Alex Brecher

Hey, SleevePlicationTalk members!We’re into the long, lazy days of summer – but there’s plenty going on at SleevePlicationTalk.com! So why don’t you use this newsletter as a reminder to get on over to the boards? It’ll help you stay on track or motivate you to get back on board if you’ve gotten off track a little. Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. Burning question: What’s the Big Deal about Protein? Member Spotlight: We Stand Corrected over Pranjala's Story! Sleever Challenge: Record Your Diet! Become a Board Expert: How to Get More Involved We hope you’re having a great summer and feeling great about meeting your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals. Enjoy the newsletter, and of course please contact me any time with suggestions, comments or any other feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder SleevePlicationTalk.com Burning Question: What’s the Big Deal about Protein? Okay, anyone who’s gotten weight loss surgery or who is seriously thinking about it has probably already heard a ton about protein. You’re supposed to get about 60 to 80 grams per day, and eat your protein foods first at each meal so that you finish them before getting full. Also, your Breakfast should be high in protein to give you a good start for the day. But why is protein so important? First, it’s an essential nutrient for your immune system and as a part of your muscles, skin, bones and other body tissues. But it’s even more important when you’re losing weight so fast, like you are after your sleeve plication procedure. When you lose weight, you’re losing body fat, of course. But if you’re not careful to get enough protein, you’re going to lose a noticeable amount of lean body mass, too. That means you’ll lose some muscle mass and your metabolism will slow down. Another benefit of protein is that it actually helps you stick to your low-calorie post-surgery diet so that you lose weight faster. Protein takes a longer time to digest than carbohydrates. That means that eating a high-protein meal will help you stay full for longer than a high-carbohydrate meal without much protein. So don’t forget to hit your protein at each meal! Aim for one to two servings per meal, and if you have a snack, include some protein. What are the best sources of protein? Stay tuned for the answer coming up in a future newsletter! If you have a burning question that you’d like to see answered in the newsletter, just send Alex a PM over in the forums. It can be about anything – sleeve plication problems, food, fitness, weight loss, health…just let us know! Member Spotlight – We Have a Correction! In the last newsletter, we featured Prandala in the Member Spotlight section. In case you missed her great story, you can go back and read it in the old newsletter section. But, we made a mistake. Prandala actually got her sleeveplication done in India through the Bariatrics and Metabolism Initiative (BMI), and not in the U.S. as we stated. Our apologies for the mix-up, and thanks for pointing it out to us! We feature a different SleevePlicationTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. 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! Nominating yourself isn’t bragging. We all want to learn more about you if you’re willing to share your trials, triumphs, tricks and tips! If you’re shy, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. Thanks! Sleever Challenge – Record Your Diet! Each newsletter, we challenge you with another Sleever Challenge. It’s a chance to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone or get you thinking about ways to make your weight loss journey even more successful. The challenge can inspire you to try things that you’d never thought about but that can make you more successful and confident in your weight loss journey. The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we hope you’ll post your results in the Challenge Forum so that other members can be motivated by your own challenge actions. Study after study proves that the most successful losers – and maintainers – record their diets. If you don’t already do it, now’s a good time to get into the habit. This newsletter’s challenge is for you to record your diet for three days. Include what you eat, how much and what time you had each meal and snack. You can also put in details like how hungry you were before you ate and afterwards, whether you ate exactly what you’d planned, and whether you were eating with people or alone. Did you learn anything new about your diet? Is there anything you can change so that your choices are healthier? Let us know how it went in the Challenge Forum! There, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Better Boarding Tips – Getting into the Swing of Things For some members, jumping right into the conversations on the board feels natural. You know exactly what to say and have no trouble asking for help and providing your own support. For the rest of us, it can be a little tougher. We may not always know what to say to someone who needs help or how to reach out for support when we need it. How can you improve your social boarding skills? Practice! The more you post, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Start by filling in your profile, if you haven’t already. Head on over to the Tell Your Story Forum (or you can get there from the front page) and welcome a few new members. Then browse the forums until you see some topics that call to you. You might be able to answer some member questions about food choices or some of the pros and cons that you’ve experienced with your weight loss surgery. You’ll soon feel like an old pro with so much practice, and the other members will sure appreciate your input! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. You can always find the old newsletters in the newsletter forum if you ever miss one. Thanks as always for your support, and we’re looking forward to seeing you out on the boards! 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: http://www.sleevepli...&tab=newsletter

Hey, Banders!We’re into the long, lazy days of summer – but there’s plenty going on at LapBandTalk.com! So why don’t you use this newsletter as a reminder to get on over to the boards? It’ll help you stay on track or motivate you to get back on board if you’ve gotten off track a little. Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. Burning question: What’s the Big Deal about Protein? Member Spotlight: Meet TanyainNY! Bander Challenge: Record Your Diet! Become a Board Expert: How to Get More Involved We hope you’re having a great summer and feeling great about meeting your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals. Enjoy the newsletter, and of course please contact me any time with suggestions, comments or any other feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder Breakfast should be high in protein to give you a good start for the day. But why is protein so important? First, it’s an essential nutrient for your immune system and as a part of your muscles, skin, bones and other body tissues. But it’s even more important when you’re losing weight so fast, like you are after your lap-band surgery. When you lose weight, you’re losing body fat, of course. But if you’re not careful to get enough protein, you’re going to lose a noticeable amount of lean body mass, too. That means you’ll lose some muscle mass and your metabolism will slow down. Another benefit of protein is that it actually helps you stick to your low-calorie post-surgery diet so that you lose weight faster. Protein takes a longer time to digest than carbohydrates. That means that eating a high-protein meal will help you stay full for longer than a high-carbohydrate meal without much protein. So don’t forget to hit your protein at each meal! Aim for one to two servings per meal, and if you have a snack, include some protein. What are the best sources of protein? Stay tuned for the answer coming up in a future newsletter! If you have a burning question that you’d like to see answered in the newsletter, just send Alex a PM over in the forums. It can be about anything - lap-band problems, food, fitness, weight loss, health…just let us know! Member Spotlight – Meet TanyainNY! TanyainNY from Cooperstown, New York, has used the lap-band to turn herself into a wonderful success story. Tanya is a registered nurse whose weight was a poor example for her patients. Like so many others, Tanya decided to get banded after she felt ashamed of asking her 6-year-old son to move to the dining room table to play board games instead of being able to sit on the floor with her children. Tanya got banded in December of 2009. At 5 feet 5 inches, her starting weight was 270 pounds. Now, she’s down nearly 100 pounds, only 20 pounds away from her goal weight of 155 pounds. This 39-year-old mom has the energy of her 20-year-old self. She does it all, from bench-pressiing and squatting with the big boys to taking muy thai kickboxing classes. This self-described gym rat has even become a Zumba instructor, and she competes in running races. Her next venture is to master the art of riding her new motorcycle. Tanya’s diet has been transformed along with her body. She no longer depends on “white foods,” such as Pasta, chicken and cheese. Now, her diet is a variety of healthy foods, including two salads a day and plenty of fruits, vegetables and protein. Her friends now come to her for nutrition advice! She’s loving life and taking full advantage of every opportunity! Congratulations on all of your success, Tanya, and thanks for being in our Spotlight! We feature a different LapBandTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. 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! Nominating yourself isn’t bragging. We all want to learn more about you if you’re willing to share your trials, triumphs, tricks and tips! If you’re shy, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. Thanks! Bander Challenge – Record Your Diet! Each newsletter, we challenge you with another Bander Challenge. It’s a chance to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone or get you thinking about ways to make your weight loss journey even more successful. The challenge can inspire you to try things that you’d never thought about but that can make you more successful and confident in your weight loss journey. The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we hope you’ll post your results in the Challenge Forum so that other members can be motivated by your own challenge actions. Study after study proves that the most successful losers – and maintainers – record their diets. If you don’t already do it, now’s a good time to get into the habit. This newsletter’s challenge is for you to record your diet for three days. Include what you eat, how much and what time you had each meal and snack. You can also put in details like how hungry you were before you ate and afterwards, whether you ate exactly what you’d planned, and whether you were eating with people or alone. Did you learn anything new about your diet? Is there anything you can change so that your choices are healthier? Let us know how it went in the Challenge Forum! There, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Better Boarding Tips – Getting into the Swing of Things For some members, jumping right into the conversations on the board feels natural. You know exactly what to say and have no trouble asking for help and providing your own support. For the rest of us, it can be a little tougher. We may not always know what to say to someone who needs help or how to reach out for support when we need it. How can you improve your social boarding skills? Practice! The more you post, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Start by filling in your profile, if you haven’t already. Head on over to the Introductions Forum (you can get there from the front page) and welcome a few new members. Then browse the forums until you see some topics that call to you. You might be able to answer some member questions about food choices or some of the pros and cons that you’ve experienced with your weight loss surgery. You’ll soon feel like an old pro with so much practice, and the other members will sure appreciate your input! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. You can always find the old newsletters in the newsletter forum if you ever miss one. Thanks as always for your support, and we’re looking forward to seeing you out on the boards! 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: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

Hey, RNYTalk members!We’re into the long, lazy days of summer – but there’s plenty going on at RNYTalk.com! So why don’t you use this newsletter as a reminder to get on over to the boards? It’ll help you stay on track or motivate you to get back on board if you’ve gotten off track a little. Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. Burning question: What’s the Big Deal about Protein? Member Spotlight: Meet Mamiof3kids! Bypass Challenge: Record Your Diet! Become a Board Expert: How to Get More Involved We hope you’re having a great summer and feeling great about meeting your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals. Enjoy the newsletter, and of course please contact me any time with suggestions, comments or any other feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder RNYTalk.com Burning Question: What’s the Big Deal about Protein? Okay, anyone who’s gotten weight loss surgery or who is seriously thinking about it has probably already heard a ton about protein. You’re supposed to get about 60 to 80 grams per day, and eat your protein foods first at each meal so that you finish them before getting full. Also, your breakfast should be high in protein to give you a good start for the day. But why is protein so important? First, it’s an essential nutrient for your immune system and as a part of your muscles, skin, bones and other body tissues. But it’s even more important when you’re losing weight so fast, like you are after your gastric bypass surgery. When you lose weight, you’re losing body fat, of course. But if you’re not careful to get enough protein, you’re going to lose a noticeable amount of lean body mass, too. That means you’ll lose some muscle mass and your metabolism will slow down. Another benefit of protein is that it actually helps you stick to your low-calorie post-surgery diet so that you lose weight faster. Protein takes a longer time to digest than carbohydrates. That means that eating a high-protein meal will help you stay full for longer than a high-carbohydrate meal without much protein. So don’t forget to hit your protein at each meal! Aim for one to two servings per meal, and if you have a snack, include some protein. What are the best sources of protein? Stay tuned for the answer coming up in a future newsletter! If you have a burning question that you’d like to see answered in the newsletter, just send Alex a PM over in the forums. It can be about anything – roux-en-Y problems, food, fitness, weight loss, health…just let us know! Member Spotlight – Meet Mamiof3kids! This week’s spotlight is on Mamiof3kids, also known as Maybelin from New York, New York. At 5 feet even, this 33-year-old mother weighed 211 pounds at her highest weight. She decided to get the bypass because she was always tired and her knees were always hurting. Maybelin got her gastric bypass done on May 30, 2012, and she’s already down to 167 pounds! One of the best things about her surgery and weight loss is that spending time with her children is way more fun. As she puts it, she has a 15-year old teenager baby girl, a 3-year-old baby girl and a 2-year-old baby boy. She uses LapBandTalk.com to get advice on how to eat after the bypass, and encourages others who are struggling with their eating to find a dietitian for good advice. Keep enjoying your family and working toward your goal weight, Maybelin. Thanks for sharing your story and being in our member spotlight! We feature a different RNYTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. 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! Nominating yourself isn’t bragging. We all want to learn more about you if you’re willing to share your trials, triumphs, tricks and tips! If you’re shy, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. Thanks! Bypass Challenge – Record Your Diet! Each newsletter, we challenge you with another Bypass Challenge. It’s a chance to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone or get you thinking about ways to make your weight loss journey even more successful. The challenge can inspire you to try things that you’d never thought about but that can make you more successful and confident in your weight loss journey. The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we hope you’ll post your results in the Challenge Forum so that other members can be motivated by your own challenge actions. Study after study proves that the most successful losers – and maintainers – record their diets. If you don’t already do it, now’s a good time to get into the habit. This newsletter’s challenge is for you to record your diet for three days. Include what you eat, how much and what time you had each meal and snack. You can also put in details like how hungry you were before you ate and afterwards, whether you ate exactly what you’d planned, and whether you were eating with people or alone. Did you learn anything new about your diet? Is there anything you can change so that your choices are healthier? Let us know how it went in the Challenge Forum! There, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Better Boarding Tips – Getting into the Swing of Things For some members, jumping right into the conversations on the board feels natural. You know exactly what to say and have no trouble asking for help and providing your own support. For the rest of us, it can be a little tougher. We may not always know what to say to someone who needs help or how to reach out for support when we need it. How can you improve your social boarding skills? Practice! The more you post, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Start by filling in your profile, if you haven’t already. Head on over to the Tell Your Story Forum (or you can get there from the front page) and welcome a few new members. Then browse the forums until you see some topics that call to you. You might be able to answer some member questions about food choices or some of the pros and cons that you’ve experienced with your weight loss surgery. You’ll soon feel like an old pro with so much practice, and the other members will sure appreciate your input! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. You can always find the old newsletters in the newsletter forum if you ever miss one. Thanks as always for your support, and we’re looking forward to seeing you out on the boards! 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: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

Hey, Sleevers!We’re into the long, lazy days of summer – but there’s plenty going on at VerticalSleeveTalk.com! So why don’t you use this newsletter as a reminder to get on over to the boards? It’ll help you stay on track or motivate you to get back on board if you’ve gotten off track a little. Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. Burning question: What’s the Big Deal about Protein? Member Spotlight: Meet Queen of Crop! Sleever Challenge: Record Your Diet! Become a Board Expert: How to Get More Involved We hope you’re having a great summer and feeling great about meeting your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals. Enjoy the newsletter, and of course please contact me any time with suggestions, comments or any other feedback. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder Breakfast should be high in protein to give you a good start for the day. But why is protein so important? First, it’s an essential nutrient for your immune system and as a part of your muscles, skin, bones and other body tissues. But it’s even more important when you’re losing weight so fast, like you are after getting your sleeve surgery. When you lose weight, you’re losing body fat, of course. But if you’re not careful to get enough protein, you’re going to lose a noticeable amount of lean body mass, too. That means you’ll lose some muscle mass and your metabolism will slow down. Another benefit of protein is that it actually helps you stick to your low-calorie post-surgery diet so that you lose weight faster. Protein takes a longer time to digest than carbohydrates. That means that eating a high-protein meal will help you stay full for longer than a high-carbohydrate meal without much protein. So don’t forget to hit your protein at each meal! Aim for one to two servings per meal, and if you have a snack, include some protein. What are the best sources of protein? Stay tuned for the answer coming up in a future newsletter! If you have a burning question that you’d like to see answered in the newsletter, just send Alex a PM over in the forums. It can be about anything – questions about the sleeve, food, fitness, weight loss, health…just let us know! Member Spotlight – Meet Queen of Crop! This week’s member spotlight is on…Queen of Crop, otherwise known as Sharene from…somewhere in the world! You all know her as an inspirational and beautiful lady who motivates others on the board to follow in her footsteps, but it took a rude wake-up call and some amazing support from her husband to get her where she is today. Sharene and her husband sold their business and house in Hawaii last year, when Sharene was 57, and started to travel. From the U.S. they went to Europe, spending countless hours walking and enjoying the sights. She and her husband were truly living every retiree’s dream – until the wake-up call came. At 200+ pounds, and only 5 feet 3 inches tall, Sharene’s body couldn’t keep up. Her hip, knees and feet gave out, and something serious needed to be done. There was some drama as Sharene and her husband finally talked about the monster in the closet – her weight. But through it all, he was supportive in her need to get healthy. She and her husband were willing to come back to the U.S. if needed, but they found a surgeon in Frankfurt, Germany, who could do the vertical sleeve procedure on her. Now, their travels are not only an adventure in new places, but Sharene is able to enjoy everything so much more, and she and her husband have only grown closer. Sharene continues to visit VerticalSleeveTalk.com every day for support and to help others, and she is grateful for the information she gets here, not to mention the friends she’s made. Want to know where Sharene is now and what’s she and her husband are up to? Check out her blog at www.queenofcrop.com. She updates it every Sunday and, as she puts it, it’s a chronicle of a year in the life of a sleever. Thanks, Sharene, for being in our Member Spotlight! We feature a different VerticalSleeveTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. 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! Nominating yourself isn’t bragging. We all want to learn more about you if you’re willing to share your trials, triumphs, tricks and tips! If you’re shy, just PM Alex with the message that you want to be in the spotlight. Thanks! Sleever Challenge – Record Your Diet! Each newsletter, we challenge you with another Sleever Challenge. It’s a chance to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone or get you thinking about ways to make your weight loss journey even more successful. The challenge can inspire you to try things that you’d never thought about but that can make you more successful and confident in your weight loss journey. The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we hope you’ll post your results in the Challenge Forum so that other members can be motivated by your own challenge actions. Study after study proves that the most successful losers – and maintainers – record their diets. If you don’t already do it, now’s a good time to get into the habit. This newsletter’s challenge is for you to record your diet for three days. Include what you eat, how much and what time you had each meal and snack. You can also put in details like how hungry you were before you ate and afterwards, whether you ate exactly what you’d planned, and whether you were eating with people or alone. Did you learn anything new about your diet? Is there anything you can change so that your choices are healthier? Let us know how it went in the Challenge Forum! There, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Better Boarding Tips – Getting into the Swing of Things For some members, jumping right into the conversations on the board feels natural. You know exactly what to say and have no trouble asking for help and providing your own support. For the rest of us, it can be a little tougher. We may not always know what to say to someone who needs help or how to reach out for support when we need it. How can you improve your social boarding skills? Practice! The more you post, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Start by filling in your profile, if you haven’t already. Head on over to the Tell Your Story Forum (or you can get there from the front page) and welcome a few new members. Then browse the forums until you see some topics that call to you. You might be able to answer some member questions about food choices or some of the pros and cons that you’ve experienced with your weight loss surgery. You’ll soon feel like an old pro with so much practice, and the other members will sure appreciate your input! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. You can always find the old newsletters in the newsletter forum if you ever miss one. Thanks as always for your support, and we’re looking forward to seeing you out on the boards! 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: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

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Her husband had Gastric Sleeve surgery as well! I just watched the following clip of her and her husband on Dr. Drew:

Hi! Are you by any chance using a mobile device ? Try accessing them from your desktop. That should resolve you problem.

Our current app doesn't allow for most of what you're looking to accomplish. We're working very hard on V 2.0 of our app which should offer Ticker and Tracker management. Drop me a PM if you'd like to see something in future versions of our app that's currently lacking.

They're called "tags." When you start a new topic you have teh option of adding them. If you put your mouse over them you'll notice you're able to search based on the tags entered.

Dr. Christine Ren-Fielding was my Lap Band surgeon at NYU. All the surgeons in the practice are first class. Best of luck and don't worry, you're in great hands!

Her procedure is called Band Over Bypass AKA BOB. This revision procedure is great for people that regained weight lost after having the gastric bypass. Carnie got the Lap Band placed over her Gastric Bypass procedure. She's now a spokeswomen for the Lap Band.

Hey, SleevePlicationTalk Members!Now that the Fourth of July has passed, we’re well into summer. Hopefully those of you who are experiencing record-setting heat waves have been able to keep cool. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to our members whose power has gone out or who are affected by the wildfires. While we can’t cool you down, SleevePlicationTalk.com can cheer you up…so here’s the next edition of the newsletter that keeps you in touch with the happenings on the boards. Here’s a taste of the newsletter. Addressing a burning question – why can losing weight too fast be unhealthy? Member Spotlight: Meet Pranjala! Sleeve Plication Challenge: Summer refreshment! Tip to improve your Boarding skills – do you know how to use the chat room? Do these stories pique your curiosity? Then keep reading – and when you’re done, come on by the boards to lend a hand and get some encouragement in return! Of course, contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder SleevePlicationTalk.com Burning Question: Why is it Dangerous to Lose Weight Too Fast? We’ve all heard it about a million times by now – your weight loss goal should be one to two pounds per week. That’s the goal after the plication: losing one to two pounds per week while eating your prescribed diet and feeling good. There’s nothing dangerous or wrong with losing less than a pound a week, but it can be a little discouraging. And losing more than two pounds per week? It feels great because you feel so much better as you lose weight. But, there are some good reasons why the doctor cautions you to stick to about two pounds per week. First, losing weight too fast can set you up for long-term weight struggles. Of course one of your goals during weight loss is to lose weight – obviously! But another goal is to develop the eating habits that will last you for the rest of your life so that you never gain that weight back. If you’re restricting your food and calories so much to lose weight very fast, you’re probably not eating the same way you will be once you hit your goal weight. Once you hit your goal weight, you’ll need to form a whole new set of eating habits – and that can be tough. It’s much better to take a little longer to get to your goal weight and already have the dietary tools you need to keep the weight off. Another reason to keep your weight loss to around two pounds per week, unless your doctor suggests otherwise, is for your long-term bone health. So many of us think that this is just an important issue for 90-year-old ladies – but it’s not! Everyone needs to be concerned now about their bones so that you don’t get osteoporosis later. Osteoporosis is a condition with low bone mineral density and weak bones. That means you can break your hip, rib, wrist or back very easily. It takes years to develop and probably won’t show up until you’re older. Rapid weight loss can lead to serious losses of bone mineral density and the risk for developing osteoporosis later. Keeping your weight loss to two pounds per week really supports your bone health. Something else you can do to protect your bones is to take the calcium and vitamin D supplements that your dietitian recommends. You need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day and 2,000IU of vitamin D. So these are just a few reasons for keeping your weight loss moderate. The sleeve plication surgery is all about a healthy lifestyle – not just losing weight as fast as possible in the beginning. Your health always comes first, and the number on the scale will reflect your commitment to health. Member Spotlight – Meet Pranjala! This week’s Member Spotlight is on…Pranjala! Growing up on traditional Indian food, Pranjala struggled with her weight her whole life, from being a chubby child to an obese teenager to a young woman trying every diet under the sun. She yo-yo dieted for years as her weight continued to climb. Finally, enough was enough after she hit 207 pounds. She barely had enough energy to care for her young son, whom she had just weaned, and knew she had to do something drastic and permanent. First, she scheduled a gastric sleeve resection surgery, or vertical sleeve gastrectomy. But, she wasn’t ready to lose so much of her stomach function. She continued to look around for other options and cancelled her sleeve resection. She discovered the sleeve plication surgery and looked into it. The new procedure wasn’t offered in India and she’d have to pay for it herself, but she managed to convince her husband that the cost of the trip to the U.S. and the sleeve plication was worth it. Only 20 days out from surgery, Pranjala was already 12 pounds. She’s learning to shift from a high-carbohydrate to a high-protein diet and to focus on eating only what’s on her meal plan. Pranjala knows that any diet will work if you can follow it, and she’s confident that the sleeve plication was right for her. She recommends it over the bypass or gastrectomy because it’s better for maintaining your natural ability to absorb nutrients. Don’t forget to say hi to Pranjala when you see her around the boards – after all, she herself said that this is the most welcoming and encouraging sleeve plication community out there. Thanks for being in our member spotlight this week, and we’re all eager to follow you on your weight loss journey! We feature a different SleevePlicationTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. Is there someone you’d like to see highlighted? Maybe you would like to be our highlighted member! Let us know in the member spotlight forum. Don’t worry: it’s not bragging to nominate yourself. You’re helping others by sharing your own stories. If you’re shy, though, just PM Alex if you want to be in the spotlight. Use the messaging system by clicking on the icon of an envelope toward the top-right corner of the forum. Nobody will ever know that you nominated yourself, and you’ll get to be in the newsletter. Thanks! Plication Challenge: Summer Refreshment! Each newsletter, we challenge you with another Plication Challenge. It’s a chance to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone or get you thinking about ways to make your weight loss journey even more successful. The challenge can help you do things you never thought you could, or maybe that you never thought of before! The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we hope you’ll post your results in the Challenge Forum so that others can be motivated by your own challenge actions. This week’s challenge is inspired by the weather – the summer heat can be pretty uncomfortable. Your challenge is to let us know what you do in the summer when it’s hot. Maybe in the old days the answer was to eat a banana split and go see a movie in an air-conditioned theater. Now, your answer might be to have a low-calorie snow-cone (shaved ice with sugar-free flavored syrup) and walk around the air-conditioned mall. Let us know how you stay cool in the Plication Challenge Forum. In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Tips for the Board – Using the Chat Room We’ve got thousands of members at SleevePlicationTalk.com, and many of you count each other as some of your closest friends. You already know about using the forums, and you may already use the private messaging system to get in touch with your buddies. Do you know how you can communicate with them and others even more easily? The Chat Room! It’s a real-time chat room for instant messaging with anyone who’s in there. Once you enter, you can type and send messages instantly and have real conversations with the other members. When you’re logged into your SleevePlicationTalk.com account, all you have to do to enter the Chat Room is to click on “Chat” at the top of the page. Welcome! That’s all we have to this week’s letter. Don’t forget that you can catch up on the old newsletters in the newsletter forum. Come hang out on the boards and spend part of your summer with us! 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: http://www.sleevepli...&tab=newsletter

Hey, RNYTalk Members!Now that the Fourth of July has passed, we’re well into summer. Hopefully those of you who are experiencing record-setting heat waves have been able to keep cool. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to our members whose power has gone out or who are affected by the wildfires. While we can’t cool you down, RNYTalk.com can cheer you up…so here’s the next edition of the newsletter that keeps you in touch with the happenings on the boards. Here’s a taste of the newsletter. Addressing a burning question – why can losing weight too fast be unhealthy? Member Spotlight: Meet Jen in SoCal – active on the boards! Bypass Challenge: Summer refreshment! Tip to improve your Boarding skills – do you know how to use the chat room? Do these stories pique your curiosity? Then keep reading – and when you’re done, come on by the boards to lend a hand and get some encouragement in return! Of course, contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder RNYTalk.com Burning Question: Why is it Dangerous to Lose Weight Too Fast? We’ve all heard it about a million times by now – your weight loss goal should be one to two pounds per week. That’s the goal after the bypass: losing one to two pounds per week while eating your prescribed diet and feeling good. There’s nothing dangerous or wrong with losing less than a pound a week, but it can be a little discouraging. And losing more than two pounds per week? It feels great because you feel so much better as you lose weight. But, there are some good reasons why the doctor cautions you to stick to about two pounds per week. First, losing weight too fast can set you up for long-term weight struggles. Of course one of your goals during weight loss is to lose weight – obviously! But another goal is to develop the eating habits that will last you for the rest of your life so that you never gain that weight back. If you’re restricting your food and calories so much to lose weight very fast, you’re probably not eating the same way you will be once you hit your goal weight. Once you hit your goal weight, you’ll need to form a whole new set of eating habits – and that can be tough. It’s much better to take a little longer to get to your goal weight and already have the dietary tools you need to keep the weight off. Another reason to keep your weight loss to around two pounds per week, unless your doctor suggests otherwise, is for your long-term bone health. So many of us think that this is just an important issue for 90-year-old ladies – but it’s not! Everyone needs to be concerned now about their bones so that you don’t get osteoporosis later. Osteoporosis is a condition with low bone mineral density and weak bones. That means you can break your hip, rib, wrist or back very easily. It takes years to develop and probably won’t show up until you’re older. Rapid weight loss can lead to serious losses of bone mineral density and the risk for developing osteoporosis later. Keeping your weight loss to two pounds per week really supports your bone health. Something else you can do to protect your bones is to take the Calcium and Vitamin D supplements that your dietitian recommends. You need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day and 2,000IU of Vitamin D. So these are just a few reasons for keeping your weight loss moderate. The gastric bypass surgery is all about a healthy lifestyle – not just losing weight as fast as possible in the beginning. Your health always comes first, and the number on the scale will reflect your commitment to health. Member Spotlight – Meet Jen in SoCal! For this newsletter, we’re banana split and go see a movie in an air-conditioned theater. Now, your answer might be to have a low-calorie snow-cone (shaved ice with sugar-free flavored syrup) and walk around the air-conditioned mall. Let us know how you stay cool in the Bypass Challenge Forum. In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Tips for the Board – Using the Chat Room We’ve got thousands of members at RNYTalk.com, and many of you count each other as some of your closest friends. You already know about using the forums, and you may already use the private messaging system to get in touch with your buddies. Do you know how you can communicate with them and others even more easily? The Chat Room! It’s a real-time chat room for instant messaging with anyone who’s in there. Once you enter, you can type and send messages instantly and have real conversations with the other members. When you’re logged into your RNYTalk.com account, all you have to do to enter the Chat Room is to click on “Chat” at the top of the page. Welcome! That’s all we have to this week’s letter. Don’t forget that you can catch up on the old newsletters in the newsletter forum. Come hang out on the boards and spend part of your summer with us! 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: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

Hey, Banders!Now that the Fourth of July has passed, we’re well into summer. Hopefully those of you who are experiencing record-setting heat waves have been able to keep cool. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to our members whose power has gone out or who are affected by the wildfires. While we can’t cool you down, LapBandTalk.com can cheer you up…so here’s the next edition of the newsletter that keeps you in touch with the happenings on the boards. Here’s a taste of the newsletter. Addressing a burning question – why can losing weight too fast be unhealthy? Member Spotlight: Meet Moonlitedi – recently banded and losing fast! Bander Challenge: Summer refreshment! Tip to improve your Boarding skills – do you know how to use the chat room? Do these stories pique your curiosity? Then keep reading – and when you’re done, come on by the boards to lend a hand and get some encouragement in return! Of course, contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Burning Question: Why is it Dangerous to Lose Weight Too Fast? We’ve all heard it about a million times by now – your weight loss goal should be one to two pounds per week. That’s the goal for your Green Zone with the lap-band: losing one to two pounds per week while eating your prescribed diet and feeling good. There’s nothing dangerous or wrong with losing less than a pound a week, but it can be a little discouraging. And losing more than two pounds per week? It feels great because you feel so much better as you lose weight. But, there are some good reasons why the doctor cautions you to stick to about two pounds per week. First, losing weight too fast can set you up for long-term weight struggles. Of course one of your goals during weight loss is to lose weight – obviously! But another goal is to develop the eating habits that will last you for the rest of your life so that you never gain that weight back. If you’re restricting your food and calories so much to lose weight very fast, you’re probably not eating the same way you will be once you hit your goal weight. Once you hit your goal weight, you’ll need to form a whole new set of eating habits – and that can be tough. It’s much better to take a little longer to get to your goal weight and already have the dietary tools you need to keep the weight off. Another reason to keep your weight loss to around two pounds per week, unless your doctor suggests otherwise, is for your long-term bone health. So many of us think that this is just an important issue for 90-year-old ladies – but it’s not! Everyone needs to be concerned now about their bones so that you don’t get osteoporosis later. Osteoporosis is a condition with low bone mineral density and weak bones. That means you can break your hip, rib, wrist or back very easily. It takes years to develop and probably won’t show up until you’re older. Rapid weight loss can lead to serious losses of bone mineral density and the risk for developing osteoporosis later. Keeping your weight loss to two pounds per week really supports your bone health. Something else you can do to protect your bones is to take the Calcium and Vitamin D supplements that your dietitian recommends. You need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day and 2,000IU of Vitamin D. So these are just a few reasons for keeping your weight loss moderate. The lap-band surgery is all about a healthy lifestyle – not just losing weight as fast as possible in the beginning. Your health always comes first, and the number on the scale will reflect your commitment to health. Member Spotlight – Moonlitedi! This week’s Quest to achieve her goal of 140 pounds. Thanks for being in our spotlight, Moonlitedi! We feature a different LapBandTalk.com member each week in our banana split and go see a movie in an air-conditioned theater. Now, your answer might be to have a low-calorie snow-cone (shaved ice with sugar-free flavored syrup) and walk around the air-conditioned mall. Let us know how you stay cool in the Bander Challenge Forum. In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Tips for the Board – Using the Chat Room We’ve got thousands of members at LapBandTalk.com, and many of you count each other as some of your closest friends. You already know about using the forums, and you may already use the private messaging system to get in touch with your buddies. Do you know how you can communicate with them and others even more easily? The Chat Room! It’s a real-time chat room for instant messaging with anyone who’s in there. Once you enter, you can type and send messages instantly and have real conversations with the other members. When you’re logged into your LapBandTalk.com account, all you have to do to enter the Chat Room is to click on “Chat” at the top of the page. Welcome! That’s all we have to this week’s letter. Don’t forget that you can catch up on the old newsletters in the newsletter forum. Come hang out on the boards and spend part of your summer with us! 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: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

Hey, Sleevers! Now that the Fourth of July has passed, we’re well into summer. Hopefully those of you who are experiencing record-setting heat waves have been able to keep cool. Our thoughts and best wishes go out to our members whose power has gone out or who are affected by the wildfires. While we can’t cool you down, VerticalBandTalk.com can cheer you up…so here’s the next edition of the newsletter that keeps you in touch with the happenings on the boards. Here’s a taste of the newsletter. Addressing a burning question – why can losing weight too fast be unhealthy? Member Spotlight: Meet Lissa! Sleever Challenge: Summer refreshment! Tip to improve your Boarding skills – do you know how to use the chat room? Do these stories pique your curiosity? Then keep reading – and when you’re done, come on by the boards to lend a hand and get some encouragement in return! Of course, contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Burning Question: Why is it Dangerous to Lose Weight Too Fast? We’ve all heard it about a million times by now – your weight loss goal should be one to two pounds per week. That’s the general goal after your vertical sleeve gastrectomy surgery: losing one to two pounds per week while eating your prescribed diet and feeling good. There’s nothing dangerous or wrong with losing less than a pound a week, but it can be a little discouraging. And losing more than two pounds per week? It feels great because you feel so much better as you lose weight. But, there are some good reasons why the doctor cautions you to stick to about two pounds per week. First, losing weight too fast can set you up for long-term weight struggles. Of course one of your goals during weight loss is to lose weight – obviously! But another goal is to develop the eating habits that will last you for the rest of your life so that you never gain that weight back. If you’re restricting your food and calories so much to lose weight very fast, you’re probably not eating the same way you will be once you hit your goal weight. Once you hit your goal weight, you’ll need to form a whole new set of eating habits – and that can be tough. It’s much better to take a little longer to get to your goal weight and already have the dietary tools you need to keep the weight off. Another reason to keep your weight loss to around two pounds per week, unless your doctor suggests otherwise, is for your long-term bone health. So many of us think that this is just an important issue for 90-year-old ladies – but it’s not! Everyone needs to be concerned now about their bones so that you don’t get osteoporosis later. Osteoporosis is a condition with low bone mineral density and weak bones. That means you can break your hip, rib, wrist or back very easily. It takes years to develop and probably won’t show up until you’re older. Rapid weight loss can lead to serious losses of bone mineral density and the risk for developing osteoporosis later. Keeping your weight loss to two pounds per week really supports your bone health. Something else you can do to protect your bones is to take the calcium and vitamin D supplements that your dietitian recommends. You need about 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day and 2,000IU of vitamin D. So these are just a few reasons for keeping your weight loss moderate. The vertical sleeve is all about a healthy lifestyle – not just losing weight as fast as possible in the beginning. Your health always comes first, and the number on the scale will reflect your commitment to health. Member Spotlight – Meet Lissa! This week’s Member Spotlight is on Lissa from Vero Beach, Florida. This 45-year-old has taken matters into her own hands with the help of a vertical sleeve gastrectomy. At her pre-surgery high weight of 352 pounds, she had sleep apnea, pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, rheumatoid arthritis pulmonary embolisms. As she says, the surgery saved her life. She got her sleeve in August of 2011 and lost more than 100 pounds within 9 months en route to a her goal weight of a svelte 190 pounds. Food has gone from being the focus of her life to being a “necessary evil” that she is able to work into whatever activities she is involved in. She’s learning to cook for one person after growing up in a family of 17 kids. One of the biggest moments for Lissa was getting out of the Threes and into the 200-pounds. Exercise continues to be one of her biggest struggles, but Lissa’s starting to learn that it’s always worthwhile to try even if you don’t feel like it. Some of her best workouts come on days when didn’t think she wanted to exercise, and she always feels better afterward. Of course, now she thinks nothing of going to the mall and walking around a few times. Lissa loves to help other VerticalSleeveTalk.com members the way they help her, so feel free to PM her any time! She also has some other advice. Take your measurements before surgery (or now) so that you can measure your progress in ways other than the scale. Also, drink tons of water and get your protein in first each day. Thanks for the advice, Lissa, and thanks for being in our Member Spotlight! Congratulations on all your success! We feature a different VerticalSleeveTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. Is there someone you’d like to see highlighted? Maybe you would like to be our highlighted member! Let us know in the member spotlight forum. Don’t worry: it’s not bragging to nominate yourself. You’re helping others by sharing your own stories. If you’re shy, though, just PM Alex if you want to be in the spotlight. Use the messaging system by clicking on the icon of an envelope toward the top-right corner of the forum. Nobody will ever know that you nominated yourself, and you’ll get to be in the newsletter. Thanks! Sleever Challenge: Summer Refreshment! Each newsletter, we challenge you with another Sleever Challenge. It’s a chance to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone or get you thinking about ways to make your weight loss journey even more successful. The challenge can help you do things you never thought you could, or maybe that you never thought of before! The challenge is completely non-competitive, but we hope you’ll post your results in the Challenge Forum so that others can be motivated by your own challenge actions. This week’s challenge is inspired by the weather – the summer heat can be pretty uncomfortable. Your challenge is to let us know what you do in the summer when it’s hot. Maybe in the old days the answer was to eat a banana split and go see a movie in an air-conditioned theater. Now, your answer might be to have a low-calorie snow-cone (shaved ice with sugar-free flavored syrup) and walk around the air-conditioned mall. Let us know how you stay cool in the Sleever Challenge Forum. In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Tips for the Board – Using the Chat Room We’ve got thousands of members at VerticalSleeveTalk.com, and many of you count each other as some of your closest friends. You already know about using the forums, and you may already use the private messaging system to get in touch with your buddies. Do you know how you can communicate with them and others even more easily? The Chat Room! It’s a real-time chat room for instant messaging with anyone who’s in there. Once you enter, you can type and send messages instantly and have real conversations with the other members. When you’re logged into your VerticalSleeveTalk.com account, all you have to do to enter the Chat Room is to click on “Chat” at the top of the page. Welcome! That’s all we have to this week’s letter. Don’t forget that you can catch up on the old newsletters in the newsletter forum. Come hang out on the boards and spend part of your summer with us! Take care of yourself and each other, Alex

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We decided to create sister communities for other weight loss surgeries. We started with VerticalSleeveTalk.com for Gastric Sleeve Surgery in 2007. We recently launched, RNYTalk.com for gastric Bypass Surgery and SleevePlicationTalk.com for Gastric Sleeve Plication Surgery.

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Please see this article and let me know if that helps.

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Hey, SleevePlicationTalk Members! It’s time for another SleevePlicationTalk newsletter. This is your source for what’s going on at SleevePlicationTalk.com. Today we have the first newsletter after the official start to summer, and it’s a hot one! Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. We have a winner! Keep reading to find out who won the iPod Touch giveaway! Member Spotlight: Meet Bekrudz – although maybe you already have! Sleeve Plication Challenge: Take a photo! Write a review of your surgeon for our database. Keep reading to get the scoop on these stories. Of course, you get so much more when you log onto SleevePlicationTalk.com and participate, so come join us! As always, stay in touch and contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder SleevePlicationTalk.com And the Winner is… A few weeks ago, we announced the launch of our apps for Android and Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad. To Celebrate, we held a contest to give away a free iPod Touch. Everyone who filled out a complete patient profile was entered into the drawing, and you could increase your chances of winning by participating more on SleevePlicationTalk.com with things like forum posts, joining a group and referring a friend to SleevePlicationTalk.com. Now, we have a winner! Congratulations to sue! We hope you enjoy your new iPod Touch! The contest may be over, but you can still get your Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad app, your Android app and now the new Kindle app. They’re all fully functional so you never have to be without SleevePlicationTalk.com. Posting to the forums, updating your patient profile and photo gallery and blogging are just a few of the features that the apps offer. Member Spotlight: Meet Bekrudz! This week’s member spotlight is on Beckrudz. She’s about seven months out from surgery and down more than 50 pounds en route to her goal weight. She steadily gained weight and lost her self-esteem through her early 30’s. Beckrudz learned about the sleeve plication surgery and read SleevePlicationTalk.com member stories from patients who wished they hadn’t waited so long to get the surgery. She decided to get the surgery after finding out that her mother had cancer for the third time and that life is too short to waste – it was time to lose the weight and get active again. Beckrudz loves playing with her son at the park and enjoys it just as much as he does. The little things help, too; it’s no longer a problem to get up and down from the floor when playing with her son. She has pleasantly discovered “bones and muscles that I didn’t know existed” because of her weight loss. Her confidence has gone back up, and she no longer has plantar fasciitis. Beckrudz loves using SleevePlicationTalk.com because it’s such a good source of information. She can ask questions and get advice back from other members, and she wants to pass on everything she’s received to new members! Her first piece of advice is not to wait if you’re sure that you’re headed toward bariatric surgery: “every day I don’t do it is one more day I’ll be fat.” Thanks, Bekrudz, for being in the spotlight! We feature a different SleevePlicationTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. Is there someone you’d like to see highlighted? Maybe you would like to be our highlighted member! Let us know in the member spotlight forum. Don’t worry: it’s not bragging to nominate yourself. You’re helping others by sharing your own stories. If you’re shy, though, just PM Alex if you want to be in the spotlight. Use the messaging system by clicking on the icon of an envelope toward the top-right corner of the forum. Nobody will ever know that you nominated yourself, and you’ll get to be in the newsletter. Thanks! Sleeve Plication Newsletter Challenge: Take a Photo! Each newsletter has a different Sleeve Plication challenge. It’s an opportunity to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone to make you stronger and give you more confidence in your weight loss journey. It can help you do things you never thought you could, or maybe that you never thought of before! The challenge is absolutely non-competitive. We encourage you to post your results in the challenge forum. This week, the challenge is to take a photo of yourself and describe it. Are you at your goal weight? Is it a “before” photo? How do you feel about it? What will you do to change it if you’re not happy about it? How will you keep yourself looking good if you’re happy with your photo? We’d love to have you post your photo in the photo gallery and describe your photo in the Challenge forum. Be an inspiration to others! In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Post a Surgeon Review Of course you know that SleevePlicationTalk.com is an invaluable resource for peer support and information. It’s also a great place to find a surgeon for your bariatric procedure. We have a surgeon directory that helps you choose a surgeon based on location and reviews – and that’s where we need your help. If you’ve already gotten your surgery done, please take a few minutes to write and post a surgeon review. You can get to it from the front page by clicking on “Surgeon” and then “Select My Surgeon” from the drop-down menu. Your opinions will help other individuals who are looking for a sleeve plication surgeon make the best decision for their surgery. Thanks! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. Thanks for reading and making the SleevePlicationTalk community as strong as it is. We and the other members couldn’t do it without you! Take care! Sincerely, 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: http://www.sleevepli...&tab=newsletter

Hey, RNYTalk Members!It’s time for another RNYTalk newsletter. This is your source for what’s going on at RNYTalk.com. Today we have the first newsletter after the official start to summer, and it’s a hot one! Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. We have a winner! Keep reading to find out who won the iPod Touch giveaway! Member Spotlight: Meet DLCoggin – although maybe you already have! Bypass Challenge: Take a photo! Write a review of your surgeon for our database. Keep reading to get the scoop on these stories. Of course, you get so much more when you log onto RNYTalk.com and participate, so come join us! As always, stay in touch and contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder RNYTalk.com And the Winner is… A few weeks ago, we announced the Celebrate, we held a contest to give away a free iPod Touch. Everyone who filled out a complete patient profile was entered into the drawing, and you could increase your chances of winning by participating more on RNYTalk.com with things like forum posts, joining a group and referring a friend to RNYTalk.com. Now, we have a winner! Congratulations to vamplover85! We hope you enjoy your new iPod Touch! The contest may be over, but you can still get your Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad app, your Android app and now the new Kindle app. They’re all fully functional so you never have to be without RNYTalk.com. Posting to the forums, updating your patient profile and photo gallery and blogging are just a few of the features that the apps offer. Member Spotlight: Meet DLCoggin! This week’s sleep apnea and heart disease, and decided to get the roux-en-Y surgery when he was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He’s down more than 100 pounds since his gastric bypass surgery in October, and DLCoggin has a clean bill of health. He’s off nearly all of his medications and has enviable blood sugar levels. Life’s good for DLCoggin. He has the energy and stamina to do whatever he wants. He just got back from a fishing trip that involved tons of walking and hiking. He describes himself as a walking addict and uses his regular walks to stay focused and energized. He’s now looking forward to a healthy life of watching his 2-year-old grandson grow up and graduate from college. DLCoggin offers this advice for bypassers: don’t give up. You’ll have a few setbacks, and it’s okay to enjoy yourself at a party. Just log everything you eat and get back on track. DLCoggin invites anyone to PM him with questions. Thanks, DLCoggin, for being in the spotlight! We feature a different RNYTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. Is there someone you’d like to see highlighted? Maybe you would like to be our highlighted member! Let us know in the member spotlight forum. Don’t worry: it’s not bragging to nominate yourself. You’re helping others by sharing your own stories. If you’re shy, though, just PM Alex if you want to be in the spotlight. Use the messaging system by clicking on the icon of an envelope toward the top-right corner of the forum. Nobody will ever know that you nominated yourself, and you’ll get to be in the newsletter. Thanks! Bypass Challenge: Take a Photo! Each newsletter has a different Bypass challenge. It’s an opportunity to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone to make you stronger and give you more confidence in your weight loss journey. It can help you do things you never thought you could, or maybe that you never thought of before! The challenge is absolutely non-competitive. We encourage you to post your results in the challenge forum. This week, the challenge is to take a photo of yourself and describe it. Are you at your goal weight? Is it a “before” photo? How do you feel about it? What will you do to change it if you’re not happy about it? How will you keep yourself looking good if you’re happy with your photo? We’d love to have you post your photo in the photo gallery and describe your photo in the Bypass Challenge forum. Be an inspiration to others! In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Post a Surgeon Review Of course you know that RNYTalk.com is an invaluable resource for peer support and information. It’s also a great place to find a surgeon for your gastric bypass procedure. We have a surgeon directory that helps you choose a surgeon based on location and reviews – and that’s where we need your help. If you’ve already gotten the surgery, please take a few minutes to write and post a surgeon review. You can get to it from the front page by clicking on “Surgeon” and then “Select My Surgeon” from the drop-down menu. Your opinions will help other individuals who are looking for a roux-en-Y surgeon make the best decision for their surgery. Thanks! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. Thanks for reading and making the RNYTalk community as strong as it is. We and the other bypassers couldn’t do it without you! Take care! Sincerely, 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: http://www.rnytalk.c...&tab=newsletter

Hey, Banders!It’s time for another LapBandTalk newsletter. This is your source for what’s going on at LapBandTalk.com. Today we have the first LapBandTalk newsletter after the official start to summer, and it’s a hot one! Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. We have a winner! Keep reading to find out who won the iPod Touch giveaway! Member Spotlight: Meet Quiltlove – although maybe you already have! Bandster Challenge: Take a photo! Write a review of your surgeon for our database. Keep reading to get the scoop on these stories. Of course, you get so much more when you log onto LapBandTalk.com and participate, so come join us! As always, stay in touch and contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com And the Winner is… A few weeks ago, we announced the Celebrate, we held a contest to give away a free iPod Touch. Everyone who filled out a complete patient profile was entered into the drawing, and you could increase your chances of winning by participating more on LapBandTalk.com with things like forum posts, joining a group and referring a friend to LapBandTalk.com. Now, we have a winner! Congratulations to NWgirl! We hope you enjoy your new iPod Touch! The contest may be over, but you can still get your Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad app, your Android app and now the new Kindle app. They’re all fully functional so you never have to be without LapBandTalk.com. Posting to the forums, updating your patient profile and photo gallery and blogging are just a few of the features that the apps offer. Member Spotlight: Meet Quiltlove! This week’s member spotlight is on Quiltlove from North Carolina! She’s one tough lady who won’t let anything get in her way! This 63-year-old grandma has a daughter with lymphoma and a husband who fought lung cancer tooth and nail. And Quiltlove herself? Instead of letting these battles beat her down, she’s lost 125 pounds since getting banded in November of 2010. She says “results not typical,” but you can meet your own goals. Quiltlove wants to be a spokesperson for a positive attitude and success with the lap-band. She wants to help other achieve their weight loss goals while loving life to its fullest. This hot grandma isn’t quite at her goal weight yet, but she expects to be there soon. Her rewards will be a tummy tuck, a makeover and then…her first two-piece bathing suit! We can’t wait to see the beach photos. Thanks, Quiltlove, for being in the spotlight! We feature a different LapBandTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. Is there someone you’d like to see highlighted? Maybe you would like to be our highlighted member! Let us know in the member spotlight forum. Don’t worry: it’s not bragging to nominate yourself. You’re helping others by sharing your own stories. If you’re shy, though, just PM Alex if you want to be in the spotlight. Use the messaging system by clicking on the icon of an envelope toward the top-right corner of the forum. Nobody will ever know that you nominated yourself, and you’ll get to be in the newsletter. Thanks! Bandster Challenge: Take a Photo! Each newsletter has a different Bander challenge. It’s an opportunity to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone to make you stronger and give you more confidence in your lap-band journey. It can help you do things you never thought you could, or maybe that you never thought of before! The challenge is absolutely non-competitive. We encourage you to post your results in the challenge forum. This week, the challenge is to take a photo of yourself and describe it. Are you at your goal weight? Is it a “before” photo? How do you feel about it? What will you do to change it if you’re not happy about it? How will you keep yourself looking good if you’re happy with your photo? We’d love to have you post your photo in the photo gallery and describe your photo in the Bander Challenge forum. Be an inspiration to others! In the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Post a Surgeon Review Of course you know that LapBandTalk.com is an amazing resource for peer support and information. It’s also a great place to find a surgeon for your lap-band procedure. We have a surgeon directory that helps you choose a surgeon based on location and reviews – and that’s where we need your help. If you’ve already gotten banded, please take a few minutes to write and post a surgeon review. You can get to it from the front page by clicking on “Surgeon” and then “Select My Surgeon” from the drop-down menu. Your opinions will help other individuals who are looking for a lap-band surgeon make the best decision for their surgery. Thanks! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. Thanks for reading and making the LapBandTalk community as strong as it is. We and the other banders couldn’t do it without you! Take care! Sincerely, 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: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

Hey, Sleevers!It’s time for another VerticalSleeveTalk newsletter. This is your source for what’s going on at VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Today we have the first newsletter after the official start to summer, and it’s a hot one! Here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter. We have a winner! Keep reading to find out who won the iPod Touch giveaway! Member Spotlight: Meet PdxMan – although maybe you already have! Sleever Challenge: Take a photo! Write a review of your surgeon for our database. Keep reading to get the scoop on these stories. Of course, you get so much more when you log onto VerticalSleeveTalk.com and participate, so come join us! As always, stay in touch and contact us if you have any questions or comments. Take care of yourselves and each other! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com And the Winner is… A few weeks ago, we announced the launch of our apps for Android and Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad. To Celebrate, we held a contest to give away a free iPod Touch. Everyone who filled out a complete patient profile was entered into the drawing, and you could increase your chances of winning by participating more on VerticalSleeveTalk.com with things like forum posts, joining a group and referring a friend to VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Now, we have a winner! Congratulations to our winner Lissa! We hope you enjoy your new iPod Touch! The contest may be over, but you can still get your Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad app, your Android app and now the new Kindle app. They’re all fully functional so you never have to be without VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Posting to the forums, updating your patient profile and photo gallery and blogging are just a few of the features that the apps offer. Member Spotlight: Meet PdxMan! This week’s member spotlight is on PdxMan from Portland, Oregon! PdxMan’s story is a familiar one to a lot of us. He yo-yo dieted for years, letting him lose a few pounds and gain them back with a bonus. He got a wake-up call when he saw that his weight was approaching 300 pounds. Soon his home scale wouldn’t even be able to weigh him because its capacity was 300 pounds! That, a few shocking photos and the fear for his future convinced him that he needed the vertical sleeve gastrectomy – even though he had to pay for it himself. At the time of surgery, PdxMan was pre-diabetic, hypertensive, on a CPAP machine for sleep apnea and experiencing pain in his daily life. Since his surgery in July of 2011, PdxMan has dropped more than 100 pounds. The health problems have disappeared, and the athlete in him has come out. He’s a runner who places highly in his age group at local road races. In fact, he won his age group in a recent 5k (3.1-mile) race by over two minutes! He’s shooting for his first half-marathon (13.1 miles) in July and his first full marathon (the big 26.2!) in the fall. Throughout his weight loss journey, people have increasingly been kinder to PdxMan instead of treating him like “the obese one.” PdxMan uses VerticalSleeveTalk to stay motivated and above all to offer advice for VSG patients. He gives back to the community by providing the truth instead of sugar-coating it. His main advice is to follow the rules exactly and have patience with plateaus. They’ll pass if you’re keeping up a calorie deficit – just keep moving and watching your diet. Thanks, PdxMan, for being in the spotlight! Good luck on your first half-marathon and let us know how it goes! We feature a different VerticalSleeveTalk.com member each week in our Member Spotlight section. Is there someone you’d like to see highlighted? Maybe you would like to be our highlighted member! Let us know in the member spotlight forum. Don’t worry: it’s not bragging to nominate yourself. You’re helping others by sharing your own stories. If you’re shy, though, just PM Alex if you want to be in the spotlight. Use the messaging system by clicking on the icon of an envelope toward the top-right corner of the forum. Nobody will ever know that you nominated yourself, and you’ll get to be in the newsletter. Thanks! Sleever Challenge: Take a Photo! Each newsletter has a different Sleever challenge. It’s an opportunity to push yourself a little outside of your comfort zone to make you stronger and give you more confidence in your weight loss journey. It can help you do things you never thought you could, or maybe that you never thought of before! The challenge is absolutely non-competitive. We encourage you to post your results in the Sleever challenge forum. This week, the challenge is to take a photo of yourself and describe it. Are you at your goal weight? Is it a “before” photo? How do you feel about it? What will you do to change it if you’re not happy about it? How will you keep yourself looking good if you’re happy with your photo? We’d love to have you post your photo in the photo gallery and describe your photo in the Sleever Challenge forum. Be an inspiration to others! I n the Challenge forum, you can always look back at the previous challenges and post your results. It’s never too late to try something new. Post a Surgeon Review Of course you know that VerticalSleeveTalk.com is an invaluable resource for peer support and information. It’s also a great place to find a surgeon for your bariatric procedure. We have a surgeon directory that helps you choose a surgeon based on location and reviews – and that’s where we need your help. If you’ve already gotten your surgery done, please take a few minutes to write and post a surgeon review. You can get to it from the front page by clicking on “Surgeon” and then “Select My Surgeon” from the drop-down menu. Your opinions will help other individuals who are looking for a vertical sleeve surgeon make the best decision for their surgery. Thanks! That’s about it for this week’s newsletter. Thanks for reading and making the VerticalSleeveTalk community as strong as it is. We and the other Sleevers couldn’t do it without you! Take care! Sincerely, 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: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

What's your favorite brand of Bariatric vitamins and supplements and why ?