We have a HUGE bowl of Hersheys choclate mini bars at work and everyday I walk pass them, I used to grab a handful now I havent had a single one in 2 weeks (since I started back on my losing journey) Im so proud of myself!!!!!!!!

I went in to give my boyfriend a kiss and hug goodbye and he said to me, "How easy it is to wrap his arms around me now"!

I posted this separately the other day, but.... I DANCED! I NEVER dance! I felt good about myself enough to actually go out and do it! WOOHOO!

This is one for the guys, but I can button the top button of a collared shirt without feeling like I was choking while doing so. Plus my ties look better now for some reason.

The other is a victory over habit. I've always been the sort of person to clean his plate, even when it's a lot of food, but last weekend when I went out to dinner, I managed to not. I probably left about half of the meal on the plate. That's been one of the hardest things for me, and to be honest, I usually don't put myself in the position to have to consciously stop since I weigh my food religiously. So that's a win.

I was referred to as a "pretty little foreign girl" by an old Japanese man...

For context, I was at a local festival and a man from the prefecture news station spotted me talking with some of my students and asked if I could speak Japanese. I responded that I knew a little, so he asked my girls if it was enough for TV...as all of the color drained from my face, they squealed excitedly (as I'd guess most 8-year-olds would at the prospect of being on TV) and assured him that, yes, I was actually really good at Japanese... so he dragged me up to an anchorwoman, put a camera in my face and she interviewed me about the festival while my students clapped and waved in the background. As I was half-walking, half-being towed away after by my completely elated students, I heard the old guy bragging to the cameraman that he couldn't be yelled at for not finding good interview subjects...HE found a pretty little foreign girl that spoke good Japanese...who had the other guys brought that could top that? I was amused for half a second before my girls started asking if I was nervous...because that was going on TV and everyone that they knew watched that channel >.<

Edit: Another one yesterday...I was cleaning and came to the realization that my apartment is always a huge mess because I don't have a bureau to put my clothes away. So I went to the store hoping to find a bureau, but instead came back with a 3 foot tall book case and 3 large cloth drawers (the only thing actually being sold as a bureau in the store was a super cheap-looking and flimsy plastic thing that was more than 3x the price of the bookcase and drawers but about the same size). I washed every piece of clothing, then started putting stuff in the new "bureau," only to realize that I had about twice as much clothing as would reasonably fit. So I started trying things on, and more than half of it just...won't stay on any more. I swim in all of my suits, all of my American pants, one pair of my Japanese pants, and all of my American dresses. My T-shirts and dress shirts could all stand to be at least a size smaller, but I put them in the "fitting" category because I love my nerdy Ts and can tuck in my work shirts. In the end, I had one full closet of clothes that no longer fit and one partially-filled bureau and 1/3 of a closet bar of things that do fit/are only marginally too big. This both makes me incredibly happy and terribly sad, as it means that I'm probably going to have to buy a whole new work wardrobe (and probably new pants again) for fall and winter.

Man, I'm starting to feel obnoxious now...where'd everyone go?

I just applied sunscreen to my whole back by myself without having back pudge get in the way. Were my elbows bent at some unnatural angles to do so? Yes, yes they were...but I was pretty proud of myself for being able to reach the part just below my shoulders.

Love reading these!

I have one too. At work someone keeps putting out a bowl of dark chocolate caramel candy.. which I love! Last week I ate 2 really small pieces... and found it way too sweet and not that great... not used to all the sugar. Since then I just keep walking right by the bowl.

Also, when I did eat the two, I made the DECISION to do so, since I easily had the calories left for that day... didn't just grab them and mindlessly eat them. Consciously knew they would not hurt me and DECIDED to eat them.

I traveled to Peru in May. Just prior to the trip, I bought a new handbag to take with me. Have loads of requirements in my traveling handbags: cross-body, lightweight, cute, big enough to carry iPhone, camera, wallet, local currency wallet, pens for postcards, sunglasses and on and on. ANYway, I found one I liked in a cute pattern, but the strap was uncomfortably tight, holding the bag just below my chest.

No problem: I went to ebay and ordered a longer black leather strap and off I went. Well, the first day in Lima, I noticed that the ebay leather strap was rubbing off color onto my blouse! It was only really bad that first day (the blouse has an eyelet patterns yoke that was contributing to the issue by rubbing against the strap, Lima was really, really humid, which probably also contributed) but ugh. I kept scrubbing the strap to get the dye out, still had some issues with transfer on other things. And I was always thinking about it. On a trip like that, also, you really need to wear clothes more than once.

>:( @ ebay strap.

So when I got back I stopped using that bag. Immediately, ugh.

I lost 5 lbs in Peru and another 20+ lbs since then, though. The jeans that were tight then are too loose now, et cetera, so the other day I got out the bag and the original manufacturer's strap. Fits perfectly. I have a few inches of slack, and am using that bag now. With no unsightly dye transfers from the ebay strap!

I bought 3 tops this week. They were so cute, I just had to have them, even though I knew they were too small. Just decided I'd keep them for some extra motivation. Well, I tried them all on and they all actually fit! I guess I'm a size smaller than I thought! :)

I've got one. For years, my left leg has been bothering me. I must have suffered some sort of soft-tissue injury that just never got better. My thigh muscles were so tight from compensating for that, I couldn't lie on a flat surface without bending my knee to a pretty steep degree. I even had trouble getting a kidney scan done because I had to get that leg flat enough to slide through the machine.

Anyway, I decided to get some physical therapy a few months ago, now that I've lost so much weight. I've been working on my stretches pretty regularly and can now - with just a couple of minutes of working at it - get that leg flat. It hurts like h*** after a few minutes, but I can do it for longer and longer periods. I'm pretty stoked about it.

At a family party, they ordered a few pizzas-my favorite. I didn't have any! Even though I wanted it so badly...I stayed strong.

At work today there was free pizza and sweets-I resisted.

As you can tell, I love pizza! I miss it but I don't miss the grease and sodium bloat

I have a couple of NSVs!!

Yesterday morning I started to get ready for work and... oops... no clean underwear. So I dug into my "too small" drawer and got some out... they fit!! Yay!

Also at work our company landlord brought around an ice cream truck to give everyone free ice cream. I did not eat any, even though I had to go out to go home and they were serving it, and had to move their truck so I could get my car.

Here's another one for me: the heat doesn't bother me as much at it used to. We've had warm weather the last few days and my living room thermometer says it's 80 in here. Last year, I would have the a/c blasting but now, it's not unbearable. So I'm saving money on my electric bill!

Ran into my ex (dated for 3 years, broke up in May, and I've lost 40lbs since) on campus, and he said (without prompt) "You look good, by the way" mid-conversation, complimented me on my recent hair change as well. As he was about to leave, I asked him to hug me to see how much smaller I felt and he gave me a one-arm side hug and then started feeling around my ribs/hips and he definitely seemed impressed.

Good feeling to see that he noticed it! Somewhat bummed that he didn't ask me to coffee or something right then and there but oh well, what can you do :P.

I recently joined 3FC and this has been one of my favorite threads. It is so inspiring to see so many NSVs and more to realize that the scale is great, but not the only way to feel successful. Last night I experienced my first NSV. Around 1am we were coming home from a night out. My husband and sister-in-law were hungry and wanted to stop somewhere. We decided to stop at an all night restaurant with no healthy options. As I looked at the menu I realized I wasn't really hungry. I could have easily chosen something and worked it into my daily calorie allowance, but I stuck with coffee and was content. In the past U tended to eat just to eat, hungry or not. It felt so good to recognize I wasn't hungry and follow those cues!

Good job, everyone. And Tande, congratulations on your first NSV! They are fun, aren't they? :)

My "skinny" skirt (the one I was feeling all kinds of hot in ;)) is loose! I haven't gotten into any size 12's yet, but feel like that might happen sooner rather than later!

TMI, but, ahem...now that I have lost 23 lbs, I am not peeing on myself so much every time I cough or sneeze...

To be fair to myself, my OB told me years ago when I was thin that I would need surgery to shore things up. However, loosing weight has helped a whole heck of a lot!

gail42, I'm an older woman myself so I know exactly what you mean. It's nice, isn't it?

I was looking at Facebook pictures last night. Hate pictures, but I had some major life events, and I sucked it up and did it. I definitely see the difference 34 pounds makes. I know my old clothes don't fit, but never really saw the difference in the mirror, so it was a great discovery.

I went into a bargain store and didn't even think about going near the sweet aisle, I got outside the shop and thought wow I am a different person now.

I have been wearing this tight skirt recently because all my other ones that used to make me look slimmer now look frumpy, a lot of clothes in my wardrobe are starting to get big.

I can now wear a uk 12 fitted coat that was far too small for me last winter and my 14 coat looks baggy. I would still probably measure to a 16 hopefully going towards 14 but I'm no longer a squeezing into 16-18 I am now a 14-16 who can squeeze into smaller sizes and bigger sizes just look ridiculous.

I find I get more attention from guys now pffft they're so shallow aren't they ha.

I had to go out to Tokyo for training yesterday. It was awful, but there were a few people there that were at my orientation back in March. One of the guys that I'd helped get to his assignment (we're in the same prefecture and of the 3 of us working out there, I'm the only one that speaks any Japanese, so I got to do all of the navigating) came up like we were bffs and insisted on a hug because he said that I looked great and could tell that I'd lost a lot of weight. Mind you, prior to riding the trains together, 5 months ago, I hadn't really spoken to this guy at all...

I saw my boyfriends parents for the first time in 3 months and the first thing his mom said to me was "have you lost weight?"

I bought a pair of size 8 (29 inch) jeans from banana republic. They are still too tight, but I can get them zipped and buttoned-extremely excited to buy a size 8!! They should fit well when I lose another 5-8 pounds. Extra motivation!

I did five minutes on my mini-stair-stepper. Not much, I know, but when I first started loosing, I couldn't do ANY minutes because my knees hurt too much.

Well, this has got to be an NSV!! On the way home from work tonight, it occurred to me... I FORGOT TO EAT LUNCH TODAY!! LOL I had a little bag of snack apple slices I had eaten and this afternoon someone offered me a bit of fresh fruit. But that was not intended to be my lunch!!!

Yesterday evening I completed a 32 minute Kickboxing Cardio ADVANCED workout...might not seem like much, but that thing is viscious...but I felt wonderful afterwards...once I got my legs working again that is...;P

I bought this dress 3 weeks ago and it was super small when I tried it on(like didn't even zip at all...) I decided to buy it anyways as a mini goal dress. Well today it zips! Its wayyy too suffocating and I look like a stuffed sausage but it still zips up :D I'm hoping in maybe 2 weeks I'll be able to wear it in real life. I've noticed as I get smaller my change in sizes is way quicker....like it took AGES to get from a 12-10, But I feel like I've hardly been an 8 at all and now my 8 dresses are getting too big!

I had to take 3 bags of clothes (size 24) to Goodwill because I now wear a 14 and will NEVER need them again! Such a good feeling!

:carrot:

I realized yesterday that my butt is looking less like a shelf, and more like a butt. and a pretty decent one at that ;)

Last night I went out to dinner. I ordered a pepsi, out of habit. She brought it and I realized I didn't want it at all, so I asked her to take it back and bring me water instead :)

Wonderful reading all these great NSVs!! Thanks for sharing.

Leben, I cracked up at your "butt shelf" comment -- because I "get it." I don't really have a butt at all... but way up ABOVE where my butt should be there is a huge "something" -- I suppose shelf is as good a word as any. But it is big like a butt except right up under my waist. To top it off I have a huge stomach, so I sort of look like I am made backwards. :)

I do have a couple of NSVs.

I used to love running up and down stairs. But with my degenerative arthritis in one hip (no cartilage) I have to be really careful to avoid falling. My mind would be thinking I am going to hop right up those stair... then I would get there and be forced to hold onto the rails an take "baby steps" up and down the stairs. But as I am losing weight and seeing a chiropractor for back and shoulder pain, I am seeing a huge improvement. First I could go *down* the stairs with just lightly balancing one hand on the rail (which I will keep having to do because of the falling danger) and just going right down them. And taking "adult" steps going up a lot of them. Well, yesterday I just headed to the stairs and tried my "hop on up them" and actually *made* it... not at a running speed but I could DO it. Also I can now easily get out of the pool on the deep end ladder; I used to have to go to the shallow end steps.

Second one... I can now clip my toenails without it being a major feat! I would let them grow so long they were painful because it was so hard to do them but I just did it this morning, and it was no big deal.

The things we learn to appreciate!!! :)

Keep sharing, everyone. These are so much fun to read.

Misti, I sooooo get the thing about the toe nails! I just clipped mine an hour ago and it wasn't a strain. Grats on the stairs thing, too!

I had a couple of NSVs this week. I ordered a pair of size 20 jeans. No big deal, right? Well, to me it's a big damn deal. When I started this weight loss effort, I was wearing size 26 pants. The last time I fit into size 20 pants was 18 years ago. Eighteen years ago. :dizzy:

I also got the results of my yearly blood work. Last year, my fasting glucose indicated that I had impaired glucose tolerance. This year, my fasting glucose was in the normal range. I may have avoided type 2 Diabetes!

My cholesterol levels last year were high. They decreased by a good bit this year (34 points cholesterol, 33 points LDL). I'm still higher than normal but not by a whole lot. Woot!

Garnet, way to go! Congrat on avoiding illness.

Actually that would be an NSV for me also. Last year my stats were not so good and this last time they were all within normal range!

First time wearing a skirt out at night in probably a year and I was told that I "looked seriously hot." :)

I slipped into my jeans today (slipped, not struggled, tugged, jumped, etc) and they were comfortable! They're size 22 but lately they were feeling really tight - like, painful to button tight. Just when I feel like I haven't made any progress, too! I'm so glad for this boost.

I've been wearing some old, cheap wedding band because I can't get the real one on. Tonight, it's out with the Cracker Jack prize, in with the real wedding ring. This makes me happy. I'm sure DH is happy I lost weight, too.

Yesterday I managed to run for an hour straight without stopping. It's a goal I have had for years, I think I was a teenager when I made the goal, and I'm 22 now. I've also noticed that a jacket that I bought a couple of months ago is starting to feel a little loose. When I bought it, it was slightly too tight, and I was using it as inspiration to lose weight.

I got rid of my armpit pudge...well, by "got rid of," I mean that I followed the advice of people more saavy than I and realized that I've apparently been wearing bras 3 cup sizes too small. I was on the verge of a panic attack and/or existential crisis after, but I traded some pretty unsightly 'fat' for boobs. Let's see how long it takes my brain to adjust to THIS madness...

These are all wonderful NSVs. I love coming here and reading these and, every once in a while, being able to post one of my own!

Hotaruchan, I laughed out loud at your "existential crisis". What a way to go - arm pit pudge to boobs! Good job!