NSV: Non-Scale Victories - Post 'em If Ya Got Em!

[Mary T8M]

DH and I had planned on taking a cruise for our anniversary (which is in January) But when he lost his job we put those plans on hold.......now he said he thinks we should go ahead with making plans, since we had most of the money already put a side. We have never taken a cruise before, so any advice would be appreciated......but that's not what my NSV is.

Today I went into my favorite Goodwill, and they had LOTS of really nice dresses.....some really formal, some more like party dresses. Just for fun I tried on several, and found that MANY of them fit (some were actually too big) I figure I will need a fancier dress to wear on the crusie......at least fancier than I usaually wear. I bought a BEAUTIFUL black velvet and lace dress for $6.95! It's a size 12 and fits like it was made for me! The neckline is beautiful (I will need a new strapless bra :blush The look on DH's face was priceless!

[Shakespeare72]

I'm on day 123 and I've already had several scale victories but I'm excited to be able to share some of my Non-Scale Victories this week. The first one dates back a bit but I'm still excited about it. It was, after all, my first goal.

Victory #1 - (October 2010) My Wedding Ring FITS!!!

Victory # 2 - The belt I wore to my first appointment now wrapps around to my back. when buckled.

Victory # 3 - I purchased a new belt before I started MWLC but I never wore it because I could only get it to the first hole and that was tight. I've added four holes to that belt.

Victory # 4 - Being asked, "Have you lost weight?"

Victory * 5 - Being told, "You've lost weight."

Victory # 6 - When cleaning out my dresser this week I found a belt that I had cast aside because it no longer fit. It still didn't fit but only because I needed to add three holes to it.

Victory # 7 - Size 48 to Size 40!!

Victory # 8 - Size XXXXL to size XL

Victory # 9 - My wedding ring slips off if I'm not careful.

Victory # 10 - Yesterday I put on a the slacks to a suit that I wore to my college graduation 15 years ago (15 years to the month) - I know, 15 years is a long time to hold on to a suit but I kept hoping it would fit again someday. While they aren't ready to make a public appearance, I was able to button and zip them without lying on the bed and sucking in my gut.

Today I donated four bags of clothes - that I will never be big enough to wear again- to Goodwill. Some of them were favorite pants and shirts so it was admittedly bitter sweet to send them away. I rewarded myself with two pair of dress pants and a dress shirt to wear when I go back from Christmas Break.

[Mary T8M]

Originally Posted by Shakespeare72

I'm on day 123 and I've already had several scale victories but I'm excited to be able to share some of my Non-Scale Victories this week. The first one dates back a bit but I'm still excited about it. It was, after all, my first goal.

Victory #1 - (October 2010) My Wedding Ring FITS!!!

Victory # 2 - The belt I wore to my first appointment now wrapps around to my back. when buckled.

Victory # 3 - I purchased a new belt before I started MWLC but I never wore it because I could only get it to the first hole and that was tight. I've added four holes to that belt.

Victory # 4 - Being asked, "Have you lost weight?"

Victory * 5 - Being told, "You've lost weight."

Victory # 6 - When cleaning out my dresser this week I found a belt that I had cast aside because it no longer fit. It still didn't fit but only because I needed to add three holes to it.

Victory # 7 - Size 48 to Size 40!!

Victory # 8 - Size XXXXL to size XL

Victory # 9 - My wedding ring slips off if I'm not careful.

Victory # 10 - Yesterday I put on a the slacks to a suit that I wore to my college graduation 15 years ago (15 years to the month) - I know, 15 years is a long time to hold on to a suit but I kept hoping it would fit again someday. While they aren't ready to make a public appearance, I was able to button and zip them without lying on the bed and sucking in my gut.

Today I donated four bags of clothes - that I will never be big enough to wear again- to Goodwill. Some of them were favorite pants and shirts so it was admittedly bitter sweet to send them away. I rewarded myself with two pair of dress pants and a dress shirt to wear when I go back from Christmas Break.

HURRAY You've done GREAT! These little victories are SO exciting! My rings are too big too.....DH has lost about 90 pounds on Medi and has gone from a 3X-4X to XL. We both had mixed emotions as we gave away NEW clothes that were now too big......I actually LOVE shopping at Goodwill/thrift stores now.....it's like a treasure hunt!

[yellarose]

Had my first non-scale victory this week...I was scouring the clearance racks at Target and I was actually able to fit into a size XL shirt instead of an XXL!

[clergywife]

That is so funny about your wedding ring fitting. Mine doesn't fit and when I started Medi I said to myself I want my wedding ring to fit comfortably. Though I am doing well, I have not achieved that goal yet. However, I can now bend over easily and feel much healthier.

[Shakespeare72]

Originally Posted by clergywife

That is so funny about your wedding ring fitting. Mine doesn't fit and when I started Medi I said to myself I want my wedding ring to fit comfortably. Though I am doing well, I have not achieved that goal yet. However, I can now bend over easily and feel much healthier.

I bet it will fit soon. I started trying after the first week but was down about 25 or 30 pounds before it actually fit loose enough that I didn't worry about my finger falling off.

I have to agree about bending over. It's sad but I used to leave stuff on the floor or ask someone else to pick it up unless it was close enough to something so I could hold while bending over - the only easy way to get back upright. I use to comment that the ground just seemed farther way than it used to be. Now, I can bend over, pick things up, and stand once again. (I don't even have to make those old man grunting noises to straighten up.)

[Shakespeare72]

Originally Posted by Mary T8M

HURRAY You've done GREAT! These little victories are SO exciting! My rings are too big too.....DH has lost about 90 pounds on Medi and has gone from a 3X-4X to XL. We both had mixed emotions as we gave away NEW clothes that were now too big......I actually LOVE shopping at Goodwill/thrift stores now.....it's like a treasure hunt!

I think now that I'm into some "normal" sizes I might give that a try. I hate to spend too much for clothes that are only for transition.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who had mixed emotions about getting rid of the clothes that were too big.

[Mary T8M]

Originally Posted by Shakespeare72

I think now that I'm into some "normal" sizes I might give that a try. I hate to spend too much for clothes that are only for transition.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only one who had mixed emotions about getting rid of the clothes that were too big.

No you're sure not alone. I opened my own business (which has now closed ) but I bought several nice outfits and suits.....then with all the stress of the business, and working 12 hr days....EVERY day, and having DH cooking (at least that was my excuse) I promptly GAINED even more weight. By the time the business folded 2 years later, and we started on this journey, all of those formerly TIGHT new clothes were now WAY too big! I hated the fact that I wasted that much money, but loved that someone else would get brand new clothes at Goodwill!

DH had some great clothes that were too tight also, but he held onto them waiting to lose weight......once he started losing on Medi, he lost so fast he was too small for those clothes before it got cool enough here to wear them! He gave them ALL to our adult former foster son, who loves all the "classy" clothes. My hope is that soon they will be too big for him too! I'm encouraging him to join Medi as well.

DH has found MANY nice "NEW with the tags still on" polo style golf shirts at one thrift store we frequent. Some had price tags of $60+ on them and he got them for around $5.00 each! I'm not quite as lucky but have found some "new" items at the thrift store!

[Charlene4]

I haven't posted in a long time but I had another victory on NYE. I wore a tiny strapless dress and was so comfortable in it that I actually ate dinner. Before, when I was small, I would wear tight or small clothing but I wouldn't dare eat in it because I was afraid I'd bust the seams open of something...I don't know. It was nice to feel normal and confident enough to enough a meal while wearing something like that.

[eptexy]

Good for you, Charlene!

I have one. I pretty much burned the candles at both ends and pulled it off without a hitch and wasn't exhausted. 40 lbs ago, I would've been miserable, back hurting, super tired & cranky, etc. I finished a busy photography season, did all of our shopping and wrapping, hosted both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (and cooked all of that) and kept my house clean. It's amazing what being a healthy weight does for one's energy!

[GatorEng2007]

its back to work tomorrow and the pants I was wearing before Christmas were way to big and baggy. At about 10pm I realized that I should probably figure out what to wear to work tomorrow, because it may take some time...

2 hours later and I have now had to get a box out of the closet to start collecting clothes that are too big. I had a ton of dress pants in my closet. Half of them are now in the box. A quarter of them are still a little tight, but not far off. And the remaining quarter I can wear to work.

woo hoo for ridding my closet of clothes that no longer fit. :-)

The box will go to my mom who has already claimed my fat clothes to use has her transition clothes (she is trying to lose weight though not through Medi). And then anything that she doesn't want will go to Goodwill.

:-)

[diertac]

Such great NSV's! Shakespeare I loved your list, what phenomenal progress.

Scale was bad to me this week (after 2 weeks of losing through the holidays, which was shocking in and of itself)... My husband had to have emergency surgery on his spine due to a herniated disc last Thursday and my eating went downhill because all I could get at the hospital were peanut butter crackers. Then the stress of having a husband in agony, who was totally grumpy and refusing to take his pain meds (argh, dumb***) got to me and well, that bottle of wine went down real quick...

So I gained 2.4 this week. Looking forward to losing it, and more, next week!

BUT this is a NSV thread, so here are my NON-scale victories:

-I wore a bulky sweater to my weigh-in because it's cold, but have a very thin tank top underneath so I could pull off my sweater to weigh. I pulled off my sweater and the MWL staffer said, "Girl that sweater is doing you no favors! You are TINY!"

-I went to do my monthly shopping for work slacks. The size 12's I bought last month are too baggy for me now. I tried on the 10's (exact same slacks, I love them, they're my staples for work) and they fit but were just a tad on the loose side, so I went running out to the racks and picked up a pair of 8's.

The size 8 slacks fit!!! Sure, they're tight enough that they show panty lines right now, but I have some undergarments that will take care of that until they loosen up more. But they FIT! And I saved $30 by getting to skip the size 10's altogether!

Woohoo!

[mommy2princesses]

Ok, my turn - here are a few of my favorites....

- Having my 5 yr old daughter wrap her arms around me to give me a hug and say "look mommy, my arms wrap all the way around you". (made me sad too....for her 5 years I was a fat mommy....but no more!)

- Taking my 2 yr old to her gymnastics class and realizing that during warms ups (jogging laps around the gym and stretching) that I was one of 2 moms in the class that were not out of breath! (before we never would have taken that class!)

-Going bathing suit shopping....and actually coming out of the fitting room with them on for my mother and saleslady to see....and then to be told I needed to go down a size! I actually bought 3 bathing suits!

-Going to a baseball game at Fenway Park (those old stadiums have tiny seats!) and realize that I not only fit in the seat but had enough room to cross/uncross my legs!

-Taking my children to the pediatrician for their flu shots and the receptionist that I've dealt with for 5+ years asked if I was my sister....I don't have a sister!....she was shocked at how I looked.

-I realized looking back at pictures from this holiday season that for the first time all the pictures are of me with our girls....and not my husband....it's always the other way as I used to hide behind the camera.

-Leaving a football game and trying to walk very quickly back to the parking lot to avoid as much traffic as possible...but only to have my 6'4" husband tell me to slow down because he couldn't keep up!

There are so many more....and sometimes I feel these are even more important than what the scale says. These moments we can hold on to and remember how it felt, never forget how it felt to be "too big", and always hold on to the sweet moment of each of these little victories.

[Mary T8M]

Cat, Hope DH is doing better with each day. I worked 14 yrs as a Recovery Room (PACU) RN and I KNOW that the patients who take their medication, are the ones who do the best and recover the fastest! They breathe better, ambulate better, eat better, sleep better.....all of that is equal to a faster recovery and getting off of the narcotics faster. IF he is concerned about becoming addicted......it won't happen! IF he's concerned about having the drugs in his system, he will have them there LESS if he uses them correctly now! Tylenol is a wonder drug to take WITH his narcotics (when he is home, and taking them......be sure to ask IF it's OK to take them together, as they might already be a part of the oral pain pill) I hope they are giving it to him IF he is on injectable narcotics now. Make sure he uses ice to the incision as directed.....many simple things make a HUGE difference!

NOW to my NSV. We took a day road trip on Sunday, and while in the car I used to have to position any drinks or snacks in a way that I could reach them basically without "moving"......Sunday things shifted around in the car and I was able to EASILY turn around in my seat to reach our (MEDI-friendly) snacks! We stopped at a rest area and had a cheese stick, and a couple cherry tomatoes, and talked about how yummy they were. Then we saw women next to us, watching us, & eating muffins, and they actually looked ashamed when they saw me pull tomatoes out! (or maybe that was just MY imagination!) I can move SO much easier now.....I noticed that I no longer have to stand still once I get out of the car, or up from sitting in a movie theater.....I can stand up and walk right away!

[diertac]

Mary, that's a huge difference isn't it? Being able to move easily is a wonderful thing. I noticed that first, before everything else.

As for my DH, PREACH it, sister!!! Oh. My. God. He's driven me absolutely batty, making wrong decisions at EVERY turn about his pain management. He's a marathon runner, who scoffs at even Ibuprofen ("just ice it" he'll say) so you can imagine how he's reacted with having to take Percocet and Prednisone. You're totally right about all the things he's concerned about, and I tried to tell him similar things yesterday when he woke up in agony at 4AM *again* because he'd decided all he needed was ES Tylenol.

He wouldn't listen to me. Instead he called a coworker whose husband had this done. She told him to suck it up and take the pain meds. Then he called his doctor, who basically told him much of the same stuff you've written here. *THEN* he started doing what I've been telling him all along. He's been driving me mad... MAD, I tell you!

He can't drive because of the pain meds, so anytime I leave the house, he has wanted to come with me. So yesterday I filled up the car with boxes from the garage to take to the recycling place at the dump. I told him I was heading out and he was all, "Oh, can I come?" I said, "Nope, that front seat's filled with boxes too. No room!"

I dropped off the boxes and relished just some alone time at the Harris Teeter. Today I went back to work in the office (been WFH while he was sick) so I think the worst is over. Before yesterday, I hadn't spent any time away from DH since before the holidays. Yikes.

Anyway, sorry for the diversion, just had to get it off my chest. I will print out what you wrote if he gets stupid again with his meds...

[Mary T8M]

Originally Posted by diertac

Mary, that's a huge difference isn't it? Being able to move easily is a wonderful thing. I noticed that first, before everything else.

As for my DH, PREACH it, sister!!! Oh. My. God. He's driven me absolutely batty, making wrong decisions at EVERY turn about his pain management. He's a marathon runner, who scoffs at even Ibuprofen ("just ice it" he'll say) so you can imagine how he's reacted with having to take Percocet and Prednisone. You're totally right about all the things he's concerned about, and I tried to tell him similar things yesterday when he woke up in agony at 4AM *again* because he'd decided all he needed was ES Tylenol.

He wouldn't listen to me. Instead he called a coworker whose husband had this done. She told him to suck it up and take the pain meds. Then he called his doctor, who basically told him much of the same stuff you've written here. *THEN* he started doing what I've been telling him all along. He's been driving me mad... MAD, I tell you!

He can't drive because of the pain meds, so anytime I leave the house, he has wanted to come with me. So yesterday I filled up the car with boxes from the garage to take to the recycling place at the dump. I told him I was heading out and he was all, "Oh, can I come?" I said, "Nope, that front seat's filled with boxes too. No room!"

I dropped off the boxes and relished just some alone time at the Harris Teeter. Today I went back to work in the office (been WFH while he was sick) so I think the worst is over. Before yesterday, I hadn't spent any time away from DH since before the holidays. Yikes.

Anyway, sorry for the diversion, just had to get it off my chest. I will print out what you wrote if he gets stupid again with his meds...

Cat, Well, you're NOT alone! DH was in a motorcycle accident several years ago when we went back to Colorado for vacation and ended up in ICU (on the FIRST day of vacation) He is medically trained and yet was H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E about meds. He finally had a male nurse who told him ALL the same stuff I'd been saying and suddenly he understood! GRRRR. Once we got back home it started up again! I finally went back to work 1/2 days just to get away!

FYI buy him ARTHRITIS strength Tylenol (or the store brand)! DH's orthopedic guy told us that after I said I didn't believe that Tylenol was much good! It's amazing how well it works with Alieve! It's much better than even Extra Strength Tylenol. DH still has lots of aches and pains from his broken ribs (1 that is not attached to anything in there!) You might also ask his Dr. IF it's OK to take a combination of Tylenol and Aspirin. There used to be a medication (can't remember the name) that was equal to 2 regular Tylenol, and 2 aspirins in one pill! One of the orthopedic surgeons I worked with had ALL of his patients take it, so we just took 2 tylenol and 2 aspirin at home instead of buying the expensive stuff! Worked great for sore joints!

[GatorEng2007]

2 NSV's this week.

1. Getting asked if I have lost weight at work by a friend, and then having someone who was sitting by chime in to say he though so to but didn't know if it was appropriate to ask.

2. Fitting nicely into a pair of size 14 Ann Taylor dress jeans that my mom gave me a year ago (they were given to her by my sister but my sister had no idea what size mom was). The only sad part is that I really like these jeans....too bad they won't fit for very long... I suppose there are worse problems

[Lee3]

1st- I can now zip up my XL shirt my mom bought me last year! I usually would get XXL so it can zip up all the way.

2nd- I went to my appointment yesterday and asked them to measure my waist. It's down 4 inches!!! So exciting!

[kelly4me]

I got to wear an absolutely gorgeous dress to a formal tea over the holidays. I never would have even looked at it before. I thanked the event organizer on Facebook the next day. She then told me that I looked great. A mutual friend replied "Kelly looked HOT - she put us all to shame". That totally made my day. I sure don't remember ever reading anything like that about myself before.

Today I'm wearing a medium top with size 10 jeans. They are a generous size 10, but a size 10 nonetheless. I've never worn anything below a size 14 as an adult and I had never even dared to dream that I'd actually wear a 10 in anything besides maybe a ring. LOL It feels so darn good!

[mommy2princesses]

Originally Posted by kelly4me

I got to wear an absolutely gorgeous dress to a formal tea over the holidays. I never would have even looked at it before. I thanked the event organizer on Facebook the next day. She then told me that I looked great. A mutual friend replied "Kelly looked HOT - she put us all to shame". That totally made my day. I sure don't remember ever reading anything like that about myself before.

Today I'm wearing a medium top with size 10 jeans. They are a generous size 10, but a size 10 nonetheless. I've never worn anything below a size 14 as an adult and I had never even dared to dream that I'd actually wear a 10 in anything besides maybe a ring. LOL It feels so darn good!

Kelly - good for you! When you wore that dress and KNEW that you looked good....didn't your self-confidence and the way you hold yourself change to? I can tell that I carry myself differently now and I love it....so I am so shoot for you too!

[kelly4me]

Keri - it does make a huge difference in how I carry myself. I no longer try to hide/slump, etc. It is such a nice feeling.

So good to see you back, Keri. Congrats on your success and transition. Your numbers were such a huge inspiration for me when I started Medi. Your pictures are phenomenal. Isn't it nice to WANT to be in front of the camera?

[mommy2princesses]

Thank you Kelly! It is so nice to want to be in front of the camera now....and I don't think I will ever get tired of hearing people tell me how different I look! I always tried to hide or slump....or if I saw someone I knew out somewhere, I would try to avoid them at all costs....now it's like I want to hurry up and be noticed because I KNOW I look good and happy! We just need to remember these feelings on the not-so-easy days!

And I'd say your numbers are pretty inspirational too....50 lbs in 4 months.....you lost a kindergartner! (I loved comparing my weight loss to my 2 kids!). Good luck as you continue your journey!!!

[betty_going_85]

I have basically gone through all your posts just to see your successes. I am in my second week and definitely get inspiration from you. Get gives me the will to stay on this journey.

[kelly4me]

This moment was one that I seriously thought that I would NEVER have....

Last night, I put on my new size 10 Levi's to show to my husband. I was so darn excited that they fit. As I was walking through the house, I realized how quiet it was... because my thighs were NOT rubbing together!

I remember reading in a book many years ago about a woman's experience with weight gain and she talked about the first time that her thighs touched when she walked. I remember thinking at the time "What, some people have legs that don't touch?" I was sort of shocked at that revelation. Here I am.. probably 15 years later with the opposite experience... and shocked just the same!

[Shakespeare72]

Yesterday, I was lighting a fire in the fireplace and my 14 year old daughter said, "Wow! Dad, you can really tell that you've lost a lot of weight."

That one will probably last me at least another 20 pounds.

[kelly4me]

Originally Posted by Shakespeare72

Yesterday, I was lighting a fire in the fireplace and my 14 year old daughter said, "Wow! Dad, you can really tell that you've lost a lot of weight."

That one will probably last me at least another 20 pounds.

Wasn't that such a great feeling?

[Mary T8M]

Originally Posted by Shakespeare72

Yesterday, I was lighting a fire in the fireplace and my 14 year old daughter said, "Wow! Dad, you can really tell that you've lost a lot of weight."

That one will probably last me at least another 20 pounds.

HURRAY! Isn't it amazing how one little comment can lift you up for a long time?

I'm still "riding high" on the comment my DH made about how L-O-N-G my legs look now(I'm only 5'2" so that's something I've NEVER heard) I hear it every time I get dressed and look in the mirror!

My newest NSV is when my Sister-In-Law told me that the new PJ's I got for Christmas were too BIG....and they are! I told DH to buy large, fearing maybe they'd shrink a little.....I really need MEDIUM.....I'm a M-E-D-I-U-M....a MED........An M!.......NOT a 2XL

[mommy2princesses]

Jogged a 5k on the treadmill today - 3.2 miles at a speed of 5.2 which took 37 mins When I began Medi I was jogging 60 seconds on the treadmill and STRUGGLING with it. I actually had to yell for DH to come see the treadmill as I hit the 3.2 mile mark, such a good day!

[GatorEng2007]

Played 3 hours of sand volleyball, 5 games of which were 2v2 (lots of scrambling on the court) and at the end I only had to quit because I was pretending to be a responsible adult and had things to take care of at home. I could have played all afternoon!!! so much more energy!

[Mary T8M]

Originally Posted by mommy2princesses

Jogged a 5k on the treadmill today - 3.2 miles at a speed of 5.2 which took 37 mins When I began Medi I was jogging 60 seconds on the treadmill and STRUGGLING with it. I actually had to yell for DH to come see the treadmill as I hit the 3.2 mile mark, such a good day!

WOW I just HOPE to be able to jog more than 90 seconds someday! I'm trying to convince DH that we have the space, money, and NEED for a treadmill again. We had one several years ago but sold it when we moved to FL. I loved it, and really want another one before it gets too blasted hot this year. I'm spending a lot of time "shopping" on craigslist for one.