Alex Brecher

Joz31, Congrats on your success so far! And wow, that’s definitely a huge NSV! I understand your hesitation, especially since you’ve been so private before. You are not obligated to be a publicity promotion for your surgeon, no matter how grateful you are. I’m just pointing that out to make sure that whatever decision you make, you make for yourself and not for someone else’s benefit. If, as you said, you’re afraid you won’t look at good as you think you do, that’s a legitimate fear. Chances are, though, that you’ll look even better than you think you do! But if you’re afraid, maybe you could tell your surgeon you’ll be happy to participate in a few months, when you’re at goal weight and have been there for a little while. I think the idea of blurring your face is a great one. Maybe when you gain a little more confidence in a while you can even un-blur your face!

Fatty McFatster, Congrats on your surgery! Can’t wait to follow your recovery and weight loss. Thanks for sharing so far, and good luck.

MonikaMakal, Tons of people have this problem, and I think it shows what a thoughtful person you are! It’s also often a result of not having enough to eat when they were growing up, or having some sort of fear the food will disappear. First, to your point about having trouble estimating your portions post-op: you’ll get better at it, and you’ll have less food left over. A question I always suggest asking when someone is afraid of throwing food out is, “Why?” That is, what is so bad about throwing away food? Whom does it help if you don’t throw the food away? Whether you put it in the trash can or on your hips, that food is not going to end world hunger. The best you can do is TRY to only purchase/prepare what you need. The extras are unfortunate, but they’re already created. You can’t un-buy or un-cook that food. So don’t bother regretting it; just throw it away (if it’s trash) and try to do better (i.e., have less leftovers) next time. Like the others have said, you can make it easier on yourself by having better storage options, like small containers with lids, etc. And, if you feel it may be a disorder, you may need to see a therapist. Good luck!

“The Holidays.” Those two words can make any weight loss surgery patient shudder. It seems like there’s nothing but food everywhere. It’s delicious, tempting food, and it’s high-calorie, high fat, and never-ending. But it doesn’t have to get the best of you. Here are six tips for keeping Thanksgiving – and the weeks leading up to it – in check this year. They’re simple tips, but they can help you stay on track and keep the scale moving in the right direction. 1. Eat Well Yes, this can be the best Thanksgiving dinner you’ve ever had – as long as you don’t define “best” as “biggest.” Instead, why not define “best” as “healthiest,” “happiest,” and “best for your confidence?” After weight loss surgery, here are some ideas for how you can “eat well.” Eat slowly, just like you always do. Depend on salad and turkey, not on stuffing and potatoes. Bring (or serve) at least one dish of something healthy, such as roasted Brussels sprouts or a cranberry kale salad so you know there’ll be something you can eat. Take second helpings only of salad or turkey breast. Allow yourself one small serving of a carefully chosen treat, whether it’s creamy casserole or pecan pie. Savor everything: the food, of course, and also the company. 2. Be Thankful Holidays can make you feel down when you’re focused on weight loss surgery. If you’re pre-op, you might still be deciding whether to get surgery, worrying about surgery itself, or trying to lose a little extra weight on the pre-op diet. If you’re post-op, there are a lot of foods that just aren’t on your diet anymore. You may need to pass up old favorites like pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, candied yams, and cornbread stuffing. And eating until you’re beyond stuffed? Not an option! Pre-op or post-op, it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself and focus on what you’ve given up. But don’t forget all the wonderful things you have to be thankful for. What about your family? Your job? Your home? The friends who support you on your journey to health? WLS which gives you the chance to give you the life you want? Put on a positive face, and it’ll be a lot easier to see what you’ve gained without mourning what you’ve lost. 3. Remember What’s Important Turkey, pie, holiday shopping and football are important, but if they are at the top of your list, it may be time to step back so you can remember what’s truly important at this time of year. It may be your family, your health, and your friends. Hint: if you’re having trouble remembering, you might want to try taking a walk or going to the gym…a little active time can get your mind going! 4. Give Back There’s no better way to get yourself into a Thanksgiving mood than giving back. You could try packing bags at a food pantry, serving meals at a homeless shelter, or reading books to kids. You can quickly recognize how fortunate you are when you see others in need, and you can quickly recognize how useful you can be when you help them. 5. Take Care of Yourself There’s delicious food everywhere. Even if you try to summon up the willpower to resist it, it seems like you’re sure to offend someone…maybe your aunt if you don’t want her famous green bean casserole, or your best friend who makes you a special batch of candied sweet potatoes, or your coworker who bakes pies every year to share with the entire office. But you have the right and responsibility to take care of yourself. “No, thank you” is perfectly clear. If you feel the need to explain, you can say, “My doctor doesn’t let me have that.” That gets the message across and provides an excuse to refuse that’s not personal against the kind person who offered you the food. 6. Get in the Game And we don’t mean Fantasy Football! Find an activity, and participate in it. Over Thanksgiving weekend, the exercise will burn a few extra calories. It will also help keep you focused on your weight loss goals and clear your head so you make healthy food choices, too. Yes, it’s cold…but it’s going to be cold for the next several months. Your best bet is to plan a winter-friendly workout schedule and stick to it. That could mean a few days a week at the gym, or staying indoors at home with workout DVDs and a few dumbbells. Most days, you can also get outdoors for a walk. Barring ice and severe snowstorms, you’ll be fine if you dress in layers and follow basic cautionary rules, like facing traffic and wearing reflectors. You have the chance to make this Thanksgiving and the rest of the holiday season a healthy time. Just think how good it will feel to lose weight, not gain weight, this year…and have a better time doing it, too!

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I've had way too many people try to get me to buy it. It's an MLM scam IMHO.

I suggest using a Nutrabullet or a similar device with any Protein powders. It's almost impossible to get it to a decent consistency with a spoon or even a shake bottle.

It’s autumn now. That means longer nights and cooler weather. That means…you may be craving some comfort food. The problem is, you know most of those traditional comfort foods aren’t on your healthy weight loss surgery diet. So what can you do to satisfy the cravings while you keep losing weight? Here are some ideas for every stage of the post-op weight loss surgery diet. They’re lower in calories and healthier than some of the foods you used to dive into but aren’t an option anymore. Stage 1: Liquid Diet There’s no denying that your diet the first few days or weeks after surgery can be pretty boring, but you can still make the best of it. After surgery, you may need a little comforting as your body tries to recover. Plus, you may start to feel cold as you lose weight. So, why not try some hot tea? One option is to go for apple cinnamon tea. Stew dehydrated apple slices and cloves for about 10 minutes, then strain the liquid into your teacup and serve with a cinnamon stick. If you don’t feel like simmering dehydrated apple slices and spices, you can go the quick route with apple tea bags (make sure they’re decaf!) and a cinnamon stick instead. You can get a warming protein boost instead if you make spiced chai with soy milk or non-fat milk instead of water. For a warming protein drink, you could curl up with an instant cup of BariatricPal Hot Protein Drink – Classic Hot Chocolate or with marshmallows, or BariatricPal Hot Cappuccino Protein Drink – Vanilla. No problem if your surgeon forbids caffeine. Just opt for BariatricPal Hot Protein Drink – Creamy Cappuccino (Decaf). They’re low-sugar and each has 12 to 15 grams of protein. Stage 2: Mushies or Pureed Foods You don’t need to give in when that leftover pumpkin pie in the fridge calls your name. Listen to it, and you’ll end up with hundreds of calories, tons of sugar, and probably a stomach ache. Instead, you can mix pureed canned pumpkin with cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice or cloves, beaten egg whites, almond milk, and your choice of calorie-free sweeteners, such as stevia. Bake it until it sets. Once you’re on the semi-soft foods diet in stage 3, you can turn your pumpkin pie into pumpkin cheesecake by swirling the pumpkin mixture with low-calorie cheesecake mixture made from fat-free cream cheese, egg whites, fat-free cottage cheese, vanilla, and sweetener before baking. And if you’re craving some crust, add a bit of crunch with crushed high-fiber cereal. Need something a little more substantial? Go for the comfort without the carbs at breakfast with BariatricPal Maple Brown Sugar or Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal with 14 grams protein, or whip up instant BariatricPal Chocolate Chip Pancakes with 15 grams of protein. Stage 3: Semi-Soft Foods You may have heard about using pureed cauliflower to satisfy your cravings for mashed potatoes. What about taking it up a notch with a high-protein, low-carb shepherd’s pie? Blend cooked green peas and beans for the bottom layer, and cover it with a layer of lean ground turkey mixed with broth to season it. Spread pureed cauliflower over the turkey. If you want to go whole hog, sprinkle shredded low-fat cheddar cheese on the top so it browns while baking. As long as we’re talking about cauliflower – which, by the way, is in season in the fall – don’t forget you can also use it as a great alternative to fried rice. Pulse cauliflower in a blender until it is in small pieces. Then stir fry it with diced veggies and some protein, such as egg whites and cooked chicken breast. That sure beats Chinese take-out! For something a little meatier, you can try meatballs without the bad stuff! Take a packet of BariatricPal Light Sloppy Joe (or Vegetarian Joe, if you prefer), and mix it with an egg white and some low-fat parmesan cheese. Cover it in low-sugar tomato sauce, and you’re ready to eat. Stage 4: Full or Solid Foods Diet Roasted candied nuts are a big hit in fall, and you can make your own version once you’re several months out of surgery. To make sugar-free candied pecans, mix a cup of pecan halves into a beaten egg white until the pecans are coated. Roll them in a mixture of cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and your favorite calorie-free sugar substitute, such as stevia. Bake them at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. They’re high in healthy fats, protein, and antioxidants – just remember they’re high in calories, too, so watch the portions. Here are a few other comfort foods you can try without guilt. Vegetarian chili with beans or chili with ground turkey, or BariatricPal Vegetable Chili with Beans. Veggie burgers with black beans, lentils, or chickpeas, oatmeal or quinoa, mushrooms, carrots, and zucchini. Serve as sliders on lettuce leaves with avocado or low-fat cheese. Lasagna made with eggplant instead of noodles, low-fat ricotta, and fat-free mozzarella cheese. Breakfast casserole made with egg whites, turkey sausage, low-fat cheese, and onions. Crunchy salty snacks like BariatricPal Lite Bites pretzel twists and chips. One More Tip – Watch Your Portions! With comfort foods, part of the problem is the “what.” The other part is the “how much.” Portion control is key when it comes to the weight loss surgery diet. When you can, try making recipes so you know how much you’re getting and so it’s naturally easier to take a small serving. Here are some suggestions. Measure your ingredients and know how many servings you should get out of the entire recipe. Make use of a muffin tin instead of a so you can pre-portion foods like meatloaf, egg-based muffins, and pumpkin pie. Make naturally pre-portioned foods, like deviled eggs and meatballs so you know a serving size is one piece. Weight loss surgery doesn’t mean giving up comfort foods. It just means choosing your foods wisely so they make you feel comforted, not bloated. Whatever you’re in the mood for, you can find a version that’s WLS friendly and simple to make. What are your favorites?

I don’t go out to eat at restaurants very often; I prepare my own meals. It occurred to me, though, that I very rarely actually cook “real” dishes. Breakfast might be something like instant oatmeal and a container of yogurt; lunch could be a salad with some sardines or tuna, and dinner might be beans and veggies, or a vegetable stir fry made with tofu or veggie burger patties. But I don’t think that qualifies as “real” cooking! I guess I don’t really feel like taking the time to make gourmet meals, so I use convenience foods – although healthy ones – instead. Do you cook a lot? What do you make? Do you cook nightly? Or do you make, portion, and freeze big batches on weekends? Also…are you cooking just for yourself, or do you have a family to cook for?

The weight loss surgery journey is a huge deal. A lot of patients are nervous about it, and rightfully so! Being able to ask questions whenever you have them can help you get over your nerves, plus it can help you make the right decisions in the moment, such as which foods you can eat at a certain time post-op, or whether it’s okay to do certain exercises or take certain medications. It seems like it varies a lot between practices and patients, so I’m curious. How often did you contact your surgeon, your surgeon’s office, and other bariatric professionals (like a nutritionist or psychologist) when you were preparing for surgery and while recovering and losing weight after surgery? Is/was your healthcare team available as much as you wanted? Do you wish you’d taken even more advantage of the chance to ask questions?

Thanks for all of your answers! They can be so helpful to pre-op members who are looking for a surgeon, because sometimes you don’t even know where to start or what to look for.

LipStickLady, Good question! And a lot of good answers. Thanks for not making us differentiate between Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To each her own, and no reason to filter any great answers just because they’re traditionally one meal or the other! Vegetarian chili is a hit at our house. It’s super easy, you can make it ahead of time, it makes a huge recipe, and it’s so healthy. If you want, you can just have the chili. Otherwise, you can top it with shredded cheese, shredded lettuce, sliced avocados, or plain fat-free Greek yogurt. For the diners who aren’t watching their weight, they can mop it up with bread or serve it over rice. For the diners who require meat at every meal, you can add ground beef or turkey. It has cans of Beans (chickpea, kidney, black, whatever you want), diced celery, onion, and bell peppers, and chili seasoning. Pretty simple! But if I’m too lazy to do even that, eggs with spinach can do the trick easily for a one-person, quick meal. Great ideas here – thanks to everyone for sharing!

Indieflickers, Good for you for noticing early that your own lunches aren’t looking as good anymore compared to the catered lunches you’re seeing! What about: veggie burgers with a side of veggies (grape tomatoes, baby carrots, bell pepper strips; hard-boiled eggs with some fruit; drinkable yogurt (since you can’t use a spoon at your job); roasted soybeans or garbanzo beans; high-Protein snack foods (like pretzels or chips that are sold at online specialty stores).

I love the dentist. You get new teeth and a lighter wallet.

Dr. Adeyeri, Thanks for your helpful tips and the shopping list for warehouse stores. Along with lowering costs, I think it’s also important to think about convenience when stocking the kitchen to avoid trips to fast food restaurants. You mentioned some ready-to-eat foods like spinach and yogurt. Those are great! I also like to get pouches of tuna, baby carrots, string cheese, and pretty much any kind of fruit for a quick snack – tangerines, grapes, and apples are all affordable. Thanks for this article. It’s always good to have new ideas for affordable, healthy, easy foods!

ZombieQueen, I’m sorry you feel so bad! The good news is…this is probably about as bad as it gets. You’re in pain, you’re tired, you can’t eat, you’re dehydrated, you’re scared, and…you haven’t even lost any weight yet! It can only get better. One thing to remember is that it’s done. You’re sleeved. There’s no going back. So it doesn’t matter whether or not you “regret” it – you can only look ahead and do your best with what you have – and your “best” may be pretty awesome! Remember, you got the surgery for a reason, so take advantage. Hang in there, and do your best to take care of yourself. Drink fluids, get in your Protein when you can, and try to stay positive – except on here, of course – you can use BariatricPal to express your worries and pain! We’re rooting for you.

MichelleTN, Congrats on your new goal! Personally, I love the sturdier, more cushioned Saucony shoes, but everyone is different. You have to get what is comfortable for you, and not necessarily what’s comfortable for someone else or what’s most fashionable. I agree that you should go to a specialty running shoe store if you can instead of a chain sporting goods store or taking your chances online. They have salespeople who know what they’re talking about. Also, a lot of those stores now have high-tech equipment to measure your feet and see how you distribute your weight so they can match you up with a good shoe for you. You may end up paying a significant amount more than you would at a discount store or online, but it’s worth it to get a good pair of shoes. If you feel pretty confident, you can get your second and later pairs online or discounted, but the expert advice for the first pair is worth it. Good luck with your new shoes and new program!

I'm honestly not sure. I think it falls out from different areas for different people. Cutting won't make it any worse or better but you might want to hold off if you feel the haircut will thin your hair out even more. This is a temporary condition and most people get their hair back in due time.

This issue has been resolved, thanks!

You're very welcome! It's a mineral and you can find it over the counter in any store that sells vitamins.

If you’re putting off your weight loss surgery (WLS) because you’re worried about hair loss, you’re not alone! And if you were surprised when you suddenly started to lose your hair a few months post-op, you’re not the first WLS patient to be caught off guard. Here are a few facts on hair loss after weight loss surgery. It’s actually a condition called “telogen effluvium,” which happens when more of your hair is in the resting stage than the growth stage, so you end up losing hair faster than it grows. Telogen effluvium – and hair loss - can be triggered by stressful events like WLS and the WLS diet. It’s more common after gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgeries than after the lap-band. Hair loss is most severe around 3 to 6 months post-op. It’s hard to predict who will lose their hair and who won’t after WLS. Also, there’s no fail-proof protection against hair loss. But there are a lot of promising strategies that work for some WLS patients that may work for you. The best part about them is that they’re also good for weight loss. Protein: 65 or More Grams Daily Protein is the foundation of your post-op WLS diet. It’s a nutrient that lets your surgery wounds heal. It also helps you maintain lean muscle mass as you lose weight. And when you get enough of it, it can help reduce hair loss. Lap-band patients need at least 65 grams of protein each day. Sleeve and bypass patients need 80 to 100 or more grams per day. Go lean with sources like tofu, chicken breast, tuna, egg whites, and non-fat yogurt and cottage cheese. If you can’t hit your needs with food, go for low-sugar protein shakes, protein powders, and protein bars. Water: Not an Afterthought Fluids aren’t always top on your mind when you’re worrying about your weight loss diet, but maybe they should be. When you choose calorie-free ones, they can help reduce hunger and lose more weight. Plus, water prevents dehydration and symptoms like headaches and fatigue. It also promotes healing and lets your body function - and that’s good news for your hair. Aim for at least 64 ounces per day of calorie-free fluids, such as water, flavored waters, diet sports drinks, and broth/bouillon. Feel free to go for more, though! Biotin and Silica: Ask Your Surgeon Biotin and silica are essential nutrients. You can usually get enough of them from diet alone, but WLS changes that. Some people swear that biotin and silica supplements can reduce hair loss, but the science doesn’t yet support that. Talk to your doctor before taking these supplements. Biotin is usually safe even in high doses, but too much silica can be a problem. Essential Fatty Acids: Fats Are Good! Fats are high-calorie, and they make many foods off limits: think fried foods, creamy foods, and fatty meats. But some fats are good, and they’re the ones that you’re most likely to be deficient in after WLS. The possible results? Scaly skin and…hair loss. You don’t need huge amounts of fats to stay healthy. You could see a difference just by getting a little more omega-3 fat in your diet. Once you’re into the mushies/pureed foods stage, you can get omega-3’s from pureed boneless salmon and canned tuna. Later, you can add walnuts and flaxseeds. If you’re not eating these foods, you might want to ask your doctor about a fish oil supplement. The Extras Why does hair fall out? Stress! So let’s see…what stresses have you already put on your body? There’s the stress of surgery; the stress of starving your body at least, that’s what your body thinks when you drop down to 1,000 calories a day; the stress of changing your entire lifestyle and possibly your relationships. When you think about all the stress in life, it’s a wonder anyone has any hair left at all! So when possible, try to reduce stress however you can. Get enough sleep. Take time for yourself. Exercise daily. Laugh it off…whatever “it” is, it’s probably not worth losing your hair over! Taking good care of yourself after WLS can help prevent hair loss, but not always. Still, you can take heart in the fact that it probably won’t last for more than a few months. And at the other end of those few months, you’ll be down several pounds. Isn’t a little hair loss worth it if the payback is to be healthy?

OMG! You're 100% right about this. We started selling them in our new store and I've been having one per day. I've been on fire the last few days because of them. Not going near another until they change their ingredients. I felt really bad for my co-workers and kids today lol. I'm going to be taking to our Quest rep. This is a serious issue!!!

OMG! You're 100% right about this. I've been on fire the last few days because of them. Not going near another until they change their ingredients. I felt really bad for my co-workers and kids today lol.

Ha! Although I do love the idea of a WLS calendar with before and afters....pretty nifty idea.