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NSV = Non scale Victory (something great that does not have anything to do with weight/numbers) Here is a link to a post with other helpful terms: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7959

Congratulations on all your success. And your NSVs are not silly

Ok gotta say this is a new NSV to me. But hey get yourself some new earrings girlfriend, you have earned them!

Thanks guys ..it was my second nsv...my first was sitting in a seat at the theatre in the middle of the row

You are so lucky! I had to go buy a new ward robe and now I own 2 jeans, 1 that a little bit big but will do. Great NSV

I was starting to wonder if this day would ever come. I have reached my goal of 199 lbs. after 9.5 months. I did not think in a million years I would be in onederland once again. I have lost a total of 116 lbs and I am in better health now than when I was in my early twenties. My blood sugar has been normal since my surgery and all my blood numbers are in the normal range including my cholesterol which is 160. My blood pressure is normal and I take no medication of any kind. This is a NSV and a Scale victory all wrapped up in one. My sleeve has definately been a life changer for me.

Wow that's a great one! Congrats. I had an unexpected NSV this past weekend when my brother and sister-in-law told me my voice and the way I talk was even different since weight loss. I was surprised and asked what they meant and they said there was more pep in my voice and less breathiness when I spoke. Didn't expect that but I'll take it!

Isnt it great!! I flew for work yesterday for the first time since actually feeling small...was surprised at how the seatbelt went on. Even flying home in that horrible middle seat (cause we were late to flights) was not uncomfortable, no squeezing my arms in trying to remain in the space, my arms all fit within the seat. I love to travel so these are the funnest NSV's!!1

Awesome NSV Sent from my iPhone using VST

Don't laugh, but it may be your feet, as well as your back! Do you, by chance, wear orthotics? It might be an idea, because when you think about it, your WHOLE body has changed, and your feet carry the load - lightened or not. When your weight changes, so does how your body carries it. Start with your feet, for example having orthotics to support everything that rides above them, is a way to reduce the strain on feet, ankles, knees, hips, LOWER BACK.....all the way up. I can't live without my orthotics. You can do custom (mine run about $600, or not - you can get nice ones that aren't custom at drug stores or even Walmart. Just make sure they fit correctly, and have good, strong support. Change them frequently if they are not custom, as they do lose their support over time. If you already wear customs, but haven't had them changed since you've lost a lot of weight, you may wish to have them redone, as the dynamics of your feet change with weight change. Same thing for orthotics that are NOT custom. I even needed to change the suspension on my Harley with my weight loss! Now THAT is an NSV!!!

Brag time!!! Today I completed week 5 day 2 of my Couch to 5K program, which has you do a 5 min warm up walk, 8 min run, 5 min walk, then 8 min run again, then 5 min cool down. AND I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!! It was hard: the 2nd block was not for wimps, but I did it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooo hooo!! PS Week 5 Day 3 is a 20 min run. I will keep at it till I get it right!!

Congrats! That's a great NSV -- one that shows how much you've improved your overall health. And if that's your dog in your profile picture, he/she is ADORBS!!

Great NSV! Keep up the good work.

Very fun!!! And, did you follow up with some...umm....exercise? NSV for sure! Many congrats! Rain

and I am so happy I got my band!! Today, I had to go to get my drivers license renewed-one of those things you have to do every 5 years on your birthday...well, you know how they take that god awful close up picture for your license? I could barely see my double chin-it always seems like on your license it is so dramtically obvious in your pictures-it was nice to see a pic that was almost normal-just one of those nsv's worth mentioning-pretty soon we all will not have to lie about our wieght on our drivers license!!!-there will be no need.

Prior to getting banded 3 weeks ago, I had lost 176 pounds through diet and exercise. Well the local YMCA used my story 2 years running for fund raising. They gave me trainers and every tool I needed for success at no cost to me! My insurance changed and they pay for my gym membership now only it is to 24 hour fitness. However I feel quite a bit of loyalty to the Y, they helped me so much I would not have gotten where I did with out their kind loving support. Well they called me2 weeks ago and ask if I would be willing to meet with them, my story that was featured on their FB page had gotten quite a bit of notice. Well last week I had a meeting with them and they ask if I would we willing to be in a 6 minute video shoot for the Y. Of course I said I would after all it was the least I owed them. Well a year ago someone bought me a beautiful long black dress that had a slit up the front, heals and all the accessories to wear to a formal dinner for the Y. My first White House Black Market dress size 14! Well the same person has offered to buy me another outfit for the video shoot this year. So off to Chico's I went got cute size 14 jeans with fancy sparkly pockets and a fancy denim jacket! Three weeks ago I was in a size 16 jeans, so that's a good NSV too! Thankfully I had 2 50% off coupons so both items were half off! But I have to say life keeps getting better and better! I never thought I would wear jeans with fancy pockets, as I never wanted anyone to notice my backside or really any other part of my body for that matter! I'm including a picture of me in the black dress from last years gala ball.

I thought it would be funny to try on my wedding dress for my kids this weekend. I knew it was going to be loose but wasn't really prepared for what happened. It was so big it barely stayed up! It is at least three sizes too big! What a great 8th anniversary present....my husband has never seen my this small. LOVE MY BAND!! Sent from my iPhone using LapBandTalk

Hey guys, just wanted to share another NSV benefit from having VSG. Pre-surgery my blood pressure was averaging 143 over 105. 2 years later its averaging 125 over 90. Sometimes it even gets as low as 117/82. I check my pressure about once a week when I make a Sam's Club run. They have a blood pressure machine over at the pharmacy.

So, last night I got home, was getting undressed and said to my wife, "Wanna see something kinda cool?" She said yes, so I unbuckled my belt and took my 3 weeks ago snug pants off without even unbuttoning them. They practically fell off of me. She just laughed and said I looked great...actually that's two NSVs. :whoo:

Congrats on your NSV! Please post pics for proof.

That is very cool! Had to be a blast :-) Clothes fitting has been a blast for me also. In fact, my nsv victory this week would have to be going to a West Marine store with my hubby. Normally this store bores the heck out of me. I can literally feel the blood rushing out of my head and going into half unconscious mode and almost dueling on myself. It's that painful. However, hubby reminded me that I can hit the ladies clothes department and actually fit into their clothing now. A light went off in my brain and I did in fact find a few items for now and some potential items for our cruise in a few months. Yay!

So I've been a little down (but not too much) since I've been mostly stalled for the past 2 weeks (the weight might go down a pound or two, but then I regain it back). I know things are changing though, because I've definitely lost weight all over - I measure everything (head, neck, upper chest, breast, lower chest, waist, hips, and both right and left of the following: arms, breasts, thighs, calves, and feet (around the arch).) I've lost in every category. However, I don't know why, but I haven't been trying on smaller clothes, although I haven't been this weight in over 3 years! Well, I was packing for a trip tonight, and decided to try on some old or never worn clothes, and yay! I can fit so many clothes now - old favourites, and some I've never worn. I was giggling like a schoolgirl - I wanted to take photos of every outfit! So that's this week's NSV - mostly stalled, but wearing clothes that have been buried at the back of my closet for ages! Oh - and almost all of my shoes now fit (in fact, my regular shoes are too big!). That's 2 for the price of 1! What was your NSV (non-scale victory) this week?

Our normal monthly lap band support group meeting in New Haven was a good one this month...two new people who were looking for information, one lady who was newly post-op (about 2 weeks out from her surgery), one lady who is scheduled for surgery within the next 2 weeks, plus our session leader and myself. We stayed past the regular 8 pm stop time, we were having so much fun talking. :cursing: It's really cool to meet new people who haven't yet been banded and help them through their journey. The band is so individual and everyone's experience is a bit different, but having that support is so valuable. I really like sharing the ups and downs (mostly ups) with others...I learn something every time I go to the support group. I've told everyone who I meet there about LBT - hoping that they too will find their way here and get additional information that will help them on their banded journey. Some wonderful NSV's have been happening for me lately...I'm a fan of Lane Bryant's clothing, and my sizes keep dropping. I'm sitting here right now wearing a pair of Right Fit Jeans (taking advantage of Casual Friday) in a size Red 2. When I started my weight loss journey, I was wearing size Yellow 5's. That means not only am I down three clothing sizes, my body is reshaping and my waistline is gaining definition. Beyond the obvious aesthetic benefit, it also means that one of the determining factors in heart disease - carrying excess weight in the midsection - is going away for me. I've read articles that say the "apple" shaped body is one that has a higher potential for heart disease because the excess fat surrounds your vital organs and can affect your heart and lungs more than when you carry your weight in your hips and thighs. It is mostly men who carry their weight in the "apple" shape - more women are shaped like "pears" - at least that's the theory. I have noticed over the years that I am seeing more and more women with apple-shaped bodies rather than pear-shaped bodies and it scares me. I did not want to become a statistic, hence my becoming banded. Losing weight in my waist also means that I can experiment with belts more...I just bought a dress at Lane Bryant (on sale - I try never to pay retail!) that has an elastic belt that goes along with it. In the past (my pre-banded life) I would have just snipped off the belt loops and worn the dress without a belt - they never looked good on me.:thumbdown: Now that I've lost 37 pounds, however, and because I am active and working out, I can wear that dress with the belt and it looks good -at least that's what my hubby has said! I'm thrilled that I think I look good in the dress as well - we are always harder on ourselves than anyone else in our lives. I'm just finishing up my lunch - one half of a turkey sandwich on wheat, with lettuce, tomatoes and provolone cheese. In my pre-banded life, I would have scarfed down that sandwich and been looking for seconds. It was an exercise in patience to finish half of the sandwich. I'm so happy I could just scream! :cursing: I am looking forward to summer for the first time in a LOT of years - because I know I'll be in better physical shape and be able to enjoy it more. I'm looking forward to traveling and having fun this summer without food being the major emphasis. It's funny in a way - I referred to my relationship with food in the past as an obsessive (and abusive) love affair. No matter how badly the food I ate treated me, I kept going back for more - I couldn't stand for someone else to get more of it than I did. I equated food with love - that started in my early teens, and funnily enough, so did my weight gain. Now that I must truly make choices with food that allow me to "eat to live, not live to eat", I am making better choices. I do sometimes mourn the comfort I used to be able to find in food - now I have to find it within myself. I am looking forward to finding out more about ME - all the things I wouldn't allow myself to experience because I was afraid I might stand out too much because of my weight and size...how much life have I missed? I can't get that lost time back, but I can commit to never hiding from life again! For those of you on this banded journey, take time to reflect on who you are becoming...your interactions with others, the "inner voice" you use to talk to yourself, and what you truly see when you look in the mirror. If you're not yet banded, I encourage you to keep up your search for information, but realize there will never be a perfect time to be banded - LIFE will always get in the way. Don't wait so long that your options are limited - do something for YOU, for your health NOW. As always, email me if you have questions, or just want to talk...I'm here for ya!

Congrats on the 45 lbs, that is phenomenal!! You're doing great! I have to agree, it is most definitely the simple things like tying my shoes, painting my toenails, shaving my legs, etc that remind me everyday that I made the right choice to be sleeved. Thanks for sharing the story, it's a great NSV!!