My Bariatric Life

Hi everyone, I've conducted a series on in-depth interview on plastic surgery after weight loss with a couple of plastic surgeons with a specialty in this area. I've only just published the first in both series of interviews and there are quite a few more installments to come. Here's where you can get started, if interested. The first is a video series of chats with Dr. Edward Domanskis, a plastic surgeon in private practice in California. In this episode, Dr. Domanskis discusses sequencing and combining of procedures while keeping aesthetics, safety, and finances top-of-mind. http://www.mybariatriclife.org/dr-edward-domanskis-bariatric-plastic-surgery-video-1/ The second is a series of interviews with Dr. Joseph Capella, a plastic surgeon in private practice in New Jersey. In the first interview, Dr. Capella talks about the comprehensive treatment of obesity including plastic surgery after weight loss and how access to surgery can be improved. http://www.mybariatriclife.org/dr-joseph-f-capella-plastic-surgery-after-bariatric-surgery/ I hope that these are helpful. I sure had so much to learn when I had my plastic surgery in 2013. Good luck to all!!!

Thanks everyone!!! Have a happy healthy weekend!

Have had quite the adverse reaction to my IV Iron... awful bloating and abdominal pain that persists. Ugh. Called the hematologist on call and he said he could not help me over the phone! Any advice??? Thanks!

It is nice to read a couple of positive reviews about this doctor. She piqued my interest a while back but then I read a very negative review about her, basically describing her practice to be run like some dirty clinic down a back alley way. I have no idea about the legitimacy of the review as I did not know the reviewer... knowing that some people write false reviews, I still was left with a feeling of alarm (the woman's post was very detailed). Probably because I was friendly with another patient who had a fabulous result with Cardenas. She ended up getting an infection and after that she changed her name from BubbleGumBooty to something else (I cannot recall) and stopped posting. So, it made me wonder about the first patient's claim of a dirty clinic. Well, I don't know that I've provided help or not. Surely there are surgeons in the US whose patients have complications, too (I was one of them!). There are a number of reviews about Cardenas on RealSelf and I am sure you can PM some of those patients and get your questions answered. Good luck with your decision.

It is commonly a recommended practice, but only for the mature pouch.

Allow me to introduce to those of you who are not familiar with, what I consider to be, the gold standards of weight loss surgery success habits. These are success habits developed by people way smarter than me who have defined the keys to achieving permanent weight loss with bariatric surgery. Allow me to introduce to those of you who are not familiar with, what I consider to be, the gold standards of weight loss surgery success habits. These are success habits developed by people way smarter than me who have defined the keys to achieving permanent weight loss with bariatric surgery. I feel these must be read and memorized by every bariatric surgery patient. My trinity of owner’s manuals for the bariatric surgery are: The Bariatric Diet developed by Dr. E. E. Mason (the father of obesity surgery) The Pouch Rules for Dummies adopted from Dr. E. E. Mason The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients by Colleen Cook, based on research with patients successful with bariatric surgery Here is a high-level of the success habits found in each text. You’ll need to read the full texts in order to reap the benefit. Just click through the links above. The Bariatric Diet The following is the gist of the bariatric diet developed by Dr. Edward E. Mason. Dr. Mason is an Iowa bariatric surgeon who is considered the “father of obesity surgery” and the bariatric diet is the gold standard for weight loss surgery patients to follow. The ideal meal for weight loss is: • Fill one-half of your plate with two to four ounces of animal source, low-fat protein. • Fill one-quarter of your plate with lightly-cooked or raw low starch vegetables. • Fill the remaining quarter of your plate with fresh raw fruit. These food choices are coarse, solid foods that should be cut finely and chewed well in order to be tolerated. They are likely to stay in the pouch longer and offer good nutritional value. Read How Does the Bariatric Diet Work for further details. The Pouch Rules The following is an overview of the pouch rules developed by Dr. Edward E. Mason. Read The Pouch Rules for Dummies for the complete instructions. • Eat solid foods. Take very small bites of low-fat meats, crisp or raw vegetables, and solid fruits like apples or pears. • Eat at least two ounces of meat with each meal. • Try to finish your meal within 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure you still chew your food thoroughly. Don’t rush through the meal, but don’t linger at the table either. • Avoid drinking with meals and for two hours afterwards. • Start drinking when the feelings of hunger return to avoid thirst and minimize hunger between meals. Start with smaller sips, and increase the volume until you feel full again. • Drink 8 to 12 ounces of water rapidly over 20 seconds, then top off with sips until you feel comfortably full. Do this whenever you feel hungry. This will keep the pouch distended and minimize hunger. • Drink a full glass of water 15 minutes prior to eating. By drinking a lot of water before the meal, you shouldn’t need to drink during the meal or afterward. • Avoid snacking since snacks usually do not eliminate hunger. They also are filled with empty calories. • Minimize caloric liquids and softer foods. These foods are not off limits, but when you make exceptions you will likely get hungry sooner and have to deal with the consequences. The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients Colleen Cook had gastric bypass surgery in 1995 and went on to author the The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients. It is based on research conducted with patients who have been successful with bariatric surgery. I have found that I maintain my weight loss when I follow the success habits. When I slip up and stop using the habits, I gain weight fairly quickly. And I take off that weight when I return to the Success Principals: Success principal #1: Personal accountability (this is fundamental – you must “get” this principal before you can work the other principals into your new life) Success principal #2: Portion control Success principal #3: Nutrition Success principal #4: Fluid intake Success principal #5: Regular exercise Success principal #6: Vitamins and supplements I find the chapter “Back on Track” particularly helpful. It’s for weight loss surgery patients who have regained weight. Colleen Cook shares an approach that has helped many patients turn it around, get back on track, lose the weight and keep it off by following these principals. Weight-loss surgery is a big part of the solution, but it is not a cure-all. If you follow these success habits you will increase the amount of weight you lose as well as ensure a healthy weight for the rest of your life. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

Yes! I was told 45 after eating to drink Water, take sips, eat slowly at meals, limit veggies in the beginning Smh many differences. I'm looking for the articles I read that support the new gold standards. Dawnie_doo I think the difference is that you are describing guidelines for eating early after the surgery. For example, while drinking water rapidly cannot be tolerated in the beginning, water loading as it is called, is widely recommended. I would love to see any guidelines that you can find.

Meat at every meal (so the article says is recommended) seems a bit excessive, even if it's still less than the "average American" consumes. However, to each their own. In the end nobody is forced to eat that much meat (or animal protein in general). Ah, gotcha. I am curious now why Dr. Mason finds "meat" superior to these other protein sources. My guess -- and this is completely my opinion -- is that because it stays in the pouch longer (he seems to emphasize delayed emptying of the pouch in his rules) as well, perhaps the higher Iron content.

Well, the prescribed 2-4 oz of meat is hardly an obsession when the average American is probably eating 8 oz of animal Protein at a meal. I am 13-years out from gastric bypass and have not eaten red meat for so many years that I have lost count at this point. But the validity of bariatric surgeons telling us to eat animal protein is apparent to me, based on my personal experience. And my experience has been that, I eat wild caught fish and organic raised on pasture eggs and supplement with vegan Protein powder (of which most brands are crap) and collagen. Sometimes I will eat organic free range poultry. I also take lots of supplements including a heavy dose of Iron. All this personal history is given just so that I can tell you that given these high dietary standards, I still struggle with iron deficiency and anemia from time to time. So, I will say that there is legitimacy to the prescribed "up your animal (red meat) protein intake." Dr. E. E. Mason wrote these gold standards several decades ago and there is a lot of value in them. They are not nutritional guidelines per se and so they don't include things like phytonutrients -- that's my take on it anyway. That said, given what we are now seeing as far as nutritional deficiencies and digestive disorders in long-term bariatric patients, perhaps the ASMBS will publish more comprehensive nutritional guidelines for micronutrients and (one could only hope) phytonutrients. There is some detailed information on the ASMBS website regarding micronutrients, and a European bariatric surgeon that I spoke with recently said this was a big area of discussion at their annual meeting. When I had my gastric bypass surgery in 2003, I was told that I needed to take one Multivitamin, one Calcium, and one iron tablet a day. That turned out to be a complete fallacy. The quantity of supplements that I take is extreme. GSleeve822, rather than try to degrade ops with name calling -- ops, who I might add, take precious time out of their busy lives to write articles such as this purely to help bariatric patients -- why not add to the conversation with information from authoritative sources that support your point of view rather than issue complaints that show your lack of gratitude and decorum in a public forum? As always, my information is cited from the authoritative sources from which they are taken, and shared here for informational purposes. You should always check with your healthcare provider, as well as trust your gut instinct... if something doesn't feel right to you then by all means exercise your right to not believe it.

Allow me to introduce to those of you who are not familiar with, what I consider to be, the gold standards of weight loss surgery success habits. These are success habits developed by people way smarter than me who have defined the keys to achieving permanent weight loss with bariatric surgery. I feel these must be read and memorized by every bariatric surgery patient. My trinity of owner’s manuals for the bariatric surgery are: The Bariatric Diet developed by Dr. E. E. Mason (the father of obesity surgery) The Pouch Rules for Dummies adopted from Dr. E. E. Mason The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients by Colleen Cook, based on research with patients successful with bariatric surgery Here is a high-level of the success habits found in each text. You’ll need to read the full texts in order to reap the benefit. Just click through the links above. The Bariatric Diet The following is the gist of the bariatric diet developed by Dr. Edward E. Mason. Dr. Mason is an Iowa bariatric surgeon who is considered the “father of obesity surgery” and the bariatric diet is the gold standard for weight loss surgery patients to follow. The ideal meal for weight loss is: • Fill one-half of your plate with two to four ounces of animal source, low-fat protein. • Fill one-quarter of your plate with lightly-cooked or raw low starch vegetables. • Fill the remaining quarter of your plate with fresh raw fruit. These food choices are coarse, solid foods that should be cut finely and chewed well in order to be tolerated. They are likely to stay in the pouch longer and offer good nutritional value. Read How Does the Bariatric Diet Work for further details. The Pouch Rules The following is an overview of the pouch rules developed by Dr. Edward E. Mason. Read The Pouch Rules for Dummies for the complete instructions. • Eat solid foods. Take very small bites of low-fat meats, crisp or raw vegetables, and solid fruits like apples or pears. • Eat at least two ounces of meat with each meal. • Try to finish your meal within 15 to 20 minutes. Make sure you still chew your food thoroughly. Don’t rush through the meal, but don’t linger at the table either. • Avoid drinking with meals and for two hours afterwards. • Start drinking when the feelings of hunger return to avoid thirst and minimize hunger between meals. Start with smaller sips, and increase the volume until you feel full again. • Drink 8 to 12 ounces of water rapidly over 20 seconds, then top off with sips until you feel comfortably full. Do this whenever you feel hungry. This will keep the pouch distended and minimize hunger. • Drink a full glass of water 15 minutes prior to eating. By drinking a lot of water before the meal, you shouldn’t need to drink during the meal or afterward. • Avoid snacking since snacks usually do not eliminate hunger. They also are filled with empty calories. • Minimize caloric liquids and softer foods. These foods are not off limits, but when you make exceptions you will likely get hungry sooner and have to deal with the consequences. The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients Colleen Cook had gastric bypass surgery in 1995 and went on to author the The Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients. It is based on research conducted with patients who have been successful with bariatric surgery. I have found that I maintain my weight loss when I follow the success habits. When I slip up and stop using the habits, I gain weight fairly quickly. And I take off that weight when I return to the Success Principals: Success principal #1: Personal accountability (this is fundamental – you must “get” this principal before you can work the other principals into your new life) Success principal #2: Portion control Success principal #3: Nutrition Success principal #4: Fluid intake Success principal #5: Regular exercise Success principal #6: Vitamins and supplements I find the chapter “Back on Track” particularly helpful. It’s for weight loss surgery patients who have regained weight. Colleen Cook shares an approach that has helped many patients turn it around, get back on track, lose the weight and keep it off by following these principals. Weight-loss surgery is a big part of the solution, but it is not a cure-all. If you follow these success habits you will increase the amount of weight you lose as well as ensure a healthy weight for the rest of your life. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

I became obese in my twenties. I really don't know why. So I would love to hear form the crowd, form those patients who were not obese for virtually their entire lives. What is it that caused you to become obese? Thanks for sharing. I am trying to figure out why I became obese and your answers may help me to find the answer.

Thank you, Alex. You raise and excellent point! We end this phase of our lives, true, but there is a whole sea of possibilities for the new life we can create together with our spouse. It can be an exciting time for the relationship. But the couple has to prepare themselves for it mentally and emotionally. A therapist can help the couple navigate through this. There are lots of good self help books that can help, as well.

Any drastic change that takes place in one spouse affects both partners. Relationship issues after bariatric surgery are a common but couples counseling beforehand helps both partners manage the change together. Counseling Before and After Bariatric Surgery Helps Couples Manage Change Relationship issues after bariatric surgery are a common topic discussed during the orientation class prior to surgery. Any drastic change that takes place in one spouse affects both of the partners. In fact, bariatric surgery will impact the lifestyle of the entire family. In a prior post, the high rate of divorce after bariatric surgery was explored. Relationship Issues after Bariatric Surgery There are two leading causes of relationship issues after bariatric surgery. Perhaps the relationship was poor before the bariatric surgery. The new more confident bariatric surgery partner now finds the esteem and courage to end a bad situation. Bariatric surgery can have a positive effect on a solid marriage but it can tear apart a marriage that is already on the rocks. Sometimes the partners can no longer find a common ground where interests are shared. The partner who had bariatric surgery has been energized and is no longer attracted to a sedentary lifestyle centered around eating. Whereas the remaining partner is comfortable with the lifestyle that existed prior to the bariatric surgery. It is this latter relationship dynamic that I wish to explore. Specifically, what can be done to resolve these sorts of relationship issues after bariatric surgery? Resolving Relationship Issues after Bariatric Surgery Dramatic change comes with bariatric surgery. Food shopping, mealtime, and the activities engaged in for enjoyment must shift to accommodate healthier habits if the bariatric surgery is to succeed. The loss of familiarity with “what was” calls for adjustment. And change, whether positive or negative, can be charged with emotions that promote stress. Stress will in turn grate patience, especially if the partner who did not have bariatric surgery is unenthused about the changes taking place. If common ground cannot be found then you have to be ready to turn the page and end that chapter of your life. In the lifespan of a relationship sometimes a couple becomes incompatible. It is better to be alone and understand the power of aloneness than to be in a dysfunctional or incompatible relationship. But let it not go unspoken that a divorce after bariatric surgery is a decision that should come after an honest effort has been made to find solutions to the problems inherent in a marriage. Why abandon a relationship that may be able to weather the winds of change? If after bariatric surgery your relationship becomes strained then counseling might help to resolve your issues. The purpose of relationship counseling is for a therapist to assist in moving the couple from conflict to resolution. Resolving Relationship Issues before Bariatric Surgery We are a society that was raised on a false notion of romantic love. We think that true love means “happily ever after” and not having to work at compatibility. That’s just a fairy tale we were told as children. Perhaps, then, a deep exploration of feelings and the solidarity of the relationship should be undertaken sooner rather than later. Read, “True Love after Weight Loss.” Resolving relationship issues after bariatric surgery may not be the ideal time to seek counseling. With the extremely high divorce rate after bariatric surgery, it makes sense to play the odds and resolve relationship issues before bariatric surgery. Pre-marriage counseling is often done to help couples address differences prior to taking their marital vows. Likewise, relationship counseling for bariatric surgery can be undertaken. Even couples in healthy relationships can attend couples counseling to further strengthen their already strong unions. In either case, relationship counseling before bariatric surgery will prepare and strengthen the couple to better withstand the changes that will come. What to Expect from Relationship Counseling Relationship counseling is a type of psychotherapy and is usually practiced by licensed professionals such as a marriage and family therapist. Counseling is usually short, and both partners should participate. The benefit is that couples counseling avoids the victim or “poor me” attitude that can be a by-product of individual therapy, which encourages people to dig deeper into their own world view. Each spouse’s job in couples therapy is to focus on his or her own learning and growth, not to try to get the other person to change. Couples therapy will involve discovering the strengths and weaknesses in a relationship, improving communication, and developing problem-solving skills. Partners work on understanding their spouse’s feelings and viewpoint, negotiating the differences that can be negotiated or accepting those differences that cannot. Sessions can be animated, argumentative, or pass in stony silence. The therapist must be able to guide all sessions regardless of the climate. Couples need not be married to participate, and a couple can be heterosexual or homosexual. As is stated, another term for relationship counseling is couples counseling and marriage is not a prerequisite. A couple sharing a relationship will suffice. When selecting a counselor some of the more pertinent questions might be about the counselor’s level of education, general availability, number of sessions per week, length of therapy, fees and coverage through health insurance. You may find a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in your area through TherapistLocator. If additional but separate problems surface then the therapist should involve other mental health counselors that specialize in those areas of need. If the sessions lead to the discovery that the marriage is beyond repair then it could very well in the best interest of both partners to terminate the relationship. Although such decisions can be emotionally difficult, such difficulty is probably preferable to remaining in a hopeless relationship. Sometimes relationship issues only can be resolved by dissolution of the marriage. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

Counseling Before and After Bariatric Surgery Helps Couples Manage Change Relationship issues after bariatric surgery are a common topic discussed during the orientation class prior to surgery. Any drastic change that takes place in one spouse affects both of the partners. In fact, bariatric surgery will impact the lifestyle of the entire family. In a prior post, the high rate of divorce after bariatric surgery was explored. Relationship Issues after Bariatric Surgery There are two leading causes of relationship issues after bariatric surgery. Perhaps the relationship was poor before the bariatric surgery. The new more confident bariatric surgery partner now finds the esteem and courage to end a bad situation. Bariatric surgery can have a positive effect on a solid marriage but it can tear apart a marriage that is already on the rocks. Sometimes the partners can no longer find a common ground where interests are shared. The partner who had bariatric surgery has been energized and is no longer attracted to a sedentary lifestyle centered around eating. Whereas the remaining partner is comfortable with the lifestyle that existed prior to the bariatric surgery. It is this latter relationship dynamic that I wish to explore. Specifically, what can be done to resolve these sorts of relationship issues after bariatric surgery? Resolving Relationship Issues after Bariatric Surgery Dramatic change comes with bariatric surgery. Food shopping, mealtime, and the activities engaged in for enjoyment must shift to accommodate healthier habits if the bariatric surgery is to succeed. The loss of familiarity with “what was” calls for adjustment. And change, whether positive or negative, can be charged with emotions that promote stress. Stress will in turn grate patience, especially if the partner who did not have bariatric surgery is unenthused about the changes taking place. If common ground cannot be found then you have to be ready to turn the page and end that chapter of your life. In the lifespan of a relationship sometimes a couple becomes incompatible. It is better to be alone and understand the power of aloneness than to be in a dysfunctional or incompatible relationship. But let it not go unspoken that a divorce after bariatric surgery is a decision that should come after an honest effort has been made to find solutions to the problems inherent in a marriage. Why abandon a relationship that may be able to weather the winds of change? If after bariatric surgery your relationship becomes strained then counseling might help to resolve your issues. The purpose of relationship counseling is for a therapist to assist in moving the couple from conflict to resolution. Resolving Relationship Issues before Bariatric Surgery We are a society that was raised on a false notion of romantic love. We think that true love means “happily ever after” and not having to work at compatibility. That’s just a fairy tale we were told as children. Perhaps, then, a deep exploration of feelings and the solidarity of the relationship should be undertaken sooner rather than later. Read, “True Love after Weight Loss.” Resolving relationship issues after bariatric surgery may not be the ideal time to seek counseling. With the extremely high divorce rate after bariatric surgery, it makes sense to play the odds and resolve relationship issues before bariatric surgery. Pre-marriage counseling is often done to help couples address differences prior to taking their marital vows. Likewise, relationship counseling for bariatric surgery can be undertaken. Even couples in healthy relationships can attend couples counseling to further strengthen their already strong unions. In either case, relationship counseling before bariatric surgery will prepare and strengthen the couple to better withstand the changes that will come. What to Expect from Relationship Counseling Relationship counseling is a type of psychotherapy and is usually practiced by licensed professionals such as a marriage and family therapist. Counseling is usually short, and both partners should participate. The benefit is that couples counseling avoids the victim or “poor me” attitude that can be a by-product of individual therapy, which encourages people to dig deeper into their own world view. Each spouse’s job in couples therapy is to focus on his or her own learning and growth, not to try to get the other person to change. Couples therapy will involve discovering the strengths and weaknesses in a relationship, improving communication, and developing problem-solving skills. Partners work on understanding their spouse’s feelings and viewpoint, negotiating the differences that can be negotiated or accepting those differences that cannot. Sessions can be animated, argumentative, or pass in stony silence. The therapist must be able to guide all sessions regardless of the climate. Couples need not be married to participate, and a couple can be heterosexual or homosexual. As is stated, another term for relationship counseling is couples counseling and marriage is not a prerequisite. A couple sharing a relationship will suffice. When selecting a counselor some of the more pertinent questions might be about the counselor’s level of education, general availability, number of sessions per week, length of therapy, fees and coverage through health insurance. You may find a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in your area through TherapistLocator. If additional but separate problems surface then the therapist should involve other mental health counselors that specialize in those areas of need. If the sessions lead to the discovery that the marriage is beyond repair then it could very well in the best interest of both partners to terminate the relationship. Although such decisions can be emotionally difficult, such difficulty is probably preferable to remaining in a hopeless relationship. Sometimes relationship issues only can be resolved by dissolution of the marriage. Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

A BMI of 27, size 8, and being happy with your body sounds like success to me!!! A huge congratulations to you!!!

Thank you, Alex. I love patient success stories. It is so inspiring to see ordinary people doing extraordinary things! It is also worth noting that between these success stories, all of the different weight loss surgeries are covered. Sandi is a wonderful example of massive weight loss with the Lap-Band. Jassira was successful with the duodenal switch. Jen and Fabiola had gastric sleeve. Mikimi had the gastric bypass. And I tip my hat to each and every one of them, all living life fully now, and so very happy!!!

In honor of Mother's Day, I'm celebrating 5 women with unique stories on how they defeated obesity and went on to lead lives they love. After failed attempts at diet and exercise, bariatric surgery can sometimes offset the effects of obesity and help people take back their lives. Discover how five ordinary women used different surgeries to overcome their health challenges. Come join the celebration and add your success story in the comments! Sandi's Decade-Long 250-Pound Weight Loss Sandi says, "I expected no miracle from my obesity surgery, just the relief of my constant physical hunger. I did the rest of the work in changing my lifestyle habits." Indeed, Sandi is a WINNER. Learn how Sandi achieved permanent weight loss through changes in body, mind, and spirit after her Lap-Band. READ MORE. Fabiola Lost Weight by Never Losing Faith Fabiola Apollon is familiar with the setbacks and success of weight loss. She was not a first time winner, nor a second or third, for that matter. However, she is a woman of great spirit, and her determination finally won the battle with a gastric sleeve revision, spirituality, and dedication. Since the gastric sleeve surgery, Fabiola’s dress size has dropped to a size 8/10, from the size 22 that she used to wear. READ MORE. Jen Found True Love after Weight Loss Before Jen could love another person she first had to find the love within that she had for herself. Jen did not engage in dating when she was morbidly obese. Since being "sleeved" Jen’s life has changed dramatically! Finding self acceptance after weight loss can be one of the most empowering benefits of bariatric surgery. And, Jen married the man of her dreams on October 17, 2015. READ NOW. Mikimi Got Plastic Surgery Paid by Insurance Mikimi’s journey through body contouring after massive weight loss is one of triumph over challenges: From battling *** insurance approval for plastic surgery after gastric bypass, to enduring wound healing issues, to again fighting for *** insurance coverage for plastic surgery revisions — and winning! READ NOW. Jassira Beat Obesity Infertility to Become a Mom Jassira Espaillat-Batista had been together with her husband, Juan, for 6-years without using birth control. At 340 pounds and unable to ovulate, obesity infertility made it impossible for her to conceive a baby naturally. The duodenal switch helped her to realize her dreams of motherhood. But it was a difficult journey that almost cost her life. Today she is mom to two beautiful boys! READ NOW.

Sandi's Decade-Long 250-Pound Weight Loss Sandi says, "I expected no miracle from my obesity surgery, just the relief of my constant physical hunger. I did the rest of the work in changing my lifestyle habits." Indeed, Sandi is a WINNER. Learn how Sandi achieved permanent weight loss through changes in body, mind, and spirit after her Lap-Band. READ MORE. Fabiola Lost Weight by Never Losing Faith Fabiola Apollon is familiar with the setbacks and success of weight loss. She was not a first time winner, nor a second or third, for that matter. However, she is a woman of great spirit, and her determination finally won the battle with a gastric sleeve revision, spirituality, and dedication. Since the gastric sleeve surgery, Fabiola’s dress size has dropped to a size 8/10, from the size 22 that she used to wear. READ MORE. Jen Found True Love after Weight Loss Before Jen could love another person she first had to find the love within that she had for herself. Jen did not engage in dating when she was morbidly obese. Since being "sleeved" Jen’s life has changed dramatically! Finding self acceptance after weight loss can be one of the most empowering benefits of bariatric surgery. And, Jen married the man of her dreams on October 17, 2015. READ NOW. Mikimi Got Plastic Surgery Paid by Insurance Mikimi’s journey through body contouring after massive weight loss is one of triumph over challenges: From battling *** insurance approval for plastic surgery after gastric bypass, to enduring wound healing issues, to again fighting for *** insurance coverage for plastic surgery revisions — and winning! READ NOW. Jassira Beat Obesity Infertility to Become a Mom Jassira Espaillat-Batista had been together with her husband, Juan, for 6-years without using birth control. At 340 pounds and unable to ovulate, obesity infertility made it impossible for her to conceive a baby naturally. The duodenal switch helped her to realize her dreams of motherhood. But it was a difficult journey that almost cost her life. Today she is mom to two beautiful boys! READ NOW.

If metabolic syndrome is the cause of your weight gain, a diet that is low to moderate in calories coupled with an exercise plan may not be enough to lose the weight. And if you continue to eat the wrong foods, exercise and diet may not help at all. In the late 1970s the government mandated we get the fat out of our food. The food industry responded by putting in more sugar. And that, we see by historical data, correlates to the time when America’s obesity epidemic began. Read my article, “Cause and Cure of Obesity in America.” In the New York Times best seller Fat Chance: Beating the Odds against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease, author Dr. Robert H. Lustig, a renown expert on obesity, points out that “a calorie is not a calorie.” Not all calories are equal. Whether the calorie comes from fructose, glucose, protein or fat is important to its metabolic effect and how much fat that calorie accounts for. Fructose and glucose — just two of the many names that sugar goes by — and even protein are said to be the culprits behind insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome are two primary causes of obesity in both adults and children. If you are struggling with the problem of an overgrown waistline, aka “belly fat,” this may be an indicator of these health conditions. Read my article, “Belly Fat is a Danger for All People.” If metabolic syndrome is the cause of your weight gain, a diet that is low to moderate in calories coupled with an exercise plan may not be enough to lose the weight. And if you continue to eat the wrong foods, exercise and diet may not help at all. What are the Wrong Foods? Sugar goes by a variety of names, about 52 in all, including glucose, maltose, sucrose, and fructose. The result has been an altering of our biochemistry that has driven our eating out of control, according to Dr. Lustig. Dr. Lustig further states that so-called healthy sugars such as agave, coconut and palm sugars are all “crap.” Checkout this HealthCentral sugar infographic named Sugar is to Blame: http://www.healthcentral.com/obesity/c/380545/179644/sugar-blame-infographic/ Dr. Andrew Weil, a well-known guru for holistic health and integrative medicine, agrees on this point. Dr. Weil warns that sugar is toxic, and coupled with modern industrial food, has disastrous effects on the hormones that control hunger, satiety, and weight. Both Dr. Lustig and Dr. Ron Rosedale, author of The Rosedale Diet, advise that branch chain amino acids (BCAAs) and protein contribute to insulin resistance and obesity. I’ve been eating a high-protein diet and taking BCAAs because I thought I was doing my body good. Whey protein, which I and the majority of bariatric patients have been conditioned to consume, is one of the worst foods for releasing insulin in the body according to Dr. Andreas Eenfeldt, a Swedish medical doctor and specialist in family medicine. Dr. Eenfeldt, commonly known on the web as the “Diet Doctor,” interviews Dr. Lustig on the "Causes of Obesity" in the video below (or watch it on ). The Bottom Line If you think metabolic syndrome may be the cause of your weight gain, then eating a traditional “healthy diet” combined with exercise may result in failure to lose weight. Talk to your nutritionist. Further, you may wish to explore three diets for metabolic syndrome from Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Robert H. Lustig, and Dr. Andrew Weil in my article, “Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Loss.” Living larger than ever, My Bariatric Life

VSGAnn2014 I would raise an eyebrow to any claim of absolute truth. I am sharing information that I find credible and useful. As you note well, what works for one person may not work for another. It is up to each of us to decide for ourselves if claims made by authoritative sources, be it the FDA that approves GMO Foods or Dr. Mercola who promotes his supplements or Dr. Oz who promotes the latest weight loss miracle, is "good for me or not." We would be naive to believe that all parties have the highest good intended, as sadly money can corrupt morals. That said, there are institutions full of gurus (teachers) who take your money. That does not make them a cult. That makes them a university. Its a sad fact that the old adage is very true: Let the buyer beware. As well as: Follow the money. I never anticipated that an article on sugar would raise such an interesting philosophical discussion. I appreciate everyone's point-of-view. BTW in my research over the years, I have found so many causes (or at least correlations and contributing factors) for obesity cited by credible resources, from birth order to pollution. PS many years ago I was in France. The amount of people smoking, drinking wine, and eating bread by the loaves was mind-blowing. And everyone was thin... just about no where was an overweight person to be found.

I've heard of college degree mills but this one has certainly got to take the cake. It only costs about $100 bucks to take the test as many times as you want until you get 75% of the questions correct. Wow. That sounds like a bargain. What's more, you can hold some wildly impressive degrees. Check these out: http://ulc.net/index.php?page=shop&cat=17 I think that I will apply. By the end of the month I could hold degrees as the Doctor of Immortality and the Doctor of the Universe. I'll feel so omnipotent!

@@AvaFern that's a great reason.

@@AvaFern I know people who have ordinations like this so that they can perform weddings, or because they give spiritual advice or they are energy healers and things like that. The ordination in their case protects them from getting sued. I just thought some of the "doctorate" degrees were hilarious. I've actually been looking for an ordination program, which is how I stumbled upon these degrees. I don't want a traditional seminary and I don't want an overnight ordination, either. I am still looking for the right fit.

@VSGAnn2014 @CowgirlJane hahaha, to each her own. This is the path that I took. Your paths may be different. I don't evangelize that it is my way or the highway (unless you live in my house). I'm a pescatarian, too... but before you go thinking, "Oh she's one of those people" know that I do watch The Walking Dead on Amazon Video so I do consume some TV :-)