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Dear BariatricPal Members, Happy Valentine’s Day! February 14 is your chance to focus on your heart, whatever that means for you. It may mean celebrating your relationship, or it could mean treating yourself to a decadent but healthy day. Before you move on to your Valentine’s Day events, take a few minutes to read through the BariatricPal newsletter and get some ideas and inspiration. Here is what you’ll find in this newsletter. For Just the Two of You: Valentine’s dinner Remade All Alone? Give Yourself a Little Love, No Calories Necessary How Weight Loss Surgery Gave Me Back My Valentine’s Day – Member Stories! Whatever this special day means to you, we hope you include BariatricPal in your plans. See you on the boards! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal For Just the Two of You: Valentine’s Dinner Remade Remember that traditional Valentine’s Day dinner? Maybe it started with some blue cheese dip with crackers, moved on to shrimp scampi or fettucini alfredo with breadsticks, and finished with some chocolate cake. Add a few glasses of wine and the odd chocolate throughout the evening, and you could have been at thousands of calories. A dinner like that doesn’t leave you feeling very sexy. It leaves you feeling bloated. Instead of focusing on your SO, you might be focusing on feeling disappointed in yourself. And, after weight loss surgery, you’d just get sick. For a more romantic evening, why not start with a lighter dinner. It can still show your love just as strongly, but keep the romantic mood going late into the evening. Here’s a sample menu that you can both enjoy. To start: tomato, fresh basil, and non-fat mozzarella salad drizzled with olive oil and red wine vinegar. Main course: low-calorie shrimp (or chicken) Alfredo with sliced mushrooms, shirataki noodles or spaghetti squash instead of Pasta, and a sauce made with fat-free cream cheese or Laughing Cow cheese wedges, fat-free sour cream, and low-fat parmesan. Served with: pureed cauliflower with garlic, black pepper, and green onion. To finish: berry parfaits. Mix together fat-free cream cheese with sugar-free vanilla pudding mix, and alternate layers of that with raspberries. Top with fat-free whipped topping and some sugar-free chocolate sauce. Don’t forget…when it comes to dessert, splitting is much more romantic. All Alone? Give Yourself a Little Love, No Calories Necessary It’s a beautiful holiday if you have a significant other to share it with. If not, Valentine’s Day can make you feel a little alone – but only if you let it. You’re certainly not the only single person out there; in fact, 25 to 30 percent of all American households are run by a single head of the household. A better idea than feeling sorry for yourself is to celebrate. Whether it’s with yourself or your friends, you can celebrate what you do have: yourself, your life, and your weight loss journey. And it doesn’t have to involve a single calorie. These are a few ways to show yourself a little love. Start your weekend off with a hike followed by a high-Protein, home-cooked Breakfast – or brunch at a restaurant that will make you an egg white omelet. Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers to brighten up your dining room or living room. If you have friends, you can buy each other plants or flowers in pots that will last longer. Enjoy a massage, get a mani/pedi, or go whole hog and book a day at the spa. Pick out something that will help you in your weight loss journey. Maybe you’ve been eyeing a particularly cute bowl and spoon to help you eat smaller portions, or you’ve been thinking that having a FitBit will motivate you to exercise more. Are you a shop-a-holic? Celebrate your weight loss surgery journey by picking out a piece of clothing or an outfit that shows off your shrinking body. If you haven’t gotten weight loss surgery yet, you might pick something out that will fit in a few months, after surgery. You don’t have to have any calories while celebrating Valentine’s Day, but if you have a few to spare…there are some delicious ways to enjoy them. Chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone? Mix cocoa, your choice of low-calorie sweetener, and a small amount of milk or almond milk, dip strawberries or strawberry halves or slices, and refrigerate or freeze them. Big fan of Valentine’s Day or not, you can make Saturday a special day that you enjoy and that doesn’t stall your weight loss. Plan it, stick to the plan, and, most important, enjoy it. That warm, satisfied feeling will help you stay motivated as you keep losing weight and getting healthy for yourself and for the special people in your life. How Weight Loss Surgery Gave Me Back My Valentine’s Day – Member Stories! Weight loss surgery changes your whole life – and that can include your relationships. In honor of Valentine’s Day, asked members how their weight loss surgery has affected their romantic relationships. You can read members’ answers on BariatricPal and share how your own weight loss surgery has affected your dating life or relationship. We read some touching stories, and wanted to share a couple of them here, in our members’ own words. From ProjectMe, who got gastric sleeve surgery in December and is within 30 pounds of goal weight: I began the process of getting WLS surgery back in June. I would share all the information I was learning with my husband. He totally embraced our new lifestyle and began working out with me and making better food choices. He has lost over 40 pounds and I am at 80 pounds down. More important that the weight loss, was the fact that we began spending more time together. Through our many walks, we had conversations like we were getting to know each other again. It is so nice to be able to feel like a couple again and not just like "mom" & "dad". I'd have to say that our level of intimacy has increased greatly through this process. And not just physically but mentally and emotionally. My husband is definitely my best friend and this WLS experience truly solidified our bond. And, from chants67,stories, who is celebrating her 2-year surgiversary and a loss of over 100 pounds: It has been 2 years since having RNY and let me tell you, my relationship with my husband has improved like I never would have imagined!!! We have always had a great relationship, but since having surgery he cannot get enough of me!!! He always reaches out to touch or hug me. I am so much happier now. I have so much self confidence and energy and it shows in all aspects of my life. I am now able to get on the back of his motorcycle and we go on dates all the time. We even have a special Valentine's motorcycle date planned. Having surgery was the best decision I ever made. My husband is my number one supporter. We are inseparable! Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread! You can still share your story on BariatricPal. Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day! Remember, whether you are single, dating, or set for life, love yourself first to be able to truly love life and the people in your life.

Happy Valentine's Day..Alex

Great article, Alex!

_{I enjoyed this post. It is always great to slow down and remember what is really important, wherever you are in life. Thanks Alex}