LapBandTalk Contest & Newsletter 05/12/2012

[Alex Brecher 10,496]

LapBandTalk News

Hey, Bandsters! Another couple of weeks have passed, and it’s time for another update from LapBandTalk.com. This is the newsletter that keeps you current on the latest happenings around the forums and gives you the extra motivation to participate in the discussions and stay on track with your healthy lifestyle.

Our first newsletter was a great success, and our second newsletter is just as exciting. Here’s a taste of what’s to come in this newsletter:

• Official start of our iPod Giveaway contest to Celebrate the recently launched LapBandTalk apps (and how you can improve your chances of winning).

• A few tricks to finding what you need in the forums.

• A scientific discovery that gives you permission to keep eating potatoes!

• Description of our new feature to be a regular part of future newsletters: Bandster spotlight.

• And your first LapBandTalk News Challenge. Don’t worry – it’s not too hard, and you’ll be so glad you took the Challenge!

Please send along your feedback and comments on the LapBandTalk News and anything else LapBandTalk.com. It is always such a pleasure to hear from you! Take care of yourselves and each other.

Sincerely,

Alex Brecher

Founder and President

WLSBoards.com

The iPod Touch Contest is On!

LapBandTalk.com Apps

You never have to be without LapBandTalk.com again if you have the LapBandTalk Android or LapBandTalk iPhone, iPad and iPod app. These free apps are fully functional, so you can do everything you love to do on the forums. Be notified when your favorite threads are update, PM your friends and post to your heart’s content.

Contest Summary

To celebrate the launch of our new apps, a lucky winner will win a free iPod Touch! The contest officially started on April 28. For the next 30 days, through May 27, you can improve your chances of winning by participating more in LapBandTalk.com. The more points you earn during the contest, the better your chances of winning. You can find out the details of the contest and in the first LapBandTalk.com newsletter, and here’s a quick review of the point structure.

• 1 to 2 points for each forum post

• 5 points for joining a group or commenting on our new WLS magazine

• 10 Points for uploading photos or completing My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Lap-Band Story

• 20 points for referring a friend – we want more Bandsters around!

• 40 points for having a complete patient profile

Remember, to be entered in the contest, you must:

• make at least one post on any forum on LapBandTalk.com before May 27

• have a completed patient profile

Get Your Questions Answered!

With over 130,000 members, LapBandTalk.com has a lot of information for you. Your fellow Bandsters are here to support you and offer their advice when you need it. These are a few ways to get answers to your questions.

• Sometimes you have such a basic question that you’re sure everyone must have the same question – but you just don’t know the answer! Try the Pre-Surgery Questions and Post-Surgery Questions forums for common questions about the Lap-Band procedure preparation and aftercare.

• Use keywords to search the forums from the box in the upper right-hand corner of any page of LapBandTalk.com. An advanced search lets you enter search terms and narrow by forum topic, date and poster. You can get to an advanced search from this link or from the wheel to the right of the regular search page.

• If you don’t see the question and answer you need, start your own thread. Please follow the community rules and guidelines. They’re pretty simple, and they help keep threads polite, friendly, supportive and helpful. Remember to use a descriptive title so others will know what the thread is about. You can sign up to receive updates on the thread by clicking on the orange box at the top right of the first post. That way, you’ll always know when someone’s answering your question.

Scientific Discovery: White Potatoes are Okay in Your Diet!

Here’s the Research Story

Multiple research studies have investigated whether white potatoes are bad for you. Potatoes have the reputation of being detrimental to any healthy diet. A recent study, however, found that white potatoes are not necessarily harmful, public health nutritionist Adam Drewnowski and colleagues at the University of Washington looked at thousands of pieces of data from national surveys over the past several years. They found that people who eat white potatoes are not necessarily more likely to become obese, develop diabetes or have increased chronic inflammation, which is a risk factor for heart disease.

Conclusion? Moderation is the Key

The news that we don’t have to avoid potatoes to stay healthy is a relief for most of us. As with all parts of your healthy lifestyle, moderation is the most important factor in how white potatoes affect your health. Measure out a small portion and stick to the volume and number of calories that fit into your meal plan. Choose baked, boiled or mashed potatoes, not French fries, to keep down the calories and fat. And, of course, savor every bite just as you do with all of your favorite foods.

Coming Soon: Member Spotlights!

Keep your eyes peeled for member spotlights. Each LapBandTalk.com newsletter that comes out from now on will feature a different member. You’ll get to read about our honorees’ Lap-Band journeys, their personal interests, their struggles and triumphs and their advice for you. Who will be our highlighted members?

Nominate Yourself or a Friend

If you want to be highlighted, nominate yourself in the feedback forum. Also let us know in the feedback forum if you know someone that you would like to nominate for the spotlight. We also welcome your suggestions on general types of people you’d like to see highlighted, such as women, fathers, Latino Bandsters or people from your region. Let us know!

Hope to be Discovered!

Occasionally, we’ll choose a LapBandTalk.com member to be highlighted. This may be someone who’s been especially inspirational to others or who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in being a pillar of support in the forums. We hope that you let us know if you see someone like this who deserves the recognition!

First Lap Bandster Challenge!

What is a Lap Bandster Challenge?

The Lap Bandster challenge is just what it sounds like. We suggest a challenge for you to do over the next couple of weeks. Pretty much anything is fair play as long as it helps you or someone else get healthier. We may ask you to try a new food, change up your exercise routine or lend someone a helping hand. There’s no pass-fail on this, and we encourage you to try again and again until you are confident that you’ve met the challenge.

This Newsletter’s Challenge

As promised, here’s the first challenge. Within the next two weeks, your challenge is to try a new recipe that you have never tried before. It needs to be healthy, of course, and fit into your meal plan. A good way to start is to look online for recipes, try a new ingredient or use a different combination of spices. Good luck, and tell us how it goes in the LapBandTalk.com Challenge Forum! The forum is a good place to help out anyone else who needs ideas for a new recipe.

A Few Reminders

• In case you missed it or want to reread it, the first edition of LapBandTalk.com News is here.

• Celebrate an upcoming surgery or surgery anniversary with other members!

• Help distribute our ready-to-print fliers throughout your surgeon’s clinic so that everyone can join LapBandTalk.com.

• Use our surgeon database to find a surgeon near you and read reviews of surgeons in your region.

• Keep checking our newly released WLS Magazine, complete with articles from experts in weight loss surgeries. You can find tips on healthy eating, surgery prep, what to expect and so much more.

Well, that’s about it for this week. Thanks to everyone for your participation in LapBandTalk.com. Always feel free to let me know what you’re thinking. See you on the boards!

Sincerely,

Alex

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