First "first"

OK - for most of you, this will be "old hat" by now...  But I'm still in the pre-surgery weight loss campaign, so it's "early days" for me...  This morning, I weighed myself (yeah, I know - quit looking at the scale every day!) and I hadn't lost anything from yesterday.  I've lost 19 lbs in the 2 weeks I've been following the plan, so I can't complain, but...  After several days of 1, 2, or 3 lbs lost, this felt like a setback, and I was kind of disappointed. 

Anyway, I went to the closet, and there, hanging next to my usual work pants, was a pair of jeans that I haven't been able to wear in about 2-3 years.  Just for the heck of it, I tried them on, and - surprise - they actually FIT!  I've been noticing that my other pants were a bit looser in the waist and legs, but hadn't realized that it was a "measurable" difference yet.  Needless to say, I got "jazzed" about it, and decided to wear them to work (casual Friday). 

Sometimes, you have to take victories where you find them.  Today, the scale said I hadn't "won" the battle, but the jeans said otherwise.  I realize that there will be a lot more days like this ahead, when I won't make the progress I really want to make in the "losing" department.  The trick for me will be to remember that I'm "winning" in lots of other ways - reducing my blood pressure, getting rid of my borderline diabetes, and so forth...

Hercules mentioned in his post about his trip to Gettysburg that he is still surprised at what he can do now that he couldn't do just a few months ago.  I'm really looking forward to that feeling.  Today was just a baby step, but I'm "on my way" now, and nothing is going to stop me!

 Hey Jim - first CONGRATS on a "Non-Scale" Victory or what's known on the Men's board as a F.A.R.T. (Freekin, Awesome, Real, Triumph!)  (Somebody correct me if I've got that wrong)...

Anyway, we all quickly learn the scale is not always the best way measure our progress.  As you progress and start loosing FAT and gaining muscle through exercise, you can actually stay the same or even gain on the scale...BUT, the muscle mass burns more calories and you are healthier.

I am 6 months post-op and have been "stalled" on the scales for about a month.  HOWEVER, I dropped another pant and shirt size in that month.  In that same month, I've been able to run a 5K in less than 30 minutes.

So yes!, enjoy those Victories, Non-Scale or F.A.R.T.s and continue to share them with us! 

We like to F.A.R.T....alot!!

Congrats!

F.A.R.T. = Fantastic.  Awesome.  Remarkable.  Terriffic.

FART's, NSV's or just plain "Holy ****!" moments are half the fun of the WLS journey.  It will also but a twist on your head!  Wearing sizes you have not worn since high school, fitting in an air plane seat w/o an extender, riding a roller coaster, walking, biking, running, finding your "junk" w/o a mirror, playing longer with the kids or grandkids all these things have been mentioned as events in Men's lives as things they have gotten back since losing weight.  It is a ride that the amusement park ride designers can't duplicate!  Strap in!

 Don - thanks for the correction on the F.A.R.T.!!!  I knew I had it wrong and someone would correct it!

Have seen the original thread where the acronym was created.  Maybe Mr. Williams will put the link up again.  One of the other suggestions was the word "B.O.N.E.R."  Stood for Big Occurrence Now Every Rejoice.  As in "I had a huge B.O.N.E.R. today at the amusement park today when I got on the roller coaster!"  

I have a love / hate relationship with the scale. It's a very nice digital scale from Weigh****chers. But, I've noticed that I always weigh more in the evenings than first thing in the morning.

Since all I've done all night is sleep, why is there always a difference in the morning?? And, I also noticed that I need to weight myself 3-4 times within a matter of minutes and believe the consistent weight. The first time I step on the scale, it always seems to be a little "heavy". But, the next couple of times it seems to be accurate and consistent.

But, I've got to agree with you that even when the scales don't move I can see a differences in the measurements or clothes.

Welcome, and enjoy those moments, whatever you call them. They are great, and there will be a lot of them. Some people recommend throwing away your scale early on, since it is not always your friend. I can't do that. I am a daily weigher. I have no idea how I can lose 6 lbs one week and nothing the next, but the body will do what the body will do. I remember on the way up, it was those weeks where the scale didn't move that I used to "prove" to myself that I wasn't that out of control or that I wasn't really getting any bigger. I loved stalls on the way up. On the way down, not so much.

Sounds like you are off to a good start. Keep up the good work. A piece of advice: start saving now. Your clothes budget is about to shoot through the roof. I gave away 6 bags of clothes to charity recently and now the current pants are getting big.

Yep, after wearing the jeans for a couple of days, I put my "work slacks" on this morning, and realized that I won't be wearing them much longer - unless I want to wear them around my ankles!  Fortunately, I've got a couple pair of nice trousers and shirts that are a size smaller that I should be fitting into any day now.  (You know - those Egyptian shirts we all have... From our trips to "De Nile"?)  But I've come to grips with the idea that I'll be shopping a lot more than I'm used to...  I'm looking forward to the day I can just walk into a regular store and find stuff that fits!

PS - Went to the movie theater with my daughter last night to see "Secretariat" (excellent movie, by the way), and stopped off on the way home to tour a fitness center.  Extremely nice, but a bit pricey for me, and WAY overkill for my current fitness level.  (Maybe I'll make joining that place a "reward" for making one of my intermediate goal weights.)  Meantime, I'm looking at a couple of less fancy (and less expensive) places, which will still have way more equipment than I'll be able to make use of for a while...  This is quite an adventure!

 Yea Jim - the clothes stuff is really a head rush!  I went through most of my "Egyptian" (love that) stuff then shopped the clearance racks at Kohls.  I still am slow to spend too much on "good" clothes as my body is still changing.

As far as Fitness Center, I really like SNAP FITNESS.  Don't know if you have one in your area.  They are open 24/7 via Key/Card access.  They have a month-to-month membership, no long contracts.  With my insurance, which has a wellness benefit, they also waived the initiation fee.  They have all the needed equipment as you progress.  That is a very nice reward for yourself. 

It is a great adventure...as someone else posted on the Men's board, much better than any ride Disney or anyone else could come up with!  Enjoy the Ride!!!

Jim, congratulations on your success.  I would like to make one suggestion, really try to only weigh yourself once a week or less for the first 9 months post opp.  Make this one of your goals, and it will make your rapid weight loss period much more bearable.  I was only weighed at my NUT 3 and 6 month appointments and I didn't have the daily worry weather this was working, or done working or not.  I know that once a month or every 3 months is very hard for most, but I believe that weekly should be attainable.  After WLS the mental challenge is much greater than the physical challenge so anything you can do to stay on an even keel should be a goal.

Good luck with your surgery and we welcome you to the Men's Forum.