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Haha, it's like finding Waldo with bones. Congrats on the NSV!

I ordered several pair of knee boots last winter knowing they probably wouldn't fit, but always seemed to do this to myself. They arrived and didn't fit and of course it made me want to cry. However, I pulled them out tonight and thought I'd give it a try and they zipped up with no problem! I was so excited. I now have 3 more pair of boots that suddenly fit which thrills me. I have a couple pairs that still wont zip up, but they are so close which has not been the case for a long time. YAY!

So, some of you already know, I will have been banded for a year on August 15. In that time, I've lost 100 pounds, and can hardly believe it. It is taking a long time for me to recognize certain victories, but I can say for certain that today was one of the best ones. I had to go to a wedding, and the dress I was planning on wearing ended up being way too big. I didn't know, until I attempted to get dressed, and started to freak out because I had nothing to wear. I called my mom, ran to her house, raided her closet and while holding my breath attempted to wear one of hers. Well, this formally size 24, was able to wear her mother's size 10! That's me, the blonde on the right, in my moms dress!!

This is a cool NSV really, and I think a lot of it has to do with the way we seem to lose weight. The scales don't drop for some of us but we're losing inches galore so we think we're not really getting small enough to be able to fit in way smaller clothes yet. My scales seem stuck but my clothes still seem to get looser all the time. haha The other thing is losing faster than we've ever lost weight in the past. It's really difficult for the brain to catch up sometimes lol. So you're absolutely right, we need to get in the habit of trying on our closet clothes fairly regularly! Thanks for the reminder! Congrats!

Very cool NSV! I was a good yo-yo dieter and had everything in my closet from size 16-24. Now that I'm a 14 and a sometimes 12 I am finding good deals at Goodwill and other second-hand stores!

haha took me forever to figure out nsv until i asked lol What about NUT? is that the nurse that does the fills? I cant't believe they would call her that lol

Tuesday 198.5!!! Yesterday was my 5 month anniversary and I am down 30 lbs! I am thrilled!! I have refused to compare my loss to anyone elses, I am losing at the rate I lose at! I have consistently lost about 6 lbs a month. I have so many NSV's I cant begin to list them, but I need to...just to look back at. 30 lbs has made a HUGE difference on my body, especially from the waist up. 1. My waist is SIX inches smaller. 2. Ribcage under my bra is FIVE inches smaller....36 inches and one inch smaller than my waist!! Goodbye back fat. 3. My arm at the bicep is only 12.5 inches, ! 4. From size 20W pants to size 16 and 18.....16-18 misses, not W!!!! 5. My boobs stick out farther than tummy...no longer look 5mo pregnant. 6. There is not ONE coworker, friend, family that has not noticed and commented on the weight loss (and I am still in the closet with banding) 7. First time under 200 in about 4 years. 8. My face is getting thin enough I am starting to feel really pretty again. 9. I feel 'heavy/normal' and not huge, bloated, puffy 10. My ankles never ever get edema anymore. 11. I have zero nighttime reflux anymore. 12. My DH says it is like having sex with a different woman because he can FEEl such a difference in my body. 14. My back is completely smooth. No roll above waistband or around bra. 15. Blood sugar stays very stable (thanks to no bread, lmao) 16. OFF BP medicine....was only borderline and now normal. 17. Gone from (bust,waist,hip) 48.5,43,51 to 46.5(-2),37(-6),47(-4)......big fat gut is so much more in portortion now, hell! its gone!!!...maybe that is why everyone notices I have lost weight. My shape is still big but back to being very shapely now. I could keep going but these are the major ones....in no particular order.

Yesterday hit my 4-month mark since my sleeve surgery. And, I hit the 199 mark after 2-weeks of holding at 201. YAY! I've been waiting on this day for a long time. It's funny when you finally see the scale say 199. I just kept saying....really, am I really there? The last time I remember being under 200 I was in 10th grade or I was about 16 which means for 32-years I have been over 200 lbs and at times WAY over 200 lbs. Yes, this feels good. As for my diet, I track everything. I do enjoy a treat of a piece of candy or some ice cream once in a while. But I generally stay within my targets of protien, carbs, fat, and fluids. As for my NSV...Well, I'm in the process of changing careers. My family wants me to take over their business. I grew up in the business, but went my separate way many years ago. That path provided me with my degree and a great job. But to be honest, I've gotten very bored with my role over the last 3-years and was looking for a change. Over the last 3-months I have been studying for my state board license in HVAC contracting. I took my test on Thursday. It was an open-book test, but the proctor said I had written to much in my books and took 2 of the major testing books away from me. I had 30-questions left out of 100 to answer. Of those 30, I was able to locate 15 of the questions from my other books. That left me with 15 remaining questions which were tables within the last two books. The proctor was adimit that I could not have my books and told me she was sorry, but I just had to go on my on knowledge. Well, I did the best I could. The test was over and I waiting on the results. It read..PASSED! I couldn't believe it. I actually passed. This has been an exhausting and exciting week. I hit 199 and passed my HVAC licensing exam!

Wow,,, that's amazing ! It just goes to show. That once we are Banded, There's NO ! stopping at what we will, or can do. Keep up the Great Work, and take 1 step for me, because I am unable to do anything like that with artificial knees.. But,,,, I did walk 2 miles home today after completing part of my Gym class.. I am glad I am in training, or I would not have made it. But I am, and I did ! So there is another NSV for today.....

I can't think of any new NSVs for me lately. Many of the same old ones keep happening and I don't think I'll ever get tired of them. I do love reading everyone else's NSVs though. It helps me stay motivated and makes me happy for everyone.

I had a out patient procedure last week.... and had to put on a hospital gown. The nurse handed it to me... I realized I didnt have the mental anguish of wondering if it was going to fit. Which it did of course.... and even tied in the back. I just stood there grinning. I let my husband in on my thoughts and he just laughed.... Then as we were leaving a few hours later as per hospital protocol I had to be escorted out in a wheelchair.... and it wasnt the big girl wheel chair... it was just a regular one. Both of those NSV just helped me sail through my minor procedure....

@@treciag My heart goes out to you! I am glad you came back here, to BP. In the General Weight-Loss Forum, there is a new "Regain and-back-on-track" Forum. Link below: http://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/1261-regain-and-back-on-track-new/ I haven't regained, I am still working towards my goal. What I have noticed, is that if I indulge in sweets, my weight stays the same, or even goes up slightly. So, for me, I have to watch this! I am currently doing mainly very high Protein diet, lot more Water and stepping up my exercise. I log my food, like you in the MFP. And I check in daily here, at BP. I am going through the longest stall so far, however with my high protein diet, I am noticing few NSVs, like my wrist watch is getting looser and looser, today my rings are finally loose, and it shows in my face and my clothes are looser too, despite the scales staying the same. So, currently losing inches/centimetres. Best of Luck and Best Wishes in your journey!

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.

It will be an NSV!

I am full of successes this month. I think I was in a plateau and I didn't even realize it because I lost another 3 pounds this week and suddenly all my size 10 slacks were hanging on me. Got some size 8 retro flare slacks from Penneys and some size 8 slacks from Sears. They all zipped and look great! I even found some size 8 bootcut jeans that fit. Size 8 pants. Seriously, sweeter words have never been said...

Congratulations and thanks for sharing your menu. I am 10 pounds from Onederland and I can't wait to do the happy dance too! I am down 27 pounds since 9/28 when I started the pre op liquid. Banded 10/12. Weight is coming off slow and steady. I had a funny NSV yesterday. I was having a pedicure and as my peducurist( is that a word) was massaging my lower legs, she commented that my legs were smaller! Yahoo.

December 1st.. I've been sleeved... The surgery part not so bad... the team just ran a little behind. While waiting all the different care teams came in to introduce themselves and explained thier roles. My surgeon came in last. Asked me if I have any questions and introduced his Resident. I was given an anti nausea patch and pull then sent to the Surgery Theater. In recovery I have no recollection. However in my room the pain immediately hit me. I have been dealing with pain management all day. It would subside then start back up. It's only the side where the stomach was removed. Aside from pain, the other issue is my bladder. It's been full the entire time... every time I go tinkle... they take an ultrasound to determine how full it is.... hoping for no catheter... especially since I am "girling" right now. The walking... I haven't managed to do much because of the pain and being slightly dizzy. But when the pain has intermittently subsides... i am up and at em. I have 6 incisions. All the staff has remarked that I look extremely well for just undergoing serious abdominal surgery. .. guess that's my 1st NSV!!! TIRED & Optimistic. Much success to the rest of you.

Hello everyone, it has been awhile since my last update so I guess it is about time. So, really no complaints. Life if good, everything is going well and I am chugging along at a very satisfying pace. I have lost 113 lbs total and 76 lbs since surgery! I measured myself for the first time since surgery the other day, really most of my body measurements are the same which I find a little weird after loosing 113lbs. I do carry most of my weight in my belly, and have small arms and small legs so I guess it makes sense. I lost a total of 4 inches all over my body PLUS 14 inches in my waist alone. No bad I suppose. I can eat anything except COLD chicken (I guess it is too dry cold) but it makes me sick every time I tried so I stopped. I also struggle a bit with actual soft bread, it doesn't make me sick but it hits me like a brick. Toast, crackers, wraps are all fine though. I eat a very balanced diet of everything as my dietician recommends while making sure I hit my protein and fluid goals. I usually don't have room for carbs once I eat the protein but every once in a while I get some in and I don't mind it. I have splurged a few times with treats, very minimal a few bites 2 or 3 times. Haven't had any issues with that and I have never dumped. The list of NSV's could go on for days. I played tennis the other day for the first time since loosing weight and the difference was unbelievable. I didn't even get out of breath while running back and forth across the court, because really we suck at tennis so there is a lot of running but it is fun. My knees don't grind, my feet and ankles no longer swell even after walking all day, I don't walk up the stairs all on one leg anymore, I FIT ON ROLLER COASTERS!, I walk around the water park in my bathing suit now. I bought a new bathing suit and feel good in it. I don't find excuses to drive place even when it is less than a mile away, I just naturally walk. (I live in the city) I went from a size 26 jeans to a size 18/20 depending on the cut. From a 4x tshirt to a 2x tshirt. My shoes are loose, probably don't need "wide width" anymore. Still working through my skinny days clothes so I have only bought 1 new outfit for a nice dinner because I don't have anything other than jeans, and mostly tshirts that fit now. By the end of the year I will need an entirely new wardrobe! I am looking forward to the shopping. (For once in my life!) I could go on and on but you get the hint! I hope everyone is well! ❤️

I had the sleeve done at the end of November, 2013. It was a band to sleeve revision. I was what I would have called a "slow loser" but found out some things I was doing wrong. So, I changed some of what I was doing - went to 1000 calories/day, added fruits and vegetables to my diet instead of just Protein and began walking and working out some. Now, I know you're going to say, "If you're working out you're adding muscle which weighs more than fat." Ok, I'm not working out THAT hard. A couple of weeks ago I had an NSV by getting into size 20 clothes from a size 26/28. I hit the 40 pound loss mark in 4 months. I was feeling really good. But things have changed. I'm still in a 20, which I'm happy about. But I'm losing my hair. The one thing that I have ALWAYS prided myself on. Even when I was over 300 pounds, my hair always looked good. It was healthy, bouncy and in really good shape. Then, pieces of it started coming out when I showered. I'd go to soap myself up and have to remove strands of hair from the bar of soap. I thought, "Well, that's the price of bariatric surgery I suppose." I started taking Biotin after reading some messages on here. I also made sure I got at least 60 grams or more of protein a day and have been averaging over 60 grams a day for over a month now. I thought it probably wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be. Then, I went to my hair dresser for a cut yesterday. She started washing my hair and said, "Oh my, you're really getting thin." My daughter is getting married in 2 months and my hairdresser said we may have to get a hair piece to help cover up some of thinness if it doesn't get any better. What?!?!?!?!?!? Are you frickin' kidding me? Oh, and it gets worse. I stepped on the scale this morning and was 3 pounds heavier!! WHAT?!?!?!!?!?!?!? I've been following my diet strictly and haven't gone over 1000 calories. I've looked at the snack cakes in my daughter's snack drawer and walked away. ARE YOU FRICKIN' KIDDING ME?!?!?!? 3 POUNDS?!?!?!!?!?!? And this is after a 2 week plateau. I'm ready to give up. I know this weight didn't come on over night but I really expected more than 40 pounds in 4 months. And, I know that we all have weight fluctuations but mine have only been a pound here and there. 3 pounds? Higher??? That's crazy. If I was cheating, sure, I can see that. But I'm not. I'm a bit fed up. I don't want to hear about losing inches vs. pounds and changing things up. I've done that. I guess I just want to bitch and complain. Has anyone else gone through this mental torture and how did you get your HEAD back in the game? I'm beating myself and my sleeve up right now. I need a mental kick in the ass. Any advice?

That is a nice NSV. Congrats!

NSV (non scale victory) I went shopping at CATOs over the weekend and of course went straight to the plus size side of the store. I started out a size 22 but knew I lost some weight so went down to 18, then 16 and both were too big! I was able to shop in the regular size side of the store! Bought a couple of 14's! Surgery was Dec 30th. So happy! 2. Able to cross my legs 3. Can comfortable reach my toes to paint them 4. Lost a few chins!! To be continued....

Congrats on your NSV! I bought my 1st new shirts this month - 15 months post-op. I was so surprised that I'm able to buy stuff that isn't "big and tall". :-) I used to buy all black stuff - pants, shirts. Now I can't stay away from bright colors - reds, blues, greens, and the brighter the better!

Hurray!How fun for you, great NSV!

Now that's a great NSV, and one of the more peculiar ones I've read. You must be on top of the world?

Congrats~~that Is Wonderful....may The Road Ahead Of You Be Filled With More Wonderful Nsv's!