Chianti

Looking at my journey over the past decade-plus, I can see the fallout from my terrible mentality of weight loss at any cost. But, really, at what cost? At the cost of my sanity? At the cost of my self-esteem? At the cost of my health?

People say you have nothing if you don’t have your health, and as I get older, that truth can no longer be ignored.


When I had my roux-n-y gastric bypass surgery in 2005, my goal was to lose weight. Specifically, I wanted to lose 225 pounds.

At just over five feet tall and 343 pounds, I was super morbidly obese. Those are the facts, but what is also true is that my weight has been the bane of my existence for my entire life. Or, at least, since I was about three years old, when I first realized that my weight fell on the less socially “acceptable” end of the spectrum.

So, yes, weight loss was the goal I set for myself, but what I see now is that all I really wanted was to slip into the spectrum of acceptability enjoyed by women who wear single digit jeans. It was about fitting in. It was about not standing out. It was about being “normal.”

At no point was it ever really about being healthy.

In the two years after my surgery, I dedicated my days to working out and eating as little as possible. Ultimately, I lost 201 pounds. It wasn’t the hoped for 225, but I was a size eight - victory, right?

Not exactly. Even at a size eight, I struggled with body acceptance. I still felt like a fish out of water and worse, I couldn’t seem to sync up with the woman in the mirror. I had a new body, but I didn’t feel like “me” anymore.

And worse still, I didn’t feel healthy. Sure, I’d lost 200 pounds. By all the usual measures (and certainly by societal expectations), I was “cured,” but I felt sick. My energy was low, my sleep was all over the place, and I was incredibly frustrated by a diet that seemed barely sustainable for any length of time.

That diet piece was my fault, of course. So determined to lose the weight, I worked hard to hit my daily protein goal, even if that meant I consumed hard boiled eggs three times a day and literally nothing else. For much of the past 11 years since my surgery, I’ve been riding a roller coaster. I’ve lost and gained weight over and over, the pendulum swinging back and forth and my emotions following. I have suffered serious vitamin deficiencies and still struggle to disconnect guilt from the simple act of eating. In this state of mind, it’s been easy for me to sacrifice overall well being for short-term gain, or in my case, loss.

Despite the fact that I didn’t really feel that great, it still took a while to realize why. When weight loss was the goal, I needed only to focus on the aspects of my new life that supported it: protein, calorie counting, and obsessive exercise.

Health has been the missing piece all along.

Focusing on my health has required a total turnabout. It means that I’ve had to reevaluate my goals. I’d lived so much of my life with oversimplified ideals: thin equals good, fat equals bad. The reality is more complex, as it so often is.

Looking at my journey over the past decade-plus, I can see the fallout from my terrible mentality of weight loss at any cost. But, at what cost really? At the cost of my sanity? At the cost of my self-esteem? At the cost of my health?

People say you have nothing if you don’t have your health, and as I get older, that truth can no longer be ignored.

Today, I am 89 pounds heavier than my lowest post-op weight. Typing those words makes the old me cringe… I feel waves of embarrassment, shame, anger, frustration, and the ever useless guilt.

The new part of me, the one I am working to healthfully feed mind, body, and soul, feels hope. I feel hope because I remember the young woman that weighed 138 pounds, and I know that I was less healthy standing on that scale back then than I am today in my double digit jeans. This new woman I see in the mirror still wants to lose weight, but as a byproduct of a healthy life.

Health has become my personal mission. I wasted a lot of time hating myself to obesity and then hating myself thin. My plan now is to love myself healthy. To do all that I do in the pursuit of weight loss and health with kindness to the woman in the mirror, no matter how she looks.

If any of what I’ve written resonates, I hope you too can break free. My wish for you is that as you walk your own path, you keep your eyes trained on your health goals and not simply on the scale.

Weight loss surgery is supposed to be the final answer to obesity. Ideally, you use your sleeve, band or pouch as a tool to help you lose weight, and that tool continues to keep you in check as you maintain goal weight.
But that’s not always the case. Many Weight Loss Surgery patients find that losing weight is easier than maintaining weight loss. You may already have some hint of that if you were a long-time yo-yo dieter before surgery.


So why is it so hard to keep the weight off, and what can you do about it? It can be harder to keep the weight off than lose it in the first place because:
You might gradually be less strict with your food choices as the occasional treat becomes more frequent and bigger.
Your restriction may not feel as, well, restrictive as it did right after surgery.
Your metabolism is slower and you don’t need as many calories as you did before.
You don’t have the motivation that comes from seeing the scale go down as a reward for your good eating habits.

But a little challenge doesn’t have to get you down! After all, you’re a WLS patient, and you’re in it for the long haul! Here are some things to think about as you are losing weight, approaching goal weight, or even working on maintaining your goal weight. This is just Part 1 of the two-part series, so stay tuned for Part 2!
I Hate Counting Calories!
Yes, logging your food can be tedious. Some people even find that counting calories makes them anxious or causes them to fixate on food. Maybe immediately post-op you could skip the calorie counting and still lose weight because you had so much restriction. Maybe, in the beginning, you forced yourself to log foods for a few weeks or months.
What if, when you’re at or near goal weight, you can’t face the thought of counting calories? You still have a few options that can work.
Go back to the meal plan you got from your surgeon or nutritionist and stick to it. If it says ½ cup of oatmeal, it doesn’t matter whether you know how many calories that half-cup contains. You can be certain that if you follow the plan, your total daily calories will add up to the amount in the plan.
Log once a week. This can help you stay on track as you make sure your portion sizes are still working out for you and you are choosing the low-calorie, high-protein foods you think you are.
Focus on another nutrient, such as protein. If you hit your target grams of protein, stick to small portions, and make sure all of your protein and other foods are the nutritious ones you’re supposed to be eating – think lean proteins, vegetables, and healthy fats, for starters – you have a good start towards eating the way you should.

Carbs Are the Devil!
Maybe it’s carbs, maybe it’s sugar, maybe it’s pizza, or tacos, or ice cream that you avoid in your weight loss efforts. Whatever it is, there’s a good chance you’re trying to avoid it as you lose weight. Weight loss surgery patients can be tempted to go low-carb, paleo, or sugar-free. That’s fine, as long as you can keep it up long-term.
If you can’t, you’re setting yourself up for a rough time. What happens when you hit goal weight and you flip a mental switch in your head? What if you go from low-carb to letting cookies, bread, and pasta back into your diet? What if you go off paleo and find all sorts of processed foods that are delicious and convenient? What happens next time you come face to face with an order of chicken wings and dipping sauce for the table?
You may be better off planning for a diet that will work long term. While you are still losing weight or while you are early in the maintenance phase, take inventory of your feelings. Be honest about what you can and cannot live without, and develop a plan to address it. Then practice!
These are some possible ways to approach your food fears.
Think “healthy, portion-controlled carb” instead of “low-carb.” Aim to get in healthy carbs such as oatmeal, lentils, fruit, sweet potatoes, and yogurt rather than avoiding all carbs.
Consider the good and bad of the paleo diet. While the guidelines to avoid processed foods and refined sugars can’t hurt, it really necessary to avoid nutrient powerhouses such as beans (think: protein, fiber, and potassium)? And is it really possible to avoid all processed foods for the rest of your life? What happens if you run short on time? A good strategy may be to get in the habit of reading labels so you develop your ability to choose healthy (or at least, “healthier”) packaged meal helpers.
Make up your mind about trigger foods. Are you the type who can be satisfied with one potato chip when you get a craving? Or are you best off avoiding the chips altogether? Is there a similar substitute, such as kale chips, that can work for you? If you’re not sure, experiment so you know how best to handle cravings.

Maintenance has its share of challenges, but you can overcome them to be able to experience all the joys of hitting that goal weight you dreamed about for so long. Just like you did when you were getting ready for weight loss surgery and losing weight, you can take a carefully planned approach to maintenance that considers your own preferences. Stay tuned to Part 2 of the two-part series!

The weight loss surgery journey is easier for some than for others. That’s true not only mentally, but physically as well. Some patients are confident as they get the surgery, follow their prescribed diets, and lose weight until they approach their goal weights.
But most have doubts at some point. Those doubts can be strong especially in the first few weeks after surgery.


I see this lack of confidence time and time again in the forums. Weeks or a month after surgery, gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, lap-band, and other Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) patients start to wonder whether Weight Loss Surgery was the right choice. Most often, they are disappointing in the number of pounds they have lost, and they wonder, “Am I going to be the Weight Loss Surgery patient who fails?”
I can say this with confidence: If you follow the Weight Loss Surgery diet, you’ll lose weight.
“I’m Not Losing Weight Fast Enough!”
That’s a common post on BariatricPal. The poster is usually a week or a few weeks post-op, and worries their weight loss isn’t fast enough. They think their “slow” rate of weight loss means Weight Loss Surgery didn’t “work” for them. They think they will never be able to lose significant amounts of weight, since WLS was a last-ditch effort to lose weight and get healthy after years of dieting didn’t work.
But in most cases, these fears just aren’t true. Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying these fears are unreasonable. I understand them perfectly. I, and probably every Weight Loss Surgery patient, wondered whether it would work for me. And the answer for me, and for everyone who followed their Weight Loss Surgery diet, was “YES!”
The Perfect Storm for Frustration
So why the panic? I like to think of the first few weeks or even months after weight loss surgery as a perfect storm for generating doubts. It’s a time when the following are true.
You realize you have made a decision that led to a change to your body that is irreversible (in the case of sleeve gastrectomy) or meant to be permanent (in the case of the gastric bypass), or
You realize a lifetime commitment to changing your eating habits and lifestyle is a pretty big deal.
You have not eaten solid foods for weeks, or even more if you had a liquid diet for long before surgery, and it’s getting you down.
You are struggling in your daily life as you try to make time for exercise or you find your family members continue to eat junk food in front of you.

All that is enough to get anyone down before you even start thinking about the reason you got the surgery in the first place – to lose weight! If you doubt you’re losing weight “fast enough”, you might start wondering if you made the wrong decision when you got Weight Loss Surgery – and that’s a depressing thought.
Crunching the Numbers
Almost without fail, the BariatricPal member who posts about disappointing early weight loss is losing weight quite quickly. The only person who is disappointed in this number, typically, is the member him or herself. I’ve seen members post with concerns about losing “only” 20 pounds in the first month, or “only” 10 pounds in the first week. Guess what. That’s great!
Think about it. A general round number for great first-year weight loss after Weight Loss Surgery is 100 pounds. That’s an average of 2 pounds a week, or 8 pounds a month. If you lost 20 lbs in your first month, you’re doing fantastic! To hit 100 pounds in your first year, you won’t even lose a pound every three days! So don’t worry if the scale doesn’t plummet every single day. If you’re eating right, you’ll lose weight.
Try to keep yourself motivated by keeping it all in perspective. Another motivating thought is to consider how long it took you to gain the extra weight. 5 years? 10 years? Your whole life? And now you have a chance to lose it within 1 or 2 or 5 years? That’s a pretty good bargain, right?
Recovery Now for Weight Loss Later
Now, I know you’ve prepared for Weight Loss Surgery for a long time, and you’re eager to lose weight. But really, you’re not quite ready to focus on weight loss if you’re still recovering from surgery. It’s far more important to heal properly. That’ll help you lose weight faster later and avoid complications that’ll set you back, not to mention cause possibly serious health problems.
So, no matter how frustrated you are, stay positive, and focus on following your surgeon and nutritionist’s instructions to the letter. Continue to eat a liquid diet and then pureed foods without cheating and sneaking in solid foods. Use this time to establish a pattern for your long-term success. Learn to measure your food, and to set aside time for food prep and for exercise.
Weight loss surgery is a lifetime adventure, and that realization can really hit hard in the early days and weeks post-op. You can get through this tough period by focusing on one day at a time and not worrying about your rate of weight loss. Measure your success not by the scale number, but by how well you stick to your plan.

Have you ever caught yourself watching TV at night and feeling lonely, bored or sad? Your partner may be sitting next to you or in their favorite chair, but you get up anyway; making the routine trip to the freezer to fix a bowl of ice cream, which will provide the comfort you are craving. It may not be ice cream; your comfort food may be a bag of Doritos, a pizza delivery, or a can of coke and leftovers from dinner. You aren’t really hungry, you may feel miserable, but the effort it would require to hug your partner, or become intimate with them isn’t as easy or comforting as food. People who struggle with weight often times struggle with intimacy as well. This struggle extends beyond their family, and affects their personal friendships as well. Eating for comfort may lead to more isolation. The more weight people gain, the less they want to mingle and the more they worry about what others will think or say.
Have we become a society of people medicating with food in order to feel better? Have we stopped turning to loved ones for support and comfort in lieu of food? Yes and no. Although overeating has always been a problem, the stress of technology speeding up our lives and forcing us to bring home more work, or never leaving work at work, we are all working more and more, and feeling less and less connected with those we love most. We return home feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. Rewarding ourselves with food is a lot easier than becoming vulnerable and open to criticism from our partner or friends. There are other reasons more people are turning to food for emotional comfort rather than a relationship.

You don’t have to leave your home to get comfort. Food delivery is available within blocks of our homes.
Food is easy; you don’t need to invest any effort or time.
You don’t have to get dressed to enjoy comfort food.
You don’t have to look handsome, desirable or pretty for food.
Food doesn’t judge you, leave you, or criticize you.
Eating a delicious dinner is longer and more enjoyable for many people than sex (the average length of lovemaking is less than ten minutes).
Food doesn’t cheat on you.
Food is available anywhere, anytime, and for any reason.
Food may be tied to memories of love and childhood which makes you feel loved.
Food doesn’t require a partner.

So is it a bad thing if we prefer gourmet truffle macaroni and cheese along with a filet mignon and a fresh garden salad with gobs of ranch dressing? Is it bad to add chocolate mousse if you’ve had an especially rough day and need an additional reward? It’s not a judgment call of right or wrong, but it can be adding to your unhappiness and health. Intimacy with another is important. When you are intimate with someone they want you to be healthy; choosing food for comfort rather than reaching out to them would be hurtful or a sign of rejection. There are other reasons you need to find comfort in one another rather than food. Below are a few.
Intimacy shared with another gives you a deeper connection.
Intimacy doesn’t leave you with guilt, feeling disgusted, or body hate.
Intimacy helps you lose weight, not gain.
Intimacy lowers your heart rate.
Intimacy lowers your blood pressure.
Intimacy won’t cause diabetes.
Intimacy is good for your heart.
Intimacy improves your thinking.
Intimacy is exercise and exercise is good.
Intimacy won’t leave you feeling isolated.
Intimacy doesn’t take your mobility away.
Intimacy doesn’t cost anything.
Intimacy doesn’t make your hips, knees or ankles hurt.
Intimacy makes your brain work better.

Everyone understands the feeling of working and having a bag of chips or a package of cookies nearby only to realize at the end of their task the bag or package is completely gone. They were eating them mindlessly. Eating to calm anxiety is more and more common. The primary reason for relationships growing apart is due to couples choosing other vices to fill the void they feel. Becoming aware of your behavior and what you are eating, as well as writing down what you eat (we forget) is a good way to begin eating less and becoming more in touch with the emotions you are repressing with food. A simple practice of not eating past 7 or 8 pm can help you lose weight, and communicate more with your partner, family or friends. Breaking the habit of turning to food is not easy, but with practice it does work. Intimacy and sex are better for you than food!
–Mary Jo Rapini

After my transformation (see video) from plastic surgery following massive weight loss, I went through an identity crisis. I looked back at my pre-bariatric surgery photos from 2003 and no longer identified with that person. I gazed at my new and improved reflection in the mirror and wondered who “she” wanted to be. So I set out to find myself, and in doing so, I found love. I gained True Love for myself and others. I learned What Love is Not. And I grew fascinated with understanding the Soul Relationships in my life. If you are on the path to find your self after weight loss, then may this series of articles be helpful guideposts along your journey.


We lightly explored the spiritual and sexual aspects of soul mate and twin flame relationships in Soul Relationships part 1. In part 2 we’ll explore how to recognize soul love and the purpose of the
. Attraction is a curious thing. We can meet someone who has all the right qualities we seek in a mate, and yet not be attracted to him in the least bit. Less frequently, we meet someone and are physically attracted to him and an emotional attraction develops as we get to know him. Even less frequently, we meet someone and quickly we are drawn to him physically and emotionally, even though we do not yet know him deeply. The emotional attraction even may happen before the physical attraction, and can be very powerful. There is a recognition. When you feel this strong urge to enter into a relationship with someone, that’s soul love.
If you’re in a true soul connection, you and your twin will truly love each other more than you’ve ever loved before. You love each other’s soul in a pure spiritual way and that love has existed before you even met. If the twins are not spiritually awake enough to welcome these loving feelings that consume them almost daily, then they may cause fear. Fear, insecurity, and doubt can be terrifying — a love that’s so powerful you begin to fear it because you’ve no control. You fear getting hurt. But you love her and you cannot help but to draw her near. You don’t understand these feelings, its as if she’s put a spell on you. You might analyze the relationship to death and come up with all the reasons why not to follow your heart’s desire. Or you may doubt her love (it’s not her fault, it’s your insecurity). You may push her away, by cutting her out of your life. Remember, each twin always feels what the other is feeling. So she may question your love and test you to see if you truly love her. Both twins are being forced to evaluate what their love is, and what it should be. There will be a crisis, or series of crisis, and this part of the process is very painful. The commitment level of both twins on the validity of their unconditional love is being put to the test. They are flooded with an emotional hurricane and eventually one or both twins withdraw from the other. This in turn, causes one twin to chase the other, and is an equally painful experience. The purpose here is to teach the twins that the Universe is in command and it is time to put their destiny into Its hands and release control. This surrender begins a powerful healing process. The quickest way through is to release pain, fears, judgement, and control to the Universe and send your twin unconditional love if you want her to come back. If she feels your anger she will stay away.
If this is you, then you join a huge group of people who have experienced the inexplicable, "What the heck is going on?" Do not worry, just have faith and trust. This relationship is under Divine protection and all will be revealed and harmonized in the end. The Universe has brought the twins together because the time is right. Once you both grow to new levels of spiritual consciousness you will be reunited in the physical. Unconditional love is key to growing through that which challenge us most. That’s our Soul’s purpose—to learn and grow. When we do, we ascend to our higher consciousness. Our soul relationships trigger our issues precisely so we grow into our highest self, we lose our egos and love unconditionally. Unconditional love is what makes the twin flame union work.
All feelings are derivatives of love or fear. To grow simply means we transform experiences of fear into experiences of love. We grow by consciously committing to unconditional love, each and every day. Choosing love means we see people (including ourselves) beyond their mistakes. We focus on the good in someone rather than the bad. We see the potential in our mates even when they cannot see it within themselves. We work through our “stuff.” We are kind, compassionate, understanding, and forgiving, even when it's hard to do.

Both twins must accept that what is destined will be no matter what. Don’t be under the illusion that you can somehow circumvent this process. You are not the orchestrator of the Universe. The only thing your procrastination will accomplish is to prolong the hell that accompanies the Twin Flame Process and delay bliss. Your free will is not powerful enough to override it. That’s because the twin soul union has a Divine purpose.
The Twin Flame journey is immensely deep and sacred. As the twins’ egos die completely the Divine force and destined events happen. Each twin experiences an awakening and Divine light and love radiates from them. You ask, “What was I thinking to run away from him" as both twins experience flashes of insight that ignites their spirituality and unconditional love. Together the twins have extraordinary power to heal, and this is their Divine purpose. The Twin Flame connection is beyond words, beyond time and beyond the ego. It has a destiny of it’s own, and is written in the stars. You can’t control it, you can only surrender to it. The Twin Flame Reunion may not adhere to your mind’s or society’s ideas of what is ‘normal’ within relationship paradigms, but remember we are in the midst of a global shift in energy that requires a new way of thinking about how life, and love, works.
Please always listen to your own intuitive knowing about your twin flame, and don’t discount what you feel. You have the power to create or destroy your future. Our beliefs and desires manifest for us and reveal the key to nurturing love and joy in your lives.

If you’re a weight loss surgery patient or patient-to-be, you’d better grow a thick skin if you haven’t already. Your thick skin will help shield you from negative reactions to bariatric surgery. People are not afraid to make personal and hurtful comments about this surgery, even they often have no idea about the facts.


One of the barriers to getting weight loss surgery is the fear of telling others about it. People are quick to make you feel ashamed about your choice. They accuse you of cheating or of making a dangerous decision.
But it’s not just uninformed people who can make you feel bad. What about the media, which you trust to get its facts straight, and which influences millions of Americans’ beliefs and opinions? Sadly, the media spreads its share of misinformation about weight loss surgery.
One striking example occurred on the final episode of this season of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser.” For the record, this was not the first time this show publicly aired negative comments about weight loss surgery. On this occasion, Dr. Robert Huizenga clearly stated that weight loss surgery is an unhealthy choice. The implication was that it is a mistake in all cases, and far inferior to the weight loss methods used by “The Biggest Loser” contestants.
There was no mention of the fact that the weight loss methods used by the contestants are the exact same as the most effective weight loss methods used by weight loss surgery patients. That is, both use a low-calorie diet that dramatically reduces junk foods, and both encourage physical activity. The problem with weight loss surgery? Dr. Huizenga did not explain. Viewers can only guess at the horrors he was thinking of.
I’m certainly not the only one to notice such snubs on national television. The BariatricPal community had a thing or two to say about this particular episode of “The Biggest Loser,” and I invite you to check out the comments and add to the discussion if you haven’t already.
The Biggest Loser
Nobody’s dream in life is to get weight loss surgery. Unfortunately, nobody’s dream in life is to struggle with obesity, but many of us do. What options do we have? Those of us who have chosen weight loss surgery chose it because we exhausted our other options. Those options – regular diets – just didn’t work for us.
So, what would Dr. Huizenga have recommended in my case? A 16-week stay at the Biggest Loser Ranch, just like the contestants who made it to the season finale? Full dietary, medical, and physical activity support, just like the contestants? Sure, I would have been happy to try that option. Unfortunately, it costs about $3,000 per week to stay at the resort. That’s a value of $48,000, not including the longer-term support contestants receive.
Could I have lost the weight without surgery if I had had $48,000 to spend and the promise of lifetime support? I don’t know. What I do know is I did not have the chance to try. I did, however, have the chance to get weight loss surgery, and I made the most of it.
Don’t get me wrong. I really respect what I see on television of the Biggest Loser trainers and health staff that I see on television. Dr. Huizenga seems genuinely distressed about contestants’ poor health at the beginning of the show, and just as genuinely satisfied about their improved prognoses by the end. This season, trainer Jen’s tears were representative of the sincere stake the trainers have in the contestants’ lives. And, like many in America, I’d be on the first plane to Los Angeles if Bob or Dolvett offered to train me. But I do wish they did not feel the need to bash weight loss surgery without explanation.
The Truth of the Matter
Even if you have the choice between losing weight the Biggest Loser way or through weight loss surgery, which is better? There’s no question that you need to decide for yourself, but let’s take a look at each of these weight loss methods.
Losing weight Biggest Loser style means spending hours a day in the gym. The show doesn’t air nearly as much material on food as it does on exercise, although terrible eating habits got contestants to where they were, and good nutrition is clearly a part of their new lifestyles. It seems doubtful that Biggest Loser contestants can continue to exercise so many hours per day for the rest of their lives after the show, and I am certain that many other individuals just do not have this kind of time.
Weight loss surgery is…well…surgery. It involves going under the knife and changing something about your insides. There are inherent risks that are unavoidable when you undergo weight loss surgery. Aside from that, bariatric surgery requires a controlled, high-protein, nutritious diet, and exercise is recommended. Many patients can average about 100 pounds, or a respectable and reasonable 2 pounds per week, during their first year after surgery.
How do the results of losing weight Biggest Loser style versus with bariatric surgery? Initial weight loss seems comparable, according to a study discussed in US News and World Reports. But the study found Biggest Loser contestants ending up with a lower metabolic rate – making them potentially more likely to regain their weight. Granted, this study did not follow participants long-term, so we do not know what will happen in 10 or 20 years. What does seem clear, though, is that it is not yet justifiable for the “Biggest Loser” to state matter-of-factly that all weight loss surgery is bad.
Why Does It Matter?
Does it really matter what a reality television show says in passing about weight loss surgery? I believe it does. For one thing, the country already has a culture that largely views bariatric surgery negatively. We don’t need to increase the negative feelings with these vague statements proclaiming that the show helps contestants lose weight the “right” way, and other methods of weight loss are “wrong.”
Second, the show has millions of loyal viewers, including many who may be eligible for weight loss surgery. In my opinion, the show is doing them a disservice by stating unequivocally that bariatric surgery is a bad option. For some of these viewers, bariatric surgery may be the only option that would allow them to lose the weight that has plagued them their entire lives.
I don’t know what the solution is to this problem of negativity towards weight loss surgery and weight loss surgery patients. Education and patience come to mind – spread the word, when you can, about how weight loss surgery works and why some people get it. And, grow a thick skin. No matter where you are in your weight loss journey, you’re bound to get some negative comments about your decisions. Just know that you are doing the right thing for yourself.

No, it's not just you. This time of year, it seems like everyone is battling some kind of cough, flu or strange virus. If you have recently undergone weight loss surgery or are several months post-op, don't let these winter bugs pull you off track. Here are the tricks and tips I offer to my own bariatric patients here in New Jersey to stay healthy.


Losing weight after bariatric surgery demands a lot from your body and mind. You are engaged in a completely new way of eating and daily living ─ it’s a big change. During this transformation, the last thing you want is to face a setback due to an acute illness such as flu, cold or other viral infection.
Being ‘under the weather’ can also derail whatever exercise program you are engaged in ─ and that’s not good either.
Those of us who work in hospitals know several tips and tricks to keep from getting sick by boosting our immune systems. I’d like to pass these ‘insider’ tools on to you:
Get at least 7 hours of sleep every night, no matter what.

Find ways to help lessen stress and do them every day.

Stay hydrated; aim to drink 5 water bottles daily.

Sweat it out. Keep moving and sweating at least 30 minutes daily.

Wash your hands for a full minute, all the time.

Eat foods rich in zinc, such as grass-fed beef, pumpkin seeds and spinach. Zinc stimulates your body to produce immune-boosting antibodies and overcome cold viruses.

Add vitamin C-rich foods (I favor oranges and bell peppers) to your diet. Vitamin C stimulates the production of antibodies to help fight infections (and lessen cold symptoms such as a runny nose).

Super-charge your gut with healthy bacteria just by eating Greek yogurt.

Go ahead and eat the garlic ─ it’s a potent antiviral, anti-fungal and antibacterial weapon.

Germs and sicknesses, in varying degrees, are out there right now ─ but that doesn’t mean you have to fall victim to them. Living a healthy lifestyle every day makes serious chronic diseases and common seasonal bugs less likely to take hold of you.
Just like overcoming obesity, it’s another way to boost your quality of life, every single day.

I am 16 months out. I never made goal I still need to lose 40 pounds . My lowest weight was 173 in August. I had gained weight and was at 187 at my dr. Visit last week. Needless to say my surgeon challenged me to lose 10 pounds in two months. Told him I thouj my sleeve was broken. Turns out I have been grazing. I kept saying few snack won't hurt me. They have killed me and Im so mad at myself. I'm going to Paris in June and want to look fab.
This week went back to basics and have lost 6 pounds since monday. I have gone back to basics as everyone on here suggested and it works. 1 Protein shake in morning , greek yogurt for lunch. Lean protein for snack when get home from work. Additional lean protein around 7 pm. Also have gotten in all my Water something I never did before. Keeping my carbs at 20 grams and my protein at 90. I am so grateful. That I have this forum to see that I'm not alone on this journey

Cheryl Ann Borne hit a high weight of 285 pounds, and got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She maintained her weight loss, but the extra skin didn’t go away on its own. In 2013 she began a series of plastic surgeries including a tummy tuck, total body contouring, and facial surgery, and is now a size 2.


Cheryl is an obesity health activist who writes as My Bariatric Life on Health Central and PM360 Online. She recently launched her new site, My Bariatric Life, and you can follow her on social media, including on Twitter @MyBariatricLife and on Google+.
Weight Gain, Gastric Bypass Surgery, and Lasting Weight Loss
Cheryl was an active teen, but she went from “fit to fat” as she turned to processed food. At 5’7”, she got up to a weight of 285 pounds and a size 24W. Cheryl got the gastric bypass surgery in 2003. She had diabetes, celiac disease, depression, acid reflux, asthma, and hypertension. She lost over 100 pounds, managed to get off of 9 of her 10 prescription drugs, and does not have chronic back pain anymore. You can see before and after pictures documenting her transformation by watching this video.
A Typical Day in Cheryl’s Life
As proof that you can follow a diet without red meat and stick to a high-protein weight loss surgery diet, here is a sample day’s diet in Cheryl’s life. The following day has 1,789 calories, 165 grams of protein, and 79 grams of carbohydrates.
Breakfast
2-egg omelet with homemade creamed spinach (dairy-free) and turkey bacon
Snack
Coffee with coconut milk, roasted coconut juice, and egg white protein powder
Mineral water
Vitamins/supplements
Scivation Xtend intraworkout drink with branched chain amino acids
Lunch
Tuna salad
Baby spring mix and grape tomatoes with lemon vinaigrette
Terra Real vegetable chips
Dinner
Smoked turkey leg, no skin
1 cup turnip greens
Snack
Egg white protein powder in water
Getting Rid of the Traces of Obesity
After losing over 100 pounds after the gastric bypass surgery in 2003, Cheryl had a lot of extra skin. In 2006, she met a plastic surgeon whom she really liked. In 2013, she decided to get a tummy tuck. The extra skin hadn’t gone away after weight loss surgery, and she wanted to get rid of it. As she describes below, she was delighted with her surgeon and the results of the tummy tuck, and decided to go further.
I went from a size 14 jeans being tight to a perfect size 8 in just 4-months. I was so thrilled with the transformation that I decided to do "all of me." In October 2013, Dr. Joseph F. Capella revised the tummy tuck to a lower body lift, and performed a medial thigh lift, extended arm lift, and breast lift. Dr. Capella removed 11 pounds of skin and one liter of fat, and this enabled me to get active in ways that I was unable to with my hanging pannis and inner thighs that rubbed together. I ran my first 3k with my daughter and granddaughter and eventually I was running 5k. What's more, the muscle plication from the tummy tuck placed renewed constriction on my pouch so I am full with less food, as well, I tightened up on my diet by doing Whole30 [a strict 30-day low-carb diet] and going Paleo. In total, I lost 50 inches and 50 pounds after my body contouring plastic surgery. Today I am a size 2, down from a 24W before my gastric bypass surgery.
You can go to HealthCentral to read about Cheryl’s decision to get total body contouring after her tummy tuck. She describes the emotional rollercoaster of the experience, the surgery, and her long road to recovery. She is still dealing with complications from her brachioplasty, but stresses the end goal and her luck in finding a fantastic surgeon who cares about her.
She didn’t stop there, and instead decided “to reach for the stars” and see a facial plastic surgeon.
In one surgery, Dr. Catherine Winslow took about 15 years off my face, restoring the once pretty face that I had when I was thin. I had a total of 10 procedures: deep plane face lift, neck lift, upper eye lid lift, SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) to tear troughs and lips, lip lift, chin implant, 35% TCA peel, Botox and filler. I go back from time to time to Nurse Triste at Dr. Winslow's practice for filler and Botox. I look at this maintenance routine along the same vein as maintaining my hair cut and color.
Destined to Be a Healer
Do you believe in fate? When Cheryl visited Guatemala in May of 2011, a Mayan shaman told her her Mayan symbols showed she was a healer. She could, he said, heal herself and others. As Cheryl tells it below, she wasn’t so sure at first. Then she figured it out.
I visited a Mayan Shaman when I was in Guatemala back in May 2011. He said my Mayan symbols told that I am a healer. I can heal myself and I can heal others. He said that I needed to heal others, to not keep this gift to myself, or else I would experience sickness or pain and that this was the only way to cure my chronic back pain, which I had suffered with for years. The Shaman said that I need to realize my true self. The Shaman also said the symbols revealed that I am creative — that I knew for sure, but I wondered was he right about me being a healer?
So I tried to heal my beloved mother who was stricken with a rare disease. And I tried to heal my beloved boxer dog, Cindi Lu, who was stricken with an aggressive cancer. But I could not save them and felt that I had failed my destiny.
Then in 2012 during a personal development training, I discussed this matter with the instructor. And he replied that maybe I was meant to heal people with my words. I did not give much thought to it after that until one night in 2013, I bolted up from my bed and realized that both the shaman and the instructor were right!
Healing with Words
Cheryl’s work has exploded. She describes the growth of her writing and advocacy career since finding her voice.
I began writing as My Bariatric Life for the HealthCentral Obesity vertical in March 2011, nearly eight years after my gastric bypass. I started out writing just a few articles per month as a health guide -- a patient who would share her real world experience in defeating obesity, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and GERD. My work grew legs. I now write 18 articles and develop two recipes per month for HealthCentral where I have a following of roughly 75,000 unique monthly readers. I also write a quarterly patient advocacy column for PM360 Magazine under my name, Cheryl Ann Borne, and I am a long-standing member of their editorial advisory board.
Cheryl also makes her voice heard by posting as My Bariatric Life on social media, including Flickr, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. She is active on BariatricPal and a site for cosmetic procedure patients called RealSelf. Her goal is to provide fair and trustworthy reviews.
And this month I will begin writing a monthly opinion piece as My Bariatric Life for BariatricPal. I also am exploring opportunities with the Obesity Action Coalition, and in the past have partnered with Obesity PPM and the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). !
Daring Move to a New Career as a Digital Health Strategy Consultant
Cheryl has been in the health industry since before her surgery. She explains her career as a digital health strategy consultant.
My career has been as a promotions strategist, writer, and designer in the healthcare space with the last 12-yrs in digital marketing. I’ve worked with pharmaceutical and biotech companies and digital health ad agencies and non-CME medical education agencies. I help them to understand the evolving digital health ecosystem and, based on their unique market circumstances, specifically how to communicate with patients and physicians in meaningful ways via digital channels and to ultimately achieve better health outcomes.
Cheryl is determined to help people improve their lives.
Transforming healthcare is important to me. It's is all about the patient. I want to make a difference; I want to help people live healthier lives.
When her company cut her position in 2013, she took a positive approach and decided to focus her energy on fighting obesity. She developed a business plan as a digital health strategy consultant with an emphasis on growing My Bariatric Life, her obesity health activist brand.
Paleo Follower and Recipe Developer
Cheryl believes in the benefits of the Paleolithic Diet. It is a high-protein diet that you can follow after weight loss surgery. It emphasizes meat, fish, poultry, fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, and oils. It forbids grains, processed foods, dairy products, and potatoes. She plans to help others follow this way of eating.
One aspect of my business plan is to launch the brand Borne Appétit in order to teach healthy eating habits and show busy families/couples/singles that it is easy to prepare real food, real simple, and break the cycle of time starvation and over reliance on convenience/processed foods and obesity. To truly understand what it means to eat healthy and break this cycle was something I had to achieve in my own life, and I want to share with people what I have learned through years of experience and experiment. I find the Paleolitihic Diet works best for me…and I enjoy the art of creating delicious recipes within those constraints. I also eat no red meat, only fish and fowl, so this adds an extra level of complexity, which I find stimulating to develop recipes that are not mundane or repetitious.
Valuable Life Lessons
You can be sure Cheryl has learned a lot of valuable lessons from her weight loss surgery and plastic surgery experiences. She knows the value of maintaining her results, living life fully, and challenging herself to live a life she loves. She also recognizes she has gained freedom and an ability to grow.
Beyond the physical transformation are (very unexpected) emotional and spiritual transformations. I’ve returned to some of my roots: ideals and philosophies around the nature of existence that I had walled off (or perhaps ate to insulate myself against) when the emotional pain became too much for my sensitive nature. Plastic surgery was very freeing for me; it freed my jailed spirit. I’ve never been a wallflower but when it came to my body I was timid because I lacked body confidence. And this trickled over into other areas of my life. There were parts of my life that I hid, or situations in which I could not share my feelings, because I was inhibited by the fear of being rejected or judged. And that’s no longer true. I am now able to be my true self, comfortable in my nakedness both physically and emotionally. I am still learning and growing in these areas, particularly in understanding soul relationships and the expression of real love.
We are here to play and experience as much as we possibly can. We are here to grow. Often it is through times of adversity that we grow the most because these times force us to get out of our comfort zones. I have come to understand that there are only two emotions. We are either acting out of love or we are acting out of fear, which is the opposite of love. All other emotions are a derivative of love (compassion, forgiveness, self-sacrifice) or a derivative of fear (selfishness, retaliation, deceit). From now on I choose always to act out of love. Do I let go of control and trust my intuition and follow my heart even when it defies my rational faculties or can’t be proven? If I am to act out of love, then yes. Otherwise I return to acting out of fear. As well, I have learned that I need to protect myself from the negative energies of toxic people — those emotional vampires who can turn my love into fear.
An Exciting Year to Come
Cheryl is expecting a big 2015 in addition to growing her presence as My Bariatric Life and working on Borne Appétit. At the Pharma Marketing Summit in Palm Beach in May, she will be presenting as My Bariatric Life and sharing her story of defeating obesity and its co-morbidities.
Also new for this year, I'll finally launch my websites, a dream I've had for a couple of years. I've already launched MyBariatricLife.org for transformative information on defeating obesity and co-morbid diseases. I'll also launch my healthy recipe site BorneAppetit.com and my eating healthy on-the-road travel site BorneVoyage.com. These sites will help a lot of people.
It definitely looks as though the Mayan shaman was right when he said Cheryl is a healer. She has come a long way toward healing herself through weight loss surgery, plastic surgery, and healthy living, and she is dedicated to helping others become healthier. Don’t forget to follow Cheryl on social media and through her channel on HealthCentral, and watch for her new monthly opinion piece to be published on BariatricPal!
Please click here to read My Bariatric Life's articles in BariatricPal's Weight Loss Surgery Magazine.

A lot of weight loss surgery patients struggle with weight for their entire lives before deciding to get surgery. The same is true for Michele Elbertson. The difference is that Michele was only 23 when she hit 427 pounds and got her wake-up call. She got the lap-band, changed her lifestyle, and dropped 260 pounds. She’s run 6 marathons in the past two and a half years, and is training for her first Ironman triathlon this spring.


Bigger from Birth…And Then College Hit
Michele was always big. She was at the top of her height and weight charts from the time she was an infant. She remembers times in her childhood when she couldn’t or wouldn’t participate because she was so big. She didn’t like physical education or sports, and the other children teased her.
Food was a comfort. Michele describes the situation as a vicious cycle. The more kids teased her, the worse she felt. The worse she felt, the more she ate. The more she ate, the more she weighed. The more she weighed, the more she got teased.
College was a disaster in terms of her weight. Forget about the freshman 15. What about the freshman 40? And the sophomore 40? Add to that the junior 40, the senior 40, and, for good measure, the super-senior (fifth-year) 67, and you now know how Michele Elbertson got to be 427 pounds at the age of 22 years.
A Young Weight Loss Surgery Patient with New Relationships
Michele made the decision to get the lap-band on her own. She needed a tool to help her control how much she ate, but understood that it was up to her to control what she ate. She only told her parents about her decision after she was sure about it. They were supportive, and have been since then.
Michele has taken full advantage of and responsibility for the band. She has lost 260 pounds – 260 pounds! – in less than four years. As she says, she’s a determined person who will accomplish anything she sets her mind to.
Michele began to “eat to live” rather than “live to eat.” As her relationships with food and exercise changed, so did her relationships with some friends. She lost some friends whose relationships centered only on food. She gained many more, though, through her new activities. She says the friends she’s gained through running and fitness far outweigh those she lost by changing her lifestyle.
An Athlete Is Born
Michele ran her first 5k after losing 100 pounds – when she was still 327 pounds. She was hooked. She loved the training, the atmosphere of the race, and the accomplishment. She has never looked back. Since then, she has run countless other races, including 38 half-marathons, 6 marathons, and a 50-miler ultra-marathon. She has also competed in triathlons.
Now at an athletic 159 pounds, Michele has her sights on even greater challenges. In the near future, she wants to run a 100-miler and complete an Ironman. Both are feats that most people wouldn’t even dream of.
Marathons, Ultras, and Ironmans
Now, not everyone’s a distance runner or triathlete, so to understand Michele’s accomplishments, here are a few facts about these endurance sports.
A marathon is 26.2 miles. All marathons are 26.2 miles.
An ultra-marathon is anything over 26.2 miles. Michele’s recently completed ultra-marathon was 50 miles, and she is training for a 100-miler.
A triathlon includes swimming, biking, and running. An Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon.

Fitting It All in Every Day
Michele works out 6 days a week. Currently, she’s training for an ulta-marathon and is running 5 days a week and lifting weights 3 times. She also does Zumba classes. She takes a rest day once a week.
Michele has built her life to be able to accommodate her training schedule. She recently quit her teaching career to focus instead on helping others achieve their fitness and health goals. She is a personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Working at a gym is pure genius – it leaves her with no excuse not to get her workout in!
Eating Like a Bariathlete
How do you have energy to train like an athlete and work full-time while losing over 200 pounds in 4 years? Ask Michele. Here’s how she eats and works out in a typical day.
7:00 a.m. breakfast: almonds and yogurt or eggs/romaine lettuce
9:00 a.m. snack: protein bar
Workout, such as running, lifting, or group fitness class, such as Zumba or bokwa
Noon. lunch: soup or salad, usually the largest meal of the day
2:00 p.m. snack: cheese and crackers or something small, equivalent to 200 calories (may include a fruit or vegetable)
4:00 p.m. snack: hot tea
6:00 p.m. dinner; lean protein, veggie, possibly a carb
7:30 p.m. snack: lemon water/hot tea.

The number of calories Michele eats during a day is 1,800 (her resting metabolic rate) plus half of the calories she burns through exercise. So, if she runs 10 miles and burns 1,200 calories in exercise, she’ll eat 1,800 plus 600 calories, or 2,400 calories. She allows herself an occasional treat meal with junk food, but still counts those calories.
The Accolades
Michele is more than your typical bariatric patient, and she’s been getting the recognition she deserves for her extraordinary achievements. These are a few recent examples.
Runner’s World magazine Cover Contest Finalist.
Makeover on the Rachel Ray Show.
Local feature on 6ABC Action News in Philadelphia.

Dealing with Negativity – Don’t Worry About It
One of the most striking things about Michele is her drive. She has worked very, very hard to get where she’s at today. She’s lost 60 percent of her body weight through being very disciplined every day. And, she has run marathons. Anyone who has run a marathon can tell you that it is was harder than they had ever imagined. Anyone who hasn’t run a marathon cannot imagine how difficult it is.
But with all the publicity, Michele has receive a lot of nasty comments. How is she supposed to react when people slam her? They say she hasn’t accomplished anything, that the band has done it all. In fact, they basically say what a lot of weight loss surgery patients hear all the time from people who don’t know any better.
So how does Michele react to negativity? She doesn’t want to respond directly and add “fuel to the fire.” She knows they don’t know anything about her, and she’s probably done more exercise and worked harder than they ever have. So, she just goes about her business.
Leading by Example
Michele says she hopes her successes and story will give others hope. She describes herself as a “real person” and “very down-to-earth,” and she hopes others will see that they can accomplish what she has. In the future, she would like to travel to seminars as a motivational speaker. In the meantime, we congratulate her on her amazing story and wish her well in her 100-miler this spring!

As the New Year approaches everyone begins assessing how they have done over the last year and what changes they will make going into the New Year. If you have had surgery in the last year, you have a lot to look back on: all of the changes, all of the pounds lost, and all of the amazing things you are doing now. If you are still trying to decide if the next year will be your year for surgery, I strongly hope that you read on.


As the New Year approaches everyone begins assessing how they have done over the last year and what changes they will make going into the New Year. If you have had surgery in the last year, you have a lot to look back on: all of the changes, all of the pounds lost, and all of the amazing things you are doing now. If you are still trying to decide if the next year will be your year for surgery, I strongly hope that you read on.
At the end of 2013 I was a guy who could barely get up out of a chair, someone who was scared to go down the stairs for fear of getting hurt, was hurting on a regular basis, and dreamed that there had to be more to life than wasting away on the couch. I sat in bed at night dreaming of doing all of the things I never thought I would ever be able to do. Then on November 4, 2013, I took the plunge.
“But your surgery wasn’t in 2014?” you may say.
True, but my journey truly began in 2014 as I has just finished recovering from surgery and was starting to piece my new life together. Over the last year I have seen my body change. I went from being over 530lbs down to a current weight of 310lbs. I still have plenty more to go, but not bad for a year of hard work. During the last year I walked a 5K and walked my first 10K, but that wasn’t good enough for me. I then bought a bike and began biking in events which culminated in a 30 mile ride at Bike MS Venture the Valley and a 38 mile ride at the Twisted Pretzel ride in Germantown, Ohio. Still it wasn’t good enough. I follow the biking up with a three quarter mile swim in the Ohio River. I swam from the Cincinnati side to the Kentucky side and back in under 17 min. I actually got 6th place in my age group if you can believe that, but it still wasn’t good enough. I could do more. I finished out my year by running my first ever 5K without stopping at the DAV 5K and attempted the Thanksgiving Day 10K with mixed results. I ran 4 of the six miles and learned some valuable lessons on nutrition and training.







Looking back I have had an amazing and productive year. I have done some amazing things that only a year ago I was dreaming about. The problem for me is that with all of those amazing things, it is still not good enough. For me, every time I push myself, I want to find my absolute limit. The problem is that when I get to the end, I realize I could push harder, or go longer, or go faster. I have not yet found my body’s limit. That is just how amazing it is. So what do I do about it all?




I PLAN 2015!




In 2015 I plan on doing more 5K’s and local bike races, but the big events are simple. I will begin training to run the 15K at the Heart Mini followed by the half marathon at the Flying Pig. I then want to compete in my first triathlon. It is an Olympic triathlon in Cincinnati, Ohio. I plan on finishing out my year with a 2.4 mile swim in the Ohio River down in Louisville, Kentucky. I want to continue pushing those limits in 2015 and I have a sneaking suspicion I will still not find my limits.
I strongly encourage you all as 2014 comes to a close to begin thinking about your journey over the last year. Yes there are plenty of other fun resolutions to make like reading more, learning a new language, or taking a chance on love, but for now I want you to concentrate on you and your weight loss. I want you to take inventory of the amazing things that have happened over the last year and all of the area where you feel like you have not pushed it to its limit. Make a list, make it tangible, hang it where you will constantly be reminded of the list. I just want you to ponder it for a couple days. Then you can move on to step two.
Step two is where you begin making your goals and resolutions for the New Year. I want you to make sure that these are goals that you can accomplish with pushing yourself a little. I don’t want them to be too easy or too hard. If you need help with this, my door is always open, shoot me a line. I want you to think of all the things you have dreamed about doing but your weight has held you back from. Make a list of those things and begin knocking things off of the list. This could be things as simple as going down a flight of stairs without help like it was for me at the beginning of the year, or it could be to run a marathon. I do not know where you are in this journey, but you need to make your resolutions ones that are personal to you. If you are not passionate about the things you are trying to accomplish nothing will come of it. I have been working really hard to gain sponsors to help me reach my goals for the next year and for years to come. I got my first one for next year just this week and am super excited, but I am still going to push with my resolution to try and have three sponsors before the end of May.




Remember when you are forming your resolutions that you follow the formula for SMART goals. Make sure they are:
S – Specific – The more specific you are on the details of your goals the easier it is to monitor progress
M – Measureable – You should be able to give a specific number to your goals (distance, time, reps, etc.)
A – Attainable – These should be goals that are feasible to accomplish in a set time frame.
R – Realistic – Being a goal you are both willing and able to work toward.
T – Timely – Make sure your goals have a specific time frame.




I hope this helps you begin thinking of what resolutions you will make with your own journey going into 2015. This last year has been truly amazing and I can’t wait to hear all the amazing stories from readers going through the next one. I strongly encourage all of you to share your resolutions in the comments below so the Bariatric Pal community can rally around and encourage you as your pursue a whole new level of awesome in 2015.




I BELIEVE IN YOU! MAKE 2015 EPIC!

Weight loss surgery is a big change, to say the least. If you’re lucky, you have a few – or many – family members and friends who are doing their best to support you at every step of the way. It’s no different when the holidays roll around, and they may be wondering what they can get you to support your decision to have weight loss surgery or your new, healthy lifestyle.
This gift list is a good start. If any of these items end up in your pile on Christmas Day or during Hanukah, you’re bound to have an easier time losing weight and staying healthy. Of course, these are also great gift ideas for any of the people in your life who are thinking about weight loss surgery or who got it. See what you think, and any of your suggestions in the comments section below!


Protein Gift Basket
A gift basket is always a nice way to say “I’m thinking of you,” but the “gift” usually includes thousands of empty calories from fat and sugar. The sausages and popcorn can cause trouble with the lap-band. The chocolates and dried fruits can give you dumping syndrome. You just don’t need the cheese, crackers, and cookies.
Instead of ordering a ready-made basket with unhealthy foods, why not assemble your own gift basket for that special weight loss surgery patient in your life? It’ll be more special because it has your own personal touch, and you can hand-pick the goodies you put in, depending on what the recipient likes.
These are some ideas for a High-Protein gift basket.
Beef jerky
Salmon jerky
Dried edamame (green soybeans)
Sugar-free protein powder
Sugar-free protein shake mixes in favorite flavors
Protein pancake mix with oats, wheat flour, protein powder, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon – just add almond milk and some egg whites to cook!

Protein Shake Plus Kit
There’s no question that the holidays can be difficult if you’ve just had weight loss surgery. You’re stuck drinking liquids or eating pureed foods while everyone else is eating the holiday foods that you used to love. A protein shake plus kit won’t take the sting out of missing these goodies, but it will help you stay on track and will let you know how much the gift giver cares about you.
Consider including the following in the kit.

A shaker bottle for protein shakes.
Different flavors of sugar-free protein shake mixes.
Powdered skim milk.
Packets of high-protein products, like Unjury chicken soup and cheese sauce.

IOUs
What do you get for the weight loss surgery patient who has everything? Give a few coupons or IOUs. Here are some ideas.
Host a weight loss surgery-friendly dinner for the patient, including measuring the ingredients and portions accurately, and letting the guest take home the leftovers in prepackaged containers or baggies. Preparing special, approved meals day after day can be draining. Going over to a friend’s house for a break without going off of your diet can be a wonderful break.
Offer to be a good workout partner for a week. This may include getting up early to walk or go to the gym together. Give it at least a week, because you may end up making a healthy and fun habit out of being a workout buddy.
Taking care of the kids (or another chore). Weight loss surgery places demands on your time. You need to cook special meals and measure your food, and make time to exercise. Wouldn’t it be nice if someone helped take care of the kids for a while, or helped you clean the house or garden?
Notebook for Recipes
After weight loss surgery, recipes change. You’ll make healthy modifications to old favorites, and find a ton of new ideas that fit into your diet. A pretty notebook is an ideal place to collect your new recipes. For more artistic weight loss surgery patients, the gift can include colorful pens and stickers to decorate the pages and take notes. As a bonus, fixing up your recipe book is a healthy alternative to cooking mac and cheese and baking brownies when you’re bored.
Kitchen Helpers
Every weight loss surgery patient needs a few extra items in the kitchen, and there are tons of cute ones out there. From measuring cups shaped like geese and babushka dolls and measuring spoons shaped like gingerbread men and hearts to small plates and spoons in all kinds of designs and children’s themes, you can certainly find the perfect kitchen helpers for anyone. They’re super fun to shop for, too.
Other practical kitchen gifts include:

Reusable water bottles.
Small containers to store and transport food.
A kitchen scale.

A “Big Book”
The “BIG Book” series includes four books to help you go through every part of your weight loss surgery journey. The first three books each focus on one of the major types of weight loss surgery: lap-band, gastric sleeve, or roux-en-Y gastric bypass. The final book is filled with tips on life after weight loss surgery…including how to eat and live well during the holidays. These books are also good for anyone living with a weight loss surgery patient who wants to be a better source of support.
These are the “BIG Books.”
The BIG Book on the Gastric Sleeve: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
The BIG Book on the Gastric Bypass: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
The BIG Book on the Lap-Band: Everything You Need To Know To Lose Weight and Live Well with the Adjustable Gastric Band
The BIG Book on Bariatric Surgery: Living Your Best Life After Weight Loss Surgery
The BIG Book Bundle: The complete set of “Big Books” has the information you need.

Whatever you give or ask for, keep in mind that it really is the thought that counts. Give it with the best of intentions and appreciate everything you receive, and you will be well on your way to becoming happier.
Happy Holidays!

Everyone have a Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for this community you and I are part of.
I avoid food-holidays like a recovering alcoholic avoids Octoberfest so today on Thanksgiving I'll be hiking in the forest with loved ones who share and support my vision for wellness. After the hike we will grill a wild salmon and vegetables outdoors.
I'll give great thanks for an active, healthy life, pain-free at goal-weight after years being opiate-addicted for chronic back and knee pain with morbid obesity. Who needs a Big Meal? Not me!

Life IS my Big Meal!
As you sit down to whatever Big Meal awaits you today give some thought to this question....
What is the metaphorical Big Meal in your life? What grand table are you being invited and challenged to join by your Weight Loss Surgery journey?
Maybe it is to live a longer, healthier life to enjoy friends and family. Maybe it is to inspire others who suffer morbid obesity to believe they can be healthy again or to teach your kids to have a healthier relationship with food from the beginning of their lives.
Whatever your Big Meal is, consider if the meal you will sit down to later today moves you closer to that vision or further away. Whether you choose to eat carefully or splurge later today do it mindfully, consciously and with compassion for yourself.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!