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@ - when I first realized that this might be the answer and I went through all the ups and downs, I read through this post: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/195065-you-know-you-lost-weight-when/ and this really helped me keep my eye on the prize. It has worked well beyond expectations with very little pain. I will say that I prepared for the absolute worst, but it has gone perfectly. I realized there were sooo many Non-scale victories (NSV's) waiting for me. I have added many myself over the years. (Just wait until you don't have to plan cutting your toenails any more, it's just too damn cool). I highly recomend http://www.amazon.com/The-Emotional-First-Aid-Kit/dp/0976852659 this resource. And if you need additional motivation, look for "Sex, oh my god sex" in the men's section (not for the faint of heart, but HIGHLY motivating). Good luck, and message me if you want more info.

I haven't had many NSV I'm only two months out so everything is slowly changing. Last week I had a few of my students make comments about how skinny I'm getting and how great I look- that is coming from HS students. I was also able to get into a pair of pants two sizes smaller today pants I haven't worn in at least 7 years-before I had my youngest!

Since my surgery May 1st I am no longer taking BP medications (those were discontinued within the first month of surgery), I am currently weaning off my heartburn meds and I no longer use my CPAP! I can't believe how great I feel. I get easily frustrated since I've been at the same weight for some time now but I look at these NSVs and it helps keep things in perspective!

I don't own a scale. I weighed at the doctors office only for the first 3 months. After that I Stepped on the scale at work 2-3 times/month just to have something I could put on my ticker. I've found using a scale much more helpful in maintenance than while I was losing. If you stick to your plan, you WILL lose weight, with or without a scale. But once at goal, weighing after a holiday binge or carby weekend has helped me keep things in check and nip any small regains in the bud. To weigh or not to weigh I think depends on your attitude towards the numbers. Some people have a disfunctional relationship with their scale. They fret over the numbers and make themselves miserable because they aren't "losing fast enough". (They need to stay off the scale). And others have a healthy relationship with their scale. They like to see the numbers but accept the fact there will be stalls and even gains along the way and they don't let the numbers upset them. In my case, I just didn't care. I had no relationship with my scale (kinda how I am with relationships in general). The fit of my clothes and NSVs were enough to tell me I was losing.

Here is my NSV. I got my engagement ring out of the safe and it fits.! It has been so long since I have worn it that I forgot how beautiful it was!

Congrats! NSVs at 2+ years are few and far between! I'm not much of a clothes person, (still shop in thrift stores when I can) but it was sad to say goodbye to a few things. The only item I just couldn't part with was a really nice leather jacket with embossing and latigo lace accents. Cost over $400 and was a fav. Fortunately the seams were located in areas that made it quite easy to take in the sides and sleeves so I was able to have it tailored to fit my new body perfectly.

What a great NSV!! At 2.5 years post op I am sure they don't happen as frequently as they did in the beginning, so it makes this one even more special!! Congrats on finding your love of clothes and a great tailor to help!!

So I'm at at this plus-sized store, name not to be mentioned, in their clearance rack trying to decide what to buy. Needless to say, this is the end of the winter season and I'm confused as to what to buy because I don't know what size I'll be next winter season. As usual, I buy this shirt that is all season, I live in the upper East Coast of the U.S.A and I want something that can work for me in the coming spring season. I'm trying to decide between a 18/20 and a 14/16. My mind is telling me to the buy the 18/20, I started this journey with a tight 26/28, but my other voice was saying there is not guarantee you'll be a 14/16 by the end of the summer. I say all this to say that I tried the 18/20 sweater-like shirt on and it fit so well. I was amazed!

While most of my NSV's were at about 1-1.5 years post-op, this week I realized that I think I can add another one to the list. After having finished plastics I developed a love of shopping- clothing, shoes, purses, belts, scarves- I love my closet. While I have always really liked shoes and purses, when I was fat I was allowed a nice designer bag to carry daily, but not expensive bags for special outfits because why bother accessorizing if in the end it's just all lipstick on a pig? So...since having had all of my extra skin and fat cut off, suddenly I can wear clothing that is very formfitting in small sizes, and I can feel fabulous. I can wear skinny belts and wide belts and high-waist skirts with tucked in shirts and sheath dresses and all kinds of things that I never considered before, which is probably one of my favorite results of surgery. At any rate...all of that is awesome except I'm short and I have big fake boobs, which are two things that have made some outfits a little tricky. So...my NSV is that I found a tailor! For a small amount of money someone can make all of my skirts, dresses, and pants, the right length AND all of my suit jackets which I have to order two sizes larger than I am because of my bust, can be taken in at the sides so they actually fit! Before losing weight I would have never spent money on having clothing altered- why bother, I'm still fat, was my logic. Now though, not only am I comfortable spending money on clothing that is brightly colored, fitted, and stylish, but I can take it all to a tailor who can make it custom fit me and I don't feel guilty about the price. It probably sounds silly to be this excited about having a tailor, but I am jubilant. I have maintained at goal for almost a year (my goal weight anniversary is April 1) and I not only have a closet full of clothing that makes me feel confident and attractive, but I don't feel remotely stupid or self-indulgent for spending extra to have it all tailored to fit me well. Most days this far out from surgery I only think about my sleeve when I'm puking something I shouldn't have eaten, but some days like today I look back 2.5 years ago and I see a miserable girl who was so ashamed of what she looked like that she wore dark clothes, flat shoes, never wore makeup or jewelry, and felt worthless. She never would have imagined that 2.5 years into the future that same girl would be having her size 0 skirts altered and her size 4 jackets tailored because her hips and waist are small and her chest is big. Maybe I'm feeling irrationally emotional today, but I feel very grateful for this surgery at the moment and I don't often post new topics, but maybe someone like who I was 2.5 years ago will see this and realize that all of the misery of surgery is worth every single second of it in the end.

I had a friend take measurements and photos at the end of January. She came over again last night and did the next month's set, even though I'm preop (surgery is Thursday). I wasn't expecting much, but I was surprised to learn that I've lost 1.25" each off my waist and hips, and .75" on each thigh. Today I have on a pair of jeans that I haven't been able to wear in quite a while. I've been jeans-less, because the next larger ones I have have been huge on me for a couple months now. Yay! Jeans!

Great thread.....always makes me grin to read the cool stories in here. Well.....had a NSV myself yesterday. I put on a pair of cargo shorts and shirt and wore 'em out and about on my excursions. The NSV part of this is that I haven't worn shorts outside of the house in years.....years. Oh, and the shirt.....was a size that I didn't think I'd be able to wear until late this coming Summer. It's actually too baggy right now. Fun stuff.

Can't wait for that to be my nsv Sent from my SM-N920T using the BariatricPal App

So I went to Mexico last week for 7 days. Exactly 10 months prior to that, I sat on the same beach in the same chair and emailed with my surgeon's office to make sure my paperwork was getting submitted before they closed that day at noon. It did get submitted and I was approved the following Monday. It was a couple more months before I had the surgery but returning to the same spot at around 115 pounds lighter was very significant. Here are the things I found different: - Easier to get up off those dang low beach chairs - Allowed myself to be photographed (which I never allowed before) & even bought one that one of the photographers took - Able to fit more than comfortably in the airplane seats - Able to walk down the plane aisle without my hips bumping in to the seats and people - Didn't panic when I got on the van and realized there was only 1 small seat left - Didn't sweat constantly (in fact I was annoyingly cold -- not so much an NSV) - Able to get in 10,000 steps several days and happy to walk on the beach - Customs officer looked at my passport pic and said "Congrats!" - Came back same weight as day I left I know there are more, but those are the ones that stand out. I returned from my trip and started my new job the next day. (Happy to be gainfully employed again after 2 months without work.) It was strange realizing that these folks had no idea what I looked like before (except the girl who took copy of my drivers license for my personnel file). This office is OLD and actually has stairs inside the office and I did not fear going up and down those stairs all week. (I would have been terrified before that I would be out of breath when I got to the top.) Still not 100% sure about the job but everyone was really nice and hopefully it will all work out. Now back to reality after 10 days away from home (I will be working from home and first few days of new job training where in a different city). I managed to maintain my weight in Mexico but not so much over the last few days at the new job - too much eating out and while I did limit the amount, I wasn't able to make the best choices. Looking forward to getting back to my normal life.... Had some struggles over these days but overall, I have not one regret about this surgery and am excited to see what else it brings and what life will be like on that same beach after I am able to have plastics!

So, our school secretary came up to me today and kindly offered to retake my yearbook picture because I look nothing like I did in September! [emoji4]

Go girl go!!!! You look terrific. I love seeing just what us sleevers can achieve and I love the NSVs that happen along our journeys. I threw a new pair of jeans out today-not because they were too tight but because they were the most uncomfortable things that I've covered my arse with for ages. They were cheap and that is what I have been used to buying for the last few years. No longer my friends. I shall be buying better quality clothes for my better quality body and enjoying the feel of them. I WON'T be buying a bikini (too ancient darlings) but I have foolishly promised a friend that I will start going to ballet classes again with her (I trained at the Royal Ballet School and danced for many years when in my prime) and I am determined that I shall wear a leotard again. Bit more poundage to come off before I sally forth to the barre but will post a pic when I do. Isn't life wonderful with a sleeve. Yay!!!!!!!!! I am a very happy bunny.

Congrats on a terrific NSV. That's awesome!

So, cleaning out some older things getting ready for my son & his family to move in with us from out of state and I came across a sweatshirt from when I played MERP Football (girls team) in high school. Just for shits & giggles I threw it on. Imagine my surprise when the damned thing fit me!!!! It's from junior year ... 25 years ago!! Yup, I'm smiling today.

So I went to a medical conference this past weekend and WOW! When I flew at Christmas I was able to buckle ,y belt and have maybe 1-2inches of slack. This weekend...... Tons of slack! Ignore my scarf all over my lap ....????

@@msjg46 fantastic! Congrats to you on your success and that you have exercise you love. What a great NSV for you!

Making it through GS cookie "season" has been my big NSV for this week! I threatened my hubby with bodily harm if he brought them in the house. He was stashing them at his BFF's (if guys have that sort of thing....) but then his friend said that he was eating way to much of them and gave some of them away. I think my hubby did sneak a few boxes of Thin Mints in the house but he hid them well and didn't tell me. I love him for the willingness to help me stay on track. Just glad it is almost over....

So it warmed up enough today to get the old motorcycle out today. I haven't had it out since my surgery in October. I'm down 88 pounds. Forgot about all my gear! I looked totally ridiculous in my chaps, couldn't even fasten them! Sent from my SM-N920V using the BariatricPal App

@@Elode, I don’t have any practical advice for you, but I do want to wish you luck and congratulate you on your upcoming procedures! I am so glad you have found a surgeon you like. What a nice NSV to be told by a doctor you can’t lose any more weight! You have worked so hard, and it has been a pleasure having you share every step of the way.

!?!?!?! What happened!?!? Two months after I was sleeved (in 2014), my dear hubby was diagnosed with cancer. It went into remission during his chemo treatments. Yea! But 6 weeks ago we learned that his cancer has come back and more aggressively this time. So his doctors decided (and hubby and I agreed) to treat it aggressively with more powerful chemotherapy. The first chemo treatment a few weeks ago knocked him on his ass -- so much so that he's been in big trouble. His white blood cells / platelets are in the basement -- barely any at all. He really could have died and still isn't out of the woods. Also this week at home, he passed out twice and hit the floor due to not following my instructions about staying seated when I am out of the room. So some of my additional NSVs for the week are that he didn't: (2) get a concussion, (3) have a stroke, (4) have a heart attack, or (5) break a hip. The good news is that he is slowly improving. But he's still weak as a kitten and negotiating hard with me to let him drive by himself. Men! Jesus!

NSVs this week -- * Decided a week ago to kick my new dark chocolate habit -- and haven't had a single bite all week. * Hubby didn't die. Not kidding. Really. * I finally had time to take a shower. (And that's what they call burying the lead.)