Dear BariatricPal Members,

Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s a day that should be full of love and appreciation for the special people in your life. It can be a challenging occasion for weight loss surgery patients because of the chocolate and other decadent foods, but don’t worry. This newsletter has tons of tips to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day without the extra calories.

Gifts That Say “I Love You” (and I Want You to Be Around Forever!)

• Your Valentine’s Day Meal (with a recipe)
• Valentine’s Day Menu
• Reminders for Eating Out
• Love Yourself

Take a look at the newsletter for ideas and inspiration to stay on your WLS diet while enjoying this festive day, and then come to BariatricPal for more conversations. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sincerely,

Alex Brecher

Founder, BariatricPal

Gifts That Say “I Love You (and I Want You to Be Around Forever!)”

A box of chocolates, a dozen freshly baked frosted cupcakes, and a basket of dried fruit and candied nuts are just a few of the standard Valentine’s Day gifts. These treats may come with the best of intentions, but other gifts can be more meaningful. Select a Valentine’s Day gift that supports health and, at the same time, lets the two of you spend quality time together. Consider some of these gifts that say “I love you” and have another message.

• “I want us to feel good…together.” A couples massage or other spa treatment lets the two of you relax together while the pampering energizes your body.
• “I want us to be healthy together forever.” A cookbook with WLS recipes is an invitation for your significant other to spend some time with you in the kitchen as you both follow a healthy lifestyle.
• “Let’s commit to some time together, healthy eating, and some exercise.” Some seeds, seedlings or gardening tools are what you need to start a garden. If Valentine’s Day is still too early for gardening because of the cold weather, the two of you can can take some time to plan your garden. As the months progress, you can garden together and cook fresh vegetables as you harvest them.
• “You’re my greatest inspiration.” A gift of matching workout clothes or fitness equipment for both of you sends the message that you value your partner as an inspiration and a workout buddy, and that you want him or her to be as healthy as possible.
• “We’re committed to this.” Registering both of you in an upcoming 5k fun run/walk and showing the training schedule for the two of you to complete together shows your commitment to each other’s health and happiness.

Valentine’s Day WLS Menu

Eating right always makes you feel proud and healthy. On Valentine’s Day, your dinner can go one step further and set a romantic tone for the rest of the night. Many traditional Valentine’s Day menus can leave you feeling stuffed. Worse, they can cause complications after weight loss surgery. For example, Pasta can lead to obstructions in lap-band patients, sugary desserts can give gastric bypass patients dumping syndrome, and rich foods can make vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients feel nauseous and overly full. These effects can quickly dampen the romantic mood!

With a bit of planning, you can make a special Valentine’s Day dinner that fits into your weight loss surgery diet while it kindles the love in the air. Stick to the rules you know, such as focusing on Protein, eating slowly, and watching your portion sizes. Try the following menu, or use it as inspiration for your own creations.

Starter: Stuffed Portabellas

Remove the stems from 2 portabella mushrooms and cook the caps on the stovetop or in the oven or the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix 4 egg whites and 4 slices of turkey ham. Divide the egg mixture evenly into the mushroom caps and bake until the eggs are cooked. Serve the mushrooms in halves or quarters with an optional dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt.

Main Course: Turkey or chicken Cutlets with Mashed Cauliflower

Slice 2 red peppers into strips and grill them. Sprinkle 1 ounce of parmesan cheese on each of 2 turkey or chicken breast cutlets, and top with basil and bell pepper strips. Roll each cutlet and stick a toothpick in it to hold it together. Bake them until the chicken or turkey is thoroughly cooked. Then slice the rolls in half-inch-thick slices so that the pieces look like pinwheels. Serve with tomato sauce. Using pinwheels instead of serving the entire cutlet helps you with portion control.

For the cauliflower, thoroughly cook a bag of frozen cauliflower and cook a peel small sweet potato. Mash the cauliflower and the sweet potato with 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat margarine, and add garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to taste.

Dessert: Chocolate-Dipped strawberry Slices

Mix together one-half cup of fat-free yogurt, one-half cup of unsweetened baking cocoa (not sugary hot cocoa mix), and one-half cup of calorie-free sweetener of your choice (such as Equal, stevia, or Splenda). Add skim milk slowly until the mixture resembles a thick sauce or thin dip. Serve sliced strawberries on the side and dip them into the chocolate sauce as you eat them.

Reminders for Eating Out

Are you taking going out to eat at a restaurant on this Valentine’s Day? Enjoy the break from the kitchen, but don’t forget your common sense. A main dish at a restaurant can have over 1,000 calories, and that is before you add bread or chips, appetizers, beverages, soup or salad, and dessert. A typical restaurant can make weight loss surgery patients feel sick. However, you can use these reminders to stick to your weight loss surgery diet while you enjoy this special Valentine’s Day dinner.

• Ask the server not to bring rolls, breadsticks, or chips, and skip the appetizers and dips. This is a great time to study the menu as you look for weight loss surgery-friendly options.
• Keep your portion sizes small by ordering a kids’-sized meal or asking the server to pack up half of your dinner to take home. Or, make the night even more romantic by splitting a meal with your significant other.
• Ask for modifications when you order. Order broiled or grilled chicken or fish instead of fried options, ask for sauces and dressings to be served on the side, and substitute a side of steamed vegetables for potatoes, rice, or pasta.
• Eat your protein first and chew slowly, just like you do at home.
• Avoid caloric beverages. You shouldn’t be drinking fluids while you eat, anyway. In particular, avoid alcoholic beverages. They are high-calorie and they can give you poor judgment so that you overeat.
• Skip dessert and order decaffeinated coffee or tea instead. Since you are not allowed to drink fluids while you consume foods, your tea or coffee will signal the end of the meal. If you must have dessert, ask for some yogurt or applesauce, a piece of fresh fruit, or some cottage cheese.
• Have fun! Remember that the purpose of eating out is to celebrate the day, whether you are with your significant other or one or more friends or family members, or whether you are taking some time to yourself. Focus on the occasion rather than how much food you can eat.

Love Yourself

Don’t forget to show yourself a little love and appreciation on this Valentine’s Day, whether you are single, dating, or happily married. Set aside some time for yourself. You might be able to get away to go shopping or see an art exhibit. Even just a few minutes to yourself at home can be enough. Remind yourself how proud you are of yourself. Think about where you are in your weight loss journey, what you have accomplished, and what you will continue to work for. Remember how grateful you are for everything in your life – including your own personality. Feeling good about yourself is the best way to help others feel good about you.

That’s what we have for our Valentine’s Day newsletter! We hope it was useful and motivating. Don’t forget to drop by BariatricPal to see what our members are talking about!

Super good article as usual, Alex!

You gave me an idea...I am low budget right now but, by golly, I can buy some seeds with the wife and we can start some new life for our Florida landscaping in some inside and outside pots. Some vegetables and herbs are on the agenda, too. Thanks!

For myself I weighed in as a sneak preview. The reason is my usual weigh day is Monday. I lost 2 Lbs last week and desperately want to keep the mojo and momentum going. Well I seen I lost a whole pound a few days early!!

It's important to find as many tactics as one can to keep themselves on track. For me, I want to hold on to that one pound loss if anything so it will keep me logging my food and staying on track.

Loved the article!

Super good article as usual, Alex!

You gave me an idea...I am low budget right now but, by golly, I can buy some seeds with the wife and we can start some new life for our Florida landscaping in some inside and outside pots. Some vegetables and herbs are on the agenda, too. Thanks!

Thanks! What a wonderful idea. I've grown indoor herbs and veggies with some success. It's a great feeling eating off your own land.

lotta info to take in...loll..Happy Valentines day BP and its members!!

Thank you for a great article and tips!