Happy Father's Day! - 2015

Dear BariatricPal Members,

Happy Father’s Day! It’s a day to say “thank you” to the fathers, especially when life can be complicated by weight loss surgery. Fathers can be our strongest supporters, often in a quiet and steady way that is so appreciated during transitional periods in our lives, such as weight loss surgery. In hopes of inspiring you to make this Father’s Day a little healthier, here’s what you’ll find in this newsletter.

• On the Menu: Barbecued chicken and Blueberry Pie
• How Is WLS Making You a Better Father (or Child)?
• Father’s Day Gift List

We hope you enjoy the newsletter and then you have a beautiful Father’s Day with your family. Congratulations, and thank you, to all the dads out there. We couldn’t do it without you!

Sincerely,

Alex Brecher

Founder, BariatricPal

On the Menu: Barbecued Chicken and Blueberry Pie

Father’s Day is probably going to involve a meal. You could go to an all-you-can-eat buffet and stuff yourself, and you could go to a family restaurant for gourmet burgers, fries, shakes, and a beer…with a 2,000+ -calorie price tag. Or, you could head to the backyard or a local park for a healthy, delicious, and fun barbecue.

Good food, Good Nutrition

You know the drill for barbecues. For an easy marinade, combine tomato sauce, a low-calorie sweetener, red pepper flakes if you like heat, onion power, and apple cider vinegar. Bring your lean Protein and cut veggies, and have at it! Grill chicken breasts, veggie burgers, extra lean turkey burgers, and even portabello mushrooms. Serve your protein with grilled eggplant, red peppers, zucchini, and even peaches or pineapple. If you top the mushrooms with low-fat cheese, you’ll get a good dose of protein and bone-building Calcium. Don’t forget to serve your protein “naked” or on a lettuce wrap – you don’t need a starchy, high-carb bun.

If you still have room, check your picnic basket for dessert. Maybe you can find a little watermelon in there as a refreshing end to the meal. If you’re a little more ambitious, make individual “pies” in muffin tins. Make your pie with blueberries, strawberries, or other seasonal fruit and low-calorie sweetener. Skip the crust, and instead sprinkle the tops with a streusel made of toasted oatmeal mixed with cinnamon and sugar.

It’s Funner When You Burn It Off

A little exercise can help you end the meal on a high note – you’ll feel better about the meal, bond with your family, and get in some mood-boosting exercise, not to mention burn a few calories. Don’t forget to take some toys. You can easily pick up a few different-sized balls from a local dollar store, grocery store, or drugstore. Play volleyball, soccer, keep-away, or catch, or make up your own game. And, feel free to invite other families to join you. They’ll appreciate the invitation, and the more, the merrier.

How Is WLS Making You a Better Father (or Child)?

A common fear surrounding WLS is it pulls the family apart. You may worry about this because of your new WLS lifestyle. You need specific meals, which may make you miss family restaurant outings or force you to eat separately from the rest of your family. Your exercise routine may take a good chunk of time from your day or week. You may feel guilty for focusing on yourself instead of putting 100 percent of your energy into others’ well-being.

But that’s wrong! You should feel proud of your weight loss surgery. It’s not only your right to care for yourself, but also your responsibility. Getting healthy is the best thing you can do for your family if your goal is to be there for them for as many more years as possible and to prevent yourself from becoming a burden due to obesity-related disability.

Helping Yourself Helps Others

Being healthy takes time and effort, but the returns are much greater. The healthier you are, the more efficient you are, so you save time. And, the healthier you are, the more able you are to deal with stress and the pressures of daily life – so the effort you put into your own health is worthwhile.

How can being a healthy person make you a better family man? Think about:

• Taking care of your parents as they get older.
• Letting your parents stop worrying you’ll die before them.
• Giving your parents the satisfaction of seeing you confident, maybe for the first time since you were little.
• Being there to see your
• Participating in your little ones’ activities whenever parents are invited.
• Giving your kids something to be proud of when you send them off to school each day.
• Letting your significant other stop worrying how much longer you’ll be around.

These benefits are priceless, and well worth the effort it takes to eat right, exercise regularly, and focus on yourself every day.

Multi-Task

Okay, but how does this all fit into your busy life when you may be working, taking care of the family, and even fulfilling other commitments such as going to school? Multi-task, of course! Here are a few ways you can be a good family member and take care of yourself of at the same time.

• Play football, catch, basketball, or tag with your children to burn calories, develop and teach healthy habits, and enjoy quality time.
• Let your children help you plan meals and creative recipes – kids love being helpful, and they may come up with high-protein dish ideas you never even considered.
• Use your meal planning to teach your kids a little math along the way. Let them help you count protein grams, as long as you keep it fun and light-hearted.
• In the evenings, as your kids pack up their backpacks for school, do your own preparation for the next day. Pack your gym bag and whatever parts of your meals you need to pre-pack. You’ll be modeling the importance of planning and spending time with them.

Father’s Day Gift List

A tie, power tools, and dinner at a steakhouse come to mind, but are they really what Dad wants (or are they really what you want to get from your children)? Instead, what about giving a gift that is truly desired? Here are a few gifts that can bring together a father and his kids when either one is or will be a weight loss surgery patient. Put them on your gift list or think about picking them up when you go shopping for Dad!

• A protein basket packed with individually selected favorite protein treats, such as turkey Jerky, almonds, Protein powder, and roasted soybeans.
• The BIG books on weight loss surgery: Look for the lap-band, gastric sleeve, or roux-en-Y gastric bypass book if Dad’s early in the journey, or the lifestyle book if you’re a vet or an inspired newbie.
• Time together…ask Dad to show you how to grill. He’ll love the company as long as you make sure he knows he’s still in charge!
• Fan gear that comes with a bonus – a promise to work out together.
• A little cooking demo – is Dad secretly embarrassed he doesn’t know how to cook food on your weight loss surgery diet when you go over to visit?

However you choose to Celebrate this Father’s Day, I hope it is healthy and happy for you. If you’re not a fan of Father’s Day, you can still celebrate the first day of summer. Keep it active, healthy, and social – keep checking in to BariatricPal to keep us updated on how your summer is going!