Oak Park Lorena

@@Valentina Chinese Cresteds are so adorable! I have a Frenchton, he's 3/4 French bulldog and 1/4 Boston Terrier. He's white with big spots on his butt like a cow! He's still just a puppy, 7 months old. Had him since he was 8 weeks old. Best decision I ever made!

@@SleeveSoon yes, I think that' a wise strategy! In addition to some lovely IPAs, I also have a nice stash of lambics that are delicious and pretty low alcohol/low calorie. It was a long, tough winter for me being laid up with the foot surgery and a house full of BA Russian Imperials! I talked to my surgeon extensively about beer and it being part of a healthy post-surgical diet, it definitely can be, just have to be a bit more careful and definitely keep off it when I don't have exercise to counter-balance! Thanks for the post and cheers!

@CariDickensen thanks for the nice message! I do love bike riding, but I live in a kind of urban/suburban area, hard to find a good place to ride without all the cars and stop signs. I'm back to the running and yoga and tonight I go back and join my pilates group, I'm sure it will be painful! It is hard to get back to exercising when you've been away from it, but I know I can get back in shape, just frustrating that what takes 6 months to a year of regular hard work kind of goes south in a few weeks!
And wow, I just looked at your ticker, 153 pounds lost in 6 months--that is phenomenal!

@ absolutely agree with you there! I too feel that I look better at a higher weight than a BMI chart would suggest. Whether one looks better or worse at a certain point on the BMI chart, I think is a different question than whether it is healthy or normal to be at a certain point on that chart. I think that if you're aiming to be in the "normal weight" range, that seems like a reasonable goal if that's how you like yourself to look.
And I love that "real 154" picture! I was out the other night with a group of friends--men and women, the women in the group are all quite fit, some of them on the tall side. Somehow the topic of weight came up and we asked the men to guess our weights, they all guessed that the thinner women weighed 110-120 and the thicker were 130-135. None of the women at the table weighed less than 150. It was kind a funny experiement--men have no clue what women weigh!

I had the surgery fall 2012... The first year was great... The end of the second year, I have gained 18lbs and went through menopause... I am wondering if this is common... I still average about 1300 calories a day, but cannot seem to shake this weight gain... On 1/15, I started doing the 5:2 Intermittent Fast Diet... One week out, I am finally down 3.6lbs... I am committed to doing this 5:2 plan for at least a month to see if this gives me the results I need... I have read that a weight gain after menopause is not uncommon, but I thought 18lbs was quite a bit for one year. ????

SusieQ63,
As of this writing, I'm now 859 days nicotine-free! It was hard at first, as evidenced by my posts around that time. Especially when I had a stressful situation. But I took it one minute, hour, day, week, month at a time and here I am. You're not going to be able to avoid triggers, but you have to figure out a way to manage them without turning to smoking.
I ended up reading the Alan Carr book (I forgot the name) for motivation on how to approach quitting. That helped get me in the mind frame. Aside from that, it was just "cold turkey".
I'd encourage you to quit as soon as you can. You know how smoking affects your appetite, and I'm sure you know it also affects your ability to have (and quality of) bowel movements. Both of those will really hinder your recovery, so please start now. My surgeon mandated two months of being smoke-free before he'd operate for those reasons as well as to speed overall recovery, so I'd recommend you get started now. I'd hate for you to go through the surgery only to have your recovery hindered.

Congratulations and good for you! I'm impressed that you have the heart to post at this point. If I'd posted on the day after my surgery it would have looked like this: BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
Happy healing!

Unlike most people in the U.S. who are rushing around getting ready to enjoy this long weekend, I'm kind of dreading it. This weekend marks the 3rd un-anniversary of me ending my last relationship. We weren't married, but we were together seven years, lived together for 6. It was not a pretty break up. It just so happens that all of my friends are out of town this weekend or off doing things with their families, I'm struggling with my new business, so I can't really afford to travel right now and I have no family anywhere remotely nearby.
So, being solitary this long holiday weekend is going to be a bit rough for me. It's particularly tough being a sleever at times like this because I don't want to use food to help ease the pain of the loneliness, which is something I did my whole life and is part of what landed me on the surgical table to begin with. I have some things planned to keep me distracted, the weather is lovely here now, so I'll probably just take my puppy out for some nice long walks and maybe take my bike out. I think holidays are the toughest on us singletons and I think being lonely is one of the hardest things to overcome without resorting to the comfort of food, anyone else feeling that too?

Watermelon pizza! That sounds absolutely delicious! When am I invited for dinner? I'm free tomorrow, not being pushy, or anything

I am here to sing the praises of watermelon! Yes, @@catwoman7, watermelon, like all fruits has fairly high sugar content, however, unlike some fruits, watermelon is very low in calories. In order to consume 500 calories of watermelon, you would have to eat over four pounds of it, even the biggest binger in the world could hardly manage that! The "water" part of the Water melon also makes it a great food for sleevers, all that Water will make you feel very full and satisfied very quickly.
I buy a whole watermelon and cut it up into small chunks and keep in the the fridge in ziplock bags. I have a piece as a snack, after a work out, and a few pieces for desert, even my dog loves it as a treat! I would say over the course of the day I might consume the equilvalent of a cup to a cup and a half of watermelon--for a whopping total of 46 to 69 calories! It's juicy, sweet and delicious and it is definitely something that makes me feel full, satisfied and not at all like I'm missing out on summer treats!

I am here to sing the praises of watermelon! Yes, @@catwoman7, watermelon, like all fruits has fairly high sugar content, however, unlike some fruits, watermelon is very low in calories. In order to consume 500 calories of watermelon, you would have to eat over four pounds of it, even the biggest binger in the world could hardly manage that! The "water" part of the Water melon also makes it a great food for sleevers, all that Water will make you feel very full and satisfied very quickly.
I buy a whole watermelon and cut it up into small chunks and keep in the the fridge in ziplock bags. I have a piece as a snack, after a work out, and a few pieces for desert, even my dog loves it as a treat! I would say over the course of the day I might consume the equilvalent of a cup to a cup and a half of watermelon--for a whopping total of 46 to 69 calories! It's juicy, sweet and delicious and it is definitely something that makes me feel full, satisfied and not at all like I'm missing out on summer treats!

@@christiR This forum is a great place to get general information and suppot from fellow sleevers, but it is NOT where you should turn for specific medical advice! Blood clots are potentially life-threatening post-surgical complications. I had a DVT that turned into a pulmonary embolism following knee surgery some years ago. The symptoms of a DVT ("blood clot") can be vague. No, @@Lindsey Skinner Abbott, there is not necessarily any pain associated with either the DVT or a PVT (and clot in a portal) or even once the clot has broken off and become an embolism.
If you have ANY concern that you might have a blood clot, PLEASE contact your surgical team immediately. You will not be bothering them, they want you to have a complication-free recover as much as you do!

At 7 months out fruit is on the menu. I love all the same ones I used too just smaller quantities. Cherries, grapes, nectarines, strawberries, watermelon. pineapple and bananas are less frequent. I usually eat them with Protein.< /p>

I love fruit. I do eat it with Protein. I have blackberries and/or blueberries pretty much every morning. This week I bought some clementines. I have really enjoyed them (without any issues thankfully). I have tried watermelon recently too and I had a small amount mixed with 1 tbsp. of feta cheese and a dash or two of balsamic vinegar. It was SO good! The watermelon pizza @@Valentina mentioned sounds amazing!

Watermelon pizza! That sounds absolutely delicious! When am I invited for dinner? I'm free tomorrow, not being pushy, or anything

I am here to sing the praises of watermelon! Yes, @@catwoman7, watermelon, like all fruits has fairly high sugar content, however, unlike some fruits, watermelon is very low in calories. In order to consume 500 calories of watermelon, you would have to eat over four pounds of it, even the biggest binger in the world could hardly manage that! The "water" part of the Water melon also makes it a great food for sleevers, all that Water will make you feel very full and satisfied very quickly.
I buy a whole watermelon and cut it up into small chunks and keep in the the fridge in ziplock bags. I have a piece as a snack, after a work out, and a few pieces for desert, even my dog loves it as a treat! I would say over the course of the day I might consume the equilvalent of a cup to a cup and a half of watermelon--for a whopping total of 46 to 69 calories! It's juicy, sweet and delicious and it is definitely something that makes me feel full, satisfied and not at all like I'm missing out on summer treats!

Almost everyone loves summer fruit, from nectarines, peaches, and plums to cherries, berries, and, of course, watermelon. It’s packed with Fiber, potassium, and antioxidants, but fruit is also known for being high in sugar. How do you handle summer fruit?
Do you keep it to small servings? Do you make sure to always eat it with some Protein to keep your blood sugar spike to a minimum? Do you look at it as a virtuous treat compared to a sugary dessert, or as a guilty sweet pleasure? And, do you have any great bariatric friendly recipes to share to satisfy cravings for fruity Desserts such as blueberry pie and peach cobbler?

I just made a "watermelon pizza" for dinner tonight.
It is a round slice of watermelon topped with feta cheese, raw onion rings, fresh basil and capers---with a spray of basalmic dressing. Cut the watermelon pizza like a regular pizza. It is not only gorgeous to look at but is amazingly good!
I use summer fruit and diet soda in my Quest Protein shakes instead of milk. I also add 3-4 ice cubes. It is soo refreshing and so full of Protein. win/win.

Congratulations and good for you! I'm impressed that you have the heart to post at this point. If I'd posted on the day after my surgery it would have looked like this: BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!
Happy healing!

LOL! 62 is not old. Dude!
I'm 8 years older than you (the OP). And I have A LOT OF YEARS LEFT!
Seriously, my mother died last year at 96 and a half years of age. I expect to live at least another 20 years.
I plan to cause a lotta trouble and have a lotta fun during the next 20 years.
Auntie Mame's famous saying seems more than appropriate for a WLS message board: "Life's a banquet, and most poor fools are starving to death!"

I am 3 years post op RNY gastric bypass surgery. I am 67 years old. I had the surgery because my condition of being overweight was destroying my body. I had developed high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea and GERD. All those conditions were resolved shortly after surgery. I physically now have the stamina that I had when I was in my 30's. For example during each of the last couple years, I moved over 100,000 pounds of gravel and concrete blocks by hand for one of my home building projects.

There's no reason not to explore surgery. Lots of people have surgery at 60 and later. Unless a maple tree or a statue of Dylan Thomas falls on you before Thursday, you've got plenty of time to enjoy better health and dance the night away. Two years or 40, it's all the same: Living.

Hey BariatricPal Members!

Happy Independence Day from BariatricPal! It’s a chance to show off your national pride if you tend to be patriotic. Otherwise, it’s a chance for a three-day weekend, some relaxation, and hopefully some celebrations and family time. And, of course, a chance to keep chasing your weight loss surgery goals. As always, we hope to help, so here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter.



Independence Day: Celebrate Your Freedom
Taking a Look at Those Summer Goals
Red, White, and Blue Bariatric food Ideas


Hope you love the newsletter and then take advantage of the long weekend and a little down time to logon to the BariatricPal forums to catch up on all the discussions. Thanks for all of your support, and Happy Independence Day!



Sincerely,

Alex Brecher

Founder, BariatricPal





Independence Day: Celebrate Your Freedom

July 4 celebrates the freedoms we all cherish. Each of us can do what we wish, and that’s not something to be taken lightly. So as you go through these next few days, why not pay a little extra attention to the choices you are making each and every minute, and remember to be grateful that those choices are in your hands?



The Freedom to Eat What You Want

It may not be what the Founding Fathers had in mind when they signed the Declaration of Independence, but being free includes being free to eat what you want. So what’ll it be for you? pizza, chips, and a soda? Or tuna, yogurt, and strawberries? Nobody but you has the right to decide, so make the decision that would make the Founding Fathers proud – the decision that will make you the strongest and healthiest citizen possible.



Land of Opportunity…and Options

What’s another great thing about the freedom we have in this country? How about seeing how easy it is to get your hands on delicious, high-Protein foods? At The BariatricPal Store, you can get high-protein, low-carb meals, Snacks, and beverages for every occasion and every time of day. Our low-carb cereals, pastas, protein bars and protein powders, and instant entrees can be yours with the click of a button. The store promises the lowest prices available online, and we back our products with a satisfaction guarantee.



Taking a Look at Those Summer Goals

Summer has a habit of slipping away. At the beginning, it seems like it will last forever, with the long days stretching out endlessly. Then all of a sudden, the nights get crisp and autumn arrives before you know it. Don’t let your summer goals slip away with the summer!



July 4 is a great time to refocus on those goals – or set them, if you haven’t already. So, here are a few steps you can take to be sure you can look back at Summer 2016 as one that did wonders for your health and weight.



Remind yourself – or set – your goals. Keep them realistic, measurable, and under your control. There’s no point in setting a goal that depends on factors outside of your control. Examples of possible goals include getting in five servings of fruits and vegetables a day by summer’s end, walking a September 5k, and getting WLS in the fall.
Figure out what you need to do to hit your goals. For example, what kind of diet do you need to follow? Do you need to train a certain way if you have a fitness goal? Do you need more information if your goal is to get surgery?
Get working! Make any necessary changes to your diet if your goals are related to weight or eating habits. Write out your workout schedule, and stick to it. Make any phone calls to potential surgeons to gather more information about getting weight loss surgery if that’s your end-of-summer goal.


Slow and steady effort is one of the biggest tricks to hitting your goals. Be patient and persistent; love yourself, and be confident that you can do it. With renewed focus and daily commitment, your efforts will add up to big things by the end of summer.



Red, White, and Blue Bariatric food Ideas

A festive July 4 picnic or cookout can spell trouble if it involves the usual barbecue fare (slaw, burgers, and baked Beans come to mind) along with berry cheesecake, Cookies and cake decorated like the American flag, and brownies (just because they’re American!). You may already know how to handle a traditional barbecue (chicken breast and veggies, anyone?), but as for the red, white, and blue? There must be a better way to celebrate Old Glory than with fat and sugar!



Instead of the high-calorie culprits, you can find weight loss surgery-friendly red, white, and blue food options to stay in the holiday spirit and to stay within your calorie goals. When you choose naturally colored foods, you’re almost sure to end up with nutritious, satisfying, and diet-friendly choices that actually are as



Starting the Day Red, White, and Blue

Get in the mood from the get-go with a bowl of protein oatmeal, whitened up with a swirl of fat-free ricotta cheese or Greek yogurt. Stir in some sliced strawberries and blueberries, and you’re on your way to a Fiber and protein-filled day. The amount of sugar and calories in your Breakfast doesn’t even compare to the load you’d get from a stack of pancakes with whipped cream and blueberry and strawberry Syrup.< /p>



Red, White, and Blue cheese Dip

Blue cheese contributes both the blue and the white colors, and it’s easy to add the red. Whip up your favorite blue cheese dip and serve it with red bell pepper strips, or, for a bit of a fancy twist, some baked beet chips. For the non-WLS patients at the party, serve some blue corn chips for an even more festive presentation.



Red, White, and Blue Skewers

If you’re planning to do a little July 4 grilling, keep it healthy while making it patriotic with red, white, and blue skewers. Use cherry tomatoes or red bell peppers, and add blue from eggplant slices. Then take your pick of white options, from button mushrooms or, for some Protein, chicken breast or tofu. Drizzle your kebabs with olive oil and seasonings of your choice.



Patriotic Dessert to Live For

Granted, it may not be as decadent as a frosted cupcake with a candy flag it in, but a fresh fruit salad can do just as much for your patriotism and far more for your longevity. Watermelon, white nectarines, and fresh blueberries can be just the beginning, with plenty more choices like strawberries, grated coconut, and blackberries waiting in the wings.



With these ideas for treats and tricks, have a wonderful and safe Independence Day! Thanks for reading the newsletter and continuing to support BariatricPal. We couldn’t do it without you!

I am not a huge Spanx or any Shapewear fan, in the summer months. Generally, all that shapewear in addition to making me hot (I'm always on the hot side) just squishes your fat down around your knees so if you're wearing something at or above the knee, it looks worse than if you're wearing nothing.
I have quite a bit of saggy, loose skin on my upper thighs and above then knee. I have used the product Skinnies Instant Lifts, linked below, and can recommend them. It's basically like a big piece of sticky silicon that you put on your upper thigh and it lifts up a lot of the crepy skin. I wore them a lot last summer and have to say, they are a bit odd and take some getting used to, but they really do smooth your leg above the knee out very nicely. Takes a bit of practice to get on right, but I wore them with shorter skirts, dresses, even wore it playing tennis!
https://www.amazon.com/Skinnies-Instant-THIGHS-Adhesive-Instantly/dp/B00CA7VAX2

Adam and Eve are sitting in the Garden of Eden, holding hands and watching a beautiful sunset. As a soft breeze gently sweeps over them, Eve tenderly turns to Adam and asks: "But, do you really love me?"
To which Adam replies, "There's no one but you, babe!"