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You're amazing Spydr. Way to go on an awesome NSV.

I klove NSV, especialy clothing ones! I do love clothes! Haha!

Hi May bandsters. today is my 5 month surgiversary, so i thought i would check in. I have lost 70 pounds and I have had zero fills. I will see my doctor next month and then if everything is ok, i won't see him for another 6 months after that (unless i need a fill). so far, I feel amazing, i reached twoderville and still have a loooooonnnggg way to go to get to onederland. i may never get there, but i'm so happy where i am that i really don't care any more. I can eat any type of food and have never been stuck or PB'ed or had any issues really. there were a few instances early on with nausea that we narrowed down to being caused by my time of the month and i take medicine for that now just a day or 2 before my period and it stops nausea in its tracks. i hope everyone else is doing well and seeing lots of NSVs in addition to the weight dropping.

Christina I'm so glad to see you a year later with such a big s self esteem boost and loving life!!! The band is such a great tool!!! Congrats on your success and NSVS!!! great Job!! Also you say thank you to us on LBT and I want to say too thank you for all your encouragment that you give each of us with your great outlook and suport SARGE!!!!:girl_hug: :clap2: :rose: :rose: :clap2: :rose:

Running for 30 minutes straight IS awesome! I've just started running. I do a mile and then I stop. lol MY NSV is running a mile in 13:02.

Everyone goes through the "what did i do" phase. It will pass and you'll start to enjoy the weight loss and NSV's. Just keep telling yourself "it will get better". good luck to you!

Like many on this site, traveling on an airplane when I was super big was very challenging. I am now down 150 pounds, and had my first plane trip. I could not believe how amazingly I fit in the seat, no seatbelt extender, and room to spare all around. Yay! On the ouch side, I am visiting my in-laws for the first time since I've lost this weight and nobody said anything. 150 pounds down, and no one said a thing. I know I have much more to lose but OUCH. They even know I had the surgery (in all fairness, they didn't ask a single thing about me or my husband because they're self-involved but really???) Thanks for letting me rave and rant about this! I've decided by posting this to let go of the ouch and focus on the NSV. Thank you to everyone on this site.

Cute Story Great NSV!

I don't know if I'm the exception, but, I was sleeved on the 19th and I feel better everyday. I am getting my fluids in and I started walking for 30 minutes today. I still have a little pain from my incision but I am feeling better. The first two days home were rough, but when I woke up this morning, I didn't have to squirm to get out of bed. I guess that was a NSV! Good luck to everyone.

On Monday, I had to work the day shift to teach a few topics at an all day conference where I work. Normally, I wear regular clothes and a lab coat. For the conference, I wore dressy clothes and no lab coat. I saw many people I had not seen for months (170 people attended). MANY people came up to me to tell me it's quite apparent that I have lost weight, etc. It's nice that the loss is showing. For lunch, 50 pizzas were delivered. I had brought a protein bar with me so I took my 2 pieces of pizza to my skinny secretary and had lunch in the office with him. It felt great to have control over the food. Prior to the surgery, I could have easily devoured 4 pieces.

I was sleeved on Feb. 3rd and was just wondering how everyone else was doing? How far out are you? What food stage are you in? How are you tolerating food and liquids? Any complaints? Have you been able to start exercise? Any NSV yet? How are family and friends reacting to the new you? I'm just curious and really hope everyone is doing well!

I'm so excited, I have dreamed of being able to have WLS for so long, and it is coming true! September 3! I have so much I want to say, so I thought about doing youtube videos to keep up with my progress and reflect back during difficult times to see my progress. I made many, many attempts, but I either get toungetied or I just rambled, leaving me with a 25 min video, or I just don't feel comfortable about doing it. I plan to still record myself for only my use, and I'll stick to hiding behind the keyboard for now. Past: I was reared in a very stable, loving family, with the exception of one grandmother. My parents are the most amazing people and have supported me and my dreams, fully. I was not an overweight child, although my grandmother led me to believe that I was the heaviest child...EVER born. She had high expectations of everyone around her, and if you didn't fit the bill, she found no use for you. Anyway, so in 1991, I started lifting weights while my brother was at football pratice or using his equipment at home. It progressed to a passion of mine and eventually I began to lift competitively. I started lifting in the 181 class, this class is for people weighing 165-181. I stayed in that class until my senior year, and I decided to move up to the 198 class (181-198). I found that if I weighed a few more pounds, I could lift a considerably larger amount of weight, increasing my total for our 3 events, therefore, increasing my chances of winning. In order to stay in that class, I had to eat and eat and eat and eat....... I went on to lift for Louisiana Tech University. I was very successful in high school, so I chose to lift in the same class, doing the same thing-eating. I, too, was very successful there and it was really an opportunity of a lifetime, as I was able to lift with and for icons like Billy Jack Talton, Trey Cunningham, Doc Holloway, and PJ Chavonoac. The problem really began after powerlifing, as I continued to eat the same way but without the intense workouts. I still worked out, but not enough to counteract the amount of calories I was consuming. From there, I went to the Police Academy, and of course they ran us to death, and we did more push ups than any human should ever do in an entire lifetime. After I graduated from there, I worked patrol, 12 hour night shifts, for a Sheriff's Department. Basically, I rode around the parish (county for you non-Louisiana ppl) and responded to calls: wrecks, domestics, shootings, thefts, ect. Now remember my eating habits had not changed, and now I was adding more fuel to the fire. I worked nights, which increases everything like chances of breast cancer and diabetitis. I also ate alot of fast food and I ate it as quickly as possible. I never knew when the next call was going to come in, where it was going to be, or how long I was going to be on it, so I ate even when I wasn't hungry. However, I was on SWAT, SCAT, and SRT with weekly training, so I did exercise frequently, but again, not enough cardio to do the job. I continued that lifestyle until my husband and i found out we were having a baby. The eating didn't stop, but I did quit my job, and haven't returned to that career. It was a personal choice my husband and I made. So, after the baby was born, I lost about 40# and kept it off for sometime, and to be quite honest, I don't even really know how I ended up weighing 283#. (PRESENT) Somedays, it is literally like i woke up weighing 100# more. In reality, it happened over the course of 10+ years, but it happened so slowly, I didn't realize how bad it was. To top that off, I have some self-image reality issue: I see a current pic of myself and that is NOT the person i see in the mirror. But then again, I don't own a full body mirror, just small picture frame style mirrors in our bathrooms, and 2 dressers with mirrors in 2 bedrooms (not ours). I was just recently that I realized if I see a larger mirror, one that would allow me to see ME, I quickly turn my head and never give it another thought. The amazing news is that is all about to change, starting now, but really on Sept. 3. I see some people questioning having their procedure, and I did but only for a quick second. I had planned on having lapband, and really didn't do any detailed research on VSG. I went to my consult with my fabulous surgeon and he never entertained the idea of lapband, and when I mentioned it to him, he quickly told me that I would have to go elsewhere, that I had far too much to loose to trust the lapband. Now, I work with him occassionally, with post surgery patients that require life support systems....did I mention that I am now, for 5 years, a Respiratory Therapist (working 12 hour nights?)?? Sorry. I also work with him on tramas and have even cracked a few chest with him in the ER. So, he was most-likely more blunt with me and wasn't ashamed of his classic 'colorful' mouth, as he may be with others. Mentally, while sittting there, I did consider seeing someone else... I didn't want to stay overnight, I didn't want to take off of work for ANY amount of time, I didn't want to alter our routine at home in anyway, even though I know I am about to crash that party after surgery... Lapband or VSG, but then this is the person I trust MOST. I think I sat in the parking lot for an hour doing my own research after my appointment, and when I left that lot, I never looked back, lapband only crosses my mind as I think of what I once wanted. Now that I have done the research, I am glad that I am doing VSG. That day, my consult, was the heaviest recorded weight at 283, currently I am 275. Some part of me wishes that I would have had to do a monitored program with my NUT until surgery date, but then again, not so much. I want to loose some more in these next 3 weeks, but I guess we will see. Future: Goals...oh, so many!! I really have never been about the scales. I have never had a problem with telling people my weight. I suppose I have powerlifting to thank for that, since everyone knew what i weighed at all times. Numbers are numbers but since I really do need a "number" I am shooting for 160-180. My doctor says he wants me to be about 180, my shrink (& fitness gooro) says 160. ME? I really "think" I want to be 165-174. 174 is the heighest I can be per BMI and be normal weight. I just want to know what that feels like...you know, to use weight and normal in the present tense and in the same sentence, in regaurds to myself.... NSV's..............the list is endless really 1. I want to wear my wedding rings. They are beautiful and the meaning behind them is sacred, and it has been 3 years since I have worn them. 2. I want to play tennis again with my friends. Simple and true. 3. I want to be able to tie my shoes with getting out of breath. 4. I want to be able to run in the park with my kid.. Crap, WTH am I talking about....I want to just want to go to the park with my kid. 5. I want to feel like I belong next to my husband. Thank God he loves me unconditionally, and that I know that. 6. I want to run. Like really run. Perhaps a 5K or one of these toughmudder events or color runs. I never did enjoy running, but hopefully I can do it just to prove to myself that I can. 7. I want my ass to feel comfortable when I sit. Like in a fold-out chair at ballgames or even in the seats in our vehicles. 8. I want to be able to sit on the floor with comfort and get up...just freaking get up.. Ya know, without the assistance of anything...just get up. 9. Did I mention that I want to breathe better? Like really. I feel like I do 'normally' but in the event that I am rushing or carrying a load of something, I get winded from time to time. OR walk with a friend and talk at the same time. I don't know if I am the only one with this issue, but it is a concern. I also feel that I have sleep apnea. I snore terribly. If yall ever hear that I died in my sleep, investigate my husband, bc he threathens to smother me often, lol. 10. i want increased confidence, sex drive, energy, ect. Things I am most afraid of: 1. My hair will all fall out. Hairloss is a huge concern for me, as my hair is naturally fine and thin. i have considered getting some type of extension once this starts happening, but will it make it worse? Does anyone have any experience with extensions post op?? Any advice on hairloss will be fab! 2. Head hunger scares the hell out of me. I am an overeater.. It isn't the sweets or anything like that. I eat ALOT of food. 3. Skin..Skin..Skin.. I know I will have flabby arms, I know I will have an excess of skin, but how much is the question. I will be saving up in the next year for surgery. Powerlifting left me with gigantic arms...19" arms to be exact. Theres no way I will be skin free. I know it will be worth it, and i know that there are ways to minimize it...like staying hydrated... Has anyone tried a compression garment?? I included 4 pics. 2 before pics. 1 in 2004 with my cousins(I'm in the middle with hat) 1 in 2008 with my husband 2 now pics 1 with the mom's of my daughters class (green cardy) 1 at my sister's wedding (same cardy)

What a fabulous (and funny) NSV! Congrats!

I was sleeved on 2-18-14 am am currently on the soft food stage and am tolerating foods well so far, but still dealing with refux issues. Only complaint is the refux, never had it before surgery, but it is getting better now that i am taking meds daily for it. Other than some light walking, have not started exercising yet, NSV's: I have been able to get into some pants I have not been able to wear in over 5 years. Everyone is being supportive and very excited for my journey. HW 393. Back in 2008 Started journey weight 371 in June 2013 Started prep diet at 354 SW 340 CW 322 I am down 49 lbs total since June, 32 since starting the preop diet, and 18 since surgery. I weigh once a week on Mondays, so maybe I'm down a little more, hopefully but just got my visitor for the first time in over a year. Uggg. So not sure how that's going to change things

What a GREAT NSV!!!

Sonia, aren't NSVs fun! Congrats on your weight loss.

Way cool! Great nsv

I love these NSV's! CONGRATS to your new found confidence!

Ok. I'm a year post op (6/6) and I've lost 78 lbs. I've gone from a size 18 to a size 10. I'm told I look great but I've got to honest, sometimes I don't see it or realize how far I've come. I got a HUGE reality check yesterday. Over a year ago I flew in a plane and squeezed myself with the seatbelt. I didn't want to ask for an extension so I sucked it all in and barely buckled up. You couldn't even see my seatbelt as it was tight and hidden under my big belly. Yesterday I flew on a plane with my family which included my sister and her two year old twins. One fell asleep in my arms mid-air. The seatbelt light came on and I didn't want to put my nephew down because I didn't want him to wake up. Ready? Ready! The seat belt fit around me AND my nephew AND IT WAS STILL LOOSE!!! I couldn't believe it. I was in tears. It was a reality on how far I've come. My weight has come off slow and I've run across many plateaus but it has and will continue to come off. I just wanted to share

Congrats on your NSV!!! Your post made me smile!

Stay away from the scale. When you focus only on those numbers, your happiness revolves only around the scale. My happiness comes from being able to walk longer and longer distances without my knees hurting or getting out of breath. My happiness comes from being able to fit in a chair with arms. My happiness comes from seeing my old clothes become baggy. The numbers on the scale aren't nearly as important as those NSVs are.

Week 16 (4 months post op) Last week’s weight – 203.8 This week’s weight – 204.0 Total weight lost this week – I gained .2 pounds Total weight loss since surgery – 42 lbs Average weekly weight loss since surgery – 2.5 lbs Had to weigh in a day early this week due to a trip I am taking that is going to keep me from a scale tomorrow morning. I must have jinxed myself last week because this week I experienced my first gain in 4 months. I’m attributing it to not being as careful eating this week (we’ve had a giant local festival going on which involves a lot of food and alcohol). I’ve kept up the exercise (3 miles) although I might need to shake up my exercise routine a bit. Luckily it was only a .2 gain so it is not disastrous but I guess when you keep seeing losses week after week it was a bit of a shock. I should still be on track to be under 200 lbs by the time school starts (August 20th). Some thing I noticed this week was how badly alcohol was irritating my stomach (generating lots of acid). I am actually thinking that this is a good thing (It definitely makes me think twice before having any!). I am not sure if that is a direct result of the surgery or if its age. Either way I am fine turning down drinks in order to keep my stomach happy. On the NSV front I pulled out my driver’s license this week to see when it expired and I am now below the weight I have on it (Woo Hoo!). My challenge this week is a three day class I am taking (lots of eating out). Hoping my renewed commitment to watching what I eat helps me make wise choices from menus.

Wow! Happy New year to you! It only gets better. My most fun NSV was when my own daughter looked down an aisle for me, while we were shopping, and couldn't find me. I was there, but she didn't see me! Karen

I've recently become interested in collar bones. I was flipping through some old pics and I never really noticed or cared that I had them. Now that I don't... apparently the appearance of collar bones are a hug NSV (non scale victory) and symbolize significant weight loss. I'm sure it's going to be different for everyone but I'm just curious at approx. what weight did you start to see them? No matter how I twist and hunch-- I cant find them anywhere! I feel them though-- looking forward to reuniting with them LOL!

Had my yearly physical and all went well, The blood work was 100% normal- even Tg and Lipid panel!!!!!!:clap2: Today my FIRST NSV!!! A patients mom said- "you are going to disappear before long" I wanted to squeal and hug her neck. SHE IS THE FIRST PERSON TO NOTICE AND SAY SOMETHING!!!!:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: My day is MADE!!