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Thanks guys, yall are sweet! And yes, I'm much happier. Isn't sad that we all look so miserable in our "before" pics. My mom in law told me that the last pics we took as a family (Feb 08) I looked as if I wished I could disappear. Okay, one more NSV and I promise I'll stop talking about myself! I've been working on my 5K time, nothing organized like couch to 5K but just doing it on my own. I got my time down to 40 minutes today! I know it's not a great time, but it's my personal best. I've been doing it in 45 min which means not running the entire time. I really think if I applied myself I could get it below 40 minutes. Anyway, it makes me happy! LOL! I have a horrible license pic from a long time ago too. I think I was almost 260 in that pic. And of course it says something like 200lbs also! LOL! I can only imagine the whoppers those people behind the counters hear! Ha! I have to have mine renewed this December. Maybe I'll be honest this time? Nah, probably not! LOL!! Congrats on your goal Brandy! Excellent job! Gwenn - You are so pretty. I hope you enjoy your holiday.

I know, it's that amazing?? Hey Girlie! 37 days!!! Enjoy your last week of Last Suppers! Welcome to the Loser's Bench! Move over everyone!!! The good thing about the band is that as we lose, our butts get smaller thus making more room on the Bench to Welcome More Losers! You're a Bandito Now! I remember having a strange feeling in my stomach, but it improves rather quickly! I noticed recently that I can cough and not feel that odd port discomfort. I don't even know I have a band -- until I eat some really dry leftover chicken!! Good Luck Sleeping -- that was my hard part after banding. I am a tummy sleeper. I slept reclined on the sofa for a week or more! I'm addicted to Celery with the Whole Foods Natural chunky 365 Peanut Butter. It is so good! A perfect snack! I hate TOM!!! BUT yes! He can do the surgery! You'll do fine! It might even happen earlier for you. Others say that weight loss and stress changes your cycle a little. I know mine has changed. Maybe you'll lose some weight with your pre-op and you'll get it earlier than expected! A girl can dream, you know! That would be great! I wish my sister would get a band. Tracy, I've seen your posts before on other forums. Nice to see you here! You know it Girl! The Band is a miracle! I have been struggling with my PMS -- "The PMS that never ends, it just goes on and on my friend!" -- yuck! BUT I weigh every morning and graph my weight. I noticed this morning that my weight trend is continuing in the right direction with lots of ups and downs... but trending down. The Band is doing it! Hey Deb!!! shout out to you!!! AND Tucker! I'm glad that little guy is eating and enjoying life again! You're a good Mom! Shelbi!!! Oh Where Oh Where is My Shelbi? Lifesaver? Are you there? Let's plan a date for our RR group in October. Mal! 6 days to our 5K! Brandy!! Are you ready? My daughter and I are so excited! I am walking for my Grandma and for my friend Sandra! I missed them and think of them often!!! Woofay?? Where the heck are you, Woman!!!??? Lap, I know you're taking your time, I miss you and pray you're doing well. Love you Woman!! Munchie, Did your check ever get there on Friday? I hope you're sleeping right now! You worked last night, didn't you? Marcy! I'm sorry, but I must ask you this -- can you see Russia from your house? (just a question, I'm so confused!) Bahotmamma! Have you had our - "Willie Nelson's Peach Cobbler" ice cream lately? Bella, how's it going? You have had your band now for 71 days! AMAZING! Can you imagine how fast time flies? Dorkable! If you do come to hang out with Denvergirl in the Hot Tub, can I join you? NSV for me, I worked 4 in a row, Busy Busy Busy 4 - 12's and I walked out of that hospital last night feeling human! I am so blessed with this band and with a new lease on life! Guys remind me of this often! We all need to remember how blessed we are to be on this journey to good health! I'm sorry if I forgot anyone! I'm human and I do make mistakes frequently!:sad: Hey!!! I just realized today is my 8 Month Bandiversary!!!

Yea Kathy!!! I went back and read this weekends posts and saw the pictures. I am so proud of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My 5K is a little over a month - I am not ready, but I will be by then. Hi Fanny! Welcome and congratulations on your run! It is so much easier for me with music and going outside. I think the treadmill bored me - and I also got stuck at week 4. Find your niche - what works for you. I love the way I feel after I run - there's nothing that beats it! Renewed - I'm glad to hear ya'll had fun this past weekend! I took the kids to the mall and bought some books - I did pretty good staying on plan. I went jeans shopping Friday at lunch too....Did I mention I love Kohl's...I'm addicted to that place. I only bought one pair of jeans (16 Misses in Levi's) I'm so excited. I did buy two long sleeve shirts (L/XL) for fall - I only had 2x & 3x left in my closet - they are way too big! Gotta love NSV's. Boy this is turning into a LONG post...LOL...I have to catch up though. Lyn - you are too funny - LOL...my music: Shook Me - AC/DC Gimmie Two Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd Some Beach - Blake Shelton Crazy - Aerosmith Welcome to the Jungle - Guns & Roses Jump - Van Halen Doctor Feelgood - Motley Crue Beautiful - Christina Agulerra Bitch - Can't remember that girls name...LOL Sweet Child of Mind - Guns & Roses All Summer Long - Kidd Rock Moulin Rogue - (collaboration - Pink, Christina, etc.) Walk this Way - Aerosmith Ironic - Alanis Morisette Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie Mama said knock you out - LL Cool J Umbrella - Rihanna Fly - Sugar Ray Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Cindy Lauper Can you tell I like the 80's & 90's....some 70's music too!

Hi all! I..am..so..darn..busy..that..I..can't..even..breathe (seems like). D - I am so envious, part of my busyness is trying to juggle a 120 hour internship with teaching full-time + taking a class. I would positively kill to give one of the three "jobs" up. Well..not really kill, after all that's pretty bad form for a nurse, but..you know what I mean. Good job on continuing to run. I am impressed. HP - Happy Dance time!! :biggrin: Your NSVs over the past 2 weeks are so motivating! Pix are great and I love, love, love your purple jersey. What awesome weather for riding!! Going to use the bike as my transportation this week. Pray for no rain during commuting time. I can't do a thing with my hair on a good day - let alone after an outdoor shower! Take care all, have a great week - full of wheels, sunshine and tailwinds! KY

I think clothing NSV's are the best! You finally feel validated when you make it into a new section, be it ordinary plus size, or normal sizes or whatever. I remember how darn depressing it was to not be able to shop in any normal stores. I had the choice of one store or horrid discount department stores and that was it unless I wanted to go really upmarket, go into the city to shop and pay $300 for a pair of jeans. Formal or dressy occasions were a nightmare. It was awful.

I went shopping today! I felt like it was a desperate situation, especially for bras, as the straps are sliding off my shoulders and the underwires are hurting. I bought 2 bras from LB (buy one get one 1/2 off) Then I got a cute cropped jacket and a short sleeved turtleneck from LB too. From torrid I got jeans (size 22!!!!) and two sweaters (size 2x) The jeans were a must as the ones I have are all super baggy on my butt! I was stoked! Last time I went to Torrid I didn't buy anything because the clothes were too small! I was up to a 28 at my highest (275) and they only go to 26! Whooo-hooooo!!!!

I thought that we should really have a thread to put our non scale victories on. Here's mine. I put on a pair of pants that I had been avoiding before surgery because they were too tight, now they fit very comfortably!! I also have clothes that are too big now!! YAY!! And a pair of pajama pants that I couldn't wear before I wore last night!!

JoAnn, CONGRATS!!! You are almost there!! All this time of waiting has gotten you so prepared there's no doubt that you are going to be an amazing success!! RE: Calories per day, I just read 3 pages of posts from while I was gone and there was a lot of discussion as to how many calories a day to eat. My average is 700-800 and that is w/o counting my exercise. I don't want to get in the habit of exercising for more food. I had a great weekend in Colorado springs. The marrige retreat was wonderful. We ate out a lot but I did really well. for the most part DH & I shared an entree, that keeps the bill much smaller too. I told him we can eat out twice as much now! And a great NSV! On the way home I wanted to stop at the outlet mall as it's about 45 miles from my house so not an easy trip to just go to but we were driving right by it. I knew there was an Ann Taylor there and since my shopping trip last week and fitting into some clothes from there I wanted to explore. I got a new sweater there. Then my Daughter wanted me to check out the Gap Outlet for some 'Long and Lean' jeans in a 6 Xtra long. They didn't have them and they had a 20. So I tried them on, totally expecting them not to fit. Guess what???? THEY FIT!!! Of course they were the 'curvy' fit but I don't care. it's so freeing to know my next jeans i don't have to buy at Lane Bryant. I can actually go to the Gap! I didn't even have to struggle to button them. I didn't buy them as they had many flaws and I do have enough jeans to wear right now. But am anxious to need new ones now!

Becky - Congrats on your inches - That's a GREAT NSV to be proud of!!!! You can click on my ticker and it will show the graft and weight loss history it's easier to read - cllick on the show all.. Ya I get you on looking at yourself at home and thinking oh I look pretty good then going somewhere else and seeing yourself and say Omg I'm look awful - it's just the surrondings - maybe you were thinking about a size that you can't get yet - or looking at something that wouldn't fit yet - and that's the reason. Heck I went to the beauty shop this morning - and my makeup looked awful - at home it looked good but at the shop I saw more wrinkles sags and bags - Diff lighting I guess - who know's - but it depressed me !!! Mia NEVER ARE YOUR ANNOYING !!!! DON'T EVER THINK THAT !!!! Ok here's the thing about exercise (these numbers aren't exact this is just an example) - if you weight 250 lbs and walk 2 miles speed 3.0 to 3.5 you will burn 300 calories - but at a weight of 190 doing the exact same thing you will only burn 275 - then at 180 you burn 250 - so on and so forth - as you lose weight you gotta increase your speed and intesnity to burn the same amount of calories as you did in the beginning... In the beginning I walked on the tread mile for like 2 miles - no incline speed 2.7 - 3.5 and I burned 300 calories - but as I lost weight I increased my speed and had to walk longer to burn that 300 calories . Now if I walked at that speed 3.5 for 3 miles I bet I would only burn about 240 calories. So now I have increased my speed to 4.0 for flat and do inclines from 4 to 15 at diff intervals and burn now anywhere from 300 to 350 per work out.. I am working differently no more intensity and for a longer time - but the upside of that is I feel good after my work out not beat like I did in the beginning - I enjoy goint to the gym - putting my Ipod on - and grooving to my tunes - you know 70 & 80 disco stuff On the net issue - i never did that - I just ate 800 - 1200 calories and exercised I didn't subract the calories burned from my daily calorie budget I guess that's why I lost like I did. I ate 800 to 1200 calories plus the exercise - so doing it your way I had 500 to 700 calories a day I don't like that way of thinking - I would have felt very deprived and though I could eat more - NO NO NO don't do that net thing IMHO - eat 850 to 1200 PLUS your exercise I guess my exercise is what boosted my weight loss and why I didn't hit a platues - as those calories burned were a defecit and not a counter to the things that I ate.. Ok just say it takes 2000 calories just for you to breath and maintain your current weight - to lose a pound a week you have to cut that number by 500 calories a day - so that gives you 1500 to eat - but if you want to lose it a little faster cut another 300 calories from your food and exercise 5 days a week buring 280 each session 3x7=2100 calories + 280x5=1400 calories = 3500 calories = pound 2 lbs a week... I just ck'd one of those sites and it says that I should eat 2400 calories a day to maintain my weight - That's BS imho - I would gain at that many calories - as it is I am eating 1400 to 1600 a day and exercising 4 times a week (well most weeks sometimes just 3 :wink2:) As for breakfast - I too am at work early 7:15 - I don't eat at home I eat at work - I don't eat eggs during the week usually- Sometime I will take hard boiled eggs or egg salad (made with just a little lite mayo) - I will have a sandwich made on lite bread (90 calories 2 slices) with shaved ham 5 slices 50 calories - 2% cheese 50 Calores - mustard 190 calories - that one reason I eat yogurt & fruit or 1/4 cup granola 100 to 150 c) and weight control oatmeal (160 c) cuz those things are easy to eat at my desk.. I used eggbeaters at home on the weekend 1/2 cup 60 calories and add a little cheese bell peppers & Onions - yummy - I have made it at home before I left for work and taken it with me to eat at work. I will also have a fiberone bar 150 cal for breakfast some days - those are the days that I am straving by lunch Stay focus on just today - that's all you can do and you are doing very well on focusing on eating healthy too - that's what you are suppose to be doing I just think you gotta bring your calories down a little - not a lot but just a little and not every days - every other day or every 2 days.. Just play with it until you find what works for you !!! Joann - I am going to nominate you for the Band Poster Woman award - you got it 100% - Find out what works for you within the guidlnes that you will be able to adapt to a total lifestyle change... ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey Gang - Well I know I am late today - but got up around 6:30 had my coffee - gym by 7:30 - home by 8:30 in the shower by 9 had hair appointment at 10 (covering the gray ;0)- then went grocery shopping - OMW that took 2 hrs.. It takes alot of time picking up boxes reading calories - wanting junk looking at the calories and saying oh no and then putting it back.. Trying to figure out what you are going to eat for the week - then bagging your own groceries (Winco is my new store right around the corner from my house - it's like a food 4 less or super saver - you gotta bag your own stuff) Pluse it's like my 3rd time there so don't know were everything is but almost.. Came home cleaned out the freeze - had stuff in there that was over 8 months old - then cleaned out the pantry - had crap in there from when I had surgery 14 months ago... Some of the stuff expired late 07 and early 08 I gotta great NSV to report - I think I might have some mice in my attic (crawl space really we don't have true attic's here in the desert - just enough room to stand up in the center of the house but that's it) Well I got some sticky traps at the store and GS just had showered and didn't want to go up there so I said what the heck I can do it - so I got the ladder - which really isn't tall enought - but i grapped the rafters and walked up the wall - got my feet up in the space and then pulled myself up there :eek: Set the traps - then wondered how I was going to get down - cuz like i said the ladder is really too short - so I let myself down - stepping on top of the door and then to the ladder. This is not something I would have even attempted a year ago :tt2: Ok - started this and hour ago - I need to drink and kick it in front of the tv for a while and figure out what I am going to make for dinner - I put all the meat in the freeze :eek: So I will ck back in a bit... Hope everyone is having a great Saturday...

Okay Shamrocks, I have finally found the courage to post a picture here that shows my -60 lbs and I kept up the theme I did when I donated 40 lbs of sugar to the local food bank when I was at -40 lbs and this time donated 60 lbs of rice to our church's Haiti hurricane relief because of the devastation and extreme hunger situation there right now. I have to tell you, I couldn't carry all 60 lbs at once except for the 60 seconds I held that long enough to take this picture so how in the world was I carrying that around 24 hours a day and up and down steps? I'm so thankful for this progress. Each bag I'm holding is a 10 lb bag of rice. NSV-->Something magical must have happened this week that I can't see in the mirror because I had 3 people come up to me and say, you are losing weight, as in melting, aren't you! I said YES! thank you for noticing I'm really watching what I'm eating and exercising and its working! All truth...I still haven't widely publicized about my WLS and that's my business to decide who to tell and not. So, I'm a smiling x6! :thumbup::biggrin::biggrin::biggrin: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT -- LET'S KEEP ON LOSING!

Congrats on your first NSV (non scale victory) - that is awesome. The cost of surgery is nothing compared to all the new clothes and belts you will have to buy now. Keep up the good work!:thumbup:

Congratulations! That's an awesome NSV!

haha I did that just last weekend! I gotta go get a new belt too :thumbup: It's fun to watch it go down one notch at a time. I love NSV's

Good Morning Violets~ First late me say that I am sorry I have been a crappy Violet lately. I read everything and think of all these witty posts, then when I really have time to say anything, I forget. I don't say feel better soon, great NSV,proud of you for doing the walk, good luck w/ the PS, and all the other nice things everything you all say to each other. I am just busy, but I LOVE YOU ALL, AM PROUD OF YOU ALL, WISH ANY AILING VIOLET WELL WISHES...forgive me! We went to nephew's karate class last night! 4 year old boys...too cute! I loved it. I'll post pix as soon as I have time to get them up. OK...TGIF!!! We are going to see the movie Nights in Rodanthe today w/ a bunch of people! Then home to grade more papers! I'll pop in later from work. Friday's the kids take 2 tests...:tongue2:

Janet - help. I have not lost anything for 5 days. Is this a plateau - or am I overreacting? ( I think I am overreacting, and just want someone to tell me that!):wink2: I continue to be good with the food (although yesterday I just felt SO hungry), and eating 200 less cals a day on the days I cannot exercise or do any physical activity (this is normally the amount of exercise I would do). As an NSV - I was also able to fit into a pair of jeans which I bought 3 months ago, but could not make meet in the middle to do up! I suppose my question is, do you just weigh weekly, or look at your monthly total. If I go on monthly totals, I think 9lbs in one month is fine. Its all a bit fits and starts, and i suppose I am looking for reassurance. Everyone - please feel free to give your views too - I would really like to understand how this works for different people so that I can educate myself and not lose hope. I've been here before where things slowed down, so I think, oh..a bar of chocolate can't hurt, because I'm not losing anything anyway... and suddenly its all gone down the pan, and I'm still fat and unhappy. Hope you can give me some wise words - I think the answer is not to weigh everyday and to review what I did if I do not lose by my next weight in date...:tongue2: Mx

Congratulations Gadumplin. What an accomplishment!! I have only been walking so far. But, I have gone from being winded walking to the car to walking daily. My goal is 7000 steps a day and my nsv was on Wednesday of this week when my step count was 10625. Quite a victory for me. By the way, I just turned 59 so we can do it.

I am 52 years old and was banded May 20, 2008 and have lost 40 pounds and TODAY I did a one hour BOOT CAMP at the Gym!!!!! WOOOOOOOO !! I never dreamed I would ever be able to anything like this again but Praise be to GOd I did it. Just had to share!:smile2:

Kristi, Leslie, and Allykat~ Great NSV's girls!! Keep up the good work guys!!

Having your head adjust to your new smaller body is a common problem. I have gone from 200 lbs to 116 and I was recently 108.8 but I still like to wear baggy, "floaty" clothes, however, even though this drives my maw-in-law nuts. She is a big chesty woman who used to be a sexpot and who still likes to wear her clothes sprayed on. I guess we like to stick with what we know, eh. I guess my biggest change is that I now wear great big wide belts around my (baggy) outfits. I still find it amazing that I can wear a belt and that, moreover, the belt looks really, really great. I guess that this is my NSV. But back to the subject: even at an emaciated 108.8, and I looked like an insect, there was a little part of me that still felt tubby. I guess we never really lose completely that sense of being mama's little fatty. Or maybe this takes many years to lose.......

RosioJo, Kristin, and Leslie - congrats on the NSV's! Doesn't it make you feel great? I've had two people, one a male coworker and one a male Trustee for the college where I work, refer to me as a skinny minnie lately. HA! I certainly wouldn't use the word "skinny" to apply to me, but the compliment is nice all the same. At least I know others are noticing!

Banded 09-03-08 and I'm down 33 pounds - Yippeeeee!! The incontinence is one issue I am proud to say has disappeared - Amen!!! Not sure exactly when it resolved itself during the last three weeks, I just all of a sudden realized that I it was not a problem! One of those NSV's people talk about on here!!

Thank you all so much for your kind comments. Really I mean it when I say that if I can lose the weight, so can you. Be patient, enjoy the NSVs as they come along and believe in yourself. To those people who are yet to start their journey, you are about to begin an amazing time. Accept the love and support from your family and friends and take pride in your achievements. Enjoy the exercise you can do - I've loved mine - and get ready to learn new ways of eating and living. It seems strange to admit that at my age I've learnt to eat again - this time correctly - but the last few months have radically changed me, not just in a physical sense. Good luck to you all and thanks again.

Snuck over at lunch and had my brows waxed! Also weird NSV? I've had to start wearing two bra's.... my back is killing me by the end of the day so I started wearing two underwire bra's at a time and it seems to help, but WHY.. do you think since I'm losing weight and my boobs are getting LONGER that they are pulling on my back more? This pain is one of the things I want to talk to the PS about tomorrow. I am having a consult but I am not hold out much hope that I can get insurance to pay, since I don't have any rashes. SERIOUSLY considering the bottle of dawn sitting near the sink though..... :girl_hug:

Something funny that happened to me tonight at my grocerie store. I was getting my lean cuisines for the next 3 days of work this week and was passing the icecream on my way to the register. I briefly entertained getting some nonfat variety on quickly scanned my eyes toward the confectioary freezer. I cought a glimps of a container I could have sworn read "DOUBLE CHIN" proudly displayed across the front of the icecream container. I did a double take and looked again and it says "DOUBLE CHURN" I thought my minds eye was more acurate and thats what kept me from getting ANY. YEAH for NSVs!:rolleyes2:

So I had an NSV today too. I put on a pair of pants that I have been avoiding because before surgery they were super tight. Well, I put them on and they are comfortable now! YAY!:confused: CONGRATZ BRANDY!!!