Alex Brecher

We've been working with an insurer and should have an affordable policy available this coming week. Stay tuned.....

That's only if you'd like to use your ticket on other sites.

I'd personally recommend staying far away from Arbonne. It's an MLM scam. I know too many girls/ladies that were sucked into it and were taken advantage of in the worst possible ways.

vegas2013

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Dear BariatricPal Members, Happy Father’s Day! It’s a day to say “thank you” to the fathers, especially when life can be complicated by weight loss surgery. Fathers can be our strongest supporters, often in a quiet and steady way that is so appreciated during transitional periods in our lives, such as weight loss surgery. In hopes of inspiring you to make this Father’s Day a little healthier, here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. On the Menu: Barbecued chicken and Blueberry Pie How Is WLS Making You a Better Father (or Child)? Father’s Day Gift List We hope you enjoy the newsletter and then you have a beautiful Father’s Day with your family. Congratulations, and thank you, to all the dads out there. We couldn’t do it without you! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal On the Menu: Barbecued Chicken and Blueberry Pie Father’s Day is probably going to involve a meal. You could go to an all-you-can-eat buffet and stuff yourself, and you could go to a family restaurant for gourmet burgers, fries, shakes, and a beer…with a 2,000+ -calorie price tag. Or, you could head to the backyard or a local park for a healthy, delicious, and fun barbecue. Good food, Good Nutrition You know the drill for barbecues. For an easy marinade, combine tomato sauce, a low-calorie sweetener, red pepper flakes if you like heat, onion power, and apple cider vinegar. Bring your lean Protein and cut veggies, and have at it! Grill chicken breasts, veggie burgers, extra lean turkey burgers, and even portabello mushrooms. Serve your protein with grilled eggplant, red peppers, zucchini, and even peaches or pineapple. If you top the mushrooms with low-fat cheese, you’ll get a good dose of protein and bone-building Calcium. Don’t forget to serve your protein “naked” or on a lettuce wrap – you don’t need a starchy, high-carb bun. If you still have room, check your picnic basket for dessert. Maybe you can find a little watermelon in there as a refreshing end to the meal. If you’re a little more ambitious, make individual “pies” in muffin tins. Make your pie with blueberries, strawberries, or other seasonal fruit and low-calorie sweetener. Skip the crust, and instead sprinkle the tops with a streusel made of toasted oatmeal mixed with cinnamon and sugar. It’s Funner When You Burn It Off A little exercise can help you end the meal on a high note – you’ll feel better about the meal, bond with your family, and get in some mood-boosting exercise, not to mention burn a few calories. Don’t forget to take some toys. You can easily pick up a few different-sized balls from a local dollar store, grocery store, or drugstore. Play volleyball, soccer, keep-away, or catch, or make up your own game. And, feel free to invite other families to join you. They’ll appreciate the invitation, and the more, the merrier. How Is WLS Making You a Better Father (or Child)? A common fear surrounding WLS is it pulls the family apart. You may worry about this because of your new WLS lifestyle. You need specific meals, which may make you miss family restaurant outings or force you to eat separately from the rest of your family. Your exercise routine may take a good chunk of time from your day or week. You may feel guilty for focusing on yourself instead of putting 100 percent of your energy into others’ well-being. But that’s wrong! You should feel proud of your weight loss surgery. It’s not only your right to care for yourself, but also your responsibility. Getting healthy is the best thing you can do for your family if your goal is to be there for them for as many more years as possible and to prevent yourself from becoming a burden due to obesity-related disability. Helping Yourself Helps Others Being healthy takes time and effort, but the returns are much greater. The healthier you are, the more efficient you are, so you save time. And, the healthier you are, the more able you are to deal with stress and the pressures of daily life – so the effort you put into your own health is worthwhile. How can being a healthy person make you a better family man? Think about: Taking care of your parents as they get older. Letting your parents stop worrying you’ll die before them. Giving your parents the satisfaction of seeing you confident, maybe for the first time since you were little. Being there to see your Participating in your little ones’ activities whenever parents are invited. Giving your kids something to be proud of when you send them off to school each day. Letting your significant other stop worrying how much longer you’ll be around. These benefits are priceless, and well worth the effort it takes to eat right, exercise regularly, and focus on yourself every day. Multi-Task Okay, but how does this all fit into your busy life when you may be working, taking care of the family, and even fulfilling other commitments such as going to school? Multi-task, of course! Here are a few ways you can be a good family member and take care of yourself of at the same time. Play football, catch, basketball, or tag with your children to burn calories, develop and teach healthy habits, and enjoy quality time. Let your children help you plan meals and creative recipes – kids love being helpful, and they may come up with high-protein dish ideas you never even considered. Use your meal planning to teach your kids a little math along the way. Let them help you count protein grams, as long as you keep it fun and light-hearted. In the evenings, as your kids pack up their backpacks for school, do your own preparation for the next day. Pack your gym bag and whatever parts of your meals you need to pre-pack. You’ll be modeling the importance of planning and spending time with them. Father’s Day Gift List A tie, power tools, and dinner at a steakhouse come to mind, but are they really what Dad wants (or are they really what you want to get from your children)? Instead, what about giving a gift that is truly desired? Here are a few gifts that can bring together a father and his kids when either one is or will be a weight loss surgery patient. Put them on your gift list or think about picking them up when you go shopping for Dad! A protein basket packed with individually selected favorite protein treats, such as turkey Jerky, almonds, Protein powder, and roasted soybeans. The BIG books on weight loss surgery: Look for the lap-band, gastric sleeve, or roux-en-Y gastric bypass book if Dad’s early in the journey, or the lifestyle book if you’re a vet or an inspired newbie. Time together…ask Dad to show you how to grill. He’ll love the company as long as you make sure he knows he’s still in charge! Fan gear that comes with a bonus – a promise to work out together. A little cooking demo – is Dad secretly embarrassed he doesn’t know how to cook food on your weight loss surgery diet when you go over to visit? However you choose to Celebrate this Father’s Day, I hope it is healthy and happy for you. If you’re not a fan of Father’s Day, you can still celebrate the first day of summer. Keep it active, healthy, and social – keep checking in to BariatricPal to keep us updated on how your summer is going!

Thanks for the article! These are great ideas – it’s always good to have easy, healthy, seasonal recipes on hand. Gazpacho is another cold soup you can make. It’s great when the cucumbers at the farmers’ market are too irresistible to pass up, so you buy too many. You can throw some cooked Protein in there, too – maybe chicken, Beans, or tofu. Or you can even put Greek yogurt in to make it creamy and add protein.

Any regrets? Nope, nada, zilch. Did I mention I’m thrilled with my lap-band? Since I got it, I’ve lost and kept off the weight, I’ve gotten my life back and don’t let food rule it anymore. I’ve had the best 10 years of my life keeping up with my kids, advocating for WLS, and being free because I am happier, healthier, and more capable than ever before. To the original poster (azsqwurl) and anyone else considering WLS: I’m not saying it’s for everyone. It’s definitely hard work, and you definitely have to be ready for it and ready to work hard for a long time if you want to lose weight and keep it off. But if you do your homework to research your options, and you understand and agree with what you’re getting into, it can be the best decision you ever made.

By now, I don’t track much, but I completely understand and sympathize with your problem! It is so frustrating to be trying to count calories and not being able to get it accurate. What I usually do in those situations is just try to get it to say the correct amount of whatever it is I’m tracking – in this case, calories. So if I know whatever I ate had 100 calories, but myfitnesspal (or whatever program) says the serving is 125 calories, I’ll just put in 0.8 servings so it comes out right at 100 calories. Or, if possible, I’ll add the 100-calorie serving to the database and save it as one of my foods. Over time, it'll get faster and less annoying. It’s good you recognize your potential to have the all-or-nothing mindset – don’t let it overcome you! You can always figure out a way to beat the app – don’t stop tracking just because the app’s wrong!

I am so grateful to my friend who told me about the surgery. He had been obese, and he started looking great. He told me about the lap-band, and the rest is history! I wish I had known a little more about basic nutrition, both before and after surgery. I knew, of course, that pizzas and fried chicken are bad, but I didn’t know how to put together healthy meals that were sustainable – the times when I was eating healthy, I was eating things like shakes – healthy ingredients like fruits and vegetables, but not something you can eat for years on end the way you can eat balanced meals like chicken, fish, or eggs, plus a fruit or vegetable. Learning how to eat took me a long time, and is still a work in progress.

cuchas, Congratulations on your surgery! The liquids stage is really tough, but keep in mind that it’s short. It will end within days (or maybe weeks), and sticking with it is so worth it! Remind yourself why you went through WLS. Also remind yourself of the benefits of following the liquid diet – you’re avoiding complications and setting yourself up for better weight loss later. The liquids stage is tough enough mentally, but you’re making it harder on yourself – and harder than necessary – by not having Proteins. When you don’t give your body the nutrients it needs, you’re not just putting your physical health at risk. You’re making yourself tired and cranky, and that makes it harder to cope with the liquid diet. Definitely keep trying different Protein shakes until you find one or more you can tolerate. You’ll feel better, and be healthier, and have something to depend on for the rest of this journey. Hang in there – you’ll get through this stage soon!

Jay05, That’s a tough position to be in – it’s a lot harder to go through WLS when you don’t feel comfortable sharing everything with your family. I have a couple of pieces of advice for you. First, think about whom you will tell. You may not want to tell your family or close friends, but you need to have a support system. There will be tough times ahead. Maybe you can find a few close buddies here on BariatricPal – you can look for one in our General Weight Loss Surgery Forums here! – or maybe your surgeon can put you in touch with other WLS patients. Second, keep in mind that however hard you try to not let anyone find out, someone is bound to find out about your surgery sooner or later. It may be before surgery, or it may be after surgery but before you’ve lost much weight, or it might be after you’ve lost a lot of weight. I’d suggest preparing yourself mentally for each case so you know what you’ll say and so you don’t get thrown off track. Good luck, and remember we’re here for you for support for when you need it.

The link to the chat room can be found in the top site navigation bar under PATIENTS: As well as in the footer of our site: Hope that helps!

Okay, it sounds cute, but it’s a serious question. If you want to lose weight or keep it off and get healthy, you need a plan. The old saying, “Fail to plan, and you plan to fail” could have been intended specifically for weight loss surgery patients. Fail to plan after Weight Loss Surgery (WLS), and you’re planning for plateaus or regains and possible complications. What should you be planning? You don’t want to become fixated on planning, but there are a few key areas to be aware of. These are some of the questions you might ask yourself to make sure you’re planning enough. Each question is followed by the pitfall you might fall into if you don’t think ahead. Where are you shopping, and what are you buying? Possible pitfall: Finding an empty fridge and opting for McDonald’s or pizza delivery, or going to the supermarket without a list and buying whatever looks good – which usually doesn’t include lettuce and chicken breast. A solid answer identifies when you’ll shop, and it includes a list of proteins and other essentials, such as vegetables, fruit, healthy starches, and healthy fats. Check the list to make sure it has enough healthy foods for the meals and snacks that will get you through to the next shopping trip. What are you having for breakfast tomorrow? Possible pitfall: Being so rushed you grab a pair of Pop-Tarts on your way out, get a bagel at the coffee place, or get to work so hungry you sneak in a doughnut from the reception area. A solid answer is realistic, so if you know you’ll be in a rush, it doesn’t involve a lot of preparation. You may want to get your breakfast ready the night before, even if it’s as simple as putting some cottage cheese and a few slices of turkey in a portable container with a tight-fitting lid. What are you ordering for lunch? Possible pitfall: Going out with the gang and ordering what they do…anything from a burger and fries to pasta primavera. A solid answer considers where you’re likely to find yourself at lunch and what’s on the menu. Identify your source of protein and a vegetable beforehand and stick to your pre-made decision when you order. If you end up going out unexpectedly, look for salads, grilled chicken and fish, and sides of vegetables and fruit. What are you making for dinner? Possible pitfall: Ordering in or getting take-out, or falling back on a high-calorie, low-nutrition quick fix such as macaroni and cheese or taco kits. A solid answer identifies your source of protein and vegetables so you can figure out what you need to buy and how much preparation is necessary. When, where, and what is today’s workout? Possible pitfall: Running out of time if you haven’t scheduled it into your day, or chickening out of the workout if you haven’t quite made the commitment to a specific exercise. A solid answer says when you’ll work out, whether you’ll do it at home, at the gym, or somewhere else, and what clothes, shoes, and other equipment you need to bring with you, if any. Your answer should also include what you’ll be doing, whether it’s 30 minutes of walking on the treadmill plus 15 minutes of lifting weights, going to a Zumba class, or pulling weeds and sweeping the driveway. What will you snack on at the party? Possible pitfall: Eating whatever happens to look good, and ending up with not enough protein, too many calories, too much fat and sugar, and possibly nausea or dumping syndrome. A solid answer doesn’t depend on what the host may serve. Your plan may be to bring some hard-boiled eggs or beef jerky for yourself, plus a large green salad, vegetable skewers, or fruit salad for you and the rest of the guests to enjoy. How will you answer your mother when she offers you a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie (your favorite) or the entire batch? Possible pitfall: Feeling guilty for refusing or being caught off guard, and accepting the cookie or batch. A solid answer includes a polite refusal, possibly with an explanation, such as, “No, thank you. My doctor has advised me not to eat cookies.” If you can’t avoid taking the batch home as a “gift,” don’t be afraid to throw it out. Nobody likes to throw away food, but if you’re going to, better to throw it away in the trash can than in your body. How are you going to feel at the end of the day? Possible pitfall: Let doubt creep in, and you may be setting yourself up for bad decisions with eating and exercise. A solid answer is positive and confident with no room for self-doubt. At the end of a day of good eating and a bit of exercise, you may be tired, but satisfied, proud, and a little lower in weight. Staying positive and optimistic sets you up for good decision making without even thinking about it. You always hear about the importance of planning for weight loss surgery success, but that advice may seem confusing if you’re not a natural planner, or even if you’re just not used to thinking so much about your WLS-related habits. Know the answers to these questions, and your planning skills can help you lose more weight and stay healthy.

Don't remember the Cambridge diet. Could have been a Shaklee or similar brand.

Thanks for this article! Yes, thinking of yourself as being “all in” is necessary! You have to identify yourself as being the person who eats healthy and lives healthy, not just someone who is currently going through those actions. It’s something that helps you stay on track, and it’s something that helps you get back on track if you get off briefly. I think you can eventually have the occasional treat, but I agree with you it’s not healthy to think things like, “I can be bad now because I’ve been good for so long.” I like to think of it more as a part of my normal life, as in, “I really want to eat ice cream. How can I fit this into my diet? I can have a couple of spoonfuls tomorrow night as long as I make sure not to have any other sugary foods during the day.”

Thanks for your article. It is so true that we can’t lose weight just by telling ourselves to eat right or by depending on the WLS procedure itself. We need to explore our own reasons for not having been able to lose weight in the past, and figure out how we can free ourselves to succeed now. Thanks for this article.

meSparkle83, Yep, full commiseration here! There’s not much you can do besides reassure yourself that you’re doing everything right. Are you eating right, drinking enough Water, and exercising? If so, all you can do is be patient. If not…back to the basics! Good luck, and as long as you’re doing your part, the scale will do its part, eventually.

AussieSam, It sounds like you have a realistic expectation of what this “break” can do – get you back on track mentally but not be good (short term) for your weight loss. It’s not ideal, but if it’s what you have to do to keep yourself sane and avoid something worse (giving up entirely), it’s probably a good idea. One thing you might consider during these two weeks is trying to see how intuitive you can be. If you’re not going to track, and look at the numbers, you might try to pay more attention to how you feel. Is your body hungry? Are you craving Protein? Are you able to detect thirst? In other words, try to use this as a positive period even if it’s not Plan A (counting protein grams and logging food and your weight, for example). Also, if you’re exercising 2 hours a day, that could be contributing to your mental burnout. Think carefully about whether that’s sustainable long-term, or whether you’d be able to save time, exercise more intensely, and/or focus more on your diet if you cut back on the exercise. Good luck!

ladivaluz806, First, congratulations on your weight loss! Your profile doesn’t say your surgery date, but it says you’re down 29 lbs and your first surgeon visit was May 9 – barely over a month ago! With that information, I really don’t think your “stall” is anything to worry about. Your body may just be catching up. As long as you’re eating like your surgeon said, you’re doing fine. You can keep in the carbs at dinner if your surgeon allows them. Always make sure you ask your surgeon/nutritionist, and make sure your portions are right. If you’re eating right, the weight will come off. You’ll get over the stall when your body is ready, and not a second before!

Like the others, I don’t have time to list all of the dumb diets I tried. I know there was one that had to do with shakes and time of day and day of the week. I guess it probably worked, but I didn’t stay on it long enough to find out for sure.

I think it’s really hard to assign exact percentages to the significance of diet and exercise for a lot of reasons. One is that you absolutely need to restrict your food intake to lose weight, but you can lose weight without exercising at all (even though that’s not the healthiest approach). So, you could argue that exercise is 0% and diet is 100%. But that’s not true…exercise must have some effect, right? It burns calories, and builds muscle so you burn more calories at rest. Another consideration is that exercise plays different roles for different people. For some, it is a way of being disciplined. Even if these people don’t burn that many calories each day from exercise, sticking to their exercise routines helps them stay on track with their diets. And, for some, exercise time is time spent not eating! For others, exercise really does burn a ton of calories. They are the gym rats or runners or others who have found they love exercise, and the calories they burn are enough to be a significant factor in weight loss. And yes, it’s true that studies have found that exercise can increase appetite! Another consideration or question is whether diet plus exercise must equal 100%. Aren’t there other factors, like sleep? Getting enough sleep can make you more focused and better able to eat right, while being sleep deprived increases hunger and can increase cravings and bad diet decisions, while making you less likely to want to exercise. You could even argue that you’re more efficient when you get enough sleep, so you have more time to plan meals and exercise. Bottom line? Back to the basics…eat right and exercise…regardless of their relative contributions to your weight loss.

From the outside looking in, and hearing the story after the incident is over, it sounds like quite a compliment! By losing so much weight, you have done something very few people are able to do, and people are still noticing. At the time, though, it must have been horribly frustrating! People can be so unbelievably rude. Hopefully, you can just try to take some positive things from the incident – that people are noticing your weight loss, and that people (that woman) are kind and sensitive enough to step in and take the pressure off of you. Sure, the guy needs to learn some manners, but clearly, he never will. As for the rest of the summer when you see him at practice… good luck!

Thank goodness, no! We just had annoying spammers blow the forum up with their stupid posts.

Those were email notifications that someone replied to a topic you followed. In this case, it was a spammer. Go ahead and delete them all. Apologies for the headache.

It seems that the spammers found a way to work around the spam filters we have in place. It's a never ending battle with these guys. Most spam is posted by automated software bots and not actually people. The best way to notify us of spam is by using the REPORT button found below each post. The button is a bit hidden unless you mouse over it: