Maintenance NSV's~aka~Why it's worth it
 

Let's see how this goes. I've been thinking about this for a while. Our very own place to boast, ahem, I mean post our NSV's. Which also translates to why maintenance is so very worth it.

I went to the doctor yesterday. Yes the gynecologist. Fun. But I didn't dread it. All right stir ups and that whole bit I could do without, but other then that, I now LOVE going to the doctor. I LOVE that I'm "on top of my health" and going for regular visits, stir ups and all is just part of that.

Okay. First things fist. Time to get weighed. No dread. None whatsoever. I hop on there. The nurse records the number. She gets all quiet on me and her mouth is kinda hanging open, eyes are glazed. I'm like what's wrong? She simply could not believe that I've lost over 160 lbs. Just goes on and on and on. Asking all the usual questions.

My gyn was the one who first prescribed blood pressure medication for me, which of course I'm no longer on. Anywho, yesterday my blood pressure was the lowest it's ever been. Since losing the weight it's been 120 over 80. But not yesterday - it was 110 over 70. I was so happy you have no idea. I made the poor nurse take it again, because I thought surely it was a fluke. But nope. There it was again. :yay:

And then get this, I finally get to see the actual doctor and she told me, she told me, (all right perhaps she was up all night delivering babies and a wee bit tired), but she told me - that my arms look like Jennifer Aniston's. :yay:

You mean Jennifer Aniston is lucky enough to have arms that look like yours, Robin?

Great job!!!!! :cheer3:

:lol: Cool! Great numbers, Robin!

I had 2 fun NSVs this week.

#1 My friend's husband was at a school function and he hasn't really seen me in months, and he said "Have you lost a $%*&load of weight?"

#2 I was at the gym lifting weights and there was a girl there who has a friend who just started and she was asking me about my weight loss cause her friend wants to lose about 50 pounds....this is someone I would never have thought would have noticed my loss over that year and a half, but she has. You never know who is watching or who might be inspired by our efforts and success.

Robin, thanks for starting this thread. I adore it.

#1. We went to enroll DD for school last week and saw a lady we have known for years but don't see often. She immediately spoke to hubby and then looked at me and 1/2 heartedly said, "hello." I was hmmmm. I saw her again just two days ago. She called out at me across an open soccer field so I ran over to her. She said, "I am so sorry for last week, honestly I didn't recognize you and thought your hubby was with someone else!"

#2. Yesterday for the first time in probably 8 years + I went out for the day in a pair of fitted shorts with a RL camisole on. The best part? My shorts were a size 4! The really, really best part? They weren't long!!!

Oh, and Robin--funny about your arm comments. Yesterday I was told I had "Michelle Obama" arms. I think that's probably a compliment but mine definitely don't look as good as hers.

I love this thread!

1) I went to a party last week with some old coworkers I hadn't seen since June 2007. Most of them didn't even recognize me when I walked in the room!

2) I wore an almost tank top over the weekend and didn't feel self conscious or awkward about my appearance, well, other than the fact that I have a farmers tan from running in a t-shirt... :)

I recently started swimming a couple of days a week, and had to buy a new bathing suit because the old one was so stretched out it was ridiculous. I got one of those racing-style one piece tank suits (which doesn't hide much), and the whole trying-on and purchasing process didn't completely suck! In fact, I didn't look half bad, if I do say so myself. Boy, is THAT a first ....

I, too have broken out the shorts. Something I would not do when I was over 200 Pounds. .

The compliments keep coming, even though I have been at GOAL for over 2 years. This past weekend a group of 9 of my girlfriends got together at my place for a hen pecking party! I was wearing black nylon jogging pants & a white form fitting tank top. (note: Before weightloss I never ever wore tank tops before, due to me being self conscience about my arms) These days I live in tank tops, who would have thunk it?

Here is some of what I heard...... "OMG, YOU look amazing!", "look at your pipes", "I only wish I looked as good as you"," I want your body and your arms!", "you look like you can kick some serious @ss!" and my all time favorite line of the night came from my 25 year old girlfriend, who just had a baby, "man I hope to get my body back oneday, & for an ole lady Wend, you have a bangin body, I am soooo JEALOUS, seriously you look so FRICKEN HOT! I laughed out loud over that one, fricken hot & the ole lady part too!!!! Hey I'm only pushin 42, yet I get called an ole lady!

Needless to say, you couldn't wipe the grin off of my face! :-) I told my husband what all my girlies said & he said I've been telling you that for years, you just never believe me! Well now I am a BELIEVER, friends do not make this $hit up! Woo Hoo Maintainer me!

I wore a sundress on Saturday that was so friggin' cute ya'll--with beaded pumps and wooden jewelry! Sort of vintage looking but Ann Taylor--the best thing--a size 4! I also let my hair go natural without all the straightening and what not--I felt pretty. Really, I did! :)

Wendalyn, you got some pretty strong reactions there. SO cool!!!

Thighs, that dress sounds so nice. And a size 4!!!

Yesterday, we had record heat here. I had to dig up some summer clothing from last year. What an absolute unbelievable amazing incredible feeling to KNOW that last summers clothing will fit this year. AND to not dread the summer and the lesser amounts of clothing. No jacket to "cover" me up. Oh and short sleeves. Little sandals. Lovin' it. :)

Robin, I dug up last year's summer clothes this weekend too! Although I am currently 17lbs over goal, my more forgiving clothes still fit, even including my shorts!

I too LOVE that I can dress for summer weather without feeling miserably uncomfortable.

Last week my friend adopted a baby girl, and we had a baby shower for her. The occasion was so joyous and I got so much positive feedback from many women I love but don't see often enough-- it just felt so great!!!! And I didn't super stress over what to wear....

My recent NSV:

I rode a 27 mile bike race, with minimal extra training, and was able to do so because I keep myself pretty fit as a matter of habit. I had a great race!

Anne

Just wanted to say Woo Hoo to all of us! Way to rock it ladies, bravo!

Huge NSV for me - I biked 30 miles on Saturday and had to wait for my DH to catch up! That is what losing weight did for me. :D

DUDE!!!! :carrot:

My best friend and his partner came in from Arizona this weekend - haven't seen them since they moved last year about this time. My friend told me how hot I looked, which made me feel great! The best part - when we went from the restaurant to the coffee shop for phase II of visit his partner told him "Shannon looks so great, I'm totally jealous of her muscles and the way she has changed her whole shape this year". This from the runner, weight lifter, airline pilot, fitness guru. Woo hoo!

ETA: Wow Lori & Anne! Those are awesome biking numbers! And Lori, having to wait on DH is even better! :)

Oooh..gotta share my other NSV--I ran super far Sat. and Sun.---I guess 6 miles or something. That's about two miles more than usual!

Heh, heh.

My 16 yo daughter came home and told me that her track coach saw me running near the high school today and she thought that I was my 16 yo DD and was trying to figure out why she was out running when she was supposed to be in class. :devil: I'll take it!

midwife thats awesome! Go YOU, .....ahem teen mom! :-)

You bikers and runners are just totally amazing. I'm so happy for all of you. :)

Midwife, that's awesome! :lol:

Thanks guys!!

NSV today: had to leave the car at the shop for brake repairs. Walked a mile and a half home and it was easy (of course! I run at least double that length several times a week).

I was recently a few people behind DH's ex-wife in line somewhere and she didn't recognize me. She pins all of he dissatisfaction with her life on me and blames me for everything from the national debt to why the siding on her house looks so bad and she didn't recognize me. I look like a totally different person than I did the last time I saw her in a social setting.

Weird NSV, but it made me feel oddly good.

Cool, Shannon! You are so gorgeous, it's good she didn't realize that you were that hot chick in line behind her. She probably wouldn't have been able to get over it!

Awesome read, I just love every line of it!

My NSV is that I now run in broad daylight without thinking twice. I used to be so self-conscious that I'd only run under cover of darkness. I still prefer darkness for temperature control, but now if it is light out when it is time to run, then so be it. I don't feel strange or embarrassed when people look at me any more, yay!

Thanks Midwife! That is pretty cool that you walked home from dropping off your car, and eve cooler that DDs coach mixed you up. Hot hot hot! :)

Jo - high five for feeling comfy running in the daylight!

Heh, now I get to walk back!

Love this thread!
2 NSV for me :D

Someone I used to work with stopped by our office. His jaw hit the floor and he started stuttering. It was so cute - he blurted out - "you look absolutely amazing, OMG - how did you do it?" The astonishing thing was that his wife (who I had never met) was standing next to him :o

My spring cleaning NSV - normally I dread spring cleaning. It takes me forever. This year I am in de-clutter mode. I'm cleaning every closet, drawer, cupboard, nook and cranny. It is the most ambitious task I have taken on in a long time. I have been able to work all day with virtually no breaks - up to 12 hours at a time. The old me would work for 30 minutes and rest for an hour.

I'm totally amazed by my endurance - and my knees can take going up and down the stairs all day long without complaining!!!

First, I'm guessing that an NSV is a compliment? I don't know, but reading all your compliments is fabulous.

My NSV? I was at the fitness center last week and a woman I know went by me, stopped, turned back and said "I envy you so much. You look fabulous!" Of course, dumb me, I didn't know what to say. I only said "thanks". I continue to keep in mind that others are watching me (because I get a comment every once in a while from someone I don't even know about my weight loss). I also had someone in the pool comment on how great I'm doing keeping my weight off. They don't realize that I'm working every day to keep it that way and to take off some pounds I've gained. I try not to respond about my struggles because it kind of takes the excitement out of their compliments.

A second NSV happened this past January when I met up with one of my earlier instructors at my preliminary oral doctoral exam. I did the exam and the next day got an email from the past instructor complimenting me on my weight loss. He hadn't seen me for over 2 years and was, at first, concerned that I had been ill and didn't want to comment. He learned the next day from my advisor that I had intentionally lost weight. He wanted to know how I did it and tell me how amazing I looked. It was a really sweet thing that he was concerned about illness and then excited enough to email me about how great I looked once he learned that I intentionally lost the weight.

It's also cute when my older sister in law now introduces me as her slim sister in law. Two years ago, that would have never been done and she certainly wouldn't have introduced me as her fat sister in law.

My only sad thought on the NSVs is that I struggle to accept them. I've found that when I start taking in and accepting the compliments, I sometimes decide I deserve to eat something fattening. Maybe I need to make a change in that thought and go buy myself something (not something to eat) to wear that makes me look hot (like the rest of you are doing it sounds like :)! There's the change! I am going to need some new summer tops. I don't have anything that really excites me anymore to wear on top.

NSVs are "non-scale victories"... and those were great! :)

I love this thread. Thanks for the motivation, ladies! :bravo:

I can't wait to have my own NSV's!

Goal - Great NSVs! I have a hard time accepting the compliments, too. I never know how to respond, sometimes I go into too long a story or weight loss discussion, sometimes I'm vague and the person who complimented me feels dismissed or like I don't care that they noticed, then it gets weird for a minute... Strips the excitement, like you said. I'm working on that. :) I agree with you on buying some summer tops that make you look hot - easier to take the compliment with a 'thanks, I know I'm hot in this top' mindset than if you feel a little blah in your skin, IMO! :) I need some myself!

Okay - I got one.

Stopped by Ann TAylor's yesterday - had a 30% off coupon. Okay first - most of their clothes are so disapointing this season! They had so much adorable skirts and cardigans last year. Anyhow, I search around trying to find something and found this black, stretchy dress - the only one they had was a size 6.

I try it on - it is possibly the hottest dress I have ever worn. It is completely form fitting with slightly dropped shoulders and that kind of "bandaid fabric" (looks like overlapping 1 inch horizontal strips?). It looked GREAT even without foundation garments.

There I am - me, wearing a totally sexy, form fitting LBD. I look like a sexy hourglass.

It was originally 129.99 down to 79.99 AND I had 30% coupon - YAY. I have no idea where I'm going to wear it - I just want it in my closet.

I put away another filled up food journal (notebook) in my storage box today. I counted 13 full journals, dating back to early 2003, and 6 training (exercise) logs also to 2003. Not all, days, weeks, or even months were the best, but that is 6 and a half years of accountability. I'm proud of that.

I need a bigger box!

Anne

Wow. Just - wow. Mighty, mighty impressive. :smug:

Glory, that dress sounds - Glory-ous. Yes, I know I misspelled that. It was intentional. ;)

Ahem....

From my physical exam 11/2007 to now....

My blood pressure dropped from 130s/80s to 100s/low 70s.
My cholesterol dropped 30 points from high to normal. My good numbers are up and my bad numbers are down. My fasting glucose is under 70.
Losing 50 pounds and keeping it off does wonders for one's health.

Skinny jeans are nice. Abs are nice. Looking good is nice.

Having good cholesterol and blood pressure....priceless!

Good health is a gift! One that I choose to keep to the best of my ability.

I ran 1.5 miles today without walking! :carrot:

My goal is to get to 3 (at least!) by the end of the summer.

Oh Midwife, those numbers are spectacular. This proves once again just how worth it this all is.

My NSV. Wow. While at a family function last night, one of my DH's cousins walks in. She looked SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!! Just stunning. Model stunning. I'm a terrible judge at how much someone weighs or has lost, but a conservative estimate would be that she's lost 50 lbs. Anyway, I walk over to her and tell her just how stunning she looks and she said to me, "It was all because of you. You were my inspiration." I can't tell you what her saying/feeling that means to me.

Non - scale - VICK - TORE - E. Big time. Back in the day there was nothing about me that could inspire any one. And now.......... I'm tearing up right now just writing this out.

Robin - that is great! It made me tear up a little reading it!

Today I wore jeans that my mom gave me because they didn't fit her right, she bought them at an outlet and couldn't return them. They weren't too big for her in the waist, just too long in the leg as she is 5'4". I haven't been able to share clothes with my mom since junior high...