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Hey BariatricPal Members!
Happy Mother’s Day from BariatricPal! For everyone who is a mother or is a mother figure, thank you for all that you do! For everyone else, I hope you will take this opportunity to thank your mom and any other mother figure in your life. You moms out there do a lot for us! This newsletter is all about treating yourself, treating yourself, enjoying your family, and becoming healthier together. Here’s what you’ll find:

A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself Time-Savers for a Healthy Family
Have a great Mother’s Day, and enjoy the newsletter. Then spend some time with your family, and don’t forget to logon to BariatricPal and discuss family, recipes, and whatever else is on your mind. See you on the boards!

Sincerely,
Alex Brecher
Founder, BariatricPal

Be a Great Mother: Be Good to Yourself
Mothers often find themselves putting everyone else first. You might feel so busy you can’t squeeze in a quick workout. You might cook your family their favorite meals while you depend on nothing but canned tuna and hard-boiled eggs to stick to your WLS diet. You might skimp on sleep so you can take care of the house and get the kids ready for school. And the idea of losing yourself in a good book or spending a few hours at a day spa? Those may be distant dreams.

Are You Putting Yourself Last?
Too many mothers feel they need to put others first. After all, taking care of your children and maybe your spouse and parents is your job, right? Add that to possible duties of housekeeping and holding down a job, and your time and energy are easily accounted for.

Weight loss surgery magnifies the problem. You may feel guilty about surgery, especially if it was expensive for your family. You may worry that WLS pulls you apart from your family, since you need to eat a new way and set aside time to prepare food and work out. You may fight the guilty feelings by trying to put everyone else’s needs and wants behind yours – and that just doesn’t work.

The trouble is, you can only give so much for so long without taking care of yourself. You need to make the time to recharge regularly and to keep up with your own emotional and physical health habits. If not, sooner or later, you will not be able to give your best to the ones you love.

You’re Not Selfish; You’re Smart
What happens when you think about putting yourself first? What feelings come up when you think about making your own meals before you make your family’s, or going to the gym in the evening instead of coming directly home from work, or postponing the housecleaning so you can meditate? If you’re like many weight loss surgery patients, you may feel guilty.

That’s not fair or productive. When you take care of yourself, you are in a better position to take care of others. You will be stronger, happier, and more cheerful when you are healthy. Take some time to identify what you would ideally do if you did not have family responsibilities: which foods would you eat, what kind of workouts would you do, and which hobbies or relaxation activities would you pursue? Then figure out which ones are necessary for your long-term stability and work them into your life – even if it means making some of them a priority over less important things. Really, it’s okay to skip the dusting for now if you need that time to plan a few healthy meals.

Take Care, Mother or Not
By the way, being good to yourself so you can be at your best is not just for moms. No matter who you are, you can give your best if you are at your best. You’ll be better father, friend, son or daughter, and coworker. You’re not being selfish when you take care of yourself. You’re putting yourself in a position to give your best to the world.

A Mother’s Day Meal to Celebrate
After weight loss surgery, holidays are about more than just food. You can focus on family and on other fun activities besides eating. But the truth is, you’re likely to end up around the table at some point if you’re celebrating Mother’s Day. Almost all family gatherings tend to revolve around food, so instead of fighting it, you might as well make the best of it.

Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed
If your Mother’s Day includes a little pampering at home…lucky you! Fresh fruit salad, cottage cheese with raw veggies, and Greek yogurt pops with fruit are some of the easy and healthy options you might want to ask your little helpers to serve you.

You can also enjoy breakfast in bed or a more luxurious brunch at home with the help of The BariatricPal Store. We suggest whipping up a batch of instant Protein Pancakes in chocolate chip, golden delicious, or blueberry flavors. Serve them plain or with fruit or Greek yogurt for yourself, and let your children make their own feasts with toppings such as whipped cream, Syrup, Peanut Butter, and fruit. For an early morning or mid-morning treat while hanging out with your kids or spouse, everyone might enjoy a cup of hot cocoa or Cappuccino – Protein included!

Mother’s Day Brunch Out
Are you going out for Mother’s Day? Lucky you! While that buffet or 12-course menu may look like a disaster at first glance, there’s a good chance there are plenty of healthy choices for you. Look past the breakfast pastries such as muffins, danishes, and doughnuts, doughy options like Bagels, pancakes, and waffles, and fatty options like bacon and breakfast sausage. Think that doesn’t leave you with much? Think again! Check for any of the following.

Omelets and egg white omelets with add-ins such as vegetable and natural ham. Fresh fruit. Seasonal fresh vegetables. Simple protein items such as cottage cheese and yogurt. Smoked salmon. Freshly carved turkey breast.
The rules of your weight loss surgery diet hold here, too. Keep portions small, eat slowly, and You’ll have even more to Celebrate than Mother’s Day when you realize you just got through Mother’s Day brunch without losing control.

A Time to Reflect and Be Grateful
We know not everyone celebrates Mother’s Day or approaches this day in the same way. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t take the time to reflect and be grateful. Any opportunity is a good one for realizing all that you have, even though life can get tough sometimes.

You may be grateful for the opportunity weight loss surgery has given you to get healthy and have a new lease on life. Maybe you’re thankful for your family and friends who support you and make life worth living. Maybe you’re happy to have a job that puts (healthy) food on the table and a roof over your head. These things are simple and basic, but remembering to be grateful for them can truly make you appreciate them and be a happier person.

So, have a wonderful Mother’s Day, and keep working towards those goals for weight loss and health! BariatricPal is there for you at every step of the way, so we hope you will keep contributing to the forums. Thanks for all of your support!

I have Aetna and had a nurse assigned to me during my approval process. She ended up being a huge advocate for me and my surgery was approved within 48 hours. She did get personal and I had weekly phone calls with her to track my progress and health.
Sent from my LG-H811 using the BariatricPal App

Not fitting in an airplane seat prompted my research into bariatric surgery. When I fit without an extender, it was a SWEET VICTORY!!!!

I'm not getting the notifications either. Are there any good support groups here?

I love MFP because it works with my fitbit. I have to use them together to get the best results. I like Sparkpeople too for the support but I find this group and my FB group is better for me.

Hi! Just wanted to check in and share that I'm having the sleeve on 1/29 with Dr. John Raheb with Kaiser Permanente. I start the 13 day liver shrinking diet on 1/15.
Would be great to hear how others are doing. ????

Dr Michael Todd did my rny. He's in Anchorage and he's an excellent surgeon. He is strict with his patients but he has great outcomes and low complications. I'll be 2 years out in November. I still feel great!

I have sweet cravings at times over a year out. I did experience dumping syndrome...no fun. Anyway, I eat Atkins Endulge Snacks, sugar free or no sugar added ice pops, fruits. These help with the cravings, are lower carbs and do not make me feel guilty or suffer weight gain when eaten in moderation. Congratulations on your weight loss btw.

Hawaiian style sweet potatos
4-5 large sweet potatoes boiled and chopped in cubes
1/4 fresh pinapple diced with the juice
1/2 cup Splenda Brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
1/2 stick butter melted
Combined all ingredients in a baking pan. Mix well, cover and cook on 350 for about 30 minutes. Top with unsweetened coconut and chopped almonds broil uncovered until coconut is browned.

Hawaiian style sweet potatos
4-5 large sweet potatoes boiled and chopped in cubes
1/4 fresh pinapple diced with the juice
1/2 cup Splenda Brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
1/2 stick butter melted
Combined all ingredients in a baking pan. Mix well, cover and cook on 350 for about 30 minutes. Top with unsweetened coconut and chopped almonds broil uncovered until coconut is browned.

Hawaiian style sweet potatos
4-5 large sweet potatoes boiled and chopped in cubes
1/4 fresh pinapple diced with the juice
1/2 cup Splenda Brown sugar
2 tbsp vanilla
1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp nutmeg
1/2 stick butter melted
Combined all ingredients in a baking pan. Mix well, cover and cook on 350 for about 30 minutes. Top with unsweetened coconut and chopped almonds broil uncovered until coconut is browned.

Yesterday was my 2 year surgeriversary. I'm down to 178 from 315hw well 298sw. I'm feeling great but really wanting to drop another 18-25 pounds. I have no regrets except I wish I could control my cravings a little better. I don't have dumping issues so in moderation I can eat everything. I don't most days but I still have my guilty pleasures in small portions hence the reason why I have not reached my goal weight. Anybody else have this issue?

I'm in Colorado Springs

I am a year out now...258 now 150..I am not saying it's going to be easey but I had very little pain after surgery though I was very nauseous I could not keep anything down in the hospital so I had to spend an extra night that I didn't want!! It was very hard to drink Water ...got so full!! And trying to balance food and water intake was impossible!! I think it was around 6 weeks before I felt I had a handle on it...but I never ever regretted my decision ...it's the best thing I ever did for myself...don't be nervous just remember the rules ...no drinking with eating get your Protein in ..I love Premier Protein drinks From Costco!! I still have 1 a day ...follow your dr diet .liquid then soft food etc. etc. please feel free to ask any questions I am a open book

314 & 184ish

I never lost any hair. I'll be2 years out next month. I have really thick hair so maybe I didn't notice but it has continued to grow like usual. I think we may be the exception.

so happy to see something positive regarding the band. I've had my band for almost 3 years. not easy at all, some days I wondered what I was thinking but overall I have adapted to a new way of eating, how I think about food and I enjoy much better health as a result.. No more diabetes, high cholesterol or high blood pressure it's a wonderful thing not to have that burden of bad health. I recently lost my husband as some of you might know, we were married 39 years and the last few years have been very hard physically for him. Thank God I was healthy enough to take care of him . He had major heart surgery last year and prior to that he had a partial knee replacement and esophageal cancer so taking care of him was my full time job. It takes a lot of energy and determination to care for a loved one and with the help of my band I was able to do it . I promised him I would continue to stay healthy as long as possible . He was my biggest fan and was very proud of my successful weight loss. I hope I can continue to make him proud.

So I am headed to Vegas next week with my hubby and I thought, you know what....I want a more-sexy, less-mom bikini for this trip. SO I went out on a limb and ordered one from Victoria's Secret that I would normally never, ever think about wearing, let alone, buy, let alone post a picture of me in it.
But then today I was looking back through some old beach vacation pictures and I couldn't find one single picture of myself in a bathing suit or with my kids at all. Through 4 summers worth of pictures that I got through, I found ONE. One single picture and I'm trying desperately to hide behind my kids. It made me so incredibly sad because I remember so clearly what that was like. Can I just say, it is freaking amazing and freeing to be able to feel good in my skin and not feel the need to pull a kid in front of me when the camera is around.
Here is the ONE single picture I could find, along with the quick snapshot of the new bikini for Vegas. :-) (Don't mind my scar sheets from my TT sticking out...this wasn't a picture I intended to share), as well as one snapped this summer at the beach. I also did a side-by-side comparison of myself in basically the same "at the beach with my daughter's" pose. Just thought I'd put this out there for anyone on the fence about the journey or the process. It works if you stick to it!!!!!
*** PS be kind. I know that I am not perfect. I still have saggy legs and arms. It's a work in process!***

Hello ladies, just wanted to let you know I am here and following this group :-)!

Hey! I'm Tyra,26, from Brooklyn NY. I just had RNY on Tuesday. Although I still have some pain, I feel like it's the best decision I've made in a long time

A picture I colored and baby blanket I just started for my step sister.

My hobbies are coloring, loom knitting, dancing and playing board games with my family. I want to start painting but I haven't taken the time to go get supplies.

Not fitting in an airplane seat prompted my research into bariatric surgery. When I fit without an extender, it was a SWEET VICTORY!!!!

My favorite pair of prescription sunglasses no longer fit and it is soo frustrating. I wear them with hats and scarfs so I can anchor them on my face lol

Turkey BLT with avocado sandwich from Panera. Was not my plan. But my date was changed and I had to start pre-op next day! My last day is tomorrow and I can't WAIT!!!