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About this blog

The things I learned pre and post surgery

Entries in this blog

 

Quick FAQs - Can I eat ____ After (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

Can I eat (insert food here) after Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy WLS surgery? The answer is... most likely. It's really going to depend on the person and how you have healed. I have not found any food that I could not eat, once I was back on full foods post-op. Surprisingly, the processed foods/snack foods/fast food was the easiest to digest. It was the healthy foods - boneless skinless chicken breasts, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, pineapple, apples and grapes that gave me trouble up until about the 6 month mark. At 9 months post-op, I can eat anything I want with only the occasional stomach growl.

The best NSV post-op is that I have not wanted all those processed/fast foods that I craved pre-surgery. I can honestly say that I don't even think about going out for pizza or hamburgers any more. So if you're worried about not being able to eat your favorite foods post-op, you may come to realize that post-op you don't WANT to eat them ever again. :-)
joatsaint

joatsaint

2
 

Quick FAQs Weight Loss Surgery - To Tell or Not To Tell

The most controversial question I see on the weight loss surgery forums is, "Should I tell anyone that I'm having weight loss surgery?" And the answer is really up to you. It really depends on if you have a good group of friends and family that support your decisions or are you going to be the target of office gossip? Just remember, you can always tell someone about your WLS, you can't untell them.
joatsaint

joatsaint

2
 

You Don't Have to Be Perfect to Lose Weight

I can tell you from 13 months of experience post-op that you do not have to eat perfectly to lose weight. I believe too many people are under the assumption that they can't have this or a bite of that ever again. I can't live with that kind of thinking. It only makes me obsess about what I can't have.   Do you think you have to be perfect in your diet and exercise goals? Try this experiment: Being rigid is similar to holding your breath, keep holding it, don't blow it out yet, hold it, okay, now blow it out. You probably blew it out with a lot of force because you held it for longer than you felt comfortable.   Rigid dieting and exercise are like a tightly wound spring that eventually has to release. It's very important that you begin your healthier lifestyle with an understanding that there will be days when you will stray from healthy eating and exercising. You will not be perfect in your diet and exercise program, nor should you be.   Before you begin a diet and exercise program, tell yourself that no matter what happens, rather than abandoning your new lifestyle, you'll resume your healthy habits as soon as you can. You do not have to wait until the following Monday, the first day of the next month or next year. Don't want until the next day; start again with your next meal. You always have an opportunity for a fresh start to get right back on track with your healthy habits continuing to move to your weight loss goals.   It is equally important that you feel confident, not guilty, about doing so. Whatever the temptation or obstacle is, keep in mind that it's not wrong or bad to eat fattening foods once in a while or to miss a workout. Just remember to resume your healthy lifestyle as soon as possible afterward. If you keep moving forward and you don't let guilt and discouragement stop your program all together, you'll eventually have improved eating and exercise habits - with great results and success in your weight loss and health goals.   With this approach, there is no such thing as "cheating." When we feel we are cheating, we often punish ourselves; we will feel guilt, frustration and as though we've failed. We also get into the perfectionist thinking. We can't have this or that ever again and if we stray, then we've blown it. Replacing the negative concept of cheating with the idea of "straying temporarily from healthy habits" takes away the all-or-nothing emphasis of right and wrong. If you treat every deviation from your plan as a failure, you won't get very far. Substituting the idea of a brief straying away from your plan instead of feeling guilty, and learning to return more and more quickly to healthier habits, is more realistic. It's also easier and more enjoyable - today and in the long-run.   If you don't allow any opportunity to vary your eating and exercise and go into all or nothing thinking, you don't practice moderation and balance. Healthy habits of diet and fitness are most success when you don't think of them as success or failure. It is progress and not perfection. Practice healthy habits more times than you don't. Think in terms of the 80/20 guidelines. 80% of the time, you eat according to your healthy nutritional program and are active; 20% of the time, you relax your guidelines. This allows for balance and living your life in a healthy, easier mode of moderation.     Cathy Wilson is a certified life coach specializing in weight loss. Cathy lost 147 pounds seven years ago. Her passion is to help clients achieve weight loss and life goals. Cathy works with clients to create a weight loss life plan custom to each client. Cathy is a member of the International Coaching Federation, International Association of Coaches, and Obesity Action Coalition. Visit Cathy's website: LoseWeightFindLife.com
joatsaint

joatsaint

2
 

3 Weeks Pre Surgery

******************************************************************************************************************* Update:5/23/2013 Man, reading these old blog entries is strange. It's only been 5 months and I'd forgotten almost everything that happened pre-surgery.   After these few months post-op, it just seems that I've "always" been living this way and my previous lifestyle never happened. I feel like I've "always" eaten such small portions and could walk away from food. I've "always" gotten out and walked around. I've "always" had a positive attitude and energy.   Anyone else feel this way?   *******************************************************************************************************************   Being my first blog entry, I plan on keeping it short and sweet. I'm about 3 weeks pre surgery. Had my psych eval, NUT counciling, chest x-ray, liver/kidney ultarsound, blood work and EDG. I am going in this Sat. for the pre-surgery diet counciling.   Expected surgery date is 12/27/2012. I am on the "fast track" for surgery. Got the insurance approval in just 2 weeks.   So far my out of pocket expences have been about $3000.00, that includes the doctor's office visit and tests at the hospital and gas going back and forth (my docotor and hospital are 2 hours away.)
joatsaint

joatsaint

2
 

Dealing With Setbacks or Climb Down Off The Cross, Build a Bridge With The Wood and Get Over It!

This post is just goes to show that even Sleeve veterans aren't perfect. The key is to look at a setback as a delay, not a permanent failure, and get back on track.   I was trying to stay low-carb till I lost about 20lbs, but I fell off the wagon this morning. Over the Thanksgiving week, I gained about 5 lbs and was up to 220 lbs in 5 days - probably from all the salt. So I went back to what's worked in the past, low-carb eating - lean protein (pork loin) and a few vegetables (squash, cauliflower).   Low-carbing worked well, I lost the excess water plus a few pounds. In 6 days I've lost 9.6 lbs. But the stress from work has been pretty overwhelming these past few days. And when I came into work this morning, there was a fresh hot box of donuts waiting in the kitchen. I started to limit myself to 1, but then though about how good I was going to feel when I ate them. So I got 2... Go BIG or Go HOME! and enjoyed every bite!!!!!   Will those 2 donuts affect my weight? Probably not, as long as I don't continue eating junk every day. Will it cause my weight loss to stall? I'll know soon enough, the scale will tell me tomorrow morning.   P.S. I'll be back on pork loin and cauliflower for lunch today.   Keep Pimpin' That Sleeve!!!!   Randy   UPDATE: 12/08/2014 Well, eating the donuts plus my "cheat" meal on Saturday night, I woke up on Sunday morning weighing 1.4lbs heavier. But I got back on my diet on Sunday and Monday (today). I lost the weight and weigh the same as I did last Friday (the day before I ate the donuts). I'm back down to 210.4 Now let's see if I can finally break 200lbs. 2nd UPDATE: 12/10/2014 Hit an all time new low today, 208.2 lbs. Still sticking to my diet.   3rd UPDATE: 12/13/2014 Still low-carbing (sorta) Hit another all time low this morning - 206 lbs.   Haven't been that low since high school (38 years ago). My diet revolves around eating pork loin and Raisin Bran (I eat Raisin Bran cause they give it to us free at work) and coffee (loaded with creamer and Splenda). And I'm taking Puritans Pride "Green Source" whole food vitamins made from whole food concentrates. I swear these vitamins make me feel so much better than any other vitamin I've taken.   I take the vitamins first thing in the morning. If I take them in the evening, I have so much energy I have a hard time sleeping.   During the day, I usually eat about 2 cups of shredded pork loin and 2 snacks - Raisin Bran (dry - I eat it straight up like trail mix in a cup - I have a 12oz cup and fill it halfway).   And 2 cups of shredded pork loin in the evening after work. (Although I did have some spaghetti I was rationing out over the week - I'd have 1 cup of pork loin and 2 cups of spaghetti).   It's Saturday, the cheat meal day. Let's see if I gain weight overnight from eating pizza.   4th UPDATE: 12/14/2014 Sunday morning update. After pigging out on Mexican food and drinking 2 16oz Mike's Harder Lemonades Sat night, I'm up 1.4 lbs. I weighted in at 207.8 this morning vs. 206.4 yesterday.   OMG!!!! I'm getting so FAT!!! (can you hear the panic in my typing or is that sarcasm? ) My old pre-surgery self only dreamed of being 207.8 lbs.   BEFORE:   AFTER:   5th Update: 12/17/2014 Wednesday and I'm at a new all time low - 205.6 lbs. I'd like to get to 199, just to see how it feels, but I may let myself cheat a little extra over Xmas and "balloon" back up to 210. Then go for 199 again, starting on the 26th.   But who knows. I never expected to get below 200. And 2 years ago, my doc said I should realistically expect to hang around 225 - 235 in the long term. So hitting 205 and staying there would be fine with me.   One side effect of eating low-carb, once I got the sugar out of my system, I no longer have the head hunger that literally drove me to overeating. And you would think that something as innocent as apples and bananas wouldn't trigger carb cravings, but they do trigger carb cravings in me.   6th Update: 12/19/2014 Friday and still holding at 204.4lbs, not going up, not going down. But the weather and sinuses haven't let me get out and walk off some extra calories. Still low-carbing, no carb cravings and eating well. Been at 204 - 205 lbs for at least 2 days in a row, so I can mark it as official, I weigh 205. - (I only count a new low in my weight if I have sustained it for at least 2 days!) :-)   7th Update: 12/28/2014 Well, after the Xmas splurge, I woke up weighing 211.4 lbs on Dec 27th. Nothing really unexpected after I ate all that salty ham and had plenty of pecan pie. So I'll see what happens when I go back to low-carbing on Monday and get all that salt out of my system.   8th Update: 12/30/2014 2nd day back on the low-carb diet. I'm was at 209.2 this morning and weighed in at 210.0 after work. So it just bolsters my feeling that all the salt from eating smoked ham was causing me to hold water weight and is now exiting my system.   If you're interested, I'm back to eating pork loin w/my low-carb bbq sauce, and (2) 1/2 cup servings of dry Raisin Bran cereal during the day. I did eat a bag of Snapea Crisps (about 400 calories/100 grams of carbs) on Sunday, but it doesn't seem to have affected my weight loss.   9th Update: 02/01/2015 Still eating my regular old routine of pork and bbq sauce, Raisin Bran and cauliflower and brussell sprouts. My weigh is staying steady at 204 - 205 since the 2nd week of Jan 2015. Just have to watch how much of the Raisin Bran I let myself eat. My new job keeps me moving all day and I tend to want to eat more because of it.
joatsaint

joatsaint

2
 

Quick FAQs (VSG) How Often Do You Weigh Post Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery Frequently Asked Questions - How often do you weight yourself after weight loss surgery? It really depends on the person and how well they can handle seeing the scale going up and down. I am more *cough cough* obsessive about it than most people. I tend to weight myself when I first get up, then again after a poop, then after I pee, and then again after work or exercising.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve  
joatsaint

joatsaint

2
 

BBQ Sauce - Low Carb - My New Favorite Sauce

UPDATE: 1/2/2015 After creating this BBQ sauce many times, I must caution everyone to let this stuff sit and cool after cooking - for an hour or so. Let the flavors meld together. I've found that when I taste test this sauce before it's had a time to set, it has a weird flavor. It gets even better if left to set overnight - even if it's already mixed into my food.       Hey guys,   I've been using this sauce for at least 4 meals a day for the past 2 weeks. And it tastes great!   I was searching for a replacement for my favorite Kraft BBQ sauce (since it has sugar in it ) and I ran across this one. It had rave reviews and it tastes really good. I'll need to tweak it a few times to get that sweet/tangy flavor I like so much, but for a good low-carb BBQ sauce, this one works well. The best part was, I already had most of the ingredients on hand (you probably do too).   2 Tablespoons is 12 calories vs. 60 calories for the equivalent Kraft BBQ sauce.     Indispensable Almost No Carb Barbecue Sauce This isn't a substitute for the "real thing," it's an improvement. It's so good the rest of the family gobbles it up and I have to keep making more.   3/8 cup vinegar 1 1/2 cup tomato sauce. (1 15 oz can) Don't buy a tomato sauce that has spices or flavorings in it! 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 tablespoon yellow hot dog mustard 3/4 tablespoon Franks Hot Sauce (the chicken wing sauce) 3/4 tablespoon salt (optional) 1 dash cayenne pepper. Go easy!!!! 3 teaspoons lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring 6 teaspoons Splenda or 18 drops of Liquid Splenda   Optional Things I've Tried and Liked: Instead of 6 tsp Splenda, I tried 3 tsp Splenda, 3 tsp brown sugar - it really gave the sauce "body" and flavor. Toss in 2 or 3 tablespoons of garlic powder Toss in 2 or 3 tablespoons of onion powder Double up on Franks Hot Sauce - I don't find Franks very hot, and I like the flavor Use Apple Cider Vinegar instead of White Vinegar Add 1/3 can of tomato paste   Add vinegar and all other ingredients except mustard to a sauce pan and slowly heat. Put mustard in a cup and slowly stir in a couple tablespoons of sauce until well blended. Then add mustard mixture back to sauce in pan.     Bring to a boil, and lower heat. Let simmer for a 15 minutes. Let cool, then refrigerate till cold then serve.   Note: this sauce might taste a bit peculiar if you taste it when it is still hot. Don't worry! Something magical happens when it sits in the fridge. And it only gets better overnight!!!     Carbohydrates per Serving (1 tablespoon): Less than 1 gram. Half an ounce is 1 gm carbs, 6 calories.   Source: http://www.phlaunt.com/lowcarb/19060001.php
joatsaint

joatsaint

1
 

Eating Out Post-Op

My best friend asked my how eating out was going to change post-op. We had been eating out every Sat. night for years and we always went to buffet type places.   I told him that nothing was going to change as far as I was concerned. I went out to eat with him for the company, not for the food. And as far as I was concerned, the $12 - $20 bucks I spent each week was nothing that would change my quality of life, so I didn't care about getting my money's worth.   I wish I had taken a picture of my plate the 1st time I went to a restaurant post-op. I think I had 1 fajita chicken strip, 1 tablespoon of guacamole, 1 tablespoon of refried beans... and I couldn't finish all of it.   Here's a before and after photo from last weeks trip to the buffet. . BEFORE:   AFTER:
joatsaint

joatsaint

1
 

5 Minute Review - ISOPURE Whey Protein Isolate

I review ISOPURE Whey Protein Isolate, why I use it and how you can use whey protein to boost the protein levels in your recipes.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

1
 

Taste Buds/Sense of Smell Change After Weight Loss Surgery

My sense of taste was out of whack for a few months post-op. And I've seen the question about changes in the way food tastes come up quite often on the board. This article was posted on WebMD - a UK hospital has evidence that it is pretty common to experience changes in the way things taste and smell after bariatric surgery.   My personal theory is that since we are literally forced to give up sugar (between the pre-op diet and going through the food stages post-op), our sense of taste is reset and we're no longer under the influence of sugar and processed foods.     Taste Changes Reported After Weight-Loss Surgery Sense of smell also altered for some patients in British study   WebMD News from HealthDay By Robert Preidt HealthDay Reporter   FRIDAY, April 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- After weight-loss surgery, many patients report changes in appetite, taste and smell, a new study says. One positive aspect of these changes is that they may lead patients to lose even more weight, the researchers suggested.   The study included 103 British patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, in which the stomach is made smaller and the small intestines is shortened. Of those, 97 percent said their appetite changed after the surgery, and 42 percent said their sense of smell changed. Taste changes occurred in 73 percent of the patients, especially when it came to sweet and sour tastes, the researchers found. They especially noted changes in the taste of chicken, beef, pork, roast meat, lamb, sausages, fish, fast food, chocolate, greasy food, pasta and rice.   Nearly three-quarters of patients said they developed a dislike of certain foods, especially meat products. One-third avoided chicken, minced beef, beef steak, lamb, sausages, bacon or ham.   About 12 percent had an aversion to starches such as rice, pasta, bread and pastry and for dairy products such as cream, cheese, ice cream and eggs, 4 percent to vegetables, 3 percent to fruit and 1 percent to canned fish.   The researchers also found that patients with a newly developed distaste for certain foods lost an average of nearly 18 pounds more after their surgery than those whose taste wasn't affected, according to the study recently published online in the journal Obesity Surgery.   Although the study found an association between weight-loss surgery and sensory changes, it did not establish cause-and-effect.   The taste and smell changes experienced by many patients after weight-loss surgery may be due to a combination of gut hormone and central nervous system effects, according to lead author Lisa Graham, of the Leicester Royal Infirmary.   She noted that patients considering weight-loss surgery are typically told about the possible loss of taste and smell.   http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/news/20140418/appetite-taste-changes-reported-after-weight-loss-surgery
joatsaint

joatsaint

1
 

Like Throwing Bricks Into The Grand Canyon or One Of Those Days – My Stomach Is A Bottomless Pit

Today was one of those scary days were it seemed like I just never got enough to eat. I have days like this on occasion and don’t really know what triggers them. I haven’t strayed from eating “good” foods, so I don’t think it has anything to do with the foods that trigger my hunger monster.   But, the amount of food I have been able to eat is really starting to scare me. With everything I’ve eaten, I definitely feel full, but the feeling doesn't seem to last but an hour or so.   So to combat those feeling of “I’m going to obsess about eating until I’ve eaten something,” I keep plenty of lean protein in the house. Grilled chicken breast, grilled pork loin and plenty of low sugar sauces. I don’t keep any temptations in the house to ward against days like this. Maybe I need a WLS voodoo doll with pictures of bad food and pins stuck through them.   I really started thinking about how and what I've been eating. And I have read the warning stories about people regaining their weight after surgery and it is a really scary feeling. I would never forgive myself for having gone through all this just to gain all the weight back.   So, I've set some limits on myself. Not so strict as to feel deprived, but not so loose as to let myself get out of control.   I will eat healthy food first. Protein/vegs/fiber every day.   I will let myself try a dessert, but never eat more than a bite or two. (And by bite, I don’t mean “as much of the cookie as will fit into my mouth at one time” bite. :-P)   I will not bring unhealthy food into the house. If I want something that bad, I’ll have to get off my butt and drive to the store. Most times, the craving does not overrule my need to stay camped out in front of the TV in my underwear or by the time I DO get there, the “craving” has worn off.   I will make my own lunches to bring to work. That way, I can’t rationalize going out to eat and making food bad choices, convincing myself that eating healthy food costs too much.   I’m trying to be realistic and know that I’m not always going to be faithful. But having the rules reminds me to stop and think before making a food choice. It’s a tool, just like WLS.   Knowing that I am allowed to eat SOME bad stuff removes the stress of “I can’t ever have that again!”   Knowing that I CAN eat a little of anything puts the power back in my hands and puts the responsibility on my shoulders to CHOOSE to eat the right way. It is empowering to feel like I am allowed to eat anything I want, but it’s my CHOICE to pick a different food option.   I like this new lifestyle and after 5 months of hating to get out and walk, I am beginning to WANT to go on daily walks. Although I don’t necessarily like them, I do like seeing the scale drop and my energy level go up!   Keep Pimpin that Sleeve!
joatsaint

joatsaint

1
 

Stealth Workouts - Oh No He Did'nt or Sneaky Ways To Trick Yourself Into Exercising

I don't like exercise. I don't get that post workout rush so many people talk about. "Oh, I have so much energy after a workout." I call B.S. I think this is a buch of hype created by marketers, much like women who've had children encouraging other women to have kids by saying, "Oh, childbirth is painful, but it's the kind of pain you forget." Yeah, right! They just want you to suffer like they did. :-P   So post-op, I had to figure out how to get in some exercise without thinking I was really exercising. Here are the ways I've been able to sneak in more exercise without really exercising:   Parking far away from the entrance at the mall or superstores. If you've ever been to a mall or Super-Wal-Mart, you know what I'm talking about.   Wearing a backpack to work. I started using an old backpack as my lunch box after my old lunch box became overflowing with vitamins, protein powders and shaker bottles. It was an old one I had bought a few years ago when I went to college. It still had the school supplies (pens, pencils, calculator, screwdrives, and floppy disks (yes! we still used 3.5" floppies in 2005!)) and one of my old school books. The book weighs about 5lbs and I just left everythinging in the bag. It probably weighs around 20lbs with all my junk in it. I park at the far end of my office parking lot and wear it into work. It's almost a thousand feet from my car to my office. Do that twice a day and I've gotten in almost an extra quarter mile of walking. That's a sneaky way of burning a few extra calories without really exercising. Now if only I could get Security to let me walk up the stairwell to my office. :-P   Bathroom workouts - squats, wall push-ups. Another sneaky way to slip in a little extra exercise is to workout in the bathroom. Each bathroom break, I do 40 wall push-ups and 15 squats.   It's easy if you have a handicap stall. The one in my office has handrails that are perfect for using my arms to help support my weight when I do toilet seat squats. They're really simple, I stand up and sit down on the toilet, trying to use my legs (and not my arms) as much as possible.   The wall push-ups are really simple as well. I stand as far away from the wall as I can - and still be able to lean forward safely. I lean forward with my hands about shoulder width apart and rest my weight on my hands. Then do a push-up, 1 second down, 1 second to complete the up motion. I started out at 10 push-ups and now 2 months later I can easily do 40, 2 to 4 times a day.   Stairwell workout. My office moved from a single story building to a multi-story office building in January. Now I have access to the stairwell on the 5th floor. I walk down to the 1st floor and time myself going back up to the 5th. A round trip takes approximately 5 minutes. Do that 2 or 3 times a day and you can build some endurance in the legs.   Walking the long way around the building. My office is pretty big and is shaped like a baseball diamond, so no matter which direction I turn when I leave my office, I can make a loop around the building and get back where I started. So I always make a complete loop around my floor whenever I leave my office. Or if I have the time, I make a loop on the 5th floor, walk down to the 4th, make a loop there and walk back up to the 5th. Pretty sneaky, huh?   So these are some ways I have been able to sneak in some extra exercise without it really feeling like I'm exercising. Hopefully, you will take some inspiration from my tricks to find your own ways of working just a little more exercise into your life.   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!  
joatsaint

joatsaint

1
 

Quick FAQs - How Soon Can I Have Sex After Surgery?

I gotta tell ya that post-op, I didn't even think about having sex for at least the 1st hour! :-P But seriously, I was in so much pain for the 1st 8 or 9 days that all I ever thought about was, "When will this stop hurting?!!!!!!!"

But others had a much easier post-op recovery than I did, but it still surprised me how often this question is asked in both the men's and women's private forums. And as always, go with your doctor's instructions 1st - if he told you. If he didn't or you can't wait, just be careful and don't doing anything too acrobatic that might stretch your staples or stitches.

Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!
joatsaint

joatsaint

0
 

Junk Food Companies Are Engineering Foods That Create Cravings!

I thought this was another great article on how on one hand, we're being scolded and treated as outcasts for being fat, and at the same time, food companies are engineering foods that are designed to create cravings and make us fatter.

I am all for taking personal responsibility, but at some point you have to realize they are targeting us and creating products that overwhelm our natural eating stopping point and creating a craving for unhealthy foods. The only way to strike back at these companies is to quit buying their products!


According to Michael Moss, the Pulitzer prizing-winning reporter and author of the new book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us, (Check out the video below) executives at the major food behemoths – Kraft, General Mills, and Nestle – have known for years that the sugar, salt and fat added to their cereals, soups, tomato sauces and hundreds of other food products have put millions of individuals’ health at risk. But the quest for bigger profits and a larger share of the consumer market has compelled the processed food industry to turn a blind eye to the dangers and consequences of eating those very products.

How do the food giants trick consumers? Moss gives several examples: “At Cargill, scientists are altering the physical shape of salt, pulverizing it into a fine powder to hit the taste buds faster and harder, improving what the company calls its ‘flavor burst.’”“Scientists at Nestle are currently fiddling with the distribution and shape of fat globules to affect their absorption rate and, as it’s known in the industry, ‘their mouthfeel.’” “To make a new soda guaranteed to create a craving requires the high math of regression analysis and intricate charts to plot what industry insiders call the “bliss point,” or the precise amount of sugar or fat that will send consumers over the moon.” http://finance.yahoo...-132949611.html
   
 
 
joatsaint

joatsaint

0
 

Can I Stretch My Sleeve

How hard is it to stretch my sleeve? This question comes up a lot on the WLS board, so I wanted to share my experience - looking back after 2 years post-surgery.   I was worried about stretching my sleeve pre-surgery. I didn't want to go through all of this and then have the possiblity of gaining all the weight back. From everything I've read, the stretchy part of the stomach (unlike the RNY pouch) is almost completely removed and only the tough non-stretchy part remains.   How Easy Is It To Stretch Your Sleeve I can tell you from 2 years of experience, you will know when you're beginning to stretch your sleeve - you will not like the feeling and avoid doing it in the future!! During the 1st few months, when I would get close to stretching my sleeve, it would hurt like Hell! On the occassion that I do begin to stretch it now, it is merely really uncomfortable.   How to Much Can You Safetly Eat I learned real quick how much I could eat in one meal. I started using a small plastic bowl for every meal. I'd fill it up and know that's how much I could saftely eat. I started with a 1/2 cup bowl for about the 1st 9 months. At 1 year, I moved to a 1 cup bowl, and I've been at 1 to 1 1/2 cups per meal for the last year.   Signs You're Getting Full I am aware of the signs that I'm getting full - feeling bubbles moving around the food in my sleeve or feeling a poking sensation in my chest where the sleeve and throat meet. The days of that good old, "Ohhhh, I'm sooooo full" stretched stomach feeling are gone for good. And I dont miss it one bit!!!!!!!!   I'm sure if someone really worked at it, they could stretch their sleeve. After all, it is tissue, tendons and ligaments can be stretched and lengthened over time. But they would not be enjoying the sleeve stretching process at all.
joatsaint

joatsaint

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The EndoBarrier or How You Too Can Line Your Intestines with a Trash Bag

Just saw the article on this new device today. I'm thinking with enough determination I could install a Hefty bag in my colon all by myself! :-P       Printed from: Boston Herald (http://bostonherald.com)   Device aids weight loss Saturday, March 8, 2014 -- Anonymous (not verified)       Replaces surgery by lowering blood sugars Healthcare Sections: Sunday, March 9, 2014 Author(s):   Marie Szaniszlo       Doctors at three Massachusetts hospitals are recruiting people battling Type 2 diabetes and obesity for a clinical trial of a medical device that has been approved in other countries to reduce blood sugar and body weight without the need for the kind of weight-loss surgery that more than 200,000 Americans undergo each year.   Made by Lexington-based GI Dynamics, the EndoBarrier is a thin, flexible, tube-shaped liner placed via the mouth during a brief endoscopic procedure and inserted in the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine, just beyond the stomach, said Dr. Lee M. Kaplan, the trial’s lead investigator and director of the Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.   “The food you eat goes down the middle of the tube,” Kaplan said, “but the tube blocks interactions between the food and hormone secretions,” which can affect insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, satiety and food intake.   In commercial use outside the U.S., the device has been shown to achieve as much as a 30 percent reduction in glucose levels within the first week and a 10 percent to 20 percent body-weight loss within the 12-month period for which it has been approved for use in countries including England, France, Germany and Australia, said Stuart Randle, GI Dynamics’ president and CEO.   “No one yet knows why, when you bypass the first section of the intestine, these hormones change so dramatically and so immediately,” Randle said.   The U.S. trial, which currently is enrolling people at 22 sites, including MGH, Boston Medical Center and UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, will end in two years and, if it shows that the EndoBarrier is safe and effective, the Food and Drug Administration could approve the device in about a year.   If it does, the EndoBarrier could offer new hope to the 26 million people who have been diagnosed with diabetes in this country, including approximately 360,000 adults in Massachusetts, where the disease each week causes an average of 22 deaths, 38 lower-leg amputations, 13 new cases of end-stage renal disease and five new 
cases of blindness, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.   “Obesity and diabetes are twin epidemics that remain out of control, and while we have good medical therapies for diabetes and some good therapies for obesity, they don’t always work,” Kaplan said. “For those patients who need additional therapy, this device may provide a valuable new option. But testing it is critical.”     Source URL: http://bostonherald.com/business/healthcare/2014/03/device_aids_weight_loss
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs - What Can I Eat After (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

Frequently Asked Question: How do I transition to full foods from the puree diet? As I healed from (VSG) weight loss surgery. I came up with a simple test that let me know almost immediately if my stomach was going to tolerate a new food.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs - How Much Can You Eat After (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

Here's joatsaint and Frankensleeve coming at you with another (VSG) weight loss surgery Frequently Asked Question. How much can you eat after weight loss surgery?   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs How To Break A Stall (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

We all dread it, the stall or plateau. That thing that we all have to go through when losing weight.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs Changes to Expect post (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

Today's Frequently Asked Question is: What changes can I expect post weight loss surgery? Here I list the changes I have noticed the most and how I deal with them.   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs Pre-Op (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery Tests

Weight Loss Surgery Frequently Asked Questions:What tests do you take before being approved for weight loss surgery? https://www.youtube.com/user/Frankensleeve/videos   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs Taking The Psychological Evaluation for (VSG) Weight Loss Surgery

This Frequently Asked Question: What happened when I took the weight loss surgery psychological evaluation? https://www.youtube.com/user/Frankensleeve/videos   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Quick FAQs Weight Loss Surgery (VSG) Post Op Pain

Weight Loss Surgery Frequently Asked Questions: How much pain can I expect after weight loss surgery? https://www.youtube.com/user/Frankensleeve/videos   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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Weight Loss Surgery (VSG) TMI Do You Weigh After A Poop?

Weight Loss Surgery (VSG) TMI Do You Weigh After A Poop? You are not alone!   If you like/dislike my videos, please thumb up or down, and leave a comment about how I could improve the content. Your input helps me become a better Youtuber. :-)   Keep Pimpin' that Sleeve!   Google Plus https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/102076899634252886094/102076899634252886094/posts/p/pub   Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Frankensleeve-Vertical-Sleeve-Gastrectomy-VSG-Community/289332951205311   Twitter https://twitter.com/frankensleeve
joatsaint

joatsaint

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