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I just realized this morning that I weigh less than what my driver's license states. I guess it's a scale victory instead of a nsv but I just had to share. I am so happy!!!!

Hi Notorious Novembers! I'm doing well - just over a month out from surgery, and healing very well. I did have one incision that seemed slow to heal, but has finally healed up after I wore a band-aid on it for several days in a row. It must be in a spot that is irritated by my bra band or my waistband, I'm not sure which. Weight loss is stuck - down a pound last week to 239, no loss this week. I'm trying not to be too hard on myself, since I haven't had a fill yet and I'm not sure if there is any fluid in my band already. I do feel some restriction when I try to eat too fast or too much. Bread still gives me a little trouble, so I minimize it or chew it to liquid before trying to swallow. :huh2: No trouble with vitamins or medication now - I split my pills for a couple of weeks and did chewable vitamins, but now I'm back to the 'normal' ones. :thumbup: My clothes are getting looser :tt2: - I'm down to a size 18 (comfortably) from my previous high of a 22/24. I'm thinking I'll be in a size 16 before New Year's if this keeps up. :smile::w00t::thumbup: The inches are going, but not the pounds yet. My first fill is scheduled for January 6th. I've got a plan for the holidays that includes a little grazing, but none of the 'eat yourself into a food coma' that I used to do. My employer gives us a recess from Christmas Eve until the Monday after New Year's so I'll be in the gym every day except for Sunday.:eek: I want to start the New Year in better shape and I figure 10 days of gym work is just the thing I need. :cool2: It's good to see all the other Notorious Novembers checking in - everyone is doing well and handling their struggles well. You all give me hope and inspire me. The newbies are so full of enthusiasm that it reminds me of why I did this.:wink2: The veterans are full of wisdom and good advice and help me to make it through when I'm struggling. :wink2: I almost didn't post today because I haven't lost anything, but figured someone might need to see that there are NSV's to be had (non-scale victories) and that even small progress forward is still progress forward! :w00t: Happy holidays to all!

Very very cool! I have to say I had a simlar experience last week. I was in a rush and grabbed a pair of slacks for work that have been tight on me and I had stopped wearing them. Well they were loose and I was needing a belt for them!! It is a great feeling and your right NSV!

All right, I give. what is an nsv? non surgical victory neo synthetic vortex neon shining valley nut smashing volley not small vacuum Not for my Small mind to Visualize

Wuhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu CONGRATULATIONS!!! It is always so exciting to see such hard "evidence" of one's successes especially when you have been working so hard!! And the scale can sometimes flipflop, but no one can dispute the CLOTHES. Nice work~~~~!!!!!!1 Out of curiosity, what is an NSV??

This evening I came in from the office and needed to do some last minute Christmas shopping. So, I took off the dress pants and grabbed the first pair of jeans that I saw. Little did I realize that I had less jeans than I thought, and all my other jeans were in the dryer. So, I grabbed the ones at the bottom of the drawer - sure enough they were a size down AND THEY FIT! Ok ok ok - so - it's not very masculine to Celebrate fitting into a size smaller jeans, but, YAY! I haven't worn those jeans in almost 2 years!

That's great julie.ann My NSV - I cleaned out my closet. I took five bags of too big clothes to Goodwill, and brought out the box of clothes I put away years ago. When I started this journey I was just barely in a 24 - barely at the top end - the laying down to zip my pants kind 'cuz no way was I going to admit I was really a 26. I am now squarely in a 20! Another NSV - I actually look at myself in the mirror in the morning. If it is possible for a person to put on make-up without ever really focusing on how they look - that's what I was doing. I couldn't stand to look at myself. Now, I do. And I'm actually liking what I see.

What a great NSV! I have a walk in closet that used to be filled with clothes all hanging and then 2 shelves that line the whole length of the closet... It's almost bare now. I go in every once in a while and come out with stacks and stacks. I can't wait to hit goal then totally refill it. Congrats again!! You're doing awesome :wink: :smile:

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!

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!

I thought I would share the latest non scale victory that I 've had. Yesterday I bought my very first pair of Victoria's Secret panties and they fit!!! This is a huge thing for me. Another first step towards normalcy. Being able to buy something in a regular ( not Plus size) store in a regular size! I know this is just a little thing but it has made me so happy. I've envied my smaller friends for years over something as simple as panties and now I can do it too! Does anyone else have a NSV they would like to share?

Jetsy62, you go girl! You will make it. I know about the nagging feeling this isn't going to work (all the yo yo dieting really did a number on me). I still have moments like that, but it's those NSVs and the scale moving in the right direction (regardless of how little the movement) that renews my hope. I AM GOING TO MAKE IT! YOU ARE TOO!:biggrin:

Janet - on a personal level the temporary visitation issues for my grandson was today. Not as bad a it could have been., Dad only has 19 hours per week with him.. no overnight.. thankful for that. Still a strain on all of us with my daughter's crazy work schedule, but no problem.. we will survive. Now we have to look forward for a custody hearing.. but that can be quite a few months out. Thanks so much for your supportive words NSV - went shopping at Talbot's, and was able to buy a few things. feels great to wear a L-XL in a top and size 12 pants :ohmy: Still cannot get a picture of me I like to post here. but have found several from before surgery - Yikes. I never thought I looked that big.

Major NSV moment. Ladies I've been a 22 - 24 for the past 18 years, thanks to GOD and the lapband I made it all the way down to a 14 (or so I thought). Hubby and I were out doing some Christmas shopping and I saw some fierce suede pants on the clearance rack for $9.99 (WOW) size 10, I passed them over, hubby said why don't you try them on, I didn't think I had a chance..... Ladies...they fit, lovely. I was in shock. I went home and actually had to study myself in the mirror. It had been so long since I had actually saw ME. I loved what I saw and I can't wait to see what the future holds.

To make a long story short- All my life I have been very overweight. Thanks to my band, I am smaller than I was at age 15. As a teenager and young adult, all I ever wanted was to be able to wear tall boots. I could never do so because my calves were always too big for them to even think about zipping.I had put off trying on any since losing weight for fear of disappointment. Plus, I don't see any difference in my calves and never measured them before. Well Tuesday I decided to try on some at Shoe Carnival. I tried on several and they all easily zipped!!! I was so surprised & excited. I got 2 pair-one black pair with wedge heel for work/casual and another black pair with a tall heel for "play". Even the tall heel is a nsv because I have never been able to walk in a tall heel before. I even bought 2 sweater dresses to wear them with and plan to get a jean skirt or two since mine are now too big. It's what some might consider small things like this that remind me that I definitely made the right decision getting the band. Happy Holiday's everyone. I will be sporting my tall boots this season.:ohmy:

Phyl I can't beleive that it took you a minute to jump at the chance to get out on your own for a bit.. And you did great and just buying him something - while I was out Xmas shopping for other - I bought way too much stuff for me :confused: Ya I think it started raining about 10 last night down in Indio and it has rained all day today here at work - I have a little KESQ ticker thing on my dashboard and it says our temp in is 41... If it keeps raining - you could get snow tonite :sad_smile: Great NSV on the driving the car :shades_smile:

Well done -it's great that you are experiencing NSVs with your clothes - they are at least as important as the scales. You're right - you will have ups and downs, so stay focused on the longer term goals you have, be patient and stay motivated. Try to build in some exercise when you can, as that will not only help your weight loss but also your general fitness levels. BTW, isn't Edinburgh a beautiful city?

I tell you what, I don't sign on here for a few days and come back to pages and pages. There is no way I can say something about every post. Ebony, Donna, Kat, Susan-great NSVs! luluc-I like to look at horses (in books:laugh:). plain-I was thinking Joey from Friends. How you doing? Sorry for anyone that I missed! Have a wonderful day! I am going to get coffee!

BizzyDiva - damn gul, that was some post! Kat - that's so awesome about your NSV! Forget living well - her gaining weight is the best revenge!!! Cera - we miss Plain like a cold sore!!! badabing! 1. When have you EVER been stunned into silence? And yes i can talk b/c I'm only quiet when I'm asleep! 2. I really didn't need that visual w/ regard to Plain!:thumbup: That's why I could never date a married - I couldn't hurt that other woman! Did you tell him that he was a BITCH?!? I used to tell my former co-workers that they only had to really worry that I was mad if I started using big words! Susan, m'dear, you definitely earned a great husband; damn!!! Karma just has to get those 2 some day!

Great NSV, but as for the 3-way mirror.......amateurish. You need a 27-way mirror like me (it involves 3 3-way mirrors) Somebody thinkin' theys gonna take the multipost title? No way....... It's just because I'm the resident "abuse boy". I don't mind....I'm kinda into it....but perhaps I've said too much... Don't worry about those 'horns, they're a hearty lot. Much much tougher than say......a sooner. *lowers voice 2 octaves* How you doin" ??

I too just had another NSV for the day----------for the first time in years, I shovelled the walks and driveway---without fear of falling over from a heart attack----seriously! Made me breath hard, but it was a lot of snow, and a lot of work, but it felt soooo good to do it in one stretch, not take any breaks. And not to feel like putting my head down when cars would drive by. In my heavy clothes and bulky coat, I always felt absolutley HUGE. Great exercise! So what did I do? Rewarded myself with a cookie.....DUH! Susan, that was a doubly hard lesson to learn, but I bet you were much more cautious about choosing friends as well as men after that. My first husband cheated with Lord knows how many women. He married again, one of the 'other women' she worked with him. He cheated through many years with her as well. Then a couple of years ago, he moved in with one of my oldest friends. I felt so betrayed! Not by him---by her! He is far enough in my past to leave a serious feeling of indifference. Our child is an adult, I have no connection to him anymore, his life is his. But she never told me. We talked several times a week, and she hid it, lied to me outright. I found out when I stopped by to drop some things off for her kids, she was a single Mom (so I thought!) and always struggled to make ends meet. So when I would see a sale on something that would work for her 2 youngest, I would get it for them. I took some boots by to her son, and guess what?! I ended the friendship, simply because if you cannot have openess and trust in a friendship....then there is NO friendship. She proved herself unworthy of my trust, when I found out she had been with him for almost a year! And the kicker was that it had caused friction between my DD and I. My ex called me about a car I had for sale, and tried to get me to let him buy it on payments. I refused. Child support -- or lack there of --might be a long distant memory---but it was still there! I told my DD I did not want her discussing our life with him. We had plans of using the money to add a patio in the back yard, and he knew that. He was saying things about me being able to buy supplies on an as needed basis if I let him make payments. My DD kept telling me she had not said anything. I actually told her something about how in the hell else would he know??? I found out how. And I all but called my DD a liar, because in reality my so called friend was. Sooooo not worth my time! Glad you found better too Susan! Kat

Ebony, I love your outlook and attitude. I think you are going to do great with your band. Donna, congrats on the NSV. I think it is the best when people that see you every day notice. Oh, and the guy hitting on you is great too. I sympathize on the PMS, am craving chocolate right now, but thus far have resisted. Kat, that is one of the most awesome NSV's I have ever heard! Way to go. Ceradad, Mac, thanks for the advice. I think I will draw her a map. I am feeling so generous, I may just send her a double chocolate fudge cake!! But seriously, she actually did me a favor because by taking my ex, I met my dh who is so much better in every way than he could have ever dreamed of being.

i always miss ya!:crying: not a fan of eyebrow licking beth :blushing: kat - that was a great story & NSV....seems like a NSV day. tis' snowing - i always feel bad when its' cold out for the horses & longhorns.....hope the hay keeps them warm..

Kat -- how FANTASTIC! PJTbrag: 2nd NSV of the day! I got hit on just a little while ago! There's a guy who works in this building who I've seen several times this past year and has never said a word to me. Today as we're waiting for the elevator, he breaks the ice and asks me which floor I work on and then looks at my badge and says, "Nice to meet you Donna, I'm Leno" (Yes the same as the other Leno). Anyway, he proceeds to make small talk but it was the WAY he looked at me with that "grin" on his face. I haven't been hit on by a stranger in quite a while so it was especially gratifying. p.s. I'm PMSing so I was not feeling particularly perky but between my DD's comment this morning and this guy hitting on me, I feel like I'm floating again and those cramps don't seem nearly so painful now. :blushing:

that has GOT to be one of the best NSV's ive ever heard!! congrats, Kat!!