Alex Brecher

Congrats CG! You're a true role model. "It's about being healthy and getting your life back"

I'm sorry but this is a client side issue which we have zero control over. We're launching our iOS app in beta shortly which has this issue resolved.

It's 200. We plan on changing this in the near future. It'll be based on the surgery date you've entered in your profile.

The last OH magazine was published about two years ago. I don't believe it's still in print.

Hey, BariatricPal Members! First, we admit it – we goofed! We have to apologize to those members who received multiple copies of the BariatricPal newsletter because of a bug in our system. We also apologize to those members who did not receive a newsletter. Our technical team has been working on it, and the problem is fixed now. Sorry about any inconvenience. And now, on to the January newsletter! It’s hard to believe that we’re already through January and into February! We hope that so far in 2014, you have been achieving your goals in weight loss and in life. BariatricPal is the best place for weight loss surgery support, so we hope you’ve been visiting frequently. If not, come on back and join the conversations! Before you do, take a look at this month’s newsletter. You’ll find: Member Poll: How Do You Beat the Cold? Member Spotlight: Meet Joanna! BariatricPal Social Media – Stay Connected! Surviving Super Bowl Sunday After Weight Loss Surgery Enjoy the newsletter, and then talk about it – and whatever else is on your mind – at BariatricPal. There’s always plenty going on there to take your mind off of the winter weather and to motivate you to stay on track with your weight loss. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Member Poll: How Do You Beat the Cold? This year has seen record-setting freezes and winter storms throughout much of the country, and the cold weather will stick around for a few more weeks. Whether you are a New Yorker who has seen temps dip below 0 degree Fahrenheit or a Californian who shivers when it is below 50 degrees, what do you do to keep warm? Exercise more. It gets my metabolism going and keeps me warm for hours. Plus, I burn extra calories! Drink some hot coffee or tea to warm up my insides. Plus, since my weight loss surgery diet doesn’t let me eat solid foods when I drink liquids, drinking coffee or tea keeps me from turning to food to warm me up. Turn up the heat or start a fire in the fireplace, pile on the blankets, and distract myself from the cold by reading, knitting, using the computer or talking on the phone. Nothing in particular, but I need help! Since weight loss surgery, I have been less able to tolerate cold than I used to be. I hate to admit it, but the only thing that warms me up is some good old comfort food…macaroni and cheese or freshly baked Cookies. Luckily, I can’t tolerate much after weight loss surgery! Other (tell us!). Click on this link so you can select your answer and give us more details in the forums! Member Spotlight – Meet Joanna! We are thrilled that our first member spotlight of the year is on Joanna. Joanna knew she was overweight, but the deciding factor in getting surgery was when she had to get off of a roller coaster because she could not fit into the seat! She is a gastric bypass patient who got her surgery done in June of 2012. Her health insurance approved the procedure, and her hospital stay was two days. At a height of 5’7”, Joanna weighed 289 pounds and had a BMI of 45. Since losing 73 pounds, she has achieved a BMI of 33, and is about halfway to her goal weigh of 150 pounds. The journey has been hard, but she has no regrets and would do it again. She says that the drawbacks are that she has low Iron and Vitamin B12 levels, and she does not like constantly being on medications. On the other hand, she recommends the gastric bypass to anyone who needs it because it could save your life. She watches everything she eats to make sure she loses weight. Joanna says she chooses fat-free and no sugar-added choices whenever possible. She tries to avoid junk food. And her favorite snack? Greek yogurt with fruit. Great choice! It’s high in Protein, low in fat, and high in dietary fiber. You know what you’re doing, Joanna! Thank you, Joanna, for being in our spotlight! All the best to you as you continue on your journey, and thanks for sharing it with BariatricPal. We also want to mention that Joanna welcomes questions from other BariatricPal members! Our member spotlights feature BariatricPal members who have gotten any type of weight loss surgery. This is to help promote BariatricPal’s mission of providing a unified front for all types of weight loss surgery. We can all learn from each other, regardless of where you are in your weight loss journey or what type of surgery you have or are considering. Are you interested in being in our member spotlight? Do you know a BariatricPal member that you would like to see spotlighted? Let us know! Nominate yourself or someone else in the Member Spotlight topic or send Alex Brecher a private message (PM). BariatricPal Social Media – Stay Connected! BariatricPal isn’t just at our website and on our mobile apps for Android and for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. We are all over the internet on your favorite social media. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check out the latest happenings on Google Plus, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. All of the links to our social media sites are available at the bottom of each page of BariatricPal. Be the first to know what is happening at BariatricPal! Surviving Super Bowl Sunday After Weight Loss Surgery Super Bowl Sunday is Sunday, February 2. Even people who do consider themselves diehard football fans tune in to the big game. If you are one of the 150 million people who are expected to watch this Sunday’s game between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks, chances are that you have to face the food that comes with a Super Bowl party. chips and dip, jalapeno poppers, chicken wings, snack mixes, pizza and cupcakes just aren’t for you anymore after weight loss surgery. They are not only high-calorie, but they can give gastric bypass and sleeve patients dumping syndrome or cause obstructions or blockages for lap-band patients. You can still enjoy good food at your Super Bowl party, though. Just plan ahead, and use these strategies to help you. Be Sure There is Something You Can Eat If there is no food available that you should eat, you will probably end up eating something that you should not eat. Make sure that there is some food available that is part of your weight loss diet. You can prepare enough only for yourself, or you can prepare one or more larger dishes or platters that everyone can share. Easy Snacks for yourself include hard-boiled eggs, mixed nuts or peanuts (small serving size!), low-fat string cheese and beef jerky. If you prefer to bring a dish for everyone, try a vegetable platter with hummus or dip made with Greek yogurt, or a large Greek salad with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and chicken breast. Everyone will appreciate your contribution, and you will have healthy food to munch on during the game. These are some other ideas for snacks. Stuffed mushrooms with extra lean ground turkey, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese Grilled chicken breast on skewers with roasted zucchini Meatballs with ground turkey and Italian seasoning Egg, spinach and ham bites baked in muffin cups Apple slices with Peanut Butter Cheese platter with grapes and nuts Pace Yourself A football game can last three or more hours. You will feel sick if you eat constantly during this time, even if you are eating healthy foods. Unfortunately, food will probably be offered the whole time. Your best bet is to pace yourself with a few snacks that fit into your weight loss surgery diet. For example, you could plan to have one small snack during each quarter of the game. That works out to about one snack per 45 or 60 minutes. Take a break during half-time to focus on the show and the commercials, and drink some Water. Move Like an Athlete Get some exercise in the morning or early afternoon before the game-starting coin toss. If you live somewhere with good enough weather, go for a brisk walk outdoors. If the weather is too extreme, go to the gym or do a short workout with hand weights at home. During the game, use the commercials as opportunities to get some light exercise. You don’t have to skip the famous advertisements; just be sure to move during them. When you keep moving during the game, you will be reminding yourself that you are working hard to lose weight. That gives you extra motivation to eat well! Do you have any other strategies for surviving Super Bowl Sunday? Talk about them at BariatricPal so that all of us can benefit, and let us know what you think about our tips. Enjoy the game! That is about it for this month’s newsletter. We hope you found it inspirational and informative, and we look forward to seeing you on the boards! Remember; feel free to contact us at any time with feedback, questions, and suggestions. Our members keep us going, and we love hearing from you! Take care of yourselves and each other.

Most members didn't receive the actual newsletter. There were a few hundred members that were bombed with email. Your specific email account was sent 80 copies of our newsletter. Starting at 4:15am EST - 7:48am EST. Your mail provider (Yahoo UK) deferred many of these emails (about 30) and is only delivering them now. There's nothing we can do about this since it's out of our control at this point. It should be fairly simple for you to delete the newsletter and copies received. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience.

We apologize but we had a major glitch in our newsletter software and some members received MANY copies today. The issue has been resolved and won't happen again in the future. Again, I personally apologize for this inconvenience!

Hey, BariatricPal Members! It’s hard to believe that we’re already through January and into February! We hope that so far in 2014, you have been achieving your goals in weight loss and in life. BariatricPal is the best place for weight loss surgery support, so we hope you’ve been visiting frequently. If not, come on back and join the conversations! Before you do, take a look at this month’s newsletter. You’ll find: Member Poll: How Do You Beat the Cold? Member Spotlight: Meet Joanna! BariatricPal Social Media – Stay Connected! Surviving Super Bowl Sunday After Weight Loss Surgery Enjoy the newsletter, and then talk about it – and whatever else is on your mind – at BariatricPal. There’s always plenty going on there to take your mind off of the winter weather and to motivate you to stay on track with your weight loss. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Member Poll: How Do You Beat the Cold? This year has seen record-setting freezes and winter storms throughout much of the country, and the cold weather will stick around for a few more weeks. Whether you are a New Yorker who has seen temps dip below 0 degree Fahrenheit or a Californian who shivers when it is below 50 degrees, what do you do to keep warm? Exercise more. It gets my metabolism going and keeps me warm for hours. Plus, I burn extra calories! Drink some hot coffee or tea to warm up my insides. Plus, since my weight loss surgery diet doesn’t let me eat solid foods when I drink liquids, drinking coffee or tea keeps me from turning to food to warm me up. Turn up the heat or start a fire in the fireplace, pile on the blankets, and distract myself from the cold by reading, knitting, using the computer or talking on the phone. Nothing in particular, but I need help! Since weight loss surgery, I have been less able to tolerate cold than I used to be. I hate to admit it, but the only thing that warms me up is some good old comfort food…macaroni and cheese or freshly baked Cookies. Luckily, I can’t tolerate much after weight loss surgery! Other (tell us!). Click on this link so you can select your answer and give us more details in the forums! Member Spotlight – Meet Joanna! We are thrilled that our first member spotlight of the year is on Joanna. Joanna knew she was overweight, but the deciding factor in getting surgery was when she had to get off of a roller coaster because she could not fit into the seat! She is a gastric bypass patient who got her surgery done in June of 2012. Her health insurance approved the procedure, and her hospital stay was two days. At a height of 5’7”, Joanna weighed 289 pounds and had a BMI of 45. Since losing 73 pounds, she has achieved a BMI of 33, and is about halfway to her goal weigh of 150 pounds. The journey has been hard, but she has no regrets and would do it again. She says that the drawbacks are that she has low Iron and Vitamin B12 levels, and she does not like constantly being on medications. On the other hand, she recommends the gastric bypass to anyone who needs it because it could save your life. She watches everything she eats to make sure she loses weight. Joanna says she chooses fat-free and no sugar-added choices whenever possible. She tries to avoid junk food. And her favorite snack? Greek yogurt with fruit. Great choice! It’s high in Protein, low in fat, and high in dietary Fiber. You know what you’re doing, Joanna! Thank you, Joanna, for being in our spotlight! All the best to you as you continue on your journey, and thanks for sharing it with BariatricPal. We also want to mention that Joanna welcomes questions from other BariatricPal members! Our member spotlights feature BariatricPal members who have gotten any type of weight loss surgery. This is to help promote BariatricPal’s mission of providing a unified front for all types of weight loss surgery. We can all learn from each other, regardless of where you are in your weight loss journey or what type of surgery you have or are considering. Are you interested in being in our member spotlight? Do you know a BariatricPal member that you would like to see spotlighted? Let us know! Nominate yourself or someone else in the Member Spotlight topic or send Alex Brecher a private message (PM). BariatricPal Social Media – Stay Connected! BariatricPal isn’t just at our website and on our mobile apps for Android and for iPhone, iPod, and iPad. We are all over the internet on your favorite social media. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and check out the latest happenings on Google Plus, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. All of the links to our social media sites are available at the bottom of each page of BariatricPal. Be the first to know what is happening at BariatricPal! Surviving Super Bowl Sunday After Weight Loss Surgery Super Bowl Sunday is Sunday, February 2. Even people who do consider themselves diehard football fans tune in to the big game. If you are one of the 150 million people who are expected to watch this Sunday’s game between the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks, chances are that you have to face the food that comes with a Super Bowl party. chips and dip, jalapeno poppers, chicken wings, snack mixes, pizza and cupcakes just aren’t for you anymore after weight loss surgery. They are not only high-calorie, but they can give gastric bypass and sleeve patients dumping syndrome or cause obstructions or blockages for lap-band patients. You can still enjoy good food at your Super Bowl party, though. Just plan ahead, and use these strategies to help you. Be Sure There is Something You Can Eat If there is no food available that you should eat, you will probably end up eating something that you should not eat. Make sure that there is some food available that is part of your weight loss diet. You can prepare enough only for yourself, or you can prepare one or more larger dishes or platters that everyone can share. Easy Snacks for yourself include hard-boiled eggs, mixed nuts or peanuts (small serving size!), low-fat string cheese and beef Jerky. If you prefer to bring a dish for everyone, try a vegetable platter with hummus or dip made with Greek yogurt, or a large Greek salad with lettuce, tomatoes, olives, feta cheese, and chicken breast. Everyone will appreciate your contribution, and you will have healthy food to munch on during the game. These are some other ideas for snacks. Stuffed mushrooms with extra lean ground turkey, tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese Grilled chicken breast on skewers with roasted zucchini Meatballs with ground turkey and Italian seasoning Egg, spinach and ham bites baked in muffin cups Apple slices with Peanut Butter Cheese platter with grapes and nuts Pace Yourself A football game can last three or more hours. You will feel sick if you eat constantly during this time, even if you are eating healthy foods. Unfortunately, food will probably be offered the whole time. Your best bet is to pace yourself with a few snacks that fit into your weight loss surgery diet. For example, you could plan to have one small snack during each quarter of the game. That works out to about one snack per 45 or 60 minutes. Take a break during half-time to focus on the show and the commercials, and drink some Water. Move Like an Athlete Get some exercise in the morning or early afternoon before the game-starting coin toss. If you live somewhere with good enough weather, go for a brisk walk outdoors. If the weather is too extreme, go to the gym or do a short workout with hand weights at home. During the game, use the commercials as opportunities to get some light exercise. You don’t have to skip the famous advertisements; just be sure to move during them. When you keep moving during the game, you will be reminding yourself that you are working hard to lose weight. That gives you extra motivation to eat well! Do you have any other strategies for surviving Super Bowl Sunday? Talk about them at BariatricPal so that all of us can benefit, and let us know what you think about our tips. Enjoy the game! That is about it for this month’s newsletter. We hope you found it inspirational and informative, and we look forward to seeing you on the boards! Remember; feel free to contact us at any time with feedback, questions, and suggestions. Our members keep us going, and we love hearing from you! Take care of yourselves and each other.

Great list and ideas!

Sent you an email with your info.

After weight loss surgery, you need to plan your meals ahead of time. You always want a high-protein, low-calorie option to be available at meal time. You might find yourself carrying your own prepared food with you to be sure that you have the food you need. Sandwiches are good “go-to” option, but not just any old sandwich will do! This article can help you build sandwiches that are good fits for your meal plan. What is Wrong with the Sandwiches You Used to Eat? A typical workday might have started off with a trip through the drive-through for a breakfast burrito or sandwich, or a bagel and cream cheese sandwich at work. Lunch could have been a brown bag peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a trip to a nearby restaurant for a sandwich, burrito, or burger. Where might these options leave you? Sausage, egg, and cheese croissant or biscuit from a drive-through (600 calories with 42 grams of fat) Bagel with cream cheese (500 calories with 70 grams of carbohydrates) Peanut butter and jelly sandwich (600 calories and 40 grams of sugar) Club sandwich (1,000 calories and 2,500 milligrams of sodium) Chicken patty sandwich (60 grams of carbohydrates and 1,100 milligrams of sodium) Beef, bean, and cheese burrito (900 calories and 40 grams of fat) Your breakfast and lunch sandwiches could have added up to over 1,500 calories. Add in beverages, sides (hash browns, fries or chips, anyone?), and snacks, and you could have been at 3,000 calories by lunchtime! These Choices Don’t Work After Weight Loss Surgery! Needless to say, these options do not fit into your weight loss surgery diet. First, some of those sandwiches have more calories than you are supposed to be eating in a day, not to mention that some also contain more saturated fat, sodium, and sugar than you should have in a day. Second, those sandwiches emphasize starchy breads and fatty condiments, not the lean proteins and nutritious vegetables you need to stay full and nourished after weight loss surgery. Third, they can cause complications. Doughy bagels and fried chicken, for example, can cause obstructions in lap-band patients; fatty sausage and sugary jelly can cause dumping syndrome in gastric bypass patients; and these low-nutrient foods can fill you up and cause malnutrition. Luckily, this does not mean that you need to give up the convenience of sandwiches and the pleasure you get from biting into one. There are plenty of ways to make sandwiches that are weight loss surgery-friendly: low-calorie, high-protein, convenient, and delicious! Protein Fillings for WLS Sandwiches Start by choosing a lean source of protein, just like you do when you plan all of your meals. These are some healthier options compared to what you might have chosen before weight loss surgery. Don’t forget to measure your portions if you are making your own sandwich, or eyeball your portions if you are ordering in a restaurant. 2 scrambled egg whites (30 calories) 2 ounces of canned light tuna (60 calories) 2 ounces of chicken breast, lean ham, turkey breast (80 calories) 2 ounces of fat-free cheese (90 calories) ½ cup cooked beans or 1 vegetarian burger (120 calories) 2 ounces of turkey or vegetarian bacon or breakfast sausage (130 calories) Load up on Vegetables and Fruit Vegetables and fruit are the next food groups to add to your meals. Vegetables especially are low-calorie, so add more if you want a bigger sandwich. Try classic combinations, or get creative. You can also experiment with herbs such as fresh cilantro, basil, and dill. These are some ideas. Lettuce and tomatoes with meat and cheese Grilled eggplant, zucchini, and/or bell peppers with beans Cucumbers and sprouts with fat-free feta cheese Diced celery, carrots, onions, and water chestnuts with tuna Spinach and mushrooms with egg whites Pear or apple with fat-free cheddar cheese Cantaloupe with ham and/or fat-free cheese Blueberries with egg whites Breads and Alternatives Most bread is high in carbohydrates and low in protein – clearly not what you need for your nutritious weight loss surgery diet. Besides adding calories and carbs, bread can cause obstructions in lap-band patients and make gastric bypass patients sick or overly full. When possible, skip the regular bread. Bagels Tortillas Subs Croissants Biscuits Regular sliced bread Instead, choose whole-grain, high-fiber, low-calorie breads, and consider open-faced sandwiches, with the filling on 1 slice of bread, instead of regular 2-slice sandwiches. These are some good options. Reduced-calorie bread (45 or fewer calories per slice) Light English muffin (50 calories per half) Mini whole grain bagel (60 calories per half) Low-carb tortilla (50 calories per small tortilla) High-fiber, light wrap (90 calories per wrap) Also, look for creative, non-bread alternatives. Lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps or cups Egg roll or wonton wrappers Sheets of dried seaweed Grilled eggplant Your fork (skip the bread and just eat the filling) Keeping Condiments Under Control The condiments that you add can make or break your sandwich, both in terms of nutrition and taste. Skip the full-fat mayonnaise, dressings, dips, sour cream, and butter, and be wary of high-sugar jam, barbecue sauce, and honey mustard. Instead, consider the following condiments. Salsa Fat-free mayo, dressing, dip, or sour cream Regular mustard Plain, non-fat Greek yogurt Hot sauce Shredded fat-free parmesan cheese Reduced-calorie, trans fat-free margarine Some Breakfast Sandwich Ideas to Start Your Day Off Right Egg whites scrambled with spinach, mushrooms, and fat-free feta cheese on ½ English muffin Cottage cheese and strawberries wrapped in lettuce leaves Shredded fat-free cheese and lean ham toasted on a slice of reduced-calorie, whole-wheat bread and topped with salsa and tomatoes Egg whites cooked with turkey bacon and broccoli in a small, high-fiber wrap ½ whole-grain mini bagel spread with fat-free cream cheese and topped with canned salmon with diced celery and water chestnuts Lunch Sandwiches Lettuce wrap filled with diced chicken breast, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and bell peppers, and soy sauce or light Asian dressing Dried seaweed sheet rolled around tuna salad made with fat-free mayo, chives, and celery Pinwheels made by layering slices of turkey breast, lean ham, and fat-free cheese slices, spreading them with mustard, and rolling them Bean burrito with black beans, fat-free cheddar cheese, salsa, and fat-free sour cream on a small, high-fiber tortilla Chicken breast with sliced apple and light vinaigrette between slices of grilled eggplant Tomato sauce, fat-free mozzarella cheese, and mushrooms on a light English muffin Toasted Rueben sandwich with low-fat Swiss cheese, shredded cabbage or sauerkraut, lean corned beef, and fat-free Thousand Island dressing on a light English muffin Are You Ready for Some Sandwiches? You can eat these sandwiches at home, or make them ahead of time and carry them with you in a reusable container. As a weight loss surgery patient, you should own plenty of reusable containers with tight-fitting lids. If you do not already have some, they are worth the investment so that you can carry healthy foods with you wherever you go. We hope that you enjoy these sandwich ideas and that you are inspired to make some of your own healthy, high-protein sandwiches!

I'm a huge fan of all greek yogurt. I try to watch the sugar and fat content. My fave is plain or vanilla yogurt mixed with fresh or frozen fruits. I have the Chobani Apple and Cinnamon fat free for desert often. I also discovered the Yoplait Greek 100 calorie greek yogurts. They're lower calories and have less sugar than Chobani and taste pretty darn good. Beef jerky is also a snack I enjoy often. My personal fave is Perky Jerky.

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It's been miserably cold here in NYC. I started wearing my Hot Chillys thermal top and bottom which are normally reserved for my ski trips. I find they really help keep me warm when I'm outdoors in these cold temps. I also started wearing a wool beanie hat which I've never tried before. I like it so much I walk around with it indoors at times. It can get me odd stares from my kids. Also, when I'm indoors I wear really thick socks around the house so my toes stay warm and fuzzy

This year has seen record-setting freezes and winter storms throughout much of the country, and the cold weather will stick around for a few more weeks. Whether you are a New Yorker who has seen temps dip below 0 degree Fahrenheit or a Californian who shivers when it is below 50 degrees, what do you do to keep warm? Select your answer and tell us more details by replying to the conversation below!

It looks like you had empty lines in your signature. I removed them and was able to add additional lines. Your signature shouldn't be humongous. It can appear quite funny when members signatures are larger than most of their posts.

I believe the company discontinued the My Lap-Band Journey service since there are so many web sites and apps that do a much better job. They made an announcement about this late last year.

Great article!!

What's most important to you that's currently missing from the app? Our new apps are currently in beta. We most definitely will have a full feature app for both Android and iOS within the next 2-3 months. We slowed app development when we launched BariatricPal and we're back at it again.

Your diet can be hard after weight loss surgery. You have to give up most junk food and monitor every bite that goes in your mouth. Although many patients have smaller appetites and fill up faster on less food, you can still struggle to make the dietary changes. You can be tempted to slip up, especially when food is around. And that is can be problem with family. Family food dynamics before surgery might have been a lot easier. You ate the same food, went out together, and did not think much about which foods came into the house. After surgery, you have no choice but to restrict your diet. That is why family diet dynamics change after weight loss surgery. Food Can Strain Your Family Dynamics You can have the most loving family in the world, but they may not be your best dieting buddies. They may still want to buy their favorite foods, store them at home, and eat them when they want – even if it means eating them in front of you. These are some of the risks. Caving in to these off-limit foods – and derailing your weight loss. Becoming angry at your loved one(s) – and letting food hurt your relationship. Banning all non-WLS foods from your home – and causing your loved one to be resentful. How can you avoid these losing situations? Everyone Needs to Compromise The answer is compromise. You just went through a life-changing surgery because you struggled with obesity – and food – for years. You are on a strict diet, and cannot afford to have your hard work undone because your family continues to tempt you with high-calorie food. On the other hand, members of your family may feel that they have the right to eat whatever they want, whenever and wherever they want. You can all compromise and come up with some new household rules. The following suggestions might work for your household, or you can come up with the rules that are best for your situation. Family members are permitted to eat fast food meals inside the house, but cannot store leftovers. Family members can keep certain wrapped snacks at home only if they keep them hidden from you and eat them outside the house, such as at school or work. Everyone must wrap up and put away leftover foods so that you are not tempted to grab them Everyone must respect your need to have your kitchen scale, measuring cups and spoons, and storage containers handy and available, not shoved deep into a back closet. Family Members of All Ages Contribute to the Diet Dynamics Your weight loss surgery affects everyone in your household in a different way, and everyone from young children to teenagers to your spouse contributes to the household’s diet dynamics. Modify your approach to be appropriate for each family member. Young children – They do not necessarily understand your weight loss surgery or the reasons behind it, and they are unlikely to fully understand why the household’s diet is changing. Luckily, young children are likely to eat what you offer. Offer them the same healthy foods – lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and nutritious starches – that you make for yourself, and you may be surprised how well they accept them, especially when you are cheerful and positive about it. In addition to serving healthy foods at home and in sack lunches, you can pack a treat for lunch so that they can enjoy it and you are not tempted to eat it. Teenagers – Teenagers want to be independent. On principle, many of them automatically seem to reject anything that you do. The truth is, though, that they often just don’t want their friends to think that they’re different. If you have teenaged children, keep plenty of healthy snacks on hand and serve healthy foods at meal times. You may be surprised at just how often they choose to “sneak in” the healthy choice instead of opting for junk food! Don’t make a big deal out of it, or the teens will go right back to choosing junk foods. To further allow teens their sense of independence, An important consideration with teenagers is that they may have their own weight concerns. They may already be overweight, or they may worry that they will one day struggle with their weight just like you did. That’s why it’s important now to allow them to develop healthy eating habits without putting pressure or rigid restrictions on them. Spouse – You spouse is happiest when you are happy. You would do anything for your spouse. So why can weight loss surgery – which you went through to help you become healthier, happier, and a more capable person – lead to so much tension? Your spouse might not completely support your surgery, especially if he or she has never had a serious weight problem. Also, your spouse may be jealous of your resolve and new lifestyle. On top of everything else, your spouse might be afraid that of losing the foods that he or she loves, either because you won’t allow them or because he or she eventually will need to accept and confront his or her own weight problem. You need to have serious discussions of all of these issues and come to an agreement, just like you do in all other parts of your relationship. Let your spouse know that you aren’t changing as a person, but that you are becoming healthier. Let your spouse know that becoming thinner and more energetic will only deepen your love. And, discuss the food. Is your spouse willing to eat what you eat? Are there some treats that your spouse can eat in front of you that you are confident that you will not eat? Family Meals Post-Weight Loss Surgery You can have pleasant, healthy family meals even after weight loss surgery. One way is to prepare and eat your own food, while serving the rest of your family what they normally eat. You can all eat together. Even though you are eating less, you will take as long to eat as they will because you need to focus on chewing thoroughly and eating slowly. These are some other suggestions for family meals. If you’re the one who makes the meals, you don’t have to make two every night. Once a week, cook your own food and refrigerate or freeze single-serving portions. Eat those at family meals, and cook for your family as usual. Have a salad bar or other serve-yourself-style meal, such as a burger bar or pasta bar. Include WLS-friendly options as well as everyone’s favorites. Everyone can choose what they want to eat. For example, at a pasta bar, you serve yourself spaghetti squash, grilled chicken, tomato sauce, and salad, while others might choose spaghetti, meat sauce, and breadsticks. Have a family treat night – can you decide that for one night, they can order in or eat junk, and you will stick to your diet? You might even be able to schedule your family’s treat night on an evening when you work late or you go out with friends so you don’t have to be around the tempting foods. Make something that’s healthy for everyone, and just serve yourself a little less or skip the starch. You have learned to love lean proteins and veggies, and your family can, too. Weight loss surgery changes a lot, from your body and mind to everything else in your life. Family diet dynamics are no different. With all of the other stress surrounding your new lifestyle, the environment surrounding food in your household can become tenser. With some understanding, communication, and compromise, you can keep everyone happy as you stay on track with your weight loss…and your family just might become healthier in the end!

Thank you all very much for volunteering to beta test our app! You can download the app by visiting this topic or by clicking here. PM me if you'd like us to email the app instead. You'll see two new forums now that I've added you to the beta testing group. We have one for Bugs & Issues and the other for Feature Requests. You can visit them directly. Any and all feedback is greatly appreciated!!!

Liz, thank you for organizing this meetup! I should be able to join. Looking forward to meeting everyone!

Hey Everyone, We have an upgraded version 6 of the Android Mobile App available for download! With your help, we've been able to improve the performance of the application and fix several bugs - AGAIN! Once you've upgraded the application, please be sure to review your previous bug reports and if the issues are resolved, please let us know. If your issues still exist, please also let us know. Simply responding to any topics you've created with this information will prove extremely helpful. Thank you all! Download URL: http://www.BariatricPal.com/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_id=40517

I LOVE my PB2! I just searched above and got over 950 posts.....

I'm a big FitBIt Aria fan! I have one sitting 3 feet from my office desk and use it daily.