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I was where you were this time last year. Keep you head in the game. I had some scheduling issues and either had to have my surgery by the middle of July or then not until end of August. I was doing good with losing - had lost 30 ish pounds between April and August, ultimately. But I was afraid. I was nervous. I was anxious about insurance approvals. About all the changes. About what I didn't know. And we were going on vacation, to boot. Here's what I can tell you. I started this journey at the end of April 2016 weighing 271.5 on a 5'3" frame with a BMI of 48.1. I was 246.9 on day of surgery. Today - less than one year after surgery, I am down 99.5 pounds off my highest weight of April 2016. My BMI is 30.5 and in another few pounds will swing from borderline obese to overweight. I'm thinner than when I got married 20 years ago. I weigh less than both of my teen daughters. I fence 5 hours a week, do TRX and have a personal trainer. I went from size 24 pants which barely fit to having size 10 pants be a little big - I'm starting to buy 8s. Keep your head in the game. Start making lists of what you want to do and how you want to reward your NSVs - so far, I've been zip lining. stand up paddleboarding, taken up a new sport, run a 5k, and bought some really expensive clothes at shops where the clerks before wouldn't even recognize that I was in the store. Start a physical activity program - even if its just walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike. Find a gym nearby that you like. See a therapist about your food issues Develop other methods of coping that don't involve food Remember - your sleeve is only a tool. It's not the answer. You have to keep your head in the game. But you can do it. You've got this.

I'm actually wearing clothes with stripes! It's been years since I have felt comfortable enough to wear them.

Averaging 18 pounds a month is great! I think many people here have unrealistic expectations of how fast they will lose post-op. There are so many factors: did you have sleeve or bypass? Are you male or female? Was starting weight/BMI high or low? etc. No two people are alike, and no two people will lose weight the same way in the same time frame. You're only 2 months out. Do you really think the weight loss is going to stop suddenly? I know it's hard not to compare yourself to others, but really, the only one you should be comparing yourself to is... you! What was your weight loss like before you had the operation? I know for me, the most I could ever lose was about 10 pounds a month, but after a month or two, the weight loss would plateau and creep up again. What are your body measurements like? You may find that you are losing inches, even if the scale is stalled. How do you feel? Do you have more energy? Do you have less pain (if you have it before)? There are so many non-scale victories to keep track of. Even for me, the last two weeks have been a bit of a downer, as the scale hasn't budged (but it finally did today). That said, even though the scale wasn't moving, clearly something was happening because I suddenly found most of the clothes I was wearing were too big - pants and skirts literally falling off my body, shirts so baggy it was embarrassing. So I've done another clean-out of my closet and I'm happy that I am starting to fit into size 16 bottoms, something I haven't been able to do for over 10 years. Anyway, focus on your NSV's, stop comparing yourself to others (social media is great for support, but it often can create false expectations based on what others are projecting out there), and relax. Hope you start feeling better about this soon.

So Ive been browsing the site and replied to many others with well wishes and finally my day is here on Wednesday, July 26th! I am just sooo excited that I can't contain it internally. I am literally salivating at the thought of the losers bench; the extra energy; the lighter body to finally hold a plank for 2+ minutes; easier push ups; easier stair climbing the treacherous NYC subway stairs. Just can't wait for life to finally be grand! And one NSV - I will finally since the age of 12 not have to go to the "Plus Sized" department!!! My pre-op diet with my surgeon is only required for 2 days but I will start it on Sunday instead. All clear liquids only - no protein shakes nor meals. May be tough but it will surely be worth it. Are their any potential sleeves for July 26th as well. Would be great to encourage one another. [emoji3][emoji1437]

So I've had many non surgery victories along the way but had to share this one... Forgot my bathing suit while meeting my hubby over at my parents house for a hot tub (they were out of town) and stopped in at Giant Tiger at 7:55 when they closed at 8. They had bathing suit tops and bottoms on sale for $7 each. Grabbed an XL bottom and a size 14/D top and got out of there before they closed. Here is comes....they fit perfectly! Never in my life have I bought a bathing suit in the regular sizes with out trying it on and it fits!! Loving life [emoji178][emoji178] I've lost 92lbs and I'm 1 pound away from onederland [emoji2][emoji2][emoji2][emoji322][emoji322][emoji322]

Congrats!!! You look great. Feeling better is probably the best NSV there is. I feel the same at only 9 weeks post-op.

Today I am 24 month, 2 years post-op. I just went back today to read what I posed a year ago. At that time I was super happy with my weight loss at the time. 4 months later I was not as thrilled with my weight loss. I was fairly miserable and in the middle of a complete identity crisis. Now 8 months later I feel a lot better about everything. At this point I am pretty scared about long term success because there is so little support for long term “successful” WLS patients. If you are regaining or never reached goal that is a lot of support but if you are “successful”, it is mostly a pat on the head and “keep doing what you are doing”. The change from being super morbidly obese to being a “normal” size and under 200 pounds has been very mentally taxing. Like I said there is little support for it. There is little support in the bariatric community because most people never do it and there is virtually no support outside of it because it is a real rarity. I spent a lot of time and money trying to find a therapist that could help and there are basically zero with any experience, so I was left on my own to find my own plan to work it. Which luckily I was able to do. Everyone, even medical professionals (perhaps especially medical professionals) seem to think losing weight solves all your problems and that is really not the case at all. Losing created all kinds of new problems for me that I never even knew existed. Weight at 1 year post-op 231 Weight at 2 years post-op 186 If I was just going by the scale as a measurement, I would be disappointed right now because I have only lost 45 pounds in the past year and I wanted to be down 50 by now. I stopped eating for weight loss about 5 months ago, and while I am not necessarily trying to eat for maintenance, I am not eating to lose either. In that time period I have still managed to lose 10 pounds. The goal right now is to lose another 15 pounds total over the next year, and hopefully lose another 5 pounds before the end of the year. I could lose it faster if I tried but it is better for my mental health to stay weight stable. Physically I am already at a size I like. 8/10 is pretty perfect for my height/frame. I am pretty sure with skin removal I will be a 4/6. I have lost a lot of inches, and more interestingly my body shape has changed and adjusted a lot. I have a 34 band and I don’t even think my band size was that small in HS. I can’t ever recall buying anything with a 34 band, so that a huge shock, NSV for me. Last fall I really wanted skin removal surgery very badly. Now I see that would have been a tremendous mistake. The surgeries I would have picked last year and the results would have been lackluster. I definitely see the advantage of waiting for plastic surgery. Your skin, fat, body distribution changes. The body is amazing thing and watch it repair and rebuild itself is amazing to witness. I always took a lot of pictures of myself. I have never been camera shy even at my heaviest. Now I take multiple pictures a day as a way to become accustomed to how I look. Pictures and my clothing sizes are my size validation. My face is so different now, the shape is totally different. It has gone from round to square, which requires different makeup application and accessories. Inch loss I have lost 65.5 inches total since last year Difference Bust (fullest part of bust): 6 Pecs (just above the bust line): 4 Ribs (top of rib cage just below the bust) : 5.5 Waist: 10 Abdomen: 5 Hips: 8 Right Upper Thigh: 4 Right Lower Thigh: 4 Left Upper Thigh: 4 Left Lower Thigh: 4 Right Calf: 2.5 Left Calf: 2.5 Right Upper Arm: 3 Left Upper Arm: 3 Totals 65.5 I have so many NSV almost daily it is impossible to list them all. I appreciate the wonder and amazement of what I can do now. In some ways I look forward to when this is more normalized but I kind of hope it never is so I don’t forget. I love my new sports car, I worked hard for it, and I look great in it. I would have never been able to fit in it comfortably before or get in and out of easily. My lap dog really enjoys my lap now that I really have one. I can fit anywhere and shop anywhere. My total losses HW 377 SW 358 CW 186 Size 28/30 at Surgery Currently 8/10 Measurements Difference Bust (fullest part of bust): 26 Pecs (just above the bust line): 19 Ribs (top of rib cage just below the bust) : 26.5 Waist: 35.5 Abdomen: 28 Hips: 25 Right Upper Thigh: 12.5 Right Lower Thigh: 13.5 Left Upper Thigh: 12 Left Lower Thigh: 12.5 Right Calf: 4 Left Calf: 4.25 Right Upper Arm: 9 Left Upper Arm: 8.5 Totals 236.25

Just had follow up blood work done, specifically to test for Vitamin D and A1C levels - pre surgery my Vitamin D was at 10, now at 29 (recommended is 30+). My A1C was at 7%, now at 5.8% (7 is diabetic and 5.8 is pre-diabetic). Feels so great to moving myself outside of the dangers that come with diabetes! Fortunately all my other numbers were good. And, I have just donated 10 bags of professional clothing that no longer fits me and my closets are empty. I want to thank the posters of these Forums - I don't fear the stalls (had a week 5 one, others to come no doubt), I am tracking everything, relate to the # on the scale as a tool to assess what's working and what's not working and feel great. I am proud to have lost 30% of my excess weight and can't believe what has gotten accomplished in the past two months!!!!! Life is a privilege!

Definitely! There are so many ways to track your progress! Use them all! Scale, body fat %, measurements, photos, NSV

So, hey, I'm slacking on my updates here. I do a few on the single updates on the main page as well. I've been posting on some threads these last few days. Anyway, I finally went to get some shopping done. Nothing major. I bought maybe 6 shirts, 2 pullover bras and 2 exercise capris (my favorite). I decided I won't be buying any nice outfits until I'm closer to maintenance. It helps that I don't have to dress up for work, nor do I really dress for church. LOL I go in my workout gear. YAY! I spent maybe $100...I try to keep it cheap/simple, since I won't be wearing these for much longer, as anticipated, but I could actually wear them, they'll just be too big, but ok. Like I did with my 2x shirts until now. I bought XL shirts and XL capri pants, and L pullover bras. I could fit into L shirts, but it's just a teeny tad fitted on my stomach and I don't like that. Maybe in a month I'll wear a L, I have a few clothes that I had previously at that size, so I'm good for now. Here's an NSV...kind of intimate, but it's something to celebrate. The more weight I packed on, the less libido I had to want to do anything in the bedroom. I basically had to really gear up to it. I always felt bad about it for my husband. So anyway, 24 less pounds makes a difference...my libido has gone up. I'm actually amazed...and my husband is happy. LOL My belly isn't hanging over as much anymore...I see the crease diminishing. I'm also anticipating not having to have a TT afterall...just some flab which is liveable. I don't plan on wearing clothes that show my belly anyway. Since changing back to regular vitamins (from the Patch), I can see the difference and feel the difference. I don't think the Patches were doing anything for me really. My nails are getting strong again and I have more energy. Glad I decided to go back. Now I have two months worth of Patches with no where to go. Unless I find someone locally that can use them pre-op. I finally got a thing of Halo Top ice cream a few days ago. It was free...I had a coupon from my store for a free one. It's still sitting in the freezer uneaten. LOL I have to be in the mood for ice cream...never was one to just want it all the time. Guess because it's sweet. I don't do sweet very well. So anyway, when I finally try it, I'll give my two cents on it. Hope you all have a great day today!!!

@James Marusek hey guy thanx for running this list again newbies et al appreciate VETS like you that help them with info you said ---“Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] (never knew or heard that one congrats on all your NSV's down 117 lbs almost 4 years PO GOAL!! maintainning and of course being such a nice guy kathy

The following abbreviations are commonly 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 C25K = Couch Potato to Running 5K 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 LES = lower esophageal sphincter 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

This week I realized I had 2 NSV. The first one is my 8yr old can hug me (at my thickest belly part) and reach his arms all away around me. No more half hugs here! I almost cried when I realized he can now fully hug me, not just part of me. My 2nd victory is being able to have a regular shower towel wrap around me and cover all my bits. No more need to use a beach towel! I might be at a stall right now, but these NSVs are encouraging me! Sent from my VS995 using BariatricPal mobile app

This week I realized I had 2 NSV. The first one is my 8yr old can hug me (at my thickest belly part) and reach his arms all away around me. No more half hugs here! I almost cried when I realized he can now fully hug me, not just part of me. My 2nd victory is being able to have a regular shower towel wrap around me and cover all my bits. No more need to use a beach towel! I might be at a stall right now, but these NSVs are encouraging me! Sent from my VS995 using BariatricPal mobile app

Way to go with the weight loss and the NSV!

My first 30 day on my supervised diet are nearly complete. My first two weeks were a bust but the second half I have lost 9 pounds to date. My biggest struggles continue to be eating out and unplanned eating although I am geting better at making quick choices that are on plan. I am doing well sticking to calories but see that my carb creep up and fat is creeping up. I havae a few NSVs my clothes fit a little better and I do have more energy. I have started working out or being more active eather. I walked 2 miles with my kids the other day and felt great. I have my first appointment back with my PCP on Monday for the official weigh in then it is on to month 2. My favorite meal plan items this month have been yoplait greek 100 whips, celery and (insert cream cheese, peanut butter, or dressing) string cheese and deviled eggs. My goals for this week are to exceercise three time per week with at least two of those being core work and stretching.

One of the hidden joys of weightless surgery is dropping clothing sizes. Some call it a NSV (non scale victory). I went from a size 3X in shirts down to a size Small and from a size 46 in pants down to a size 32. I think I enjoyed this more than dropping pounds on the scale. Your body responds differently as you lose weight. Sometimes you lose a few pounds, sometimes you lose a few inches - but it all adds up over time.

Hello folks.... so I've been thinking about how some of the things discussed here are rather relative. I haven't really thought it through but what got me thinking was this one post (can't remember which one but it was one from years ago!) and the poster was my height and considerably more overweight when she got started. She was celebrating having come down to my current weight and was listing her current NSV as well. That got me thinking... so we are the same height and at that point in time the same weight and this was a big success for this poster and that was great... I mean I was genuinely happy for her as it had clearly been a while since she was that weight. But then I started thinking about how her [emoji106] was my [emoji107]... so I started wondering how much of this was perception. H 5'6" HW 253, CW 245, TBS 9/19

@Redmaxx you have worked hard you deserved all your success 100 lbs gone walking easily 2 miles in parade great NSV's keep on keepin' on kathy congrats

More NSV's, it helps detract from the thinning hair I'm on my third throw out from my closet and even had to throw some new thinner cloths out !!! I pretty much have nothing old left. I literally put on every item and can't believe how tight they used to be, just look like a sack of potatoes now. This is all I have left and the top left section is my BF's cloths. New smaller cloths take up a lot less room and weight in the suitcase. And whoever said you need to get to a size 14 before folks really notice was absolutely right, one lovely comment from my Indian colleague that was here visiting and last saw me 70lbs heavier " you are reducing a lot "

@fadstabora that is a win! Social situations can be a minefield. It must have felt really good to walk out of Wingers having made good choices@chiquitabananaz14 focus on little consistent steps...getting on the scale is up to you... don't feel defeated, you've reached out for support and it takes guts. Bravo! Not everyday is about the # on the scale we all have areas to work on to make ourselves stronger and more resilient...Just look at this thread...you started with honesty and openness and as a result we all found a place we can come for support and encouragement while we work towards our personal goals... your current choices have had a positive impact on others, that is an NSV if I've ever seen one!! Stay on your path:)

I was really worried about the negativity before I had surgery. I was just so nervous that people would think I was taking the "easy way" out. It is most certainly not the easy way, as I'm sure anyone post-op can confirm. Since having surgery I find myself telling anyone. If someone compliments my weight loss or asks why I was out of work I just come out with it. I realize that's not everyone's path and I didn't think I would want to share it with many people at all. I've found it a bit cathartic to just be honest about surgery. I luckily haven't had any negative reactions, at least not to my face. People are going to think what they want anyway, and all I can do is deal with my experience. I can't imagine having someone you trust enough to disclose about surgery being so negative. I know that it's way easier said then done to ignore the comments. The truth of the matter is that what's done is done. The most important thing is that you take care of yourself and focus on your journey. You've taken a huge step towards self improvement! There's nothing wrong with that. I've found that reminding myself of the NSVs is a huge help to staying positive. You got this!

I can tell you a few that may help: HW-Highest Weight CW-Current Weight SW-Surgery Day Weight GW-Goal Weight NUT-Nutritionist NSV-Non-Scale Victory These are a few I know! Good luck!🍀

Have to be out of the house early today, I had my husband wake me up at 5am to workout. I woke up feeling pretty good actually. Not too tired or sluggish. I did my workout video, showered, and then got my girls up to get ready. I'll be focusing on my fluids once again today. In fact, I need to do this everyday. I won't worry about what I'm not eating, but what I may not be getting in fluid wise. I had an awful dream that my throat was so dry and I couldn't find a store to get a drink. Now, I'm pretty sure that dream was because my throat was pretty dry last night!!!! It was awful. I don't want a dream like that again. LOL Water it is today!!! OH....as I was working out in my pj's (best part of not having to go anywhere), my bottoms slipped down! LOL NSV!!! Ya'll have a blessed day! I'll check back in later.