Search the Community

So I went on vacation out of the country and then had to return thru immigration. The agent refused to let me thru as she didn't believe I was the person in my passport photo. Had to get a supervisor over and explain that I had lost 100+ lbs since that picture and it was in fact me. Eventually convinced them, but I guess I am going to have to spring for a new passport with a new photo.

Good luck! You'll get there! I agree with looking at NSV's. All that walking is probably doing wonders!

Stopped in at a Lane Bryant store today.....found a clearance item and when I went to the cash register the clerk asked me if I would be using my Lane Bryant credit card. I told her I had a card a long time ago, but have not used it in years. She politely asked me why....I told her that I just recently lost 60 pounds and can now fit in their clothes again!!! She said, "wow, I wish I could lose 60 pounds". When I left she congraduated me again.....great SNV today.....Now the next great SNV with Lane Bryant will be the day nothing fits again....BUT, this time 'cause everything is TOO BIG!!!

Thats an awesome list of NSVs. Keep up the good work!!

Okay, as part of the "Slow Loser's Club" we have been ordered to each have an NSV list (ordered in a good way of course). Here goes (in no particular order): My class ring fits. I quit wearing it when it started eating my finger and was more comfy on my ring finger. That was some 4 or 5 years ago. I found it a couple of months ago and it's been on ever since (because it fits, not because it's stuck, LOL). I am in a size 16/18. I graduated in a pretty solid 18. I can't find my darn Prom dress and I'm pretty confident it would be too big. I gotta search some more for that! I am LESS than what it says on my drivers license, and I KNOW I was lying, because you can tell by the picture and what I look like now. This pretty new: my engagement ring is only 3/4 of a size larger than my sister's class ring. It's 7 and 3/4 and I was sure it would be an 8. 1/4 of a size isn't much, but it means something to me. My mom is telling people I'm looking good, and it's getting back to me. This is an NSV because she would NOT tell other people that if it weren't true. Even if she told it to me to my face (which I'm pretty sure she wouldn't, she's 'brutally honest') she wouldn't tell other people if she didn't believe it. I can SEE the change in the mirror. It took MONTHS for this to happen, but I'm finally seeing it. Albeit part of the change is that my panni and boobs are hanging lower, but I know that's because there is less fat in them, LOL. I HAVE A NECK!! I noticed this when I posted my before and after pictures on that thread. I can still make a double chin, but it's not ALWAYS there, I know you guys know what I mean. I took a link out of my medic alert bracelet the other day. I'd taken it out before but had to put it back because it just wasn't comfortable... fit, but wasn't comfy enough for something that is always on. I'm keeping my toenails painted; this goes along with my "Woo! I'm sexy!" thread and picking something about my that I like (to start with). I also wore make up today and have been wearing mascara occasionally just because I feel like it. I'm wearing it often enough that I actually bought eye makeup remover the other day. My fiancee told me that he noticed a difference. This was a while back, but he says it's hard for him to see because he sees me every day all the time (he doesn't notice things like going from red to burgundy hair either, so this was kind of big for me). I'm smaller than when I met my fiancee. I met him on the internet and found the pictures I'd scanned and sent him before we first met in person. There is a pretty decent difference there. I needed less than 20 lbs of weight when I went scuba diving this summer. Last time I think I needed 25 lbs. It's horrible to lug around that weight on the surface, but you need it to sink under Water, so the bigger you are, the more weight you need (how sick is that, huh?). That's it for now. 10/04/05 - Today I joined a gym (an NSV on it's own) and the guy signing us up asked when the last time was that I felt "great". I said I'd always been a bit overweight and he interrupted me and said "You aren't overweight." I laughed and he said "Really, you have a little toning to do, but you really aren't overweight to me." I thanked him for the compliment but of course was thinking in my head "yeah, 80 lbs of toning up, lol". Update for 11/1/05. I compiled this list for the Slow Loser's NSV Challenge and thought I'd update it here. I had a session with a personal trainer at the gym I joined, and when he asked what I'd been doing and I told him 35 minutes on the Elliptical, he told me I was ahead of the game because alot of folks go in there and can't do 10 minutes of cardio. There was a time when I was one of those people, so I think that's an NSV. I bought a shirt at Hot Topic the other day. Granted it's a 2X in girls which is kind of funny, because I have Large shirts that are bigger, but hey. It's a "girl's" shirt, so it's more form fitting and look pretty good. Oh! I went to Lane Bryant to get a shirt, and the smallest shirt size they had was too big. I could still buy pants there, but not shirts! I've been moving back toward my funkiness from my fun days. I used to dress exactly how I wanted at it was "me". Then I entered the corporate world and gave it all up, so now I'm getting it back! This goes along with caring what I look like when I go out. First I just wanted to look 'nice' or 'decent' and now I want to look like "me". If that makes any sense.

Hi All, So I have had two NSV that I never imaged that getting the sleeve would bring. First off I can sleep through the night. I can not remember when I was able to do it. The second when headed to the ladies room I no longer have that sudden panicky need to go before I am ready to. Amazing.

I love, love, LOVE NSV! Isn't it amazing what "little" things can be so amazing? Congratulations on your great job!

I am scheduled for fill #2 today. It was originally scheduled for the 21st, but my surgeon added another surgery so the office had to change my appointment. I'm not complaining; I would want someone to change their fill date so that I could get the band. I'm just glad that it was moved up instead of further away. I seem to be stuck. I am hungry. When I'm hungry I eat. I try not to eat too much, but I'm not one of those people that can walk around hungry. My stomach has a notorious growl - its so embarrassing.... I received 3cc during my first fill. I'm hoping for at least another 3cc this time. That would put me at 6 cc in a 14 cc band. I hope this offers a lot more restriction that I have now. I'm getting a little desperate - I am 2 months (on the 24th) post op and I am only down 1 lbs - heck I lost those 18 lb within the first two - three weeks post op. Since then I've been struggling to maintain. I'm glad that I am not gaining - boy am I happy about that - I just want to lose more. My goal was/is to be 280 by June 13th. That may not be possible at this point. If I lose 2lb a week from now to then that would put me at 288 lb. I guess that will have to do. I'm going to have to buckle down - really monitor what goes into my mouth so that I can drop those 8 lbs by June 13th. Then I'll start working towards my July 4th goal - originally I wanted to be 270 lb by then. I'll settle for 278 lb. I'm putting this in writing here because I need some accountability to someone other than myself. No one (except my immediate family knows about my band) so there's no one to push me to try harder (and no one to monitor every morsel of food I eat or whisper about me doing this the easy way - which is why I have chosen to keep this to myself). There are a few people here who have had the band - the conversation that some people have about them is ridiculous. I just don't choose to open myself up to that kind on intense scrutiny and ridicule - I feel like a gay woman whose afraid to come out of the closet - but then again I guess not - I have no idea what that kind of pain feels like and I don't want to compare my petty problems to that. Anyway.... If you guys don't see my ticker going down soon - BLAST ME!! Since that's the last thing I want to see here I will be doing my best to make that dag gone scale move! NSV - I have officially left size 4x behind. I had a peasant blouse that I waited all winter to wear. I put that gorgeous thing on and I was swimming in it!!!! My coworker - who is losing weight, gave me a brand new linen peasant shirt that she is now too small to wear (size 3x) it fit perfectly :thumbs_up:. WHOOO HOOO!!!! That’s right - I'm celebrating being a size 3x. Do the happy dance, do happy dance - spin it around and shake your body down - doing the happy dance ! __________________

You're probably not doing anything wrong. Took me 3 months to lose 30 pounds and I was thrilled. Relax and enjoy the journey. Protein, veggies, water and vitamins...that's all you need to concentrate on right now. Stay off the scale and measure your success with NSV's.

Thanks everyone! I hope you all are experiencing great NSV's!

Great NSVs! I can't wait to take my daughter to Disneyland, I plan to ride ALL the rides!

Love my band so far banded 4/6/12 down 32 lbs. From pre op. But Did all the pounds come from the one part of my body I actually love ,My breasts ?!?!! I guess it's kind of a NSV but I put my phone in my L breast as usual when I leaned over it fell out.that has never happened.so i started to really check them out and they are kinda just sitting in loose LoL .I guess this is a good thing.not sure if I should get new brad just yet but thought it was interesting :-)

I was given a gift card to Dress Barn for my birthday. I went in thinking I'd grab a pair of slacks and a blouse for work. My currant pants were on the loose side so I grabbed the next size down. To my disbelief they were also too big. I grabbed the next size down and Walla they fit perfectly. Are you ready for this? They are a size 12 a freaking size 12!!!!! I cried right there in the dressing room. [ATTACH]44876[/ATTACH]

My first NSV was being able to cross my legs but the funniest, also a toilet NSV, was about 30lbs in and I looked down and could see my girl parts without having to move my stomach. I literally laughed which had my husband questioning if I was ok. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using the BariatricPal App

@@choicemun To be honest with you, I have no idea what you're talking about... But, as you seem so pleased, I can't help but be pleased for you... With that in mind - Wooooohooooooooo!! Congratulations on your toilet related NSV... I have no more words now...

This was one of my most "boastful" NSVs when I hit it with my AGB (most any kind of "V" I kept to myself, or between me and DH). Can't wait for it again. I used to have to travel frequently, and would always just kind of tuck the seatbelt under my stomach and pull my shirt down, hoping it would look like it was fastened. Never once asked for a fastener -- I figure that if something goes wrong with the plane the seatbelt isn't really going to make much difference. Then several months went by, I fly again, and have a foot or so of leftover seatbelt (on the same plane/route/flight). I flopped the extra out on my leg, making sure everyone could plainly see that I had room to spare. The seatbelt NSV is almost as good as when us ladies can finally "lady cross" our legs again. Congratulations!

Ent out to the east coast last week and I saw this...a seatbelt with an extra 8 or 9 inches. When did they lengthen them?...lol. I almost needed and extension the last time I got on a plane so this is a major deal for me.

12/21/08 My name is Julie and I am a food addict. I thought I had my problem under control. I thought that I had learned so many lessons that I could jump back on the wagon if I ever took a little sip from the bottle…so to speak. I had a Christmas party to go to on Friday. It went okay. Not great. I had a half of a dinner roll. Except for an occasional thin crust pizza I have not had any bread of any kind for 2 months. I didn’t even want to know if it would go down. It was a dinner party and they served steak. If it wouldn’t have been for the drink I had and the bread with butter I would have stayed under 1000 calories and been okay with the carbs…but I did eat and drink those things so I guess that’s how it is. The next day comes and I weigh in and I lost another 0.9 lbs. I realize that it will probably take another day to see the damage on the scale. I did good at breakfast and took my lunch to class with me and I was a very good girl. Pizza for supper…not so good. Today I have screwed the pooch….so to speak. (Can I say that here?) It is Sunday which means I am home all day and the gym is closed. Sundays are my hardest days! I ate leftover pizza for lunch and then …..we made Christmas cookies. I feel like a toad for the first time in a month! I half heartedly did a cardio Firm work out for 30 minutes today. Not a great work out. Oh here is the kicker…Are you ready…I was only 0.2 lbs away from my New Year’s goal. The gym is closed Wednesday and Thursday this week and next week. I want to go out and eat everything I can get my hands on. Almost like a last supper before I hike my butt up back onto the wagon. I’m not going to. I have to hit the gym in the morning if I can get up though. I have class tomorrow night, so I can do it then. It would have been better it I had gained a smidge back after eating badly just to teach myself that I can’t get away with it. I have to go back to those lessons I thought I learned. 1. DO NOT EAT UNLESS YOU ARE HUNGRY or unless it has been 5 hours since your last meal. 2. PROTEIN FIRST then you can have your HEALTHY side dish. 3. STOP EATING BEFORE YOU FEEL OVER FULL! 4. DO NOT EAT BETWEEN MEALS 5. DRINK YOUR WATER but not during or right after meals. 6. YOU WILL NOT SEE THE RESULTS YOU WANT UNLESS YOU WORK OUT! 7. Getting the lap band doesn’t make you lose weight. YOU STILL HAVE TO EAT HEALTHY AND EXERCISE! Time for a reminder Julie! Eating is for survival! It is to get enough nutrition to live. That is its main focus. It is not a reward. It does not console us. It doesn't take away boredom. It doesn't listen to our problems. It is a fair weather friend....actually not even a friend at all. It is that bi*chy girl in jr. high that we thought liked us, but only pretends to until she can stab us in the back. Memorize it! Put it to song. Make up a dance…I don’t how you remember it… LIVE IT! Okay you addict, get your big butt back on the wagon! Stop putting it off. Remember YOU ARE AN ADDICT! Oh you were so proud of yourself for 2 months. Well the jokes on you. Two months is not enough to give you permission to go back to your crappy eating. It only took two months to take off 45 lbs. I bet it would only take 2 months to gain 45 lbs. Didn’t you have some NSV along the way? Remember what it felt like to sit in a chair and feel like you didn’t know what to do with your fat stubby arms except cross them over your too big belly? Remember how it felt when your husband put it arms around you and you felt like he had to try too hard to hug you? Remember the first time you crossed your legs in YEARS. Maybe not as comfortable as you want, but you did it without even thinking. Remember putting those size 22 jeans in the give away and lounging around the house in the size 18 jeans. Remember putting on the shirt that hasn’t fit you in years. Do you really want to be back to that person that you see in all the pictures that have been taken of you over the past years? Remember when you started out and your goal was to feel comfortable sitting on the bleachers watching your kids play ball. Have you even thought recently that you have felt more comfortable doing that? What is more important to you? A slimy greasy piece of pizza and doughy cookie dough that sits in your stomach and makes you feel like crap or feeling great about yourself. What is more fun? Seeing how long you can go in between meals without getting hungry and being surprised by how little took away your hunger….or greasy butter garlic bread with a bowl of sodium filled tomato sauce. You are paying $265 a month for 5 years to have this tool to help you be healthy. You are so cheap…do you really want to throw all that money out the window for a crappy meal that will make your chest hurt and your feet swell again like they had been up until a month ago? Go to bed now and when you wake up you need to decide what you are going to do with the rest of your life. Are you going to live the life of a “user” or as someone in “recovery.” It’s all your decision Julie. It’s up to you to be a wonderful, healthy successful person who loves not only life, but herself as well!

Today I was out shopping for a Christmas tree with my fiance, when I saw some cute coats in Walmart. My old winter coat is gigantic on me so I figured "What the heck." and tried a few on...in a size large. And they fit! I was so shocked I kept checking the tags to make sure I hadn't grabbed an XL by accident! This was definitely the boost I needed, since the numbers on the scale have been creeping down very slowly and I was starting to get frustrated. I love my band!

*Having NO slacks left to wear to work (all too big!) *Crossing my legs. Comfortably..without going numb *Fitting into an XL sports tank (formerly wore a 22/24 top) *I made so many new holes in my belts, I had to get rid of them altogether! There are more NSVs, and I cherish each one.

The lady in wawa didnt recognize me, and asked my son if i was his older sister! I had not been there in a few months ans normally i talk it up with the lady who rings us up....that was a def NSV. Im hoping i have the pants victory soon :-)

You are all awesome! I can't wait to be right there with you -- but I have one of "those" questions --- what is NSV?

Hey ladies!! just thought I would share...2 more days until I hit the big 4-0 on Thursday. I had to go to DMV at lunch today to renew my driver's license. I was afraid of failing the vision test because I am supposed to wear reading glasses and didn't want to have to be told to wear them while driving. I was so preoccupied with that and not thinking about anything else. I also had to take a new picture. Well, I did not recognize myself. My old pic was taken like 8 years ago when I was like 350 and I never changed the weight. Well today not only did I get to change the weight to 225 but I got to say "who's that girl?". Big difference in the two pictures. I even look younger in the new picture and I'm even smiling & wearing a fuschia shirt:teeth_smile:

So...I've had great progress so far. starting weight 308,surgery weight 288, current weight 219. Plenty of NSVs as well. Now for the downsides: in a bit of a food funk right now. It's a little hard watching my family eat things that i can't (well, really, i can probably eat some, but it would not have good results). I am deathly afraid of carbs, because that has been my downfall in the past. Don't get me wrong: i don't regret the surgery at all! Just need some encouragement sometimes....

Gramma of 4 that is so awesome! What a great NSV! Love it. I share my success with wls with any one that asks. This is a life saving decision. Keep Rockin your Sleeve!