Alex Brecher

There’s a lot of possible planning you can do after WLS. There’s meal planning, food prep, scheduling in exercise, and grocery shopping. How do you fit it all in? Do you set aside a few hours each week to, say, cook and freeze a few multi-portion recipes? Do you sit down each night to plan your meal for the next day? Which tasks do you do daily? Which do you do weekly? Do you have any tips for being more efficient?

thegingerwithaband, How did it go?? How exciting! I hope the surgery was easy and you’re feeling good.

Nope. I can definitely see why people do, but I don’t think it’s a good idea for me. I don’t want to get into the mindset of depending on exercise to compensate for eating more. It’s my bad eating habits that led me to trouble with weight, and I feel like for myself, it’s best to make sure I stick to good eating habits. If I exercise a little extra and it shows up on the scale…great!

It’s up to the restaurant. Many will allow adults to order from the children’s menu, especially if you explain that you have a legitimate reason. Some may be more willing to allow you if you have an official-looking doctor’s note or card, but they’re not obligated to. Whether or not you are permitted to order children’s sized portions, remember you always get to decide how much to eat, even if you don’t get to choose how much you’re served!

Readyforthislifechange, Thanks for the recipe idea! It sounds delicious, and a nice alternative to Protein shakes. Aside from the nutritionals, I just a quick warning for some people who may have sensitive stomachs. Sugar alcohols, like the ones they use in no sugar-added ice cream, can give you pretty bad diarrhea! It’s different for everyone. Some people are sensitive, and some can handle a bigger amount without problems. I’d definitely suggest trying only a tiny amount first, especially if you’re still on your post-op liquid or pureed diet and you may already be having stomach troubles.

dhrguru, First off, good job coming here to talk about it instead of giving in to cravings for pumpkin-flavored everythings! Can you make a few new recipes or substitutions that will satisfy the pumpkin cravings? Instead of a pumpkin doughnut, you could mix canned pumpkin in oatmeal and add pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon and nutmeg) and stevia. Or maybe you could do the same in cottage cheese. I think there are recipes for pumpkin cheesecake that you could make with fat-free cream cheese, sugar substitute, and egg whites to cut calories, fat, and sugar. Just identify what’s making you feel sad or deprived, and try to come up with a substitute. And stay strong!

Comicbookguy, Great question! I love this way of looking at it, because a “new hobby” to replace food as a hobby sounds so much better than replacing a food addiction with a “replacement addiction” like alcohol or drugs! Let’s see. I suppose I have replaced my food focus with work and family. I now work way more than I used to, but it doesn’t feel like work since it’s BariatricPal and I love it! I also get to spend quality time with my kids rather than just watching them. Of course, there’s working out, but I always have done that to some extent. I guess work and family don’t count as true “hobbies,” but they’re what I fill my time with.

Jerr-bear, I am so sorry! What a disappointing finding, and you are right: infuriating. The others have given some good advice about looking into other options (self-pay/Mexico) and also about documenting your current weight loss. Whatever happens, don’t use this as an excuse to give up on yourself. Keep up those amazing weight loss efforts – 60 lbs. is proof that you’re able to be disciplined and you’re really dedicated. Try not to look back and regret what might have been. Just look at what is and what WILL be if you keep working hard. Good luck. I am sorry you had such bad luck.

Dreamable, I feel for you. It feels terrible to do anything that your family and other loved ones don’t approve of. But you need to do what you need to do. You don’t have to alienate them (don’t say, “Support me or I’ll never talk to you again”), but you do need to do what’s best for you. Here’s one idea. Identify what you want/need from them in your weight loss journey besides their outright “approval” (which isn’t theirs to give or take away, anyway!). For example, maybe you’d like them to be considerate about your post-op diet by keeping junk food out of the house or letting you eat your own healthy meal instead of forbidden foods at family dinners. Or maybe you wish they’d support a post-op exercise program. The thing about all of those above ideas is that they’re the exact same as if you were just trying another diet, like they want you to do. So maybe you can just ask for a few specific things (“Can we not keep junk food in the house?”) instead of arguing over whether they approve if your surgery. A lot of times, it’s just time. If they see you lose weight, get healthier, and be happier, they’ll eventually come around if they love you. If not, you can lose weight, get healthier, and be happier, and just not talk about the WLS with the people who don’t support it. Good luck!

Thanks for sharing! These are definitely worth thinking about. It helps us all reflect on what went wrong and whether there’s anything to learn from it – like eating right pre or post-op – or maybe there are just certain pains and symptoms we need to wait out. To all the pre-op patients: I hope this thread calmed you down a bit. Most of the post-op patients who shared their horror stories ended up by saying they got over whatever it was that was bothering them. It looks like a big fear is that it won´t work. Have confidence: if you follow your diet, it'll work! Also, though I hope this discussion helped you mentally prepare for whatever may be thrown your way after surgery.

Thanks for all the advice! With all these tips, it sounds like there’s no excuse not to get active. Accountability is a great one, whether you use a trainer to stay accountable, or take advantage of your friends and family who know if you’re exercising or not. And writing down your exercise is a good way to stay accountable to yourself, just like tracking your food. Being prepared and getting rid of excuses/barriers is another theme. And, I love the mental games. We all play them! BLERDGirl, I don’t know if you belong to a gym or not. If you do, you may be entitled to a free demonstration of how to use the weight machines correctly. And good for you for removing all excuses. Veronica Page, Starting a mom’s group is a brilliant way of getting in your exercise! It gives you company so it’s more fun and it holds you accountable because there are other moms depending on you. Way to be a leader!

This was sent to me in a private message by one of our members who wanted to stay anonymous but thought the information might be useful to other BariatricPal members: "Alex, I realized my drinking was getting excessive. Particularly when I woke up with my hands shaking. It was quickly going from drinking after working out, to wanting to take nips to quiet the nerves during the day. There are two schools of thought out there when it comes to alcohol - the AA/total abstention model and Harm Reduction model. In my typical fashion, I started researching it and realized that sudden withdrawal could be very dangerous. Just stopping drinking if you have been doing for an extended period of time can create bad withdrawal symptoms, the worst being known as Delirium Tremors (DT's), but it also can spike your blood pressure, elevate heart rate, night sweats. If I went into a medically supervised system, my options all involved sudden withdrawal with benzos and other anti-anxiety drugs. And at the same time you risk loss of professional licences, reputation, gun rights etc. Not a great solution to a problem. And it is a problem. Not only is it stalling my weight loss, but if I was in a accident, the hospital is not going to bring you a bourbon as medicine, instead you get to go through DT's. So I didn't want to risk being dependent on alcohol, the dangers are too great. Then I found these articles: http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0022994 https://hamsnetwork.wordpress.com/2010/10/09/more-on-tapering-off-alcohol/ One of the benefits of controlled tapering of alcohol is avoiding a syndrome called "kindling." Some people who have repeatedly gone through cold turkey withdrawal without tapering off become more and more likely to have bad withdrawals from even small amounts of alcohol. This phenomenon is referred to as "kindling". People who have undergone kindling can suffer withdrawal seizures from drinking as little as a six pack of beer. Some decades ago some detox facilities forced clients to undergo cold turkey withdrawal to "teach them a lesson". Not only did this fail to stop people from drinking, it resulted in many people suffering from kindling. I used this system over three days and the result was a controlled landing. I've now been able to go through the last week alcohol-free without really bad withdrawals. Can't say it wasn't without discomfort. It did goof with my sleep and I have been agitated and muscles are a little sore, but it was bearable. Used a portable breathalyzer to monitor my BAC and home blood pressure monitor to make sure nothing spiked. My goal is to stay alcohol-free for the next month and re-evaluate. I need to re-learn my relationship with drinking, and make sure I bring my BAC down to 0 between drinks so I don't get back to that level again and make sure it is not an everyday activity. But that is my goal, not a recommendation."

We all know that exercise is a good thing. It burns calories, improves mood, makes your heart healthier, improves blood sugar control, makes you smarter…and on and on. But it’s hard! It can be a real struggle to get out the door, especially when it means getting out of your cozy bed a little earlier, or leaving behind your couch and favorite TV show. Sometimes I trick myself into getting started by telling myself I only need to do a little and then I can rest again. I also try to make it easier by varying my workouts so I don’t get bored, and having my shoes and workout clothes all ready so it’s easier to start. So…what are your tricks for making sure you get in your exercise?

No matter how smoothly weight loss surgery goes, there are sure to be some unpleasant surprises, from stomach pain to realizing you can no longer tolerate certain foods to needing to dash off to the bathroom in the middle of a formal dinner party. What is your worst post-op memory that’s (hopefully) a funny story by now? And, iIf you’re pre-op, what’s your worst post-op fear?

Sunshine3073, I have two pieces of advice. One, as the others have said, find something you like to do, and find someone you like to do it with! Walk, hike, bike, swim, play golf, try hip-hop or Zumba, walk around the mall, lift light weights, garden…boredom will kill your exercise plans, so make it fun. And two: start easy! When you know your exercise is going to be painful and too hard, of course you’re going to dread it! Just tell yourself you’ll go short and easy, and tell yourself you can stop whenever you feel bad. Then you’re more likely to actually get started, and that’s the key to keeping it going. Good luck!

TxHappyDay, Good questions…and it’s great that you’re asking the tough questions now! Like you said, everyone has an individual set of circumstances. Some people want the surgery to stop the yo-yo cycles that have been going on for years. Sometimes the surgery reduces hunger so your belly isn’t always screaming for food. Sometimes it makes it so food doesn’t taste quite as good, so it’s not as tempting. For those reasons, surgery can make it so you’re not always fighting the urge to give in. And other people choose surgery because they feel like it’s an investment – with such a huge step, they feel more committed to a healthy diet. I would ask you to ask yourself: did you lose weight when you were at the weight loss retreat? And to answer your question: yes, there are physiological changes that can help, like changes in hormone levels after the gastric sleeve. Also, the gastric bypass and the other surgeries can help resolve diabetes, if you have it. Good luck with your decision!

svasquez, What Inner Surfer Girl said! Plus, 15 lbs in 3 weeks is great!! It’s 5 lbs. per week. Some people might lose 80 lbs in the first year…that’s 1.5 lbs per week. So be patient and keep eating right, and the scale will follow when your body’s ready.

Elode, Sorry to hear you’re having this trouble! Orthostatic hypotension is a side effect of weight loss surgery or quick weight loss, so it almost seems like an unfair punishment for you doing so well after your WLS! As far as I can tell, there’s no great cure. As the others have suggested, you may be best off just trying to prevent bad side effects like falling. Get used to being careful when you stand up – know that your blood pressure may drop, so stand up slowly and be sure you have something to hang onto if needed. Hopefully eventually it'll go away on its own as your body gets used to its new self - you've put it through a lot of change in the past year!

gabito, Sorry for your frustration, but that is a totally normal problem to be having! It’s a lifelong struggle for some of us to be in control of what we eat. It’s great that you practiced the “stall” tactic and held out for 3 hours, even if you gave in later. Keep practicing that, and you may get better at using the stall tactic! It can help to stay positive and remind yourself that 2 doughnuts is not that bad! No, it’s not ideal…but how much food would a binge include in your worst days before WLS? So acknowledge the progress you’ve made, and be proud of yourself for recognizing that you may still need help, and reaching out for the help you need. I’m also really glad you shared this because many people need to understand…WLS is not a cure for BED, or emotional eating, or other unhealthy eating habits or relationships with food. It can definitely help, but to different degrees depending on the individual, the type of surgery, and the reasons behind the unhealthy habits and behaviors. For everyone considering WLS, know that you’ll need to confront your issues with food. Develop a plan or strategy that you can use as you lose weight after WLS. Gabito, stay strong, keep your head up, and get help if you need it. You can do this! And you are doing it – 70 lbs in three months? Wow!

Congratulations! You look unbelievable! What an amazing journey. You must have put in so much work over the past 2 years…and boy, has it paid off. What an absolute inspiration. Thanks for sharing your story and photos.

Definitely go by what your own surgeon or nutritionist says…but I wouldn’t count Protein towards my Fluid intake. I’d rather be safe than sorry, and it’s super important to stay hydrated. It’s way better to take in some “extra” fluid than to be even a little dehydrated.

These are some good ones! LOL to the delight over getting back to pureed foods after nothing but liquids! I remember how exciting it was to eat yogurt again. My surprise was how little I looked back. Once it was done, it was done. I didn’t end up wondering if my WLS was a good choice. All I thought about was about now and the future: what to eat, how can I make sure this works long-term, how will I change my habits? I was also surprised by how easy it was, while it was hard at the same time! I mean, I had to work at eating right, but everything went as well as possible – no complications, the weight came off like it should have.

BHopeful, I’m sorry to hear about your situation. In your healthcare system, are you entitled to a second opinion? I know some healthcare plans, including some HMO’s, patients are entitled to a free second opinion. Your doctor may be right about the risks of surgery, but it’s up to you to weigh the risks and benefits and decide if you want to take the risks. Whatever you decide, your provider should be behind you 100%, even if he doesn’t agree. Have you mentioned your fears with Victoza: not much weight loss, side effects, and short-term nature of the treatment? It’s hard to find a good doctor, and I’m sorry yours isn’t meeting your needs. I hope you can find someone else to talk to, whether it’s a different general doctor, or a specialist such as an endocrinologist (do you have one?) or a bariatric surgeon. Good luck, and keep us updated!

This issue has been resolved, thanks.

You need to find a bariatric surgeon once you decide to get weight loss surgery or you are considering it. Unless your health insurance plan decides on your surgeon for you, you may be trying to choose a surgeon. Make sure you think about your long-term success when you select a surgeon! There are some things you’re almost certain to consider when deciding on a surgeon. For example, it’s common to wonder about your safety, so you can ask about complication rates and what happens if you have a surgical complication. You’ll almost certainly ask about expected weight loss, too. How much weight does the average patient lose in the first six months and year? But as important as those questions are, they’re not the only once to ask about. What can determine your short-term success in weight loss, and your long-term success in improving health and preventing weight regain, is the follow-up care you get from your surgeon. The surgeon’s averages are one thing; your own personal stats may be more closely related to the support you get. Nutritional Support Nutrition is at the core of Weight Loss Surgery and weight loss. At the very least, your nutritional support after surgery should include a list of foods for each stage of the post-op diet, plus instructions on when to move ahead. That way, you can be confident in your food choices and not have to worry or improvise. A nutritionist can talk about your meals and food choices with you so you know you are on the right track. When you meet regularly with a nutritionist, you get the chance to troubleshoot. You can discuss plateaus and how to get over them. You can strategize for events like parties where you’ll have to figure out what you can eat. You can learn how to read labels, what to put on your shopping list, and how to make good-tasting and nutritious recipes. A nutritionist can also increase accountability, especially when you have regular appointments. If you do not have the luxury of a nutritionist to keep you on track, you can at least keep yourself on track by logging your food on an app. Psychological Support Weight loss surgery changes your digestive system permanently, and the surgery comes with a commitment to changing your entire lifestyle. Plus, along the way, you’ll be getting used to major changes in your body as you lose weight, and people may even treat you differently. That’s a lot to deal with, and a mental health professional can walk you through coping strategies. It’s also a good idea to have a relationship with a mental health professional in case you run into trouble. You may get discouraged at a plateau, or need help as you notice changes in your relationships. You may find yourself developing replacement addictions for food. You may never need a mental health professional, but having one available to you can make your journey easier. Social Support Social support is so important that many surgeons require their patients to commit to attending support group meetings for months or years after surgery. Some groups only meet monthly, and some patients are unable to find groups in their areas. If you need more social support, online forums and groups are worth trying. You don’t get the face-to-face contact, but you do get the benefit of being able to exchange information and provide support from a been-there, done-that perspective. Some Weight Loss Surgery patients actually feel more comfortable sharing certain information when they’re NOT meeting face to face. If possible, try to choose a surgical package that includes nutritional support, psychological, and other support services. If these services are not covered by your insurance plan or are not included in your self-pay surgery package, consider paying extra to get them. The extra few dollars may be worth it when you realize this support can make the difference between sailing through and struggling after Weight Loss Surgery.