Alex Brecher

Hey, Banders! Summer’s over and we’re into the beautiful days of early autumn. No matter where you live, we hope you’re getting a chance to get out and enjoy the weather! Any activity you do counts toward your weight loss, health and pleasure, so make an effort to get outside and get moving. Don’t forget to take your LapBandTalk.com app with you so you can read the newsletter and keep up with the boards! Here’s what you’ll find in October’s newsletter. Member Spotlight: Meet CocoaBean! Bander Challenge: Lend a Hand! Having a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy LapBandTalk.com Members! Weight Loss Surgery: Not the Easy Way Out! Can’t wait to get started? Neither can we! Enjoy the newsletter and please feel free to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Member Spotlight: Meet CocoaBean! This month, we’re pleased to put the spotlight on Denise, known as CocoaBean on LapBandTalk.com! She’s a 48-year-old Californian who had struggled with her weight for most of her life. Her dieting included a few rounds of Weight Watchers, as well as some attempts with Atkins and South Beach. Her weight went right back up after each diet. She and her husband set the limit at 200 pounds – but then she hit 217 pounds and couldn’t face another try at Weight Watchers. That’s when Denise learned about the gastric bypass from a coworker who had lost weight. Denise did the research and decided that the lap-band was a better choice for her because it wasn’t as invasive and she didn’t feel that she needed the malabsorption from gastric bypass. She waited a year until her insurance covered the lap-band and got her surgery in 2008. Since then, Denise never looked back. She lost 71 pounds and has maintained a BMI of 24 – all without the help of a dietitian. Instead, she was able to use her own experience and knowledge from a college nutrition course to make her own meal plans. She can walk up stairs without getting winded and is a size 8 to 10 – down from an 18W! She has had a few struggles, mainly with people who look down on weight loss surgery as an “easy way out” rather than a treatment for a likely fatal health condition – obesity. She’s gotten food stuck a few times in public. One time she slimed up while serving as a juror in a trial, and once she snuck a doughnut at work – and paid the price as it got stuck! Overall, Denise’s husband has been as supportive as possible considering that he’s never had a weight issue. Denise is on LapBandTalk.com daily for her main source of support; she loves the positive attitude here. We asked Denise for some advice with the lap-band since she’s been so successful. Here are a few of her pointers. Take a long-term view; the lap-band is a lifelong journey, not a quick weight loss diet! When you’re not losing weight, look at your other health measures, such as your blood pressure, sleep apnea or size. Are they improving? “Relax and go with the flow.” What a great reminder that you can’t control everything, but you can do the best you can by adapting to whatever happens! Thanks, Denise! Obviously your advice has worked for you, and we’re so glad that you shared your story and tips with us! Thanks for being in the Member Spotlight. If you want to be in the spotlight or you want to nominate someone else, let us know in the Spotlight Forum or send Alex a private message. We’re always looking for outstanding members to highlight! Bander Challenge: Lend a Hand! We like to challenge you to try something new or unusual in each newsletter. The Bander Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself a little further and experience something new while gaining confidence. Why do we ask you to post what you did? It helps motivate others and give them ideas for their challenges! This week’s challenge is pretty simple. Before the next newsletter, we’re just asking you to help someone. It can be any kind of help, from helping an elderly neighbor take the newspaper in to volunteering to give a motivational talk at your local weight loss surgery support group meeting to making dinner for your spouse even when it’s not your turn. This challenge does more than make someone else’s life easier. It makes you value yourself more when you see how powerful you can be just by being kind to others. Don’t forget to let us know how you helped someone! What did you do? How did it make you feel? Let us know how it goes in the Bander Challenge forum! You can always check out any of the previous Newsletter Challenges and give us updates on those. You can always see the old challenges in the archived newsletters. You’ll see challenges on food, fitness and more! It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Make It a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy LapBandTalk.com Members! Okay, we know that the autumn is a busy time of year. If you’re a parent, your children are back in school and their activities are in full swing. You may be juggling work with your chauffeuring, catering and cleaning business – aka, taking care of your family! Most of us are pretty busy even if we’re not parents. It’s easy to use not having enough time as an excuse for getting off track with your weight loss. You might eat foods that you know you shouldn’t because you feel you just can’t squeeze in the time to prepare a healthy snack. We’ve all done it. You rush out the door in the morning and are busy all day. Some of these happen along the way. You are starving by lunchtime and grab a few truffles that get stuck in your lap-band You go by the vending machine for a soft drink that’ll make you feel sick within minutes. You realize at the end of the day that you haven’t stopped to drink for hours, and you have a headache and your stomach hurts. You know you should be eating lean Protein, but the closest thing you can find is pepperoni from the company’s pepperoni pizza – so to be polite, you eat the entire slice and it causes an obstruction. You start to depend on Protein shakes because those are the closest thing to a healthy meal that you can find at the company cafeteria. You don’t have to let a hectic schedule get in the way of your health! What can you do about it? Here are a few tips to make the most out of every day Prepare some of your meals and Snacks at the beginning of the week. Wash your fruits and vegetables so they’re easy to prepare when you need them. Cook some your Proteins - chicken breast, fish, seafood, lean beef and/or veggie burgers – and freeze them in single-serving baggies or containers. Cook up bigger batches, put them in single-serving containers and freeze them so you can defrost them when you’re ready to eat them. This is a great option for healthy side dishes, such as whole wheat Pasta, carrots or Beans. (You don’t have to make too much, since your single portions post-surgery are pretty small). Place snacks in single-serving bags if you buy a multi-serving package Plan your Breakfast the night before so you don’t have to think about it in the morning. Take the time to make a grocery list. It’ll save you time in the end. Using a list will keep you from forgetting foods and needing to go back to the store during the week. You’ll be faster in the store because you won’t get distracted. Sticking to a list will keep you from buying foods you shouldn’t. Buy ingredients for breakfast Buy snack foods Make sure you drink enough. Stash Water bottles in your car and at work and keep them filled. It’ll encourage you to drink throughout the day and you won’t have to take the time to run to the kitchen each time you need to drink. Stick a pitcher of water in the fridge so you see it several times a day. Keep healthy snacks at work so you never find yourself starving with nothing healthy to eat. Beef Jerky and canned tuna, chicken, beans, vegetables keep for months. Frozen foods to consider keeping around include grilled chicken and fish, veggie burgers and vegetables. Yogurt, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese and deli meats are high-protein snacks to keep in the fridge for a week or more. The more you plan, the better off you’ll be. You’ll save time and be more likely to eat well. And remember – you’re worth it! We suggest picking one or two strategies and working on them until you master them, then moving on to a new tip. Let us know how helpful the tips are! That’s a lot to chew on for this newsletter, so we’re going to end it here. There’s no end to the news, tips and conversations over at LapBandTalk.com, so come on over via your computer, smartphone or Kindle! You can always check out the old newsletters, too, in the Newsletter Forum. Thanks for coming along in this newsletter and for being part of our fantastic community! We couldn’t do it without you. Have a great month and take care of yourself and each other, Alex. ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter Hey, Sleevers! Summer’s over and we’re into the beautiful days of early autumn. No matter where you live, we hope you’re getting a chance to get out and enjoy the weather! Any activity you do counts toward your weight loss, health and pleasure, so make an effort to get outside and get moving. Don’t forget to take your VerticalSleeveTalk.com app with you so you can read the newsletter and keep up with the boards! Here’s what you’ll find in October’s newsletter. Member Spotlight: Meet Sleeve4me! Sleever Challenge: Lend a Hand! Having a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy VerticalSleeveTalk.com Members! Weight Loss Surgery: Not the Easy Way Out! Can’t wait to get started? Neither can we! Enjoy the newsletter and please feel free to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Member Spotlight: Meet Sleeve4me! Sleeve4me from southern California is in this week’s Member Spotlight. She put on weight through ten years of marriage and hit her largest clothing size of 18W – she wouldn’t let herself buy any bigger clothes. The final straw was when she could barely walk upstairs at home; her orthopedic surgeon told her to lose weight or continue to suffer joint pain. The surgeon put in her weight loss surgery referral in June of 2009, and sleeve 4 me is grateful he did! Sleeve4me has maintained goal weight for over a year since hitting 144 pounds in May of 2011. She hikes, boogie boards, zumba and going to the gym – she’s still shocked that she can honestly say she enjoys it! She loves impressing her son with her ability now to run up the stairs – without knee pain. Her current biggest challenge is drinking enough Water every day. Sleeve4me says that with the sleeve, “I’m living the best me I can be.” Some of Sleeve4me’s best moments have been running her first 5k race, hiking the Grand Canyon and, of course, fitting into her wedding dress after 20 years! Sleeve4me credits VerticalSleeveTalk with helping her get to goal. The people lifted her out of some discouraging times. The VerticalSleeveTalk SO CAL group and other members have been inspirational for her. Now, she continues to encourage other VerticalSleeveTalk members as they try to reach their goals. Her tips for others? Here are a few… Keep keeping on! Take it one day at a time and enjoy the journey! And finally…hugs, love and happiness! Thanks, sleeve 4 me, and the same to you! Congratulations on your success, and thanks for being in the Member Spotlight! If you want to be in the spotlight or you want to nominate someone else, let us know in the Spotlight Forum or send Alex a private message. We’re always looking for outstanding members to highlight! Sleever Challenge: Lend a Hand! We like to challenge you to try something new or unusual in each newsletter. The Sleever Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself a little further and experience something new while gaining confidence. Why do we ask you to post what you did? It helps motivate others and give them ideas for their challenges! This week’s challenge is pretty simple. Before the next newsletter, we’re just asking you to help someone. It can be any kind of help, from helping an elderly neighbor take the newspaper in to volunteering to give a motivational talk at your local weight loss surgery support group meeting to making dinner for your spouse even when it’s not your turn. This challenge does more than make someone else’s life easier. It makes you value yourself more when you see how powerful you can be just by being kind to others. Don’t forget to let us know how you helped someone! What did you do? How did it make you feel? Let us know how it goes in the Sleever Challenge forum! You can always check out any of the previous Newsletter Challenges and give us updates on those. You can always see the old challenges in the archived newsletters. You’ll see challenges on food, fitness and more! It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Make It a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy VerticalSleeveTalk.com Members! Okay, we know that the autumn is a busy time of year. If you’re a parent, your children are back in school and their activities are in full swing. You may be juggling work with your chauffeuring, catering and cleaning business – aka, taking care of your family! Most of us are pretty busy even if we’re not parents. It’s easy to use not having enough time as an excuse for getting off track with your weight loss. You might eat foods that you know you shouldn’t because you feel you just can’t squeeze in the time to prepare a healthy snack. We’ve all done it. You rush out the door in the morning and are busy all day. Some of these happen along the way. You are starving by lunchtime and grab a few truffles that immediately make you nauseous. You go by the vending machine for a soft drink that’ll make you feel sick within minutes. You realize at the end of the day that you haven’t stopped to drink for hours, and you have a headache and your stomach hurts. You know you should be eating lean Protein, but the closest thing you can find is pepperoni from the company’s pepperoni pizza – so to be polite, you eat the entire slice and it causes an obstruction. You start to depend on Protein shakes because those are the closest thing to a healthy meal that you can find at the company cafeteria. You don’t have to let a hectic schedule get in the way of your health! What can you do about it? Here are a few tips to make the most out of every day Prepare some of your meals and Snacks at the beginning of the week. Wash your fruits and vegetables so they’re easy to prepare when you need them. Cook some your Proteins - chicken breast, fish, seafood, lean beef and/or veggie burgers – and freeze them in single-serving baggies or containers. Cook up bigger batches, put them in single-serving containers and freeze them so you can defrost them when you’re ready to eat them. This is a great option for healthy side dishes, such as whole wheat Pasta, carrots or Beans. (You don’t have to make too much, since your single portions post-surgery are pretty small). Place snacks in single-serving bags if you buy a multi-serving package Plan your Breakfast the night before so you don’t have to think about it in the morning. Take the time to make a grocery list. It’ll save you time in the end. Using a list will keep you from forgetting foods and needing to go back to the store during the week. You’ll be faster in the store because you won’t get distracted. Sticking to a list will keep you from buying foods you shouldn’t. Buy ingredients for breakfast Buy snack foods Make sure you drink enough. Stash water bottles in your car and at work and keep them filled. It’ll encourage you to drink throughout the day and you won’t have to take the time to run to the kitchen each time you need to drink. Stick a pitcher of water in the fridge so you see it several times a day. Keep healthy snacks at work so you never find yourself starving with nothing healthy to eat. Beef Jerky and canned tuna, chicken, beans, vegetables keep for months. Frozen foods to consider keeping around include grilled chicken and fish, veggie burgers and vegetables. Yogurt, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese and deli meats are high-protein snacks to keep in the fridge for a week or more. The more you plan, the better off you’ll be. You’ll save time and be more likely to eat well. And remember – you’re worth it! We suggest picking one or two strategies and working on them until you master them, then moving on to a new tip. Let us know how helpful the tips are! That’s a lot to chew on for this newsletter, so we’re going to end it here. There’s no end to the news, tips and conversations over at VerticalSleeveTalk.com, so come on over via your computer, smartphone or Kindle! You can always check out the old newsletters, too, in the Newsletter Forum. Thanks for coming along in this newsletter and for being part of our fantastic community! We couldn’t do it without you. Have a great month and take care of yourself and each other, Alex. ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

RNYTalk Newsletter By Hey, RNYTalk.com members!! Summer’s over and we’re into the beautiful days of early autumn. No matter where you live, we hope you’re getting a chance to get out and enjoy the weather! Any activity you do counts toward your weight loss, health and pleasure, so make an effort to get outside and get moving. Don’t forget to take your RNYTalk.com app with you so you can read the newsletter and keep up with the boards! Here’s what you’ll find in October’s newsletter. Member Spotlight: Meet Stacey dayonne! Bypass Challenge: Lend a Hand! Having a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy RNYTalk.com Members! Weight Loss Surgery: Not the Easy Way Out! Can’t wait to get started? Neither can we! Enjoy the newsletter and please feel free to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder dinner for your spouse even when it’s not your turn. This challenge does more than make someone else’s life easier. It makes you value yourself more when you see how powerful you can be just by being kind to others. Don’t forget to let us know how you helped someone! What did you do? How did it make you feel? Let us know how it goes in the food, fitness and more! It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Make It a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy RNYTalk.com Members! Okay, we know that the autumn is a busy time of year. If you’re a parent, your children are back in school and their activities are in full swing. You may be juggling work with your chauffeuring, catering and cleaning business – aka, taking care of your family! Most of us are pretty busy even if we’re not parents. It’s easy to use not having enough time as an excuse for getting off track with your weight loss. You might eat foods that you know you shouldn’t because you feel you just can’t squeeze in the time to prepare a healthy snack. We’ve all done it. You rush out the door in the morning and are busy all day. Some of these happen along the way. You are starving by lunchtime and grab a few truffles that give you severe dumping syndrome. You go by the vending machine for a soft drink that’ll make you feel sick within minutes. You realize at the end of the day that you haven’t stopped to drink for hours, and you have a headache and your stomach hurts. You know you should be eating lean Protein, but the closest thing you can find is pepperoni from the company’s pepperoni pizza – so to be polite, you eat the entire slice and it causes an obstruction. You start to depend on Protein shakes because those are the closest thing to a healthy meal that you can find at the company cafeteria. You don’t have to let a hectic schedule get in the way of your health! What can you do about it? Here are a few tips to make the most out of every day Prepare some of your meals and Snacks at the beginning of the week. Wash your fruits and vegetables so they’re easy to prepare when you need them. Cook some your Proteins - chicken breast, fish, seafood, lean beef and/or veggie burgers – and freeze them in single-serving baggies or containers. Cook up bigger batches, put them in single-serving containers and freeze them so you can defrost them when you’re ready to eat them. This is a great option for healthy side dishes, such as whole wheat Pasta, carrots or Beans. (You don’t have to make too much, since your single portions post-surgery are pretty small). Place snacks in single-serving bags if you buy a multi-serving package Plan your Breakfast the night before so you don’t have to think about it in the morning. Take the time to make a grocery list. It’ll save you time in the end. Using a list will keep you from forgetting foods and needing to go back to the store during the week. You’ll be faster in the store because you won’t get distracted. Sticking to a list will keep you from buying foods you shouldn’t. Buy ingredients for breakfast Buy snack foods Make sure you drink enough. Stash Water bottles in your car and at work and keep them filled. It’ll encourage you to drink throughout the day and you won’t have to take the time to run to the kitchen each time you need to drink. Stick a pitcher of water in the fridge so you see it several times a day. Keep healthy snacks at work so you never find yourself starving with nothing healthy to eat. Beef Jerky and canned tuna, chicken, beans, vegetables keep for months. Frozen foods to consider keeping around include grilled chicken and fish, veggie burgers and vegetables. Yogurt, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese and deli meats are high-protein snacks to keep in the fridge for a week or more. The more you plan, the better off you’ll be. You’ll save time and be more likely to eat well. And remember – you’re worth it! We suggest picking one or two strategies and working on them until you master them, then moving on to a new tip. Let us know how helpful the tips are! That’s a lot to chew on for this newsletter, so we’re going to end it here. There’s no end to the news, tips and conversations over at RNYTalk.com, so come on over via your computer, smartphone or Kindle! You can always check out the old newsletters, too, in the Newsletter Forum. Thanks for coming along in this newsletter and for being part of our fantastic community! We couldn’t do it without you. Have a great month and take care of yourself and each other, Alex. ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

SleevePlicationTalk Newsletter Hey, Sleevers! Summer’s over and we’re into the beautiful days of early autumn. No matter where you live, we hope you’re getting a chance to get out and enjoy the weather! Any activity you do counts toward your weight loss, health and pleasure, so make an effort to get outside and get moving. Don’t forget to take your SleevePlicationTalk.com app with you so you can read the newsletter and keep up with the boards! Here’s what you’ll find in October’s newsletter. Member Spotlight: We’re still recruiting! Sleever Challenge: Lend a Hand! Having a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy SleevePlicationTalk.com Members! Weight Loss Surgery: Not the Easy Way Out! Can’t wait to get started? Neither can we! Enjoy the newsletter and please feel free to let us know what you think! Thanks for your support. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder SleevePlicationTalk.com Member Spotlight: Still Recruiting! If you want to be in the spotlight or you want to nominate someone else, let us know in the Spotlight Forum or send Alex a private message. We’re always looking for outstanding members to highlight! Sleever Challenge: Lend a Hand! We like to challenge you to try something new or unusual in each newsletter. The Sleever Challenge is a non-competitive way to push yourself a little further and experience something new while gaining confidence. Why do we ask you to post what you did? It helps motivate others and give them ideas for their challenges! This week’s challenge is pretty simple. Before the next newsletter, we’re just asking you to help someone. It can be any kind of help, from helping an elderly neighbor take the newspaper in to volunteering to give a motivational talk at your local weight loss surgery support group meeting to making dinner for your spouse even when it’s not your turn. This challenge does more than make someone else’s life easier. It makes you value yourself more when you see how powerful you can be just by being kind to others. Don’t forget to let us know how you helped someone! What did you do? How did it make you feel? Let us know how it goes in the Sleever Challenge forum! You can always check out any of the previous Newsletter Challenges and give us updates on those. You can always see the old challenges in the archived newsletters. You’ll see challenges on food, fitness and more! It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Make It a Healthy Autumn: A Few Tips for Parents – and Other Busy SleevePlicationTalk.com Members! Okay, we know that the autumn is a busy time of year. If you’re a parent, your children are back in school and their activities are in full swing. You may be juggling work with your chauffeuring, catering and cleaning business – aka, taking care of your family! Most of us are pretty busy even if we’re not parents. It’s easy to use not having enough time as an excuse for getting off track with your weight loss. You might eat foods that you know you shouldn’t because you feel you just can’t squeeze in the time to prepare a healthy snack. We’ve all done it. You rush out the door in the morning and are busy all day. Some of these happen along the way. You are starving by lunchtime and grab a few truffles that make you nauseous. you dumping syndrome. You go by the vending machine for a soft drink that’ll make you feel sick within minutes. You realize at the end of the day that you haven’t stopped to drink for hours, and you have a headache and your stomach hurts. You know you should be eating lean Protein, but the closest thing you can find is pepperoni from the company’s pepperoni pizza – so to be polite, you eat the entire slice and it causes an obstruction. You start to depend on Protein shakes because those are the closest thing to a healthy meal that you can find at the company cafeteria. You don’t have to let a hectic schedule get in the way of your health! What can you do about it? Here are a few tips to make the most out of every day Prepare some of your meals and Snacks at the beginning of the week. Wash your fruits and vegetables so they’re easy to prepare when you need them. Cook some your Proteins - chicken breast, fish, seafood, lean beef and/or veggie burgers – and freeze them in single-serving baggies or containers. Cook up bigger batches, put them in single-serving containers and freeze them so you can defrost them when you’re ready to eat them. This is a great option for healthy side dishes, such as whole wheat Pasta, carrots or Beans. (You don’t have to make too much, since your single portions post-surgery are pretty small). Place snacks in single-serving bags if you buy a multi-serving package Plan your Breakfast the night before so you don’t have to think about it in the morning. Take the time to make a grocery list. It’ll save you time in the end. Using a list will keep you from forgetting foods and needing to go back to the store during the week. You’ll be faster in the store because you won’t get distracted. Sticking to a list will keep you from buying foods you shouldn’t. Buy ingredients for breakfast Buy snack foods Make sure you drink enough. Stash Water bottles in your car and at work and keep them filled. It’ll encourage you to drink throughout the day and you won’t have to take the time to run to the kitchen each time you need to drink. Stick a pitcher of water in the fridge so you see it several times a day. Keep healthy snacks at work so you never find yourself starving with nothing healthy to eat. Beef Jerky and canned tuna, chicken, beans, vegetables keep for months. Frozen foods to consider keeping around include grilled chicken and fish, veggie burgers and vegetables. Yogurt, low-fat cheese, cottage cheese and deli meats are high-protein snacks to keep in the fridge for a week or more. The more you plan, the better off you’ll be. You’ll save time and be more likely to eat well. And remember – you’re worth it! We suggest picking one or two strategies and working on them until you master them, then moving on to a new tip. Let us know how helpful the tips are! That’s a lot to chew on for this newsletter, so we’re going to end it here. There’s no end to the news, tips and conversations over at SleevePlicationTalk.com, so come on over via your computer, smartphone or Kindle! You can always check out the old newsletters, too, in the Newsletter Forum. Thanks for coming along in this newsletter and for being part of our fantastic community! We couldn’t do it without you. Have a great month and take care of yourself and each other, Alex. ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

I'd like to remind our members to read our forum rules. Welcome to LapBandTalk! All of us from the LapBandTalk team would like to welcome you to our community! Registration to this forum is free! LapBandTalk members come from a variety of different backgrounds and visit the site from virtually every corner of the world, but we all share a common desire to lead healthier lives. In order to ensure LapBandTalk remains a fun and friendly place for everyone, we have established the following site guidelines, rules and policies which we ask all of our members to follow. Moderation and Reporting Posts LapBandTalk is moderated by a team of volunteers and a few full-time site administrators. Because we have a small team, it's impossible for us to read every post on the site, so we rely on our members to help us identify problems. If you see a post that seems to violate our guidelines, you can help us by using the "Report Post" link to let us know. One of our moderators will review the report as soon as possible and handle it accordingly. LapBandTalk Community Guidelines The basic ground rules for discussions on LapBandTalk are simple: be polite, use common sense, don't break the law and don't post any message that even hints at advertising. We don't intend to censor messages based on the opinions expressed within posts, but we will enforce the policies outlined both here and on the Forum. We reserve the right to remove, modify or move posts at our discretion and without explanation. Please contact us if you do not understand any of the rules, guidelines or policies outlined below. Although the administrators and moderators of LapBandTalk will attempt to keep all objectionable messages off this forum, it is impossible for us to review all messages. All messages express the views of the author, and neither the owners of LapBandTalk will be held responsible for the content of any message. By agreeing to these rules, you warrant that you will not post any messages that are hateful, threatening, or otherwise violate any laws. The owners of LapBandTalk reserve the right to remove, edit, move or close any thread for any reason. Suspension of your account is a definite consequence of not adhering to these guidelines. LapBandTalk Posting Guidelines 1. Everyone has a right to speak regardless of their perspective. 2. We take the "Be Polite" rule very seriously. We do not tolerate any rudeness. Any member who is intentionally unpleasant or disruptive may be banned without warning. 3. While we believe in free speech, keep in mind that this right is not absolute. Dissent is an essential part of any discussion where people are encouraged to express varying opinions; however, it is equally important to maintain both decorum and topicality as related to LapBandTalk.com's mission. 4. Obscenity and pornography will not be tolerated. If that's what you're after, there are plenty of places on the Internet to find it, and this forum isn't one of them. Please make sure all opinions are expressed without being obscene or offensive. 5. Members will treat each other with courtesy and respect, especially when they disagree. We understand that bright, intelligent and educated people may not always agree, but personal attacks in the form of insults, abusive language or other means of obvious harassment will not be tolerated. - Do not attack, mock, or otherwise insult others. You can respectfully disagree with the message or topic, but you cannot attack the messenger. This includes attacks against the user's spelling or command of written English, or belittling a user for posting a duplicate topic. - If you are attacked by another user, and you reciprocate, you will also be subject to the same consequences. Defending yourself or a friend is not an excuse! Do not take matters into your own hands – instead, use the Report Post link to report an attack and we will be happy to handle the situation for you. 6. Our focus is on weight loss surgery support. While any discussion is subject to going off on a tangent, we will do our best to consistently maintain topicality. Editing, moving or deleting off-topic content will only occur when it's necessary to redirect focus to the core topic(s) and values of this community. 7. Don't report other people's experiences as truth. Share your own experiences, thoughts, opinions, theories at will. 8. Please take the really personal discussions to PM or e-mail. 9. Do not publicly post an email or private message from any other LapBandTalk user, moderator or administrator at any time. 10. Do Not Publish Private Contact Information. For your safety, do not post personal information such as telephone numbers, emails, mailing addresses, instant messenger ids, etc. 11. Advertising, Self-Promotion, Fund-Raising, Direct marketing or selling is forbidden on LapBandTalk. Members may use their signatures to indicate a commercial affiliation by including a single link to a web site of their choice, with no more than one line of explanation in addition. This signature text is not to exceed the default font size of forum posts (size=2). - You may not post any links or mentions of other services, websites, or businesses from which you or an associate might benefit financially or otherwise. You also may not solicit off-Forum contact from which you might benefit, e.g. "message me for more info", "I can get you free samples", etc. - Requests or solicitations for donations are also not allowed. This includes requesting contributions to "pooled fund" competitions, requests for votes in any venue (online contests, etc.), and even requests for charitable contributions. As you can imagine, we have a lot of people who would like to raise money for worthy causes through the site. As much as we'd like to support these causes, if we were to allow requests for donations, the forums would quickly become full of such requests which would take away from the main purpose of the forums - to support one another. - Posts or messages to members promoting websites that compete with LapBandTalk are also prohibited. 12. Recommendations or reviews of surgeons, hospitals, products, or services are welcome if based on the reviewer's personal experience. The reviewer must have no financial interest in the subject being reviewed. Violations will result in the posts being removed and a possible permanent ban of membership. 13. You are permitted a maximum of one account/username, active or inactive. If you choose to ignore this important restriction, all your accounts will be disabled. If you have forgotten your log in details and are unable to retrieve them via the system, do not create a new account, please contact us. LapBandTalk allows one account per member and one member per account. 14. Cross-Posting is not allowed here. Cross-posting refers to posting new duplicate threads or posts, or the linking to threads or posts already started by the member with the intention of gaining exposure. Please choose the most appropriate forum or group for your post and post it once. Posting the same message to multiple boards or multiple groups is a form of spam. Please note that this is NOT a guideline against inadvertently posting a question another member has asked before. We explicitly allow members to post questions that have been asked previously by other members. If you see a member post a topic that you think has been asked before by another member, please respond politely or simply move on. However, the same member cannot ask the same question or post the same topic more than once. 15. No Hi-Jacking Topics. Please stay on-topic within a forum topic. Off-topic or derogatory remarks are disrespectful. Please either contribute politely and constructively to a topic, or move on without posting. This includes posts that encourage the drama in a topic to escalate. 16. Show Respect to All Groups and Individuals. No derogatory references to sex, gender, ethnicity, religions, or sexual orientation, or endorsement of violence against any person or group, even if couched in humor, will be permitted. This includes expressing stereotypes about any group or community. 17. We reserve the right to respond to violations of these guidelines by blocking and/or banning members from this forum 18. When you post to this forum, you offer to us a royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, worldwide right to use your content as we see fit. We may use, distribute, display and/or create derivative works from this content, in any and all media, in any manner, in whole or in part, without any restriction or responsibilities to you. 19. Members accept all responsibility for their words. This includes any personal information a user chooses to make public. All members understand that forums may be viewed by non-members. This forum cannot be responsible for the distribution of any information intentionally posted by a user. 20. When using this forum, you agree that we cannot be and are not responsible for the truth, completeness, objectivity or usefulness of any user-generated content, nor do we endorse any content, including, but not limited to, postings or replies to postings made by members who are moderators. 21. We do nothing to verify member identities. You assume all risk in your use of information from other members. 22. While we reserve the right to do so, we do not pre-screen, monitor, edit or review member-generated content. However, we may monitor content and remove it at any time and without notice. We will do this if content violates these guidelines or we believe it will improve our community. We also will suspend or terminate forum access to those individuals who violate these guidelines. 23. No Profane, Vulgar, Sexually Explicit or Illegal Images. All images on the site, including all profile pictures and images posted in the forums, should be work-place friendly. While we reserve the right to remove any photo we feel is inappropriate, here are some partial guidelines as to what is not acceptable: - no nudity - no underwear, thongs, g-strings, or banana hammocks - no photos in which hands or objects are the only bodily covering - no excessive cleavage (if you would wear it to work, it's probably OK) - no close-up shots of cleavage, butt, breasts or crotch in any state of dress - no hateful or violent imagery - no images containing profanity If you are photographing yourself to demonstrate successful weight loss, tight fitting spandex is a great way to show the change in your shape, while still abiding by these guidelines. If you have a concern about any post, alert the moderators by using the Report Post button. Violation of These Guidelines May Lead to Disciplinary Action. We reserve the right to delete or lock topics, to disable the posting privileges of any member, or to deny anyone use of our site at anytime, for any reason, at our discretion without warning or notice. Conversely, we reserve the right to dismiss a reported post if we find it does not violate a guideline.

Great suggestion! I'll see what we can do about this request.

I was in a very similar situation a few weeks ago. Thankfully my pain was on the right side and I didn't think i was having a heart attack. If it's truly a muscle sprain, It should go away in a few days and you'll completely forget it ever hurt you. I'd stay away from ANY excercise that puts strain on your pecs until your pain recedes.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention!

Let's see if it's a browser issue. Can you try with Chrome, Firefox or Safari please for testing purposes?

What browser are you using please and which version ? Also, what type of internet connection are you on please ?

You can change the publicly viewable username of any account here. We don't delete or remove accounts. Please see our terms of service for all the juicy details.

I'd like to reiterate what Susan just posted. This isn't her personal position. It's one that all the admins/mods and I have agreed on. I hope we can all get along and play nicely together. VST is a source of support and I'll never allow a few to ruin it for many.

VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter Hey, Sleevers!Summer vacation’s almost over, and for most of us, it flew by! If you have children, they’re probably getting ready to go back to school or even back in school already. As you keep working toward your own weight loss goals, don’t forget to include your children in your healthy lifestyle! Have fun being a great role model as you teach them a few healthy habits like loving their fruits and vegetables and staying active! With the business of the late summer, this newsletter aims to keep you on track. Here’s what’s coming up. Member Spotlight: Meet LilMissDiva! Sleever Challenge: It’s Time for a VerticalSleeveTalk.com Mixer! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’t’s for the Barbecue Party Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News Let’s get going with the newsletter! Whether you’re reading it on your laptop, desktop, iPhone, kindle or Android, we hope you love this newsletter. Let us know what you think about it or anything else related to VerticalSleeveTalk.com. I love hearing from our members and value your suggestions! Thanks as always! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Member Spotlight – LilMissDiva! This week’s spotlight is on LilMissDiva. She was banded in September of 2010 in Mexicali. Now approaching her two-year anniversary, she’s a svelte 169 pounds – yes, 16 healthy pounds below her goal weight of 185 pounds, and down almost half of her original 330 pounds! Wow. What’s her story? Well, LilMissDiva battled her weight from her teens until 2008, when she got the lap-band. She did okay with it, losing down to 225, but started to regain the weight until she was 281 pounds again. That’s when she got diagnosed with high blood pressure. That was only a few short years after losing an uncle to complications of high blood pressure after watching him suffer for years with kidney failure. Her doctor also told her to schedule two knee surgeries. She never even made the first call. Instead, she called a surgeon in Mexicali and went south for the sleeve! She’s had so many great moments from being called skinny by a perfect stranger to weighing less than her husband to completing her first 5k. Along with the pleasures of enjoying clothes and relationships because of her beautiful looks, LilMissDiva says she feels like a new part of her has woken up since her vertical sleeve surgery. She’s planning to become a certified nutritionist and personal trainer, and she wants to become an inspirational expert in obesity and bariatric surgery. LilMissDiva had the common post-op surgery troubles, including nausea, fatigue and vomiting. But, she says it’s been worth it and she’d “do it again a million times over” for the rewards. She used VerticalSleeveTalk.com to get her through the rough Patches and she continues to check in almost daily. She’s a moderator, so you may have seen her around the boards. LilMissDiva is serious about wanting to help others. In fact, she’s so committed to it that she’s started her own I’m Happy to Help thread in the forums. She welcomes anyone who needs advice, encouragement or a little bit of tough love. LilMissDiva, a huge sincere thanks from all of us. People like you make the world better. We have the pleasure of featuring a different VerticalSleeveTalk.com member in the Member Spotlight section for each newsletter. Let us know in the Member Spotlight forum if there’s someone you want to learn more about or if you want to be our spotlighted member! We want to hear about your nominations for yourself or another member. We’re all eager to hear more about you, so let us know who you are! If you’re shy and don’t want to post publicly, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. This is our favorite part of the newsletter! Thanks for making it happen! Sleever Challenge – It’s Time for a VerticalSleeveTalk.com Mixer! In the Newsletter Challenge, we suggest something for you to try that you wouldn’t normally do. It’s a way to think outside the box. Challenging yourself and trying new things helps you gain confidence, learn new skills and stay involved and interested in your weight loss journey. What’s the current Sleever Challenge? Join the VerticalSleeveTalk.com Mixer! We’re not talking about an in-person party here, but it’s time for a virtual mixer! What does that mean? It’s time to shake things up a little. We know you each have your own routines when you visit the boards. You go to the same discussion sub-forums daily. Occasionally, you update your profile, blog or photo gallery. Your challenge for this newsletter is to vary your habits just a little. You might try visiting and posting on a section of the board that you don’t usually visit. More experienced members might try going back to the “pre-surgery questions” board, or newer members might check out some of the groups. Another idea is to introduce yourself, using the private messaging system, to one or more members whose stories grab your attention or whom you want to get to know better. Now’s your chance! Let us know how it goes in the Sleever Challenge forum. Tell us what you did and how you liked it. And, feel free to check out any of the previous Newsletter Challenges and give us updates on those. You can always see the old challenges in the archived newsletter. It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’ts for the Barbecue Party Labor Day is coming up fast, and you’ve probably already had one or two barbecue parties this summer. How well were you able to stick to your diet? Are you confident that you’re going to stay on track on Labor Day? These do’s and don’ts can help you make good decisions at your next outdoor grill so that you can be confident and enjoy the fun. Do: Choose lean Proteins, such as fat-free hot dogs, extra lean ground beef or turkey burger patties, shrimp skewers, salmon steaks and skinless chicken breast. Be a good guest. If you’re not sure that the host will be offering foods that are on your diet, bring your own. You can even bring enough to share – you’ll be surprised at how many people will be grateful for your healthy option. Eat your veggies. Enjoy corn on the cob (without butter, of course), green salad and other cut vegetables. Just go easy on the dip and choose low-calorie salad dressing. Watch your portions. As a weight loss surgery patient, you need to limit your portions even when you’re eating healthy foods. If you’re not careful, it’s all too easy to eat at a barbecue without realizing quite how much you’re eating. Have fun! Play volleyball, go swimming and run relay races with the kids. The more you move, the more you’ll lose and the better you’ll feel. Be sociable. You’re hanging out with your friends and family to enjoy their company…so enjoy their company instead of focusing so much on food. Don’t: Go for high-fat meats, such as T-bone steak or prime rib, full-fat ground beef patties, pork or beef sausages and turkey legs with the skin. Let the sauces, dressings and dips sabotage your diet. Choose low-calorie options, and avoid coleslaw, potato salad, egg salad and other dishes with mayonnaise. Use onions and ketchup instead of cheese for toppings. Munch on chips, nuts and other high-calorie appetizers without even realizing it. They will barely fill you up and you can eat way too much. They can even make you feel sick later because of their fat. Drink your calories. Soda and beer are empty calories. Beer is worse because it reduces your ability to make good judgments. You might end up eating more than you intended if you drink beer at the barbecue. Endulge in ice cream sundaes. For dessert, have a spoonful or two of ice cream if you really want it. Otherwise, assess whether you are truly still hungry. If you are, have some watermelon. Hang out at the food table. Eat the leftovers while you watch television later. These dos and don’ts are pretty easy to follow. With these tips, you can start planning your own end-of-summer parties without worrying that you won’t be able to stick to your diet. Have fun! Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News We know that many of our members like to know the most recent news and information on the gastric sleeve procedure and weight loss surgery and obesity in general. That’s why we have the news forum. It gets updated daily with the latest news on weight loss, bariatric surgery and health. Check it out and discuss your own opinions in the News Forum! That piece of information brings us to the end of this week’s newsletter. Thanks so much for reading it and for all of your participation on the forums! The Newsletter Forum has all of the old newsletters in case you missed one or want to talk about them. Until the next time, take care of yourself and each other, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

RNYTalk Newsletter By Hey, RNYTalk members!Summer vacation’s almost over, and for most of us, it flew by! If you have children, they’re probably getting ready to go back to school or even back in school already. As you keep working toward your own weight loss goals, don’t forget to include your children in your healthy lifestyle! Have fun being a great role model as you teach them a few healthy habits like loving their fruits and vegetables and staying active! With the business of the late summer, this newsletter aims to keep you on track. Here’s what’s coming up. Member Spotlight: Meet Panda! Bypass Challenge: It’s Time for a RNYTalk.com Mixer! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’t’s for the Barbecue Party Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News Let’s get going with the newsletter! Whether you’re reading it on your laptop, desktop, iPhone, kindle or Android, we hope you love this newsletter. Let us know what you think about it or anything else related to RNYTalk.com. I love hearing from our members and value your suggestions! Thanks as always! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder sleep apnea. She’s even been able to treat her depression by exercising daily! Panda says that her biggest problem has been her own self-doubt. She still sometimes wonders whether she can continue to exercise daily, make the right food choices and continue with her self-discipline. She says that RNYTalk.com has been “my happy place as well as my support system.” She comes to RNYTalk.com daily. She gets motivated by others’ successes, and learns lessons from others’ hard lessons. Panda’s advice to others is to believe in yourself. This highly religious woman believes that all things are possible through God. She herself is grateful to her surgeon and her current path. Thanks, Panda, for sharing your story and being in our shake things up a little. We know you each have your own routines when you visit the boards. You go to the same discussion sub-forums daily. Occasionally, you update your profile, blog or photo gallery. Your challenge for this newsletter is to vary your habits just a little. You might try visiting and posting on a section of the board that you don’t usually visit. More experienced members might try going back to the “pre-surgery questions” board, or newer members might check out some of the groups. Another idea is to introduce yourself, using the private messaging system, to one or more members whose stories grab your attention or whom you want to get to know better. Now’s your chance! Let us know how it goes in the Proteins, such as fat-free hot dogs, extra lean ground beef or turkey burger patties, shrimp skewers, salmon steaks and skinless chicken breast. Be a good guest. If you’re not sure that the host will be offering foods that are on your diet, bring your own. You can even bring enough to share – you’ll be surprised at how many people will be grateful for your healthy option. Eat your veggies. Enjoy corn on the cob (without butter, of course), green salad and other cut vegetables. Just go easy on the dip and choose low-calorie salad dressing. Watch your portions. As a weight loss surgery patient, you need to limit your portions even when you’re eating healthy foods. If you’re not careful, it’s all too easy to eat at a barbecue without realizing quite how much you’re eating. Have fun! Play volleyball, go swimming and run relay races with the kids. The more you move, the more you’ll lose and the better you’ll feel. Be sociable. You’re hanging out with your friends and family to enjoy their company…so enjoy their company instead of focusing so much on food. Don’t: Go for high-fat meats, such as T-bone steak or prime rib, full-fat ground beef patties, pork or beef sausages and turkey legs with the skin. Let the sauces, dressings and dips sabotage your diet. Choose low-calorie options, and avoid coleslaw, potato salad, egg salad and other dishes with mayonnaise. Use onions and ketchup instead of cheese for toppings. Munch on chips, nuts and other high-calorie appetizers without even realizing it. They will barely fill you up and you can eat way too much. They can even make you feel sick later because of their fat. Drink your calories. Soda and beer are empty calories. Beer is worse because it reduces your ability to make good judgments. You might end up eating more than you intended if you drink beer at the barbecue. Endulge in ice cream sundaes. For dessert, have a spoonful or two of ice cream if you really want it. Otherwise, assess whether you are truly still hungry. If you are, have some watermelon. Hang out at the food table. Eat the leftovers while you watch television later. These dos and don’ts are pretty easy to follow. With these tips, you can start planning your own end-of-summer parties without worrying that you won’t be able to stick to your diet. Have fun! Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News We know that many of our members like to know the most recent news and information on the gastric bypass procedure and weight loss surgery and obesity in general. That’s why we have the news forum. It gets updated daily with the latest news on weight loss, bariatric surgery and health. Check it out and discuss your own opinions in the News Forum! That piece of information brings us to the end of this week’s newsletter. Thanks so much for reading it and for all of your participation on the forums! The Newsletter Forum has all of the old newsletters in case you missed one or want to talk about them. Until the next time, take care of yourself and each other, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

Hey, Banders!Summer vacation’s almost over, and for most of us, it flew by! If you have children, they’re probably getting ready to go back to school or even back in school already. As you keep working toward your own weight loss goals, don’t forget to include your children in your healthy lifestyle! Have fun being a great role model as you teach them a few healthy habits like loving their fruits and vegetables and staying active! With the business of the late summer, this newsletter aims to keep you on track. Here’s what’s coming up. Member Spotlight: Meet Runnyf! Bander Challenge: It’s Time for a LapBandTalk.com Mixer! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’t’s for the Barbecue Party Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News Let’s get going with the newsletter! Whether you’re reading it on your laptop, desktop, iPhone, kindle or Android, we hope you love this newsletter. Let us know what you think about it or anything else related to LapBandTalk.com. I love hearing from our members and value your suggestions! Thanks as always! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Member Spotlight – Runnyf This newsletter, we’re pleased to feature runnyf, aka Renee. She was recently banded this April and has lost 33 pounds from her pre-surgery weight of 323 pounds on her way to her goal weight. The trip hasn’t been so easy for Renee. It took a year to complete the requirements to get her insurance company to pay for the lap-band. She had to lose 10 percent of her initial body weight – which, she points out, wasn’t so easy because it if were, she’d have done it herself long ago and wouldn’t need the lap-band! She took an eight-week educational class. food has remained one of her biggest struggles after the lap-band surgery. Her husband is supportive, but Renee admits that it’s challenging sometimes to live with someone who’s still eating foods that she can’t have any more. A major hurdle to her weight loss progress was when Renee spent some time with a dear friend who had lost her husband. Renee found herself putting her own needs last; she wasn’t drinking enough Water and she was having trouble resisting the pizza and other fast food that showed up every night for dinner. Another challenge has been learning to eat the lap-band diet, including having portion control and choosing the right foods. She’s learning a lot, though, and says that she realizes that it is just “part of the process.” She knows now that the lap-band isn’t the easy way out, and that she’ll just keep having to learn. She’s persevered through the challenges so far and is back on track. She remains committed to her new lifestyle. Since the beginning of her lap-band journey, Renee has used LapBandTalk.com to get information and support. The boards gave her the confidence she needed to make the decision to get the lap-band and also to be able to share her decision with her family and friends. She plans to continue on the boards as a source of support for new lap-band patients who have the same questions that she had. We’re grateful to have Renee here, and are looking forward to watching her continued weight loss! Thanks for being in our Member Spotlight, Renee! We have the pleasure of featuring a different LapBandTalk.com member in the Member Spotlight section for each newsletter. Let us know in the Member Spotlight Forum if there’s someone you want to learn more about or if you want to be our spotlighted member! We want to hear about your nominations for yourself or another member. We’re all eager to hear more about you, so let us know who you are! If you’re shy and don’t want to post publicly, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. This is our favorite part of the newsletter! Thanks for making it happen! Bander Challenge – It’s Time for a LapBandTalk.com Mixer! In the Newsletter Challenge, we suggest something for you to try that you wouldn’t normally do. It’s a way to think outside the box. Challenging yourself and trying new things helps you gain confidence, learn new skills and stay involved and interested in your weight loss journey. What’s the current Bander Challenge? Join the LapBandTalk.com Mixer! We’re not talking about an in-person party here, but it’s time for a virtual mixer! What does that mean? It’s time to shake things up a little. We know you each have your own routines when you visit the boards. You go to the same discussion sub-forums daily. Occasionally, you update your profile, blog or photo gallery. Your challenge for this newsletter is to vary your habits just a little. You might try visiting and posting on a section of the board that you don’t usually visit. More experienced members might try going back to the “pre-surgery questions” board, or newer members might check out some of the groups. Another idea is to introduce yourself, using the private messaging system, to one or more members whose stories grab your attention or whom you want to get to know better. Now’s your chance! Let us know how it goes in the Bander Challenge forum. Tell us what you did and how you liked it. And, feel free to check out any of the previous Newsletter Challenges and give us updates on those. You can always see the old challenges in the archived newsletter. It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’ts for the Barbecue Party Labor Day is coming up fast, and you’ve probably already had one or two barbecue parties this summer. How well were you able to stick to your diet? Are you confident that you’re going to stay on track on Labor Day? These do’s and don’ts can help you make good decisions at your next outdoor grill so that you can be confident and enjoy the fun. Do: Choose lean Proteins, such as fat-free hot dogs, extra lean ground beef or turkey burger patties, shrimp skewers, salmon steaks and skinless chicken breast. Be a good guest. If you’re not sure that the host will be offering foods that are on your diet, bring your own. You can even bring enough to share – you’ll be surprised at how many people will be grateful for your healthy option. Eat your veggies. Enjoy corn on the cob (without butter, of course), green salad and other cut vegetables. Just go easy on the dip and choose low-calorie salad dressing. Watch your portions. As a weight loss surgery patient, you need to limit your portions even when you’re eating healthy foods. If you’re not careful, it’s all too easy to eat at a barbecue without realizing quite how much you’re eating. Have fun! Play volleyball, go swimming and run relay races with the kids. The more you move, the more you’ll lose and the better you’ll feel. Be sociable. You’re hanging out with your friends and family to enjoy their company…so enjoy their company instead of focusing so much on food. Don’t: Go for high-fat meats, such as T-bone steak or prime rib, full-fat ground beef patties, pork or beef sausages and turkey legs with the skin. Let the sauces, dressings and dips sabotage your diet. Choose low-calorie options, and avoid coleslaw, potato salad, egg salad and other dishes with mayonnaise. Use onions and ketchup instead of cheese for toppings. Munch on chips, nuts and other high-calorie appetizers without even realizing it. They will barely fill you up and you can eat way too much. They can even make you feel sick later because of their fat. Drink your calories. Soda and beer are empty calories. Beer is worse because it reduces your ability to make good judgments. You might end up eating more than you intended if you drink beer at the barbecue. Endulge in ice cream sundaes. For dessert, have a spoonful or two of ice cream if you really want it. Otherwise, assess whether you are truly still hungry. If you are, have some watermelon. Hang out at the food table. Eat the leftovers while you watch television later. These dos and don’ts are pretty easy to follow. With these tips, you can start planning your own end-of-summer parties without worrying that you won’t be able to stick to your diet. Have fun! Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News We know that many of our members like to know the most recent news and information on the lap-band procedure and weight loss surgery and obesity in general. That’s why we have the news forum. It gets updated daily with the latest news on weight loss, bariatric surgery and health. Check it out and discuss your own opinions in the News Forum! That piece of information brings us to the end of this week’s newsletter. Thanks so much for reading it and for all of your participation on the forums! The Newsletter Forum has all of the old newsletters in case you missed one or want to talk about them. Until the next time, take care of yourself and each other, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

SleevePlicationTalk Newsletter Hey, Sleevers! Summer vacation’s almost over, and for most of us, it flew by! If you have children, they’re probably getting ready to go back to school or even back in school already. As you keep working toward your own weight loss goals, don’t forget to include your children in your healthy lifestyle! Have fun being a great role model as you teach them a few healthy habits like loving their fruits and vegetables and staying active! With the business of the late summer, this newsletter aims to keep you on track. Here’s what’s coming up. Sleever Challenge: It’s Time for a SleevePlicationTalk.com Mixer! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’t’s for the Barbecue Party Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News Let’s get going with the newsletter! Whether you’re reading it on your laptop, desktop, iPhone, kindle or Android, we hope you love this newsletter. Let us know what you think about it or anything else related to SleevePlicationTalk.com. I love hearing from our members and value your suggestions! Thanks as always! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder SleevePlicationTalk.com Member Spotlight – Send in Your Nominations! We would like to feature a different SleevePlicationTalk.com member in the Member Spotlight section for each newsletter. Let us know in the Member Spotlight forum if there’s someone you want to learn more about or if you want to be our spotlighted member! We want to hear about your nominations for yourself or another member. We’re all eager to hear more about you, so let us know who you are! If you’re shy and don’t want to post publicly, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. This is our favorite part of the newsletter! Thanks for making it happen! Sleever Challenge – It’s Time for a SleevePlicationTalk.com Mixer! In the Newsletter Challenge, we suggest something for you to try that you wouldn’t normally do. It’s a way to think outside the box. Challenging yourself and trying new things helps you gain confidence, learn new skills and stay involved and interested in your weight loss journey. What’s the current Sleever Challenge? Join the SleevePlicationTalk.com Mixer! We’re not talking about an in-person party here, but it’s time for a virtual mixer! What does that mean? It’s time to shake things up a little. We know you each have your own routines when you visit the boards. You go to the same discussion sub-forums daily. Occasionally, you update your profile, blog or photo gallery. Your challenge for this newsletter is to vary your habits just a little. You might try visiting and posting on a section of the board that you don’t usually visit. More experienced members might try going back to the “pre-surgery questions” board, or newer members might check out some of the groups. Another idea is to introduce yourself, using the private messaging system, to one or more members whose stories grab your attention or whom you want to get to know better. Now’s your chance! Let us know how it goes in the Sleever Challenge forum. Tell us what you did and how you liked it. And, feel free to check out any of the previous Newsletter Challenges and give us updates on those. You can always see the old challenges in the archived newsletter. It’s never too late to try something new and exciting! Are You Ready for Labor Day? Do’s and Don’ts for the Barbecue Party Labor Day is coming up fast, and you’ve probably already had one or two barbecue parties this summer. How well were you able to stick to your diet? Are you confident that you’re going to stay on track on Labor Day? These do’s and don’ts can help you make good decisions at your next outdoor grill so that you can be confident and enjoy the fun. Do: Choose lean Proteins, such as fat-free hot dogs, extra lean ground beef or turkey burger patties, shrimp skewers, salmon steaks and skinless chicken breast. Be a good guest. If you’re not sure that the host will be offering foods that are on your diet, bring your own. You can even bring enough to share – you’ll be surprised at how many people will be grateful for your healthy option. Eat your veggies. Enjoy corn on the cob (without butter, of course), green salad and other cut vegetables. Just go easy on the dip and choose low-calorie salad dressing. Watch your portions. As a weight loss surgery patient, you need to limit your portions even when you’re eating healthy foods. If you’re not careful, it’s all too easy to eat at a barbecue without realizing quite how much you’re eating. Have fun! Play volleyball, go swimming and run relay races with the kids. The more you move, the more you’ll lose and the better you’ll feel. Be sociable. You’re hanging out with your friends and family to enjoy their company…so enjoy their company instead of focusing so much on food. Don’t: Go for high-fat meats, such as T-bone steak or prime rib, full-fat ground beef patties, pork or beef sausages and turkey legs with the skin. Let the sauces, dressings and dips sabotage your diet. Choose low-calorie options, and avoid coleslaw, potato salad, egg salad and other dishes with mayonnaise. Use onions and ketchup instead of cheese for toppings. Munch on chips, nuts and other high-calorie appetizers without even realizing it. They will barely fill you up and you can eat way too much. They can even make you feel sick later because of their fat. Drink your calories. Soda and beer are empty calories. Beer is worse because it reduces your ability to make good judgments. You might end up eating more than you intended if you drink beer at the barbecue. Endulge in ice cream sundaes. For dessert, have a spoonful or two of ice cream if you really want it. Otherwise, assess whether you are truly still hungry. If you are, have some watermelon. Hang out at the food table. Eat the leftovers while you watch television later. These dos and don’ts are pretty easy to follow. With these tips, you can start planning your own end-of-summer parties without worrying that you won’t be able to stick to your diet. Have fun! Reminder – Keeping Track of the Latest Weight Loss Surgery News We know that many of our members like to know the most recent news and information on the sleeve plication procedure and weight loss surgery and obesity in general. That’s why we have the news forum. It gets updated daily with the latest news on weight loss, bariatric surgery and health. Check it out and discuss your own opinions in the News Forum! That piece of information brings us to the end of this week’s newsletter. Thanks so much for reading it and for all of your participation on the forums! The Newsletter Forum has all of the old newsletters in case you missed one or want to talk about them. Until the next time, take care of yourself and each other, Alex ==============================================================If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: {unsubscribe}

http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/surgeons/5562-darrin-goodall-wilson/

I'm testing from the IOS app at the moment. What type of device are you using please ? Have you attempted to restart the device and app ? IMHO there's a lot less interest in this procedure over other weight loss surgery procedures because most Bariatric surgeons aren't performing Sleeve Plication Surgery as of yet.

I received a a PM this morn asking why I banned Ryan Fischer. Here's a snippet of just part of our email communication: "Alex, I really dont give a flying fuck what you believe or dont believe." Nuff said.....

You won't have any issues as long as you don't use expletives when communicating with me and you follow our posted terms of service. If you can't abide by those two items, you don't belong here.

Just a quick update. After personally communicating with Mr. Fisher, it's very clear to me that he doesn't belong on this forum whatsoever and he's been banned permanently. We wish him best of luck in all his future endeavors. I'm going to reopen this thread since there's no need for it to be closed now.

You can edit your sex here.

This is the first time in the (short) existence of RNYTalk that I've received complaints/reports from members about a thread. This happens regularly and even daily on other WLS forums I run, but never here on RNYTalk. It's very OK to disagree or have a differing opinion with another member. I actually encourage it!! There's never ever a reason to be impolite or rude or call another member a derogatory name, because you disagree with them. Again, I request that our members read our posted forum rules so we don't have any misunderstandings in the future. I'll list off our first 3 rules so you guys and gals get a drift of what I'm referring to: RNYTalk Posting Guidelines 1. Everyone has a right to speak regardless of their perspective. 2. We take the "Be Polite" rule very seriously. We do not tolerate any rudeness. Any member who is intentionally unpleasant or disruptive may be banned without warning. 3. While we believe in free speech, keep in mind that this right is not absolute. Dissent is an essential part of any discussion where people are encouraged to express varying opinions; however, it is equally important to maintain both decorum and topicality as related to RNYTalk.com’s mission.

I think we need to remind some of our members about the rules we have here on RNYTalk:http://www.rnytalk.com/index.php?app=forums&module=extras&section=boardrules

RNYTalk.com was launched just a few months ago. With the help of our amazing members we're the #1 Gastric Bypass support community online today! Most of our members have found our Gastric Bypass community or mobile apps via search engines, by chance or through one of the other WLS communities we operate. We're asking all members to reach out to their surgeon and staff as well as any friends or family members that have Gastric Bypass surgery and let them know about our awesome community. Are you a member of other weight loss surgery communities ? Message your online friends and ask them to join us on RNYTalk.com and let them know about our mobile apps! Let's spread the word!