My Bariatric Life

This post made me feel so happy and excitef

Thank you for clarifying these topics.
Especially gluten free. Most gluten free items on store shelves are more carbs than their gluten versions. They are not low carb or low calorie items.
Also, almost everything at Panera is bad for you except the black coffee!

Our number one priority is to lose weight. In search of a new healthy lifestyle, we often self sabotage our well-intended efforts by investing in diet myths and misinformation about weight loss. Don’t fall into the trap! Check out these 8 Diet Myths.


8 Diet Myths Debunked!

Our number one priority is to lose weight. In search of a new healthy lifestyle, we often self sabotage our well-intended efforts by investing in diet myths and misinformation about weight loss. Don’t fall into the trap! Check out these 8 Diet Myths.
1 Negative-calorie foods
Some high Fiber foods like celery and citrus fruits are claimed to be negative calorie foods. The presumption is that it takes more energy for the body to digest these foods, and thus burns more calories than the calories in the food itself. The truth is that the amount of calories it takes the body to digest food are minuscule compared to the calories in the food.
Read a counter-viewpoint and decide what is true for you, “Eating Foods that Burn More Calories.”

2. Muscle weighs more than fat
Don’t fool yourself. A pound of muscle and a pound of fat weight the same — 1-pound! However, because muscle is more dense than fat, having more muscle on your frame will make you look leaner. Also, 1-pound of muscle burns 50 calories a day whereas 1-pound of fat burns only 2 calories — so muscle increases your metabolic rate.
Learn about “Metabolic Syndrome and Weight Loss.”

3. A diet is the best way to lose weight
In the short-term “dieting,” that is following a prescriptive plan of eating fewer calories for a period of time, results in weight loss. But the weight loss is only temporary and weight is regained when former eating habits are resumed. Instead, find a way to eat healthy forever. That’s the way to lose weight and keep it off.
More articles on Eating Healthy after weight loss surgery!

4. An entree salad is the low-cal choice on the menu
Salads can be a very healthy choice — or a very unhealthy choice! A general rule of thumb might be the yummier that you make a salad the less healthy it becomes. Watch those toppings: cheeses, candied walnuts, dressing — yikes! Panera Bread’s Fuji Apple chicken Salad has 580 calories, and 30 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat. Compare that to a McDonald’s double cheeseburger with 440 calories, and 23 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat.
More Unhealthy Foods we think are healthy!

5. Skipping meals speeds up weight loss
Not eating actually slows down metabolism. So to keep your metabolism going eat a healthy Breakfast, followed by healthy lunch and dinner, several hours apart. Not eating also can cause ravenous hunger later in the day, which may drive you to overindulge.
Check out this Healthy Lunch Solution after Bariatrics!

6. “Light” foods are better
Light foods may contain fewer calories or fat, but not without increasing sodium, sugar, chemical additives, or artificial sweeteners. A serving of fat-free cream cheese is only 15-calories less than the real, full-fate version. But the sodium content is 11 milligrams more. Sodium is a major cause of bloating. Add to that, when people perceive a food as light they tend to eat more of it, sometimes consuming more calories than if they had eaten the real version.
Read “The Bitter Truth about Aspartame”

7. A gluten-free diet will help you lose weight
A gluten-free diet is assumed to be a no-carb diet. That is not true. A gluten-free product replaces gluten-containing grains like wheat flour with non-gluten-containing grains like rice flour. Both wheat flour and rice flour are high in carbohydrates — and gluten-free pastries are high in calories. A gluten-free diet was designed for people with Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the small intestine cannot digest gluten.
Read “Gluten-Free is Unhealthy and Expensive”


8. Over-the-counter diet pills help weight loss
The Federal Trade Commission charged four weight loss companies with fraud. The companies charged with deceptive marketing practices include diet products we’ve all seen nationally-advertised: HCG Diet Direct, Sensa Products, LeanSpa, and L’Occitane. Talk to your doctor about your options for safe and effective medications for weight loss, combined with dietary and physical activity improvements.
Learn about Getting Active after weight loss.

This information was sourced from authoritative sources and is shared for informational purposes only. Use your best judgement and consult with your trusted healthcare provider before changing your diet and exercise habits.

Living larger than ever,
My Bariatric Life

Don't you look awesome! Thank you for sharing. It's an inspiration to see such wonderful, long-term success. Congrats!

Wow! It's so incredible to hear from someone so far out from their surgery. Congrats on your amazing success. You are an inspiration to us all!

Congratulations.

You look awesome!!
Sent from my XT1254 using the BariatricPal App

You look great, totally inspiring, awesome for sharing!!!!!
Good luck and thanks!
267/243/224
Surgery date 08/15/16

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

Thirteen years ago, bariatric angel Kristin S. waited with me in the hospital room the day of my bariatric surgery: August 27, 2003. Kristin stayed with me up until the last moment when the nurses brought the gurney to deliver me into my new life. Today I Celebrate 13-years of defeating obesity and it's related diseases of diabetes and hypertension and asthma and GERD.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To all those who have helped me along the way, to those I help along their way, to my family and to G-d for always loving me, and to my self for doing this! I am grateful for my health and my life.
Full disclosure: I had plastic surgery after weight loss in 2013. The gastric bypass weight loss undoubtedly saved my life, but the aesthetic results you see in the "after" photos are not typical of bariatric surgery alone.

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.< /span>
• 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.< /span> 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

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.< /span>
• 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.< /span> 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

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

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!!!