BariatricPal Newsletter 04/01/2014

[Alex Brecher 10,494]

Hey, BariatricPal Members!

It’s that time again…the time when we get to connect with you, BariatricPal members, via our newsletter. We hope that the coming of spring is inspiring you to take another look at your weight loss and health. With warmer weather, longer days, and fresh seasonal produce coming in, staying active and eating nutritiously is easier than it was in winter. To keep you motivated and focused, here is what we have for you in this letter.

• Member Poll: How Do You Plan Your Meals?
• Member Spotlight: Meet ajtexas!
• From Spring into Summer!
• Hidden Gem? Check Out BariatricPal’s Weight Loss Surgery Library!

Ready to get started? Take a look at the newsletter, go enjoy a walk in the fresh air, and then log on to BariatricPal and talk about the newsletter and anything else that you’ve been thinking about. Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,

Alex Brecher

Founder, BariatricPal

Member Poll: How Do You Plan Your Meals?

Meal planning can be an important factor in success after weight loss surgery. You need to get enough Protein and other nutrients and limit your calories while you stick to the allowed food choices on your weight loss surgery diet. Meal planning can be challenging, though. How do you plan your meals?

• I meet regularly with a nutritionist or dietitian to plan my menus.
• I sit down on the weekends and plan my meals for the upcoming week.
• Each morning or evening, Ifigure out what I will eat in the coming day.
• I don’t plan specific meals. I just make sure to have plenty of Protein and fill in the rest with vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• I don’t plan, but I know I should. I just eat what looks healthiest at the time.
• Other – Read my answer in the discussion!

Go to BariatricPal to select the answer that best describes you, and then tell us about it in the discussion!

Exciting News – We're welcoming powders?utm_source=BariatricPal&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=CommentLink" target="_ad" data-id="1" >unjury and opurity to BariatricPal!

BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of innovative protein supplements, and Opurity, maker of dietary supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month.

Unjury is part of ProSynthesis Laboratories, Inc, a company founded by a dietitian and committed to your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task easier. Product flavors include chocolate Splendor, Chooclate Classic, Protein’d cheese Sauce, strawberry Sorbet, vanilla, chicken Soup, and Unflavored. These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. They are sugar-free.

Founded in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity nutritional supplements are designed specifically for bariatric surgery patients. Choose from chewable orange-berry Multivitamins for lap-band patients or for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients. Opurity also sells chewable Calcium, Vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a money-back guarantee.

Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two companies! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury and Opurity online. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership!

Insure Nutrition

We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify.

Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs.

Member Spotlight: Meet ajtexas!

Our spotlight this month is on Amanda, but you may already know her as AJ! Before surgery, AJ weighed 250 pounds and had high blood pressure, pre-diabetes and pain in her feet. She got winded walking up a flight of stairs, and says she was miserable! This 47-year-old got her gastric band in February of 2012, and ajtexas lovingly calls her band the Yellow Band of Texas. It has helped her lose 80 pounds to a goal weight of 170 pounds and a normal BMI of 24.4.

Although she is a self-proclaimed boredom eater and she struggled with head hunger, AJ says that now she truly loves herself and can smile when she looks in the mirror. She can do chores all day long on her farm in Texas, and loves it! She also likes her new clothes and the fun of trying on small, fashionable outfits like tailored tops and skinny jeans.

AJ uses BariatricPal for support and tough love. She says the friends she has on the boards are friends for life. She also realizes the value of paying it forward, and takes care to support new members when she feels that she can help them in their journeys. Her advice to members who are struggling with weight loss is to allow yourself to succeed, and to be persistent. Don’t give up! She also cautions that maintenance can be as hard as losing the weight.

AJ, thank you for sharing your story and advice! You look fantastic, and we appreciate your presence on the boards!

If there is anyone you would like to meet in our Member Spotlight or you would like to be featured, please let us know! Tell us in the Member Spotlight forum or send Alex Brecher a PM.

From Spring into Summer!

Spring is a time for growth and renewal. Signs of spring can be all around us in the form of melting snow, muddy fields, new leaves, and singing birds. Let these energizing signs inspire your own revitalization. Whether you are just thinking about surgery or are already at goal weight, there is always something that you can work on to lose more weight or be healthier.

Now that spring has begun, it’s time to set some new goals to keep you focused or get you back on track if you slipped up during the winter. Summer is a few months away, so why not base your goals on being able to have more fun this summer? These are some sample goals for each phase of weight loss surgery. You can reach them by the time summer starts.

• If you are pre-surgery: Aim to finalize your research on weight loss surgery. Once you are sure you want surgery, figure out which type and choose a surgeon. Set a date for your procedure.
• If you are shortly post-surgery: Aim to hit the ground running when it is time to focus on weight loss. That means carefully following the post-surgery diet progression to speed recovery from surgery, and also learning all you can about the solid foods diet you will be eating for the long term.
• If you are in the middle of losing weight steadily: Aim to lose a certain amount of weight or fit into a certain goal outfit.
• If you are at goal weight: Aim to participate in a challenging summer activity, such as a kayaking trip or a 5K road race. These require serious training and healthy eating.

Follow these tips when you are setting your goals.

• Keep them realistic. If you have averaged a loss of 2 pounds per week (8 pounds per month), a goal of losing 24 pounds in three months is realistic. A goal of 50 pounds is not realistic!
• Make an action plan. If your goal is to go on an overnight hiking trip, you not only need to keep eating well, but also need to train for it. Map out a training plan that includes walking during the week and hiking on the weekends when you have more time.
• Make your goal specific. If you have a vague goal, you won’t know whether you are making progress toward it or whether you achieve it. Instead of vowing to lose weight, get into shape, and eat better, specify goals such as losing 20 pounds, running 2 miles without stopping, or meeting your protein needs each day.

Take advantage of spring to give yourself a new start. Regardless of where you are in your weight loss journey, some hard work and dedication can help you can achieve remarkable goals by the time summer comes!

Hidden Gem? Check Out BariatricPal’s Weight Loss Surgery Library!

You already know that BariatricPal is the world’s top online weight loss surgery community. Did you also know that BariatricPal has an entire section filled with credible information on weight loss surgery? These science-based facts can help you plan your weight loss surgery, lose more weight, and adjust to life after weight loss surgery.

• Information on the major types of weight loss surgery, including the lap-band, vertical sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, sleeve plication, and duodenal switch.
• The post-surgery diet progression from liquid to solid foods
• All about the weight loss surgery diet, from food lists to meal plans and beyond
• Strategies for succeeding after surgery
• And much more!

You already log in for the tips and encouragement on the boards. Next time you’re on BariatricPal, stop by our information center. You never know what you might discover!

That is all we have for this month’s newsletter. Thanks for reading it, and we’ll see you on the boards!

[chasingadream 1,311]

Great newsletter as always @@Alex Brecher !

Amanda is an inspiration and a wonderful success and it is nice to see her receiving kudos for a job well done!

Looking forward to Spring and getting out there and really getting some walking in….although snow in NY on the last day of March was a bit too much today! April is sure to bring us some great weather!

Edited April 1, 2014 by chasingadream

[Debbie3sons 1,936]

Than you for putting Ajtexas in the spotlight this news letter , she has been one of my supporters along with many more and I appreciate that, I am not ready to tell y story just yet but when I do , Alex you and many more will know , However we need to put Carolina girl also known as CG to a few of us in the spotlight as she has lost and does what her Doc. tells her and follows the rules mostly and her Doc. even had her do a testiomonial to people who were thinking of wls and everybody can see the difference and she has came a long way from where she was till now and still going, so I nominate Carolina Girl.

[KristinaRnY 455]

I also nominate carolinagirl! For what it is worth!

[Alex Brecher 10,494]

I also nominate carolinagirl! For what it is worth!

I thought we featured her a while back, but I was mistaken. We're going to feature her shortly. Thanks!