find the right trails to follow since I had never walked to her house! It just amazes me. I am so happy too that I can finally do something my dogs love and have missed so much!!!!! I am on cloud 9 right now. I just wish the weighloss would pick up!!! So, I was thinking, if i can already walk this much (I think its a lot, especially compared to what I could do before) at 255 pounds, in another 50 pounds lost, I will be running. I have never even been able to run a mile in my life! I was in soccer, softball, and was a thrower in the track team, but never could run long. So, now I need to pick up the pace somewhat, and maybe jog/walk. We will see!!! Just had to share! It felt awesome!

:D Thanks my peeps!!! Just enjoying the losing weight, and for once I feel like I can keep it off too. I'm lovin it!!! I told my hubby I want to get the girls done as soon as I hit goal. Everything else can wait awhile. I guess that's why I haven't even thought about getting any smaller shirts than mediums now. I doubt with the size I want I will be able to fit into smalls. Aaaanyway, here's another NSV... it's my TOM and I haven't really gained any weight (haven't lost either but oh well!!!). I'm keeping myself under control as much as I can. I blew it last time and didn't want to do that again. I'm almost out of it, so hopefully I can race to get to my Easter goal with time to spare!!! :D

The towel has to be one of the best NSVs out there! You rock!

Aw, congrats, Irene!!! I'm so proud of you! Those are such great NSVs!!!

Awesome NSV's its truly makes you realize that you are losing weight and getting healthier.

I had two NSVs this weekend! The first happened yesterday. Yesterday me, my son, my girlfriend and her cousin played 2 on 2 basketball in the park. It was the WORST game in history because none of us are any good. But, for 45 minutes I ran around the court, guarded my son, ran after the ball, dribbled, shot and played. I wasn't winded or anything, my knees and back didn't hurt, either. In fact, I felt great during and afterward! I finally lost enough weight to be active and play with my son again! I had SOOOOOO much fun!!! I can't wait to do it again! For years I've been watching everyone around me run around and have fun, and I was finally able to join in and do it too. Then, I took a shower. When I got out, I wrapped a towel around me...it went all the way around! There were no gaps in the bottom of the towel where it doesn't close all the way! Thank you sleeve!

It was soo awesome I too went to my closet and all my shirts were so loose I use them now as night shirts.. NSV are soo awesome.. I have went to 2x instead of 4 and 5 X shirts.

I started my journey on January 3, 2011. After a short and terrible experience with the band I was very reluctantly sleeved. To make a long story short, I had the band for only 3 months and had a major slip and after agonizing pain, had it removed 3 days shy of 3 months. I started my new journey at 245. Today I weighed in at 192!!! I am not going to lie and say it's been easy. My biggest problem in the mental part!! I was an emotional wreck after the surgery with major regrets. I then had big problems eating out because it would literally make me angry that I would order a meal, take a few bites and be full. My EYES and HEAD wanted me to eat the entire thing!!! Though the help of a friend I met at a support group and my sister-in-law (who had gastric and is doing great), I worked through these challenges. I know to order food that reheats at home well....(no salads when I am out!), I take it slow during meals so I can eat my food the same time everyone else eats an entire plate....and I keep thinking of how 'lucky' I am to be able to get about 3 meals out of one meal!!!! I went shopping today because I have NO clothes!! I fit into a regular size large shirt and a pair on size 16's from the junior department. There's no "W" after that 16!!! Even more amazing that after taking my kids to the movies and Friendly's last night I woke up and WEIGHED LESS!!! That would NEVER have happened before!! It took longer than most but I can now say I am very happy I make the decision to do the weight loss surgery route again.... Thanks for reading!!

Went shopping today.... I'm officially OUT of the PLUS size department!!!! Yahoooooooooooooooooo!!! I'm doing the happy dance!!! I didn't buy too much ~ just a couple of tops. I still have a long way to go, so I don't want to invest too much in clothes right now. But... it feels good to have a couple of new, nice things to wear to work!!

I have been a bit down in the dumps lately because the past few weeks' weight loss has been really slow. But this week was great -- over 3.5 lbs. lost! I am now down to 192.2, very close to being in the 180s and so excited about that! I had a NSV today, too. About a month ago I went shopping for some new jeans, since my size 22's were getting pretty loose. I was really happy to find out I could fit into size 18WP jeans, even though they were a little snug. I bought two pairs of jeans. I am very short and the jeans were still a couple of inches too long, so I needed to get them hemmed (I can't sew at all!). I had a lot going on the past few weekends, so kept putting off taking the jeans to get hemmed, but today I finally did it, because the size 22s are so loose they are going to fall off any day now, and just *have* to go. So I went to the seamstress to get the jeans hemmed, and put on the size 18s for the seamstress to measure, and I was quite gratified to notice that they were looser than I remembered when I bought them. The seamstress made me stand on a little dias so she could get the length right and I was facing a large full-length mirror. At that point I noticed the new size 18's were actually already pretty darn loose in the legs, and comfortably loose around the torso. I started wondering if maybe I was getting close to fitting into a size 16WP. So, after I finished with the seamstress, I headed on over to Macy's and decided to try on some new jeans. I picked up a pair of Levi's size 16 short, the Macy's house brand of jeans, and a pair of size 16 capris. When I got to the fitting room, I picked up the Levi's first and was aghast because the size 16s looked really, really small. I didn't think I could even get them up over my thighs ... but I did. I even got them buttoned and zipped up, to my amazement. OK, I have to admit, they were tight, and I wouldn't have felt really comfortable wearing them, so off they went. I nearly bought them just to measure my weight loss progress, but decided to hold off for a few weeks and come back and try again in a month or so. The Macy's jeans, however, fit perfectly and so did the capris. I took my new size 16 jeans to the seamstress and had her swap out one of the size 18 jeans (which I will hem using that magic hem stuff I bought from Walgreens). So, I am officially able to wear size 16! Woo hoo! I ended up buying a couple of new bras this weekend too -- the balconette style from Lane Bryant, size 42DDD. I was pleasantly surprised at the nice shaping they provide. My girls are hangin' low, so to speak, so they need a strong support and shaping bra! Now I will be brutally honest -- I look like total crap with clothes off. I have horrendous cottage cheese thighs right now -- not just the normal cellulite area, but everywhere down to my knees, front and back -- ick. And as I mentioned, I pretty much have the breasts of an 80 year old woman. And I still have a big old gut and butt. And, I am sporting a rather nasty wattle on my chin, making me look years older. Every day I put bio-oil on my chin hoping to moisturize and firm the loose skin, but it doesn't seem to be working that great. My body is definitely smaller than it was, but by no means is it a body I would be willing to parade a bathing suit around in! But, all in all, I am totally thrilled with my sleeve and feeling better and more confident every day. I am really looking forward to the summer, when hopefully I will be down in the normal size clothes range, and will look and feel even better. I talked to my husband and we are going to try the couch to 5K program this spring, and sign up for a local 5K race this summer. That will be a HUGE NSV for me, to finish a 5K! I am really excited about the future!

Whoohooo!!! That is a great NSV!!! I looove to run so I know how amazing this feels. May you continue on the right path and run run RUN!!!