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DD's been busy so last night DH insisted on taking me out to get a new pair of jeans for our trip this weekend (off to see DS1)...apparently my old high-top relaxed fit Mom jeans are baggy in all the wrong places. The kids have been telling me daily that my pants are too big. Finding a perfect pair of jeans is hard these days!!! Do you want waist-high, mid-rise, low-rise, curvy, skinny, tummy panel, stretch, straight-leg, boot-cut, and don’t get me started on all the colors, wear marks, and decorations. Then I had to decide on length…I’ve lost an inch (down to just under 5’9”) so now regulars are too short and longs are too long. Well, I sent DH on to the other store to pick up a prescription while I got to work. He was back about the time I finally decided what I was looking for and I knew I had work fast and be out within 30 min. (he didn’t get the shopping gene). I took about 8 pair into the dressing room…all too big? I tentatively came back out and sent DH to grab some 14’s…THEY FIT!!!! OK, the size 14’s now are more generous than when I last wore 14’s many moons ago, but THEY FIT!!! My 16’s, I’ve been wearing, I’ve been back into twice in the last 10 years, but 14’s…I believe that was several children ago. Size 24 to a 14...awesome. I ended up with some dark blue (no wear lines on the front- the horizontal lines across my hips and thighs made my widest part look wider), plain pocket (I don’t need decorations on the back pockets drawing attention to my bum), mid-rise (no more ‘Mom Jeans’), straight leg, 14L’s (hope they shrink a tiny bit). OK, they’re not the coolest pair of jeans, but I’ll have plenty of time to look for those…maybe, just maybe…when I reach a size 12! The nicest part came as we got back in the car (within 30 min. I might add). DH said ‘You’ve been working so hard to get the weight off, you needed a pair of jeans that fit you…you look great!’ A nice NSV... Well we're off tomorrow to PSU to see DS1 and I can't wait to see him. We're all going to the big game (OSU-PSU Look for us, we'll be the only ones in Red as it's a PSU White-Out) and yes, DS1 and his buds have been tenting in Paternoville all week (he says he's freezing). It's been killing me that the fraternity has kept him there on the weekends we had planned. If it wasn't for DH I would have packed up and gone out there just to see him between classes...I know, I know...time to let go a little. Saturday is my Blogiversary...so stay tuned!

*I originally posted this about 6 months ago, I recently got a request to repost it! Hope some of this helps! Welcome all newly banded, soon to be banded, or bandsters new to the site. I was thinking this morning, now that I am a little over 9 months out, I could share some information with those of you just beginning your journey. Some of this is kinda common sense, and some of it is info I wish I had understood better before the band. 1. before get very far into your journey, take some measurements. I forgot to do this and now I wish I had my beginning measurements. This is good, bc sometimes when the scale is not moving...you are still losing inches! SO MEASURE YOURSELF! 2. Take some before pictures. I take pictures all the time, but I know some people hate the way they look presurg. But you will wish you had some before pictures after you start losing :thumbup: It's only going to get better afterall! 3. This is really important. And I didnt have a clear grasp on it before surgery. After surgery, and after you heal...you will still be hungry. AND most likely, you will still be able to eat whatever whenever you want. The period after banding and before you first fill is referred to as BANDSTER HELL. It's hell because you have to rely on willpower. What's that you say? I know I know...if we were good at "dieting" then we wouldnt need the band. But for a few weeks at least, prepare yourself to practice restraint. Just bc you can eat it...don't. 4. Know that after surgery, and when you start to eat mushies and real food. Your weight loss will probably stop for a week or so. Your body is going from a really low calorie liquid diet to actual food. It needs time to adjust. So dont get discouraged or give up. Hold on, watch what you eat...and more importantly...start moving. 5. Which brings me to this one. Exercise. It doesnt have to be anything huge! I started walking and I HATE walking. But I set a goal for myself. I wanted to do a 5k. I started walking 1 mile. The next week I added 1/2 a mile and so on. In March, 2 months after my surgery I did my first 5k. Is was a nonscale victory (NSV). Exercising will help your scale start moving again, and even when it appears you arent dropping pounds, you are changing the shape of your body. 6. Start a blog. It's pretty easy. Blogger is one great one. The link to my blog is in my signature. If you go check it out, you will see all of the other ladies that blog. Blogging or reading blogs lets you get to know fellow bandsters on a more personal level and see progress and share experiences. 7. When you go to your doctor ASK QUESTIONS! That's what they are there for...and that's what we (or our insurance) is paying them for. 8. Realize that all doctors are different. You will learn that really quickly on this site. We all have different instructions. 9. Dont be afraid to call and ask your doc if you can change something, move to the next phase sooner..etc. All they can do is tell you know. 10. FILLS! Most of us dont feel any restriction after our first fill. I didnt feel anything until my 3rd fill. My doc is pretty aggressive with fills, if that's what his patients want. I had 4ccs my first fill. I called back bc it didnt do anything for me and went in 2 weeks later for my second fill. He gave me 1.5cc's. Still didnt feel much so I called and went back in one week later and got .5cc's. 11. There will be times, even when you are doing everything right...the scale won't move. Stay strong and stay focused. It will start moving again! And finally. 11. Love yourself! Dont be ashamed of the band. It is a TOOL. You DO have to work at it. You CAN cheat it. IT IS NOT THE EASY WAY OUT! Be proud of who you are and who you are becoming! Hope some of this helps! --Amy

I love reading these NSV's, they are great. I admit, I especially enjoy reading some of the R rated and up ones, lol. I had a great weekend. I got a new tattoo. October was breast cancer awareness month and a local tattoo parlor was doing the pink ribbon tattoos for free, as long as you gave a minimum donation of $20.00 to breast cancer research, so me and a coworker got one. Here is the picture, just pretend I am wearing a bathing suit: Then, I went to get my nails done for the first times in six months. I went to my same nail tech I had been going to forever, and she didn't even recognize me! She couldn't believe how different I looked with all of the weight loss. Lastly, I had an appointment with my OBGYN on Tuesday. One of the reasons I have always dreaded going is because not once in the past 25 years have I been able to close those darn gowns they make you wear. I realize they are going to see us in our all anyways, but still, I like to remain covered up for as long as possible. I was pretty darned excited when I was able to completely close the gown with no gapes whatsoever. So, those are my most recent NSV's, kind of silly, but they made me feel good.

Yay, that is a great NSV! I am so happy for you, that is amazing. And, being able to shop at Kohl's is a major plus, they have amazing clothes and a lot of great sales.

WhooHoo Chancie!!!! I bet you look fabulous in your new JEANS even if you weren't able to provide pictures. Congrats on your NSV! :scared0:

I fit into size 18/16 jeans. The 18s are loose after an hour or so, but the 16s are too snug. I'm a 17 haha! I never imagined going from 24/26 to 18/16 in six months. I'm blown away. The reality of it all hasn't caught up to me yet. I still feel like the fat girl, but things keep happening to contradict it! I'm so happy I could cry. Oh, and I never cut the size tags out of anything anymore. I used to because they embarassed me so I'd claim they were itchy. Not even my mother knew why I really did it. Now I leave them in my shirts, my pants, my underwear XD. I love staring at these new numbers before I get dressed in the morning. (Not really a NSV, but I thought I'd share.) Reneek: That's wonderful! Nothing like a new bra AND fitting into an unexpectedly smaller size to put a skip in your step. Congratulations!

Linda- You are so right- you don't realize what our kids absorbe!! My kids are older, and the first time my youngest son saw me was 6 months after my surgery and I had lost over 100 pounds- He came home and he Actually cried! I was almost afraid... I asked him he thought I looked sick or something, he just replied..... I wasn't expecting such a change!! And speaking of kids and a NSV moment....... Several of my kids friends hadn't seen me since my surgery, and he had been home here for the past two months, well....... I finnaly saw two of them...... the one came in the kitchen, and I could see the look in his eye and the double take and the big smile and then I got "WOW........ LOOK AT YOU!!!!!!!!" A big hug and kiss followed and I was touched! The other kid I saw while I was working..... samew thing....... double take and just the look of Surprise! Big hugs and a kiss there tooo!!:001_tongue: My kids never commented on how big I was, I know they loved me regardless of my size, but I'm sure I was an embarresment to them, altho they never would say it. So seeing these reactions really makes me smile!!

Glad you have posted. Sometimes it does us good to get all the down feelings off our chests. I don't know to many people who would think 45 lbs was not a HUGE success. It is hard not to compare ourselves with other people. Especially when they are doing so good. I have down in the dumps moments too. For the most part, I stay focused on all the victories I have had. Many are the NSV! I've lost 40 lbs since my surgery and feel proud of those lbs. For me, I didn't have the drive to loose the weight on my own this time, so I got the band to help insure that I wouldn't see those lbs again. Do you have a decent level of restricion? If not go for a fill. I log what I eat daily on a different support board I belong to. I've joined a walker tracker program and am involved in a challege. All of these things are very positive for me. I could easily focus on the short fall of the band with the expectations I had, instead I choose to look at all the changes and postives that have come out of getting banded. For me feeling better and getting healthy is the key. I am not in a race. This WLS is known for a 1-2 lbs a week loss. Hang in there. Staying plugged into a good support group is key for me. I've been going in monthly for check ups at my surgeons office. I post and read on the OCC forum and cruise this one. Think about all the good that has come from being banded, I am sure your list is a long one!

My doc also says there may be periods of time where your weight loss stalls while your body adjusts, and be patient. My WL stalled for about six months, staying right at the same weight, then dropped considerably. Now it's stalled again, but I've noticed the NSV's are increasing. I stopped worrying about what the scale said and went on living. So what if I only lose 5 lbs a month? I'm still losing and my skin has a chance to snap back without my looking like a kid in Mommy's skin. LOL!

Ya know, Gaye, it always gets me that people can't tell that we've lost weight. Hello?? I hear the, gee, have you lost a little weight? Your face looks thinner. A little? Try almost 80 lbs. I've also heard the new haircut, new glasses, and get this -- a face lift!! LOL My latest NSV is that I am able to wear a pair of Levis 505 red tab jeans again! I haven't worn those since I was in high school! OMG! :thumbup:

NOW THERE IS A NSV!!!!!!!! HOW EXCITING IS THAT! :hurray:

AWWWWW that is so sweet Linda and you are right by far the BEST NSV one could have!

Today I had the BEST NSV. My 8 year old son gave me hug and asked me how long I plan to keep exercising. I answered, "forever, Mommy wants to keep being healthy". He said "good, cause I can finally do this" and he gave me another hug and wrapped his arms around my waist. He said "I couldn't touch my hands together before but now I can clasp my hands together when I hug you. I like that". Like I said, the BEST NSV EVER. :mad:

Hi Shonda! You look great, as always J Hope you had a great time. Tap, good deal on the challenge with your Hubby. I know that always gets me ready to move it. That might be just what you need to get you over that finish line! SHM, just start slow. Take it easy, but even 20 minutes a day is better than not doing anything at all. We’re all here for you! Ezma, welcome back to the fight! I know you can do it. One things for sure, if I can get back in the program, anyone can. I was out for the count for a long time. As for my self I’m pretty positive I’m going to get a small fill tomorrow. I can eat way too much. I was back up to 251.5 this morning. L I think some of it just might be water, so I’m going to be extra good and flush all day. I even lost my equilibrium a bit this morning while I was getting in my car to go to work. I think my ear might be a little plugged. I checked my blood pressure and it was fine. But, here is a little NSV I enjoyed… while I was checking the blood pressure I noticed the cuff was too big! I’m graduating to a medium cuff now. No Large, No Extra Large. Just a nice normal size cuff. LOL! Who would have ever imagined that would make someone so happy? On the good side I have been blowing through my workouts. I stayed on my elliptical for 80 minutes. I did a first 15 minutes until some company came over, but after they left I finished up with an additional 65 minutes. WOW!! I felt so tired and could barely walk but hey… I did it! I get to do my walk today too since I’m at work. I’m just going to do some muscle toning tonight though. Not a lot of cardio. Ok then, talk soon! Hope everyone has a great day. J

AWESOME NSV TennJenn. I can't wait to follow in your footsteps.

Thank you all. You all are too sweet. It's great to have friends to share this with...only my family IRL know about my surgery, so I can't exactly share my NSVs.

i started working at a new office about 6 weeks ago, so everyone there has never known me as the fat girl. and because i work for a magazine publisher, our floor of maybe 100 people is about 75% women (a good number of whom are very pretty, skinny and fashionable), so the guys that work there flirt, all day long. its not really a big deal, its mostly a younger group (in their mid-twenties) so its a fun atmosphere, but its weird to be included in that group of "hot girls" that these guys hit on. sooo i have a related NSV to this that i feel really horrible telling anyone else, i even feel a little weird telling you guys! but i know most of you (girls at least) completely agree with me that you've secretly wanted this one.... well: of all of the guys at our work, theres really only one that many of the girls actually flirt back with. i can see why, by normal standards, hes very attractive -- tall, athletic, confident --though this isnt really my type so i dont flirt with him. hes still a fun guy though, so i think of him as a nice work friend. but last night a big group of us went to a bar after work and in front of all these girls who were trying to get his attention, this one guy kept on talking to me -- and at the end of the night asked for my number in front of some of the other girls! (and-- stupid me, i actually gave it to him because i didnt believe that he was actually trying to pick up me and not these other gorgeous women that were so obviously flirting with him.... but i figured it out later that night when he sent me a booty text! HA!) soooooo yeah, sorry for this long story, but this is a big nsv for me-- I TURNED DOWN A "HOT GUY"! this is the biggest confidence booster! i feel so horrible saying this one out loud after all of those years of being rejected, but i dont feel so bad, because i assume this guy hasnt gotten turned down very often. and i am only saying it to you guys because otherwise its really embarrassing and i dont think other people would understand why its a big deal... that this guy chose to pick ME up and not the other gorgeous girls.... wow!

My 12's are way too big & I can slide them on and off without unbuttoning them. I bought some 10's from Goodwill & they fit, but I didn't like the way they fit me. So, I've still been wearing my 12's even though they are falling off of me & I look like a teenager who is trying to "sag"! :lol0: Night before last, we stopped at Old Navy to check out their clearance sale. DH really wanted me to buy a new pair of jeans & to be honest, I wanted a new pair that fit as well. So I took 10's into the dressing room (praying they would fit, if not I probably would have cried!). They fit okay. They were a bit loose in the legs so I asked dh to go get an 8...he looked at me with the "this could go terribly wrong" face, you know the deer in headlights look! (I love my dh & he knows me oh so well!) I said, I just want to see how close I am to fitting in a single digit size. He hesitantly obliged. I get them on expecting them to either not button or for me to have to cease breathing to get them buttoned. :laugh0: To my surprise, they went right on! They fit "like a glove"! :thumbup: They weren't too tight in the waist or too loose in the legs. For the first time, I have jeans that I am comfortable wearing. It's a thing of beauty! They cost $34.50, but they were so worth it.

You know I want to start out by saying that I am going to get a little whiney and for those of you who cannot sympathize with Goal Limbo then you are going to hate this post. But I come here to voice my NSV, my SV and so I will post my whining too. I will attach a couple of pictures here. These are my 1 year full body pictures. I have my pre-op pics on my profile page if you want to see. I'm not at my home comptuer or I would upload those. I am so very not happy with my body. I'm not talking about the drooping girls in front. I have to expect that after losing 115 lbs. I am talking about my "big" tummy and the fact that from the side I have no waiste. AT ALL! How depressing is that? When I see myself in the mirror and in pictures (which is the real test) I am actually pretty happy with my front view. I have never had to worry about hips like one of my sisters. I am broad acrose the back, but that has gotten more propotionate lately and with my "sucker-inner" as I call my cami-body hugger I don't have a lot of loose looking skin and it help keeps the girls up. (without the sucker-inner it isn't quite as pretty ) From the side I have absolutely no waste. Infact I think my belt in is direct allignment to the girls up top. People at work call me skinny, which doesn't tick me off like it used to when I thought they were kind of making fun of me. I had a girl at work that thought I weighed 130 lbs. Okay that made me wonder if she was making fun of me again, but I don't think she was. I weigh 170 and I told her so, but I am pretty fit and wear a size 11/12. I would LOVE to go down one more size and hit a 9/10 comfortablly. But I digress..... What is wrong with me? What is wrong with my body. I am a short little thing. Only 5'4". I know that makes a big difference in the way I carry my weight. I know that one year ago when I was wearing a size 22/24 I would have swore when I fit into a size 11/12 that I would be estatic with my body. Now all I see is fat when I look at my profile in the mirror. Oh another thing on these pictures is that I still have a !@#$% double chin! WHAT? I thought I got rid of that. I will have to walk around with my nose in the air so that thing isn't as noticable! Oh I know what some of you are thinking....."What is she complaining about? If I could lose that weight I would be so happy I would never complain" Yeah, I hope that is true because it is what I thought a year ago. Maybe this is good. I have been so happy with my weight and my body that I have gone into maintaince mode. I guess maybe I needed to get to point where I am not happy to get my weight loss moving again. I am so frustrated, but on the bright side it makes me want to go to the gym. It is funny when I first hit this weight and this size I thought I looked good. I am starting to see how skinny girls can actually with a straight face say they think they are fat. I always kind of thought that it was a ploy to get attention, but they actually look in the mirror and don't see a nice figure. Oh this sucks. I guess I will ride the rollercoaster, hopefully get a few more pounds off of my body and hope for a waist line. I have to wait another 4 years before my surgery is paid off and I can get a tummy tuck/ lipo and a breast lift. I hope the next four years seem to go as fast as the last one!

You know I want to start out by saying that I am going to get a little whiney and for those of you who cannot sympathize with Goal Limbo then you are going to hate this post. But I come here to voice my NSV, my SV and so I will post my whining too. I will attach a couple of pictures here. These are my 1 year full body pictures. I have my pre-op pics on my profile page if you want to see. I'm not at my home comptuer or I would upload those. I am so very not happy with my body. I'm not talking about the drooping girls in front. I have to expect that after losing 115 lbs. I am talking about my "big" tummy and the fact that from the side I have no waiste. AT ALL! How depressing is that? When I see myself in the mirror and in pictures (which is the real test) I am actually pretty happy with my front view. I have never had to worry about hips like one of my sisters. I am broad acrose the back, but that has gotten more propotionate lately and with my "sucker-inner" as I call my cami-body hugger I don't have a lot of loose looking skin and it help keeps the girls up. (without the sucker-inner it isn't quite as pretty ) From the side I have absolutely no waste. Infact I think my belt in is direct allignment to the girls up top. People at work call me skinny, which doesn't tick me off like it used to when I thought they were kind of making fun of me. I had a girl at work that thought I weighed 130 lbs. Okay that made me wonder if she was making fun of me again, but I don't think she was. I weigh 170 and I told her so, but I am pretty fit and wear a size 11/12. I would LOVE to go down one more size and hit a 9/10 comfortablly. But I digress..... What is wrong with me? What is wrong with my body. I am a short little thing. Only 5'4". I know that makes a big difference in the way I carry my weight. I know that one year ago when I was wearing a size 22/24 I would have swore when I fit into a size 11/12 that I would be estatic with my body. Now all I see is fat when I look at my profile in the mirror. Oh another thing on these pictures is that I still have a !@#$% double chin! WHAT? I thought I got rid of that. I will have to walk around with my nose in the air so that thing isn't as noticable! Oh I know what some of you are thinking....."What is she complaining about? If I could lose that weight I would be so happy I would never complain" Yeah, I hope that is true because it is what I thought a year ago. Maybe this is good. I have been so happy with my weight and my body that I have gone into maintaince mode. I guess maybe I needed to get to point where I am not happy to get my weight loss moving again. I am so frustrated, but on the bright side it makes me want to go to the gym. It is funny when I first hit this weight and this size I thought I looked good. I am starting to see how skinny girls can actually with a straight face say they think they are fat. I always kind of thought that it was a ploy to get attention, but they actually look in the mirror and don't see a nice figure. Oh this sucks. I guess I will ride the rollercoaster, hopefully get a few more pounds off of my body and hope for a waist line. I have to wait another 4 years before my surgery is paid off and I can get a tummy tuck/ lipo and a breast lift. I hope the next four years seem to go as fast as the last one!

It's such an amazing accomplishment. Congrats on your success, and best wishes for many more NSVs in the near future.

I always retain Water whenever I get into a pool or near the ocean. I can actually see it in my lower legs and ankles. Look for other NSV... don't give up the exercise, it is hard to get motivated to start. Your scale will show your efforts soon. Great job for getting to the gym!!:sad:

I went shopping last night for the first time since losing 30 pounds. For the first time in 10 years I could buy what I liked, and not just what fit. For the last 10 years I have been buying clothes if they fit (which was hardly ever), not if I like them....because if they fit, I LIKED THEM!!! I am also out of big girl clothes - officially can shop in the regular women's department - which as you may know increases the possibilities immensly. I am so glad I did this for myself...I just can't say enough about how great I feel. :confused1:

Oh, I have to say, that I love taking bubble baths now. Before, I could get in the tub, but just hated looking at my fat body..and my tummy protruding out..now it's a nightly ritual..my relaxing soak in the tub. NSV!

Congratulations on the NSV. Lovely picture, lol.