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So tonight I decided it was time to go do some shopping (which I absolutely hate). All of my clothes are getting a bit big and baggy. So I ran into JC Penny's and started walking over to the area where I normally shop. They have rearranged the store a bit and I think I looked a little lost. One of the sales clerks asked if she could help me and she showed me where the womans section was. I started walking in that direction and she told me "I think you are going the wrong way". I said excuse me? and she said "you don't belong in that section". I thanked her and told her I had been working on losing weight and I wasn't sure what size I currently needed and started to walk back over to the womans section. She cut me off and told me "no, I'm not letting you go over there, you need to look in this section over here." I'm sure the look on my face was something like, you are crazy. She told me to shop in this other area and try to prove her wrong. The good news is I couldn't! I was ready to go back and give her a big hug.

Great NSV! But it doesn't count without a picture!!!

Right on!!! Any type of NSV involving boots is a good one!

. Congrats on your NSV....i think they are the best ones ! I have to sleep with a pillow between my legs...because my knees hurt pressed together....dang my legs have been so far apart for so long.....~laughs

@ Jenn1214 congrats on the NSV!!! @ roeroe I absolutely agree plus size clothing is expensive ( I can't afford to remain fat.....lol). I often think about when my size actually does change (its taking forever to go down even one size) how I am going to afford to buy new cloths, as I am currently in a financial bind. I think they charge us so much because of the extra material?!?!?!?

I waited two weeks but just bc I didn't feel like it. It was fine and it also turned into my second NSV - next morning my hubby told me "baby I could really tell last night that you are down a lot in weight". It was sweet in a weird way. I am down twenty pounds and most from my tummy.

You're doing an awesome job -- and the best part is that the weight isn't the only positive -- you have some awesome NSVs too! Congratulations and keep up the good work!

Congrats, its the little things that are really big. My NSV was I had to buy a belt today, my pants are getting too big.

I will be 4 weeks out on Monday and am doing pretty well. I am having a stall this week, which is making me completely bonkers, but I am just trying to avoid the scale until my appointed time. I am struggling with getting my liquids in, but I keep trying. Water has never been my thing, so I have a purse full of crystal lite packets so I have no excuses. It is just hard. I was a hardcore soda drinker until about a month before my surgery and sometimes the crystal lite doesn't cut it. Trying to give myself lots of options though. I still need to work on my exercise and energy level, but I have been bad about taking my Vitamins and am making that a new goal, along with my Protein and water. I had a pretty awesome NSV the other night, when a coworker told me that my scrub shirt (that I wore all the time pre-op) looked like a dress on me. So glad to see that everyone is doing well. You guys are awesome!

My boyfriend can now wrap his arms around my waist and each hand can easily grasp the opposite elbow. That's an awesome feeling. Just love those little NSVs.

Hey wow, this post of mine is really old... i'm finally less than 10 lbs from goal. The biggest NSV... buying clothes at a regular store!! OMG that is the best! I'm wearing 10's right off the rack and my favorite sz 12 jeans that are only 3 wks old are too big!!! M*Azing. So, 15 months, down 92 lbs (93 this morning, but i wont count that till its consistent for a couple of days). SOOOOOOOOOOO very excited!!

congratulations! that's what's called a "non-scale victory" or "NSV"!! that must have been an awesome feeling and it's great that you recognize that you DID look great!

The following are some of the abbreviations used on this website: ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament 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 Biliopancreatic Diversion (Scopinaro procedure) 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 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 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 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 PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome 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 RTD = ready to drink RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y s/f or sf = sugar free smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck u = You 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

15 lbs from goal and plateau city! Working out hard and feeling good! Close to the finish line! NSV just got into a size 10 this week! Rewind to 15 yrs ago yipee!

I am wearing dress pants today that I bought a couple of years ago, but never felt comfortable in (always too tight) -- and right now they are loose! My biggest size pre-band was a 20/22, and right now I'm probably a 16 fitted and 18 comfortable. My question to you fellow bandsters -- are you buying new clothes as you lose? I haven't yet (trying to be economical)...plus, and this might sound crazy, a part of me is always worried that I'll gain again.

NSV's are what I live for especially during those months that the scale do not move. I travel a lot so I used to dread taking a middle seat on a plane because at my highest weight of 330 pounds there would be three very anxious people in my row. Now it does not matter any seat will do. Keeping up with the grand children is my greatest joy.

Fear not! Stalls are a normal part of any weight loss journey. The two previous posts have great advice but I would add, try to spend some time with your feelings. Why are you feeling down? Is it just the weight loss stalling or is something else going on that's "feeding" into it. Depression is a common issue for many of us who have and are struggling with weight and when I'm feeling down I always have used food as a source of comfort. The only difference now is that I can't do the same level of damage I did before I was sleeved. Lastly, look for some NSV's like your cloths being too big, measurements getting smaller, easier movement, etc. to gauge your progress. You are in the midst of a huge life change and it's really only the beginning. Love yourself for your courage and determination! Sent from my iPhone using VST

sorry to hear about the obstacles Mitzie. You have been a great surgery buddy. It won't be long until we are posting in the NSV thread!

Flying today - this NSV makes me so happy!

I've lost 50 pounds, but not quite there yet... about 27 more to go! I can't wait to see that 299 on my scale. My first NSV in a long time... I have a scale that doesn't go past 330. I surpassed it long ago, but couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. I always told myself I would use that dang scale... and finally this past week I DID! It wasn't magical, but I've carried that darn thing through several moves and it's FINALLY useful!

That is an awesome NSV!!! When we're out in public I'm constantly asking my boyfriend "Am I bigger than that girl?" "Is that girl skinnier than me?" It's hard sometimes to see ourselves in our new bodies and getting some outside validation is always nice!! ____ Maggie - Make sure your doctor does every test in the book. To *me* a SLOW leak is not restriction one day and nothing the next. Port replacement seems like a pretty minor procedure. I have my fingers crossed for you.

Tuesday one year ago I met with my surgeon for the first time. What a wonderful year I have had for health and rediscovering me. For those of you just starting out, you may feel like I did that your surgery is too far in the future and waiting all those months will be unbearable. When I first started to research WLS in September, I thought I might be able to have surgery before Christmas. Ha ha ha. Not only was it not before Christmas, but it didn't actually happen until March. And you know what? I needed every single day of that time period between September and March to prepare myself for this enormous life change. First, I met with my clearing psychologist. And I didn't get cleared! Nope. I needed to change my habit of eating in front of the TV. Until I did that, the psychologist was not going to clear me for surgery. He told me that I needed to make lifestyle changes. When I first heard that, of course I said, sure! Everybody knows you need to make lifestyle changes! But when I went back to him the following month for clearance, and I told him I had not been exactly able to give up TV eating, he told me point blank that he didn't think I was ready for WLS. He told me that unless I actually made the lifestyle changes, I was not likely to succeed with the LapBand. Of course, he was right. I'm glad that my little wake up call was so minor, and not a bigger deal, like if I had been denied surgery at the last minute. His denial made me face facts. How was I going to live in a new way, if I wasn't even willing to change a little bit? After I gave up TV eating, the next hurdle was the holidays. I grieved my way through Thanksgiving. I was very sad that in my mind, it was going to be my last enjoyable holiday. I sat in the kitchen the night before Thanksgiving, after having roasted the turkey, and binged on the crispy turkey skin. It was the weirdest experience I'd had in a long time. I knew what I was doing, and simultaneously I knew it was the last time I was going to do it. I knew that Thanksgiving 2014 was going to be different. I was going to have lap band surgery and I was going to be eating like a normal person. I was working toward that goal with excitement. So why was I so sad? I was getting ready to pay somebody thousands of dollars to help me recover from binge eating. And I was grieving not being able to binge eat anymore. Fast forward to February 2014. My personal life took a terrible plunge. My marriage, which was in bad shape before my WLS process began, took a terrible blow. Constant stress became my normal everyday life. I had one anchor in my life. My upcoming surgery. I was banded mid March 2014. I complied with all of the doctor's orders. My surgery was a breeze, and my weight began to come off right away. You can see by my ticker that I have had a lot of success this year. I am almost 2/3 of the way to my goal weight. I have not been the weight I am right now since my second child was born 19 years ago. Through it all, I have received immeasurable help and support from this website. I do not have a supportive spouse. I do have two very supportive daughters. But when it comes right down to it, we must do this for ourselves. Nobody can do this for us. And more importantly, nobody, nobody, nobody can prevent us from doing this for ourselves once we are ready to reclaim our power. I'll save my long list of NSV's and great experiences for when I write my 100 pounds lost post soon. And it's almost here. This post is just a reflection back to that first week when I walked into a WLS orientation meeting, followed by a meeting with my surgeon. The fearful, beaten-down person that I was one year ago no longer exists. In her place is a strong, confident woman who knows that she is worth it. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. This is about so much more than weight. Nothing changes until everything changes.

Some people seem to have more swelling early out, I think that's why they can have so much trouble getting anything down. I also have a "sleeve of steel" - I've never experienced the "foamies", and even in the first few months it was really rare for any food to cause me even the slightest discomfort. But do be aware that it can take months for your cut nerves in your stomach to heal, which is why you don't want to rely on a sensation of fullness to control your portions - measure, measure, measure. I'd say the vast majority of us end up eventually (in maintenance) being able to eat more than we should, particularly if we're getting away from dense protein and letting "slider" foods back in. That's where building good habits will keep you on track, regardless of the size of your sleeve. The last time I had a check-in with my surgeon, he was shaking his head over the difference in patients. He's been amazed that I've lost more than 100% of my "excess weight" (by his goal measurements), even though I have a sleeve (he has more bypass patients). He was talking about the fact that on the inside, we all end up with more or less the same "tool" to work with, but some of us go so much further with it than others. Certainly part of that is metabolism and other factors beyond our control, but a lot of it can be your personal determination about how you're going to live your life going forward. Make good food choices, move your body (a lot) more, deal with the mental/emotional reasons behind your obesity. If you can manage all that, you'll be a raging success regardless of the size of your sleeve. I've certainly had my struggles along the way, and I've eaten things I wish I hadn't let back into my diet, but I think if you can keep yourself on track, you'll be a success. In the mean time, know that stalls are part of the journey for most of us, and they're extremely frustrating, but if you stay on track the scale will start moving again. If it doesn't, it's time to take a really good look at what you're eating, and how much. Track every last bite you're consuming, even those chewable vitamins. Figure out whether too many carbs are stalling you journey. And in the mean time, focus on how much progress you've made already, dig out those "before" photos and measurements, go try on some smaller clothes, and make a list of your "NSVs" - non-scale victories. Once you get to maintenance you're going to need something other than plummeting numbers on a scale to give you the positive reinforcement you need to stay on track. Stalls are a great opportunity to practice that skill! (And learn to laugh at the stupid scale. I remember shaking my head at the goofiness of weighing exactly the same amount for five days in a row, down to the tenth of a pound. I mean, what are the chances of that? Even variations in hydration levels should cause more variation than that! At that point I was checking my scale batteries! But I did my best to laugh at the ridiculousness of it.)

I had severe pain in my feet, so right after surgery, I wasn't able to walk. But I did what I could at the time - which was a few laps around the inside of my workplace. And parking as far from the entrance to stores to force myself to walk a little more. I didn't do any continuous walking till about my 2nd month post-op - I was able to work my way up to 20 minutes of continuous walking each day. Now at 12 months post-op, I walk 4 to 5 miles a day, 4 to 5 days a week. I was able to easily lose weight without exercise for the 1st 6 months, but after that, my body adjusted to the lower caloric intake and it became more difficult. Here's the blog post where I tracked my walking progress. http://www.bariatricpal.com/blog/9018/entry-31216-nsv-2-you-best-step-off-b-hatch/

So today i took the kids school shopping. We were in old navy, when they were done I decided to venture over to the ladies section to check sizes out, to see If I would fit anything. I've NEVER been able to buy from the store, only online. I tried on a top in the biggest size I saw, XXL. It was too big! I bought an XL top, and a pencil skirt to go with it. I'm still elated over this experience!!