Alex Brecher

"Does it really matter what a reality television show says in passing about weight loss surgery? I believe it does. For one thing, the country already has a culture that largely views bariatric surgery negatively. We don’t need to increase the negative feelings with these vague statements proclaiming that the show helps contestants lose weight the “right” way, and other methods of weight loss are “wrong.” Second, the show has millions of loyal viewers, including many who may be eligible for weight loss surgery. In my opinion, the show is doing them a disservice by stating unequivocally that bariatric surgery is a bad option. For some of these viewers, bariatric surgery may be the only option that would allow them to lose the weight that has plagued them their entire lives." PS: I wear boxer briefs

If you’re a weight loss surgery patient or patient-to-be, you’d better grow a thick skin if you haven’t already. Your thick skin will help shield you from negative reactions to bariatric surgery. People are not afraid to make personal and hurtful comments about this surgery, even they often have no idea about the facts. One of the barriers to getting weight loss surgery is the fear of telling others about it. People are quick to make you feel ashamed about your choice. They accuse you of cheating or of making a dangerous decision. But it’s not just uninformed people who can make you feel bad. What about the media, which you trust to get its facts straight, and which influences millions of Americans’ beliefs and opinions? Sadly, the media spreads its share of misinformation about weight loss surgery. One striking example occurred on the final episode of this season of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” For the record, this was not the first time this show publicly aired negative comments about weight loss surgery. On this occasion, Dr. Robert Huizenga clearly stated that weight loss surgery is an unhealthy choice. The implication was that it is a mistake in all cases, and far inferior to the weight loss methods used by “The Biggest Loser” contestants. There was no mention of the fact that the weight loss methods used by the contestants are the exact same as the most effective weight loss methods used by weight loss surgery patients. That is, both use a low-calorie diet that dramatically reduces junk foods, and both encourage physical activity. The problem with weight loss surgery? Dr. Huizenga did not explain. Viewers can only guess at the horrors he was thinking of. I’m certainly not the only one to notice such snubs on national television. The BariatricPal community had a thing or two to say about this particular episode of “The Biggest Loser,” and I invite you to check out the comments and add to the discussion if you haven’t already. The Biggest Loser Nobody’s dream in life is to get weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, nobody’s dream in life is to struggle with obesity, but many of us do. What options do we have? Those of us who have chosen weight loss surgery chose it because we exhausted our other options. Those options – regular diets – just didn’t work for us. So, what would Dr. Huizenga have recommended in my case? A 16-week stay at the Biggest Loser Ranch, just like the contestants who made it to the season finale? Full dietary, medical, and physical activity support, just like the contestants? Sure, I would have been happy to try that option. Unfortunately, it costs about $3,000 per week to stay at the resort. That’s a value of $48,000, not including the longer-term support contestants receive. Could I have lost the weight without surgery if I had had $48,000 to spend and the promise of lifetime support? I don’t know. What I do know is I did not have the chance to try. I did, however, have the chance to get weight loss surgery, and I made the most of it. Don’t get me wrong. I really respect what I see on television of the Biggest Loser trainers and health staff that I see on television. Dr. Huizenga seems genuinely distressed about contestants’ poor health at the beginning of the show, and just as genuinely satisfied about their improved prognoses by the end. This season, trainer Jen’s tears were representative of the sincere stake the trainers have in the contestants’ lives. And, like many in America, I’d be on the first plane to Los Angeles if Bob or Dolvett offered to train me. But I do wish they did not feel the need to bash weight loss surgery without explanation. The Truth of the Matter Even if you have the choice between losing weight the Biggest Loser way or through weight loss surgery, which is better? There’s no question that you need to decide for yourself, but let’s take a look at each of these weight loss methods. Losing weight Biggest Loser style means spending hours a day in the gym. The show doesn’t air nearly as much material on food as it does on exercise, although terrible eating habits got contestants to where they were, and good nutrition is clearly a part of their new lifestyles. It seems doubtful that Biggest Loser contestants can continue to exercise so many hours per day for the rest of their lives after the show, and I am certain that many other individuals just do not have this kind of time. Weight loss surgery is…well…surgery. It involves going under the knife and changing something about your insides. There are inherent risks that are unavoidable when you undergo weight loss surgery. Aside from that, bariatric surgery requires a controlled, high-protein, nutritious diet, and exercise is recommended. Many patients can average about 100 pounds, or a respectable and reasonable 2 pounds per week, during their first year after surgery. How do the results of losing weight Biggest Loser style versus with bariatric surgery? Initial weight loss seems comparable, according to a study discussed in US News and World Reports. But the study found Biggest Loser contestants ending up with a lower metabolic rate – making them potentially more likely to regain their weight. Granted, this study did not follow participants long-term, so we do not know what will happen in 10 or 20 years. What does seem clear, though, is that it is not yet justifiable for the “Biggest Loser” to state matter-of-factly that all weight loss surgery is bad. Why Does It Matter? Does it really matter what a reality television show says in passing about weight loss surgery? I believe it does. For one thing, the country already has a culture that largely views bariatric surgery negatively. We don’t need to increase the negative feelings with these vague statements proclaiming that the show helps contestants lose weight the “right” way, and other methods of weight loss are “wrong.” Second, the show has millions of loyal viewers, including many who may be eligible for weight loss surgery. In my opinion, the show is doing them a disservice by stating unequivocally that bariatric surgery is a bad option. For some of these viewers, bariatric surgery may be the only option that would allow them to lose the weight that has plagued them their entire lives. I don’t know what the solution is to this problem of negativity towards weight loss surgery and weight loss surgery patients. Education and patience come to mind – spread the word, when you can, about how weight loss surgery works and why some people get it. And, grow a thick skin. No matter where you are in your weight loss journey, you’re bound to get some negative comments about your decisions. Just know that you are doing the right thing for yourself.

Now, you’re motivated to cook healthy for yourself, and you have a few ideas for recipes. Now, it’s time to make sure you have the foods on hand to execute your meal plan. This article continues our series on cooking for one. It covers the staples and other foods to stock your kitchen, and how to buy them in quantities you can use. Plus, there are suggestions for using and storing perishable ingredients and leftovers. By the way, most of these tips can help you out even if you’re not cooking for just one. Getting in Your Proteins and Other Essentials Protein is the foundation of your weight loss surgery diet. Some sources, such as canned salmon and tuna, tofu, canned beans, and beef jerky are non-perishable. You can stock up on them just like you would if your entire family were eating them. But what about other sources? Buy pre-portioned frozen packs of grilled or baked fish and chicken breast, or veggie and turkey burgers. Don’t be intimidated by eggs. They don’t have an unlimited shelf life, but you can go through them pretty quickly. Each white has 3-4 gram of protein, and if you have just two whites a day, you’ll go through the entire dozen in less than a week. Buy family packs of chicken breasts, fish fillets, and lean ground turkey to save money. Just open the package, separate them into single servings, and freeze them. Or, cook the meat first so it’s ready to be eaten or used in a quick recipe later. Store enough yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese for at least a week. Fruits and vegetables are the other big contributor to your diet. You don’t need to watch huge packages rot or go grocery shopping every day just to get in your fruits and vegetables. If you can go even twice a week, you can have fresh produce every day. Eat or cook mushrooms, greens, lettuces, berries, and sprouts first because they have the shortest shelf life. Carrots, apples, oranges, onions, spaghetti squash, and bell peppers are just a few examples of vegetables and fruits that last a little longer. You can cook any vegetable as soon as you buy it, and store it in the fridge or freezer. You can also freeze bananas and have a half for a healthy treat instead of ice cream. If you’re can only get to the store once a week and you’re not able to cook all of your vegetables on weekends, you may want to depend on some frozen or canned veggies and fruits, Check the label to make sure they don’t contain salt or added sugars. Pantry Staples for One or a Crowd The beautiful thing about staples is that they last a long time. You can stock your kitchen with essentials even if you’re not planning to go through a lot of food. Having the right foods on hand can keep you inspired and enable you to make delicious food at any time. Keep these in your kitchen, and you should be just an ingredient or two away from making any recipe. Spices, including cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, dill, basil, oregano, thyme. Salt and pepper. Milk or almond milk. Baking powder, baking soda. Sweetener. Broth or bouillon for cooking and flavoring. Olive oil. Spaghetti sauce. Condiments: mustard, low-sodium soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, red wine and white wine vinegar, fat-free salad dressings or dry mixes, fat-free mayo. Garlic. Protein powder. Learn to Love Leftovers Remember when dinner used to mean making a box of macaroni and cheese or ordering a pizza, and finishing it? Even if you had something healthy, there weren’t always leftovers. When there were, they went quickly enough by the next day. If you’ve ever had a teenaged boy in the house or the guys have come over to watch sports on TV, you also know what it is like to watch food disappear. It seems any food you buy will disappear within hours, so you never have to worry about it going off. That’s no longer the case when you’re cooking for yourself after weight loss surgery. Your portions are tiny, so you’re not plowing through mounds of food anymore. You need to either cook one serving at a time – that’s a drag! – or learn to love your leftovers. You can eat them straight, such as taking your leftover spaghetti squash and turkey meatballs for lunch the next day. You can also transform them each time you see them. For example, enjoy a grilled chicken breast on day one. On day two, slice up leftover grilled chicken to put on your green salad at lunch, and make chicken skewers with grilled eggplant and zucchini for dinner. As you’re eating dinner, stew the rest of the chicken with canned tomatoes and a can of beans for a high-protein dinner for day three. One of the barriers to cooking for one is having a variety of healthy ingredients on hand, but it’s not impossible. Stock up your kitchen with non-perishables, and plan your menus and shopping trips ahead of time so you can pick up what you need. Also, be prepared to cook and store extra food that you will come back to later. Next up in our series on cooking for one: handy kitchen tools that’ll help you make and store your food.

Num num num, sounds delicious and really simple to make! I'm definitely going to give this a try.

Great article! Thanks for sharing with our community.

^ exactly!

Absolutely!

I received personal messages from a member posting on this topic that there seemed to be an issue with unintentional multiple posts. We're trying to troubleshoot this issue and would appreciate if you would use the REPORT feature or link found next to each post that's duplicated. Thanks in advance for your assistance with this small annoyance.

In the first article of this series, we talked about getting into the right mentality for cooking for one after weight loss surgery. It’s not always easy, but you have no choice if you want to stick to your weight loss surgery diet. This article will get down to some specifics and provide some high-protein, low-calorie ideas for each meal and snack. Big Batches to Make on the Weekend Make a few full-sized recipes on the weekend and freeze them in single-serving portions. You can also season and cook some proteins to save a few minutes during the week. Just thaw them and eat them on a salad or with a side of veggies, or in a stir fry or other simple recipe. Try making: Soup with beans or diced chicken breast and vegetables, such as onions, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, and celery. Low-fat meat loaf with extra lean ground turkey. Bake the meatloaf in a muffin tin or slice it into smaller portions after the loaf is baked. Chili with beans, ground turkey, tomatoes, celery, green peppers, and onions. A dozen or more hard-boiled eggs. If you’re eating two or three whites at a time, you’ll go through hard-boiled eggs pretty quickly. Casseroles with plenty of vegetables and one or more lean proteins such as egg whites, lean ham, canned tuna, non-fat cheddar cheese, ricotta or cottage cheese, and chicken breast. Seasoned, grilled or baked chicken breast, turkey or veggies burgers, or fish to quickly thaw and serve with steamed veggies or a salad. Breakfast Breakfast…some call it the most important meal of the day. You’re best off with at least two servings of protein, and it’s a chance to get in some extra fiber and other nutrients. Try one of the following for a quick, one-person meal. Microwave egg whites in a mug with some chopped veggies, such as spinach, tomatoes, or fresh or frozen broccoli florets. Add lean ham or top it with fat-free shredded cheese. Experiment to find a high-protein pancake that works for you. Ingredients like cottage cheese, egg whites, and protein powder add protein. Add more protein powder or oats to make your pancake batter thicker, or increase the egg whites or almond milk to thin out your batter and make the pancake more crepe-like. Aim for about 150 calories, or about 1 large scoop of protein powder, ¼ cup of non-fat cottage cheese, and 2 to 3 egg whites. Use ½ teaspoon of baking powder, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and cinnamon to taste. Serve your pancake with fruit or Greek yogurt. Muffins are perfectly portioned, and there are almost infinite bariatric surgery-friendly muffin recipes you can make. Try pumpkin muffins, chocolate muffins, and savory muffins with low-fat cheese and turkey bacon. If you’re in a rush in the morning, you can make a breakfast that’s far healthier than grabbing a pair of Pop-Tarts (420 calories and 70 grams of carbohydrates). Make overnight oatmeal by soaking oats, sliced almonds or pecans, and cinnamon in skim milk, or put together a breakfast sandwich with lean ham, sliced tomatoes, and sliced fat-free cheese on a light English muffin and toast it in the morning. Lunch The same nutritional rules apply to lunch. Start with protein, and make sure you get some veggies or fruit in your lunch. You can add a starch if that fits into your meal plan. Salmon burgers: puree canned salmon, canned garbanzo beans, pepper, two egg whites, and a small amount of low-fat parmesan cheese. Eat your burger on half of a whole-wheat English muffin or wrapped in a lettuce leaf. You can also use canned tuna or ground turkey for your burger base instead of salmon. Salad: Always use a base of greens, such as Romaine lettuce, spinach, or baby mixed greens, and include lean protein, such as grilled chicken, tuna, canned beans, or tofu. The rest is up to you, whether it’s fat-free cheese, sliced strawberries – frozen work fine – slivered almonds, mushroom slices, or bell pepper strips. Zucchini pancakes served with non-fat ricotta cheese or cottage cheese. Grate a zucchini and half of an onion, mix them with two beaten egg whites, a pinch of salt, black pepper (optional), and a scoop of unflavored protein powder. Bake the pancakes until they are browned and firm. You can also cook them in a pan with cooking spray. A mixed salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, basil, fat-free mozzarella or feta cheese, lean ham, and a dash of olive oil. Serve with slice of whole-wheat, high-fiber toast. Dinner For dinner, you can always heat up one of your dishes from the weekend or defrost a lean protein and serve it with some veggies. These are some other quick dishes to try. Baked bell pepper halves stuffed with Italian seasoned lean ground turkey or non-fat ricotta. Serve with tomato sauce. Make two halves and save one for tomorrow’s dinner. Cauliflower “fried rice” with defrosted cooked chicken and a small head of fresh cauliflower or a package of frozen cauliflower. Sauté diced onions and minced garlic in 2 teaspoons of olive or use cooking spray, then add the cauliflower and diced chicken, and some soy sauce and ginger. Scramble 4 egg whites in the side of the pan, and then mix them with the rest of the dish. Pizza on a Portobello mushroom or whole-grain English muffin. Add tomato sauce, veggies, and lean ham or diced chicken. A bean burrito using a low-carb wrap, fat-free refried or black beans, salsa, diced tomatoes, and cooked shredded chicken or lean ground turkey with Mexican seasonings. You can also add grilled veggies, such as yellow squash or green peppers. Top your burrito with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. Quick Fixes These can work for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks at home or on the go. They are quick to put together, give you variety without making you work hard in the kitchen, and are naturally designed for single servings. For a meal, choose one or two servings of protein, one or two vegetables or fruits, and the occasional whole grain. You can also include a healthy fat. For a snack, choose a protein plus a vegetable or fruit. Mix and match to get infinite possibilities. For example… Breakfast: Egg whites scrambled with spinach and feta cheese. Breakfast: Cottage cheese and cantaloupe or blueberries. Lunch: Greek salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, fat-free feta cheese, olives, and low-fat Greek vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar. Lunch: Air-popped popcorn, a cheese stick, turkey breast, and cherry tomatoes. Dinner: Grilled salmon served with asparagus and brown rice. Dinner: Tofu baked with parmesan cheese and tomato sauce and served with steamed broccoli. Snack: Celery sticks or apple slices with peanut butter. Snack: Air-popped popcorn Now that you have a few ideas for quick meals for one, next up is how to stock your kitchen to make those meals possible. Stay tuned for the next part of this series!

One problem that can come up after weight loss surgery is cooking for one person. You need to cook healthy meals, but you can only eat tiny portions. And, you can’t take a day, or even a meal, off. You need each healthy meal and snack, and nobody’s going to make it for you. You may already be used to cooking if you cook for the entire family, but now you might need to cook separate meals for yourself if you no longer eat what they do. On the other hand, you may be learning to cook for the first time, especially if you used to eat out instead of cooking for yourself before weight loss surgery. It’s also possible that your significant other used to be the family chef, but you need to take charge and cook for yourself now to make sure you stick to your weight loss surgery diet. On top of everything else, you still have the real-life time and money constraints that everyone has. How can you possibly stick to your weight loss surgery diet without getting bored out of your mind, wasting food and money, and spending all of your spare time in the kitchen? This series of articles will look at some strategies for cooking for one after weight loss surgery. In the first article, we have strategies for approaching the kitchen when you’re cooking for just yourself. The second article has a few helpful recipes. Finally, the third and fourth articles will help you stock your kitchen. Don’t forget to check out the BariatricPal conversation on this topic for tons of tips from other BariatricPal members. Add your ideas to the mix! Organization is Key The more you plan, the better you’ll be able to handle cooking for yourself. This is true whether you’re cooking for one or for the entire family, but when you are cooking for one, nobody else is depending on you to follow through. The dedication needs to come from within. Use the weekends to prepare what you can. Plan your meals, buy the ingredients, and make some recipes. Then, divide the recipes into single-serving portions, put some in the fridge, and freeze the rest. You can make: Soups, using almost any combination of broth, vegetables, and lean proteins such as beans, chicken, turkey, and shrimp. Stews, chilis, stir-frys, and casseroles. High-protein muffins. You can also prepare some ingredients to use later in the week. Wash, peel, and chop your veggies and fruits, cook a pot of beans, and cook some chicken, ground turkey, or fish to freeze for quick use later. Playing with Portions Portions need to be small on your weight loss surgery diet. You basically have two choices when it comes to cooking. You can make regular-sized recipes, divide them into weight loss surgery-sized portions, and store these portions in individual packets or containers. The benefits are that you get to make more interesting recipes, and you have multiple meals on hand after cooking only once. Or, you can make small single-serving recipes that you make up or get from someone else. That way, you don’t need to worry about measuring individual portions after you cook the recipe. If you love what you made and eat the whole thing, you don’t need to feel guilty about overeating. But, cooking this way can be a little more effort because you won’t have leftovers. The best approach is to do a little of each. Make some full-sized dishes to depend on during the week, and fill in the rest of your diet with single-serving meals and snacks. Don’t Overdo It or Get Intimidated Unless you’re one of the few people who just loves to cook and has enough time and energy to do so, you’re not going to want to cook a gourmet dish for every single meal and snack. That’s okay. Don’t put pressure on yourself to do so. There are plenty of ways you can cheat on your kitchen time without cheating on your diet or cheating your taste buds. These are some other ways to catch a break in the kitchen. Eat out, drive through, or order in. Really. It’s okay. Whether it’s a side salad with low-fat balsamic vinaigrette dressing and a grilled chicken patty from McDonald’s (150 calories, 22 grams of protein) or half of a Chicken Bella dinner with zucchini and spaghetti squash from Ruby Tuesday (260 calories, 23 grams of protein), you can fit it into your diet. Just stay away from the baby-back ribs, pasta, and burgers and fries that can be over 1,000 calories per order. Use meal helpers. Heat up a tray of Green Giant Just for One cauliflower and cheese or Italian seasoned broccoli and carrots and serve it with chicken or tuna, or toss tofu with bag of frozen stir-fry vegetables. Take advantage of easy meal options, like whole grain cereal mixed with Greek yogurt and fruit, canned tuna or salmon with cottage cheese, and low-fat string cheese and baby carrots for a snack. Frozen meal have preservatives, but the occasional one can help you out by keeping you from eating something far worse out of desperation. Choose ones with lean protein, at least one serving of veggies – unless you’re planning to add your own – and a whole grain or starchy vegetable instead of potatoes or a refined grain. It’s far better to eat an entire low-fat frozen pizza for 290 calories than to order in an 8-slice large pepperoni pizza for 300 calories a slice. Learn to love leftovers. When you make too much, get excited about saving it and using it another time. Also, get creative with your ingredients. If you eat half a can of tuna for a snack, figure out how you will use the rest in a different way so you don’t get bored and the tuna doesn’t go to waste. For example, you can make a tuna melt with fat-free cheese on a portobello mushroom. Now that you are in the mood and have the right mentality for cooking for one, it’s time to get to the specifics. Stay tuned for the next article, which will have tips for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for one.

Thanks for the "bump" :-)

If your goals for 2015 included getting weight loss surgery, it’s about time to get started. But how do you even do that? How do you choose a surgeon, decide on a type of surgery, and figure out what you need to do to be successful? The process can be overwhelming, but you can take advantage of BariatricPal to help you through almost every part of the journey. Learning About Your Options Okay, so you want weight loss surgery. Which kind? There is no single right answer for everyone. It is an individual decision that you should make using good information. Don’t rely on just one source of information when learning about the different types of weight loss surgery. Instead, gather information from many sources, such as the following. Your primary care physician or another doctor who is recommending weight loss surgery for you. Surgeons at bariatric centers in your area. Trustworthy online sources, such as university hospitals and bariatric centers. People you know who have had the surgery. Weight loss surgery seminars sponsored by a surgeon or medical group. Should you get lap-band, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, gastric plication, or another type of surgery? As you are researching, consider the following. Do you want the procedure to be adjustable? The lap-band is, which can be helpful if you get sick or if you are planning to have a baby in the future. Do you want the procedure to be reversible if necessary? Weight loss surgery is intended to be permanent, but the lap-band and gastric bypass are reversible if necessary. Do you fear having a foreign object in your body? The gastric sleeve, bypass, and gastric plication do not involve implanted objects, but the adjustable gastric band stays in your body. Which dietary restrictions sound most appropriate for you? Gastric bypass patients need to stay away from sweets to avoid dumping syndrome, gastric sleeve patients need to eat multiple times a day because of the tiny sleeve, and lap-band patients need to be careful about stringy, sticky, and doughy foods that could get caught in the band or cause an obstruction. How much weight do you have to lose? The vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a more common choice for high-BMI patients, while the lap-band is suitable for lower-BMI bariatric patients. Which complications are likely with each type of surgery? Gastric bypass can lead to dumping syndrome and nutritional deficiencies, the gastric sleeve can lead to leakage from staple lines, constipation, and diarrhea, and the lap-band can cause leakages, obstructions, and gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Choosing a Weight Loss Surgeon Your surgeon will be an important person in your life! The surgeon gives you pre-surgery instructions, performs the surgery, and continues to provide follow-up care for months or years. If you get the lap-band, you’ll be going back to your surgeon every time you need a fill or unfill. When choosing a surgeon, look at the following aspects of the surgeon and the bariatric center she works in. Experience performing your specific type of weight loss surgery. The more experience, the lower your risk of complications. Ask how long the surgeon has been performing your type of surgeries, and how many surgeries per week she performs currently. Board certification by the American Board of Surgery, which shows that the surgeon has passed exams and completed training. Recent certification demonstrates ongoing dedication to maintaining knowledge in the field. Membership in the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery to help stay current in the field. Requires extensive follow up. Your success largely depends on post-surgery care. A complete aftercare program includes mandatory office visits and support group meetings for at least a year, and the availability of nutritional counseling. Medical facilities. The anesthesiologist and nurses should be experienced in managing obesity and morbid obesity. The bariatric center should have larger sized toilets, beds, chairs, gowns, and other facilities so you will be comfortable. Preparing Yourself for What’s Ahead Once you settle on a type of surgery and a surgeon, it’s time to get ready for what’s to come. The BariatricPal forums can be of great help here as other members share their own experiences. You’ll need to go through a battery of tests and follow a special diet before surgery. Psychological evaluation to make sure you are mentally and emotionally ready for surgery. Pre-op testing, including blood-work and other labs, and possible tests of your heart and lung function to make sure you can withstand the procedure. A pre-surgery diet. This may include several weeks of a weight loss diet similar to The last few days before surgery, you will likely be on a liquid diet to shrink the liver and further reduce body fat. Support and information from BariatricPal can be especially helpful as you try to imagine what the future will be like. You can learn about the post-surgery diet progression and get recipe ideas. You can find out how other members try to prevent complications and plateaus – and how they deal with them when they come. Building relationships on BariatricPal near the beginning of your weight loss surgery journey make your journey easier. You’ll have a place to go 24/7 where you can ask questions and get encouragement. Support is a major factor in weight loss surgery success, and you’ll be doing yourself good by taking advantage of every opportunity you can to strengthen your support system.

Ditto! Only 67 days until Spring :-)

Cheryl Ann Borne hit a high weight of 285 pounds, and got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She maintained her weight loss, but the extra skin didn’t go away on its own. In 2013 she began a series of plastic surgeries including a tummy tuck, total body contouring, and facial surgery, and is now a size 2. Cheryl is an obesity health activist who writes as My Bariatric Life on Health Central and PM360 Online. She recently launched her new site, My Bariatric Life, and you can follow her on social media, including on Twitter @MyBariatricLife and on Google+. Weight Gain, Gastric Bypass Surgery, and Lasting Weight Loss Cheryl was an active teen, but she went from “fit to fat” as she turned to processed food. At 5’7”, she got up to a weight of 285 pounds and a size 24W. Cheryl got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She had diabetes, celiac disease, depression, acid reflux, asthma, and hypertension. She lost over 100 pounds, managed to get off of 9 of her 10 prescription drugs, and does not have chronic back pain anymore. You can see before and after pictures documenting her transformation by watching this video. A Typical Day in Cheryl’s Life As proof that you can follow a diet without red meat and stick to a high-protein weight loss surgery diet, here is a sample day’s diet in Cheryl’s life. The following day has 1,789 calories, 165 grams of protein, and 79 grams of carbohydrates. Breakfast 2-egg omelet with homemade creamed spinach (dairy-free) and turkey bacon Snack Coffee with coconut milk, roasted coconut juice, and egg white protein powder Mineral water Vitamins/supplements Scivation Xtend intraworkout drink with branched chain amino acids Lunch Tuna salad Baby spring mix and grape tomatoes with lemon vinaigrette Terra Real vegetable chips Dinner Smoked turkey leg, no skin 1 cup turnip greens Snack Egg white protein powder in water Getting Rid of the Traces of Obesity After losing over 100 pounds after the gastric bypass surgery in 2003, Cheryl had a lot of extra skin. In 2006, she met a plastic surgeon whom she really liked. In 2013, she decided to get a tummy tuck. The extra skin hadn’t gone away after weight loss surgery, and she wanted to get rid of it. As she describes below, she was delighted with her surgeon and the results of the tummy tuck, and decided to go further. I went from a size 14 jeans being tight to a perfect size 8 in just 4-months. I was so thrilled with the transformation that I decided to do "all of me." In October 2013, Dr. Joseph F. Capella revised the tummy tuck to a lower body lift, and performed a medial thigh lift, extended arm lift, and breast lift. Dr. Capella removed 11 pounds of skin and one liter of fat, and this enabled me to get active in ways that I was unable to with my hanging pannis and inner thighs that rubbed together. I ran my first 3k with my daughter and granddaughter and eventually I was running 5k. What's more, the muscle plication from the tummy tuck placed renewed constriction on my pouch so I am full with less food, as well, I tightened up on my diet by doing Whole30 [a strict 30-day low-carb diet] and going Paleo. In total, I lost 50 inches and 50 pounds after my body contouring plastic surgery. Today I am a size 2, down from a 24W before my gastric bypass surgery. You can go to HealthCentral to read about Cheryl’s decision to get total body contouring after her tummy tuck. She describes the emotional rollercoaster of the experience, the surgery, and her long road to recovery. She is still dealing with complications from her brachioplasty, but stresses the end goal and her luck in finding a fantastic surgeon who cares about her. She didn’t stop there, and instead decided “to reach for the stars” and see a facial plastic surgeon. In one surgery, Dr. Catherine Winslow took about 15 years off my face, restoring the once pretty face that I had when I was thin. I had a total of 10 procedures: deep plane face lift, neck lift, upper eye lid lift, SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) to tear troughs and lips, lip lift, chin implant, 35% TCA peel, Botox and filler. I go back from time to time to Nurse Triste at Dr. Winslow's practice for filler and Botox. I look at this maintenance routine along the same vein as maintaining my hair cut and color. Destined to Be a Healer Do you believe in fate? When Cheryl visited Guatemala in May of 2011, a Mayan shaman told her her Mayan symbols showed she was a healer. She could, he said, heal herself and others. As Cheryl tells it below, she wasn’t so sure at first. Then she figured it out. I visited a Mayan Shaman when I was in Guatemala back in May 2011. He said my Mayan symbols told that I am a healer. I can heal myself and I can heal others. He said that I needed to heal others, to not keep this gift to myself, or else I would experience sickness or pain and that this was the only way to cure my chronic back pain, which I had suffered with for years. The Shaman said that I need to realize my true self. The Shaman also said the symbols revealed that I am creative — that I knew for sure, but I wondered was he right about me being a healer? So I tried to heal my beloved mother who was stricken with a rare disease. And I tried to heal my beloved boxer dog, Cindi Lu, who was stricken with an aggressive cancer. But I could not save them and felt that I had failed my destiny. Then in 2012 during a personal development training, I discussed this matter with the instructor. And he replied that maybe I was meant to heal people with my words. I did not give much thought to it after that until one night in 2013, I bolted up from my bed and realized that both the shaman and the instructor were right! Healing with Words Cheryl’s work has exploded. She describes the growth of her writing and advocacy career since finding her voice. I began writing as My Bariatric Life for the HealthCentral Obesity vertical in March 2011, nearly eight years after my gastric bypass. I started out writing just a few articles per month as a health guide -- a patient who would share her real world experience in defeating obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and GERD. My work grew legs. I now write 18 articles and develop two recipes per month for HealthCentral where I have a following of roughly 75,000 unique monthly readers. I also write a quarterly patient advocacy column for PM360 Magazine under my name, Cheryl Ann Borne, and I am a long-standing member of their editorial advisory board. Cheryl also makes her voice heard by posting as My Bariatric Life on social media, including Flickr, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. She is active on BariatricPal and a site for cosmetic procedure patients called RealSelf. Her goal is to provide fair and trustworthy reviews. And this month I will begin writing a monthly opinion piece as My Bariatric Life for BariatricPal. I also am exploring opportunities with the Obesity Action Coalition, and in the past have partnered with Obesity PPM and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). ! Daring Move to a New Career as a Digital Health Strategy Consultant Cheryl has been in the health industry since before her surgery. She explains her career as a digital health strategy consultant. My career has been as a promotions strategist, writer, and designer in the healthcare space with the last 12-yrs in digital marketing. I’ve worked with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and digital health ad agencies and non-CME medical education agencies. I help them to understand the evolving digital health ecosystem and, based on their unique market circumstances, specifically how to communicate with patients and physicians in meaningful ways via digital channels and to ultimately achieve better health outcomes. Cheryl is determined to help people improve their lives. Transforming healthcare is important to me. It's is all about the patient. I want to make a difference; I want to help people live healthier lives. When her company cut her position in 2013, she took a positive approach and decided to focus her energy on fighting obesity. She developed a business plan as a digital health strategy consultant with an emphasis on growing My Bariatric Life, her obesity health activist brand. Paleo Follower and Recipe Developer Cheryl believes in the benefits of the Paleolithic Diet. It is a high-protein diet that you can follow after weight loss surgery. It emphasizes meat, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, and oils. It forbids grains, processed foods, dairy products, and potatoes. She plans to help others follow this way of eating. One aspect of my business plan is to launch the brand Borne Appétit in order to teach healthy eating habits and show busy families/couples/singles that it is easy to prepare real food, real simple, and break the cycle of time starvation and over reliance on convenience/processed foods and obesity. To truly understand what it means to eat healthy and break this cycle was something I had to achieve in my own life, and I want to share with people what I have learned through years of experience and experiment. I find the Paleolitihic Diet works best for me…and I enjoy the art of creating delicious recipes within those constraints. I also eat no red meat, only fish and fowl, so this adds an extra level of complexity, which I find stimulating to develop recipes that are not mundane or repetitious. Valuable Life Lessons You can be sure Cheryl has learned a lot of valuable lessons from her weight loss surgery and plastic surgery experiences. She knows the value of maintaining her results, living life fully, and challenging herself to live a life she loves. She also recognizes she has gained freedom and an ability to grow. Beyond the physical transformation are (very unexpected) emotional and spiritual transformations. I’ve returned to some of my roots: ideals and philosophies around the nature of existence that I had walled off (or perhaps ate to insulate myself against) when the emotional pain became too much for my sensitive nature. Plastic surgery was very freeing for me; it freed my jailed spirit. I’ve never been a wallflower but when it came to my body I was timid because I lacked body confidence. And this trickled over into other areas of my life. There were parts of my life that I hid, or situations in which I could not share my feelings, because I was inhibited by the fear of being rejected or judged. And that’s no longer true. I am now able to be my true self, comfortable in my nakedness both physically and emotionally. I am still learning and growing in these areas, particularly in understanding soul relationships and the expression of real love. We are here to play and experience as much as we possibly can. We are here to grow. Often it is through times of adversity that we grow the most because these times force us to get out of our comfort zones. I have come to understand that there are only two emotions. We are either acting out of love or we are acting out of fear, which is the opposite of love. All other emotions are a derivative of love (compassion, forgiveness, self-sacrifice) or a derivative of fear (selfishness, retaliation, deceit). From now on I choose always to act out of love. Do I let go of control and trust my intuition and follow my heart even when it defies my rational faculties or can’t be proven? If I am to act out of love, then yes. Otherwise I return to acting out of fear. As well, I have learned that I need to protect myself from the negative energies of toxic people — those emotional vampires who can turn my love into fear. An Exciting Year to Come Cheryl is expecting a big 2015 in addition to growing her presence as My Bariatric Life and working on Borne Appétit. At the Pharma Marketing Summit in Palm Beach in May, she will be presenting as My Bariatric Life and sharing her story of defeating obesity and its co-morbidities. Also new for this year, I'll finally launch my websites, a dream I've had for a couple of years. I've already launched MyBariatricLife.org for transformative information on defeating obesity and co-morbid diseases. I'll also launch my healthy recipe site BorneAppetit.com and my eating healthy on-the-road travel site BorneVoyage.com. These sites will help a lot of people. It definitely looks as though the Mayan shaman was right when he said Cheryl is a healer. She has come a long way toward healing herself through weight loss surgery, plastic surgery, and healthy living, and she is dedicated to helping others become healthier. Don’t forget to follow Cheryl on social media and through her channel on HealthCentral, and watch for her new monthly opinion piece to be published on BariatricPal! Please click here to read My Bariatric Life's articles in BariatricPal's Weight Loss Surgery Magazine.

Happy New Year! It’s a time for a fresh start. What will 2015 mean for you? Will it be the year you get weight loss surgery, lose significant weight, or maybe maintain your major weight loss for the first time in your life? The New Year gives you a chance to start over, but what exactly can you do to take advantage? Here are some tips for making resolutions that keep you moving forward, plus advice for preparing your home to help you lose weight and stay healthy. Make Your Resolutions It’s hard to think about the New Year without thinking about New Year’s resolutions. But did you really keep your resolutions in 2014? This year, make resolutions that actually help you hit your goals. Make them realistic. “I resolve to run a marathon by the end of the year” is definitely a challenging and motivating goal, but it’s not very realistic if you’re currently walking a few miles a day. A more realistic resolution is, “I resolve to continue exercising for as long as I currently am and to add some running into my walks.” Make them specific. “I resolve to eat right this year” sounds great, but what does it really mean? How do you know if you’re “eating right?” More specific resolutions are, “I resolve to stick to my weight loss surgery diet plan” and “I resolve to eat at least 70 grams of protein and average no more than 1,500 calories a day.” Make them controllable. “I resolve to lose 100 pounds this year” is specific and realistic, if you still have a lot of weight to lose, but it’s not necessarily under your control. You might do everything right and lose “just” 75 pounds, or you might have trouble with your lap-band and see your weight loss stall. A more controllable resolution might be, “I resolve to choose protein first at breakfast and lunch, and to measure and log my food.” You can carry out this kind of resolution regardless of circumstances outside of your control. Clear Out Your Kitchen… After the holidays, your kitchen may have turned into a disaster area. Baked goods and holiday leftovers tend to pile up on the counter, in the fridge, and in the pantry. Some household seem to attract boxes of chocolate and other edible gifts. They need to go – now. If they stick around, they’re inevitably going to find themselves in your stomach (or sleeve, or pouch). If you have been doing a lot of holiday baking and cooking, take a look at your ingredients. Are they likely to cause trouble? Brownie mixes that you used to make holiday cookies are just a few quick minutes away from being a pan of delicious brownies in a moment of weakness, and the butter you stored to use for baking can easily hop into a pan next time you’re making a batch of eggs. If the ingredients aren’t in the house, they can’t be eaten. …And Stock It Back Up If your kitchen is depleted of healthy items, it’s time to stock back up. Your healthy grocery list should be the same as it was just a couple of months ago, before the holiday season struck. Lean proteins: chicken and turkey breast, ground turkey, canned tuna Reduced-fat dairy: non-fat yogurt, and low-fat cheese. Fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. Whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, and high-fiber bread. Also make sure all of your measuring spoons and cups are accounted for and your kitchen scale is working. If you’re going to eat cleanly, you need to be able to measure all of your food precisely. Do you have enough containers to store food, and some reusable water bottles to carry with you? Do a Little Troubleshooting Was there anything that kept you from achieving your goals last year? Maybe you were too busy to plan and cook healthy meals. Or you kept nibbling between meals or while preparing them in the kitchen. Or when you came home late after work, you let down your guard and ate too much. These little problems can get in the way of your weight loss. Try to identify any patterns that got in your way last year, and figure out what you will do this year to avoid them. For example: Suck on a sugar-free breath mint while cooking dinner so you don’t nibble. Cook bigger batches of healthy food on weekends so you’re not caught without healthy meals during the week. Plan something fun for the evening, like watching a movie with your spouse, so you don’t turn to food. Go to bed a little earlier so it’s easier to get up to work out in the morning. You don’t need to overhaul your whole life. A few small changes can be enough to get you on the right track this year. Make the most of your good intentions at the beginning of the New Year, and hit the ground running!

Jamie Miles is a lap-band patient who lost 100 pounds with the band. His weight loss gave him the confidence he needed to pursue an acting career. This weight loss surgery hero is an inspirational example of how you can change your entire life after weight loss surgery. He switched careers to pursue an acting career. He is also a real-life story that we can all relate to. Weight loss wasn’t easy, and he isn’t able to follow his weight loss surgery diet perfectly. Here’s Jamie’s story, complete with triumphs and struggles. You can read more about Jamie’s acting career, plus see headshots and look at his resume, by clicking here to get to his website. He’s also on Facebook and Twitter. And, don’t forget to watch for his upcoming column, “Regain-ing Control,” in BariatricPal Magazine. Familiar Story: Big Kid to Lap-Band Patient For many weight loss surgery patients, Jamie Miles’s story will be familiar. He was a big kid with low self-esteem, and he turned to food for comfort. Later, he tried every diet in the book, from Weight Watchers and South Beach to the grapefruit diet. Jamie found out about the lap-band surgery when he saw an ad in a newspaper that he was reading in his break room at work. He knew his insurance covered bariatric surgery, and he did not like the idea of getting the gastric bypass like some coworkers had. So, he went for the lap-band. Time to Chase a Dream For years, Jamie had dreamed of becoming a commercial model, but his weight was holding him back. Once the pounds began to come off, Jamie began to think seriously about fulfilling a dream of acting. After losing 60 pounds, he landed some “extra” roles. He progressed to some speaking roles in local productions and commercials, and went to acting school. That’s when he lost his day job in marketing and promotion. While the old Jamie might have turned to food, the new Jamie decided to use the chance to pursue acting full-time. Two days later, he signed with a local agent. His career has blossomed to include roles in commercials and local and national films. The lap-band may seem far from acting, but Jamie says the entire experience helps him in emotional roles. He is able to apply the feelings from years of personal pain and being called names, dumped, and treated poorly. What he’s also recognized is the effect of confidence on life. He now realizes that many actors are larger, and the reason he could not dedicate himself fully to acting is that he was not confident in himself. He was afraid others would not see his abilities, and would just judge him based on looks. Relationship with Food: “Complicated” Before the band, Jamie’s social life revolved around food and drink. Plus, he was an emotional eater. Since getting the lap-band, Jamie’s relationship with food can only be described as “complicated.” He started to get a bit depressed when he could no longer tolerate red meat, pork, and chicken breast – the very foods he was supposed to be eating! Now, he tries to focus on what he can eat. He’s able to eat chicken thighs, seafood, and salad when he’s sticking to his diet. Unfortunately, he still loves fast food, and his band allows it. His solution is to avoid trigger foods like Taco Bell and chips. The Challenges Continue A “typical” day for Jamie might begin with some protein and green vegetables. His snacks can consist of almonds, a protein shake, or a 100-calorie Jell-0 pudding. But that’s when he’s being good. Just like so many weight loss surgery patients, Jamie let his guard down a little. When it happened to him, soft drinks, fried foods, and other poor foods crept back into his diet. In fact, he gained back 25 pounds when “life happened.” Jamie still has a lot on his plate, so to speak. He’s pursuing a full-time acting career and working a part-time job in a stressful position. He needs to see his bariatric doctor, and fears his band has a leak, but doesn’t have the cash on hand. And, of course, he wants to lose the extra weight for once and for all. “Re-Gaining Control” on BariatricPal! Jamie has learned a lot along the way. He needs to take care of himself. He needs to love himself. He needs to eat healthy and work out. He wants to help other bariatric surgery patients. He did some public speaking while he was losing weight after surgery, but feels embarrassed to do so with his regain. He can’t wait for this mindset to change once he takes back control. Jamie is planning to get to his goal weight, and he is going to share his journey on BariatricPal! His column will be called “Regain-ing Control,” and it will be a very real and personal journey complete with weigh-ins and photos. As he says, “some days will be good, some bad, and all very real.” He hopes to help readers get back on track, and for readers to inspire him to do the same. Stay tuned for the new column! Jamie’s story begins like so many others, but Jamie has worked hard to make it unique. He is living a dream of his by using his new looks to give him confidence to be an actor. Plus, he will be helping thousands of weight loss surgery patients when he shares his journey toward “Regain-ing Control.”

A lot of weight loss surgery patients struggle with weight for their entire lives before deciding to get surgery. The same is true for Michele Elbertson. The difference is that Michele was only 23 when she hit 427 pounds and got her wake-up call. She got the lap-band, changed her lifestyle, and dropped 260 pounds. She’s run 6 marathons in the past two and a half years, and is training for her first Ironman triathlon this spring. Bigger from Birth…And Then College Hit Michele was always big. She was at the top of her height and weight charts from the time she was an infant. She remembers times in her childhood when she couldn’t or wouldn’t participate because she was so big. She didn’t like physical education or sports, and the other children teased her. Food was a comfort. Michele describes the situation as a vicious cycle. The more kids teased her, the worse she felt. The worse she felt, the more she ate. The more she ate, the more she weighed. The more she weighed, the more she got teased. College was a disaster in terms of her weight. Forget about the freshman 15. What about the freshman 40? And the sophomore 40? Add to that the junior 40, the senior 40, and, for good measure, the super-senior (fifth-year) 67, and you now know how Michele Elbertson got to be 427 pounds at the age of 22 years. A Young Weight Loss Surgery Patient with New Relationships Michele made the decision to get the lap-band on her own. She needed a tool to help her control how much she ate, but understood that it was up to her to control what she ate. She only told her parents about her decision after she was sure about it. They were supportive, and have been since then. Michele has taken full advantage of and responsibility for the band. She has lost 260 pounds – 260 pounds! – in less than four years. As she says, she’s a determined person who will accomplish anything she sets her mind to. Michele began to “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” As her relationships with food and exercise changed, so did her relationships with some friends. She lost some friends whose relationships centered only on food. She gained many more, though, through her new activities. She says the friends she’s gained through running and fitness far outweigh those she lost by changing her lifestyle. An Athlete Is Born Michele ran her first 5k after losing 100 pounds – when she was still 327 pounds. She was hooked. She loved the training, the atmosphere of the race, and the accomplishment. She has never looked back. Since then, she has run countless other races, including 38 half-marathons, 6 marathons, and a 50-miler ultra-marathon. She has also competed in triathlons. Now at an athletic 159 pounds, Michele has her sights on even greater challenges. In the near future, she wants to run a 100-miler and complete an Ironman. Both are feats that most people wouldn’t even dream of. Marathons, Ultras, and Ironmans Now, not everyone’s a distance runner or triathlete, so to understand Michele’s accomplishments, here are a few facts about these endurance sports. A marathon is 26.2 miles. All marathons are 26.2 miles. An ultra-marathon is anything over 26.2 miles. Michele’s recently completed ultra-marathon was 50 miles, and she is training for a 100-miler. A triathlon includes swimming, biking, and running. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon. Fitting It All in Every Day Michele works out 6 days a week. Currently, she’s training for an ulta-marathon and is running 5 days a week and lifting weights 3 times. She also does Zumba classes. She takes a rest day once a week. Michele has built her life to be able to accommodate her training schedule. She recently quit her teaching career to focus instead on helping others achieve their fitness and health goals. She is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Working at a gym is pure genius – it leaves her with no excuse not to get her workout in! Eating Like a Bariathlete How do you have energy to train like an athlete and work full-time while losing over 200 pounds in 4 years? Ask Michele. Here’s how she eats and works out in a typical day. 7:00 a.m. breakfast: almonds and yogurt or eggs/romaine lettuce 9:00 a.m. snack: protein bar Workout, such as running, lifting, or group fitness class, such as Zumba or bokwa Noon. lunch: soup or salad, usually the largest meal of the day 2:00 p.m. snack: cheese and crackers or something small, equivalent to 200 calories (may include a fruit or vegetable) 4:00 p.m. snack: hot tea 6:00 p.m. dinner; lean protein, veggie, possibly a carb 7:30 p.m. snack: lemon water/hot tea. The number of calories Michele eats during a day is 1,800 (her resting metabolic rate) plus half of the calories she burns through exercise. So, if she runs 10 miles and burns 1,200 calories in exercise, she’ll eat 1,800 plus 600 calories, or 2,400 calories. She allows herself an occasional treat meal with junk food, but still counts those calories. The Accolades Michele is more than your typical bariatric patient, and she’s been getting the recognition she deserves for her extraordinary achievements. These are a few recent examples. Runner’s World magazine Cover Contest Finalist. Makeover on the Rachel Ray Show. Local feature on 6ABC Action News in Philadelphia. Dealing with Negativity – Don’t Worry About It One of the most striking things about Michele is her drive. She has worked very, very hard to get where she’s at today. She’s lost 60 percent of her body weight through being very disciplined every day. And, she has run marathons. Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you that it is was harder than they had ever imagined. Anyone who hasn’t run a marathon cannot imagine how difficult it is. But with all the publicity, Michele has receive a lot of nasty comments. How is she supposed to react when people slam her? They say she hasn’t accomplished anything, that the band has done it all. In fact, they basically say what a lot of weight loss surgery patients hear all the time from people who don’t know any better. So how does Michele react to negativity? She doesn’t want to respond directly and add “fuel to the fire.” She knows they don’t know anything about her, and she’s probably done more exercise and worked harder than they ever have. So, she just goes about her business. Leading by Example Michele says she hopes her successes and story will give others hope. She describes herself as a “real person” and “very down-to-earth,” and she hopes others will see that they can accomplish what she has. In the future, she would like to travel to seminars as a motivational speaker. In the meantime, we congratulate her on her amazing story and wish her well in her 100-miler this spring!

Weight loss surgery is challenging at any time of the year. The weight loss surgery diet is strict, and following it takes a lot of discipline and planning. Acquaintances and close friends alike may make comments about your weight loss and appearance. People who don’t know the first thing about weight loss surgery may not be shy about sharing their opinions of it. This can all get more intense around the holidays. You need even more discipline and planning when there are holiday treats everywhere you turn. People may notice your weight loss even more because you may see them only once a year. And the ones who share their negative opinions of weight loss surgery may be your relatives. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture and get down on yourself during this season. But you’ll get through it, and come out on the other side ready to keep losing weight and following a healthy lifestyle. Staying positive helps. Here are some of the barriers you might come across, and how you can try to overcome them and stay positive. Comments from Other People Regarding Your Weight or Weight Loss Surgery You probably get some comments all year. People may notice your weight loss, or want to talk about your weight loss surgery once they find out about it. But during the holidays, this can get nearly unbearable. The people noticing your weight loss may be friends or family who are in town only once a year, and haven’t seen you since last year. They can be shocked at, proud of, or jealous of your weight loss, and any of these reactions can be uncomfortable if you’re not the type to enjoy attention. The other set of comments you might get include comments on your weight loss surgery. Almost every bariatric surgery patient has heard some unfair things about bariatric surgery, such as people saying that it’s “cheating.” What makes them worse now is when they come from family members. These comments can get you down. You may start to feel self-conscious about your body. You may feel defensive about your decisions. The negative feelings can wear you down. What to do about it. You have a few different options here. First, try talking to the people who are making the comments. For example, tell them: “Thank you for complimenting me on my weight loss. I appreciate it, but it makes me feel self-conscious. Do you mind not mentioning it, especially in front of other people?” “Thank you for your concern over my weight, but I think I’m doing okay. I’m working closely with my doctor and surgeon, and they both agree that I still have a few pounds to lose.” “I wish weight loss surgery were a magic solution, but it’s actually not. Would you like to hear about how it works and what I have to do to lose weight? Until you tell them directly, people may honestly not realize that it bothers you to hear comments about your weight. They may not know that weight loss surgery isn’t magic, and that you really do work hard every single day to lose weight and stay healthy. Talking won’t solve every problem. The next step is to prepare for the comments. If you know they’re coming, you can put up your guard mentally so they don’t get a reaction out of you or make you feel bad or defensive. You can also recruit a few allies, such as close friends, your spouse, or your parents. Ask them to stick with you at parties and gatherings so they can change the subject if your weight loss or weight loss surgery come up. Feeling Guilty. You go to a party. You eat a bit of this and a little of that, and then find yourself in the bathroom with dumping syndrome. Or you sneak in a treat here and a taste there, and at your weekly weigh-in, you find that you’ve gained weight. Bad eating and weight gain happen all the time during the holidays, and they can make you feel guilty. The problem is that guilt isn’t usually very productive. It’s more likely to drag you into a vicious cycle of overeating, feeling guilty, and overeating. What to do about it. First, forgive yourself. You can’t work with yourself if you’re mad at yourself. Admit you did something you’re not proud of, then accept your apology to yourself. It’s time to move on. Next, focus on the future. You can’t change the past, but you can shape the future. Recognize that you feel guilty, figure out why you have been making poor choices, and think of what you can do to do better next time. Log every bite, good or bad. Something as simple as keeping an honest record of what you eat is enough to stop you from taking that extra bite. Predict problems, and avoid them. If you know you can’t pass up fudge, don’t walk by the candy shop with free samples in the mall. Plan ahead. Take a salad, some chicken skewers, or a basket of mandarin oranges to your next holiday party so you can be sure there will be healthy food to eat. Feeling Deprived. The holidays are filled with delicious food. There’s candy at work, Christmas cookies from your neighbors, egg nog and finger foods at parties, and feasts with family. The problem is, you can’t have any of it. At least, you can’t eat the way you could before weight loss surgery. You’re limited to a few bites of certain treats. It’s easy to feel deprived. Your feelings can be even worse if you feel sorry for yourself for “needing” to work out, especially if you’re getting up early or staying up late to squeeze in a workout. The solution. This one’s not easy, but you can make it a lot better by changing your attitude. First, know that you’re not alone. Everyone feels that way. Don’t believe it? Go up to the most fit-looking person you know and ask. They will tell you that they are tempted by the holiday food, and they work very hard not to overeat. They’ll also tell you that they have to work to make exercise a priority during this busy season. Next, try to think about what you’ve gained by changing your lifestyle, and not about what you’ve lost. Sure, you can’t eat frosted cinnamon rolls anymore because they’ll give you an obstruction or dumping syndrome, but you can keep up with your friends at the mall. Or, you can’t drink spiked eggnog at Christmas parties, but you can fit into a flattering dress or suit to wear to the party. The holidays are about celebrating, being grateful, and appreciating friends and family, but you’re not alone if you find yourself getting down during the season. Weight loss surgery changes your life, and some of the changes can be magnified during this time. You can fight this by staying positive and planning ahead – just like you do to succeed the rest of the year.

I'd suggest trying the Gardein Stuffed Veggie Turkey Roast available at Whole Foods.

The holidays may be the happiest and most exciting time of year, but they can also be the most dangerous for your weight loss and weight loss surgery. It’s hard to resist the holiday treats, which can be everywhere for the entire month of December – if not since before Thanksgiving! Plus, you can easily lose your focus when the family is around and sitting on the couch is more appealing than going for a walk in the rain or snow. You’ll probably find your own strategies for getting through the holidays without gaining weight and without getting into trouble with your gastric sleeve, gastric bypass or Lap-Band. Here are a few tips to get you started. Follow Your Weight Loss Surgery Diet Rules Go back to the basics if you want to stay on track this holiday season. Portion size rules are still in play. A quarter-cup of mashed sweet potatoes is very different than a few large ladles. Measure everything you can. When it’s not possible to measure, eyeball the portion sizes. Enough is enough, and another bite is too much. Stop eating when you’re barely full. It’ll keep you from gaining weight or from getting dumping syndrome or feeling sick. Choose protein first, whether it’s turkey, ham, or the egg whites from deviled eggs. Go for vegetables and fruit next, whether it’s salad, roasted veggies, cut raw veggies on a vegetable platter, or a fruit salad. Keep moving. Make time for your regular workouts. On the days when things get too busy, think about moving as much as possible. Go for walks whenever you can as long as the weather does not involve icy conditions, white-outs or other dangerous situations. Always Be Prepared You don’t always know when they’ll happen, but challenging situations are sure to hit. Always be prepared so you can come out on top. For example, you can keep some almonds and yogurt at work so you have a high-protein snack available at any time. That’ll help you stay away from the chocolate-covered raisins on the secretary’s desk. Also, plan activities that will keep you out of the kitchen. When you’re off work and at home without anything to do, you might find yourself wandering over to the fridge. Keep yourself busy with anything that will keep you away from the fridge, whether it is meal planning, taking a walk, doing needlepoint, or going to the mall. Make Holiday Recipes Healthier Make healthy substitutes for holiday favorites. Try broccoli slaw or grated turnips fried in cooking spray instead of potato latkes deep-fried in oil, and serve with apple slices and Greek yogurt instead of sweetened apple sauce and sour cream. Turkey or ham instead of duck or brisket. Roasted root vegetables with rosemary or green beans with almonds instead of green bean casserole. Roasted sweet potatoes or acorn squash instead of candied yams or sweet potato pie. Baked apples with cinnamon instead of apple pie. Hot tea with a cinnamon stick instead of hot cider or spiced hot wine. Be a Good Guest and Host How does that help you lose weight? When you’re a guest at someone’s party or event, bring a dish to share. The catch is that you make it a healthy dish. If there’s nothing else healthy for you to eat, you can always keep munching on the dish you brought. If you’re hosting a holiday party or dinner, you can still serve everyone’s favorite dishes. Just make sure to make some dishes that you can enjoy, too. The following are good party dishes. Shrimp cocktail Skewers with cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and low-fat mozzarella or feta cheese Stuffed tomatoes with fat-free cream cheese and olives Salad with spinach or mixed greens, pistachios, and cranberry vinaigrette Chicken and vegetable skewers Roasted Brussels sprouts with chestnuts and sage Fruit salad Spoil Yourself You are someone who is entitled to eat only the very best, and not someone who must eat everything that is available. Think of yourself as picky, not deprived. Unless, of course, you are afraid of dumping syndrome or you have certain food intolerances, you can eat your favorite holiday foods. Just keep the portions small, and choose only the ones you truly want. You’ll feel better deliberately eating a few controlled and measured bites of your aunt’s sausage stuffing than you will if you skip it and later eat a cup of it, plus some mashed potatoes and gravy, because you feel deprived. Want It When Willpower Runs Thin Want it. We all run out of willpower around this time of year. Instead, think about your “want power.” It’s not about, “I need to gather the willpower to pass up this cinnamon roll.” It’s about, “I’m going for a walk in about an hour, and I’m going to feel way better during it if my stomach isn’t bugging me because of a cinnamon roll.” Drink Water. Drink Water. This tip has so many benefits! Drinking water instead of alcoholic beverages can save tons of calories. Choose water or hot tea instead of cider, hot chocolate, and other caloric drinks. There are other reasons to drink water. Sip on water at parties. As long as you’re circulating the room with a glass of water in your hand, you won’t be able to carry and eat from a loaded plate. Plus, your weight loss surgery diet doesn’t let you eat solid food while you’re drinking water. Choose the water over the solid food for most of the party, and you. Enjoy the Company, or Pretend to This may be the only time of year you get to see certain friends or family members. Take advantage of it. Focus on them, and not on getting seconds and thirds. You may actually find that you enjoy your holiday events more when you notice the non-food aspects of them. Socialize even if you don’t like the company, because it’ll keep you from digging into high-calorie food that you don’t need or want. Look at it this way. If someone told you you could lose weight and the only thing you’d have to do is listen to your coworker’s friend’s husband talk about his snail collection for an hour, you’d do it, right? Well, do it. You can stay healthy this holiday season as long as you focus and plan ahead. Once you do, you’ll feel very proud of yourself, and with good reason. Happy Holidays!

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

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

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

Now that Halloween is over, we’ve unofficially arrived at holiday season. Holiday season is bad enough when you aren’t a weight loss surgery patient. You may remember years and years of fighting temptation during the holidays, only to gain a few pounds by January 1. Like pretty much everything else in your life, the holidays are a whole new ballgame after weight loss surgery. Your weight loss surgery diet is strict. It doesn’t include fatty foods and sugary desserts. Going off your weight loss surgery diet can stall weight loss and also cause complications. You could be prone to dumping syndrome if you have the gastric sleeve or gastric bypass, and lap-banders can face obstructions and acid reflux with the wrong foods or too much. If you let your guard down for the rest of November and December, you can find yourself slipping off of your diet and feeling pretty unhealthy. But by keeping your eyes open and planning ahead, you can keep yourself on track and get through the holiday season feeling proud of yourself. Watch Carefully to Avoid Extra Calories Calories show up everywhere at this time of year. Sometimes they don’t even seem that bad, but they add up quickly. Have a bite here and a handful there without paying much attention, and you might be disappointed when you weigh in on New Year’s Day. Don’t let calories slip into your diet. First, be aware of the extra calories that are around. They can include any of the following. Lunch or dinner out when a friend or family member comes to town. Chocolate truffles on the secretary’s desk or the break room at work. Cookies from well-meaning friends and family who want you to taste-test their creations. Sweetened, pumpkin-spice coffee instead of calorie-free regular coffee. Food court fare when you’re holiday shopping at the mall. Holiday parties, potlucks, and dinners. Stick to Your Good WLS Habits The first line of defense is to stick to your regular good everyday weight loss surgery habits. Log every bite of food you take to keep from getting in hundreds of extra calories from sneaking in a taste here and there. Even if you have to estimate the calories in some of your food, especially if you eat out or at a party, you can keep more discipline if you log your food. Also, think about your other healthy habits. Keep drinking water between meals. And, protein is still all-important. Make sure you have some at each meal and snack. Focusing on finding lean protein can keep you focused when you’re faced with all kinds of other unhealthy choices. Arm Yourself Against Temptation If you’re starving and you’re face-to-face with a basket of chocolate-covered pretzels, you might opt for the sugary, high-carb snack. Unless that is, you have your own weapon. Keep some high-protein and low-calorie choices with you at all times so you never need to go for the junk food in desperation. We have many health snack options at the BariatricPal Store! Take them with you to work, or in your car, purse, or pocket. You can have them if you’re stuck in traffic or at the mall at mealtimes. Almonds packed in 1-ounce portions. Beef jerky (not fatty beef sticks). Apples Cheese sticks Roasted soybeans or garbanzo beans Tuna pouch Work around Your Cravings You don’t need to deprive yourself completely at holiday time. If there’s a particular taste you want, there’s a good chance you can satisfy your craving with a healthier alternative. For example, you can have lean ham and turkey breast instead of brisket and turkey with the skin on it. Roast green beans with onions, rosemary, and balsamic vinegar instead of having green bean casserole, bake sweet potatoes instead of having candied ones, and puree cauliflower or carrot instead of making mashed potatoes. Use the same strategy for desserts. Go for sugar-free cocoa mix instead of chocolate fudge when you’re craving chocolate. Munch on plain popcorn while your friends are passing around the caramel corn. For breakfast, make high-protein oatmeal pumpkin pancakes instead of regular pumpkin pancakes. Plan for a Few Treats Almost everyone has a few holiday treats that are irresistible. There may be some family recipe that you’ve had at every Christmas for as long as you can remember, or maybe a coworker brings in her cinnamon rolls made from a secret recipe. Whatever it is, you feel as though the holidays are incomplete without it. There’s no reason not to plan for one or two key treats. Just be sure you plan for them and stick to a single serving. Savor it, and concentrate on the flavors and on the memories and feelings it brings up. Then get right back on your regular diet. There are a couple of reasons why some weight loss surgery patients might be better off skipping even the occasional special holiday treat. First, don’t start if you’re not sure you can stop. If you’re not confident that you can stick to a single serving, it’s best not to start eating. Second, some weight loss surgery patients can’t tolerate all kinds of junk food. Fried and doughy foods are risky for lap-band patients, since they can obstruct the band. Gastric bypass and vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients are at risk for dumping syndrome from eating too much sugar or fat at once. And, no weight loss surgery patient should eat too much, since that can stretch the pouch or sleeve. The holiday season is a happy time, but it’s a struggle if you’re trying to lose weight and get healthy. You can prevent it from sneaking up on you and interfering with your weight loss by staying alert and having a plan.

I generally drink tons of caffeine free tea daily. I definitely miss my coffee. I drink Teeccino which tastes like coffee every once in a while.