Alex Brecher

I wasn't aware that binders were used often. Any idea what the "best" binder is? I am going to research this a bit more, thanks!

They're a bit pricey but looks like really good quality! I reached out to them and we're discussing carrying their line.

Eat enough protein. It is Rule #1 of WLS Surgery 101, and for good reason. Hitting your 65 or more grams of protein each day can help you reduce hunger, improve your immune system, and gain strength. Even if your bariatric surgery is long behind you, check weekly, if not daily, to be sure your protein intake is as high as you think it is. Drink more fluids. Lose more weight, stay fuller, and prevention dehydration fatigue and headaches with enough fluids. The goal is to get at least 64 ounces of water or other fluids each day, but a lot of bariatric patients have trouble getting there. You can help yourself out by putting out for 16-ounce water bottles (or a 64-ounce [half-gallon] pitcher) and making sure you finish them by the end of the day. Or, use a high-tech tool such as a Hydration Reminder that synchs to your smartphone and will not let you forget to drink! Water, ice water, water with lemon or mint, decaf tea and coffee, and low-calorie flavored water are all good choices. Find a friend. A weight loss buddy is worth her weight in gold. Paand weight loss If one friend is good, more friends are better – the more, the merrier when it comes to help eating right, exercising, and reducing stress. The Forums can help you connect with other patients looking for a friend. Go to the doctor. It is easy to see why going to a doctor is necessary if you are thinking about surgery or have it scheduled, but it is not only your surgeon whom you should see. Pre-op or post-op, seeing your primary care and any other of your regular doctors can help you stay healthy or get healthy. You can monitor important measures such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and make action plans for any other conditions, such as knee pain or sleep apnea. Take your vitamins. There is no substitute for a healthy diet, but a healthy diet is not always enough, especially for post-op patients. Talk to your surgeon or doctor about any vitamins you should take, and take them as recommended to prevent deficiencies. If your health is not motivation enough to get you to take your vitamins, consider this: staying nourished can also help you lose weight by keeping up your energy levels and metabolism. You can give yourself a hand by using aids such as a Tespo vitamin dispensers or choosing your favorite forms of vitamins, such as Patches, Pills, or Chewables. Smile. Smile when you greet people. Smile when you say goodbye. Smile when you are talking and listening. Smile for no reason. It really works. The very act of smiling can help convince your mind that you are happier. Plus, smiling at other people will make them more likely to be friendly to you – and make you happier. All that extra happiness can make it easier to do your daily duties, such as eating right and working out. These six strategies are simple enough, and they can help the pounds come off in 2018 with less effort. They are worth working on daily if you are going to hit your goals this year. Happy New Year!

Going into the New Year, it almost goes without saying that your resolutions include losing weight (or maintaining goal weight) and getting healthier. The only question is, how? The more specifically you can name the steps you will take, the more likely you are to reach your goals. Here are 6 New Year’s Resolutions that can help you look back on 2018 with pride. Eat enough protein. It is Rule #1 of WLS Surgery 101, and for good reason. Hitting your 65 or more grams of protein each day can help you reduce hunger, improve your immune system, and gain strength. Even if your bariatric surgery is long behind you, check weekly, if not daily, to be sure your protein intake is as high as you think it is. Drink more fluids. Lose more weight, stay fuller, and prevention dehydration fatigue and headaches with enough fluids. The goal is to get at least 64 ounces of water or other fluids each day, but a lot of bariatric patients have trouble getting there. You can help yourself out by putting out for 16-ounce water bottles (or a 64-ounce [half-gallon] pitcher) and making sure you finish them by the end of the day. Or, use a high-tech tool such as a Hydration Reminder that synchs to your smartphone and will not let you forget to drink! Water, ice water, water with lemon or mint, decaf tea and coffee, and low-calorie flavored water are all good choices. Find a friend. A weight loss buddy is worth her weight in gold. Paand weight loss If one friend is good, more friends are better – the more, the merrier when it comes to help eating right, exercising, and reducing stress. The Forums can help you connect with other patients looking for a friend. Go to the doctor. It is easy to see why going to a doctor is necessary if you are thinking about surgery or have it scheduled, but it is not only your surgeon whom you should see. Pre-op or post-op, seeing your primary care and any other of your regular doctors can help you stay healthy or get healthy. You can monitor important measures such as blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and make action plans for any other conditions, such as knee pain or sleep apnea. Take your vitamins. There is no substitute for a healthy diet, but a healthy diet is not always enough, especially for post-op patients. Talk to your surgeon or doctor about any vitamins you should take, and take them as recommended to prevent deficiencies. If your health is not motivation enough to get you to take your vitamins, consider this: staying nourished can also help you lose weight by keeping up your energy levels and metabolism. You can give yourself a hand by using aids such as a Tespo vitamin dispensers or choosing your favorite forms of vitamins, such as Patches, Pills, or Chewables. Smile. Smile when you greet people. Smile when you say goodbye. Smile when you are talking and listening. Smile for no reason. It really works. The very act of smiling can help convince your mind that you are happier. Plus, smiling at other people will make them more likely to be friendly to you – and make you happier. All that extra happiness can make it easier to do your daily duties, such as eating right and working out. These six strategies are simple enough, and they can help the pounds come off in 2018 with less effort. They are worth working on daily if you are going to hit your goals this year. Happy New Year!

Are you on Android or iOS, please?

We carry tons of savory protein soups that are great for your liquid phase. You can check them out at the BariatricPal Store .

I personally love Escali food scales. That's why I carry them in our store

There are some basic strategies for success after weight loss surgery. You are reminded of some of these tips regularly. Others come up for discussion less often, but making these mistakes can keep you from losing weight. This lesson is a simple one, but one that so many people are unable to grasp. It is a lesson that, when learned, can help you lose extra pounds almost effortlessly. The lesson is, “You are not a trash can.” What?! That’s the big secret?! Yes, it is, and if you do not learn it and apply it, you will have a lot more trouble losing weight. Treating yourself like a trash can is shockingly common, and you may even be doing it to yourself without realizing. Well, take note and see if you can give yourself a weight loss boost. Symptoms of Trash Can-itis Funny as it may sound, you may not even realize how much you treat yourself like a trash can. A trash can is where you put things you do not want anymore. Have you ever… Eaten a few servings of a creamy casserole because your neighbor was kind enough to bring it over? Finished off your child’s sack-lunch sandwich because you want to set a “good example?” Eaten the entire slice instead of a few bites of pie because that’s what was on your plate? Do you see the resemblance to a trash can? Things you don’t want go into the trash can. Food you do not need goes into the trash can. If it is going into your body instead, you are treating yourself like a trash can. You Versus a Trash Can Like a trash can, you can hold a lot of unwanted food. Also like a trash can, you’re a convenient receptacle for the food. Just think about how easy it is to spoon the last few bites from the pot into your mouth instead of the garbage, or clean your plate instead of carrying the leftovers back into the kitchen to toss them. Unlike a trash can, unfortunately, your unwanted food does not go out to the curb each week. It goes to your hips. And belly. And thighs. And a lot of other places that you know all too well. Why Are You Eating? Consistent with the rules of the WLS diet, your goal is to eat the amount your body needs. If you’ve gotten into the habit of eating for other reasons, it may be time to retrain your brain to remember that you should eat what you need, and not what is “there.” Eat what you intend to eat based on your hunger or meal plan; don’t eat food that you had not intended to eat just because you want to finish the box or clear your plate, or because it happens to be there. Put the rest away if it is salvageable; if not, throw it away. Opt Out of the “Clean Plate Club.” For many of us, being part of the “Clean Plate Club” meant making our parents proud. It meant you were a good eater. Sometimes, cleaning your plate at dinner was what earned you dessert. Times have changed, and it is time to grow up and get out of the club. There is no need to clean your plate! Still, those habits can be ingrained for life. So, if you grew up as a proud member of the Clean Plate Club and you find that you are not able to cancel your lifetime membership, use a smaller plate. Do Some Good with Your Good Will Your conscience can be of the biggest barriers to throwing away food. You may wonder that if 1 billion people in the world are starving, how can it be conscionable to throw away perfectly good food? The truth is that what you throw away has nothing to do with what children in India or sub-Saharan Africa are eating (or not eating). Whether you eat the bread that came with the hamburger or you throw it away does not affect starving children. If you really want to lend a hand, donating money would be far more effective than eating too much. Respect Yourself Treating yourself like a human being and not a trash can do wonders for your WLS journey even aside from skipping the extra calories that come with eating extra food. Treat yourself with respect, and you can have more confidence in your daily decisions and behaviors. After all, isn’t it more worthwhile to treat yourself right than to treat a trash can right? Stop treating yourself like a trash can, and you might lose a lot more weight. You will not only be skipping extra calories that you do not need, but you will also have a lot more respect for yourself – which can add fuel to the fire of your weight loss intentions.

What?! That’s the big secret?! Yes, it is, and if you do not learn it and apply it, you will have a lot more trouble losing weight. Treating yourself like a trash can is shockingly common, and you may even be doing it to yourself without realizing. Well, take note and see if you can give yourself a weight loss boost. Symptoms of Trash Can-itis Funny as it may sound, you may not even realize how much you treat yourself like a trash can. A trash can is where you put things you do not want anymore. Have you ever… Eaten a few servings of a creamy casserole because your neighbor was kind enough to bring it over? Finished off your child’s sack-lunch sandwich because you want to set a “good example?” Eaten the entire slice instead of a few bites of pie because that’s what was on your plate? Do you see the resemblance to a trash can? Things you don’t want go into the trash can. Food you do not need goes into the trash can. If it is going into your body instead, you are treating yourself like a trash can. You Versus a Trash Can Like a trash can, you can hold a lot of unwanted food. Also like a trash can, you’re a convenient receptacle for the food. Just think about how easy it is to spoon the last few bites from the pot into your mouth instead of the garbage, or clean your plate instead of carrying the leftovers back into the kitchen to toss them. Unlike a trash can, unfortunately, your unwanted food does not go out to the curb each week. It goes to your hips. And belly. And thighs. And a lot of other places that you know all too well. Why Are You Eating? Consistent with the rules of the WLS diet, your goal is to eat the amount your body needs. If you’ve gotten into the habit of eating for other reasons, it may be time to retrain your brain to remember that you should eat what you need, and not what is “there.” Eat what you intend to eat based on your hunger or meal plan; don’t eat food that you had not intended to eat just because you want to finish the box or clear your plate, or because it happens to be there. Put the rest away if it is salvageable; if not, throw it away. Opt Out of the “Clean Plate Club.” For many of us, being part of the “Clean Plate Club” meant making our parents proud. It meant you were a good eater. Sometimes, cleaning your plate at dinner was what earned you dessert. Times have changed, and it is time to grow up and get out of the club. There is no need to clean your plate! Still, those habits can be ingrained for life. So, if you grew up as a proud member of the Clean Plate Club and you find that you are not able to cancel your lifetime membership, use a smaller plate. Do Some Good with Your Good Will Your conscience can be of the biggest barriers to throwing away food. You may wonder that if 1 billion people in the world are starving, how can it be conscionable to throw away perfectly good food? The truth is that what you throw away has nothing to do with what children in India or sub-Saharan Africa are eating (or not eating). Whether you eat the bread that came with the hamburger or you throw it away does not affect starving children. If you really want to lend a hand, donating money would be far more effective than eating too much. Respect Yourself Treating yourself like a human being and not a trash can do wonders for your WLS journey even aside from skipping the extra calories that come with eating extra food. Treat yourself with respect, and you can have more confidence in your daily decisions and behaviors. After all, isn’t it more worthwhile to treat yourself right than to treat a trash can right? Stop treating yourself like a trash can, and you might lose a lot more weight. You will not only be skipping extra calories that you do not need, but you will also have a lot more respect for yourself – which can add fuel to the fire of your weight loss intentions.

Check out the new BariatricPal Protein One. It's a protein, multivitamin, calcium, and fiber as well. It's available in 3 flavors and unflavored. We're going to roll out another 5-10 new flavors in 2018.

Celebrate 4 in one is a very popular product. We sell it at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/celebrate/products/celebrate-ens-essential-multi-4-in-1-shake-protein-multivitamin-calcium-and-fiber-available-in-3-flavors .

I attend the OAC's Your Weight Matters National Convention every year. It's an awesome convention that offers top-notch education for those that have had or are interested in weight loss surgery. I encourage all of our members to join me in 2018! Here are some of the sessions that I thought stood out from the rest of the available sessions: YWM2017: Understanding Your Body's Response to Exercise and Hunger YWM2017: Point/Counterpoint: Which Impacts Weight Gain More - Genes or Environment? YWM2017: Living Nutritiously - Making the Healthy Choice the Easy Choice YWM2017: Point/Counterpoint - Are All Calories Created Equal? YWM2017: I Lost Weight, Now How Do I Keep it off? YWM2017 Event Welcome - The Power of Coming Together: The Harm of Accepting Weight Bias YWM2017: Looking at Your Nutritional Needs after Bariatric Surgery YWM2017: Sweet Dreams - The Relationship between sleep Health and Your Weight YWM2017: How to Turn Struggles into Your Greatest Strengths YWM2017: The Secret Life of Pets and Human Obesity YWM2017: Transforming Your Lifestyle - Building Healthy Behaviors YWM2017: What's Preventing Your Weight Management Progress? YWM2017: Doc vs. Surgeon - Deciding the Best Treatment Approach for Patients

You can get a free plastic surgery quote here . We're 20 minutes from San Diego.

Not sure if most of you are aware but BariatricPal.com actually started off in 2003 as LapBandTalk.com! I've had Lap-Band surgery since 2003 and started this community the night I came home from my own Lap-Band surgery. As mentioned in my recent article "Types of Bariatric Surgery: By the Numbers and What It Means" Lap-Band surgery has dropped 86.93% since 2011. There were still 7,310 new bands in 2016. There isn't any perfect WLS. The band has been an awesome tool for me over the last 15 years. I've had minor complications along the way but nothing like the complications I'd have had walking around with an extra 100Lbs.

I'd LOVE to hear suggestions on how you and our other long-term members feel that we can improve things! I'm always open to listening and implementing member suggestions.

We've been around since 2003. I've seen many members and groups come and go. Most are very supportive and I'm glad we've been a part of their WLS journey. There are always a few bad apples that try to ruin things for everyone. We banned a group of members a few months ago and I have to say the site has definitely become more supportive and taken on a friendlier tone. Please report any topic you suspect has been created by someone that's just trying to bait our members. We will investigate and take immediate action if warranted.

Some surgeons use 3 entryways and some use 5 or more, really depends on the patient and surgeon. There are some surgeons that offer SILS, which is a single incision.

The navigation issue should be resolved now. Thanks again for letting us know. I can always be reached via email at alex@BariatricPal.com in case there's ever any similar issue like this in the future.

We're working on a fix as I type.....thanks again!

Thanks for letting us know about this issue! In the future, use the mention feature or PM me so I'm aware of the issue right away, please. I don't read every topic posted and it was just by chance that I noticed it.

I think it’s you. Did you try more than one video?

Great suggestion!! You look and sound awesome! Keep it up

Yes, they're generally about the same size.

Kathy, you're a pillar of our community. Thank you and HUGE congrats on your amazing WLS success!!

I'm slightly biased since I created the product I guarantee you that you will LOVE the flavor. We're planning on rolling out another 5-10 additional flavors in 2018. If you're not happy with the product or flavor, we will refund your $! Every customer that's tasted it has loved it. It's really easy to mix and truly tastes good.