Manatee

Nothing much to report here. Going for a second* fill next week, hope that helps. I have essentially no restriction, and have been eating all sorts of bad stuff. I've gained all the way into the low 180s :ohmy: I hope to be back on track soon and kick it down to goal. *sorta...

So go hit on them. Why should the guys get all the rejection?

Kinda an old thread to bump, but I wanted to say that you're right on the money. I had a sort of revelation yesterday, and thought I'd share the blog post here: ====== I am getting tired of wearing the same 3 or 4 shirts all the time, so it was time to go get some more. A long-time browser of the discount racks, I quickly pulled out several shirts. Normally I'd go straight to the checkout, but this time I really didn't have anything pressing to do. When I tried on the first one, I was really irritated. It was obviously mislabeled, because it hung off the shoulders and bagged everywhere. I looked like I was being swallowed. Crap, I liked the color. The next one had the same problem. And then the next. At this point I was confused, because the shirts were labled the same as the one I wore into the store. So I tried on that shirt. It too was huge! Oh my! It was a 17/34, AKA Large. I think for the first time I REALLY took a look at the shirt and how it fit. I'd always focused on waist size and pants, but just kinda drifted down in size on the shirts. I ended up leaving with 3 Medium shirts, and I look a lot smaller in a shirt that fits. These don't billow out the side, and show a bit more of the shape. I've been wearing clothes to hide for so long, that I will need to relearn how to wear them to look good. I tried to get a pic with the cameraphone. It came out horribly, but that might actually be better for what I need. I can't see the face or details, and this guy in the pic doesn't look all that fat to me. :wink_smile:

Hey gang I decided to stick my in-progess shots up in one place. Roughly monthly since just before surgery killthefatman

Accidental impressionism shot, but it actually helped me out with some of my image issues. Whoever this guy is, he doesn't look like a fatass :wink_smile:

Decided to put all my monthly pics up. They are here: killthefatman

You should read the "life at goal" forum, it's not odd at all.

You can change what you are, but it's hard to change what you like. For me, tall and slender has always caught my eye, and the ex definitely fit the mold. It's no double standard to have preferences.

Yup -- "restrictor plate" is precisely how I refer to my band, and that's the mental image I used when deciding to go with it. 24, 48, 42, 55, 7, 20 ---- and to my surprise, I just put an 88 sticker on my truck, now that he's driving for the 'right' team :thumbup:

Might I suggest a fairly simple solution? I am a chronic insomniac, and have been pretty much all my life. It's gotten to the point that some nights I would just be laying there, praying for -anything- to stop the head. I've recently found that a few fingers of really good scotch helps with the sleeping, and that I'm waking up very refreshed and feeling great. Obviously there will some who will be appalled at the thought, but it works for me, and at least doesn't involve strange medicines.

I haven't yet made it to goal, but I have almost exactly the same issue. I just can't see the thin guy, and so I still interact with the world like I was the fatman. I suppose the next step is a shrink....sigh.... To the original poster, I just went through a period of a few months without a fill, and maintained the weight during the time. If you've managed to adjust your concept of portion size during your journey, you should be able to hold your own even unfilled. My endgame plan now is to get to my original goal, re-evaluate, and if I'm happy there get an unfill and up the exercise. I wish I could say I was more like Chickie and weight loss wasn't a huge part of my life, but it really has been the primary focus for me in the past year. It's time to start thinking about life outside the band.

Well this restriction might as well not exist. :tongue_smilie: We all remember that "first fill" excitement and then letdown. Doesn't change the second time through.... Still, stepping up the workout should help

So I'm 12-13 lbs from my goal of 165. I'm a guy, 5' 9". According to the charts 165 is on the top side of normal, and it was a stretch when I chose it. Now that I'm close, I'm pretty sure that I won't be concave at that level. I'm thinking of shifting it closer to 150. Did anyone else modify your goal? How did you decide what number to choose?

Busted again, lots of 403 error there and elsewhere on the site

As for me and my world-renown dating escapades, let me fill you all in. Ok, done. :tongue_smilie:

Denise, please make sure someone you trust knows who you're meeting and where, and what all his contact info it. Might want to send his profile pics to that trusted person too. I don't want to sound paranoid -- but I am. Edit: And Kate, I like your blog :tongue_smilie: Especially March 4th

Ahhhh, restriction. 4cc in my band, and I can feel the welcome pressure again. Better yet, doc has cleared me to start weight lifting again. Time to move the metal and move the number.

At some point this morning the Chat Rooms link started pointing me to a list of smilies instead of the chat. Is it broken, or did I finally irritate someone enough to ban me? :biggrin:

Melissa -- I like the Memorial Day challenge. Let's say -- 160 for me, that's only 19ish lbs and my original goal. I've been mostly flat without a fill, once I get the fill and switch to an Atkins diet for a few weeks I should be well on my way.

Finally, a fill tomorrow. Looking forward to it, I'm getting chubby. A few more weeks and I can start lifting again.

Hang tough mini! Doc took a look at the scans and decided there's no need to go in for round 3. Good for me! Now it's just a matter of not gaining too much weight before the first new fill.

Whew. I thought I was going great guns, and then I decided to take advantage of the beautiful weather. 30 minutes up on a ladder trimming tree branches just beat the bejeepers out of me. Looks like this is going to be a 2-day process :thumbup:

SElaine, feel free to check in anytime you need to. This is just a temporary setback if you want it to be. Keep strong. As for me, I'm finally back in the 170s and dropping, starting to transition to solid foods. If it ain't one thing it's another, though -- a CAT scan for something else shows that I have huge gallstones, and now the docs are debating whether I need yet another session on the table to remove the gallbladder. Apparently this is a common side effect of weight loss. Who knew?

Well, he's the one with the medical degree and 30+ years bariatric surgical experience, so I'll listen to him.

My slip was just surgically repaired. It really wasn't a big thing, and I'm recovering much faster this time. My doc says that he has never seen a band slip a second time after a surgical repair, and that's why he recommends going in and fixing them rather than using the unfill-and-wait method.