Alex Brecher

Get the Go-Ahead Step 1: get your doctor’s approval! This can give you confidence that you are on the right track and that you are going to be safe while exercising. Find out whether you have any exercise restrictions such as type of exercise or a safe heart rate. Once your doctor gives you the okay, you have no more excuses! Walk, Swim, or Bike The first goals of an exercise program for beginners are often to get your heart rate up and burn a few calories. Walking, swimming, and stationary biking can be the safest and most comfortable options for many weight loss surgery patients. Start at a slow, easy pace without pushing yourself before you are ready. Only go for a few minutes at the beginning, and work up gradually as you get into better shape. Focus on yourself, and don’t compete with others’ paces or workout lengths. Stay positive, since it gets easier as time goes on! Pump Some Iron Walk into a co-ed gym, and you are likely to see two groups. The men are lifting weights, while the women are focused on cardio and tied to machines such as ellipticals, treadmills, and bikes. Which group should you be in? Both! While cardio, or aerobic exercise, burns calories and helps your heart, blood sugar, and other health measures, strength training has its own benefits. It helps you lose weight by building muscles, which burn more calories all day, and it improves your bone health. Strength training does not bulk you up; it makes you toned and lean. You have all kinds of options. Lifting dumbbells or barbells. Using weight machines at the gym. Pulling on resistance bands. Trying exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. Work on each of your major muscle groups, including biceps (front of arms), triceps (back of arms), shoulders, chest, back, hips, quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs), calves, and core – your abs and obliques. The ultimate goal is to work each muscle group at least two days per week, making it tired but not straining. You might want to ask a trainer or an experienced friend for help with ideas for exercises, as well as for demonstrations on proper form. You do not want to get injured! Do a Full Workout What is the difference between a workout and a full workout, you ask? The workout is the main part of your exercise, such as a brisk walk and/or a weight lifting session. A full workout starts earlier and ends later because it includes: A 5 to 10-minute warmup such as slow walking or easy cycling to gradually get your heart up from its resting rate to its workout rate. Your main workout, such as brisk walking, an aerobics class, or a tennis match. A 5 to 10-minute cool-down, such as slow walking on the treadmill or in the pool. 5 to 10 minutes of stretching to keep your muscles loose. The full workout takes a little longer, but keeps your injury risk down and lets you get more out of your workout and entire exercise program. Be Realistic Some exercises may not be comfortable or feasible when you are carrying around extra weight. Do not fight with yourself or get down on yourself. Just be patient. Do what you can, and you will gain new skills as you get in better shape. Exercise can be one of your greatest gifts to yourself on the weight loss surgery journey. It is hard and getting started is hard, but the rewards are well worth it. Good luck!

Here's how my day went! Breakfast: More strawberries. Bought a lot on the weekend because they’re in season and smelled so good. Sliced into cottage cheese and mixed with granola (not too much). Lunch: I ate a little early to be able to meet someone afterwards. I had a toasted mini bagel with cream cheese and a tomato, and some walnuts. Snack: An apple. Dinner: Running late again. Hungry again, so a lot of veggies to fill me up! I put sliced white mushrooms and broccoli florets into a pan and added tilapia, olive oil, pepper, salt, and lemon. Dessert: Two tangerines. A good day for eating. What was on your menu today?

Starting off the week right…How long will it last?! Breakfast: oatmeal, strawberries Snack: string cheese Lunch: From last night’s leftovers. Brown rice with chicken and cooked veggie mix. Dinner: Leftovers are great when you’re hungry and in a rush! Embarrassingly, again with the brown rice, chicken, and veggie mix. I had a lot of veggies – I was hungry! Snack: Protein bar. Caramel brownie. A busy Monday, so quick and easy foods! Share your Monday menu, as planned and as it actually happened!

Everyone knows that exercise is healthy and helps you lose weight, and most surgeons include it as part of their lifelong weight control instructions. If you are not in the habit, though, it can be daunting. How can you go from being a couch potato to feeling right at home in the gym, park, or pool? Everyone needs to start somewhere, and you can, too. These steps can help you get into the habit whether you are looking to get in shape pre-op for an easier surgery and recovery, or whether you are post-op and laying the foundation for healthy weight loss and lifelong maintenance. Get the Go-Ahead Step 1: get your doctor’s approval! This can give you confidence that you are on the right track and that you are going to be safe while exercising. Find out whether you have any exercise restrictions such as type of exercise or a safe heart rate. Once your doctor gives you the okay, you have no more excuses! Walk, Swim, or Bike The first goals of an exercise program for beginners are often to get your heart rate up and burn a few calories. Walking, swimming, and stationary biking can be the safest and most comfortable options for many weight loss surgery patients. Start at a slow, easy pace without pushing yourself before you are ready. Only go for a few minutes at the beginning, and work up gradually as you get into better shape. Focus on yourself, and don’t compete with others’ paces or workout lengths. Stay positive, since it gets easier as time goes on! Pump Some Iron Walk into a co-ed gym, and you are likely to see two groups. The men are lifting weights, while the women are focused on cardio and tied to machines such as ellipticals, treadmills, and bikes. Which group should you be in? Both! While cardio, or aerobic exercise, burns calories and helps your heart, blood sugar, and other health measures, strength training has its own benefits. It helps you lose weight by building muscles, which burn more calories all day, and it improves your bone health. Strength training does not bulk you up; it makes you toned and lean. You have all kinds of options. Lifting dumbbells or barbells. Using weight machines at the gym. Pulling on resistance bands. Trying exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. Work on each of your major muscle groups, including biceps (front of arms), triceps (back of arms), shoulders, chest, back, hips, quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back of thighs), calves, and core – your abs and obliques. The ultimate goal is to work each muscle group at least two days per week, making it tired but not straining. You might want to ask a trainer or an experienced friend for help with ideas for exercises, as well as for demonstrations on proper form. You do not want to get injured! Do a Full Workout What is the difference between a workout and a full workout, you ask? The workout is the main part of your exercise, such as a brisk walk and/or a weight lifting session. A full workout starts earlier and ends later because it includes: A 5 to 10-minute warmup such as slow walking or easy cycling to gradually get your heart up from its resting rate to its workout rate. Your main workout, such as brisk walking, an aerobics class, or a tennis match. A 5 to 10-minute cool-down, such as slow walking on the treadmill or in the pool. 5 to 10 minutes of stretching to keep your muscles loose. The full workout takes a little longer, but keeps your injury risk down and lets you get more out of your workout and entire exercise program. Be Realistic Some exercises may not be comfortable or feasible when you are carrying around extra weight. Do not fight with yourself or get down on yourself. Just be patient. Do what you can, and you will gain new skills as you get in better shape. Exercise can be one of your greatest gifts to yourself on the weight loss surgery journey. It is hard and getting started is hard, but the rewards are well worth it. Good luck!

As we head into the long, lazy days of summer, why not get a little lazy yourself? It’s all in the name of weight loss, of course. Here’s why kicking back can help you lose weight, and ways to chill out for maximum benefits. The Right Mindset for Smart Decisions It is no surprise that you are at your best when you are rested, relaxed, and confident. That goes for almost every aspect of your life, and it holds true for weight loss. Thinking clearly lets you “weigh” the consequences of the hard-boiled egg versus the French fries for a snack so you can see the benefits of choosing the egg for weight loss outweigh the benefits of choosing the fries for a few minutes of pleasure. Self-confidence also lets you make the right choices. When you are confident, you know that you have the power to choose. You realize that are not a victim of circumstances, and you do not need to eat something just because it is available to you. You know that you have the power to say no to the things you should not eat, and the power to find the things you should. Better Sleep, Better Choices Sleep is not just a luxury to feel guilty about. Adequate sleep may be the missing key to your weight loss program. When you get enough sleep, you have lower levels of a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin makes you hungry, and less ghrelin helps keep hunger in check. Getting enough sleep also lowers carb and sugar cravings and gives you the strength to make rational decisions. Think protein and veggies, not potato chips and cookies. Stress, Hormones, and Your Weight In addition to your daily choices, there are behind-the-scenes factors that can cause weight gain when you are stressed. Hormones affect your metabolism and can cause weight gain when they are not balanced. Too much stress, for example, raises levels of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol increases raise your hunger levels, which can lead to you overeat. It also affects your fat storage. You might gain more fat in your abdominal area, which is a health risk for diabetes, heart disease, and more. Tips for Chilling Out The first trick for relaxing is to get over your guilt. It is not only okay to kick back, but it is healthy. It may be surprisingly tough when you are out of practice, though. Here are some ideas for stepping back from your busy life and giving your mind a chance to recover for a healthier body. Set aside 10 minutes for yourself every day. Meditate, take a bath, read, or do something else that is just for you. Get more sleep if you find yourself waking up tired or struggling to get through the day. Exercise most days. A quiet stroll on the beach or a hike may seem like out-of-reach dreams, but any exercise helps clear your mind. Restorative yoga, a cycling class, and home exercise DVDs all do the trick. Stretch. It loosens your muscles and gives you a chance to think through your day. Weight loss surgery success takes a lot of hard work, but there are some ways to get more bang for your buck without working harder. Take a chill pill, and you might find that the extra relaxation gives you the strength and stamina to lose more weight.

You may already know about the risks of replacement addictions, or even be fighting them yourself. The theory is that food is an addiction for pre-op bariatric surgery patients. Weight loss surgery helps you break your addiction to food, but it leaves a hole and puts you at risk for other addictions ranging from drugs and alcohol to exercise. Replacement addictions may be more common than you realized. This article describes research that found that 21% of gastric bypass patients in one study developed alcohol abuse problems over the next seven years. That is one out of every five gastric bypass patients! Being aware of the risk can help you avoid the pitfalls. You can also try to prevent negative addictions, such as drugs and alcohol, with positive ones. For example, you can fill the “food void” by taking up a new hobby such as gardening or art, or spend more time volunteering or exercising. Are you concerned about replacement addictions? If you are a post-op patient, have you developed any? Have you taken any steps to prevent them? If you are a pre-op patient, have you been warned about them? Are you planning any steps to prevent them?

The early-bird registration deadline is quickly approaching for YWM2017, the nation’s leading educational conference dedicated to providing evidence-based weight management strategies to individuals looking for quality information and tools to effectively manage their weight and health. Proudly brought to you by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the Your Weight Matters National Convention is offering exclusive early-bird rates starting at just $40/day, or $95 for the full Convention experience. The Convention also offers registration options at the early-bird rate for health professionals who want to learn alongside patients and earn up-to 18 CE credits. Early-bird Registration ends on May 31, so act fast to take advantage of the OAC’s lowest price on Convention registration. YWM2017 will take place August 10 - 13 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel. This year’s Convention will provide attendees with top-notch education delivered by the leading experts in the fields of obesity medicine, nutrition, exercise, obesity treatment, mental health and much more! “We’re very excited for this year’s meeting. We have an amazing lineup of presenters, and we promise to deliver an experience that will have you celebrating your health in a friendly, bias-free, welcoming environment,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO. Learn more about YWM2017 and register today by visiting www.YWMConvention.com!

Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Memorial Day from BariatricPal! The day is officially the chance to remember those who died serving in the country’s armed forces, but it also serves as a long weekend, and the first unofficial day of summer. Most of us experience Memorial Day as some combination of all three of those purposes. It is also a chance to get your weight loss on track or keep the momentum going. Start here! • Your Memorial Day Barbecue – A Weight Loss Blast • Build a Better Burger • Your Summer Start: The Time Is Right! Use the newsletter for ideas and motivation, and have a wonderful day with friends or family. Keep up the healthy fight, and feel free to visit BariatricPal to talk on the forums anytime, and visit The BariatricPal Store for the best deals on great-tasting bariatric products. Thanks for your support, and see you around! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Your Memorial Day Barbecue – A Weight Loss Blast Memorial Day is a welcome holiday for so many of us, and a chance to hang out with friends outdoors for the first time in a while. Make sure to not to let enjoying your friends’ company get in the way of your weight loss goals, though. Your Memorial Day picnic or grill can be healthy and fun. The Barbecue Cheat Sheet You get to choose what the start to the outdoor grilling season means for your health. It can be an absolute disaster if you go traditional and do not pay attention. On the other hand, the grill and a picnic offer all kinds of opportunities for healthy, filling choices. You can have fun, eat well, and lose weight on this day! Skip the Bad… Keep an eye out for the worst of the worst, and replace them with lower-calorie, lower-carb, or higher-protein choices that fit into your WLS diet. These culprits can make you regret the day’s indulgences. • Potato salad with 300 calories per cup. • Baked beans with a day’s worth of sodium and sugar in a cup. • Fried chicken, with half a day’s worth of fat in a piece. • Flag cake, frosted brownies, and red, white, and blue pies. …And Go for the Good Eating right at the picnic can be both easy and delicious. You do not have to work hard to create gourmet dishes, or be stuck with tasteless choices that leave you feeling hungry. Here are some quick ideas for sides and desserts to pass around, dieting or not. • Pasta salad with Protein Pasta and Low-Carb Italian Dressing. • Broccoli salad with Greek yogurt, walnuts, red onions, sweetener, and pepper. • Vegetarian Sloppy Joe as a topping for burgers. • Soft-baked Protein Brownies or Chocolate Chip Protein Cookies. • Key Lime Tarts. Burn It Off Now and Later Bring a volleyball, beach ball, or soccer ball to pass around. Grab a friend or a relative and go for a walk. Or, hop into a 5k run/walk. If you are not quite in shape to do one now, check the calendar and sign up for one on July 4 or Labor Day. There are sure to be plenty of choices in your city or in a nearby city, and committing yourself now will help motivate you to train. Bonus points for choosing to walk for charity! Build a Better Burger That beef burger or frank in a bun seems so natural when you are grilling, but you are not doing yourself any favors. Fatty beef gives you unneeded calories and artery-clogging fat, while a hot dog is typically a source of cancer-causing nitrates. That bun adds refined starches, and toppings such as bacon, chili, and mayo can come together to create a package that has more calories than you should get in a day…not to mention a source of a stomachache or worse for WLS patients. You can easily build a better burger with more nutrients and fewer carbs and calories as the old go-tos. They can be so tasty and easy to prepare that everyone else at the picnic wants the healthy version, too! Where’s the Beef? The beef is not in your new healthy burger, but who cares? Choose another star of the show! What about… • Turkey burger, either plain or seasoned with Italian seasonings, soy or teriyaki sauce, or Low-Calorie Italian Dressing. • Soy crumbles with Low-Carb Pasta Sauce in Asian, Garlic and Herb, or Tex Mex flavors. • Portabello mushrooms. • Frozen, ready-to-cook, salmon, black bean, or soy burgers. Top It Off You can pile on the character without piling on the guilt. Try these substitutions. • Sweet and Sour Slaw for regular coleslaw. • Fat-free cheese for full-fat. A slice can have as little as 25 calories, and melt so nicely! • Avocado or guacamole for mayo. • Protein Potato Chips for fried chips (some of us just love a little crunch in the burger…). Lettuce, tomatoes, and any other vegetable is always a “go,” and grilled mushrooms and onions are satisfying choices. Keep toppings and spreads light, and luckily classics like mustard and low-sugar ketchup work well. Wrap the Package A regular bun spread with butter or mayo can add 300 calories and the potential for dumping syndrome, without much benefit in terms of protein or other nutrients. Why bother? Instead, go for a minimum of extra calories with a naked burger or a burger wrapped in a leaf of lettuce, and plan to use a knife and fork to eat it. If you are in maintenance mode or are allowed to eat healthy grains, have a low-calorie, high-fiber whole grain bun – or half of one for an open burger. Grilled eggplant is another option if you have a knife and fork handy. Your Summer Start: The Time Is Right! Any new season is a chance for a fresh start. Memorial Day is no different. Summer is unofficially here, so take advantage! What are your goals for this season? Where do you want to be on Labor Day? Take Stock of Your Situation Sit down and be honest with yourself. Where are you now, and where do you want to be? What do you need to do to get there? It could be that… • You are doing great with your WLS diet and you just need to keep up the good as you lose weight. • Your weight loss has stalled, and you need to get back to weighing food and tracking it to get back on the weight loss path. • You are ready to get started on your WLS journey, and you need to schedule your surgery. • You are not sure how to lose weight for good, and need to find out more about WLS to decide whether it is the right choice for you. Reach Out for Help No matter where you are and where you are going, you can find help. The BariatricPal forums are filled with helpful members who can give you support and advice at any stage of your journey. You can phone a surgeon and schedule a consultation to learn more, or ask your doctor for recommendations on whom to ask. Your journey is in your hands! This summer can be the best of your life, and you have the power to make it happen. Give yourself a good start on Memorial Day, and let the momentum carry you through. Stop by the BariatricPal forums whenever you need a lift, and see how well you can do this summer!

Really appreciate your feedback! Can you please be a little more specific? A real world example would be fantastic.

The Right Mindset for Smart Decisions It is no surprise that you are at your best when you are rested, relaxed, and confident. That goes for almost every aspect of your life, and it holds true for weight loss. Thinking clearly lets you “weigh” the consequences of the hard-boiled egg versus the French fries for a snack so you can see the benefits of choosing the egg for weight loss outweigh the benefits of choosing the fries for a few minutes of pleasure. Self-confidence also lets you make the right choices. When you are confident, you know that you have the power to choose. You realize that are not a victim of circumstances, and you do not need to eat something just because it is available to you. You know that you have the power to say no to the things you should not eat, and the power to find the things you should. Better Sleep, Better Choices Sleep is not just a luxury to feel guilty about. Adequate sleep may be the missing key to your weight loss program. When you get enough sleep, you have lower levels of a hormone called ghrelin. Ghrelin makes you hungry, and less ghrelin helps keep hunger in check. Getting enough sleep also lowers carb and sugar cravings and gives you the strength to make rational decisions. Think protein and veggies, not potato chips and cookies. Stress, Hormones, and Your Weight In addition to your daily choices, there are behind-the-scenes factors that can cause weight gain when you are stressed. Hormones affect your metabolism and can cause weight gain when they are not balanced. Too much stress, for example, raises levels of a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol increases raise your hunger levels, which can lead to you overeat. It also affects your fat storage. You might gain more fat in your abdominal area, which is a health risk for diabetes, heart disease, and more. Tips for Chilling Out The first trick for relaxing is to get over your guilt. It is not only okay to kick back, but it is healthy. It may be surprisingly tough when you are out of practice, though. Here are some ideas for stepping back from your busy life and giving your mind a chance to recover for a healthier body. Set aside 10 minutes for yourself every day. Meditate, take a bath, read, or do something else that is just for you. Get more sleep if you find yourself waking up tired or struggling to get through the day. Exercise most days. A quiet stroll on the beach or a hike may seem like out-of-reach dreams, but any exercise helps clear your mind. Restorative yoga, a cycling class, and home exercise DVDs all do the trick. Stretch. It loosens your muscles and gives you a chance to think through your day. Weight loss surgery success takes a lot of hard work, but there are some ways to get more bang for your buck without working harder. Take a chill pill, and you might find that the extra relaxation gives you the strength and stamina to lose more weight.

We only used our logo on our cup (without the name.) We will do the same with our t-shirt. Thanks for your feedback!

They're available at the BariatricPal store https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/escali-scales and vary in price.

authorized dealer. Synthesizing contemporary design with unmatched accuracy, Escali products are sold around the globe. They are widely recognized for precision measurement, useful features, smart styling and exceptional value. All models are multifunctional and provide information in a choice of standard or metric formats.

We used to have a few variations but they weren't the greatest sellers. We're going to add a few to the BariatricPal Store over the next few months. Thanks for your suggestion!!

The right food choices are essential to weight loss surgery success, but the right portion sizes are just as important. Eat too much, and you can stop losing weight or harm your health. The dangers of “too much” are obvious with unhealthy foods – consider eating a hundreds of calories’ worth of brownies in a few bites and getting dumping syndrome soon afterwards – but they are also present with healthy foods. You can easily get way too many calories from healthy or high-protein, low-carb foods such as Peanut Butter, cheese, avocados, and even Protein shakes and bars, if you do not regulate portions. The result shows up on the scale. Even with low-calorie foods, eating too much can lead to long-term problems if you train yourself to be full only after large volumes instead of a few ounces as you had right after surgery. Do you monitor your portion sizes? How? Do you weigh your foods and use measuring cups and spoons to get exact amounts? Do you eyeball it? Do you go by feelings of fullness? Do you use single-serve packages of food whenever possible so you can eat the whole thing? Do you have some foods that you measure and others that you are less strict with? Do you use plates and bowls with a size that you are familiar with so you know how much you can eat? Share how you keep your portions in check on your weight loss surgery diet!

After weight loss surgery, you may need to eat three to six small meals and snacks per day, plus drink at least 64 ounces of fluids at times separate from your meals. Add your nearly constant eating and drinking to a busy lifestyle, and you probably have quite a few strategies for hitting your nutrition and fluid needs! Which meal and snack helpers do you use? Do you live off of protein bars and shake powders? Do you use pre-packaged salads and pre-cut veggies? Do you take advantage of ready-to-eat products such as rotisserie chicken, yogurt, and string cheese? Also, what are your indispensable helpers for taking your food and drinks everywhere with you? Do you have a favorite water bottle, protein blender, and set of containers? What other tricks do you have for making on-the-go weight loss easier? Share here!

Weight loss surgery forces you to make a lot of changes in the way you eat and move. There are plenty of rules to guide you in your diet and exercise routine, so it is possible to make the changes without even thinking about it as long as you follow the program. Still, many weight loss surgery patients pay a lot more attention to their body’s messages. The stereotype of a pre-op patient is eating without regards to hunger, but rather because the food is there and tastes good. You might not hear your body asking you to take it for a brisk walk to get the blood moving and heart pumping. You might start soon after surgery thinking about your hunger, your pain levels, and your thirst. You might even notice that your body craves certain nutrients more now, or you may be more likely to ask yourself why you would want a sugary snack whereas before surgery you might just grab it. When exercising, you might now focus on distinguishing between muscle soreness that you should work through, versus an injury that you need to rest. So, would you say you are more in tune with your body since getting weight loss surgery? If you are pre-op, are you paying more attention to your body’s signals and learning to read them?

Wow, awesome feedback so far! Please keep it coming.

I think you might be referring to Caesars in Tijuana. The original home of the Caesar salad.

It's been corrected. Thanks for bringing this to our attention!

A large percentage of BariatricPal Team MX patients come alone and don't have a companion. This is one of the reasons we offer an English speaking "Valet" that assists our patients the entire time they're in Mexico. Generally, most patients go directly to the hospital from the airport and not to the hotel. You bring all your luggage to the hospital and then with you to the hotel once you're discharged.

Happy Mothers Day from BariatricPal! #outlook a {padding:0;} body{width:100% !important; -webkit-text-size-adjust:100%; -ms-text-size-adjust:100%; margin:0; padding:0;} .ExternalClass {width:100%;} .ExternalClass, .ExternalClass p, .ExternalClass span, .ExternalClass font, .ExternalClass td, .ExternalClass div {line-height: 100%;} #backgroundTable {margin:0; padding:0; width:100% !important; line-height: 100% !important;} img {outline:none; text-decoration:none; -ms-interpolation-mode: bicubic;} a img {border:none;} .image_fix {display:block;} p {margin: 1em 0;} h1 { color: white !important; } h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {color: #333333 !important;} h1 a:active, h2 a:active, h3 a:active, h4 a:active, h5 a:active, h6 a:active { color: red !important; } h1 a:visited, h2 a:visited, h3 a:visited, h4 a:visited, h5 a:visited, h6 a:visited { color: purple !important; } table td {border-collapse: collapse;} table { border-collapse:collapse; mso-table-lspace:0pt; mso-table-rspace:0pt; } a {color: #4a8aca;} /* Unhides cells that we set to hide in the HTML in case the client doesn't support style properly */ *[class~=hidePhone] { display : block !important; width : auto !important; max-height: inherit !important; overflow : visible !important; float : none !important; } *[class~=hidePhone][width="30"] { width: 30px !important; } *[class~=hidePhone][width="40"] { width: 40px !important; } td[class~=hidePhone] { display: table-cell !important; } @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) { a[href^="tel"], a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: none; color: blue; pointer-events: none; cursor: default; } .mobile_link a[href^="tel"], .mobile_link a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: default; color: orange !important; pointer-events: auto; cursor: default; } #userPhoto, .hidePhone, *[class~=hidePhone], td[class~=hidePhone] { display: none !important; } .responsive_table > tr > td, .responsive_table > tbody > tr > td, .responsive_table > tr, .responsive_table > tbody > tr { display: block; text-align: left; } html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tr > td, html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tbody > tr > td, html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tr, html[dir="rtl"] .responsive_table > tbody > tr { text-align: right; } .responsive_row { margin-bottom: 10px; } .responsive_fullwidth { width: 100% !important; } } @media only screen and (min-device-width: 768px) and (max-device-width: 1024px) { a[href^="tel"], a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: none; color: blue; pointer-events: none; cursor: default; } .mobile_link a[href^="tel"], .mobile_link a[href^="sms"] { text-decoration: default; color: orange !important; pointer-events: auto; cursor: default; } Store Forums Magazine Activity Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there! It's a day for children to thank Mom for all the sleepless nights, hugs, homework help, and encouragement over the years. It's also a day for Mom to say thanks in return for all the memories and joy! This Mother's Day, why not honor Mom and the family by being even more dedicated to your weight loss surgery and health goals? This newsletter may help. • Why Weight Loss Surgery, Why Now? • Weight Loss Surgery Mother's Day Brunch Menu • Your Mother's Day Gift List Get inspired and motivated by the newsletter, then get ready for a family-filled Mother's Day to show your love and make more memories. Come visit BariatricPal Forums whenever you are ready for more ideas and encouragement in your weight loss surgery journey. Happy Mother's Day! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Why Weight Loss Surgery, Why Now? There is a right time for every weight loss surgery patient. Something makes you decide to get the surgery, and something makes you decide that the time is NOW. Are you ready? Health: It's a Family Thing Mother's Day is about Mom, but it is also about family. Health is the same way. It is about you, but it is also about your family. If you have been putting off your weight loss surgery because you think it is selfish and takes focus away from your family, you might want to think again. A healthier you means a more energetic you, a more dependable you, and a you that will be around for your family for much longer. Have You Tried Everything Else to Lose Weight? There is no single diet that works for everyone, so it can take several tries. Maybe a different eating pattern will work for you, or some sessions with a nutritionist and a personal trainer can help you develop a lifestyle pattern that can help you lose weight and keep it off. On the other hand, if you have already tried everything else and are sure WLS is for you, ask yourself what you are waiting for. Is the Time Right for You? Of course you should not get WLS if you have doubts or are not ready. It makes perfect sense to explore other options. Maybe you can give yourself a deadline of a year and see how much progress you can make in that time before opting for WLS. Ask yourself, “If not now, then when??” It may be time to bite the bullet and call the surgeon if you know WLS is for you and you are simply waiting for it to happen. Weight Loss Mother's Day Plan What could be better than spending the day with your family, thanking Mom, and hugging your children? Losing weight while you do it can make it even better! Here are a few tips for losing weight this Mother's Day and using it as a springboard for getting motivated for more weight loss to come. Record Your Memories Take photos and videos of everything you do on this day. That will help you remember the good times, and it also can help you lose weight. • The camera does not lie. Take a look at yourself and use it for motivation to finally get weight loss surgery, to stay on your WLS diet so you can hit goal weight, or to keep the weight off for good. • Prove that you ate healthy. Use your camera as motivation to make few healthy dishes so you can be proud of your efforts when you look back at the photos. • Consider the scenery. Do you feel more proud when all of your photos show everyone sitting round the table, or when some of the photos show the family on a walk, at the park, or playing active games such as "Follow the Leader?" Embrace Brunch No way should you skip that family meal. Just make sure it is one you can be proud of. Here are a few brunch ideas so you can be sure to stay low-carb, low-calorie, and high-protein, while you still get full flavor and satisfaction. • Frittata made with cauliflower instead of potatoes to cut the carbs. Try goat cheese and kale, spinach and feta, or zucchini and mozzarella varieties. • High-protein Peach Cobbler Muffins or Blueberry Muffins. • Warm biscuits made with low-carb baking mix, spread with fat-free cream cheese and served with low-fat vegetarian sausage. • Grilled shrimp on a bed of arugula with Low-Calorie Honey Mustard Dressing. • Fruit platter with fat-free ricotta or cottage cheese. Remember to follow your other WLS rules, such as eating slowly and chewing thoroughly. Use the pleasure of the good company to help you savor each bite and pause in between. Make the Rest of the Day Great, Too Build on the good work you did at brunch by keeping it up the rest of the day. Divide up the leftovers and send any unhealthy dishes home with your guests so that you are not tempted to eat them. Invite your family for a stroll, a nature walk, or a game of tag so you all stay active. It would even be a good time to sit down and have a candid talk about your health goals and how you can all work together to achieve them. Healthy Living and Good Parenting: A Tough Act So often, we are taught to put others first. Mothers know this better than most other people; they are often assumed to have no personal needs, and are made to feel that taking care of themselves means they are not taking care of their families. Taking time for yourself to eat right, exercise, and get enough sleep is almost stigmatized! That is wrong. Gaining weight, developing arthritis and diabetes, and operating on low sleep do not do anyone any good. What does help is being on your “A” game, which means losing weight if you need to, staying fit, and sleeping enough. Still, even if you do not feel guilty about it, it is hard to squeeze in the time between cooking and cleaning, helping with homework, and chauffeuring the kids to activities. Here are a few tips. • Make it a priority. Write down your daily goals in your planner so you are committed to them. • Have your kids help you, not hinder you. Play outside with younger ones, and walk outside while older ones have sports practice • Use mealtimes as a challenge to come up with healthy, delicious food everyone will love and can eat. How proud will you feel when your kids see you eating only the good stuff, and how much prouder will you be when they choose it for themselves? • Keep handy snacks around, such as protein bars and protein chips, so nobody needs to dive for the sugar and fat. • Be just as disciplined about your bedtime as you are about theirs. Going to bed is way more important than watching an extra episode of that TV show. Instead, get your workout in while watching TV! This Mother's Day, take pride in yourself and your family. Be thankful for what you have, and protect it and make it better by living your healthiest life. Happy Mother's Day! Stop paying for nutritional supplements! 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If you had a history of gastric reflux, please do not have gastric sleeve surgery! You're definitely a great candidate for the Gastric Bypass or Mini Gastric Bypass.

I noticed many of my friends on FaceBook and Instagram posting pics of the new Starbucks Unicorn Frappucino. The Connecticut Health Department pointed out of their official Facebook account that the Unicorn Frap contains more than double the suggested sugar intake by the American Heart Association. What are your thoughts on Starbucks promoting a drink which has excessive amounts of sugar and calories? Personally, I feel that it's irresponsible advertising. We are dealing with a growing Obesity problem around the entire world. Diabetes is running rampant. Am I overreacting? I didn't post my personal feelings because I'd never want anyone to feel that I'm judging their choices.

Shhhhh!!! You're ruining the placebo effect for everyone The best method to get rid of after WLS gas is to walk, walk and walk!