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I had just finished shopping at Walmart and was heading out the door. As I approached the older greeter, I noticed he was talking to some guy. I could hear what they were saying. The guy talking to the greeter started staring at me, and as I walked by, his head followed me. He was saying, "I should work here, so I can check out all of the good-looking women." It was very cheesy, and I was not interested in any way shape or form, but I thought it was hilarious, and I loved the attention. I am now turning heads of strangers! It has been a while since that happened.

A little out of the loop... NSV? What is that??

Just wanted to share some of my NSV's I've discovered within my 5 weeks post op 1. I am not out of breath when I walk from parking garage to my office. I used to have to do that "fake" cough to try to get my breathing normal so everyone didn't think "Damn, she's out of shape!" 2. I had sleep apnea but now my hubby says I'm not snoring any longer! And my sleep is real sleep now! I feel like a full 6 hrs is more than I ever got sleeping longer before! this is a big deal to me! My sleep apnea doctor is on my FB page and is thrilled as well. 3. I actually park at the end of the parking lot when shopping or going to grocery store. NEVER before did I ever think to do this. In 2010-2012 I had a handicap parking pass because of my back surgeries. I'm very proud of this one! 4. My grown children said this weekend "Mom! You have a waist" I almost cried!!!!!! I LOVE MY SLEEVE and want to thank Dr. Illan and his wonderful team for helping me with these victories!!!!!! God Bless you all on this journey! {{hugs}} Sherry HW 326, SW301, CW 273 woot-woot!

Knowing me I'd still try it and then be upset with myself for doing it. Some people are the type you tell "hey you're going to burn your hand" and they won't touch the fire. I'm the type that says "who me?" and tries it anyway. Yup, I was that kid and now I'm that adult. My Sleeve has taught me to try not and push boundaries too much. That's I guess another NSV for me.

Awesome NSV! Congrats! I felt the same way when I fit into those really tight fitting single rides in amusement parks without my belly obstructung any kind of safety measures (namely the latches)! LOL

Went to the dentist today and I actually fit in the chair! No hanging over the sides anymore! WooHoo!

Congrats!! I will take all the NSV's I can get. No such thing as silly.

THose are both awesome NSVs. You're doing great!

Here is a list of message board terms - PB is included: 250/175/130 = Was/Am/Wannabe = starting weight/current weight/goal weight BTW = By the way CUL8R = See you later CYA ( cya ) = See Ya CYA = Cover Your Arse (In addition to "See Ya Later") DB = Darling Brother, Dear Brother or whatever “D” word depending on mood DD = Darling Daughter, Dear Daugher or whatever “D” word depending on mood DH = Darling Husband, Dear Husband or whatever “D” word depending on mood DS = Darling Son, Dear Son or Darling Sister, Dear Sister or whatever “D” word depending on mood DS = Duodenal Switch DW = Darling Wife, Dear Wife or whatever “D” word depending on mood FAQ = Frequently asked questions. FWIW = For What It's Worth FYI = For your information. HTH = Hope this helps. or Hope that helps. IMHO ( imho ) = In My Honest Opinion, In My Humble Opinion IMO ( imo ) = In My Opinion IT = Information Technology. KISS = Keep It Simple Stupid. LAP = Laparoscopic Procedure L8TR ( l8tr ) = Later ( Like see ya later ) LMAO = Laughing My A$$ Off LOL ( lol ) = Laugh Out Loud MB = Message Board. NEWBEE ( newbee, newbie ) = New user of Internet and or computer. NICK ( nick ) = Name used by people ( Individual ) on the Internet. NSV = non scale victory (a change other than the scale…something suddenly fits, others notice your weight loss, etc.) OMG = Oh My God, Oh My Gosh OP = Original Poster OT = Off Topic, used on message boards when the post is not on the threads subject.. PB = Productive Burp (quick vomit without the stomach acid since it is just the food in your pouch) PIC ( pic ) = Picture PPL ( ppl ) = People PS = Plastic Surgery RTFP = read the fine print RNY = Roux En Y (Gastric Bypass Surgery) ROFL ( rofl ) = Rolling On Floor Laughing ROFLMAO = Rolling on floor laughing my a** off SNAFU = situation normal, all fouled up SV = scale victory (when the numbers on the scale actually show a change) TT = Tummy Tuck TTFN = Ta Ta For Now TTYL = Talk to you later TYFS = Thank you for sharing URL ( url ) = Uniform Resource Locater, Internet address of a web page ( http://sitename ) YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary WTF ( wtf ) = What the Freak or your other favorite explicative WLS = Weight Loss Surgery ZZZZZZ ( zzzzz ) = sleeping or Bored Good luck,

Undeniably wonderful......Great job!!!!!!!!!! NSV.....nice job!

Hello everyone. I hit my 3 month surgiversary (5-14-12) this Monday. I was down 75# (including Pre-op) and as of this morning it is 76#. I am down from 335# to 259#. I am really excited that I have met several short term goals over the last few weeks. 1. I have made it to Twooterville 2. To weigh less than I did when I got married (275#) and as of this morning 3. To weigh less than my husband (260) Hoot! Hoot! My next short term is: 4. To weigh less than when I graduated high school (250#) I am also enjoying some NSVs. I am still off of all my pre-op meds (21), the fibromyalgia is doing great (small 2 day flare this week, 1st one since surgery) and I don't use the cane anymore and we walk a lot. I have bones sticking out every where; collar, wrist, ankle, shoulder, ribs, pelvis. It's great! My husband can wrap his arms all the way around my body and I can him too. Loving my new clothes (18/20) including a KNEE length skirt, form fitting shirts and tops and some heels. I can also CROSS MY LEGS! I haven't wore heels or crossed my legs in years. My hubby likes, but hey, he's liking a lot of things lately. I am really happy with the results I am seeing. I do still struggle on a daily basis though. Eating anything is still very difficult for me. I can hold about an ounce. I still get sick with every meal. My pre-op digestive issues did not improve as my doc had hoped. It can get very discouraging being so weak all of the time. I just keep holding out that my restriction will relax a little and let me get in some calories. Right now the weight loss is very exciting, but I do wonder if long term my body will ever be able to make it on such a tiny amount of sustenance. Anyhoo... Have a wonderful day everyone and HAPPY LOSING!! Check back in with y'all next month This photo is of me yeasterday at my kids school field day. I promised my friend's a pic of me at the blow up bounce house..hehe.

Actually, I can see where this would be a major NSV, especially if you wer raised as a member of the clean-plate club! You have just managed to overcome a lifetime of habit and conditioning, you threw away food! I say this AMAZING work!

Thank you. I guess I should say I feel like a more involved mom. we are always hard on ourselves as mothers..we just really love our babies, no matter how "grown" they get! I think that is an awesome NSV!!

Was at my sisters wedding on Friday and had a blast. It was so much fun. Everyone was amazed at how I looked and kept calling me things like skinny, slim and tiny. Kept hearing you're melting away, you are disapearing etc etc. I love all the compliments and at the same time it makes me feel a little weird. I don't know, but I still don't see me as skinny etc. In the past it was always at this point that the tides would turn and I would gain what ever I lost back. The best thing is that the ones that know me better, didn't say those things but did ask how I felt and how was my over all health with the weight loss. That is when I got animated about it all because I haven't felt this good in over a decade. A couple of NSV's from the wedding: They gave all the brides maids these beautiful Tiffany like silver bracelets. I was so afraid mine would not fit, well because those things never fit my wrists and it did, it fit perfectly. They also gave the brides maids these little tank tees in their color ( it was a rainbow wedding I was medium blue ) to wear the day of the wedding when everyone was getting ready together. They got me a large and I smiled and put it back in the box thinking, no way in hell is this thing going to fit me. But it did fit and it wasn't even a tight fit, it fit with room in it. I normally do not wear anything that shows my upper arms because of the skin and stretch marks, but I wore it that day with a smile.

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I posted or updated. Mainly because there isn't much to update. (Just over 9 months post-op) First: I am going to go a head and admit that through the Holidays I sucked! I ate too much (not to be sick, but over my calories) and the wrong things at times. Reset- Holidays are over so I admit it and I am moving on from it and back on the horse and focused! The worst part of this (or at least what I am calling the worst) is that I still lost some weight through it. I am saying this is bad, because other than knowing I shouldn't have done it, there was no "punishment" in my mind. Honestly, I wish I would have just gained a few pounds. But, it didn't seem to stop me from getting re focused and back on track so I will take it. 9 month update: No changes except weight and NSV's! I can eat anything (including what I shouldn't) I don't and have never dumped. I still track everything I eat and drink, still stay within my calorie range (less the previous comment). I had my 9 month follow up with my surgical team. They called me a rock star. I was very proud of myself and how well I am doing. I still don't exercise, they still don't care. LOL Well, kinda, of course it has other health benefits but they are not concerned for the weight loss aspect of it. I am well ahead of schedule, and my Nutritionist has already started talking about my maintenance calories and how to start upping my calories slowly and safely. I told him to slow down, I still want to loose another 43 lbs to hit my goal! He agrees that is achievable, but was merely explaining where my calories would likely fall when the time comes. Which, is about double what I currently eat so he wanted to bring it to my attention so I could mentally prepare for how much more I would to eat to stop loosing weight. He explained that some people struggle physically and mentally to increase so greatly so he wanted me to have time to process and prepare for it. He said I would fall between 2000-2300 calories a day WITHOUT exercising, more depending on the intensity and frequency of exercise. Yeah.. that's a lot. I still drink a shake a day to maintain my calories and proteins, 70g protein or more a day and 80 oz fluids a day or more. Pretty much all water, and usually 1 sugar free drink a day to switch it up. NSV's are ENDLESS! Really, as we lose weight so many things change. Even some bad, like my bony ass knees when I sleep I have to stagger them so the knees are directly on top of each other because they hurt like crazy in the morning! I could go on for days about this subject! Body dysmorphia is real, like really real! When I was my heaviest, I knew I was fat but when I looked in the mirror I didn't see a 422 lbs person but when I saw pictures of my I did.. man I did.. I was sick to my stomach and so disgusted! Now, At almost half that size when I look in the mirror I still see a fat girl but when I see pictures I am like WHOA I am so small. I found out my cousin is 1 size smaller than me, but when I look at her I see someone very small and when I look at myself I cannot believe we are only 1 size different. I look so much bigger! I love to see pictures of myself now! I encourage them rather than hiding in the back of them. I buy shirts from everywhere, and really only because I can. HAH I have never been able to buy a souvenir shirt, they never fit. Not even close to fitting. Now I literally buy them everywhere I can, to an rate of just wasting money because I shrink out of them faster than I can actually get use out of them. To finish up: I hope to hit my goal weight by my 1 year follow up but I know 43 lbs in 3 months will be tough! My original goal was 225, which is much more reasonable to loose in these next 3 months. But 210 is my ultimate goal as that will be half of my starting weight which is pretty freaking cool! 422 down to 250 26/28 down to a 14 4/5XL TALL shirt down to a 1/2x regular shirt Good luck to all!!!! ❤️

When I started my job 10 years ago I was wearing a mens 2X. We wear the same uniforms as the cops so I had 5, 2 x shirts, 5, size 48 pants and one 2x sweater and I wore that same size until a couple of months ago. As of yesterday I know own 3 size large shirts, 3 size 42 pants and one size large sweater, and........................................................... I would say by the end of next week I will be going in for the next size down in the pants ( This weight loss is causing my employer a bit a money at 45 dollar a pair paints and 30 dollar shirts plus the Patches, But hey I offered to wear street clothes and they said no. Great to be me lately, sucks to be them

Two things happened today: I reached another scale goal, 50 pounds down, and I reached a NSV, I can fit into my jeans!!! I kept a couple of pairs of jeans from "before" but I had to quit wearing them 3 or more years ago. I guess I just hadn't realized just how much weight I had gained until about a month ago when I went to try one of them on and there was NO WAY I was getting them on. They barely went over my hips! I have noticed a lot of body changing lately. More than just my face is slimming down. I can definitely see that change (and, apparently, so can everyone else!) but even though I had lost 5 inches in my waistline that was much harder to see. I am now 6 inches down in my waistline and that last inch has made a world of difference. I can actually see the beginnings of a waistline! Not that I ever have much of a waist, but that huuuuge belly I have been toting around is really starting to diminish. I remembered earlier this week that the last time I lost major weight the last thing to go was my stomach. Why is that? Maybe because I carry the bulk of my excess weight around my middle, unfortunately. Still, I am so very excited to see what I will look like 20 pounds from now. That is my next major goal. I will still be over 200 pounds but I know these next 20 will mostly come off my midsection. I bought a fitness band 11 days ago. I set low goals for myself at first and was kind of surprised to see that I actually walk more than I thought I did, but I raised my goal a few days ago and I am still managing to go above and beyond that goal! Who knew? I will keep upping my goals and see where it leads. Right now I am still just walking but I am starting to feel like I can do so much more than that for the first time in a very, very long time. What a journey this is. I am loving it.

First of all I have to say GREAT POST! This is such great encouragment to everyone! Then I have to ask and I feel really silly that I cant figure it out but... what the NSV means...Thanks I know it has something to do with victories that I wil get to experience after I get my sleeve. But what does it mean? Thanks.

Awww that's a terrific NSV!! How wonderful that you were able to feel so good on your sister's special day!!

Slowly but surely this band is actually doing its thing!!! I am still totally amazed at how full I get in just a few bites...I have learned over the last couple days that when I start to feel uncomfortable when I eat and feel like something is trying to get stuck to take a huge deep breath and hold it as long as possible and it really does help me...I have been doing my 30 minute workouts everyday except for today when I only got 20 cuz my son had a major life threatening problem with his playstation 2 that I just had to address right then, but thats ok!! It makes me so happy to step on that scale each morning now and see a little difference...I have been adding it up and if I keep going at this rate I should have around a 10 lbs loss for this month (I can certainly deal with that)...The only bad thing is that my uniform pants from work are just about to that stage where they are going to fall off me...Everytime I stand up I am yanking on the legs or the waist to make sure they stay up...Good thing is that we put in orders for new uniforms about 3 weeks ago and are just waiting on them to get to us...So from my 4x shirt I ordered a 3x (i still like big comfy shirts) then I went from a mens 50x34 to a 46x34...Of course we didnt have anyone measure us out for our sizes so I just had to guess...I hope that I did the right thing on the sizes or I am just out of luck for a while...Maybe in several more month and several more sizes down I will even be willing to tuck in my uniform shirt...I guess that would be a great NSV for me!!!

Love your "chin" comment! I too have lost one of my two chins. Actually the first place my husband noticed my weight loss was in my face. Sunny, I'm a slow loser too and I was sleeved almost 10 days before you! It's a drag when I don't see the scale moving but I try to concentrate on other NSV's. Like the fact that ONE of my chins is gone (still have 2). lol. and the fact that my clothes fit better than they have in years. I'm sure your body is like mine and it's taking its time to adjust. WE WILL LOSE this weight. And this might sound funny to you, but I found when I was able to start eating, and my calories and carbs went up, that is when the scale moves. Did you join myfitnesspal? If so, look for me on there. My user name is prinxessdeb. Good luck sweetie and keep up the great work!

I went to my absolute fave place to eat, Panera Bread, and I passed all the delish breads and pastries without even considering getting something. I ordered the chicken noodle and only drank the broth (I'm on my pre-op liquid diet) and got water instead of my signature iced green tea. This is a huge accomplishment for me, because I used to have a toasted cinnamon crunch bagel every morning after work with an iced green tea, of course. While I haven't been perfect on the pre-op diet, I did start back at the gym after 3 years of not doing a single thing. I lost 11 pounds the first week. Surgery on Tuesday!!!!'

Hi all, Just wanted to share an NSV with you all... My cousins spent the summer vacation at my home and last weekend we all went to an amusement park. Now, I used to go on all the rides even before surgery. I have never felt embarassed or anything. But those 'single' seats always felt cramped and was a tight fit for me. It used to be a bit of a struggle to put the latch on the safety bar - my belly always resisted the attempts LOL! But yesterday I did not have the problem at all!! There was a solid inch or two between my belly and the safety bar. I cant describe in words what I felt at that moment! Sure I see inch loss in my dress and everything, but when I look in the mirror, the only areas that I see the difference is in my face, neck and collarbone. This weekend proved to be my best yet this summer! Anyway, I was so happy and just wanted to share my happiness with my VSG family!! Take care!!

Congratulations!!!! That is awesome!!!! So happy for you, doesn't it feel wonderful? :-D Your weight loss and NSV is so incredible!!! Keep up the great work whoot!!!

Sunny, I'm a slow loser too and I was sleeved almost 10 days before you! It's a drag when I don't see the scale moving but I try to concentrate on other NSV's. Like the fact that ONE of my chins is gone (still have 2). lol. and the fact that my clothes fit better than they have in years. I'm sure your body is like mine and it's taking its time to adjust. WE WILL LOSE this weight. And this might sound funny to you, but I found when I was able to start eating, and my calories and carbs went up, that is when the scale moves. Did you join myfitnesspal? If so, look for me on there. My user name is prinxessdeb. Good luck sweetie and keep up the great work!