Alex Brecher

I approve of this study and post.

Weight loss surgery makes you change so many things. In fact, if you are (or were) in the position to get weight loss surgery, there’s a good chance WLS will make (or made) you change almost everything about the way you eat. There are so many things you can’t do anymore after WLS. You need to get rid of most, if not all, of the fast food and other high-calorie Snacks and meals. You can’t eat “the whole thing” anymore. You can’t ignore the nutrition facts panel and serving size. You can’t eat a bunch of sugar or refined carbs because it’ll make you sick or lead to cravings. There are some other habits that you might have had that just don’t fit into your new lifestyle, too. Maybe you can no longer hit the bar and go drinking on Friday nights with your friends or coworkers, or you can’t even enjoy a glass of wine every night with dinner. Or maybe you’ve had to give up late-night TV to be able to get up early enough in the morning to take a walk or pack a lunch. For me, I did not have too much trouble giving up a lot of my bad habits because I was so ready for a change. I was sick of my ridiculous diets and weight struggles, and was pretty much ready to do anything to end the fight. I enjoy healthy foods, so didn’t mind giving up most of the junk, and I am lucky in that now I am able to recognize a craving, plan to satisfy it, and then satisfy it without much damage. What I think was the hardest habit for me to break is a simple one: cleaning my plate. I automatically always ate everything that was in front of me without considering stopping. I now, of course, consider portion sizes and work to keep restaurant portions reasonable. I do still get a sense of satisfaction from finishing whatever is in front of me, so I just try to keep “whatever is in front of me” small – I don’t serve myself much. So, what is the habit that has been the hardest for you to break? What are your strategies for getting over that bad habit?

Happy Memorial Day from BariatricPal!#subject#> body,div,dl,dt,dd,ul,ol,li,h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6,pre,form,fieldset,input,textarea,p,blockquote,th,td { margin:0; padding:0; } table { border-collapse:collapse; border-spacing:0; } fieldset,img { border:0; } address,caption,cite,code,dfn,th,var { font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; } caption,th { text-align:left; } h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { font-size:100%; font-weight:normal; } q:before,q:after { content:''; } abbr,acronym { border:0; } address{ display: inline; } html, body { background-color: #d8dde8; color: #5a5a5a; } body { font: normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif; position: relative; } h3, strong { font-weight: bold; } em { font-style: italic; } img, .input_check, .input_radio { vertical-align: middle; } legend { display: none; } table { width: 100%; } td { padding: 3px; } a { color: #225985; text-decoration: none; } a:hover { color: #328586; } div.outer { margin: 0 auto; padding: 14px; } table.wrap { max-width: 800px; margin: 0 auto; } td.logo { background-color: #0f3854; padding: 8px; } td.content { background-color: #fff; font-size: 14px !important; color: black !important; line-height: 150% !important; padding: 8px; } ul { margin-left: 25px; } Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Memorial Day from BariatricPal! It’s a day to reflect, and a day to celebrate all that we have. If you’ve been working hard on your pre-op prep, your post-op recovery, or your weight loss or maintenance, it’s also a day to thank yourself for your commitment. Like any special day, Memorial Day can be a time for reflection about the world and your own weight loss surgery journey. We hope this newsletter can help get you thinking and motivate you to keep it up for the next few months! Here’s what you’ll find. The Freedom of Choice: Do You Choose Health? Treats for Memorial Day (and the Rest of Summer) What Will You Accomplish This Summer? Have a great time getting inspiration from the newsletter, and then we suggest spending a few minutes thinking about the precious things in your life and how much they are worth fighting for. Then we invite you to BariatricPal to talk on the forums and visit the store for the best deals on great-tasting bariatric products. Thanks for your support, and see you around! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal The Freedom of Choice: Do You Choose Health? Memorial Day is a day to honor the men and women who died while serving in the armed forces. As some history buffs and many patriots will tell you, they died to achieve or preserve freedom for the rest of us. Memorial Day may be a little more personal for you if one or more family members or other people close to you died while serving in the armed forces or are currently serving. Even if you do not personally know anyone in the armed forces, you can still appreciate their efforts. In Their Honor On this day, it’s standard to honor these men and women by visiting national cemeteries, going to parades, and having a picnic. Every other day of the year, you can continue to honor the efforts of these men and women by showing how much you value your freedom. One freedom in particular is the freedom to make your own health decisions. Every day, and even every hour, offers new choices. Will you take the stairs or the elevator? Will you pack a lunch or leave it to chance when lunchtime comes around? Will you go to bed now so you can wake up early to workout, or will you watch the next episode of the series you’re hooked on? Will you pick up the phone to inquire about weight loss surgery or will you put it off until next week? You’re already motivated to make good health decisions, but recognizing how privileged we are to be able to make these decisions for ourselves can give you a little extra force for each decision. Think about the men and women who died to allow broad freedom in our country, and make the decision that you will honor their memories, year-round, by making the right decision. Try This Each day is filled with little decisions. That can be a great, because it gives you so many chances to do the right thing. It can also be hard, because you need to keep choosing. The good thing is that “the right thing” can become habit. Here’s one strategy you can try to make a habit. The next time you come face to face with something you shouldn’t eat, take a pause. Tell yourself, “This is a free country. I can choose whether or not to eat this. Nobody else can choose for me. Do I really want to choose to eat this?” You might decide that you will eat the bite of brownie, or take a second helping of cheese dip. That’s okay, but don’t stop giving yourself that reminder and asking yourself “Is this what I want to do with my freedom?” every time you come to a decision point. The pause and the reminder may eventually become habit, and you may eventually decide that no, it is NOT the best use of your freedom to make a poor weight loss decision. Treats for Memorial Day (and the Rest of Summer) Whether it’s a Memorial Day picnic or the rest of summer, you’re going to need some cold refreshment and some dependable picnic recipes for those last-minute get-togethers. Don’t get stuck with fatty hot dogs on starchy white bread served with sugary baked beans and fried chicken. Instead, make your own healthy and easy treats that everyone will love. There are simple ideas such as skewers with fruit and cheese, grilled kebab with chicken and veggies, cut watermelon, and hard-boiled eggs. Or, take it a up a notch with some of the recipes from The BariatricPal Store. They’re made with basic ingredients and products from the store to bump up the protein content and flavor. Refreshing Drinks The weather’s heating up, and that means you need more fluids. You know you need to skip the sodas and fruit punch, but what happens if you’re sick of water? Make your own flavored water with fresh mint leaves and slices of lemon, lime, or peach. Head over to The BariatricPal Store for a little nutrition with your hydration. We have all kinds of protein drinks from chocolate and vanilla shakes to fruit-flavored favorites such as raspberry lemonade, strawberry kiwi, and pineapple orange. They’re low-carb, of course, and pack a whopping 15 grams of protein. Or, support your digestive system by sipping on decaffeinated sugar-free Fiber Ice Tea with 5 grams of fiber available in peach or lemon. Icy Desserts Everyone craves a cold dessert when it gets hot. You can make your own ice pops just by freezing sugar-free or diet juice drinks with popsicle sticks in them. Or, check out The BariatricPal Store for Protein Gelatin and Protein Pudding treats. If you have a few extra minutes, take a look at the dessert recipes we have. Not many people can pass up a Banana Split, and with a high-protein recipe like this one, you don’t have to! What Will You Accomplish This Summer? Memorial is the unofficial start to summer…so it’s time for a little goal-setting! What are you going to get done in the next couple of months, say before Labor Day? Will you schedule your pre-op consult with a surgeon? Will you get surgery and lose the first several pounds? Will you go kayaking with your family, or run your first 5k on July 4? You’re way more likely to be able to achieve your goal if you have more support, so make sure to use BariatricPal as much as you need to! You can ask questions, exchange recipes on the Food and Nutrition Boards, talk about workouts on the Fitness and Exercise Boards, and get all the info on WLS that you ned from surgeon recommendations to tips on dealing with insurance companies. We also encourage you to start a friendly challenge for the summer months! Be a leader and post a challenge for others to join. You might want to include a time frame, such as before July 4, and what members need to do to join in the challenge, such as post their progress on your thread. Having a group to work together can put your goals within reach. I hope your Memorial Day Weekend has plenty of time for friends, family, and relaxation, and it spurs some good eating and healthy activity. Thanks for all of your support of BariatricPal, and let us know how you’re celebrating the day!

@@Christinamo7, Brilliant! I love your response. @AussieGirl18, I guess this is one of those times when you just have to be grateful that you’re not as stupid and mean as some people in this world. Carry on!

@@noworries_365, Congratulations on your surgery! Sipping as much as you can throughout the day is the best strategy. You’ve already gotten good ideas such as using ice chips, popsicles, and Gelatin. Sometimes it can help to mix it up a little: use Water flavoring drops or powders (sugar free), or try warm decaffeinated tea. Also, you can try broth or bouillon for a nice salty taste to give yourself a break from sweet Protein shakes and water flavorings and popsicles. Make sure the broth is warm, not hot, so it doesn’t bother your surgery stitches. For extra motivation, remember that symptoms that you have, like dry mouth, aren’t just unpleasant. They are a sign of dehydration which can be dangerous! I know way too many WLS patients who have ended up in the emergency room. I am not trying to scare you, but just to motivate you to take this super seriously. Good luck!

@DeannW114, These are great insights, and it’s good you’re thinking of these things at this point. Many of us (okay, ALL of us!) had unhealthy relationships with food before surgery; that’s why we got to the weight we did. You may currently think of dates with your husband as revolving around food and drink, but they don’t have to. You can easily go to places other than a restaurant or bar when you spend time together. Even if you really just enjoy going to the restaurant or bar, it doesn’t have to be all about eating and drinking as much junk food as you can. The occasion can be about eating a few bites of wonderful food that you’ll savor, and focusing on quality time with someone you love. That’s what it’s really about, and you can still make food a part of it. If your husband is supportive, this can work. Maybe during your pre-op diet you can take the time to think of all the roles food plays in your life besides providing nourishment, and plan out how you will use something else instead of food.

I’ve seen goal weights all over the place, from a “low-normal” BMI to an “obese” one. I think the initial goal is just a guess: how do you think you’ll look and feel at goal weight, and what do you think is achievable? The great thing about “goal weight” is that it is not at all set in stone. You can change your goal whenever you want. You might feel that you’re already getting too skinny when you’re not yet at your original goal, or you might hit your initial goal but still feel like you have a few more pounds to lose to look or feel the way you want. For those of us doing this for health reasons, health can affect goal weight. You might find that you are ready to stop losing weight as soon as you get off some of your medications or your knees stop hurting. So there’s definitely no right or wrong goal weight, and it can change whenever you change your mind.

@@heather5565, Great thread! -Be patient! Weight loss will come. It may feel slow, but it’s probably not. Even if it is, it is happening. You will lose weight as long as you are following your surgeon and nutritionist’s instructions. -Have lots of goals, not just weight ones. Include goals that are outcome-focused, like achieving a goal size for clothing, and include goals that are action-focused and completely controllable, like working out three times a week for a month. -Put yourself first, because that’s the only way you’ll be able to hit your goals, and because that’s the only way you’ll be able to give your best to others. It’s not selfish to put yourself first, because it benefits everyone.

@@tiers4me, That’s pretty normal. Just make sure you realize that this last “feast” (or however many “last feasts” you have!) doesn’t come calorie-free. Whatever extras you put in your body now will have to come out – through your WLS diet – later. Is it worth it? It’s up to you.

@@sean72977, What can you do? Count the seconds until you can add mushies back in. Make sure you’re meeting your current Protein, calorie, and Fluid goals. Try different Protein shakes for fun. Watch the scale go down. There’s not much you can do besides wait out the post-op liquid diet. You can do it! Stay strong; you’re at one of the toughest points of the journey, and you’ll feel proud and empowered when you succeed at it.

@@GSleeve822, Congratulations on your surgery! If you don’t already know how many calories and how much Protein you should be getting, I would suggest contacting a professional, even if it means paying. If not, at least check online, or use some basic guidelines of at least 1000 calories a day including 65 grams of protein. There are a lot of things about 200 calories a day that are possibly problematic: -Losing a pound a day now is fun, but your body might protest and you may hit a plateau that is hard to overcome. -Dropping your calories so low lowers your metabolism even more than it would have dropped as you lose weight. That’ll make it harder not only to keep losing weight, but also to keep the weight off. The effects can last for years! -Your body’s muscle is probably being broken down. -You’re not getting anywhere near enough nutrients from food. -Being unable to eat more can be a sign that something is wrong. If you’re not able to even tolerate shakes, you should really see a doctor to prevent short-term or long-term problems! Good luck.

@@GinaCampbell, You are so right; it is hard to do this alone. I believe the only way you can do this alone is if you are completely sure that you are on the right path for you. Are you? If you are sure, you don’t have much choice: you need to get the surgery. If you’re not sure, you need to decide…but I don’t think your decision should be affected by your daughter’s disapproval. Of course you should listen if she has legitimate information to offer that can help you decide, but that’s it. Like many of the others here, I have a feeling your daughter will come around sooner or later. It is hard to believe she would leave your life forever just because you got a medical procedure she disagreed with! And so much the better if it’s successful and you become more energetic and better able to play with your grand-child. Good luck, and let us know how things go.

@@saphfyre14, As the others said, be sure to eat what your surgeon and nutritionist tell you to eat. If they haven’t told you anything yet, ask them. They should be able to give you as much information as you want. That said, your diet will probably have a lot of healthy foods and not many unhealthy ones! You will not be able to eat much volume at first, so you will need to start with the Protein foods at each meal and snack (if your surgeon and nutritionist tell you to include snacks). That might include eggs, chicken, tuna, beef, turkey, Beans, cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, and other lean and nutritious sources of protein. You might not be able to tolerate all of those foods at first; you’ll have to see how it goes. Eventually, you can also add peanuts and nuts, but those can take longer. Vegetables come next to your meals and Snacks, since veggies are low calorie and filling. You’ll eat cooked ones first since they’re easier to tolerate. Examples include cooked carrots and green beans. It’ll probably take you a really long time to be able to eat salad. Other healthy foods to include will probably be fruit, whole grains like oatmeal, and starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes in small servings. And what won’t you be eating? Well, probably anything that’s high-calorie and low-nutrient: think sugary, processed, fatty, fried, and starchy foods. Cake, white Pasta, pizza, chips, fried chicken, and ice cream are a few examples. Alcohol is also forbidden. Many sleeve patients are able to tolerate almost everything, although you might have trouble with certain foods. Some patients include small amounts of junk food because they know they can satisfy their cravings and stay in control, while others avoid all trigger foods. Hope that gives you some idea!

Melissa, Thanks for these helpful tips! You have some great practical advice regarding having a Plan B and also to depend on yourself – not your friends and family – for your workout. In a lot of ways, sticking to your exercise plan is just like sticking to your eating plan after WLS. I would also add to #7 (Eat Around Your Workouts) to be sure to drink around them, too. So many WLS patients do not get enough Water as it is, and exercise increases your Fluid needs. On top of the 64 (or more) ounces you should be getting each day, you need more with exercise. Depending on how long you work out and how much you tend to sweat, you may need a few extra cups. It’s good to stay hydrated throughout the day, drink a cup or two about an hour before working out, have a few ounces every 15-30 minutes through the workout, and then down another cup or two after you’re done. Also I would suggest finding something, or preferably some things to do that you love. That makes it easier to be consistent. Having a bunch of options also makes it easier to stay motivated. Thanks for these super helpful tips!

Thanks for the great answers! I think this thread is a nice reminder of how hard we’ve all worked (and are still working) to get where we are today, and also how capable we are of doing what we set our minds to do. It looks like eating too fast, eating too much, and staying away from alcohol and problem foods are some of the most common challenges. Haha, @@LipstickLady, your family is lucky! I can definitely think of worse things than being served prepared foods from Whole Foods! @@sbg224, that’s a tough one. Have you tried any substitutes, like single-serve bags of low-carb chips or pretzels to get the salty, crunchy sensation? Or maybe even crunchy veggies if you can tolerate them? @@VSGAnn2014, that may have been a hard habit to break, but it sounds like breaking it has multiple benefits – from weight loss to better energy! Good for you for figuring out what works for you. @@beggingtobehealthy, separating Fluid from food was a super tough one for me, too!

@@OKCPirate, thanks for the link to the article. There is definitely something to be said for believing one has the power of choice. I think it may be similar to self-efficacy, or how capable we believe we are at doing something. At some point, as you and @nyteacher12 say, who cares? Regardless of how we got to be obesity, we (at least those of us who decided to get bariatric surgery) know how we’re going to lose the weight: with WLS and changes in habits. Yes, the human mind is a complicated thing, @@OKCPirate! @@Inner Surfer Girl, I agree 100%!

There’s plenty of discussion about what causes obesity. There are all kinds of likely causes. The argument for “nature” causing obesity has to do with genetics. Some people have overweight parents and other family members, and seem to gain weight just by looking at food. Researchers have even found a gene mutation that is linked to obesity – but that mutation is rare. Still, there can be other causes of “nature” like hypothyroid, Cushing’s Syndrome, and PCOS. As for “nurture…” the possibilities are endless. There’s inactivity. There’s a love of food. There’s emotional eating. There’s a poor food environment where healthy foods are less available or less tempting than unhealthy ones, and unhealthy ones (and ads for them) are everywhere. There are medications, lack of sleep, and even stress as possible causes. What do you think about the respective roles of nature and nurture in causing obesity? What do you think are the most significant factors? Are some people destined to be obese almost from birth (or before) (“nature”)? Or is obesity usually the cause of things we can control (“nurture”)? In your own case, what do you think are the most influential causes? Did you miss out on the skinny genes? Or have you been a victim of poor decisions, whether by your parents or by you?

I've changed the edit cut off to 120 minutes for the time being.

Read again, @@Alex Brecher. I edited it. . . Thank you! LOL LOL....that's a great idea. We don't have that ability at the moment but we will very shortly. We're updating/upgrading the site in the next few weeks and I'll add this feature to the list once that goes live. Thanks for the idea, I like!!

Since inception, we've allowed members the ability to edit their posts for 28 days. I've changed this to 5 minutes. Also, updated the OP's name.

Canned tuna is one of the ideal foods for WLS patients. It has 70 calories and 14 grams of Protein per serving, not to mention that it’s carb-free and full of omega-3 fatty acids. Plus, in a world where it can be tough to put together a nutritious meal because it takes too long, canned tuna is a perfect solution that can sit in your pantry for whenever you need it. But there is a potential drawback: it can get awfully boring if you have it plain day in, day out. Traditional mayo-laden tuna salad and fat and carb laden tuna noodle casserole are non-starters for WLS patients…so how do you prepare your tuna to be delicious and healthy? Share your recipes here, please! We could all use some tuna tips. If you’re not into tuna or your best protein recipe uses something else, please share that recipe, too! Whether it’s chicken breast, Beans, smoked mussels, Greek yogurt, or another healthy protein, we definitely want to hear how you make it even more delicious while keeping it healthy.

Not this year.

BariatricPal will be exhibiting at the WLSFA (Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America) event taking place in Nashville this Friday and Saturday. They're going to have some fantastic speakers. Please stop by our booth to say hello if you're attending!

That would be awesome! It's been ages since I've seen you and your hubby.

There are so many great reasons to join in the Obesity Action Coalition’s 2016 Your Weight Matters National Convention taking place this August 25-28 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in Washington, DC. BariatricPal will be hosting a booth at the OAC convention this year and I'd LOVE to meet some of our awesome members in-person!! Here are just a few of the top reasons that you should attend: Find Support for Your Surgery Journey Bariatric surgery is a second chance at life, and by coming to YWM2016, you’ll get the chance to meet individuals who “get it” and join in a welcoming community. There are many post-bariatric surgery patients who attend and understand your challenges and triumphs on the journey with weight. Learn from the Country’s Leading Health Experts Every year, the Your Weight Matters National Convention features the top presenters in the fields of nutrition, exercise, bariatric surgery and many more. This year, we’re proud to have the recent winners of ABC’s “My Diet is Better than Yours,” Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN, CSSD, LDN and Jasmin Queen. To see all the expert presenters and topics available, please click here. Try Something New Treating every individual at the meeting with dignity and respect is a top priority for the event hosts. The Your Weight Matters National Convention provides a safe, judgement-free atmosphere where you can feel comfortable in your own skin, wear what you want to wear and engage in any of the fun special events or exercise classes offered throughout the weekend, such as Zumba or Aquafit. To check out the full exercise agenda, please click here. Science-backed Strategies for Managing Your Weight There’s a ton of health advice out there, so it can be difficult to figure out what to trust and which are the right “rules” to follow. When you come to the Convention, you’ll have the chance to not only hear from leading health experts, but to interact and ask questions. One way to do this is by attending “lunch with the Experts” small group sessions on Friday and Saturday. With 32 topics available, these lunches let you discuss the topics most important to you! Some of the topics presented this year include, “Chew on this: Practicing Mindful Eating,” “The Pain of Regain: Staying Motivated Long-term” and many more! View all the lunches available this year by clicking here. Have Fun! There’s so much to do and see at this year’s National Convention. Not only will we be close by to tourist attractions in Washington, DC, but the event itself includes fun social activities throughout the weekend. Enjoy a costume dance party and two receptions where you can get to know fellow attendees and have the chance to connect with the day’s presenters on a more personal level. To check out all the great social and special events taking place throughout the weekend, please click here. Register Now – Early-bird Savings End on June 1! Another great bonus: the 2016 Your Weight Matters National Convention is affordable with early-bird pricing starting at just $30/day or a Full Convention Registration available for $95. However, these low cost prices won’t be here for much longer – pricing will increase after June 1! There’s also a competitive group rate for the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center with rooms available for $129/night. To learn more about the Convention or register now, please click here