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Def an NSV. I noticed this too as I lost weight! Looking at old pictures, my trapezoid area shrunk (the part between the side base of your neck and the top of your shoulder). And as it did, a little dip formed there that was a perfect little cubby to hold my purse strap in place! Lol. So yeah, add it to your NSV list, ha! ❤️

Five-week Post-Op update. W1 - 7/22: -12.6 lbs W2 - 7/29: -5.6 lbs W3 - 8/05: -2.6 lbs W4 - 8/12: -3.8 lbs W5 - 8/19: -4.4 lbs That's 29 lbs since surgery to go with the 28 lbs I lost prior to surgery. It's great to see the numbers go down because when I see myself in a picture or in the mirror, all I see is my (still) big belly. I was weighing myself daily for the first 4 weeks, and not seeing big results each morning was driving me crazy. So, I am only recording my weight on Fridays now. After the first week, it looks like I'm losing about 4 pounds a week now. I think that's good, right? NSVs: My face is definitely thinner. My pants fit much looser and I am now fitting into some clothes that I had outgrown. I had to dig out an old belt since the one I have been using no longer had enough holes. I'm about to fully transition from my 3XL shirts to 2XL. Right now, it's a mix in my dresser drawer. Physically, I feel great. I still get hungry, but I fill up fast. I have a bit of a problem knowing when I'm full and it's hard to get out of the habit of eating everything on my plate. If I eat too much, it's a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't hurt. I guess this concerns me a bit. I want to get better listening to my stomach. The diet plan completely sucks, and I try not to cheat. But it sucks, so what do they expect? I just got back from a family visit and had two 1,000 mile drives. For the trip, I made a low-fat chicken salad and had string cheese and Quest Protein chips for snacks.

So, I always use "cross body" purses because when I put them on my shoulder they always slide off and it annoys me. If I am only going from the car to the house sometimes I may just hold it or put it on my shoulder, I don't know why? Quicker? haha Anyway, the other day I put my purse on my shoulder and walked to my house and noticed it never slid off. Didn't think anything of it, then did it again yesterday and again, it didn't slide off. WHAT? Did it slide off because I was fat? Is that really a thing? Does it stay now because my shoulders are thinner? Is it coincidence? Is this a NSV? I don't even know, but I will take it and I am adding it to my NSC bank. haha This is not the first thing that changed and I had no idea it was the way it was because of my weight? For example, moving my seat forward. Even being 400+lbs my belly never touched the steering wheel. I am 6ft tall. I assumed my seat was moved back because of my height, but as I lost weight I noticed I needed to move my seat forward. I guess less back/butt fat allows me to sit further back in the seat which makes me further away from the steering wheel. Scooting forward on the couch before getting up, like to the edge and then standing up. I just always did it, never realized it was because I was fat but just thought it was normal. Never paid attention if anyone else got up like that. But, like a week ago I noticed that I just got up. From my normal sitting position, did not scoot to the edge of the couch first. Then, i noticed it and was like UHHH what just happened. It was not intentional it just happened and surprised me. So then i started paying attention if my thinner friends got up the same way and they do. So, another "I didn't know it was because I was fat" NSV! It is so weird how we (or at least myself) has been so big for so long that things we think are completely normal are really just our normal and we didn't even realize it until suddenly they weren't OUR NORMAL! It is kinda cool; actually it is very cool!

Just wanted to share a little NSV. I realized last week that I had to do some shopping because once again my clothes were getting too big on me! When I started my weight loss journey, I was wearing XXL shirts that were getting too snug, and size 42 pants that were also getting too snug. As of this week, I'm wearing Medium shirts and size 32 pants - holy cow! I found one of my old XXL shirts that used to fit me tightly, tried it on with a little help from my daughter, thought some here might enjoy:

Aug 11th here. I honestly don't even know how to feel right now. I finally got past the nausea and was able to get my fluids in yesterday, so I guess that is my first NSV. I'm not hungry at all though. So trying to get my protein in today may be a challenge. I also had my gallbladder taken out. So my pain on the right side is something else at times. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Another weird NSV but shopping less and having a fuller pantry. Because of how little I can eat, I don't need to buy groceries like I used to. I use to spend so much money on groceries and go through them within a week because I ate so much. But now I'm spending less money and my pantry is fuller longer. It almost feels like a bariatric super power as I see my roommate buy hundreds of dollars worth of groceries and go through it within a week! I can make one 100 dollar trip last 20 days! Of course I spend a fortune ordering my fairlife shakes online hahaha Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

I feel this! I went out last week on Friday to the bars and walked 4 miles and went dancing. My friend who is a bit heavier was complaining of being sore the next day and I didn't feel any soreness when in the past, my legs and knees would've been in pain. Def an NSV for me. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey guys! I hit a week from surgery Thursday. I think I may be the prodigal child and I feel bad about raving about how little pain I was in, how little the gas was a problem etc. But at the same time I want to let others know, it's not always negative! Also, consider about 3 years ago I had my gallbladder removed, so I am fresh to a lot of things these surgeries deal with. Incisions, pre op diet, gas, pneumonia potental, etc. Sorry in advance for the novel. My surgery was supposed to be at 1030am on the 14th, but I think I went under something after lunch. I think they were running a little bit behind lol. I remember coming to and going out many times that first day. I was able to drink from the small medicine cups of water they gave me. I expected there to be pain ... but there wasn't. Granted I had dilaudid at first and then just tramadol. I was up peeing (they keep track of that for kidney function) and walking around the nurses station. Later in the evening/night. I literally just wanted to sleep. But honestly, as annoying as they were waking me up every hour for vitals and asking if I felt up for walking, I really did feel better at least getting one trip around the station every so often. I was discharged around lunchtime the next day. I never touched the prescribed oxycodone nor tylenol for that matter. I never took anything other than my normal pills and the Prilosec except one zofran because the day after I got home (that saturday) the nausea took hold something fierce for some reason. After that though, I never had a problem. I didn't have to use the little spirometer they give you. I just took deep breaths and coughed. Very little phlegm came up overall, but I have no trace of pneumonia. Saturday I also decided to weigh, as I have read others did. I was also up about 3 lbs from day of surgery weight. They put like 3 or 4 bags of fluids in me while I was there, so I don't doubt that was 100% the reason. I decided then that I would just wait for the next appointment before weighing. Sunday, my first day on full liquids, was the worst. You would think that graduating to the next stage would be the last day that would be bad, but when you realize that doesn't really open you up to much more than tomato soup and protein shakes (which you are already sick of by now) - when I tell you mentally I was so done. I regretted the surgery, I regretted becoming fat enough to need it in the first place, I hated everyone and everything. I was hungry ALL THE TIME. I was not one of the lucky ones that lost the hunger hormone and have to "force" themselves to eat and drink. Monday rolled around. I just started taking things day by day. Hour by hour and slowly time started to pass. Thursday was my week post-op appointment. Incisions are healing well, bruising is starting to clear up. Also, the uvula (the dangly thingie in the back of your throat) was irritated and elongated from the breathing tube while I was under. IT WAS DRIVING ME F**KING BONKERS. I can't stand that thing hitting the back of my tongue and making me feel like I have something caught in my throat 24/7. It is just now starting to get back to normal. When I started this journey, beginning with the nutritionist visits in December I was 371.2. On the day of surgery, I was 345. Weight one week post-op was 336.8. Overall, since December down 34.4 and almost 10 since surgery. Granted I could be down less as it is now Saturday, but I refuse to weigh for a while. Maybe not until my 1mth appointment. Just stay the course and see what happens! I'm already seeing little NSVs. Tiny ones, but none-the-less they are there. They are just little reminders that this is a process and I can and will be successful. It's been a while since I've been around so I wanted to touch base. Also to provide info for those still waiting for surgery and those that are fresh out. It DOES get better! Even as soon as a week after. Best wishes to everyone no matter where they are in their journey!

Some recent nsv's - Not having the shower curtain stick to my body while showering - Not being sweaty in 100 degree weather -In fact I find I am washing my clothes less because I dont sweat at all - Weird but I had bad body odor around my breasts when I was heaviest because I sweated so much there and now I don't have that issue at all -my calves fit into high boots -I can wear most women's XLs and Ls (before I was an xxxl+) -I can go thrifting now. Nothing fit me before at most thrift stores but I can easily find clothes in the large and xl racks. - my friends telling me that I don't need to use a plus size dating app anymore lol and meeting a guy off of the app who asked me why I was using a plus size dating app [emoji854] Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Hello everyone, it has been awhile since my last update so I guess it is about time. So, really no complaints. Life if good, everything is going well and I am chugging along at a very satisfying pace. I have lost 113 lbs total and 76 lbs since surgery! I measured myself for the first time since surgery the other day, really most of my body measurements are the same which I find a little weird after loosing 113lbs. I do carry most of my weight in my belly, and have small arms and small legs so I guess it makes sense. I lost a total of 4 inches all over my body PLUS 14 inches in my waist alone. No bad I suppose. I can eat anything except COLD chicken (I guess it is too dry cold) but it makes me sick every time I tried so I stopped. I also struggle a bit with actual soft bread, it doesn't make me sick but it hits me like a brick. Toast, crackers, wraps are all fine though. I eat a very balanced diet of everything as my dietician recommends while making sure I hit my protein and fluid goals. I usually don't have room for carbs once I eat the protein but every once in a while I get some in and I don't mind it. I have splurged a few times with treats, very minimal a few bites 2 or 3 times. Haven't had any issues with that and I have never dumped. The list of NSV's could go on for days. I played tennis the other day for the first time since loosing weight and the difference was unbelievable. I didn't even get out of breath while running back and forth across the court, because really we suck at tennis so there is a lot of running but it is fun. My knees don't grind, my feet and ankles no longer swell even after walking all day, I don't walk up the stairs all on one leg anymore, I FIT ON ROLLER COASTERS!, I walk around the water park in my bathing suit now. I bought a new bathing suit and feel good in it. I don't find excuses to drive place even when it is less than a mile away, I just naturally walk. (I live in the city) I went from a size 26 jeans to a size 18/20 depending on the cut. From a 4x tshirt to a 2x tshirt. My shoes are loose, probably don't need "wide width" anymore. Still working through my skinny days clothes so I have only bought 1 new outfit for a nice dinner because I don't have anything other than jeans, and mostly tshirts that fit now. By the end of the year I will need an entirely new wardrobe! I am looking forward to the shopping. (For once in my life!) I could go on and on but you get the hint! I hope everyone is well! ❤️

YAY! What a great NSV!

I am experiencing new NSV victories every day! 🤗 Yesterday, dh and I went to the beach…he has to find a new boat slip. I walked around the cutest little town (3000 steps) and did not have to sit and get my breath because of that damned hiatal hernia. 🎉🎉🎉🎉 THEN, we went to the beach! On memorial day weekend I couldn’t take 3 steps without being short of breath. Yesterday we walked on the beach for 1 mile and I didn’t Have to stop at all. Additionally, usually on any walk prior to surgery, my heart rate would be 138 when exercising to my max, and now I only get to 116! I am beyond thrilled! My surgeon told me I would absolutely be able to run again after recovering. 🤗

K here’s one that’s not exactly an NSV, more like an NSF (no scale FAIL); Soon after surgery as the weight started coming off, i developed chronic/ongoing lower back and hip pain, which i learned was due to my bones and musculature forming/setting in a certain way over the years to support my larger frame and was no longer set optimally to support my shrinking frame. After a couple months, the pains went away, as I guess my body started re-aligning for my new size, with a big thanks to my exercise routine which i know helped. Anyway, around the time i got to goal, i started getting my lower back pain again (not all the time like before, but enough to be annoying), which i attributed to my bad seating posture. So i just kept doing core exercises and trying to sit up straight. No improvement. It’s been about 3 years since the pain came back and this week a chiropractor helped me finally figured out what the problem is! It’s my lack of stomach for effs sakes. Im a stomach sleeper and because i no longer have bulk in my midsection to prop up my spine from below, I was basically hyper exaggerating my lumbar curve, causing the pain. He told me to try sleeping with a pillow under my lower stomach for a few days and see if it helps. OMG it totally did. Its not as comforting as sleeping on my old bigger stomach, but at least i don’t have pain the next day. So a sorta win, lol. P.S. I realized i just wrote alot again. Sorry! Im feeling wordy tonight…

Weirdest NSV: Taking my son to baseball training practice and having the teenage boys spend more time staring at me then their trainers!

YEAH! Weighing the same as your driver's license is such a great NSV (non scale victory)! When I was asked my weight at a doctors office (the ones that don't weight you) or for an activity like riding a horse I used to say "Do you want my real weight or my driver's license weight?" I always have to be the smart ass!

Being in my friend's snapchats and pictures and literally not recognizing myself. An interesting nsv for sure. Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Disclaimer: I skimmed to see if I saw a similar post, and did not - so if this is a repeat, my apologies. I just wanted to create a thread for those of us who haven't yet received the surgery, and even those that are not far out post surgery to list our hopes and goals. I was reading the thread of NSVs and thought, ya know, it might be nice to have a thread where those of us not there yet can dream and hope and plan. Something to look forward to. Something that personally keeps us moving, even as the buyers remorse after surgery threatens to take our motivation and our joy. And this is for anyone, not just a particular surgery, so I didn't pick one when I created the thread. This is not to say we won't have many sweet and unexpected NSV's post surgery - but there are specific reasons we chose this route ... things we wanted back in our lives. Maybe things we've been longing for for YEARS. So let's make those known and focus on those. I'll go first - I have 5 big things I will be looking and waiting for: 1) Sex - for as long as I can remember I have been limited to damn near one position because of my weight. I can not WAIT to be able to experience more flexibility and be able to be more spontaneous for my husband. Poor guy has no spice in his sex life cause his wife is a whale. Sigh. 2) Booths - again, for as long as I can remember, I've had to make sure to ask for a table or ask if the tables in the booths are mobile before being seated at a restaurant. It's embarrassing. 3) Pain - Being able to stand for longer periods of time. Not have to go up or down stairs in a shuffle, having to place both feet on each stair before going further. Less back pain. 4) Medications - I want to come off my blood pressure medications. I'm on the lowest dose, twice a day. So I am hoping that shortly after surgery it will happen. That will make me feel so much better about myself and everything in general. 5) Clothes Shopping - I can't wait to get to go in any retail store and be able to find something to fit me, instead of scouring online trying to find things that fit 6x people. My wardrobe is pathetic because it is difficult to find things that large and when you do, it's usually made with such poor quality it doesn't last very long.

BTW, there are WAYYY TOOOO many NSV to list! I am constantly in AWE of the things I can DO, move my body, the new size LARGE shorts that are LOOSE as I try them on for the FIRST time! Things I would have never even THOUGHT about attempting. SOOOO much more than ‘how I LOOK’. A bicycle, at 50! Who would have thought!

I've never posted a picture but I loved how I look in this outfit today so much I took a picture and noticed a thigh gap!! Real NSV since these are thick thighs.

I'm still amazing that towels fit around me! This is a GREAT NSV. Good job! Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

This is sort of a NSV and sort of a society fail. [emoji849] I've always been a very friendly, talkative person, who will talk to anyone, and I noticed after I got really fat soemtimes when I would talk to people they would not be friendly back or act uncomfortable, and people hardly ever started conversations with me. It caused me to develop a bubble over the years and talk to fewer people. I thought people had just gotten less friendly overall. We just joined our local rec center and I was at the pool with my son yesterday, and I had several people just randomly start conversations with me. This hardly EVER happened when I weighed almost 400 pounds. I can't even call this a victory because it's really sad that those same people might not have talked to me before, even though I'm the same person. Based on the way I look on the outside, suddenly I'm worth talking to. Of course, I could be just imagining all of this, but I don't think I am. Sent from my Pixel 5a using BariatricPal mobile app

Yes! Faith No More shirt with Jim still in the picture lol. All the weird one offs, like Ugly Kid Joe and Faster Pussycat. Plus clothes just looked different back then. I have a denim hoodie from the 90's, and the younger crowd I work with are always asking where to get Bugle Boy 😂 Honestly, new clothes hasn't been too exciting. Seeing all the old stuff that I barely used is where the fun is. Glad I tossed them in the attic... OH! NSV! I can use the pull down stairs for the attic again!

A couple of NSVs that have me happy in the past few weeks. First, I haven't taken metformin since surgery, and my A1C is 5.3. Woo hoo! I'd been concerned but seeing that number made me really happy. Secondly, I had my cardiologist check in today, and my echocardiogram is looking a little better! We'll see where we are in a year, but he is really happy with my progress. We may even need to drop my blood pressure medication again. The third one happened today at the pool. I managed to get out of the pool using one of the ladders instead of the steps. That was an exciting and unexpected win!

Bought my first real pair of cowboy boots because my calves fit! Huge NSV Ignore the mess lol Sent from my SM-G975U using BariatricPal mobile app

Back from vacay (where 90% of my intake consisted of over easy eggs and alcohol) and i finally get to enjoy a decent bowl of food: Smoked salmon, seaweed salad, horseradish aioli and a bit of Gorgonzola. #yum 320 calories, ate it all. P.S. I’ve always disliked the food served at All-Inclusive resorts down south, so I had very low expectations, which were met, lol. I actually packed 3 bags of those salad kits from Costco (to deal with my salad addiction), which were total life-savers! P.S.S Side-note NSV…i am the same weight I was when I left…BUT I haven’t pooped yet so i’m gonna guess once I get these 12 days 😳 of food out of my intestines, i may drop a few pounds. P.S.S.S I asked Mr. to make me a steak tonight cuz i miss meaty meat 🥩🤤