Alex Brecher

readyforachange 84, That can be a tough one at the beginning, but you can manage! I believe that if you act like it’s a weird and uncomfortable thing, your family will, too. If you act like it’s totally normal and you’re looking forward to the time with them, they’ll be a lot more at ease. As some have suggested, you can probably find something to order that’s on your meal plan. It may be on the menu; it may not. Maybe you’ll have to ask for a scoop of tuna or cottage cheese or a hard-boiled egg, for example. If you’re not feeling confident about getting food from the restaurant, just bring your own small portion of a meal with you to the restaurant and eat it while everyone else eats their meal. Or, just sip on ice Water or decaf unsweetened iced tea. It’s completely up to you, and you can make it a good situation. Just be positive, and the others around you will be, too.

Thanks for all of your answers and explanations, including explaining WHY you feel that way about carbs and also letting us know where you are in your weight loss surgery journey! It looks like a lot of you who are cutting carbs pretty dramatically are still in the rapid weight loss mode and may be planning to up the carbs eventually – I think that’s great, especially since you’re planning to do it with healthy foods! And some of you are just…anti-carb! That’s totally understandable, especially if they’re triggers for you or you can’t seem to manage portions. Also, it’s great if you’ve found that low-carb works for you, doesn’t make you too tired, cranky, or foggy, and seems sustainable long-term. Thanks for sharing, and keep it coming!

Wow, thanks for sharing! These are some pretty deep stories – good and bad. The bad ones just make me shudder, and feel so proud of each of you who was able to overcome rude or incompetent or demeaning healthcare professionals and borderline terrifying medical experiences! And the good ones make me so grateful that there are good, competent, compassionate people in the field of bariatrics.

byebyefat, I’m sorry. Your surgeon is completely out of line, to say the least. What a jerk! That would be absolutely unacceptable behavior even if you WERE losing at a disappointing rate…but you’re not! You lost 20 lbs in six weeks since your surgery November 29?? That’s something to be proud of, and we’re all here celebrating with you, even if your surgeon is too rushed or disappointed to do so. Regarding constipation and vitamins: yes, if your surgeon won’t help, your regular doctor should, and can probably do a better job. At least, in terms of monitoring levels of things like Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, and Iron, your doctor should be best for that. The basics of constipation are getting enough fluids – are you? – and getting in some exercise, if you’re allowed (another thing to ask your primary care doctor). Also, Fiber can help with constipation. Now that you’re probably starting to eat a more varied diet again after getting the sleeve, you can focus on high-fiber foods (after protein), like vegetables and fruit and Beans and some whole grains and starchy vegetables like squash. Don’t let the surgeon get to you, although of course it’s easier said than done. He shouldn’t be allowed to see patients!

Team 10: Doctor accused killing many weight loss surgery patients shares his story http://www.10news.com/news/team-10/team-10-doctor-accused-of-injuring-and-killing-patients-shares-his-story "For the first time, the doctor accused of severely injuring several patients after their weight loss surgeries in Mexico spoke to Team 10 to share his version of events."

Nope, sorry

Hey BariatricPal Members, Ready to get a discount and win a prize? Here goes… Guess what! We’re approaching post number…4 million! That’s right – our forums are about to see post number 4,000,000! That goes to show why we’re the leading weight loss surgery community in the world! How many is 4 million? Just to put it in perspective… 4 million seconds add up to 24 days. 4 million steps would cover 2200 miles – the distance from California to New York. 4 million calories burned leads to 1142 pounds lost! And, a little less scientific but way more meaningful…4 million BariatricPal posts add up to over 3 million pounds lost…according to our community counter! Yes, our forums serve a great role in supporting your health and weight loss. The proof is on our front page weight loss counter! So, it’s time for the celebration to begin! The grand prize will go to the poster who makes post number 4,000,000 on the BariatricPal forums! This lucky winner will get a gift selection from The BariatricPal Store consisting of: Low-carb Fettuccine Alfredo – delicious gluten-free, high-Protein Pasta variety pack Protein Soup – with favorites like chicken noodle and cream of broccoli Selection of Protein Hot chocolate – with classic, amaretto, marshmallow, and more Best of Hot Protein Breakfasts – like omelets, pancakes, and oatmeal Protein shake or pudding mixes – try chocolate, vanilla, and more. 15g Protein Bar Sample pack – great Snacks for any time with chocolate, caramel, peanut, and more flavors Lite Bites Variety Pack – low carb, high protein, pretzels, and chips to satisfy crunch cravings. The more you post, the greater your chances of winning! All BariatricPal members get a 15% discount to The BariatricPal Store with an order of $75 or more. Stock up on bariatric supplements, protein, meals, and snacks! The offer is good through February 2. Just use coupon code 4millionThanks for your discount when you check out. Thanks for your support over the years, and congratulations on this impressive milestone! Because of you, BariatricPal truly is the number one source of online support for the weight loss surgery community.

Bellabloom, It sounds like a struggle for you. The others have had some great points and ideas. Focusing on some calorie-dense foods might help. What about nuts? cheese? Going back to the Protein shakes, as you may have used in the first stages post-op, could also help. Can you blend in, say, avocado and/or Peanut Butter to shakes to increase the calories? Could you cook foods with sneaky fats, like baking your protein with olive oil, or tossing Pasta with olive oil? Finding some slider foods seems like a great idea! Wheat Thins or other crackers, Cereal, macaroni and cheese (make it whole grain and real cheese, if you’re worried about junk food), or whatever may work for you. I understand you don’t want to eat junk food, but if you’ve honestly tried every healthy food on the planet and you can’t get enough calories, junk food may be your best (and only) bet to make up the calories you need to stop losing weight. Maybe in a while, you’ll be able to eat more “healthy” foods and reduce the calories from “unhealthy” foods I agree with some of the other members who suggest simply making it a priority – the same way after surgery when it’s really, really tough to get down those Protein Shakes to make 65 grams a day, and to get down that Water to make 64 ounces a day. Maybe eating will feel like a full-time job, but maybe it needs to be if the alternative is getting thinner than you want to be. Experimenting until you find your own “slider” foods seems like a possibly great idea! If you’re really and truly at a point where you cannot eat enough to subsist, that’s a serious problem! I hope you can find a nutritionist who addresses your particular problems and doesn’t just label you before listening to your story. @@jenn1, I don’t have a ton of personal experience with eating disorders of the non-overeating type, but I know it’s definitely a big deal in our WLS community! There’s a nice article here from the Obesity Action Coalition discussing obesity, eating disorders (binge eating disorder or BED, anorexia, and bulimia), and cross addictions. I’ve also heard them referred to as replacement addictions: after WLS, the addiction to food can be “replaced” by an addiction to something else. The article makes a very interesting point that after WLS, the person may not realize they are developing a replacement addiction. They think they can handle the alcohol, or whatever it is they are turning to, and don’t realize when they get to a point that’s dangerous. Anyway, it is definitely very common to have eating disorders (especially if you’ve struggled in the past) or other cross addictions post-op. Thanks for that info, @@jenn1. @@bellabloom, I would say to be super honest with yourself – can you physically eat more and do you want to? – and if the answer is that you’re in physical pain and you cannot get enough nutrients, then you need serious medical help. You’ve posted about this for several weeks (if not longer), and that’s way too long to live with bad pain. You have worked so hard to get to where you are now, and you’re worth a trip to the doctor.

Protein has the reputation of being the most important nutrient and the one to focus on at each meal. People think of protein, and they think “good.” That’s especially true in the WLS community. Gastric sleeve and bypass patients in particular need to focus on protein to prevent malnutrition. Plus, protein helps you stay full and lowers blood sugar swings. But carbs? You hear all sorts of things about them…many of them pretty bad. However, there are all kinds of studies linking carbs to health benefits – as long as we’re talking “healthy,” high-fiber, less process carbs, and not refined starches and added sugars. Think oats, Beans, fruit, and vegetables – all linked to lower disease risk and even lower body weight! Still, carbs can be high-calorie – think of a cup of whole-grain Pasta, beans, or sweet potatoes with over 200 calories. And many kinds of fruit are so high in sugar they can spike your blood sugar levels. So, what are your attitudes towards carbs? Do you avoid them? Limit them? Choose only healthy ones? Make sure to balance them with protein and fat? Not worry about them as long as you’re within your calories? Share your thoughts and advice here!

You’re committing to a tough journey when you decide to get weight loss surgery. Your surgeon and the other health professionals who work with you have a big influence. They can make the journey go smoothly, or they can throw all sorts of obstacles in your path. They can make you feel comfortable and tell you everything you need to know, or they can make you feel like an idiot and withhold information. I’ve even heard stories as bad as bariatric nurses telling patients that it’ll never work! One of my best findings was finding how great my surgeon was. She always was there for me and I am still in touch with her. I am fortunate not to have had any negative experiences around the time I got my lap-band. I guess I could have used a little more nutritional help, but that wasn’t really anyone’s fault. So, what is the best thing you have experienced on the medical or insurance side of weight loss surgery? What is the worst thing? Share your stories here!

Have to say…what @@Babbs said. That’s all!

carfeli2004, You’ve gotten some great tips here! Choosing better foods might help. You can eat more of the low-calorie foods like vegetables, so they fill you up. Plus high-Fiber, high-Protein foods reduce hunger for way longer than sugary and carby foods. Plus cravings go down when you stop with the sugar, fatty, carby, and salty foods. So, go for healthy choices! Also, meal and snack timing might be important, too. If you’re “grazing,” you might be getting in more than you realize, but still feel hungry at meals. If you’re only eating meals and feeling starving before the next meal, maybe you need to plan some healthy (low-calorie) Snacks. Good luck!

rachelr28, Sorry to hear of your discomfort. I wouldn’t give up hope yet, though! I know five weeks seems like a really long time, but it’s not long in the scheme of things. Some patients don’t even try to start pureed foods until 4 or 5 weeks post-op. You got some great tips from the other members on eating slowly. I’d also see if you can find out what your nutritionist or surgeon has to say. I really don’t think it’s permanent, though! It just unfortunately seems like a long time.

lwmatch, I am SO SORRY to hear this! That’s just despicable. The only thing I can think of to offer is: do you have any weigh-ins on record of being over BMI 35 at the time you got insurance approval? I just don’t know what to say. I am floored.

LOL! I haven’t watched it yet, but maybe I will when I find it online somewhere. I did see an article about the trainers, and yes, I cringed when I read some of the tips from Clean Momma. It sounds like her goal is to make bad aspects of our lives worse (don’t like washing dishes? Try throwing in some calf raises and squats!), and to make good parts not-so-good (I can just imagine…”Going out with friends? Do a pushup every time someone says the word “the!”) I don’t know quite what to think. All these weight loss shows are silly – can you really have a lasting lifestyle change within the short duration of a TV show, and is it a healthy environment? On the other hand, maybe these shows do change the contestants’ lives, and maybe they inspire a few viewers to get healthy, and maybe they give some good information and ideas along with the obviously questionable ones. And I guess for all of us who made a different decision, we get to feel happy about ours!

Andrew0929, Good for you for nipping the regain in the bud! I doubt if the cereal per se is actually causing the weight gain if you’re truly staying within your calorie goals, but I agree with some of the others that maybe it is an unhealthy habit if you’re depending on it and it’s driving you to make other unhealthy decisions. I love some of these ideas! As you think of some more, I’d also try to think about why the cereal is so attractive. Part of it may be the sweetness and crunch, but part of it may just be its convenience. It’s there, and it’s ready to eat. Maybe if you make sure that it’s not there, and that other, healthier, Snacks are ready to eat, you’ll go for the healthier snacks without another thought. Maybe the trick is to have ready to eat foods on hand, so some ideas are carrot sticks and other cut veggies, peeled oranges, washed grapes and other fruit, hard-boiled eggs, yogurt, and other prepared foods. I also like seaweed snacks for a low-calorie crunch.

I love these! There are so many things here that I love! I love that so many of you see GOAL WEIGHT in your 2016 future! What I think I love most of all is that so many of you see yourself doing things that wouldn’t be possible before WLS – that now weight is not such a barrier to life. You can look for a job and plan to do things without worrying about weight holding you back, or about developing horrible health problems, for that matter! Thanks for sharing your goals, and good luck achieving them! I hope you keep sharing throughout the year as great things happen to you.

Wow, I have to say…it sounds like the holidays didn’t get too bad for most of you, and that’s great! And even better is that you have some sensible – not extreme – plan for getting back on track! Cervidae, Congratulations on having a treat, enjoying it, and stopping there! What an accomplishment, and something to be proud of and to remember when the going gets rough. Jennolsen, Protein and fluids – that’s the right idea! Congratulations on still losing during the holidays, and being so close to goal weight! It sounds like going back to counting, focusing on protein and Water, and getting rid of the junk are at the top of the list. For me, the first thing was to clean out my house to get rid of whatever holiday treats somehow snuck in and accumulated! Then I went grocery shopping for all kinds of good things, including fresh fruits and vegetables like lettuce, Snacks like carrots and grapes, and veggies to cook like broccoli and zucchini. I also stocked up on all the other healthy essentials, like yogurt, plus frozen staples like blueberries, and chicken. Now there’s no reason not to eat right!

Thank you! You'd be surprised how many WLS professionals and patients have never heard about us. We definitely need to do a better job at publicizing our existence. That's one of the reasons we've started attending events like YourWeightMatters, WLSFA and ObesityWeek. When I mentioned this site at my surgeon's office, they scoffed and told me not to believe everything I read online. I just smiled and nodded and continue 3 years later to log on and soak up all I can almost daily. This site has been a lifeline for many of us and I know that I would not have been able to be as successful as I have without it. Thanks a million times for your dedication to the WLS community. You are very welcome! You made my week, thanks!!!

Just tracked your order and it's arriving later today (Friday 1/8.) We are almost 100% back to normal now and most orders are shipping same day or within 24 hours of receipt. Thanks to all of our members that have had the patience to work with us through these small growing pains!

It looks good. I removed your email from the blacklist for reporting us as spam

Kindle, Great topic! Miss: not much. (I’m a bander, not a VSG patient). I guess I miss being able to eat certain things without thinking twice. I mean healthy but stringy or fibrous things, like celery or popcorn: healthy foods that can stick in the band. Don’t miss: being fat, missing life, being tired, thinking about food, being ruled by food, being embarrassed, fad diets. On balance…things I DON’T MISS far outweigh things I miss! Thanks for bringing that up and reminding me how much I’ve gained since losing!

goblue9280, Thanks for bringing up this topic! It’s a sensitive one! I think you have a great answer to say something vague like, “I don’t really know,” and I love Dub’s addition of, “but I have a lot more to go.” Thanks also for pointing out that most people actually do mean well, even if you’d rather they didn’t say anything. It’s hard for us to think about how a lot of people see WLS patients; they are on the outside looking in, and they (most of them) just are curious or want to be positive. The way they see it, asking how much you lost gives you a chance to brag. lauraellen80…that’s great! Anyway, congrats to all of you who have lost so much weight that people are asking you about it!

Overview Now that 2016 is underway and routines are getting back to normal, your healthy intentions may be back to normal, too. Whether or not you slipped up a little during the holidays, you may be more determined than ever to eat right. Breakfast may get the most attention, but lunch can make or break you, too. Think of burgers and fries, cheesy beef burritos with nachos, and meatball sandwiches from the fast food restaurant down the street from work. Think of pizza that shows up in the lunch room. Think of the chips, candy bars, and cheese crackers from the vending machine down the hall when you skip” lunch. Lunch can break you if you’re caught unprepared, costing you hundreds of extra calories each day. But it doesn’t have to. If high-calorie, low-protein, low-nutrient lunches are regular for you, it’s time to healthify your lunch! This week’s challenge can help you do just that. Getting Started: In most cases, packing a lunch is the best choice. It lets you control exactly what and how much goes into your mouth. The first step is to make sure you are set up for taking your own lunches. You need some small containers with tight-fitting lids, a set of cutlery – small-sized if that’s what you are using at home to help yourself eat slower – and a lunch bag, preferably insulated. Think of some ideas for healthy lunches. They can be as simple or gourmet as you like, as long as you stick to the basic weight loss surgery guidelines: start with protein, go for veggies or fruit next, and consider a small amount of starch. To get you through the day, you can also pack a few healthy snacks with protein, such as hard-boiled eggs, string cheese sticks, and celery with non-fat cream cheese. Then get ready to make your healthy lunches. You may need to go shopping for any ingredients you may need for this week’s lunches, especially if you’re used to going out. Don’t forget foods such as yogurt or salad dressing that you might want to keep in the workroom fridge. The Next Steps Do whatever prep work and cooking that you can ahead of time. That could include cooking and dicing chicken breast, boiling a dozen eggs, and peeling, washing, and cutting carrot sticks, celery sticks, cucumber coins, and other raw vegetables. You could also make some recipes such as three-bean salad or tofu broccoli stir fry so they’re ready to go during the coming week. Each night, plan your lunch for the next day and pack as much as you can. Don’t forget to put your water bottle next to your lunch bag so you remember to take it, too. Finish the packing in the morning, and enjoy your lunch every day this week! Make It Last: How did you like this week’s challenge? Did you feel that planning ahead led you to making healthier choices at lunch? Did packing your lunch help you avoid going to fast food or sit-down restaurants? Did you feel proud of yourself for making the healthy choices? If you think packing your lunch might be something you want to keep up, you might be able to improve on the process as you get used to it. Maybe you’ll find that you need a specific size container, or maybe you’ll realize you need to set aside some time on the weekends and a few minutes each night to get your food together. Whatever it is, practice makes perfect! Keep those lunches healthy, and you’ll be sure to feel better and get a little closer to your weight loss and health goals this year. Happy New Year!

Okay, I know we’re not supposed to be on diets. It’s a lifestyle. But maybe, just maybe, a few little treats crept into your diet over the last few weeks with the holidays. So, here are my questions. First, how “bad” did the holidays get? Did you learn a few things about yourself, such as what was worth eating and what wasn’t? And did you come up with any strategies that worked for you to pass up some of the temptations? And now, what are you doing to get back on track? Are you eating special foods and/or cutting out certain foods? Are you going back to the basics of measuring and logging? Are you drinking tons of Water? What’s your advice for getting back on track?