In Which I Come out of Hiding and Show my Naked Belly

[jnbwilds 0]

Ah friends....I have decided to bring my bad attitude to a close and return to you. I've been hiding away from the forum for the past 2 weeks due to:

1) "50 lbs Is Plenty syndrome" - where you decide 50 lbs is fantastic and you really don't feel like working on the next 50.

2) "PB'ing is Gross syndrome" - where you suddenly understand what restriction really is and have to learn what you can and cannot eat and contemplate eating only ice cream since it goes down so sweet and silky smooth.

3) "Plateaus Suck syndrome" - where you are embarassed that you spent $15,000 on WLS and then spend 2 weeks not losing - no, in fact fiddling around with the same 2 lbs over and over because you are working through an addiction to cream cheese.

Anyway - if you haven't had your second fill yet - watch out. That sucker is a doozy. But I think I've got it figured out and am now back on track.

Yep - I promised nudity in the title. The 3rd episode of my video blog tracking my journey has been posted and I filmed my fill. So my big old belly is flopping out for the world to see on youtube. If you like, take a peek at the link below.

Later tonight I shall brew a cuppa Decaf and then slowly read through all your lovely comments and posts that I've missed, and just soak in the support of those who can really understand. Missed you all!

[Gone4Now 4]

:blushing: I love your post. Welcome back.

I'm in that plateaus suck phase...and the ice cream goes down easier phase. Both SUCK.

[marathinner 1]

I think a lot of us have been MIA the last couple of weeks and dealing with some of the syndrome's you mentioned, Becca. Mine has been the "If I eat one more ounce of Protein I'm going to hurl" syndrome!! Ugh....I just got so turned off to Protein shakes, string cheese, and lean meats...YUCK!! I've also had a doozy of a cycle and my hormones are out of hand right now!! Fortunately, I got my third fill and that was a DOOZY for sure. "Restriction---table of one"!! I'm super-duper tight right now but fortunately, the scale is showing it.

It's great to see you back in all your glory, Becca. You are hilarious. Going to watch your video right now...you're a brave soul!!

[Lori_K 0]

Hey Becca, welcome back, great to hear from you!

I can relate to the plateau's suck syndrome . . . just came out of one! I can't wait to get to the 50 pounds syndrome though. :sad: I just had my second fill yesterday, and I can tell a difference, although I haven't had anything stuck yet . . . if I forget and take too big a gulp of Fluid, my pouch/stomach sure complains . . . "hey, take it easy up there!" :blushing:

I watched your video, you are amazing! You are definitely a natural in front of that camera. Your fill experience looks identical to mine, my doctor numbs the area first too . . . I'm glad he does!

Great job Becca, hang in there and keep swimming with us! You are an inspiration!

[renewedhope 4]

You are funny. I like you!! I can relate to all of those phases. My addiction I've been dealing with is lemon slushes, not cream cheese.< /p>

[Ezma 2]

Becca it's so great to have you back with us here. Totally understand what you're going through. I am just sick and fed up with all this dietary restriction and I need a fill bad. My second fill isn't scheduled until 5-13 so until then I'm just fighting every day to eat healthy. Today, sadly, I didn't win the fight. But tomorrow I'll get up and start over again. Think I'm gonna wait until after my fill to watch your latest episode. I think if I see the needle I'll be too freaked out for my fill.

Wonder if this is a normal stage (plateaus, frustration, wanting a break from dieting) since we're all so close in band date.

[Officeslave 0]

Hey Becca - Glad to see you back. I am needing my second fill here as well and hope it helps. I had restriction for about a week and a half and it seems to be gone. Grrr... I feel your pain.

[coolcrystal 1]

I didn't realize people actually get the numbing shot first. I've never had it and it has never hurt to get the fills. Actually, don't feel any pain at all. She told me it hurts more to get the numbing shot so I never got it. I got my third fill yesterday and finally I feel some restriction since the first fill. The second fill did NOTHING for me. I felt hungrier! I just had 4 bites of my tuna and feel completely satisfied. I hope this will last for a few weeks!

[kjeter 1]

I think you look pretty darn good! I had my fourth fill today, and my three month bandiversary is tomorrow. It feels like I'm having to fight for every pound now. I have lost 7 pounds in the past four weeks, since my last fill. Kind of disappointing, since I've been kind of counting on 10 pounds a month. I'm the most impatient and competative person in the world, so slow weight loss is very frustrating. I'm going to keep working on it, though. How tall are you, Becca? You certainly don't look like you weigh as much as your ticker says. I'm at 190 pounds now, and I don't think I look as good as you. I'm 5' 7". I had to have head shots taken for my workplace website last week, and I was disappointed to see how fat my face still is. Anyone know of any good exercises for the jowls? LOL!

[jnbwilds 0]

Aww! Thank you! Yes, I'm tall - 5'11'' actually - so I've always been able to pull off a few more pounds. Unfortunately I used that as an excuse to get all the way into the 280's. Eek!

I definately feel like I'm fighting harder for the weight loss now that I'm 3 months out. But I guess that's ok - I knew the band would just be a tool and I would still have to work it.

I don't know of any great face exercises, but if anyone hears of some - let me know! I feel the same way! I'm not sure why I still have more than one chin even though I've lost 50 lbs! Perhaps its that I was still in my 20's last time I weighed this much and now my flesh is just more wobbly! LOL!

And...Jack watched my video?!! Yay!! - Jack I love your posts. Thanks for peeking at my blog!

[Wheetsin 714]

Hint - don't do the numbing shot. It hurts much more than the tiny poke from the fill needle.

Many of us found that right around the "50 left" mark we hit a sort of involuntary complacency, where we weren't done, but we were so much better, and maybe even semi-normal... I started at nearly 400, we're the same height, so my journey to "50 left" took a while, but I still hit it. Now I'm like "35 left" and trust me, it doesn't get any better!

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,282]

Thanks Becca, as always. You are so courageous to do this, and it is appreciated!

Neck exercises... well, I do stretches in my neck and it does seem to help with the appearance of less chins, if you will. So what I do is, just totally relax first. Then take your chin and stretch it as far up as you can, feel the stretch of the skin. Remember to stay relaxed the whole time and move slowly around feeling the stretch all the way. I do about five reps, the I turn it around the other way five times. PS, pay a little extra attention to the sides, or jaw area. I usually stay there for a good two seconds then follow through to then other side, slowly.

I hope this might help some.

Edited May 1, 2008 by LilMissDiva

[Mom2_4 0]

Great post! I can't agree with you more with the PB'ing is Gross syndrome. Just had my doozy of a second fill as well. Glad you are doing so well.

[ReadySteadyGo 8]

Welcome back Becca. Missed you.

[Ezma 2]

It was great Becca. I actually watched it before my fill and wasn't freaked out. The needle didn't look that big. My hubby told me the one they used was really big. I did notice that your doctor does the same thing mine does, pokes around over and over. Must be something they all do to make sure they are in the right place.

Thanks for doing the video blog!