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You need to stop them in their tracks and say "I'm not trying to get skinny, I'm working towards being healthy." I don't know if anyone else feels the same way about the word 'skinny', but to me it's not always a positive thing. It can be just as bad as saying someone's fat. It just doesn't sound healthy. And remember, just because they say the words, doesn't mean it's true. I haven't always felt this way though. All the time I've been struggling with losing weight I've said to myself "I WANT TO BE SKINNY!!!!!" But not anymore. More than anything, I want to be healthy. I think this change in thinking is helping me with my weight loss journey. I'm so tired of thinking of myself as having a weight loss problem. This week my scales stayed the same again. And I wasn't bothered by that. My body is changing, I'm feeling better than I ever have in decades and food doesn't dictate my life. I think differently about it. I choose meals according to their calories and Protein values more often than I choose them because I want to taste that food in my mouth. I've stopped beating myself up for wanting something sweet, then the following day wanting something salty. I know I'm always going to have the most problems when Aunt Flo is around, but for the rest of the month, the discipline is more tolerable. I can live with that now. We went to a pot-luck get together for ex-pat Canadians to Celebrate Victoria Day yesterday. There was food galore there. I spent more time talking and enjoying the company of other people than looking at the food and imagining myself stuffing it all in my mouth. That's a NSV for me. There was cake, candy, chips, Pasta and lots of other evil foods that in the past would make me miserable because I'd want SO bad to load my plate up with as much as I could carry and want to go back for seconds, thirds, fourths, hoping someone didn't notice. I nibbled a few chips, had a bite out of some cake, passed on the candy and pasta and just drank Water and talked, and talked and talked. And I really had a good time! We need to stop putting pressure on ourselves to look as good as other people expect or think we should. I know I don't have the body of a model. I know I never will. I don't want to. But this is the first time in forever that I can look at myself in the mirror and not be disgusted. I have plenty of parts that need improvement, but oh my word it's such a relief not to have to carry that fat person attitude around with me anymore.

I am scheduled for fill #2 today. It was originally scheduled for the 21st, but my surgeon added another surgery so the office had to change my appointment. I'm not complaining; I would want someone to change their fill date so that I could get the band. I'm just glad that it was moved up instead of further away. I seem to be stuck. I am hungry. When I'm hungry I eat. I try not to eat too much, but I'm not one of those people that can walk around hungry. My stomach has a notorious growl - its so embarrassing.... I received 3cc during my first fill. I'm hoping for at least another 3cc this time. That would put me at 6 cc in a 14 cc band. I hope this offers a lot more restriction that I have now. I'm getting a little desperate - I am 2 months (on the 24th) post op and I am only down 1 lbs - heck I lost those 18 lb within the first two - three weeks post op. Since then I've been struggling to maintain. I'm glad that I am not gaining - boy am I happy about that - I just want to lose more. My goal was/is to be 180 by June 13th. That may not be possible at this point. If I lose 2lb a week from now to then that would put me at 288 lb. I guess that will have to do. I'm going to have to buckle down - really monitor what goes into my mouth so that I can drop those 8 lbs by June 13th. Then I'll start working towards my July 4th goal - originally I wanted to be 270 lb by then. I'll settle for 278 lb. I'm putting this in writing here because I need some accountability to someone other than myself. No one (except my immediate family knows about my band) so there's no one to push me to try harder (and no one to monitor every morsel of food I eat or whisper about me doing this the easy way - which is why I have chosen to keep this to myself). There are a few people here who have had the band - the conversation that some people have about them is ridiculous. I just don't choose to open myself up to that kind on intense scrutiny and ridicule - I feel like a gay woman whose afraid to come out of the closet - but then again I guess not - I have no idea what that kind of pain feels like and I don't want to compare my petty problems to that. Anyway.... If you guys don't see my ticker going down soon - BLAST ME!! Since that's the last thing I want to see here I will be doing my best to make that dag gone scale move! NSV - I have officially left size 4x behind. I had a peasant blouse that I waited all winter to wear. I put that gorgeous thing on and I was swimming in it!!!! My coworker - who is losing weight, gave me a brand new linen peasant shirt that she is now too small to wear (size 3x) it fit perfectly. WHOOO HOOO!!!! That’s right - I'm celebrating being a size 3x. Do the happy dance, do happy dance - spin it around and shake your body down - doing the happy dance!

I don't believe it but we did a 5K this weekend as a family (3.1 miles). My youngest is only 3 and my DH ended up walking with him on his shoulders for about 90% of it, but my dd who is 5 did a great job! I couldn't believe that I did a 5K. DH did 3 or 4 of them last year and I refused to go with him (as I hadn't had my surgery and did ZERO exercise!) but this time I did! Yeah! Our time actually sucked - we averaged 17:32 per mile, but with the 2 kids dragging along and this being our first one, we were thrilled to just finish it! I guess this should go under the NSV thread, but I was so proud of us I wanted to shout it! I am pretty sore today. I do the treadmill about 30 minutes 4 or 5 times a week and am never really sore, but I am today! Street walking is a whole new ball game!

Hi Everyone: Yesterday somebody called me "The Incredible Shrinking Sue"! :biggrin2:That was so nice to hear. After that she asked me if I was done yet, because she thought I shouldn't lose much more. I still have 37 pounds to goal, so that was nice to hear. Someone else told me that she was worried that soon I will be thinner than she is. Another one is that I actually have muscles in my thighs! The inside of my thighs are soft and mushy, but the front and outside are getting firm. Yippee. Must be the trikke doing it's magic. Keep sharing your NSV's. Sue

Nip: Congrats on reaching onederland!! Great job. Hope all goes well with your insurance approval. Leslie: Congrats on your NSV!! I'm still shopping in my own closet, as I have clothes that will probably take me back at least three sizes!!!!!

hi i have 2 "best" NSV's 1. a regular size towel fits around me. i love this to this day 2. the seat belt on an airplane no longer cuts off my circulation nor do i have to ask for the extender. that was the most embarrassing thing in my life.

What exactly is NSV?

I just needed to share my NSV for today. I hit onderland. I am so thrilled. Its been over 27 years since I've been below 200. My husband has never even known me to be under 200. Isn't the band just wonderful! Leslie isn't it great buying new clothes now. I was in the mall last Saturday with my husband and he made the comment about how much easier it is to find clothes that fit now. I had been a 26-28 and now am a 16-18 in pants and an XL in tops. No more land bryant for me, I can find plenty in the misses departments. One last comment - I went to a ps on Tuesday for a consultation. I'm trying to get insurance approval for a tummy tuck. I have a horrible fat apron with lots of rashes and back aches. Wish me luck. I don't know what I'll do if insurance won't pay. Since I was a self-pay for the band there's no way I can afford the tummy tuck.

I've been thinking about this thread and finally decided to say something. While there are many sad aspects of being fat that we all can relate to, there are some that come with being extremely large that lesser size people haven't faced yet. I haven't been "only" 75 lbs. overweight since high school. When I dieted down to 130 lbs. overweight, I felt so good, like I could live an almost normal life. At 240 lbs. overweight every day seemed to bring new indignities. For example, the weekend before surgery the wooden chair I was sitting on at scrapbooking collapsed into pieces, throwing me to the floor from which I could barely get up. I've had to ban myself from all sorts of activities (baseball park, concerts, theaters, flying) because I can't fit in the chairs--things I could do when I weighed "only" 300 lbs. My NSV this morning was wiping my own ass, without using the long handled spoon I've had to employ for some time. Where else but the 200+ board can I say that and have people really understand. So, yeah, I can understand feeling that people with much less lose don't really get all our pain. I think this board should be a place where we can admit those feelings, however ungracious they may be.

No, not from the band! I really am going on my first vacation in several years - I am flying out tomorrow am.:eek: Seeing friends that haven't seen me in years - and we are going to have a rockin' good time!!:biggrin: Of course, the chances are I will also see my ex :frown: and although the ex and the new missus might be initially an awkward situation, we are all adults, and I am SO past it. I will however not be accessing any computers, so I will miss all the conversations, laughs, NSV's and pity parties of the VVs. So, here's the deal, you guys bravely face the next 11 days without me...I know, I know, but you CAN do it! And then, when I get back, I will read each and every post and get caught up on all the news. you won't forget me, will you??? I will let you all know my experiences with flying with the band, vacationing without good restriction, encounters of the ex-kind, and seeing friends who don't know about the band. Take care, keep up the Protein intake, watch for those insidious 'just one taste' devils, and repeat after me "I can do this; I will do this" Tippy tappy away....

My NSV are 1) My 2x shirts are too big. 2) My shoe size shrunk 1/2 size. 3) I can actually look at myself in the mirror and not avoid it. I used to think who is that person. 4) I was able to climb the double staircase at work and felt good. In the past, I couldn't catch my breath for at least 5 minutes. Hurrah!

That's some fantastic NSV! You're doing great and I know you're looking and feeling great too. Funny how fast the boobs go, ain't it?:cry_smile:

Whoo Hoo! Finally, a NSV for me! You have no idea how it irked me to read of everyone dropping a lot of weight, and buying new clothes in sizes I can only dream of, etc. However, I finally HAD to buy some new 'frillies' (as DH calls them) and last night went shopping. I got measured and for the first time in decades, I was a C-cup...WOW!! (I am also a few inches smaller, but it is the 'C' which has me almost giddy).:cry_smile: Perhaps the new body which is slowly emerging from underneath the blubber won't be ice-cream cone shaped - there may be a proportioned person there!

Tyler as a obese male 46 yrs of age I couldn't care less who knows and who doesn't. I have had serious health issues for the past year that required three hospitalizations. At my highest I weighed 451lbs last April. I made the decision to have the Lap Band surgery last August for my family and me. I have had nothing but support from family, friends and co-workers. In the last year I have two co-workers and a personal friend that has begun the Lap band journey since I had my surgery. I have also given some info out to about 6 others who ask me about Lap Band surgery. It is a personal preference to tell people or not. You do what is best for you and your family and try not to worry what others may think. I have heard so many negative comments about my size my whole life that if some one wants to say something stupid now, more power to them. I don't care what they think. My kids tell all their friends that they won't be able to call me Big Unc for much longer. They are so proud of me and that's what matters to me. I would like to share one more thing before I go. I had a NSV yesterday that wasn't planned. As I was walking past my Daughter she hugged me and said "Pop, I can finally get my arms completely around you for the first time in my life". I had never really thought about it but she was right. I can't explain how great I felt at that exact moment in time. Life is Great!

I am SO looking forward to meeting you all... It's only a little over 2 months away.... don't expect me to be skinny but I'll be a lot healthier than I was a year ago... BP is coming down... so that's a NSV.. No Dairy Queen's lately (since my last Yuk-up) that was aweful... Mother's Day celebrations left me making some bad food choices, but I am getting back on track this week. Hugs to everyone :thumbup:

Haha! I LOVE these stories! You guys rock! I just had someone tell me that it was time to burn the vest I wear a lot, that it was way too big for me now. And that was already two sizes down from what I was wearing at the start of this whole process! Plus my pants are falling down - not so much a V in the NSV, to tell the truth! I just haven't had time to take it to a cobblers and get it cut down and have holes added to it.

Hi Everyone, I had my fist NSV yesterday. I actually walked into a Nordstrom's Rack and I was able to try on the clothes that they had in the store. This has been the first time for me in a very long time. I did not buy anything there because I did not want to pay so much money for an item of clothing that I know I won't be wearing in a month. :thumbup: I am glad that I now have more options in clothing instead of having to shop at only a few stores. :eek: Congrats to everyone!!! Keep up the AWESOME work. :tongue:

What a great NSV Cerrin! Congratulations.

Allykat - I don't think DH has a problem with the band. I hope your DH has gotten better with his perception and it isn't causing more tension between the two of you. I came to the realization last night that I am just an emotional rollercoaster. It is like I have PMS x 10! I usually take everything to heart, but lately it has been so much worse. I guess it is just my hormones adjusting. I find myself snapping at everyone for nothing and I'm in tears (and I am not one to cry at the drop of a hat) all of the time. I hope my body adjusts soon or they'll need to admit me into Bedlam! Congrats on your NSV! Are you measuring yourself? I am going to try to at least once a month on anniversary date. I have gone a week or two and yo-yo with my weight, then boom 5 pounds gone. The inches are steadily dropping though. It is so strange.

Congrats everyone on your NSV!!! I'm not sure if this is one, but I've had some fellow teachers say that they've noticed I lost weight. Some know I have the band, but some think I'm on a really strict diet. Well today for the first time I had one of my students say that it looks like I'm getting smaller!!! a 16 year old, never notices anything about an adult because they are so into themselves. It made me smile really big!!!

Since I have come back here following my tumble into the weeds for a number of months, I have been doing very well. I have now lost all the weight that I gained plus 1 lb more! But the best NSV I could ever hope for is that since then I have been able to reduce my basal insulin. (This is a long acting insulin that I take once every evening to give me a level of insulin in my body for 24 hours). Three weeks ago I was taking 50 units in the evening and now I am down to 36 units each evening. This is a huge difference in managing my diabetes. Ironically, one of the reasons I fell so hard and so fast was that I felt like a failure because other diabetic bandsters were reducing and even going off completely their meds and/or insulin and it was not happening for me. I was very discouraged. But then I told myself, even if it does not happen that I reduce my insulin, I still must lose the weight. So I resigned myself to staying that way. And now...loook what happened! :biggrin: I am so proud! Yah for the Band!

Laura...GO GIRL!!! Mega NSV!!! Laurienj... Weazer is right...that's the 5 day I was speaking of. Surgical Weight Loss 5 Day Pouch Test I've let the carbs (sugar) sneak in and I need some structure to get myself back on track. I didn't want to set myself up to fail, so this 5 days looks perfect...I KNOW I can do 5 days! I have my 1 year apt with my surgeoun on Friday, so that will be the goal of my 5 day, to be at the best place I can be for my check in. Happy 1 year to all us aMAYzing 2007 bandsters! Sue

He IS a maniac! and that hair......... he did it himself! He is SOOOOO funny... he wears out his grandparents because he is go go go go collapse get up and go go go some more! NSV: yesterday he and I played basketball.. I was teaching him how to shoot..... Later when Charles started talking about how spouses of bandsters needed their own support group.. I got defensive and said..... I don't see how it should affect you... I always find something to eat when at a restraunt while you order whatever you want.. and its just that I not longer live to eat.... and I'm sorry but giving up a piece of garlic bread is definately worth being able to get up and play basket ball with my son! Also... Laura or Tracy.. did you guys make it to phase two?

Congrats on your NSV allykat! Those kinds of NSV's always make you feel good. I had a rough weekend too. I had diarrhea most of Friday morning. Then Saturday night I started getting chills and fever, then night sweats all night long. The fever would come and go. Sunday morning I had diarrhea again and also continued having chills and fever and sweats all day long. Thankfully I feel much better today, I'm guessing it was something viral. Anyway, looking forward to a better week.

You know when people talk about NSVs (non-scale victories), they often mention fitting into a smaller size or doing something like swimming that they were uncomfortable doing before - well being diabetic and for so many years (26 years to be exact). My NSV is that in the last 3 weeks, I have reduced my Levemir (my 1x daily basal insulin) from 50 units to 36 units! I have NEVER done that before!!! Also, where I was often taking 20 units of Novorapid at meals, I now take 3-6 units. My blood sugars are really good, stable and I feel absolutely fabulous! :smile2: It is so ironic, because one of the reasons that I fell off the wagon for a number of months was because I felt like a failure - all around me (on this forum) people were redusing the meds and going off insulin and I WAS NOT! I was so frustrated! But look!!!! I am doing it now!!!! (Can you tell I'm a little excited)????