Alex Brecher

@@Alex Brecher, I just tried the code and it won't work...any ideas? I just refreshed the code. Let me know if you have any issues now. Sorry about that!

Here's a 15% coupon you can use if you've never ordered the Patches before: ILUVMYPATCHES It expires in 30 days. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Here's a 15% coupon you can use if you've never ordered the Patches before: ILUVMYPATCHES It expires in 30 days.

Your diet is a lot more structured after WLS. Especially near the beginning, there are certain foods that you can eat, and a lot of foods that you can’t eat. It’s important to hit your calorie and Protein goals, while doing your best to get in tons of other nutrients, too. Now that you need to be careful about every bite you take, do you make a lot more of your food yourself rather than depending on prepared foods from restaurants and convenience stores? Do you spend a lot more time in the kitchen than you used to? Have you become a better cook? Or have you gone the opposite way – keeping foods simple and easy, possibly depending on easy choices like yogurt, cheese, and fruit? How, if at all, have your cooking and food prep habits changed since WLS?

Which Balloon are you going with? Good luck and keep us informed on your journey, please.

@@gerbrared, It’s normal, unfortunately! Luckily, it will come back, eventually. The things you can try to do to minimize it include getting enough Protein and taking Biotin if you’re not already. Biotin is a B Vitamin, and yes, you can take it after surgery, and no, it’s not easy to overdose on it! Unfortunately, you can’t always get hair loss to stop even if you’re doing everything right. Just know that it’s normal and it’ll stop eventually.

@@johnbamber, LOL! Living proof that there can still be joy in life and food after WLS!

@Proud2BeMe, You did a brave thing by posting this. More important, you did a smart thing by recognizing the problem. It sounds scary, but by recognizing it and wanting to get help for it, you’re doing the right thing. Your friends’ plan of tapering off sounds great on paper. Can you do it? If you think you can, great. If not (or even if you want to try the taper), getting professional help seems like a good idea. You might pick up a few strategies you hadn’t even thought of, including alternatives to alcohol when you feel the urge to drink. Listen to and consider your friends' advice, but don't feel that you must follow it if you don't think it's right for you. As you go through this difficult time, do remember to be proud of yourself. It’s impressive that you haven’t gained any weight despite your alcohol struggles, and so be sure to carry that success with you all the time. It can help give you the confidence you need to meet this recent challenge.

@@Sherbear2, I think everyone has a slightly different experience, but there’s a chance you’ll feel great. You could feel like you just woke up from a restful sleep, and you’ll wonder whether you’ve had surgery yet. The painkillers they give you will probably still be in effect, so you may not be in any discomfort. Good luck, and try not to worry about it!

@@kjwrn, I’m reasonably sure that scales can detect the user’s anxiety and desires! Furthermore, I am sure scales are programmed to act exactly opposite to what the user wants so badly. So, since you want to be in onederland so much, the scale is resisting. You will win, though! Once you break into onederland, you may never go back. Enjoy the feeling when you get there, and congratulations on your hard work and great results.

@LoseItKaty, Thanks for your update and a huge congratulations for your success! Wow…it’s not just about the numbers for you! You’re moving forward in your life and career. Good luck with that half marathon and with your pre-med program!

@@hbrhonda, A big change like WLS can definitely put a strain on a relationship! Along with some of the other great ideas you’ve gotten for non-eating-focused activities to do together, I wonder if you might be able to cook together, for him and/or for you, and if you two might want to take walks together. It’s hard to tell from just your initial post, but I would also make sure to think about things from his point of view. He feels like he’s lost a partner in what seem to be his favorite activites. Would it be possible to compromise a little more? For example, do you think it would have made him happier if you had included wine for him with the picnic you packed for the concert in the park? Do you think there’s a way you can go out to dinner and not find it “boring” or even at least hide that you think it’s “boring?” Maybe you two could go out sometimes and he could still enjoy what he used to – the good food and your great company – and you could enjoy his great company while at least pretending to enjoy the few bites you order. I think it will involve compromise on both parts. It can be really tough on you, since doing the things the two of you used to love (and that he still wants to do) can make you need to work harder to stick to your WLS plan. For example, going to Vegas and hitting the buffets challenges your self-control, but in exchange, you get to have fun with your husband and make him happy. Good luck giving your relationship and your WLS your best effort! It’s a tough balancing act.

Tracking your food is one of the biggest keys to success after weight loss surgery. It holds you accountable, and can help you discover patterns about your eating, like which foods make you feel fuller and when you tend to crave junk food. There are tons of possibilities for food tracking. Which program/site/app do you use to track your diet, and why? Which features does it have that you like or even depend on?

Really glad to hear!!

How about you collect the funds and I'll produce the commercials?

I Don’t Burn as Many Calories. The more you lose, the less you can eat if you want to keep losing or keep the weight off. There are a couple of reasons for this unfortunate fact. First, your metabolism slows as you lose weight as a response to the dieting. Your body compensates for your low-calorie consumption by conserving energy – which translates to burning fewer calories. A bigger factor is your lower body weight. The less you weigh, the less you burn at rest and while exercising. Take a 30-year-old 250-lb woman with a height of 5’4”, for example. She burns about 1900 calories per day at rest. She burns about another 450 calories for every hour she walks. So, she can lose about a pound a week if she eats about 1,800 calories per day. Take this same woman at 140 pounds. She might need only 1,500 calories per day at rest, and burn 250 calories while walking for an hour. If she walks for an hour a day, she might even gain weight eating 1,800 calories per day. So what can you do to combat this? Being aware is a big step. Know that you may not need as many calories as you used to need. You can cut out calories the way you have been: by taking smaller portions, and by choosing healthy foods and lower-calorie versions of normally high-calorie foods: think of a plate of zucchini noodles (“zoodles”) instead of a plate of pasta, for example. You can also be more active to burn more calories. While an hour’s walk may have been a good workout for you while you were at your high weight, you might be in better shape now, and able to work a little harder. You might be able to throw in a little jogging, or try aerobics or kickboxing or Zumba, to burn more calories in that same hour. Build a little muscle with some strength training, and your calorie burn will be boosted round the clock. I’m Not Motivated. Lack of motivation is one of the biggest barriers to keeping the weight off. Preventing regain takes a lot of work, so you need to be motivated. But how can you stay motivated when one of the strongest motivators – the dropping number on the scale – isn’t there anymore? The first thing you can do is change your attitude. From the time you had WLS to the time you hit goal weight, your job was to lose weight. You had a victory every time your weight dropped, and that was exciting. Now, your job is to maintain your weight. You have a victory every time you step on the scale and your weight is the same. That is exciting, too – hopefully, exciting enough to keep you motivated to do the right thing as you make your eating and exercise choices throughout the day. Most of the motivators that you used when losing weight are probably still there. You may just have to search a little harder to remember them. You want to be healthy. You want to be proud of yourself. You want to be around to support your family and to watch them grow. You want to be healthy. You want to shop in regular stores. Remind yourself of your reasons for wanting WLS, and remind yourself how hard you worked to get here. It’s something not everyone can do, but you did it! I Got off Track. So does everyone. Let it get you down, and you can regain a lot of weight very fast. Take care of it and use it as a learning experience, and it can only make you stronger. Figure out what got you off track, and do your best to fix the habit. Maybe it’s drinking your calories, choosing slider foods, munching throughout the day, or using food instead of the gym as your emotional outlet. Whatever it is, fix it, forgive yourself, and keep going! If you’re really not sure what went wrong, go back to the basics of your post-op solid foods diet. Figuring out your strategies can help you keep the weight off for good. Preventing regain is a lifelong endeavor. You may need to work on it daily, but the payoff can be worthwhile. You worked awfully hard to get WLS and lose the weight – don’t you want to keep it off?

How is your husband doing? His associate has murdered multiple patients. http://www.10news.com/news/team-10-dozens-injured-during-weight-loss-surgery-in-mexico I wish people would do more research before putting their lives at risk before going under the knife

If you value your life, I'd stay far away from this surgeon! He's a surgeon on Dr. Mario Almanza's team. Google him or do a search for Almanza on here.

If you value your life, I'd stay far away from this surgeon! He's a surgeon on Dr. Mario Almanza's team. Google him or do a search for Almanza on here.

I am not aware of any reason you can't eat sashimi (or even sushi) once you are cleared for all foods. I eat Sashimi once or twice every week, without any issues. I used to eat (brown or black rice) sushi rolls but found that I gained a little weight since they are pretty carby when you look at the ingredients and sauces I was throwing into the mix. I still eat them but not as often as I used to.

Thank you for your reply Alex. How do you go direct? When I used the contact link I (think) I left an email and somebody contacted me - can't remember exactly. It was a facilitator. Since a doctor here recommended this place to my friend I felt that perhaps it was a safe place. Do you have any information on it other than being a clinic vs hospital? And does that make a difference? Sending you a PM with the surgeon's direct contact info.

They go through Dr. Pompa (LIMARP). You can go direct and pay 1/2 of that price.

@@CHM, I agree with the others that short-term, you’re find medically with your consumption if you’re absolutely physically unable to eat the food you know you should. However, it sounds like you probably could up the intake a little. For example, you mention that you might “forget” to eat a snack at work – that’s not a question of physical revulsion, so maybe you could make a little more effort not to be forgetful. I would also be super honest with myself about the past history of eating disorders. Is an eating disorder mentality coming into play here? Be honest with yourself. If so, you need to address it if you want to have a truly healthy relationship with food. I don’t know if that’s something you can address yourself by being super vigilant, or if you need to get help – that’s something you need to decide. Good luck!

@@leag78, Congratulations! What a testament to hard work and commitment. You deserve every pound, and I am so happy for you.

LOL! Congratulations for all these terrible things, and I hope you keep discovering more things to rant about.