VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter 02/15/2013

VerticalSleeveTalk Newsletter

Time flies when you’re having fun. If you’re like those of us here at VerticalSleeveTalk.com, you can hardly believe that January is already over! How are you doing on your New Year’s resolutions? If you’re still following them, great job! If not, that’s okay. It’s never too late to go back to following your resolutions or to make a few new ones to help you meet your goals for 2013. Whether you’re on track or need to get back on track, we hope this newsletter will provide inspiration and ideas to help you succeed. This is what we have for you this month!

• Please be Respectful on the Boards!

• Member Spotlight: Meet iegal!

• Valentine’s Day: Show a Little Love the WLS Way!

• Member Challenge: Celebrate Yourself This Valentine’s Day!

Keep reading for more on each of these stories, and when you’re finished, come on over to VerticalSleeveTalk.com for more motivation and information. The conversations never stop! And, as always, please free to drop us a line if you have any comments. We love hearing from members! See you on the boards!

Sincerely,

Alex Brecher

Founder

VerticalSleeveTalk.com

Please be Respectful on the Boards!

We started VerticalSleeveTalk.com to help sleeve patients and people who may be interested in getting the gastric sleeve surgery. We are very proud of the array of resources on the site, and recognize that you, our members, are our most valuable assets. From the conversations on the boards and feedback we receive from members, we know VerticalSleeveTalk.com has been successful in reaching out to thousands of members and making a positive difference regardless of where you are in your weight loss journey.

One of the most valuable features of VerticalSleeveTalk.com is its welcoming, respectful atmosphere. Because of some recent incidents on the board, we’d like to remind you that rudeness is not tolerated. Board etiquette is outlined in the terms of service, which you must agree to in order to use the boards. Please use private messaging to contact Alex Brecher, founder of VerticalSleeveTalk.com, if you have any concerns or if you feel that another member is violating the terms of service. We depend on members to keep VerticalSleeveTalk.com positive and welcoming so that all members can feel comfortable expressing their viewpoints. Thanks to the thousands of members who follow the forum rules and make this board the incredible community that it is!

Member Spotlight: Meet iegal!

We’re delighted to feature iegal from California in this newsletter! iegal decided to get the surgery after years of failing to lose weight permanently and after months of careful consideration and research. Her procedure was in September of 2010, and she has no regrets! Her highest weight was 221 pounds. Now, she’s down to 155 pounds and a healthy BMI of 22.7.

“Living life more freely” has been one of iegal’s greatest changes since losing so much weight. She’s no longer held back by obesity or judged by people because of her weight. iegal has also developed the ability to “stop eating too much,” which of course helped her lose the weight and will help her maintain her weight loss long term. iegal says her best moment was reaching her goal weight! She also enjoys her confidence that this time the weight loss will be permanent. iegal also appreciates shopping for cute clothes and showing that her critics were wrong when they thought she couldn’t lose weight.

The cost of the sleeve surgery was one of iegal’s first challenges. She justified it by realizing how much she’d spent on “TV promises, weight loss clinics, hypnosis, weight loss clubs, B12 shots, various personal trainers, gym memberships and more.” She also had trouble right after the surgery with “eating like a thin person.” Apparently she did a great job, since iegal reached and maintained goal weight!

She gives VerticalSleeveTalk a lot of credit for her success. Members have been there for iegal to keep her on track, be honest and give her a kick in the rear when needed. She loves the way VerticalSleeveTalk members have touched her and changed her life. iegal also depends on VerticalSleeveTalk for information, both from new conversations and from old, archived discussions.

iegal chooses to remain anonymous on the boards because she hasn’t told many people about getting the sleeve. She wanted to lose the weight quietly before talking much about the sleeve gastrectomy. Don’t let her anonymity fool you, though! iegal finds herself sharing her positive story with people who are “on the fence” about getting weight loss surgery.

iegal’s tip for weight loss surgery patients is to be persistent. The sleeve provides the tool to restrict food intake and let people lose weight. She also reminds sleevers to stop comparing their own weight loss to others. As she says, you will lose the weight if you keep eating right. Even if you’re losing slowly, you’ll still get to your goal weight!

iegal wanted to take this opportunity to thank those who challenged her during this journey and never doubted that she would succeed. We’re only too happy to pass the word along – a big thank-you from iegal to all those who have helped her! And we'd like to thank iegal for being in the member spotlight and sharing her story and wisdom. Congratulations on your success, and we can see why you have no regrets from the sleeve!

If you want to be in the Member Spotlight, let us know in the Member Spotlight Forum! Also, you can nominate any member that you’d like to see in the spotlight! If you’re a little shy, just send Alex Brecher a private message. We want to hear from you!

Valentine’s Day: Show a Little Love the WLS Way!

Many WLS patients dread Valentine’s Day. For many people, the holiday is about candy, cupcakes and a rich dinner with wine. Before starting your weight loss journey, you may have celebrated by exchanging boxes of chocolate and eating too much fat and sugar at home and at work.

On your pre-surgery diet and after surgery, these unhealthy choices are no longer for you. High-fat, high-sugar foods aren’t part of your weight loss surgery diet. Chocolate truffles can give you dumping syndrome and alcohol with dinner can make you lose your control and overeat. So what can you do to enjoy Valentine’s Day – with or without a special someone – while keeping your weight loss on track? We have a few ideas.

• Give your sweetheart flowers instead of candy.

• Opt for broiled lobster or chicken with vegetables instead of steak with creamy mushroom Pasta.

• Skip the refined pasta at dinner. Instead, try a small amount of orzo or another whole grain – but only eat it after eating your Protein and vegetables.

• Choose strawberries for dessert instead of chocolate cake and ice cream.

• If you still have chocolate cravings after dinner, sip sugar-free hot chocolate instead of going for the chocolate truffles.

• There’s nothing more romantic than dancing. Burn a few extra calories with some slow dancing before watching a movie after dinner. Picking out a few slow songs to dance to with your sweetheart will show how much you care.

• Take a walk. A short after-dinner walk lets you and your valentine enjoy the fresh air and focus on each other. Don’t have a valentine? Call up one of your single friends and take a leisurely walk together. You’ll both benefit from the chance to chat.

• Make a Valentine’s Day card. Do you remember how good it felt to get them from your friends when you were in elementary school? Making one instead of buying one lets you put your own personal touches on it.

These are just a few possibilities for enjoying your Valentine’s Day without interfering with your health. Everyone should be able to enjoy, not dread, this happy holiday, and we hope these suggestions are useful as you make your plans.

Member Challenge: Be Your Own Valentine!

The Member Challenge portion of the newsletter is an opportunity for you to try something new or discover tricks that’ll help you with your weight loss and health. It’s not a competitive challenge; it’s just a way to challenge yourself to achieve new goals. This month, we’re sticking to the theme of Valentine’s Day.

Some people think that Valentine’s Day is only for couples, but we’re going to let you in on a little secret: anyone can celebrate Valentine’s Day, even if you’re by yourself. Take advantage of the occasion to show yourself how much you love and appreciate yourself – especially as you work toward becoming healthier. The challenge this month is to show yourself how much you care about yourself and appreciate your efforts to become healthier and happier. These are a few of our ideas to treat yourself without going off your weight loss surgery diet.

• Get a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure.

• Try a calorie-free chocolate treat, such as chocolate chapstick or chocolate-scented body lotion.

• Make or buy yourself a Valentine’s Day card.

• Frame a “before” and “after” picture – with or without your sweetheart – in a Valentine’s Day-themed frame.

• Try a dance class – you’ll burn a few calories and may meet a special someone!

If you are dedicating February 14 to a special someone, take a few moments to treat yourself, too, or treat yourself on another day.

Use one of the above ideas, or come up with your own way to celebrate Valentine’s Day without missing a beat in your weight loss journey. We’d love for you to tell us how it went in the Challenge Forum! Sharing your ideas and experiences gives you a sense of purpose and helps other sleevers hit their own challenge goals. Don’t forget that the archived Newsletter Forum is always there for you when you’re ready to try an old challenge.

We’ll leave you with these thoughts of Valentine’s Day, hoping that they’re warm enough to carry you through the rest of the cold winter. Keep up the great work with your weight loss journey, and we’ll see you on the boards! Thanks as always for your support.

Take care of yourself and each other.

Sincerely,

Alex