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I went zip lining for the first time on Saturday. It's another goal item because I previously weighed too much to go. AND since they weigh you as they put the gear on you, I saw that I weigh less then my super skinny guy friend that was doing it with me. Probably won't ever go again, turns out it was a lot of work and I wasn't good at it so I finished the last half of the course tandem with the cute 22 year old guide.

@@livvsmum so many NSV's, so little time LOL vacation, great place to have new experiences,accomplishments (NSV's) for many/you/me, you gain confidence post op while you lose weight 2nd honeymoon, closing in on 3rd year surgiversary you look so happy 140 lbs gone! gone! and still gone you are aces!! keep up the good work i know you will kathy congrats

I am only @ 11 weeks post-op and already enjoying the following NSV's: 1. Back, hips & knee hurt so much less when walking now 2. I can walk up the steps to my 2nd floor apartment with ease now, if I have to make multiple trips to carry groceries up, I do it without getting exhausted, before this I would have to rest between trips. 3. I am 3 sizes smaller so far 4. Everyone tells me I have more pep in my step, that I glow, and I am so much happier I smile all the time now. People noticing is a great motivating booster. 5. I admit to not using my bipap every night, but I can tell I don't need it much longer !! Will follow up with sleep doctor soon. 6. Starting to see & feel my knee bones. My arms are slimming. I am starting to feel my hip bones when laying down. 7. And new NSV today, I woke up with a stiff neck, was rubbing my neck to my shoulders and I felt my shoulder bones !!! I don't know if I can remember feeling that in over 15 years Loving this journey to a healthy me. Yes surgery sucked, I was in pain for weeks after, I have stalls (oh the stalls), it isn't always easy, I'm not perfect at fluids, Protein & exercise every day. I have some people who don't support my decision and sometimes I just want something I can't have (well my head wants it, lol) but I wouldn't change a thing about my decision. Sent from my KFSAWI using the BariatricPal App

Great post! I stalled for 2 weeks 2 weeks post-op. I came to find that was common, but still it was frustrating. I'm noticing so many little NSVs here and there that even though the scale isn't always moving (thankfully right now, it is), I'm still making progress.

Stalls happen. Usually they say around week 3. I've had several. Some lasted days, and then boom. You won't be the "only one" the surgery doesn't work for. I promise. We ALL think that. Instead of the scale, try putting your jeans on. Are they looser where they weren't before? Can you pull up a pair of pants, not necessarily button them, that you couldn't before? Those are the NSV's we talk about. You don't mention other forms of Protein. Are you getting enough? THAT will cause a stall. Don't mess with protein requirements. Get it all in. Use your shakes. Walk walk walk. Good luck!!!

Wow! What a difference a year makes! I have been thinking about this day all week. One year... What a ride! Here are some stats: I am 1.1 pound away from being "normal" BMI; I am down 147.8 pounds total (121 pounds of that since surgery); I have lost 83.5 inches (18 inches off my hips ALONE / 12 inches off EACH thigh!); pants size down from loose 28 to 12 or 14; dress size down from 24 or 26 to a size 12. Some of the best NSV's: Buckling airplane seatbelt and not having bruises on my thighs from the plane seat arms; ability to get up and down off the floor so easily; my clothes have stopped falling off hangers; ability to fit in a "normal" robe when I go to a spa or even the doctor; crossing my legs; not sweating all the time; diabetes in remission and no diabetes meds; off cholesterol meds; ability to mow my own lawn without being so exhausted I had to lay down for hours afterwards. I know there are more.... How did I do it? Perseverance. Seriously one bite at a time. I ate poorly or too much, I got right back up and did better next meal - not tomorrow, not next Monday. My keys to success: Therapy and logging my food daily and having occasional checkups with my NUT. (It is good to have someone look over my food logs and say "careful on that, or try more of this"). I really think therapy though is my number one tool. I had some breakthroughs just this week in how I saw food and will continue to see this therapist for AT least another year if not longer. Oh and I cannot forget the support I received from friends and family. Were it not for those cheering me on and yet still staying out of my business (i.e. not constantly saying "should you be eating that"), I do not think I would have been so successful. And of course this incredible website. Without the advice and the ability to rant and read others experiences here, I would never have been able to do this! What do I eat: deli turkey, cheese, blackberries, blueberries, apples, tuna, pork tenderloin, lean ground beef (less than once per week), turkey sausage, turkey pepperoni, LOTS AND LOTS of chicken (grilled, boiled, fajita style, rotisserie, baked, roasted, etc etc), cucumbers, avocado, green olives, mushrooms, onions, occasional slice of bread (a few times a week), triscuit crackers (limiting myself to 2 or 3 at a time), did I say cheese LOTS and LOTS of cheese. I still have 1 Protein shake per day (30g protein) to make sure I get to my protein goals. I eat around 100 - 120g protein per day / 60-80g carbs / 45-55g fat - total calories 1100-1300. (I have been averaging closer to 1000 this last 2 weeks and I need to be sure t get those calories UP because I am ready to stop losing weight.) I cook for myself, so it is much easier to manage I am sure than others who cook for families. What didn't change: I am not one of those people that have SO much energy they cannot stand it. Nope. I am still a fairly lazy person. I hate that I am but it is true. I watch too much tv still and I still don't enjoy exercising really (and don't do it as often as I should). (I mostly walk and it is nice to know that I can go on a 2 mile walk without a lot of effort but I don't get that HIGH from exercising some talk about.) I want to be healthier and I will keep working on that part but I will never be a marathon runner or CrossFitter, etc. I still struggle with making food choices. The struggle is much easier than it used to be (most things don't even cross my mind to eat anymore) but I still crave salty Snacks. I give in sometimes but I am working on the addiction part of that. Not because you cannot have salty snacks but because it is an ADDICTION for me. And yes - I have loose skin. LOTS of it. My butt and boobs took the worst hit. You cannot see it when I am dressed and it isn't as bad as I thought it might be, but I am going to have it fixed. I am planning my first of plastics for this fall. I took money out of my 401K to pay for it. I do not need to be perfect, but I want to be able to wear sleeveless shirts and some shorts without being uncomfortable and I need my butt and thighs to be reshaped so I can fit in pants (which are tough to buy right now). I had some struggles in the beginning - I had a stricture which we didn't figure out until 3 months post-op so I was constantly vomiting. I stayed nauseas until 6 months post-op. The constipation is probably the very worst part and it has only really resolved in the last couple of months as I have started to incorporate more Fiber in my diet. (It is tough to get fiber in the beginning.) I thought I was a SLOW loser (average 10-12 pounds per month). I know now that isn't slow. It is just right. My best advice to people starting this journey - DO IT! Seriously - just do it. Just work the program. Use the tools - all of them - therapy, logging, NUT, restriction, Vitamins, exercise. STOP comparing yourself to others!! It will derail you! (PLUS I just don't buy into the "I lost 40 pounds my first month") This is your journey. No one else's. Everyone's journey is different and comparing yourself to others is defeating mentally. GO SEE A THERAPIST! Please... accept that you have a food "issue". I will buy that some of you don't but let's be honest, the overwhelming majority of us have food "issues" and until you face that fact, you cannot learn how to start to move past it. HANG IN THERE - just keep moving forward. You are going to be stunned when you look back a year from now... My journey is not over. The hardest part is just beginning - Maintenance. I have lost weight before but never kept it off, so this is the real test. Can I do this for the rest of my life? I truly hope so. I have a great head start by having developed some great new habits and faced some of my food addiction issues that I allowed to derail me in the past. I have some big changes in my life coming up job-wise and it is going to take discipline to make it work. I will keep seeing my therapist and keep my eye on the prize!

Ladies...Our sleeved bodies are going through a major surgery and need to heal. It does not happen overnight (unfortunately). I know that it painful and that it is an emotional roller coaster , but it is worth it. Everyday you will feel a bit better and with the weight going off, you will have more energy. Think also about all the NSV (non scale victories) to come! Check the forum for them. Take it easy, ensure Protein and Water intakes, rest. We all went through this. Take care. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Looks like you had an amazing time! What a wonderful vacation! Congrats on all your NSV's! Your story is so encouraging - I hope to be able to post a similar story in 3 years!

I can't believe I'm coming up on 3 years post op in just a couple of months! Time flies! I just wanted to share some "non-scale victories" as I have more of those these days as the numbers get smaller. I'm not where I would love to be ideally. I have loose skin that I've come to terms with, and another 15 or so pounds to lose, but my husband and I recently went to Mexico for a vacation that I have been planning for what feels like forever and it was just crazy to me what a different experience it was for me to go 140 pounds lighter. I did things I never would have done like snorkeling, paddle boarding in front of strangers, Water zumba, etc. I got rid of all of those bathing suits with the skirts that I hated wearing so much & walked around in a bikini all week without feeling terribly self-conscious. I broke out of my comfort zone for sure, and had the most amazing time. I finally just felt "normal".... Just another experience to cross off my post-surgery bucket list. Here are a couple of sneak-peeks, but I posted my full "Top-10" list with a bunch more photos here if you are interested! http://themeiamnow.blogspot.com/

I dropped from a 50 to a 36 in pants and I pretty much dropped a size a month. I ended up getting a few pairs of inexpensive pants every size because of work (I hate the baggy look). I found that Haggar makes a great and cheap dress pant (about $20-25 on sale online) that did the trick. I dropped neck sizes too, but only from an 18 1/2 to a 17, so I didn't have to cycle through so many dress shirts. T-shirts and polos went from XXL to L, but those are acceptable baggy, so I used the XXLs until the L's fit. Now I am down to where I'd like to stay, so am starting to build up my wardrobe again. It's been incredible shopping in places that I never thought I'd be able to use. Best of all - I went from an XXL in boxer briefs to a S!!!!! Me in an S!!!! Best clothing NSV of all!

@@her1981 - you are so right. Exercise, able to enjoy your daughters birthday physically and feeling good about your decision to do WLS is a TRIPLE NSV! So happy you shared this good news.

Awwww, what a great NSV!!! Yay for you! Making memories, for sure!

What fun! More NSV's to come!

I threw my 4 year old daughter a birthday party at a trampoline park yesterday. OMG it was soooooooooo much fun. I was able to jump quite a bit and get myself up when I fell, lol. Being able to do that reminded me of the whole reason I chose the sleeve. It's allowing me the life I want to have with my family. On the other hand, while so much fun and very good exercise, I am completely wiped out! My legs, knees, shoulders, ankles (whole body) hurt. Here's to more fun!!!

I am going through the exact same thing... Had surgery 5/10, lost 20lbs from pre op day of 5/2 until about 5/21 and then started slowing, almost to a stop and I was CONVINCED that the surgery didn't work. Like my dr didn't really change anything, just made incisions, let me lay there for a few hours then sewed me back up and told my family I was done! So... #1 I stopped weighing myself every day. I'll weigh once a week and that's about it bc I don't think it's mentally healthy to start obsessing over that number on the scale this early in the game. #2 As everyone's said, it's completely normal to stall week 3-4. And it makes sense. Not only are we healing but most of us go from 2,000+ calories/day to maybe 500-600. So it's a very drastic change that our bodies are trying to deal with and wonder if it's the new norm. Not to mention it's hard to fuel our heavier bodies with such a drastic cut in calories... #3 I'm trying to focus on the small NSVs I've had, for instance the disappearance of my second chin lol We just have to stay positive and trust the process because clearly, it DOES work! Message me if you ever need some encouragement!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

@@tobhappy&healthy - Thanks! And trust me, you will get there! One of my biggest NSVs (Non scale Victories)!

NSV's 3 sisters and i took mom out to dinner for her 86th b'day in the past i would always TRY and grab the space inside by the wall most comfortable to me (as a heavy person) this time, no room at the inn!! (i mean wall space)LOL had to sit on the aisle end of the booth instead of leg hanging out into aisle area i fit perfectly and looked great!!! LOL LOL "wow i really am aces" kathy

NSV. this afternoon there were two techs in the back hallway when I was walking through. one had her leg up writing on paper with her thigh as the surface to write on. the other gestured for me to go on through and I said, I can't fit through there! they both said, yes you can! I said to the one girl, put your leg down and she said - no, I promise you will fit just fine. well. I'm astounded. I walked right through there like it was the grand canyon. do you all have any trouble with judging how much room you need?

Nothing beats the NSVs We have all gone way too long without them.

I travel for work about every 6 weeks to one of our facilities in another state. Due to my surgery, I haven't been here for about 12 weeks I'm down about 65lbs since the last time I was here (about 95 lbs overall). Obviously here has been a pretty big reaction for many of my co-workers, but the best one happened yesterday. As I was headed out for the day, the cleaning lady, who speaks only Spanish (but who I always see and exchange he occasional friendly "Hola") stopped me in the hallways rather excitedly to comment on my "mucho" weight loss, entirely in Spanish, with lots of fun gestures showing how thin she thought I had become. I thought is was very sweet.

Today was 8 weeks since my surgery on March 28. My clothes have been getting extremely too big on me and I realized in a picture that was taken with the family over the weekend that I actually am starting to look sloppy because my clothes are just hanging so I decided to go look for at least one pair pants and maybe a couple of tops that I can wear with a bunch of different things to try to get away with them for a while. ..... So I grabbed a couple pairs of pants and couple tops one size smaller went to the dressing room and much to my surprise I actually needed to go down another size I started out 1st of this year in 4x 30/32 tops and 28/30 3x pants. I am now a 22/24 top and bottom. Can almost get into an 18/20 top. I can't even begin to describe how excited I was, I was almost in tears in the dressing room from excitement. ..... Definitely motivating for me. The scale may not move too much sometimes since surgery even though I am down 33 pounds in eight weeks total 85 pounds since 1st of year, but the inches go down. This has been an amazing journey so far and this has been the best decision I've ever made in my life I still have a long way to go but I'm enjoying every minute of it. Sent from my KFSAWI using the BariatricPal App

@@schwa22 my energy level is day by day. I force myself to do things I don't think I can do, and to my surprise I can and I'm not super tired afterwards. Just start small, build up your levels. I walked over 8 miles yesterday when I went to a Detroit Tigers game, and I wasn't tired or sore!! That to me is a HUGE NSV!!! @@Lenoreholden you can do this!! I promise you it's worth it. Keep telling yourself that you can do this, and I know it seems so hard, but you will get there. Try cutting carbs and sugar out, that was a big help for me, also tracking calories was helpful. Keep us updated and we are here to help you through your journey!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

that is a GREAT NSV! now, hold off on the emailing and walking, lol.