Alex Brecher

Thanks for your suggestion! This is a feature we most definitely plan on offering at some point in 2015.

We've added the 2015 monthly support forums. Thanks for the reminder! You can use the contact link found at the bottom of any page on our site to contact us.

I've verified and this person is not a troll and is pretty real. Let's try to offer him some supportive advice......

Weight loss surgery is a big change, to say the least. If you’re lucky, you have a few – or many – family members and friends who are doing their best to support you at every step of the way. It’s no different when the holidays roll around, and they may be wondering what they can get you to support your decision to have weight loss surgery or your new, healthy lifestyle. This gift list is a good start. If any of these items end up in your pile on Christmas Day or during Hanukah, you’re bound to have an easier time losing weight and staying healthy. Of course, these are also great gift ideas for any of the people in your life who are thinking about weight loss surgery or who got it. See what you think, and any of your suggestions in the comments section below! Protein Gift Basket A gift basket is always a nice way to say “I’m thinking of you,” but the “gift” usually includes thousands of empty calories from fat and sugar. The sausages and popcorn can cause trouble with the lap-band. The chocolates and dried fruits can give you dumping syndrome. You just don’t need the cheese, crackers, and cookies. Instead of ordering a ready-made basket with unhealthy foods, why not assemble your own gift basket for that special weight loss surgery patient in your life? It’ll be more special because it has your own personal touch, and you can hand-pick the goodies you put in, depending on what the recipient likes. These are some ideas for a High-Protein gift basket. Beef jerky Salmon jerky Dried edamame (green soybeans) Sugar-free protein powder Sugar-free protein shake mixes in favorite flavors Protein pancake mix with oats, wheat flour, protein powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon – just add almond milk and some egg whites to cook! Protein Shake Plus Kit There’s no question that the holidays can be difficult if you’ve just had weight loss surgery. You’re stuck drinking liquids or eating pureed foods while everyone else is eating the holiday foods that you used to love. A protein shake plus kit won’t take the sting out of missing these goodies, but it will help you stay on track and will let you know how much the gift giver cares about you. Consider including the following in the kit. A shaker bottle for protein shakes. Different flavors of sugar-free protein shake mixes. Powdered skim milk. Packets of high-protein products, like Unjury chicken soup and cheese sauce. IOUs What do you get for the weight loss surgery patient who has everything? Give a few coupons or IOUs. Here are some ideas. Host a weight loss surgery-friendly dinner for the patient, including measuring the ingredients and portions accurately, and letting the guest take home the leftovers in prepackaged containers or baggies. Preparing special, approved meals day after day can be draining. Going over to a friend’s house for a break without going off of your diet can be a wonderful break. Offer to be a good workout partner for a week. This may include getting up early to walk or go to the gym together. Give it at least a week, because you may end up making a healthy and fun habit out of being a workout buddy. Taking care of the kids (or another chore). Weight loss surgery places demands on your time. You need to cook special meals and measure your food, and make time to exercise. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone helped take care of the kids for a while, or helped you clean the house or garden? Notebook for Recipes After weight loss surgery, recipes change. You’ll make healthy modifications to old favorites, and find a ton of new ideas that fit into your diet. A pretty notebook is an ideal place to collect your new recipes. For more artistic weight loss surgery patients, the gift can include colorful pens and stickers to decorate the pages and take notes. As a bonus, fixing up your recipe book is a healthy alternative to cooking mac and cheese and baking brownies when you’re bored. Kitchen Helpers Every weight loss surgery patient needs a few extra items in the kitchen, and there are tons of cute ones out there. From measuring cups shaped like geese and babushka dolls and measuring spoons shaped like gingerbread men and hearts to small plates and spoons in all kinds of designs and children’s themes, you can certainly find the perfect kitchen helpers for anyone. They’re super fun to shop for, too. Other practical kitchen gifts include: Reusable water bottles. Small containers to store and transport food. A kitchen scale. A “Big Book” The “BIG Book” series includes four books to help you go through every part of your weight loss surgery journey. The first three books each focus on one of the major types of weight loss surgery: lap-band, gastric sleeve, or roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The final book is filled with tips on life after weight loss surgery…including how to eat and live well during the holidays. These books are also good for anyone living with a weight loss surgery patient who wants to be a better source of support. These are the “BIG Books.” The BIG Book on the Gastric Sleeve: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy The BIG Book on the Gastric Bypass: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass The BIG Book on the Lap-Band: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Adjustable Gastric Band The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery: Living Your Best Life After Weight Loss Surgery The BIG Book Bundle: The complete set of “Big Books” has the information you need. Whatever you give or ask for, keep in mind that it really is the thought that counts. Give it with the best of intentions and appreciate everything you receive, and you will be well on your way to becoming happier. Happy Holidays!

It’s hard to believe, but 2014 is almost over and 2015 is around the corner! BariatricPal has come a long way in the past year. 2014 Was a Good Year for BariatricPal! It is now the largest weight loss surgery community online and on mobile. We put out our new and improved mobile apps (if you haven’t already, download yours free for iPhone and iPod , for Android, and for Kindle). We published the fourth book in “The Big Book” series (find out how you can get your copy of all four books). A Sincere Thank You! to BariatricPal Members! BariatricPal couldn’t have been so successful this year without you. Thank you. Thank you for making BariatricPal part of your daily life. Thank you for your participation on the boards, for helping each other out, and for spreading the word about BariatricPal. Thank you for providing feedback throughout the year. Share BariatricPal with…Everyone! BariatricPal depends on you. Please share BariatricPal with everyone you can! Go to the BariatricPal sharing page to see how you can share BariatricPal. On social media: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, and LinkedIn! Via email On your own site or blog Tell other weight loss surgery patients, your surgeon, members of your WLS support group, and the bariatric surgeons and staff at the office you go to. Let everyone know what BariatricPal means to you and how it can help them. And thanks! You Can Make 2015 Even Better for BariatricPal! I’m planning for 2015 to be just as successful as 2014 was for BariatricPal, and I have a lot of improvements in store. To make 2015 the best year possible, though, I need your help! Do you have suggestions for the coming year? Which new features would you like to see? Which services do you think BariatricPal should offer to help strengthen our community and help members reach their health and weight loss goals? I would love to have your input! Please feel free to post your ideas and suggestions right here. Or, if you prefer, send me a private message (PM). You, the members, are the ones who make BariatricPal possible. You drive this community. Please let me know how it can be improved! Have a healthy and happy New Year!

The weight loss surgery diet is very strict and very different than a regular diet. You might be eating entirely differently from the rest of your family, which can make mealtimes a challenge! How do you stick to your weight loss surgery diet and keep your family happy? No problem. I live alone. I’m really lucky. My family doesn’t mind eating healthy, so we eat the same things. I just eat less. I cook my food, and my spouse cooks for the rest of the family. I make two separate meals: mine, and everyone else’s. I mostly make what everyone else wants, and just try to pick out the healthy things and get enough protein. Other. Please tell us about it in the conversation below! Mark your answer, and explain it in the conversation below! We want to know how your diet fits into your family’s plan, and your answer just may help other BariatricPal members stay on their meal plans while feeding their families.

Please try it from a desktop. You can also use the following code instead: QW50TRE

I used to use FitBit and have dabbed with MFP from time to time. What are the most essential feature(s) you use on these apps on a daily basis ? We're working on our own app that's specifically catered towards weight loss surgery patients.

Sounds delish but would have given me major heartburn lol!

I LOVED chocolate covered Halva! Must have gained 25% of my excess weight due to eating Lb's of that guck. Sure tasted good!!

We're running a HUGE Sale for Black Friday thru Cyber Monday.! Get a 50% discount on our softcover and digital books on Weight Loss Surgery. Just use coupon code CM2014 upon checkout.

I have a friend that's organizing "The Journey Brochure." It helps weight loss surgery patients begin their journey with the right information and with the right attitude! Before they begin or after their weight loss surgery journey is underway they want to hear about you. Click "Journey Stories" and share your weight loss surgery success story with them in order to be featured in the WLS Journey Brochure!

Dear BariatricPal Members, Happy Thanksgiving! Many Americans consider it one of their favorite holidays because it can mean a day or more off work, a chance to see friends and family, and a delicious meal. Thanksgiving dinner can be more than a little tough if you’re trying to follow your weight loss surgery diet, but we hope this newsletter will help by providing some motivation and some tips. Here’s what you’ll find in the newsletter. A Heartfelt Thanks from BariatricPal Giving Thanks This Year Thanksgiving Dinner the WLS-Friendly Way Go through the newsletter, come check in with BariatricPal to wish us and the other BP member Happy Thanksgiving, and then go enjoy your family and friends. Happy Thanksgiving! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury and Opurity BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity Vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, chicken Soup Flavor, Unflavored, Protein’d cheese Sauce (seasonal, October through May). These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each Multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable Calcium, Vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. A Heartfelt Thanks from BariatricPal It’s the season for giving thanks, and BariatricPal always glad to have the chance to do so. First, a huge thank-you to every BariatricPal member. Without you, BariatricPal wouldn’t exist. Some of you are more comfortable reading the forums than posting, and BariatricPal is grateful for your presence and support. Others of you post more often, giving other BariatricPal members advice and encouragement. Your contributions keep BariatricPal going. Thank you to the BariatricPal Forum Hosts. You visit the forums daily or many times a day and do such a wonderful job making sure the conversations follow the site guidelines. Without you, BariatricPal couldn’t be the warm and welcoming community that it is. Finally, thank you to those of you who have taken the time to introduce yourselves or provide feedback. It is always such a pleasure hearing personally from BariatricPal members and getting to know you just a little bit better. What Are You Thankful for This Year? Thanksgiving is, above all, a holiday for giving thanks. It’s easy to forget to be grateful for what we have during the rest of the year, when you may be busy nagging your children to clean their rooms, debating with your spouse about which color towels you should have in the bathroom, and complaining while scrubbing away the coffee stain on your new shirt. Being Thankful on Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a day dedicated to reminding you to give thanks for your messy children, your spouse with less-than-perfect taste, and your ability to purchase a new shirt. Still, it’s almost too easy to forget to be thankful when you’re so busy planning, shopping for, and making Thanksgiving dinner, and getting ready for the chaos that comes when your entire family comes together. Time to Give Thanks Making sure to set aside a few minutes to think about what you are truly grateful for this year can even help your weight loss. Being more positive can help you stick to your weight loss surgery diet and get over setbacks more easily. Plus, being grateful for a variety of people and things, even if they have nothing to do with weight loss directly, can inspire you to stay on track so you can be at your best. So what are you thankful for this year? Is it one or more of the following? Weight loss over the past year. Your weight loss surgery and surgeon. The support of your friends and family during your weight loss journey. Your decision to get healthy, even if you haven’t gotten surgery yet or aren’t even sure if you want weight loss surgery. Your family, friends, job and home. On Thanksgiving and every day, it’s worth the effort to give thanks for what you have. Being grateful doesn’t cost you anything, and recognizing what you have can make you feel richer every day. Plus, being grateful instead of complaining can translate into better weight loss and health. Thanksgiving Dinner the WLS-Friendly Way All this discussion about giving thanks on Thanksgiving is well and good, but we know there’s something else on your mind: Thanksgiving dinner. You can easily down thousands of calories if you’re not careful, but that will cut into your weight loss and could leave you feeling sick for days. With all that tempting food and the tradition of overeating, what can you do to keep Thanksgiving from being a disaster? Actually, you can. Just like you do with everything else on your weight loss surgery diet, you have a better chance of coming out on top if you plan ahead. It Doesn’t Have to Be Too Bad Here’s a secret for you: you can get away with a modified Thanksgiving dinner for only a few hundred calories. Why “modified?” Well, because it’s not quite the same as eating the full-blown feast with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, rolls and butter, and two kinds of pie. But it does give you some of the flavors you love, and it lets you enjoy the meal with everyone else. The following meal has less than 500 calories. It’s more than you may normally have at one sitting, but it’s a far sight lower than the thousands you might have had in previous years. 3 ounces skinless turkey breast with deli mustard 2 tablespoons cranberry sauce 1 cup green Beans 1 green salad with light dressing ¼ cup mashed potatoes Keeping It Under Control There are some things you can do to help keep your Thanksgiving dinner from getting out of hand. These are a few tips. Watch out for quantity. Keep thinking about your weight loss surgery diet portions. They may be way smaller than what you used to have at Thanksgiving, but they’re all you need. Focus on enjoying every bite that you do have, not on going back for more ASAP. Chew slowly and enjoy the flavors. Don’t forget to enjoy the company at Thanksgiving dinner. Talk and listen, and put your fork down while you do. That’ll help you slow down and eat less. Stop when you’re done. Don’t keep serving yourself seconds and thirds, and don’t feel obligated to have dessert. Make it clear that you’re finished by folding your napkin over your plate. If you can, excuse yourself to brush your teeth, or pop in a sugarless breath mint. Keep your Thanksgiving dinner under control, and you’ll have a quite a few benefits. The first is that you’ll keep your weight loss on track, and you won’t risk having side effects like dumping syndrome or getting anything stuck in your band. Another motivation for keeping yourself in check on Thanksgiving is to build up momentum for the next month. As the holiday season continues from now until New Year’s, you’ll need to have a lot of self-control as you pass up Christmas Cookies and candy, holiday party foods, and all of the other treats that are everywhere this time of year. Start off on the right foot at Thanksgiving, and you’ll be well on your way to possibly having the healthiest holiday season so far. Whether or not you’re traveling, and whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving or going out, have a wonderful and safe holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving can be a wonderful holiday. It’s often a chance to spend extra time with friends and family, to think about what you’re thankful for in your life, and maybe even to take a day or so off work. For many weight loss surgery patients, though, Thanksgiving dinner can be a burden. You can take in thousands of extra calories, and could end up feeling sick since you’re not used to eating so much food. How do you plan to approach Thanksgiving dinner this year? I’m hosting Thanksgiving dinner, so I’ll make the traditional meal plus include one or two low-calorie dishes, like salad, to make sure I can eat without going over my limits. I’m going to the home of friends or family for Thanksgiving, so I’ll bring a healthy dish to share, like salad. I’ll just munch on it if I have to, if there’s nothing else there I can eat. I’ll stick to one small serving of all my favorites. I’ll probably go over my usual calorie limits, but it’s okay. No problem! What better way is there to get your protein in than to enjoy turkey? That’s what I’ll have! I’m not going to worry about it. It’s one night, and I deserve to relax. I haven’t had weight loss surgery yet, so I’m not worried. I’ll enjoy it just like I do every year.I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, so it’s no problem. Other – read my answer in the conversation below! Mark your answer, and tell us about it in the conversation below! Telling us how you plan for Thanksgiving can help other BariatricPal members do the same!

One was a Spam post we deleted and the other a duplicate post that was deleted. Where are you seeing or viewing these links ?

Great suggestion! This should be in effect within the next hour or so. Please PM me if you don't see the change on your end.

Almost everyone loves Thanksgiving, but for different reasons, whether it’s the food, the family, or the general happy mood going into the holiday season. As a weight loss surgery patient or someone thinking about the journey, you may have even more to look forward to this year than ever before. What’s the one thing you’re most looking forward to on Thanksgiving? Feeling proud that I’m going to be in control of what I eat and not overeat for once, thanks to my weight loss surgery. A taste of my favorite dish (sweet potatoes? Stuffing? Pumpkin pie? Let us know below!). I get it once a year, and I’m not going to pass it up this year just because of my weight loss surgery. A break. I’ve been so careful about my weight loss surgery diet that I can’t for a day to just relax and eat what I want. Seeing my friends and/or family. I look forward to this all year! Some peace and quiet. There’s no big celebration planned, and I can’t wait for some time to myself. Other. Let us know in the conversation below! Mark your answer, and tell us about it in the conversation below! We want to know what you’re looking forward to this Thanksgiving! Hope it’s as good as you hope!

Weight loss on the mind or not, everyone thinks of Thanksgiving dinner as a time of overeating. Sure, the holiday is supposed to be about appreciating what you have and spending time with friends and family, but what do you really think of first when you think of Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving dinner, of course. The Bad News First How bad can a single meal really be? Pretty bad. Think about the following meal, which isn’t really all that unrealistic. 6 ounces of turkey with skin: 351 calories ¼ cup cranberry sauce: 110 calories 1 cup stuffing: 260 calories 1 cup mashed potatoes plus gravy: 240 calories 1 cup candied yams: 280 calories 1 dinner roll with butter: 200 calories 1 cup green bean casserole: 200 calories 1 slice pumpkin pie: 530 calories 1 slice pecan pie: 920 calories 2 cups apple cider: 300 calories That’s a total of 3,391 calories! That’s about the amount you need to gain a pound of body fat. It’s nearly three times as much as you might be eating most days on your weight loss surgery diet. And it’s probably enough to make you feel sick. But you’re not doomed to eat that much on Thanksgiving. Enjoy the Turkey There’s at least one lucky thing about Thanksgiving dinner. If you’re a traditionalist, your main course will be one of the best possible choices for weight loss surgery patients. That’s right: turkey. How often has your surgeon suggested that you eat turkey breast? Well, now’s your chance. A 3-ounce portion of boneless, skinless turkey breast has 114 calories and 26 grams of protein. How’s that for a good start? Even if you have seconds, you’ll still be at 228 calories, and get in a whopping 52 grams of protein. If you can’t face white meat on Thanksgiving, go for the dark. A 3-ounce serving of dark meat only has 138 calories. Just make sure you don’t eat the skin. For a condiment, stick with deli mustard or cranberry sauce made with a calorie-free sugar substitute – just make the sauce like you would with sugar, but add sweetener instead of sugar. Look Out for Yourself Make sure there’s at least one dish besides turkey that’s on your weight loss surgery diet. If you’re hosting dinner, serve steamed or roasted vegetables, such as green beans or Brussels sprouts, and a large green salad with light dressing on the side. You can make and serve all of the guests’ other favorites, too – nobody says you have to eat them. If you’re going to be a visitor at someone else’s Thanksgiving celebration, be a good guest. Don’t arrive empty-handed! Bring a festive-looking salad that everyone – especially you – can enjoy. For example, you could have a salad with: Mixed greens Sliced artichoke hearts Low-fat feta or goat cheese Sliced pears Balsamic vinaigrette on the side. Portion Control to Save Yourself You may not realize it, but there are some easy things you can do to cut back on your calories on Thanksgiving. One is to watch your portions, just like you do every day. It’s a little harder to do on this day, but you can do it. Have you ever truly tried? Focus on portions, instead of piling as much as possible on your plate. A little bit of concentration can literally save a thousand or more calories that you won’t even miss. Stick to the Good Stuff Whatever ends up on your plate is probably going to get eaten, so try not to put it there if you know you shouldn’t eat it. Before serving yourself or letting anyone serve you, take a good look at the table. What can you eat? Probably the following. Turkey without skin. Green salad. Steamed or roasted vegetables. Roasted sweet potatoes.

I've stood by the LAP-BAND since day numero uno and I will continue to do so. The company that purchased it from Allergan (ApolloEndo) has very good intentions and it's in very good hands. They have some really interesting advances coming in the near future. There will always be a vibrant group of Bandsters on here who will keep the fire going. Let's remember our roots .... LapBandTalk.com is what started this all I'm here for the long haul, hope others will come along for the journey. In 5-10 years from now you'll see Sleevers standing where Bandsters are today. At the end of the day, we're all battling the same disease!!! I hope one day it'll be cured via pill. Until then.....

Can you send me an example URL please? I have a feeling they might be a post from one of the private groups.

I love this sculpture. So much so that when I initially noticed it online I tracked down the actual artist that created it. It's a 3D rendering he made for a client that's planning on using it in their advertisement. One day I'd LOVE to have a sculptor re-create this piece or art or something close to it. It's near to my heart and to every that's struggled with weight gain and loss.

Edward E. Mason, MD, PhD, is considered the father of bariatric surgery. Hear his story and take a look back at the early years of bariatric surgery. Edward E. Mason, MD, PhD Pioneer and Visionary in Bariatric Surgery Major Accomplishments: Inventor of the Gastric Bypass Founder and first president of the ASBS (now ASMBS) from 1983-85 Host of the first Bariatric Surgery Colloquium in 1979 Initiated the International Bariatric Surgery Registry Video – A tribute to Dr. Edward Mason

You had this code in your signature: "" That voice you hear that says you can't do it...It's a liar. Be strong, YOU CAN, and you will " <br />" I removed the extra html line break and it seems to be working now.

Hear stories from patients about how obesity surgery helped change their lives. We encourages people to share this video with friends and family. If you are a medical professional, feel free to share this video with your patients or include it on your website.

LMAO! I'm guilty of this as well.