Alex Brecher

I referred to personal property and to those who leave of their own accord. I'm well aware of terms of service, as any internet site in which I've participated includes a standard provision that applies to me with about 5% exception. The provision is one that I favor because it protects me. Employment contracts and agreements at resignation cover enough of the same ground and more as terms of service. I appreciate a sense of duty to protect life, limb and sanity of users. What you write now is not quite the same as your earlier versions. You left room earlier to question your standards for accessing what users believe is private. A big hole remains in that area. I would be interested to know when the the "terms of service" available tonight was last amended. You can see a history of our terms of service at https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.bariatricpal.com/page/terms_of_service.html . It's been ages since anything was edited or updated.

There are many vets that aren't mean or confrontational. Good luck with your surgery! Please see the Terms of Service you agreed to upon signup: Account Modifications We do not remove member forum accounts on request. You are welcome to stop visiting BariatricPal at any time. Members have the ability to change or update their display names and any information available in their public profiles. Members can stop receiving email notifications from BariatricPal.

Is that it? I thought people were changing their own names, wih your new name and the examples you gave those members' comments to Alex. It has nothing to do with "leader." There is no leader in this site. It's Alex's business, not a workshop or class sort of operation. . . What you're not getting is that leaving a place involves taking your things with you, such as your name and personal property. If you've left a job, for example, didn't you take your things from the desk or locker you'd used? Those who want to quit BP want to take what's personal, but none are things that can be packed into a carton. You registered for BP only a few weeks ago. You're speaking without knowing what's been going on that led to the current climate. One of the worst if not the worst, is today's revelation of the website owner's forays into reading personal messages that members exchange. That's dirty business. You don't get to take your desk and chair or any of the work you previously did. You leave and stop whining about being fired. Do you expect us to delete the posts that other members took their time to respond to? Every member agreed to our terms of service and forum rules upon signup. If we receive complaints from a member that they're being bullied by a certain member or group of members via private messaging. We will go ahead and investigate and read through the reported messages. This is common practice on any internet forum, FaceBook included.

Who's not allowing you to get off this site. Your outrage is quite comical. Go ahead and just delete our app and don't visit this website again.

Oh, Alex. "terrorize"? Really? Look, I'm not as outraged as some people are, and I'm not demanding that you delete my account. You're running a business and it's been helpful for me. But, it would be great if you'd not use that kind of language. I'm a military veteran, married to an active duty soldier and believe me, there's not one iota of terrorizing going on here. Bullied, maybe. Terrorized? Don't make me laugh. The people you just either banned or caused to leave are the reason I'm here and the reason many people are here...I get NOTHING from newbies eating pizza in their bathrooms so their spouses don't know they're 'cheating'. But when LL slapped me upside my virtual head when I asked about wine at 6 weeks post-op? THAT helped. AND, it made me think 'hey, my team was wrong about BP, there are some nuggets of wisdom to be gleaned there'...I hate that they were right, and I'm going to have to admit it at my real-life support group meeting next week. The snowflakes have had their fun, and when they all leave because they've hit goal or stopped losing because of their crappy habits, it's going to be sad and lonely around here...you may have 310,273 accounts (which we now understand to mean 'anyone who ever signed up, ever'), but you probably have about 50 active posters and about 100 more who drop in from time to time, in the sleeve forums. That's not a robust readership, by any means. I'm sad to see this, and although I may stick around for a while, it's only because of 2 or 3 people who I think need support...there's no support left here for me. And I'm going to buy my Vitamins, Proteins and Moon cheese elsewhere...I never get free shipping anyway. Let's think about things logically for a second..... Do you think this was a personal vendetta against a few members? What do I or BariatricPal have to gain from banning some very active members? If we are all about the mighty $, don't you think it would be in our best interest to keep things status quo and not make waves? BariatricPal is supposed to be a safe place for the weight loss surgery community and my mission in life is to keep it that way. I started BariatricPal the night I came home from my own weight loss surgery. It started off as a hobby for me and I literally spent hundreds and thousands keeping it going for many years without any financial support. It was my way of giving back to the community that supported me through my WLS. We've grown quite a bit over the last 14 years and I've recently launched a few businesses to serve the community and support our growth. It's an awesome feeling being able to help people and make a good, decent and honest living. It's living the American dream. 2017 is going to be a great year for the BariatricPal community. We have some really interesting projects that are launching in a few months. We're done with the rudeness, disrespect and bullying. Failure to follow the Forum Rules will lead to consequences included lifetime bans from BariatricPal. PS: Check your records. You received FREE SHIPPING for every single order you placed at the BariatricPal Store

I've been running BariatricPal in one form or another since 2003. I can count on one hand the times that I've had no choice but to log in to a members account to read through their PMs. One of these cases involved a suicidal member who called me a few weeks after an incident to thank us for saving her life. It takes a lot for us to go into an account and read through PMs. Privacy means a great deal to me. What "trumps" privacy though is member safety. Our members need to feel safe here. I'd love to post screenshots of the PMs that were recently discovered but our policy is and always has been to keep all member information private. There was a coordinated effort to make fun of members and another to bully them because they didn't conform or agree with certain members. I have three kids, two dogs and a pretty busy life. The last thing I find entertaining is reading through member PMs. Yes, we have full access (even to deleted PMs) and we've never hidden that fact. We currently have 310,273 members. Do you really think it's going to impact our membership levels if I delete 10-20 accounts? I think not. I'm not deleting your accounts on principle. You are more than welcome to WALK AWAY and never come back to this website. Nobody is forcing you to return. You can click on UNSUBSCRIBE from the forum as well as the store emails you might receive. We have never shared our email list with others and we don't ever plan on doing that. I knew this purge was going to cause a mini uproar but I think it'll benefit BariatricPal in the long term. I'm tired of seeing members bullied in the name of tough love or whatever twisted logic some members come up with as an excuse to terrorize others.

I won't be deleting any accounts. You are more than welcome to unsubscribe from our emails and go your merry way. The straw that broke the camels back was a group of weight loss surgeons, bariatric psychologists, and other integrated health members that approached me recently at a weight loss surgery conference I was attending. They said they love suggesting BariatricPal to their patients but were very concerned about some bullying that was taking place. They didn't feel it was a "safe" place for their patients. Many of our members ended up becoming overweight because of the bullying and trauma they had suffered earlier on in life. It's quite sickening that they should be required to re-live the same trauma while seeking "support" online! I opened up an investigation a few weeks ago and what I discovered was nauseating. There are hundreds of private messages between some members that discuss strategy on how to bully or make fun of other members that disagree with them publicly. At the end of the day, we're an online support group and everyone needs to learn how to play nice. If you can't abide by the rules, you're not welcome here. If this was about $, I'd keep things status quo and wouldn't ruffle any feathers. I promised myself that 2017 would be an awesome one for the BariatricPal community and our members. If you're not happy with my decision, you are more than welcome to follow the members I banned to the other online communities that are readily available to you.

We carry the entire Syntrax line at the BariatricPal store. You can get the sample pack at https://store.bariatricpal.com/collections/syntrax/products/syntrax-nectar-protein-powder-sampler-variety-bag-15-flavors . They'll be back in stock Monday noon.

There has been some network issues at the datacenter we currently use. You might want to retry in a few hours.

It's definitely not enough time. There's good reason why everyone else requires two additional nights at a hotel. Most complications occur during the first 1-4 days. It's reckless for them to discharge you from the hospital and shuttle you directly to the airport. They're trying to save $$$ but it's the wrong place to be skimping on.

I've worked with these guys for years. They're 100% legit and not a scam. They're upfront about what they send and bill you for.

You are bound to have some surprises no matter how much you prepare for surgery. There can be good surprises, such as discovering that recovery was not as painful as you thought, or that losing even a little bit of weight in the first few weeks post-op can be Your post-op surprises can also be less pleasant. You might be disappointed to discover that Water does not taste good anymore, or that you are dying for a can of fizzy, sugary, caffeinated Coke, or that nobody notices your weight loss even though it seems like a lot to you. What were some of your biggest post-op surprises? Do you have any advice for pre-op patients to help them prepare?

Happy New Year! For many of us, the end of the year gets out of control. From Thanksgiving or even Halloween through New Year’s Eve, we can easily get off our meal plans and weight loss plans despite our best intentions. The holidays are thankfully over, though, leaving time to set goals and make plans for a healthy 2017. January 1 is the time to put into effect some New Year’s Resolutions. What are your resolutions for this year? Do they have to do with weight loss surgery and weight loss, healthy habits in general, or something entirely different? Even if you do not make formal resolutions, are you trying to make any changes as the holidays draw to a close and life starts to get back to normal? How are you taking advantage of this time of year when people are more focused on health than usual? It can be an easier time to lose weight because you are going with the grain. Share your New Year’s Resolutions and healthy strategies for January!

We are updating the site quite a bit by the end of this month. Once it's updated I am going to be working on consolidating and organizing things. You are free to post wherever you'd like though

Sure, the URL is: http://www.bariatricfoodie.com/takethepledge/

So I was going to come up with this wonderfully witty subject line and opening about how we all make goals at the beginning of the year and how those goals can often fall by the wayside and yadda.... But listen. I value your time FAR too much! So here's what I have to say today. BariatricPal is sponsoring the 2017 Bariatric Foodie Pledge which starts January 29. If you've done the Pledge before and know the deal, you can proceed here to sign up. IMPORTANT: You must sign-up this year in order to participate. If you aren't signed up you can't win prizes, okay? Good! Now...if you have no idea what I am talking about...read on... The Bariatric Foodie Pledge is a four-week goal setting and accountability challenge where you have the chance to win prizes for working on your healthy goals. Here's the main gist of how it works: At the beginning of each week of the challenge, you'll "pledge" a healthy goal. Any goal you'd like. At the end of the week, you'll be accountable by reporting back on how you did. For each week you do that, you'll be entered to win a healthy prize package. Do it all four weeks and you could take home the "Winner Takes All" grand prize! Meaning...if you win the grand prize you win EVERYTHING everyone else got all four weeks (plus some extra stuff). But the Bariatric Foodie Pledge isn't just about the prizes. You'll also get MEGA-support and motivation to work on your goals, including: A private Facebook group where hundreds of others will be working on their goals and cheering you on A weekly support call just for Bariatric Foodie Pledge participants Access to weekly workout challenges _________ (Fun stuff I haven't thought of yet but inevitably will think of and implement as I do every year - just ask anyone who has participated!) What say you? Are you in??? The challenge starts January 29 but, again, you must sign up in order to participate and be eligible to win prizes! So...if working on your goals alongside others, getting and giving motivation, the chance to win prizes, and opportunities to participate in healthy activities sounds like something you could use right now? Sign up to take the Bariatric Foodie Pledge!

I'm sorry but we do not and don't plan on getting involved in plastics at this point. Let us know who you go with!

That's an entirely different topic! We were planning on opening a special online store for our Canadian members. The issue is that the Canadian gov requires registration of every single supplement. It's going to take us ages to actually accomplish that. It's a real shame.

Yes.... Dr. Oscar Rafael Gastelum - claims to be a plastic surgeon but never graduated medical school dr. Jesus Lopez - he's a weight loss surgeon who offers plastics but only has a few online courses under his belt Dr. Ramos Kelly - also a weight loss surgoen who offers plastics but has no experience or real certifications. He was recently kicked out of a hospital for illegally performing these procedures

We offer FREE shipping for all orders over $59. Most Bariatric patients spend more than that on a monthly basis for supplements so shipping is essentially free

Congrats on the coverage! I think the article did a pretty decent job discussing the complexities of Weight Loss Surgery. I agree that she could have talked a little more about long term success but from all the articles I've read from non-bariatric patients, this wasn't too bad at all.

I'm not sure which surgeon/hospital you're using but almost all of the reputable ones have you stay in a hotel or recovery house for two days after your surgery. They have a driver pick you up from the hospital and drop you off at the hotel and you have another driver that takes you from the hotel to the airport. At BariatricPal TeamMX you also have your own personal Valet at the hospital and hotel for your entire stay.

¡Hola, amigos! ¡Que gusto darle los bienvenidos a BariatricPal! Es un espacio para toda la comunidad de la cirugía para perder peso. Como un paciente de la cirugía de banda gástrica, sé bien lo difícil que es para perder peso. Hay que adoptar un nuevo estilo de vida. No es solo un cambio de dieta sino también un cambio de actitud, de su hábitos diarios, quizás de sus relaciones personales...casi de todo. Por eso se necesita el apoyo. Aquí está. Este sitio web y este foro son fuentes significativas de apoyo. Aquí hay personas quienes hayan pasado por las mismas experiencias que Usted. Le puedan dar respuestas a todo sus preguntas. Puedan empatizar consigo y ofrecerle un abrazo. No hay que temer que alguien le juzgue a Usted en el espacio de BariatricPal. Es una comunidad lleno de cariño y respeto. Se puede hablar de todo lo que tiene que ver con la cirugía bariatrica desde la punta de considerarlo hasta que ha llegado a su peso ideal. Discuten sus temores, logros, y preguntas. Pide ayuda y deles apoyo a otros miembros. ¡Somos un sistema de apoyo fenomenal! ¡Disfruten el foro, y buena suerte en el logro de sus sueños! Cariñosos saludos, Alex Fundador, BariatricPal

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy New Year! It’s an exciting time for anyone, and especially for the BariatricPal community. It is a time to think about hopes and dreams for the coming year, and to reflect on how lucky we are to have each other for support. That’s exactly what this newsletter is about, and here is what you will find. A Fresh Start in the New Year Setting Your Path for 2017 Getting Some Help in 2017 We are so grateful for your participation on the BariatricPal Forums, so be sure to login and you can share your tips and ideas with all of the BariatricPal members! Happy New Year! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal A Fresh Start in the New Year Whether or not 2016 went as you had hoped or planned, it’s over. Now, you have the chance to make whatever you want out of 2017. Here are some tips for getting back on track or getting a solid start in the New Year so you can reach your goals. Get Your Kitchen Ready for Weight Loss Be honest, now. What foods have crept into your kitchen since Thanksgiving? Frozen pies and fruit cakes? Some baking mixes and frosting in case you needed to bake a last-minute thank-you gift for someone? Christmas Cookies and fudge from well-wishing friends and relatives? pizza and appetizers from a New Year’s bash? Clean Your Kitchen It is time to clean your kitchen. Get rid of any foods that are tempting you to go off your bariatric surgery diet. Donate them if possible. If not, just throw them away. Quiet that conscience by reminding yourself that the food is better off in the trash can than on your hips, and in neither of those cases are you helping end world hunger. Restock Your Kitchen An empty kitchen is better than one filled with junk food, but it can still get in the way of weight loss. That’s because you are more likely to turn to delivery, take-out, and prepared foods if nothing healthy is on hand. So, restock your kitchen with the basics so you can make healthy meals and Snacks in minutes. Instant shelf-stable Protein Meals from breakfasts to Soups to lunch and dinner Entrees. Pantry goods including canned tuna, salmon, tomatoes, and Beans, nuts, and condiments. Lean Proteins including chicken, fish, tofu, eggs, and yogurt. Fresh vegetables and fruits for snacking, cooking, and salads. Protein snacks including Protein Bars, Protein shakes, and crunchy snacks such as chips and pretzels. You can find plenty of protein choices at The BariatricPal Store, and new customers can use coupon code BPNEWSLETTER10 for a 10% discount of your first order! Delivery from The BariatricPal Store is one kind of delivery that does fit into your WLS diet! Make Those Phone Calls It’s time to do all those things you were too busy to do during the holiday season. To move forward on your weight loss surgery journey, you may need to: Phone your surgeon to schedule a consultation or your surgery. Sign up for a bariatric surgery informational seminar. Find a weight loss surgery support group for pre-op or post-op. Schedule personal training at the gym. Whatever your to-do list includes, it’s time to get to it! You will feel better and be closer to achieving your goals for 2017. Solidify Your Support System You can’t go it alone, so do not even try. Instead, take another look at your support system and see if you can fill in any cracks to make it even stronger. You might want to find an exercise buddy; vow to keep tabs on a coworker who is losing weight in exchange for her doing the same for you; or have another talk with your significant other about which foods you feel comfortable having in the house. Setting Your Path for 2017 We all want basically the same thing for ourselves: control weight and keep it off. It will be easier to get to that goal if you have an idea of which path you will take. Figuring out your path can be a little overwhelming, but here is a little help. Know Your Starting Point Dig deep, because this may take a good amount of soul searching! Your starting point includes knowing your real weight – not an optimistic guess-timate – so hop on that scale. Then consider anything else relevant to your health and weight at this time. For example: Which foods (if any) are still problematic for you. What is holding you back from WLS if you are pre-op. Which health problems or risks you have. Map Your Route Then map your route so you know what you can do to move forwards. You might consider: Getting counseling to deal with emotions in ways other than eating. Setting a date to get back on track with your WLS diet if you got off track recently. Committing (or re-committing) to a workout routine, maybe including milestones such as a hiking trip or 5k walk along the way. Planning the starting date of your pre-op diet to be ready for surgery. You will almost certainly take a few detours along the way. You might even change course entirely. Still, planning your route gives you a path forward. Getting Some Help in 2017 The WLS journey is hard – no question about it. That’s why it’s important to get all the help you can. Here are a few ways to make your journey this year easier. Use Your Resources Think about everything you have heard about support, support groups, and online support groups to make weight loss surgery easier and more effective. Are you taking advantage of them? For example, you can use the BariatricPal forums 24/7 to ask questions and get advice from those who have been there, done that, and those who are going through it at the same time as you. Just hanging out with the community can make you feel more confident and positive about the path you’re on. Make Meals Easier Gourmet cooking gets old fast for most of us. Even without the “gourmet” factor, weight loss surgery menus can take a while to prepare since you need to consider protein and other nutrients and measurements for portion sizes. Meal helpers can relieve the burden in the kitchen and keep your food tasting great. Most grocery stores have all kinds of appetizing time savers, such as pre-cut veggies and pre-washed salads, roast chicken, and frozen pre-formed turkey burger patties. You can also order in, but resist the typical restaurant delivery services. Instead, you are safer with instant low-carb meals and snacks and protein bars and shakes from The BariatricPal Store. They are shelf stable and ready in minutes or immediately, and the selection is varied enough to stave off boredom. I hope you get the help you need and deserve, and that all of your dreams come true in 2017. I look forward to sharing your journey with you. Happy New Year! · Unsubscribe from all BariatricPal E-Mail.