Happy Labor Day from BariatricPal! - September 2016

[Alex Brecher 10,494]

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Hey BariatricPal Members! Happy Labor Day from BariatricPal! It’s a celebration of the American labor movement, and for many of us, it’s a three-day weekend that unofficially separates the end of summer from the beginning of autumn. It’s a good time to shift into serious weight loss surgery mode by focusing on your diet and mental health, so here’s what we have for you in this newsletter. In the Spirit of Labor Day, Are You Treating Yourself Fairly? Labor Day Picnic: Send Summer out with a (Healthy) Bang! Facing the Changes as You Lose Weight Hope find the newsletter useful and motivating. After reading it, we hope you logon to the BariatricPal forums, and share some thoughts with us before going about your weekend. Happy Labor Day, and thanks for keeping us going strong! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal In the Spirit of Labor Day, Are You Treating Yourself Fairly? Labor Day celebrates the American labor movement, which resulted in better working conditions in many industries. Workers have the right to limited hours and paid overtime, a minimum wage, regular breaks, and decent working conditions. When you stop and think about it, are you treating yourself fairly? As you “work” towards better health, do you make sure you set up ideal “working conditions” to give yourself the best chance of success? Everyone does better when they’re treated right, and your mind and body are no exception. When you treat yourself right, you: Lose more weight. Feel healthier and more energetic. Enjoy the journey more. Have better medical checkups. Stay more motivated. So how can you treat yourself fairly? Give yourself fair compensation by rewarding yourself when you hit milestones. It can be a massage, a new workout outfit, or a Improve your “working conditions” by stocking your kitchen with healthy foods as well as with a scale, containers with lids, and the other tools you need. Take frequent “breaks” from the grind by eating the occasional meal out (check the nutritional facts first) or using prepared foods like Instant Protein Entrees whenever you can. Schedule days off from your workouts to let your mind and body recover. You might as well learn from those who came before you and apply it to yourself. Give yourself a fair chance at weight loss and maintenance, and you may be surprised at how well your body responds compared to when you don’t treat it right. Labor Day Picnic: Send Summer out with a (Healthy) Bang! It does not feel like the end of summer until after Labor Day, even if your children have already back in school for a week or more. And the time from Labor Day to the first official day of autumn on September 22 feels more like fall than summer. Unofficial though it may be, Labor Day sure seems like the day that marks the end of summer. So why not Celebrate? You can easily put together a healthy cookout for your family or a few friends. Some may insist on the standard fare of hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, and blackberry cobbler with ice cream, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat like them! Along with serving the old fallbacks that your guests demand, you can easily make a few dishes that fit on your weight loss surgery diet plan. And guess what: after tasting your delicious alternatives, your guests may decide they are fans of healthy eating, too. From the Grill As a weight loss surgery patient, you can count on grilling as being one of the friendliest cooking methods for your diet. It’s so easy to skip the fatty beef burgers and hot dogs, and instead toss a chicken breast or veggie burger on the grill. By Labor Day, you can still take advantage of summer’s bountiful harvest and grill eggplants, zucchini and yellow squash, and tomatoes as fiber-filled, low-calorie side dishes. On the Side For sides, there’s nothing more obvious than a green salad, and you may be shocked at how popular it is. Shred some romaine or green or red leaf lettuce, add favorite veggies like cherry tomatoes, diced onions, and peeled cucumbers, and make it special with nuts or seeds, plus fresh berries or even pieces of nectarines or plums, since they’re still in season. It can take a while after weight loss surgery to work up to eating salads and seeds. If you’re not yet up to the task, opt for something a little softer. It’s hard to go wrong with faux potato salad made with cooked cauliflower or egg white salad made with Greek yogurt. You can also put together skewers with balls of mozzarella cheese or chunks of feta cheese, along with cooked mushrooms or bell pepper pieces. Sweet Treats to Finish Fruit always works, both as a dessert that fits into your diet, as well as a crowd pleaser. Watermelon’s easiest, and with 46 calories per cup, it’s a nice calorie deal, too. You can also throw together a fruit salad with any berries, grapes, and other seasonal finds. For another few calories, you can even add a tablespoon or two of whipped topping – try sugar-free if you’re worried about dumping syndrome. And if you’re looking for even more serious treats, you can always go for Protein chocolate Chip or oatmeal Raisin Cookies, fresh-baked Protein Brownies, or bariatric biscotti, wafers, or gluten-free cookie bites. Your guests won’t even know they’re healthy (and new customers can get a 10% discount on your first order at The BariatricPal Store by using coupon code BPNEWCUST2016!). Your end of summer party should be one to remember, but not for the inches it added to your waistline. You can remember it for the good company and good food, and the knowledge that you successfully put together a healthy celebration that helped you lose weight. Facing the Changes as You Lose Weight Without a doubt, you’ve thought a lot about losing weight. You’ve thought about what your goal weight is, how you may feel, and how your diet will change after surgery. All that careful thinking before getting surgery can help you prepare yourself so you can do better when the time comes. But weight loss surgery and the journey you take can affect every aspect of your life, and some of the changes can be surprising and even challenging. When your weight loss becomes visible, people may ask how you lost weight and you might not feel comfortable telling them about your surgery. Many people will be quicker than they have any right to be to offer suggestions and judgment on your weight loss, your diet, and pretty much everything else about your weight loss surgery journey, even though it’s none of their business. You may not feel like “yourself” if your previous identify was the “overweight one” in the room. While you cannot prepare for every situation, you can help to prepare yourself generally by focusing on mental strength. Be proud of yourself for sticking to the weight loss surgery diet, even though it’s difficult and not at all the “easy way out.” Have confidence that you are taking the right path for yourself, so others’ questions and comments are less hurtful. Know that your weight loss comes at its own speed, and others’ ideas about how fast you “should” be losing weight are irrelevant. Realize that you are yourself, no matter what, and you are valuable. I hope the Labor Day weekend leaves you time to appreciate yourself, your family, and your weight loss surgery journey. Maybe, along with some healthy meals and a few brisk walks, it will also leave you time to stop by the BariatricPal forums and share your questions, thoughts, and advice. Thanks for your support, and Happy Labor Day!

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