Thanks girls.

Oh Lily you made me laugh once again. It's so true though!!!! Why the heck do they have to say "Oh wait I gotta get the large cuff?" Why can't they just go get it and keep quiet? Or better yet just keep it there. You'd think that with all the obese people here in the USA, the medical profession for one would be a little more accomodating and sympathetic.

So many new NSV's to catch up on!

RockinRobin, that is most definitely an NSV! And I hate it too....if there are that many overweight people out there, why not just leave the darned large cuff sitting there?! I've also noticed that typically the nurse who says it is far from her ideal weight as well...how does she like the comment when it's aimed towards her? UGH!

Not really an NSV, but I gotta get it off my chest! I've started buying a single pair of jeans, one size down from what I need, when I hit a new size; that way they're in the closet waiting for me, and I'm doing everything in my power to get into them! Well, I've been looking for the Tommy jeans in the style I love in my next size, a 12, for about 2-3 weeks. Mom and I went shopping yesterday and I finally found them. I also found another pair of jeans and told her I wanted to try them both on, first to see how "far off" the new size was, and second to see if I liked the other pair. She came into the next fitting room with a pair to try on and immediately got ticked off. She said they were too small for her, must be cut small, etc., and said there was no way she was buying a bigger size, she would do without. When I put them back for her I glanced at the size (shame on me, I know!) and they were the size I'm in currently. She made an off-handed comment about how she's NOT going to buy bigger jeans than I wear! She's always been in the overweight category but never really looked it. It's like I've been her guage all along, as long as she's smaller than me, all is ok. Well, now she has something to work towards!

Kelly, that's actually a wonderful NSV and you shouldn't feel guilty about celebrating it!! So often, people feel good about the fact that they have a friend or family member they can always feel small compared to, you know? I've been that for friends and family members too long myself, and I'm glad they're going to have to find someone else to compare themselves to. Or better yet, they could stop doing that and just worry about their own bodies and their own health! I'm not saying that people do it in a malicious way -- I think it just becomes a habit for people to think "oh, I may need to lose a few pounds, but at least I'm not as big as HER." Too many of us have been the HER in that sentence, and we should celebrate when we lose enough weight to keep us from being put in that role anymore!! Yay for you!!!

My latest NSV happened when I was having dinner with my husband at a restaurant the other night. We were talking about my running, because I've progressed to running for 35 minutes at a time but I'm still rather slow. My husband is a running coach and he's absurdly fit, so I always feel a bit inferior, of course, but I know he's really happy that I've started running. I expressed my concerns about signing up for a 10k in March and joining a training team because of how slow I am, and he said "Lisa, look around. Very few of the people sitting around us could probably do what you do." He meant running for 35 minutes, of course, and I just thought...hey, that's true. Most people aren't fit enough to do that, even people who LOOK like they're in better shape than I am. So who cares how slow I am? At least I'm doing it!! It was great to hear that from him, because he's so fast!!!

RockinRobin, Have you ever been to the hospital and have the nurse say "I don't have an Extra Large gown so I brought you 2, one for the front and one for the back". Made me want to say, "never mind, I'lll just tie this da-- sheet around me". LOL.

Kelly, I've also always been the "HER" that my sisters compared their size to. Not anymore, I'm smaller than both of them now. I saw my older sister Connie, at Christmas. I actually felt a little bad for her. She lost about 30 lbs. 10 yrs. ago and had maintained it until just recently. She's having problems in her marriage of 2 yrs. (DH is unfaithful). She has gained it all back and more. Actually the biggest I ever remember seeing her. She is the sis that has been supportive of my weight loss. My other sis, has stayed pretty much consistently at a size 14 for last 10 yrs. or so. She is happy with her size and comfortable. She has been non-supportive of my wt. loss once I got below her size. Tells me constantly that I've "gone overboard" with diet and weight loss. She tries to push fattening foods at me at any chance. Gets mad when I refuse them.

Lisa, WTG on the great NSV. I certainly can't run for 35 minutes. I can walk and that is what I do. I'll break into a run for a couple min's, get winded, slow down and repeat it every so often.

I remember a few years back...my pastor and his wife had lost quite a bit of weight on Weight Watchers...and I thought they looked really good. My Mom and Sister-in-Law, who were both very overweight, made the comment "I think they are losing too much weight. The look skinny and unhealthy." I asked them if they were going to talk behind my back and say how bad I looked if I ever lost the weight. My Mom used to always tell my Dad, who has always been slender, that he looked better when he put a little weight on. And my Grandpa used to tell me pretty I was when I gained weight. One time he told me "you look better now that you've put a little weight back on. You don't look so sickly." ?????

Quick NSV: My grandma (who is the most honest woman I know) told me that my cheekbones are popping out a little. It's true, I can definitely see some loss in my face!
Was he trying to make you feel better, I guess? I don't know...

I thought I'd pop back in and read a bit while I have time, and I'm glad I did! You guys ALWAYS make a girl feel good! I was feeling like I was being snotty because I'm aggrivated with my mom, but I feel better now! You guys are right, she's happy for me, but angry at herself because I'm not the measuring stick that works for her anymore! Tough luck!

LisaMarie, I most definitely could NOT run 35 minutes. In fact, I'm not sure I could do 10! I've been contemplating the C25K program, but haven't done anything about it yet. You should be SOOOOOOOOOOO proud of yourself, that is a major accomplishment!

Lilybelle, I've had that same thing happen with the gowns! Here, just give me a tent already!!! In response to being the HER that people compare themselves to, I have to mention my absolute best friend. We live about an hour apart now, and both have kiddos, so we don't see each other as much as we'd like. Let me start by saying she and I have always been comparable in size. I saw her last month, after not seeing her for a couple months, and she was estatic for me. Couldn't say enough how happy she was for me and great I looked. She did ask the questions about what I'm doing and what changes I've made and we talked about it. She's joining WW this week for her, not to keep up with me. I'm so happy for her.

Rhonda, this reminds me of how people see other drivers on the road....if they're going slower than you, they're old codgers who need to get out of the way; if they're going faster than you then they're maniacs who're going to kill someone if they don't slow down. Some people want everyone to be like them, whether it's habits, weight, or driving!

Lisa, cheekbones? Ooohh, that's fabulous! An nsv you can see every time you brush your teeth!

My dad used to always say "I want all my girls to grow up fat and pretty like their mama". I guess he got his wish for a while. Lol, but not anymore.

My NSV today, my Dog ate my whole loaf of bread. I'm not going to buy any more this week. I'll do without it. I guess she was trying to do Low Carb too as it was my special loaf of LC bread.

Whoa.. 2 NSVs in one day... Between work and my own life, I'm in and out of the bank all the time. Today the bank manager (who I also know on a personal level, a rather blunt woman) came up to me and told me I looked like I had "lost a LOT of weight!" It was a little awkward, cause there I was trying to fill out a deposit slip and it was in a really public place. I'll take it though!

Lily- Hee! Dogs are so funny.

Kelly- So true! Better to stay optimistic and let her deal with her own poo.

Congrats on all the wonderful NSV's!! They are so fun to read about. Keep at it!!

Yay! I have two NSV's today!

First, was feeling kinda blue today and dragging....I think its because the 'newness' has worn off and I'm at the point where I have to make a decision...is this a diet, with a beginning and an end...or is this my lifestyle from now on? Anyways...back on topic...Instead of getting on the scales again, I decided to measure myself....I didnt expect to see any results after one week, but wanted to try......I've lost 2 inches around my waist!

Another NSV....was in the parking lot at Walmart Supercenter...driving up and down the lanes, looking for a close parking spot, when I had a light bulb moment...."Hey...I'm missing the opportunity to get some exercise." Then I parked far away and walked! Wow...who'd of thunk it?!

Yay! Yay! Yay!!!!! I know how disappointed you were with the stupid scale your first week. See?!? There is proof that you are doing all the right things!!! This made me so happy to see!

You should do it!! Or do your own version of it, like I did. I started just walking in August, and then I started doing short jogging intervals in September, when I weighed 247! I never imagined I could jog at that weight, and I started with just a few minutes at a time. I built it up every week gradually, the way the C25K program does. If I can do it, anyone can, honestly. I have a long way to go, but now I can actually imagine being some kind of an athlete. Not a great one, but an athlete. It's crazy! And you can do it too!

Once again, January showed it bitterly cold face today with bone chilling winds from the NW. I had decided it was too cold to walk outside and had resigned myself to not walking again today ( didn't walk yesterday, no time...). I sat here on the computer for 45 minutes, and then decided, I had to go out and walk, cold or not cold. I bundled up and off I went, ( me and Queen' s Greatest Hits of course!). It wasn't so cold after all!! I walked farther than I ever have before! The wind died down when it got dark ( I was still a mile and a half from home at that point), and I was actually sweating!! And you know, I feel good!! Not just good,... I feel GREAT!!! I DID it for me in spite of myself!! This is definitely a defining moment in my weight loss journey!! An epiphany even!!! I know I can exercise even if I don't want to!! I will psyche myself up with this accomplishment the next time I don't want to go out and walk!!!! Yay!!!

I think we all have to go through that process (sometimes many times over the years). And nothing motivates you to stick with it like seeing actual shrinking!! Congrats! The measuring tape is such an awesome tool.

luckyducky: Attagal!! Getting out the door is the hardest part; usually if I can get my butt out there, I love it.