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1. Hummus. Despite being made from chickpeas, the average store bought hummus has only 1 gram of protein per tablespoon. Instead, opt for homemade hummus, homemade black bean dip or homemade Tzatziki (made with Greek yogurt) as dips for your veggies. All of these dips are significantly higher in protein when made at home compared to their store-bought counterparts. 2. Chicken broth. Surprisingly, the average store bought chicken broth has only 1-3 grams of protein per cup. For this reason, your bariatric team likely recommended you choose higher protein soups immediately after surgery (ex. milk based soups or pureed legume soups). Instead, opt for more filling thicker soups, such as a curried lentil soup, a roasted red pepper black bean soup or a hearty chili. 3. Cream cheese. Despite ‘cheese’ being in its name, the average store bought cream cheese has only 1 gram of protein per tablespoon. Instead, opt for ricotta cheese (with a sprinkle of sunflower seeds and a drizzle of honey!) or peanut butter on your morning toast. 4. Quinoa. Quinoa is a filling grain product not because of its protein content, but more because of its fibre content. While quinoa is the only grain listed as a ‘complete’ protein, it only has 2 grams of protein per ¼ cup of cooked quinoa. Always top your quinoa with a true protein source such as meat, fish, legumes, tofu or tempeh to make your meal truly balanced. Quinoa should not be the main event! 5. Almond/Cashew/Rice/Coconut milk. Despite these beverages having ‘milk’ in their name, these alternative milks contain on average a measly 1 gram of protein per cup. Instead, opt for cow milk or soy milk when you are looking to add an extra splash of protein to your cereals, oatmeal or smoothies. Moral of the story? Don’t let misleading product names or sneaky advertising fool you! Get the facts. Always double check the nutrition facts tables on the back of your foods to learn the full story. - Monica & Lisa

Craving sushi? You likely will not be able to tolerate your favourite sushi rolls because of the rice and seaweed wrap, however there are several other equally satisfying options on every Asian-style restaurant menu to consider. Indulge in an order of tartar or sashimi. These rice-less options are easier to digest. Don’t be afraid to ask if your favourite sushi rolls can be made with a cucumber wrap instead of the traditional seaweed wrap. This is often a ‘low carb’ option on sushi menus. Order a side of edamame beans. These soybeans are not only a good source of protein, but they are also rich in fibre. Try a protein rich Asian soup. Asian-style restaurants often have a traditional soup with eggs, tofu, chicken, and/or shrimp. Prioritize the solid pieces and leave most of the broth behind. Salmon or tuna salad. Most sushi restaurants have a simple green salad with a seared piece of fish and a flavourful salad dressing. Sandwiches & Wraps· Choose a sandwich on toasted bread. If it is a large sandwich, remove the top piece of bread. Great options include: chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad and deli meats. Wraps are also a good option. Opt for baked chicken rather than crispy chicken. Breakfast egg sandwiches Choose a breakfast wrap or a toasted english muffin sandwich. Skip the bacon and sausage. Salad Almost all restaurants now have a green salad with chicken. Again, opt for grilled chicken instead of crispy chicken. Other high protein options include: taco salads, chickpea salads and bean salads. Chili Whether you choose the vegetarian or meat version, chili packs a lot of protein. They are also very easy to digest making them the perfect option if you have recently transitioned to solid food. Here are some other helpful tips to challenge those old fast food habits: Skip the combo option… yes, even if it’s cheaper! Don’t order a drink. You will be less tempted to drink and eat at the same time if you don’t have a refreshing beverage staring you down during your meal. Eat in the restaurant instead of in the car. If you are driving and eating, food is more likely to block. You can’t be mindful if you are multitasking! Choose foods described as: grilled, baked, sautéed, broiled, steamed, boiled, etc. more often. These cooking methods are lower in calories. Many corner stores and gas stations now have ‘grab and go’ options in their fridges such as sandwiches, salads, protein shakes, yogurt parfaits, etc. Next time you get gas, make a mental note of 3 appropriate meal options you could choose if you were in a pinch. Bon appétit!- Lisa & Monica

Finding unflavored protein in a single serve packet will allow you to sample a brand without having to buy the larger container first. Single serve packets of whey protein isolate are available online with Bariatric Fusion, Jay Robb and Unjury. Whey protein powder is also found in the bulk bins at Sprouts Farmers Market. You can buy a small amount to taste test. Our patients have also liked the larger containers of unflavored whey protein by brands like Inspire , Isopure (GNC, online) and online (online). Keep in mind, whey protein must be kept under 140 degrees, otherwise, it will curdle. Soy protein isolate is also available. Brands include GNC and brands like NOW Foods and Genisoy, which are available online and some natural foods stores. These will be in larger containers. Sprouts Farmers Market also has soy protein in their bulk bins, so that you can buy a small amount to taste test. Sometimes you can get a sample taste of unflavored protein in stores that sell natural foods, supplements and sports nutrition products. Ask about the return policy if you don’t like the product. There are many other brands of unflavored protein powders on the market. If you have a group of bariatric buddies, perhaps the buddies can buy different brands to try and share. This cuts the cost of taste testing. May your protein status be awesome!

If you’ve made a commitment to change your diet, learn a new exercise routine, start or complete a project, be more assertive, or maybe connect with your intuition on a daily basis, know that you DO have the POWER to follow through with this. Set an intention to connect with and magnify your inner strength and focus. Often when we set out to make changes in our life we start obsessing about it and think way too far into the future which can overwhelm us: then we just say “Oh the heck with this: I’ll never be able to do that huge project or maintain that habit forever, why even bother?” If you notice your thoughts going in that direction slow down, take a deep breath, and get out of your head and into your body. Come back to the present moment. Take another breath. Ask “Is there one simple thing I can do in this moment to honor my commitment?” That might mean just not putting a piece of chocolate in your mouth in this moment: That’s it you did it! And I know you can do that again in the next moment!! Perhaps you will be guided to make a phone call. Pick up the phone and make that call. Or, there might not be anything you need to do in this very moment so relax into the not doing. It is important that you keep yourself surrounded by upbeat positive people and that you raise the vibrations of your surroundings as much as possible. Burn sage, put a crystal on your night stand or desk at work, keep plants and flowers in your environment, listen to uplifting music. Shield yourself from negative energies. Many of you who are drawn to read this are highly intuitive empaths: your are like psychic sponges who absorb the energies of the people near you and your environment. As part of your morning routine surround yourself with a beautiful white light ( or whatever color feels most safe and loving for you). The only thing that can penetrate this light is love and healing energies, no negative energy can pass through this. If you believe in angels, spirit guides, or any other sort of deity invite them to be with you throughout the day guiding you and keeping your thoughts and feelings uplifted and positive. Whenever possible remove yourself from negative situations, decline to engage in gossip or fear based conversations. Anger, negatively, jealousy and fear will only cause you pain. Clear your energy field daily: meditate, spend time in nature barefoot, take baths in epsom sales, move your body, drink plenty of water, etc. Law of Attraction/Source Energy is rooting for you and right by your side giving extra added energy to your thoughts. So keep your thoughts and focus on what you DO want to manifest. See yourself as happy fulfilled and loved….and know that is is so….. Feel gratitude knowing that your life is moving in the direction of your dreams gaining more and more momentum as your willingness to believe and receive all that is being offered to you opens and increases. BELIEVE and RECEIVE!! I'm sending you so much love! Go have an awesome day!! ❤️ Louisa!!

I’m in New Zealand today, where I have been for the past three weeks. It has been a privilege to work with a number of bariatric professionals from different disciplines associated with the Foundations Healthy Living Retreat. During this five-day retreat, a small group of post-operative bariatric patients live together, eat together, exercise together, learn together and share with one another. Various staff members share their expertise about healthy living. Topics include much more than how to eat well and exercise. Participants learn the importance of focusing on personal values in all areas of their lives, discover the importance of positive self-talk, address self-sabotage and learn the importance of living mindfully. Coping skills, communication skills, and boundary setting skills are discussed. The topics of shame and vulnerability are explored, as well. Participants get what all bariatric patients in all corners of the world need following bariatric surgery: the Foundations of Healthy Living. Hmmm… good name for the retreat! What I think as I look around me are the many “non-coincidences” in my immediate surrounding. I do not believe that my being here, halfway around the world, is a coincidence. To begin with, Dr. David Schroeder, a bariatric surgeon, and his wife, Andrea, are, in many ways, absurdly similar in personality to my husband Steve and myself. David and Steve are both kind, intelligent, rational, left-brain thinkers who are mild-mannered and soft-spoken. Andrea and I, on the other hand, while also kind and intelligent, are passionate, passionate and more passionate. Translated, we are thinkers and DO-ers, we are upfront and direct, and are most definitely whatever the opposite of soft-spoken is. Oh, loud. That’s it! Andrea and David are passionate about their work in the bariatric field. They are zealous about the physical health of surgical weight loss patients and are also super passionate about the patients’ psychological health. The Schroeder’s know that the journey of recovering from obesity takes a lifetime and includes the physical and the psychological wellbeing of each person. Andrea created the Foundations of Healthy Living Retreat and they have been hosting the retreats for the past five years. It is definitely not a coincidence that David reached out to me after reading my first book, Eat It Up! Our professional philosophies are very much in sync. My work, with great help from Steve, is all about addressing the psychological needs of patients while their physical needs are being medically managed. David and Andrea, like Steve and myself, dedicate much more than our careers to providing bariatric patients with education and support. We address the WHOLE person, pre-operatively and after weight loss surgery. We put our hearts and souls into the work we do because we are convinced by the feedback our patients provide that they want and need much more than the surgical procedure can provide in order for them to live healthy lives, both physically and psychologically following bariatric surgery. Since meeting in 2011, I have learned a great deal by working with both Andrea and David. The Schroeder’s have twice brought me to New Zealand where I have had the opportunity to learn from and contribute to, the lives and education of their patients and staff. Andrea and David, as well as every person presenting information at the retreat, address bariatric patients from a whole person perspective. Each participant is treated respectfully and compassionately, as a human being who is much more than a bariatric patient. Their emotional support needs are emphasized, as a success following bariatric surgery involves more than dealing with a person’s biological innards. Is it a coincidence that Andrea and David, in New Zealand, know the same things that Steve and I know in the US? We all know and work toward, helping patients and bariatric professionals realize that bariatric patients have tremendous emotional and psychological needs that require attention. Behavior modification by itself is not enough when it comes to sustaining weight loss. If it were, well… wouldn’t more people have kept weight off after diets and bariatric surgery? Is it a coincidence that the bariatric patients I have talked with during individual sessions, along with the participants at the retreats, all from New Zealand, talk about the exact same issues as the bariatric patients I have worked with in the US for the past 15 years? I’m not talking about the physical problems. I’m talking about the lack of self-care this population acknowledges. Not just in their eating and exercise behaviors. These people talk about a great lack of self-value that translates to a lack of proper self-care. The greatest common denominator aside from the physical co-morbidities of the bariatric patients I have spent time with in both countries boils down to this: I don’t believe I’m good enough. That, my friends, is the definition of shame. Our bariatric patients need to heal from the shame that draws them back into unhealthy habits. Healing from shame requires much, much more than a bariatric procedure in an operating room, or “theater,” as they call it in New Zealand. It is not coincidental that bariatric patients across the globe suffer from shame. It is tragic that so few bariatric professionals around the world are willing to provide the full spectrum of care that patients require in order to be able to follow through with behavior modification techniques. Deep shame will eventually extinguish behavior modification efforts. How long before more bariatric professionals get it? How long before more than a handful of patients get the emotional support and psychological care they need after bariatric surgery? How long before we provide a truly comprehensive program to help our patients eliminate shame and establish self-acceptance? The shame belongs to the programs and professionals who do not provide a comprehensive program… because those programs simply aren’t good enough. (Along with the Schroeder’s, I will be offering residential retreats through bariatric centers in the near future. For more information, contact me at connie@conniestapletonphd.com.) I’m grateful for the non-coincidences that have led to meeting Andrea and David Schroeder. I am not surprised to see and hear that the patients in our very distant geographical countries are so very similar. Mostly, I am thrilled to know that there are professionals and patients who know that the Foundations of Healthy Living go way beyond medical care alone! For now, patients can participate in the GAIN While You Lose 10-week program. This is a great way for patients around the country (and the world) to have access to the same topics discussed in the Foundations of Living Retreat. This class includes an hour and a half “lesson,” taught live but available online or via recorded session, followed by weekly homework to make the information applicable to each person’s life. (http://www.conniestapletonphd.com/onlin…/weight-loss-program) Why aren’t we currently doing retreats in the US? Are you, the patients, willing to pay to attend? Are you willing to take the time and spend the money to invest in yourself? Do you value yourself enough to work on your emotional issues? You’ve most likely been willing to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for weight loss programs, powders, gimmicks and scams. What about actually finding a way to find self-acceptance, a requirement for being able to follow through with behavior modification tools? Patients: there is no shame in having problems. It is tragic to me if you know there are problems, but choose not address them. Please seek the help you need! After all: YOUR HEALTH is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. THIS DAY. EVERY DAY.

In this space remember the importance of prioritizing good self caretaking, talking more kindly to and about yourself, embracing and feeling your feelings, setting boundaries, declining to engage in gossip or negative chatter, walking away from low energy people and situations, being gentle with yourself, not putting unrealistic demands on your time or energy, and understanding that it’s actually GOOD to be SELFish. Bring to the forefront of your mind your innate knowing of the absolute necessity of nurturing your soul with things like art and music and movement and nature and deep conversations with people you love, respect and admire. Let this Valentine’s Day be a Reminder that you need to Love YOU FIRST. That you need to be your most significant other <3! Live In Love, Louisa

Almost everyone needs protein supplements right after weight loss surgery. Protein shakes and powders give you the protein you need when you’re not allowed to eat solid foods. But which types should you choose? And should you keep using them when you’re eating solid foods and surgery is long behind you? Protein for the Liquid Phase of the Post Weight Loss Surgery Diet Progression After a day or two of sticking to clear liquids, you progress to a full liquid diet. You can be on this diet for a few days, if you’re a lap-band patient, or a couple of weeks, if you have the gastric sleeve or gastric bypass. Protein sources include the following. Non-fat milk, with 90 calories and 8 grams of protein per 8 ounces. Non-fat milk powder, with 100 calories and 10 grams of protein per ounce. Low-sugar protein powder, with 110 calories and 25 grams of protein per ounce. Low-sugar protein shakes, with 100 or more calories and 15 or more grams of protein per 8 ounces. Without supplementing your diet with protein shakes and powders, you’re not going to be able to hit your 60 to 80 grams of protein. Protein Powders and Shakes in the Pureed Foods Phase This phase is really a transition phase. You’re adding foods back into your diet, but aren’t yet ready to eat chewy, sticky, crunchy, or other solid foods. Protein foods include the following. Non-fat cottage cheese, with 12 grams of protein per half-cup. Non-fat ricotta cheese, with 5 grams of protein per half-cup. Egg whites, with 4 grams of protein per extra-large white. Non-fat Greek or regular yogurt, with 8 to 14 grams of protein per container. During this phase, your surgeon will probably have you start to decrease your use of protein shakes and powders, but will probably recommend keeping them in your diet to help you get to 60 to 80 grams of protein per day. You might need one or two shakes a day, plus powder in foods such as oatmeal, yogurt, or pureed potatoes. Be Wary of Protein Supplements in the Long-Term Protein shakes and powders can be convenient, but they’re not your best bet for long-term weight loss. As you progress from pureed foods to semi-solid and then solid foods, your surgeon will probably recommend that you stop drinking shakes and focus instead on solid sources of protein. They’re more substantial and satisfying than liquid shakes. They take longer to eat than drinking shakes. They’re easier to fit into a real-life eating plan. You won’t be “drinking your calories.” They have more natural nutrients than processed shakes and powders. Most weight loss surgery patients can get enough protein just by choosing one or two high-protein foods for each meal. You’ll get 60 to 80 grams with the following foods. Breakfast: 2 scrambled egg whites with ½ light English muffin and some fruit. Lunch: ½ cup fat-free cottage cheese and a green salad with 3 ounces of canned light tuna. Dinner: 3 ounces of chicken breast and steamed spinach. Snack 1: 1 low-fat cheese stick. Snack 2: 1 6-ounce container of plain low-fat yogurt and ½ cup carrot sticks. When Protein Supplements Are Okay Still, some weight loss surgery patients may still need protein shakes and powders in the long term. That’s often the case for vertical sleeve patients if your sleeve fills up too quickly to allow you to eat enough solid protein throughout the day. Talk to your surgeon to find out whether you should still use shakes and powders. Your surgeon might suggest that you include one or two protein shakes a day as snacks or mix protein powder into your yogurt, cereal or other foods. Protein supplements can still come in handy even if you’re able to meet your protein requirements on your daily weight loss surgery diet. If your routine gets interrupted, you might come up short. Consider the protein you can miss if you need to change your regular plans for a meal or snack. 10 grams of protein if you run out the door without grabbing your yogurt in the morning. 22 grams of protein if you forget to pack your tuna for lunch. 26 grams of protein if you’re stuck in a meeting instead of cooking your chicken dinner at home. When you’re stuck in the car or too busy to plan ahead, protein shakes can be lifesavers. On vacation, you can take protein powder with you so you’re always sure to have a source when you need it. You could also try Unjury Protein’d Cheese Sauce on steamed vegetables for an extra 21 grams of protein. Read the Nutrition Facts Panel to Find Protein Content The Food and Drug Administration lets food manufacturers call a food “a good source of” protein if it has at least 5 grams of protein. If a serving has at least 10 grams of protein, a food can be labeled “high,” “rich in,” or “an excellent source of” protein. That doesn’t do you much good if you’re trying to find a shake or powder with at least 15 to 20 grams of protein per serving. Don’t rely on a claim on the front of the label when you’re looking for a protein supplement. You could end up with a “high-protein” shake with only 10 grams of protein! Instead, check the nutrition facts panel to see how many grams of protein the food or shake has per serving. Check the Label for Calories and Sugar Protein shakes and powders can be high in calories and sugar. A bottle of Special K Protein has only 10 grams of protein, but 190 calories and 18 grams of sugar. A Pure Protein Frosty Chocolate Shake has 15 grams of protein, but 190 calories and 25 grams of sugar. A can of Boost High Protein drink has 15 grams of protein, 240 calories and 27 grams of sugars. No matter which stage of your weight loss surgery diet you’re on, you can’t afford to eat too many calories or too much sugar. The only way to protect yourself is to read the labels. Protein supplements can be great choices for boosting your intake to 60 to 80 grams a day. Shakes and powders can get you through the liquid and pureed foods stages of the post-surgery diet progression, and they can have a place in your diet even when you reach your long-term weight loss surgery diet plan. Just make sure not to overuse them if your surgeon is concerned, and to choose low-sugar options.

Bigger from Birth…And Then College Hit Michele was always big. She was at the top of her height and weight charts from the time she was an infant. She remembers times in her childhood when she couldn’t or wouldn’t participate because she was so big. She didn’t like physical education or sports, and the other children teased her. Food was a comfort. Michele describes the situation as a vicious cycle. The more kids teased her, the worse she felt. The worse she felt, the more she ate. The more she ate, the more she weighed. The more she weighed, the more she got teased. College was a disaster in terms of her weight. Forget about the freshman 15. What about the freshman 40? And the sophomore 40? Add to that the junior 40, the senior 40, and, for good measure, the super-senior (fifth-year) 67, and you now know how Michele Elbertson got to be 427 pounds at the age of 22 years. A Young Weight Loss Surgery Patient with New Relationships Michele made the decision to get the lap-band on her own. She needed a tool to help her control how much she ate, but understood that it was up to her to control what she ate. She only told her parents about her decision after she was sure about it. They were supportive, and have been since then. Michele has taken full advantage of and responsibility for the band. She has lost 260 pounds – 260 pounds! – in less than four years. As she says, she’s a determined person who will accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Michele began to “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” As her relationships with food and exercise changed, so did her relationships with some friends. She lost some friends whose relationships centered only on food. She gained many more, though, through her new activities. She says the friends she’s gained through running and fitness far outweigh those she lost by changing her lifestyle. An Athlete Is Born Michele ran her first 5k after losing 100 pounds – when she was still 327 pounds. She was hooked. She loved the training, the atmosphere of the race, and the accomplishment. She has never looked back. Since then, she has run countless other races, including 38 half-marathons, 6 marathons, and a 50-miler ultra-marathon. She has also competed in triathlons. Now at an athletic 159 pounds, Michele has her sights on even greater challenges. In the near future, she wants to run a 100-miler and complete an Ironman. Both are feats that most people wouldn’t even dream of. Marathons, Ultras, and Ironmans Now, not everyone’s a distance runner or triathlete, so to understand Michele’s accomplishments, here are a few facts about these endurance sports. A marathon is 26.2 miles. All marathons are 26.2 miles. An ultra-marathon is anything over 26.2 miles. Michele’s recently completed ultra-marathon was 50 miles, and she is training for a 100-miler. A triathlon includes swimming, biking, and running. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon. Fitting It All in Every Day Michele works out 6 days a week. Currently, she’s training for an ulta-marathon and is running 5 days a week and lifting weights 3 times. She also does Zumba classes. She takes a rest day once a week. Michele has built her life to be able to accommodate her training schedule. She recently quit her teaching career to focus instead on helping others achieve their fitness and health goals. She is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Working at a gym is pure genius – it leaves her with no excuse not to get her workout in! Eating Like a Bariathlete How do you have energy to train like an athlete and work full-time while losing over 200 pounds in 4 years? Ask Michele. Here’s how she eats and works out in a typical day. 7:00 a.m. breakfast: almonds and yogurt or eggs/romaine lettuce 9:00 a.m. snack: protein bar Workout, such as running, lifting, or group fitness class, such as Zumba or bokwa Noon. lunch: soup or salad, usually the largest meal of the day 2:00 p.m. snack: cheese and crackers or something small, equivalent to 200 calories (may include a fruit or vegetable) 4:00 p.m. snack: hot tea 6:00 p.m. dinner; lean protein, veggie, possibly a carb 7:30 p.m. snack: lemon water/hot tea. The number of calories Michele eats during a day is 1,800 (her resting metabolic rate) plus half of the calories she burns through exercise. So, if she runs 10 miles and burns 1,200 calories in exercise, she’ll eat 1,800 plus 600 calories, or 2,400 calories. She allows herself an occasional treat meal with junk food, but still counts those calories. The Accolades Michele is more than your typical bariatric patient, and she’s been getting the recognition she deserves for her extraordinary achievements. These are a few recent examples. Runner’s World magazine Cover Contest Finalist. Makeover on the Rachel Ray Show. Local feature on 6ABC Action News in Philadelphia. Dealing with Negativity – Don’t Worry About It One of the most striking things about Michele is her drive. She has worked very, very hard to get where she’s at today. She’s lost 60 percent of her body weight through being very disciplined every day. And, she has run marathons. Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you that it is was harder than they had ever imagined. Anyone who hasn’t run a marathon cannot imagine how difficult it is. But with all the publicity, Michele has receive a lot of nasty comments. How is she supposed to react when people slam her? They say she hasn’t accomplished anything, that the band has done it all. In fact, they basically say what a lot of weight loss surgery patients hear all the time from people who don’t know any better. So how does Michele react to negativity? She doesn’t want to respond directly and add “fuel to the fire.” She knows they don’t know anything about her, and she’s probably done more exercise and worked harder than they ever have. So, she just goes about her business. Leading by Example Michele says she hopes her successes and story will give others hope. She describes herself as a “real person” and “very down-to-earth,” and she hopes others will see that they can accomplish what she has. In the future, she would like to travel to seminars as a motivational speaker. In the meantime, we congratulate her on her amazing story and wish her well in her 100-miler this spring!

The 3rd Annual National Obesity Care Week (NOCW), October 29th through November 4th, seeks to ignite a national movement to ensure anyone affected by obesity receives respectful and comprehensive care. [Insert your organization’s name] is proud to join the Campaign, which was founded by The Obesity Society, the Obesity Action Coalition, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent Obesity Alliance and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. All NOCW supporters recognize the 5 Reasons to Care: Obesity is a serious disease. Weight bias is faced by many. Healthcare providers need to have positive, helpful conversations about weight with their patients Science-based weight management options are available for treatment. We need your help passing the 2017 Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA). Although we must educate people about these 5 reasons to care, we must also address barriers to care, such as weight bias in both society and among the medical community. We need more voices – your voice – to reach our goal of achieving better care. You can join us and take action to change the way that you care about obesity by taking the Take 5 Pledge. The Take 5 Pledge is intended to inspire action by addressing the 5 reasons to care and encourage us to change the way that we care about obesity. More information about National Obesity Care Week and their Take 5 Pledge, including information and resources, is available on www.ObesityCareWeek.org. Mark your calendars, and join us in recognizing National Obesity Care Week, October 29th – November 4th.

As you age, your metabolism slows down. Older people also tend to have less muscle mass than younger people, which also reduces metabolic rate. This is why we encourage older patients to add light weight-bearing exercise to their fitness routines. So how do you keep that furnace burning in order to burn calories, even if you’re already achieved your goal weight? There are many simple tools to accomplish this task. I’ve outlined my favorites below: Exercise This weapon is key to maintaining and increasing metabolism. Seniors, take note−The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people 65 and older get 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week and perform weight-bearing exercises on all the body’s major muscle groups at least twice a week. At any age, indoctrinate a 30-minute daily work-out, just like brushing your teeth and eating lunch, into your daily routine. Sleep To increase the chances of boosting metabolism, adults should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Getting too little shut-eye can significantly alter your body’s processes enough to predispose you to gain weight. (Do you ever feel hungry for no reason when you’re exhausted and then reach for the wrong foods to boot?) De-Stress When you’re tense, your body releases cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal system that is linked to weight gain. It can also significantly weaken your immune system and open the door to acute and chronic illnesses. Turn to regular physical activity, deep breathing, a quiet evening stroll, or professional help from a psychologist or counselor if you are experiencing chronic stress. Eat and Drink (First and foremost, follow your bariatric practice's instructions on post-op nutrition.) Eating the right foods−clean proteins, fruits and vegetables−fuels your metabolism firing on all cylinders. As soon as you awaken, charge-up those calorie burners by feeding them a protein and a fruit (think omelette with feta cheese, spinach and veggies and a cup of berries). Eat small meals throughout the day but stop by around 7 p.m. Staying hydrated is key to maintaining good health. Keep a glass or refillable water bottle with you throughout the day. You are properly hydrated if your urine is nearly clear. Other than choosing the right foods to eat and finding spiritual solace in your life, these tools serve as a roadmap to good health, including maintaining a healthy weight. Best of all, once you’ve adopted these tips, you will look and feel better--sooner than you think.