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The clothes are a big NSV. But also, no need for seat belt extenders, I have to actually tighten them now. Fitting into rides at the amusement park back in October with my niece!

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What a great NSV! I can't wait to be able to wear white pants! And tuck in a shirt!

My wardrobe over the past many years has been varying shades of black or gray (see last pic). I have been shopping thrift stores mainly until I get to a place where my weight stabilizes, but decided I could use a couple of new items, so I decided to splurge. I bought WHITE pants!!! LOL. I know it may not seem like a big deal, but let me tell you, it really is. I've always carried so much of my weight in my butt and thighs and always chose dark colors for skirts and pants. It felt so good to buy a nice pair of white pants for spring, lol. In a size 10 no less. Squeeee!!!! 5 months out and gone from a size 18/20 in pants to a size 10!!! I am doing a celebration dance over here! No regrets!

22 pounds in a month is great! Plus you lost so much pre-op! I think I lost only 15 pounds in the first month and it continues to come off day by day. I have a NSV/ SV to share: I went to see my primary care physician on Friday for a physical. When the nurse was entering my stats into the computer, a big error box popped up saying that it was like a 30% change so she needed to reenter my weight. Hee hee what she'd entered was right. We lose weight so fast that even computers get confused! Hang in threre!

Officially 30 lbs down since surgery! Weighed in this morning at 288 lbs. On a NSV note I tried on an old pair of size 40 jeans last night and they fit. I can't believe it because I just got back into my size 42 only a few weeks ago. For the longest time I was thinking I'd never get back into any of my old clothes but finally starting to happen.

Have been married 22 years. For a while when I was at my highest weight, my rings were too snug and then when I bit gw, they were way too loose. I mentioned to my daughter that one of my acquaintances had her rings resized after wls. She talked to my husband... My husband surprised me with resized rings that actually fit. I've dropped two ring sizes!

I think the best advice I've ever read on here about stalls is to avoid the scale. I weighed at my 2 week appointment and stupidly again after that. Caused too much anxiety, so I put my scale away I'm a month now and haven't weighed since, and I can still see differences in pictures and people who haven't seen me see the difference too. Don't let the number define you, go off of your NSV's and how you feel:)

New poster here. My SW was 207 lbs and 6 weeks out, I’m only down to 192 lbs and haven’t experienced any NSV’s like smaller clothing, etc. It goes without saying that I’ve been following the surgeon/nutritionist recommendations for fluids (10 cups/day), Protein (75 g), calories (currently in the 600 range) and exercise (5k brisk walk 6x a week, weight training 2x a week). Purely looking at these results, I guess my self-pay VSG might turn out to be a failure. What I thought might be interesting share is that I am lucky enough to have access to state-of-art instruments that take body composition. These measurements show that over the post-op period, I gained 15 lbs of Fluid and 2lbs of lean mass (hopefully some of which is muscle). If you crunch through the math, I have lost in excess of 32 lbs of body fat. So I guess the #1 takeaway from my experience is that if you are experiencing weight gain and/or a stall, it’s worthwhile to invest in a body composition measurement device. I understand that a decent quality one can be purchased on Amazon for ~60 which might not be 100% accurate in an absolute sense but will suffice for tracking your own progression. After a battery of tests and doctor’s visits, we’ve ruled out the usual medical causes for Water retention like kidney disease, too much sodium, protein deficiency, hormones, etc. I understand from reading bodybuilding forums that exercise itself can cause water retention but I don’t think it’s clear cut that I should stop exercising, since working out can also relieve water retention. The final diagnosis I got was “idiopathic edema” which essentially means that my water retention is a random occurrence for which there is no physiological explanation. When all is said and done, here is the reality that I’m trying to come to terms with. There are a couple ways to do the math but here’s one example – even a highly athletic woman my height carries 20 pounds of body fat, which is “only” 35-40lbs less than my current fat mass. However, I am overweight by 60lbs relative to a 25bmi, and much more than that if you use an alternate formula for an ideal weight. So the arithmetic says that I am carrying around at least 20lbs of excess water, which I have come to learn is a different beast from excess fat. We know that losing a pound of fat requires creating a certain amount of caloric deficit but at this point there is nothing more I can do to get rid of the water weight. The doctor prescribed a water pill but it’s probably not a long-term solution and any water I lose might come back once I go off the medication. I fully intend to use the VSG tool to lose that extra 35-40lbs of fat but at that point, I might still be officially classified as overweight/obese even though the surgery did everything that it was supposed to do. ­­­­Before committing to the surgery, I had scoured through this message board to mentally prepare myself for all the bad scenarios that could come up but this was not an outcome that I was able to mentally prepare for. Hopefully other members out there find my story useful.

Before I decided to have surgery I wore clothing size 34/36 but really was stretching it and probably should have been a 38 or so at 540 pounds and 5'10. I tried on some of my smaller work pants, a size 30/32 but they were big so I decided to go shopping and get the next smallest size. When I went to the store they didn't have any 28's so I decided to give a 26 a shot...it was TOO BIG also!! I am now a pant size 24!! This is so exciting to me!! I could not believe it! I have not been a size 24 since 2008 after my lap band surgery (which failed miserably). I can not wait to see how small I can get! That was the best thing to happen to me in a while!! I am now down 225 pounds and weigh 315 pounds!!

I'm a little over 6 years out and have been maintaining within 5 pounds of my lowest weight since I reached it at 18 months. I weighed once about every 3-4 weeks in the beginning. After reaching goal I would step on the scale weekly but that got boring.....just the same old numbers. For the last two years I might step on the scale once/month or if I perceive my pants are getting snug or even loose. After all this time I can how much I weigh within a couple pounds just by how my clothes fit. Guess I never worried too much about what the scale said. I measured my progress with NSVS and account for maintenance by how I feel and what I see in the mirror.

Yesterday I took the dog for a walk/jog and partway through had to practically drag him and then he pouted, laid down and just kind of told me he needed to catch his breath. Poor thing was exhausted by the time we got home. So to be totally honest, he is kind of out of shape because of not going on walks because of cold weather and me not making him jog before. Nevertheless, I'm pretty proud of myself for tiring him out! I jogged more and more easily than I think I ever have before. Happy moment. Note to the other dog owners, I did watch his paw pads and make sure they were ok.

These are some of the Abbreviations commonly used on this site. ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AGB = Adjustable gastric banding 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 Biliary Pancreatic Diversion 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 DDD = degenerative disc disease 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 MFP = my fitness pal 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 OA = Overeaters Anonymous omw = on my way 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 PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome POSE = Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal 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 RH = reactive hypoglycemia RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y RTD = ready to drink RYGB = Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SADI-S = single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy s/f or sf = sugar free SG = Sleeve gastrectomy SIPS = stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing surgery smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SO = significant other SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck TTC = trying to conceive Ty = Thank you. [but according to the urban dictionary “Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = Vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight

Small update...my plateau finally broke, and it was the result of actually increasing my calorie intake a little bit. I am now sitting at around 1,200-1,300 calories a day and the weight loss has picked back up again. I've started back at the gym again, just adding cardio. Over the past couple of months, my endurance and general condition has improved so much. When I first moved back to Colorado from California in mid-November and started delivering parcels for Amazon Flex, it was exhausting. Now, I barely break a sweat...so it was time to get back to daily cardio workouts. A great NSV is the fact that I've gone from a 52 waist pant worn below my waistline (and gut) to a 46 waist at my ACTUAL waist. I made the mistake of not measuring my waist before I started this process, so I'm not sure what it actually was...but I'm betting I started around 56" or so. So probably 10" off my waist to this point. I'm also fitting into 2x clothing now, down from 4x. My wife just had her first appointment with a surgeon, she's planning on getting the RNY during her summer break (she's a teacher). She's been impressed with the weight loss I've achieved thus far and is excited (and nervous) about following in my footsteps. It's the been the best decision I've made though, I wish I'd done it 10 years ago. Still got a ways to go, but it's coming!

Just moved from Obese Class II to Obese Class I !!!!! Yay!!!

I just got back from Hawaii! 5 Glorious Days. Four planes, no seatbelt extenders, and full use of the tray tables. I went parasailing, which was amazing and life affirming. So blessed to be on this trip in the first place, but so grateful for this life changing journey.

When you can no longer shop in your favorite plus size stores anymore When you and your 12 year old and raiding each others closets When you reach a weight lower than your hubby and kids When you buy Jeans from fashion nova in a size 13 (juniors) and they are a little loose so you buy another pair in an 11 and when they arrive you realize you could have gone down 1 more size When you don't have to try on your clothes anymore when shopping. You can pretty much eyeball it. When you wear clothes that were purchased as a NSV award during previous weight loss attempts and they are now too big When people see you and say I want to look like you

That is one HECK of a NSV!!! (nonscale victory) These are some of the things that keep us goin g for sure!! I can personally say that wouldn't work for me because my hubby has always way outweighed me. But he had his Sleeve surgery and is losing great now! When we got married (I was 17 and he was 23) I weighed 135#'s and he weighed 350. He made me feel so tiny. LOL I did get scared at my highest weight. I got as high as 285#'s. I thought you better do something or you will catch up to him. LOL Something like so many others I fought my weight all of my adult life. Thankfully I got my WLS July 2, 2013. I have maintained my 124# loss for 3 years now. I can't wait for him to get his weight off so we can begin to live life again. Way to go on your weight loss!! KEEP ON KEEPING ON!!

It seems to be that there are lots of people going through stalls right now !! If you are going through a stall or pre op PLEASE read the following wonderful post from Inner Surfer Girl in 2015, who sums it all up perfectly: It seems that at least 50% of the posts on BariatriPal are bemoaning a stall. Daily, and sometimes hourly, I am reading about how someone ONLY lost x number of pounds and now the scale hasn't moved in ___ [fill in the blank] days/months, etc. Oh no, they write, I am a failure/unique/my surgery didn't work/life is not fair, ... Why am I in a stall? I know I am exaggerating but I think you get the idea. Guess what? STALLS are a NORMAL part of the PROCESS of losing weight. If you want to lose weight, you will stall. Not just once, but over and over. And, guess what? A stall is where your body actually does the hard work of becoming smaller. It takes a lot of work and energy to dismantle a structure that has been holding up, in some cases, hundreds of pounds. For those who think they have to DO something to somehow "break a stall" (in my opinion, you do not break a stall, you just ride them out), here is my response: What can you do to "break" a stall? 1) STAY OFF THE SCALE Relax and stay off the scale if it bothers you so much. Weigh no more than once a week, or even less often. Weighing only at your doctor's appointments early in the process is a good strategy if your mood and self-worth are dictated by the numbers on the scale. 2) PICK UP A TAPE MEASURE In addition to using the numbers on the scale to measure your progress, take your measurements. Inches lost are also a great way to see physical progress when the scale isn't moving. Most people see the biggest physical changes in their body when the scale seems stuck. 3) TRACK YOUR Protein AND Water AND MEET OR EXCEED YOUR PROTEIN AND WATER GOAL EVERY DAY As long as you are getting in all your protein and water and following your NUT and surgeon's instructions, you are doing what you are supposed to do. If you aren't getting in all your protein and water, then increasing your protein and water is something you can do (and should be doing anyway whether or not you are in a stall). 4) EXERCISE If you aren't exercising, then you can exercise (and should be whether or not you are in a stall). You can start slowly by walking or even moving more around the house. Exercising will help you feel better, tone your skin and build fat-burning muscle. 5) MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR NUT If you are unsure or unclear about what you are supposed to be, or should not be eating, then make an appointment with your NUT (which you should be doing whether or not you are in a stall). 6) REASSESS AND REEVALUATE About the only good result I see that comes from complaining about a stall is when you take an honest look at what you are doing and realign with the program recommended by your NUT and surgeon. Have you started eating more outside of your plan? Are you restricting calories? Are you eating enough carbs and protein for your exercise? Are you taking your Vitamins? Are you eating often enough? Are you eating slowly with protein first? Sometimes, all you need to DO is go back to basics. 7) JOURNAL One of the biggest things I have noticed from the various posts is how anxious and out-of-control some people feel when they notice a stall. Journaling can help you gain some perspective and deal with some of the emotional turmoil. -- Write about how you are feeling about the stall and your weight loss, and surgery in general. -- Write about why you had the surgery in the first place. -- Write about what life was like before surgery. -- Write about what you hope and dream about accomplishing in the future. -- Write about your fears. -- Write about your NSVs. -- Make a gratitude list. -- Make a bucket list. -- Write a letter to your old self; write a letter to your new self. Just write. 8) SEEK HELP Stalls are when too many people seem to revert to old, counterproductive dieting behaviors (restricting calories, over exercising, bingeing, etc.). If this is you, then another thing you can DO is to talk to a counselor or therapist or consider joining a bariatric support group or a twelve-step group like Overeater's Anonymous. The discomfort of being in a stall can also drive people to develop new, unhealthy coping habits or even transfer addictions. This is where you want to marshall all the resources you have available to you and use them. The last, and most important thing you can DO is: 9) EMBRACE THE STALL Stalls are a normal and natural part of the process. Our bodies are complex systems and not simple machines. Stalls go hand-in-hand with weight loss. If you had Weight Loss Surgery, then you probably want to lose a significant amount of weight. So, get ready to embrace the many stalls you will experience as your body is transformed. It will be worth it.

Hi July Sleevers! I'm down to 146, BMI of 28.5 and still chugging along. I don't even remember surgery and the initial post op stages at this point lol. I can eat whatever I want as well, just small amounts of it and I've become accustomed to focusing on dense protein. I love the newfound energy, the confidence, and all the new clothes. I'm looking to at least another 16 lbs, but I'm also focusing on getting toned. NSVs and good vibes abound.

Well, it may not seem that big of a deal but yesterday was the last day that I had to take Ursodiol (used to prevent gall stones). I am so happy that there is now one less pill (tablet) that I have to take everyday.

So...4 months out and (almost) 4 stones down...the before and after photos are at 3 stone off, I look SO different again, just need to take a pic. I have lost 12 inches off my waist and 14 off my 'mum tum' (its flabby flap has gone from 3 inches of sag to under 1/2) I am lighter than my other half...therefore no longer the heaviest in the house *high 5* I have lost the combined weight of my 4 year old, the cat and 2 of our hens I buy a UK size 16 off the peg (previously a 22) I have just applied for and got a job which I wouldn't have dreamed of even applying for 5 months ago...start tomorrow eek! My 4 teens are super proud of my new look and (though they aren't consciously doing it) are actively spending more time with me around their friends...and my 4 year old is thrilled with my new energy levels. I'm away to take climbing instruction and have joined 2 groups to learn that and ukulele...and am involved with sorting a 20yr reunion for my high school (a stark contrast from my previous very anti-social self) I have legs...really nice ones...I have always totally viewed them as my worst asset and had no idea that these shapely beings existed beneath my previous tree trunks. My boobs are no longer my best asset...this really worried me pre-op as I was massively defined by them...you know what??? I don't care (and neither does he)! I can go buy vintage clothes...and they fit...and they look amazing (hand knitted 70s dress from a charity shop is my absolute favourite buy) The skin looseness is nothing like I thought it would be Learning that food is fuel and not enjoyable is hard and the mental process behind it isn't a nice one...but the feeling of accomplishment helps more than I could have ever believed! I love yoga! This is the best investment I have ever made in myself...I am just so, so happy! yes...there are negatives, but they are far outweighed by all the zillions of good stuff :D

That's a GREAT first NSV! Mine was fitting comfortably into the seats at a concert with my niece 2 months post-op. Before, there's no way in hell I would've been able to without dying and being uncomfortable. But thanks to just those 2 months, I was able to comfortably and we had a great time. It's the NSV's like that that mean more I believe.

The point where I knew I wanted surgery last year was when I went to the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Hollywood, CA and I couldn't ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. It was so embarrassing, I went with some girls from work and because my restraint didn't make that third click, they quickly ushered us off the ride to a tester seat, no one knew what was going on (except me) and I finally had to YELL at the team member just to let them ride without me. Because literally no one knew what was going on and I just kept saying "just let them ride" and they were like "no no let's just check really quick" and I just said "please just let them go" and they were like "let's just check to make sure " and I finally just blew up and said "CAN YOU PLEASE JUST LET THEM GO!" Everyone was so understanding about it but it definitely put a damper on the rest of the trip (it made it incredibly awkward for all of us). I always feared going back, out of heartbreak and just being traumatized by the whole experience. A couple weeks ago I learned a few friends wanted to go check it out and out of fear I almost bailed, but today my sister and I went to check if I could (I've lost 45lbs since that incident, so ya never know) and BOOM, fit with NO ISSUES! A team member overheard my excitement (I was crying) and he gave me a front of the line pass so I didn't have to wait in line! It was one of the most magical moments of my life, makes all the pain and hardships worth it! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App