Banded Together

Your success isn’t just about the number on a scale. Sometimes you can measure it in comments from friends or family, accomplishing new activities or wearing something you never thought you could.

What are your recent Non-Scale Victories?

I think this is a great topic because so many patients become focused solely on the scale and weigh themselves far too frequently.  When the numbers on the scale aren’t going down as fast as you wish, here are some things you can do to keep yourself happy and motivated:

-compare a picture of yourself before surgery to a picture of yourself now.  Notice all the improvements and focus on how far you’ve come.

-go through your clothes and notice how much looser they are fitting or how you can now fit into something you haven’t worn in months or even years.

-Reflect back on all the compliments from friends and family about your weight loss.

-Have your practitioner do your measurements and compare them to your pre-operative inches.  You’ll be amazed!

-Go for a walk or go exercise and think back prior to surgery when it was hard to even walk a couple of blocks.  Notice how much easier it is now, or how much more you can do.

-Make an appointment with your family doctor to have your lab work completed. Compare your current numbers with your previous numbers. Do you see drops in blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides? Have you been able to eliminate any medications (such as ones for Diabetes or Hypertension) as a result of your new lifestyle?

The scale is just one way to measure weight loss success.  There are so many more non-scale victories that you need to focus on! 

Stay happy, healthy, and motivated!  You are doing a great job!

This may be more of a case of me being ornery than a NSV, but here goes.

Having lost 70 lbs. since beginning the lap band process, I moved forward with a tummy tuck and arm lift on April 30th.  I told my co-workers that I was going to be off of work for 3 and a half weeks and that there was no need to ask me why because I was not telling.  I have now been off of work for almost 2 weeks and according to my assistants who know why I am out, the rumors are flying.  At this point the rumors are 1. I’m getting married, 2. I’m adopting a child, 3. I’m flying to Japan to get married and adopt his children (have no clue where that one came from), 4. I am going to Honduras, and 5. I’m in drug/alcohol rehab (I don’t even drink and they know that). 

The night before I left one of my assistants decided to fuel the fire so she told me that since everyone has noticed my weight loss that I should print off a list of eating disorder treatment centers and leave it somewhere in my cubicle.  So, of course I did so.  I need to ask her if it has been discovered yet.  Also, I bought a very pretty ring at Kohl’s a couple of weeks ago that will be strategically placed on my left ring finger my first day back to work.

Other NSV’s I have had throughout this process are:
My 5 year old nephew saying, “Aunt Andrea, you’ve lost weight”.
My 7 year old nephew saying that the stomach surgery I had had really worked.  According to my mom, he also told his mother that she needed to have my surgery - too bad I didn’t hear that one for myself.
A former co-worker coming back for a training and saying that people had been telling him he needed to go see the amazing shrinking woman.  He then started looking around my cubicle for the pile of twigs, leaves and berries that I had been eating.
My dad is now considering having lap band surgery.
There are more empty hangers in my closet now than there are articles of clothing. 
When I go home people at church whom I have known my entire life are shocked that I am so skinny.

I can’t believe I forgot one of my favorite NSV’s.

A waitress at Smokehouse BBQ approached me with a very concerned look on her face.  She asked if everything was okay with my meal because I hadn’t eaten very much of it.  I assured her everything was fine and then explained to the group of people I was eating with that I had a lapband. 

While I have not told a lot of people I know that I am banded, I am always willing to tell a stranger.  In the beginning I just wanted to make sure the band was going to work for me and now I enjoy driving some of my co-workers crazy in that I will not tell them how I lost weight or how much I have lost.  I tell them that I have been eating less and exercising more - which is all true.

The NSV I think most about is being able to get on my horse without my husband hoisting me up, without getting a BIG rock, without practically pulling my horse over!  So nice!  I think there are things the scale can tell me, but it needs to take it’s proper place, and it is beginning to just be a tool rather than a boss.  That’s nice.

I had another NSV on Monday.  Since I am off work due to my tummy tuck and arm lift I scheduled an appointment with one of my professor’s.  I stepped into the office of another professor who is moving to CA this summer and when he turned around the look on his face was priceless.  He didn’t say anything specifically and we made light conversation for a little bit.  Eventually he asked if I was doing okay as they had been praying for me and a surgery I was having.  I told him about the lap band surgery that I had in Feb. 2008 and then I told him about the tummy tuck and arm lift that I had 3 weeks ago tomorrow.  We spent some time talking about both surgeries and especially the plastic surgery as his wife used to work for a plastic surgeon.  He told me that I looked great and that the difference between the first time I met him in April ‘07 to now was very noticeable.  I also saw the chair of my dissertation committee in passing in the hall and he said that I was looking well - he does know about the lap band, but not the plastic surgery.

I go back to work on Tuesday and can’t wait to hear what people there have to say.  Some of them know why I have been gone and some do not.  One of the individual’s who doesn’t why I have been out made the comment the other day that it feels like there will be some kind of big reveal.  Boy if they only knew.  Well, off I go to pick out my big reveal outfit.

I’m still new with the band, but I had my first NSV last week at work. I have told many of my coworkers that I had the surgery done, but there were a few that did not know. Last week I was walking by one of the offices and my coworker asked me if I had lost weight. I told her I had, and she said well you look fantastic! I haven’t heard that in a very long time and it made me feel really good. It was then that I knew I made the right choice by having the surgery done.

jenduffey81 - 26 May 2009 07:21 AM

I’m still new with the band, but I had my first NSV last week at work. I have told many of my coworkers that I had the surgery done, but there were a few that did not know. Last week I was walking by one of the offices and my coworker asked me if I had lost weight. I told her I had, and she said well you look fantastic! I haven’t heard that in a very long time and it made me feel really good. It was then that I knew I made the right choice by having the surgery done.

Congratulations on your compliment!  You definitely deserved it!

I just had to pass this on. This thing called NSV’s can be very helpfull, yesterday I was able to put my belt on with my pants on my body for the first time in 3 or 4 years in the past I could not reach around so I had to place the belt on before I put my pants on. GREATTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT. Pat

Pat - Congratulations and make sure you continue to “reach” for your next goal in this journey.

Come on people I know you all are doing great so lets hear about it. I have had a few of NSV’s over the last month as well as you guys lets talk about them. Last night I was walking out of Walmart and past an old class mate I have not sean for about a year I said Hi and she just kept on walking my first thougt was $@#^%$#$ but befor I got to the car she came up behind me and said is that you Pat now that was cool. This is a great group lets use it.  Pat

I have a few that occurred in the last 48 hours. 
1.  I just got home from shopping - I am officially a size 10.  I purchased plenty of winter pants/skirts in a size 10 as I believe this will be my final size.  I would look sick if I got down to an 8.
2.  I saw my mechanic at church yesterday and he gave me a big hug and told me I look great and asked how much more I was planning on losing.  I told him 10 or 12 and I am done.
3.  One of my friends told me at lunch yesterday that one of the guys in our group told her that he still doesn’t recognize me and has to take a double look to make sure it is me.  Another friend of mine always has to ask his girlfriend to make sure it is me.
I am most excited about the comments I am anticipating when I go back for a visit to FW in October, especially from one person in particular - keep your fingers crossed for me.

That was nice to hear lets keep them coming. I am sure this one person will turn (HIS) head!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Pat  

Yes, this person is a he.  I hadn’t planned on telling him about the surgery but it got the best of me one night and he now knows.  I also told him I was thinking about plastic surgery, but I haven’t told him I have had it - trying really really hard to keep my mouth shut on that one. 

Anyone out there wanna go jean shopping with me?  My boots will still fit but the jeans will have to be replaced because I would look funny wearing suspenders.

Smiley,

Keep your mouth shut and have some fun with him I know that can be hard but do it. How long has it been that you were banded. My first 100 days have gone great but the last 10 days have been up .5, down 1.5, up .3, up .5, down 2.2 and so on over all I am down a total 1.7 over the last 10 has been crazy any thoughts.

I’ve been traveling a lot lately with work and it was so nice to be able to sit back and relax with my coworkers and not worry about how much weight I was going to gain while out of town! Also, when I arrived at the hotel for one of my trip there were some coworkers that hadn’t seen me in a month or two and they just kept saying how good I looked. It feels so good to hear that and know that I really do look good. Even my sister has said that my entire self image has changed drastically in such a short time!