Alex Brecher

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Merry Christmas! It’s a time that many of you look forward to for months, and enjoy a few special moments with your loved ones. Even if you do not celebrate it, we hope you will take advantage of this time of year to appreciate your family, friends, and other good things in your life. Here’s what we put in this newsletter in hopes of making this day a little happier and healthier for you! A Few Tips for a WLS-Friendly Christmas Dinner Need a Last-Minute Gift? No Problem! Ideas for a Healthy Christmas with Family and Friends Major holidays like this are always a reason for us to be even more grateful for your support. Thanks for everything, and all the best to you and your family this season. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal A Few Tips for a WLS-Friendly Christmas Dinner Christmas dinner: family, good thoughts, and food. Lots of it, and most of it unhealthy. What are you going to do this year to keep it in check? Here’s a run-down of the courses and how you can make better choices at each one. The Menu The Apps: The wrong apps can make your dinner a disaster before it even begins. At the same time, the apps give you a chance to shine. Skip the mini pizzas, tarts, and pastries. Instead, go for plain fare such as a meatball, shrimp, crudites (raw veggies), and small amounts of cheese or nuts. The Protein: Skip the duck and goose – they’re the fattiest poultry. Turkey’s your best bet. Lean beef tenderloin is a little fattier but still okay, and ham will do in a pinch. It has good calorie count, but is packed with sodium and cancer-causing nitrates. Also, stick to mustard and not sugary cranberry sauce. The Sides: Candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, and stuffing are calorie and fat-laden starches, while creamy corn and green bean casseroles are anything but veggies. Go for roasted brussels sprouts and acorn squash. You can always bring something healthy like a green salad with blue cheese, pears, and cranberries with a light dressing on the side. The Dessert: No surprises here. Instead of the pies, bring fresh fruit, whether you like apples, persimmons, berries, or citrus fruit. If you’re feeling ambitious, try making Christmas meringue cookies with egg whites, stevia, agave syrup, and a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. The Strategies It’s not just about what you eat. It’s how much. Here are a few tips to keep you from eating way more than you should on Christmas. -Help out. When you’re clearing the table, washing dishes, and sweeping the floor, you’re not eating. Plus, everyone will be grateful to you! No worries if the hosts don’t allow you to help because they like to clean up their way. Just stay in the kitchen and keep them company. They’ll enjoy the company and appreciate your consideration for how they run their household. -Talk. Swallow what you’re eating, talk, and keep talking. Don’t take another bite. And when you’re not talking, listen. Put down your knife and fork, make eye contact, and concentrate on the person. You may be the first person all day who truly took the time to listen to that person. -Entertain. Direct the gift giving and pack up the extra wrapping paper. If the children get bored, tell them a story. Pack up leftovers for others to take home. Volunteer to do whatever needs to be done, and you won’t have a chance to overeat. Need a Last-Minute Gift? Don’t Panic! If you’re anything like us, this is not unfamiliar territory. You do your best to get thoughtful gifts for everyone on your list. Then, for some reason, you end up needing a gift – NOW! Maybe you forgot to add someone to your list, or you just kept putting off buying their present because you couldn’t think of anything. Well, may we suggest a gift card to The BariatricPal Store? It’s available in amounts from $10 to $250. The recipient gets it delivered automatically in their email, so they’ll never know it was a last-minute gift. Gift cards are good for anything at the store from bariatric vitamins and protein powders to low-carb, high-protein snacks and meals. Say “Merry Christmas” with the gift of health! Ideas for a Healthy Christmas with Family and Friends You may be the only one in your family or among your friends with weight loss surgery, but there’s no reason feel alone in the journey. Invite them to join you in your healthy lifestyle. You’ll get more support and have an easier time losing weight, and you may be surprised how grateful your friends and family are to be included. Here are a few ideas. -make up healthy holiday gifts for friends. For example, make up healthy soup mixes with beans and dried vegetables or spice mixes to give out instead of Christmas cookies. -make spiced tea together and sip it instead of going to a coffee shop or restaurant for a high-calorie drink or meal. -go for a walk and talk…and have the mindset that it may be the first of many fun times working out and talking together. Again, a Merry Christmas to all our members who celebrate it, and warm wishes to all of our members. We sincerely hope this season finds you healthy and making good progress towards your goals.

If you have family or friends who visit from out of town, or you visit them, during the holidays, this may be the first time you have seen them (or they have seen you!) since a major life event, whether it’s deciding to get surgery, getting surgery, or losing a ton of weight after surgery. If you are seeing people for the first time since one of these events, how are you handling it? Are you telling them about surgery? (Or did you already tell them)? Are they mentioning your weight loss? Are they positive and encouraging, or negative? And how do you deal with it? Post up your experiences, and maybe you’ll help other members who are struggling with the same thing!

Some say Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. They say it boosts metabolism and provides extra nutrients. It keeps you from being as hungry during the morning, so you’re better able to make healthy eating choices the rest of the day. It gives you energy to be more active. And, it can give you a good dose of that all-important nutrient – Protein. Still, breakfast isn’t always the top priority for everyone. We may be too busy to cook, or too rushed in the morning to sit down for this meal. Or, it can just be too boring to make eggs every day, or grab a container of yogurt on the way out the door. Do you eat breakfast every day? Did you used to, or did you start when you first started thinkg about WLS or even after? What do you usually have for breakfast, and how do you make sure you have time to prepare it every day?

Primha, It’s different for everyone, but a lot of WLS patients (as you can see) don’t have too much physical hunger. I wonder, though, if your low-calorie diet is really so low that it made you shaky (which is beyond hunger), maybe your calories were a little too low? I know some WLS patients who have also gotten shaky when they don’t eat enough. Personally, I got the lap-band, and would say I have normal hunger – I get hungry when I need to eat, and do not have terrible head hunger. As for counting minutes until the next meal, I don’t do that anymore. When I did, before WLS, it was because of head hunger, not physical hunger.

McButterpants, First, I want to say I am so glad your doctor was understanding! That makes such a difference. You should never need to be afraid to go to your doctor, and I am glad your doctor had the right reaction. About the appetite suppressants, I would be nervous, too. I wonder if you could do something that would please your doctor and get you back on track. Maybe you could tell your doctor to give you a month before you start the prescription. In that time, maybe you could really focus and try to lose some of the regained weight. That would give you a nice goal that should be doable, and if not, maybe the appetite suppressants would help.

seaniepoohbear, A good question…and I think you’ve gotten some great answers! Definitely talk to your surgeon – or several surgeons if you haven’t yet made up your mind. Ask their opinions, but don’t let them make the final decision for you. Also, as the others have said, do your research. The bypass has a higher risk of deficiencies, but it has a longer history as a WLS procedure, so it has a lot of documented success. The sleeve is pretty new, relative to the bypass, but it’s the most common now. Some patients like that it doesn’t rearrange your digestive tract and intestines too much compared to the bypass – it just shrinks your stomach. The bypass gives a higher risk of dumping syndrome. That’s not pleasant, but for some who want to quit eating sweets, it can be a good choice because it forces you to avoid sugary foods. There’s no single right answer, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. Good luck!

scottyd1264, SO many WLS patients say that! You wake up, you’ve something irreversible (or in the case of the band, something that’s intended to be irreversible), you’re in pain, you’re in the hospital, and you haven’t even lost any weight yet! No wonder so many WLS patients wonder what they just did! I just figure by that point, there’s no going back…so go forward. It doesn’t matter if it was the right or wrong. It’s done. So make the best of it…and usually the best is pretty good!

It’s the holiday season, and that probably means gifts. A good gift should be personal. It should show your love and support. It might not cost much, but it can be very meaningful. No worries if you’re stuck when thinking about bariatric-friendly gifts. Help is on the way! Here are BariatricPal’s ideas for a WLS gift list. Gift Card to The BariatricPal Store Gift cards are all the rage. They avoid the possibility of giving an unwanted gift and forcing the recipient to go through the hassle of the returns process. You could opt for a generic gift card to one of the mass merchandisers, but why not get one that’s a little more personal? A gift card to The BariatricPal Store may be the answer. It’s good on any product in the BariatricPal store, from high-protein pretzels to single-serve packets of low-carb oatmeal and pasta to bariatric vitamins. Weight loss surgery patients can stay nourished and save time using The BariatricPal Store. Oh, and by the way…it’s a great last-minute gift. It’s delivered electronically so the recipient gets it instantly. A Comfort Basket Everyone can use a little extra comfort after weight loss surgery. A comfort basket can be a great gift, and it’s even better because you can customize it with special treats for the recipient. Here are a few ideas. A cute blanket because some weight loss surgery patients get cold as they lose weight. Some gourmet protein soup, broth, or bouillon to stay hydrated and get warm. Some recipe cards with high-protein, low-carb healthy recipes…and maybe some of the ingredients that go into those recipes. A nice bath soap to encourage the recipient to just…relax. Some bariatric treats like sugar-free cheesecake or all-natural turkey jerky. Product Subscriptions from The BariatricPal Store Once you become a bariatric surgery patient, you’re no longer a great candidate to be a member of a Wine of the Month, Chocolate of the Month, or Cookie of the Month Clubs. So how can your friends and family give you a gift that you’ll remember all year long? Try a subscription at The BariatricPal Store! When you sign someone up for Subscribe and Save, the order automatically ships to their door every 1, 2, or 3 months. You can have The BariatricPal Store bill your credit card. It’ll keep going until you cancel it, so there’s no need to remember to pay a bill or order the next delivery. The recipient will think of you every time they receive a great-tasting batch of bariatric chocolate cake, or a time-saving variety pack of hot and cold breakfasts. Gym Membership for Two This kills so many birds with one stone. It is a gift that says, “I love you so much that I’m willing to go to the gym so we can be healthy together.” It gives you the chance to get fit, and it comes with a built-in motivator: a workout buddy. Say goodbye to excuses when both of you have a gym membership. You can’t let that money go to waste. And when you work out together, you can push each other, encourage each other, gain a little more respect for each other, and, yes, even have fun together. That’s a great gift! The BariatricPal Big Book Pre-op or post-op, and band, bypass, or sleeve, there’s a Big Book on Weight Loss Surgery that’s right for you. The big books have tips, hacks, and recipes for every stage of the weight loss surgery journey, from choosing a surgeon to moving into maintenance. Order a hard copy for curling up near the fireplace on a cool evening, or get an electronic version so you can read the Big Book whenever you want. I.O.U’s Remember back in grade school when you’d make a coupon book for Father’s Day? You might have included things like washing the car, mowing the lawn, or making lunch. Those things may not seem too special, but here’s a hint that they were: your dad may have kept those coupons around for decades. Well, you can create something just as special now. What about some of these coupons? A workout together at the gym, in a group fitness class, or outdoors. A meal that you cook together, so both of you can understand what it’s like to count protein, measure every bite, and put together healthy meals. An afternoon shopping for clothes…which is so much more fun when you can fit into them after losing weight. (For a pre-op patient) Help cleaning out the unhealthy foods from the kitchen, and restocking it with healthy foods. Each of these coupons says, “I like spending time with you. I want to share my world with you, and I am so thankful for your interest.” We hope these ideas are helpful and make your holiday season easier. If you have any gift ideas, please share them in the comments section!

Hey everyone, Thanks for the great ideas! I knew coming to you would be the right choice for brainstorming. Wow! These are so clever and funny and TRUE! Keep them coming...you have another week and a half to enter the contest or submit more entries – they’re due December 28! Don’t forget, the members with the top five ideas will get a $20 coupon to The BariatricPal Store! I’ll announce the winners on this thread, so make sure you’re subscribed to updates.

Here’s why putting yourself first can make everyone else happier, and how you can put yourself first this holiday season. The holidays are about being a good person, right? You’re supposed to be thankful for what you have. You’re supposed to give to others, and put others’ needs first. I agree completely, but you can do more for others when you’re at your best. You’ll be at your best when you take care of yourself, so here are some ideas for keeping yourself in your best physical, mental, and emotional shape…so you have more to give others. So here are some ways to put yourself first this holiday season. They’ll help you eat a little healthier, stay a little fitter, and be a little more in control than if you neglect your own needs. And they’ll help you be able to do more for others. Eat Right Can’t get away from this one, can you? You know when you eat well, you have more energy, feel more confident, and are happier. That’s a recipe for being able to do some quality gift shopping or even volunteer work. You know what “eating right” means. Base your meals around lean protein like non-fat cottage cheese, tuna, beans, egg whites, or chicken breast, for example. Add a bunch of vegetables, and enjoy some fruit or healthy starches at most meals. Pretty simple, and so effective! Oh, and if you do indulge? Keep it to a small and delicious bite to savor. Use the Trash Can, Don’t Be One If you’ve ever eaten something just because it’s there, you’ve used your body as a trash can. That’s because you ate something you didn’t need instead of simply leaving it or throwing it out. This happens a lot around the holidays, when you might eat the leftovers or a plate of Christmas cookies because you feel guilty throwing them out. Guess what. When you throw trash into your body instead of a can, you’re not helping starving children in Africa. If you really want to help them, why not make a donation? Donate, say, a penny for every calorie you dump, or a quarter for every cookie you toss. Now that’s how putting yourself first can help out others in need! Exercise When you exercise, you’re happier, more energetic, and more focused. Sound selfish? Not really. You can be more productive at work, better able to entertain your friends and family, and readier to whip up that next batch of cookies when your children have a last-minute request for a contribution to a classroom holiday party. It can be tough to stick to your regular exercise schedule during the holidays. You can save time by getting your gear ready the night before and by planning your workout ahead of time so you make use of every moment. Since it can be tempting to sleep in instead of a morning workout or just hang out at home in the evening, make use of other people to stay accountable. Make plans to meet an exercise buddy, or commit to group fitness classes. And, if you’re feeling too stressed or tired to do a hard workout, try going to the gym for some easy stretching. You’ll still get the mental benefits and stay in the healthy habit of being a gym rat. De-Stress Have you ever wanted to tell someone to just “chill!” because they’re making you nervous? Don’t be that person! Keep yourself cool and collected so everyone wants to be around you and not avoid you. De-stress in whatever way works for you. You can go for a walk, get a massage or manicure, take a drive, or go shopping. It doesn’t matter…as long as you do it and it works. If it involves someone else, you’re doing double duty and helping someone else out as well! Have Fun Amidst all the hustle and bustle of taking care of yourself and others, don’t forget to have fun. Do whatever you want, whether it’s meeting a friend for (healthy) lunch, watching a full season of a TV show in a few days, or doing all the aisles at Walmart at 1:00 a.m. Whatever you’ve been dying to do all year, do it now. When you keep yourself happy, you’re better able to appreciate what other people need or want to be happy. Forgive Yourself Yes, things will go wrong. You’ll eat too much, or go a little overboard on the alcohol at a holiday party, or sleep in instead of working out. Or you’ll forget to pick up a gift for someone, or burn the cake you’re baking. It’s okay, and you’re best off if you can laugh it off and move on. Fret about it, and you’ll just be hurting other people who would rather see you happy than upset. The holiday season is supposed to be about giving, but that can drain you if you don’t take care of yourself. Just like you do during the rest of your weight loss surgery journey, you need to put yourself first during the holidays. That lets you give your best to everyone else, too.

Both, thanks!!

For many of us, we have (or used to have, before surgery), trouble passing up food. If you’re a mindless muncher, you drift towards anything that’s lying around, whether or not you’re hungry. That’s definitely a habit that contributed to my weight gain! If you’re an emotional eater, you can dive for whatever looks good at the time you need comfort. Mindless muncher or emotional overeater, any junk food in the kitchen can call to you and throw a wrench in your healthy eating plans. The best strategy is to get rid of the junk food and only keep healthy, non-trigger foods around…but that’s not always possible if your family protests! It could be your kids wanting certain snack foods around, or your spouse needing his stash of potato chips or leaving leftover take-out in the fridge. For whatever reason, it can be harder to lose weight if your kitchen isn’t “clean.” So, does your kitchen support weight loss? Is it stocked only with healthy foods? Or is there a stockpile of trigger or junk foods that threaten to sneak their way into your diet? How do you deal with your family’s “required” junk foods?

It can be tough to get in a workout anytime during the year, but the holidays take the cake. You can be busy. The weather can be terrible. You may feel guilty leaving family or friends for a few minutes so you can get moving. At the same time, this is when you need to work out the most! There’s too much food around and too much stress NOT to work out! The need to exercise can lead to some crazy strategies, like doing bicep curls with your shopping bags, following a YouTube workout video on your smartphone while you’re at the airport, or taking a walk at midnight because the snow looks so bright and pretty. What’s the craziest thing you’ve done to get in your workout?

Mz.W, Good luck with your appointment! That’s always super exciting. I agree 100% with Sophie74656 to choose a surgeon you’re comfortable with. It’s tempting to go with the first one you meet with – at least, I always feel obligated because I feel like they gave me their time, or I feel like they’ll be “good enough,” even if I don’t feel completely comfortable. It’s definitely worth your time and effort, and you completely have the right, to keep looking until you find a surgeon you’re comfortable with. They’re out there, even if it takes some looking! The other suggestion I have is to write down all your questions, starting NOW! I know the consult is such a huge deal and I get nervous or overwhelmed when I talk to doctors. If I don’t write down my questions, I forget even the most obvious things. Keep us posted how it goes and ask if you have any questions before then!

jenn1, Great question!! It’s so important to appreciate what we have now, post-op, and to remember why we NEVER want to go back to pre-op weight, health, and habits again! Let’s see…morbid obesity taught me a lot. It taught me that life feels awful when you don’t feel like the true “you” is showing through, like you’re trapped in that fat suit, to be cliché. Like Inner Surfer Girl said, though, it shaped me. I am able to be more understanding of people, whether they have a weight problem or other problems that they may get judged for. I don’t want to forget the feeling of being ashamed of myself and hoping people would kindly close their eyes to my obvious problems. I don’t want to forget how much worse life was when it revolved around food. I don’t want to forget how out of control I felt in my life. Losing weight taught me that people treat me differently at different weights. People are more likely to treat me with respect, whether consciously or subconsciously. And I am more confident at a lower weight; even though what I say and think may be the same, it comes out more easily. My entire weight loss surgery journey has made possible my career. I now get to spend my days doing something I’m absolutely passionate about – helping weight loss surgery patients in one way or another, whether through maintaining the BariatricPal forums, networking with other WLS advocates, or meeting up with surgeons.

Sophie74656, I think it’s a little bit of all of those, with their respective contributions varying by the person! I think some of the reasons are patients not doing their research and patients not understanding what they’re given, as well as doctors and nutritionists not doing their jobs. I also think there may be some element, like James Marusek said, of wanting a personal touch. Patients may also expect a personal touch – they may feel unsure if what they research themselves online or in books is applicable to them, and may expect their healthcare team to explain it to them. And there, I think there may sometimes be a breakdown in communications. For example, surgeons’ office may give patients a huge stack of papers to read, and patients may not read it. Patients expect it to be explained to them, while the offices may expect patients to the information they’re given. All just my observations and guesses…but you’re right. Patient education – either self-education or education by their surgeons and nutritionists – is lacking somehow.

koos, It’s hard to answer this question. Are you talking about in the short-term, around the time of surgery? Or are you talking losing too much weight in the approximately year or so post-op when most of your weight loss takes place? In both cases, weight loss is so individual! I know patients who have lost 30 lbs in the first couple weeks post-op, as well as patients who have lost 8 lbs in the first three weeks post-op. Both groups mostly seem basically happy with their results. Longer term, you have a little more control over your rate of weight loss. You can change your exercise levels and calorie intake. If you’re having trouble getting in enough calories to slow your rate of weight loss, you can go back to using more shakes and powders. That’s more likely the case for sleeve patients. Good luck!

It’s great to hear that so many of you attend support group meetings – both that you have them available, and that you choose to attend them! It seems that going to these meetings is linked to better success – maybe because it helps keep you motivated and on your toes. I am glad BariatricPal is able to play a role in providing support as a source of information and encouragement, as well as to hold members accountable!

Thanks for these great ideas! Yes, I love The World According to EggFace – what a wonderful story and some delicious recipes. They’re so down-to-earth. And yes, bari delicious food is a great one. There are a ton of gems on there, like low-carb “bari-bread” made with cream cheese. Super cool! Keep your ideas coming – all BariatricPal members can benefit from learning about these great resources!

LOL!!!

Hey everyone, I want to design some cool weight loss surgery t-shirts, and I need your help! What do you think would go best on a t-shirt? For example: (on the front) My surgeon took away my stomach… (on the back) …But my hard work is taking away the extra pounds. Please post your ideas here. State what text you think would be good on the t-shirt. We can also add simple images if you like, such as the BariatricPal logo and/or pictures of the sleeve, bypass, or lap-band, for example. Don’t forget we can use the back of the shirt, too! Please post up a complete description of the shirt you are thinking of, so we can all visualize it. And here’s what you get out of it… The BariatricPal members with the top five ideas will each get $20 credit at The BariatricPal Store. You can use it to go towards your orders of Protein powders, shakes, and bars, breakfasts, Entrees, Meal Replacements, bariatric Vitamins, and nifty weight loss helpers like the BariWare portion8 Plate set. The contest is live now through Monday, December 28. You can enter as many times as you like, so keep those ideas flowing!

I'm not in any rush! Going to take a little time until I'm able to gather sufficient feedback. Thanks for your help!

I was hoping that one brand would stick out more than others. If you had to pick ONE to carry, which one would you suggest?

Michelle Vicari is awesome! Her blog is fantastic ad she's given back quite a bit to the WLS community.

Everyone knows you’re supposed to attend support group meetings after weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, not everyone does or is able to attend as often as they want or even at all. Your surgeon may not offer them, or they may not be at convenient times or locations, or you may just not find them worth the time to go. So, do you attend support group meetings? Who sponsors them – is it your surgeon/clinic or another organization? How often do you go? Or, do you attend any online live sessions? Where are they based?