Fun Friday: It's All about Change

Are you ready for some good times?

Then join us for the LivingAfterWLS Fun Friday weekly game where we answer questions, get to know one another and win fabulous prizes! This week our question is presented by our fun and daring Fun Friday Hostess DarlingGwenda from Down Under who asks the evocative and provocative question "How has weight loss surgery changed your life?" There are no boundaries here, from the simple sublime to the greatest of grand, tell us about the change in your life since weight loss surgery! Go here to play:

Fun Friday March 26, 2010

For a look at our past prize winners visit the Fun Friday Hall of Fame 2010! You can link there to the original quiz game conversations and have a good laugh! As you will see, Fun Friday is a great way to jump in and participate in the Neighborhood, your weight loss surgery Safe Haven Circle of Friends.

Other areas of interest:
Weekend Wanderings! Weekend LIVING Thread Join our new Ambassador of Weekend Living Denise & Share your Weekend Wanderings

Spring Party Accountability Challenge The most supportive group in town, set your goals, stay accountable, be empowered!

5 Day Pouch Test Support Join others doing the 5DPT and get back on track. Together we can do this!

Day 6 Accountability Beyond the 5DPT - Daily Intelligent Eating Triumphs - Join us!

Fans: New Seasons of the Biggest Loser Our favorite get-fit TV show!

Community Kitchen Recipe Sharing & Cooking Ideas

LivingAfterWLS and The Neighborhood is your online resource for ALL surgical gastric procedures to help arrest obesity through weight control. We offer support for patients of gastric bypass, gastric banding, gastric sleeve, gastric revision and all others. Please join us!

Lap-band patients go here: Bandit Buddies

Gastric-Sleeve patients go here: Heart on Your Sleeve

Veterans of stomach surgery go here: Voice of Vetrans

We look forward to seeing you soon in the Neighborhood!

Grapes and the Low-Glycemic Index

Neighborhood Question:
Regarding Low Glycemic Index Fruits & Vegetables: What about grapes? They are different on each list I've found. I don't have them as an ingredient in anything, but sometimes when I have to have something, instead of reaching for chips, I go for grapes.

Kaye's Answer:
Grapes - They are a crafty fruit so innocent and delicious yet such a real trouble maker when they mix with the wrong crowd!

Denise - this is a very good question. I did go back to my research file on GI fruits & vegs to make sure I reply correctly based on what my original research uncovered as I did recall some very specific things about grapes. My primary research source is The Glycemic Index and I use their tables because they are world's leading authority on glycemic index and endorsed by the American Diabetic Association. http://www.glycemicindex.com/

On the GI index grapes have a GI value of 53 ranking them a "LOW" GI Value. That means they have low impact on glucose levels. One cup is considered a serving size. At first glance this would make them a suitable fruit for patients of gastric surgery, but front line research tells us a different story -- grapes are beautiful fruit of the Gods just waiting to slip down into our little pouches and morph from healthy fruity snack to spiteful little slider food and dumping disaster. Here's what happens: Grapes are good for us and low calorie, so we don't measure portion size. We enjoy each grape, one by one, which is mostly water and fructose, in unmeasured portion as a snack, so there is no buffer to slow the absorption of fructose through the esophagus or intestinal walls of the pouch. We can eat a copious amount of grapes because as fast as we are enjoying them they are sliding right through the stoma - we never achieve fullness. Unaware of the dramatic glucose load this puts on our body we continue to enjoy our healthy snack when at once the slam hits us and we are in glucose overload distress - dumping. (I believe Kim has a few stories about dumping on silly old grapes!) This can happen with banded patients as well who have followed a lean protein diet and developed a low tolerance for glucose surging.

So the short answer, though low glycemic, grapes are a fruit to enjoy very cautiously. As a snack I suggest measured portions, no more than one cup in a single serving. Make your grape snack a mini-meal and include a one ounce serving of deli meat and one ounce serving of low fat cheese.

Consider grapes as "ingredient" food, not just a snack. Here is a classic Southern Style Chicken Salad that makes wonderful use of grapes in the main dish. The high protein count in the recipe will prevent a glucose overload from the grapes.

You Have Arrived Classic Southern Chicken Salad

Dressing:
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup Miracle Whip Light
1 teaspoon You Have Arrived Signature Blend
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Salad:
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped and chilled
1 cup celery, chopped
1 cup green seedless grape, sliced
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Bibb Lettuce, leaves separated into six cups - one per serving

For Dressing: In a medium bowl using a whisk whip the whipping cream until fluff. Fold in Miracle Whip Light, You Have Arrived Signature Blend and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a large bowl toss together cooked chopped chicken, chopped celery and sliced grapes. Add dressing and fold together gently until combined. Chill until serving, may be prepared to this stage one day ahead. When ready to serve divide chicken mixture evenly among lettuce cups, garnish with toasted sliced almonds and chopped fresh parsley. Serve chilled.

Serves 6. Per serving: 363 Calories; 27g Protein; 24g Fat (5g saturated);11g Carbohydrate; 2g Fiber; Rich in Vitamin B12 & Niacin.

More of this discussion in the Neighborhood

Day 6 Checklist - Nurturing Checkup

Hello Neighbors & Day 6 Enthusiasts!

As you know part of our "Day 6" way of life is closely monitoring how we nurture our bodies nutritionally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, and socially. In the Day 6 book this is covered at length and on Page 122 there is a daily checklist to help us monitor how we are doing so we can celebrate our progress and make improvements or corrections when necessary. This worksheet is available for free downloading as well to make it easy for your daily nurturing.

Day 6 Daily Checklist

Please make use of this simple tool - I know it is useful to me in the daily quest for better Day 6 living and I think you will find it helpful too. Let me know what you think!

Have a well-nurtured day! And join us in the Neighborhood to share your Day 6 experience!

Avoid these 5 Day Pouch Test Mistakes

Corned Beef & Food Safety

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Many of us will be preparing and serving corned beef in celebration of St Patrick's Day today. As a quick refresher here is the US Department of Agriculture's Fact Sheet on Corned Beef and Food Safety. Make sure you are familiar with all safety measures to avoid any unpleasant food incidents that would disrupt your celebrations! Have a great day!


Corned Beef and Food Safety
For USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline, the approach of spring usually means that St. Patrick's Day dinner preparations across the country will spark many questions about the safe handling, storage and preparation of corned beef and all the trimmings. But food safety involves more than the "luck of the Irish."

What is "corning"?
Corning is a form of curing; it has nothing to do with corn. The name comes from Anglo-Saxon times before refrigeration. In those days, the meat was dry-cured in coarse "corns" of salt. Pellets of salt, some the size of kernels of corn, were rubbed into the beef to keep it from spoiling and to preserve it.

Today brining—the use of salt water—has replaced the dry salt cure, but the name "corned beef" is still used, rather than "brined" or "pickled" beef. Commonly used spices that give corned beef its distinctive flavor are peppercorns and bay leaf. Of course, these spices may vary regionally.

Package Dating and Storage Times
Uncooked corned beef in a pouch with pickling juices which has a "sell-by" date or no date may be stored 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator, unopened. Products with a "use-by" date can be stored unopened in the refrigerator until that date.

Drained and well wrapped, an uncooked corned beef brisket may be frozen for 1 month for best quality. It's recommended to drain the brine because salt encourages rancidity and texture changes. The flavor and texture will diminish with prolonged freezing, but the product is still safe. After cooking, corned beef may be refrigerated for about 3 to 4 days and frozen for about 2 to 3 months for best quality.

Preparation
Corned beef is made from one of several less tender cuts of beef like the brisket, rump or round. Therefore, it requires long, moist cooking. Keep food safety in mind when preparing corned beef. It can be cooked on top of the stove or in the oven, microwave or slow cooker.

Corned beef may still be pink in color after cooking. This does not mean it is not done. Nitrite is used in the curing process. This fixes pigment in the meat and affects the color.

Allow the brisket to stand for about 10 minutes after removing from the heat. This will make it easier to slice, and it is best sliced diagonally across the grain of the meat.

Cooking
The USDA does not recommend one particular cooking method as best. Following are methods from various sources. The cooking times are based on corned beef that is not frozen at the time of cooking. "Fork-tender" is a good indication of doneness, but use a food thermometer to be sure. For tenderness and texture, cook until the corned beef reaches a safe minimum internal temperature of 160 °F or above.

• OVEN: Set the oven for 350 °F or no lower than 325 °F. Place brisket fat-side up. Barely cover the meat with water—about 1 inch—and keep the container covered throughout the cooking time. Allow about 1 hour per pound.
• STOVE: Place brisket fat-side up in a large pot and cover it with water. Bring the water to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer, allowing about 1 hour per pound. Vegetables may be added during the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking. Cook vegetables to desired tenderness.
• SLOW COOKER: If using root vegetables, such as potatoes and carrots, put them in the bottom of slow cooker. Place brisket on top of vegetables (if using) or in bottom of cooker. Add about 1-1/2 cups of water or enough to cover meat. Cover and cook on high setting for the first hour of cooking. Then cook for 10 to 12 hours on the low setting or 5 to 6 hours on high. Cabbage wedges may be added on top of the brisket during the last 3 hours of cooking.
• MICROWAVE: Calculate cooking time at 20 to 30 minutes per pound. Place brisket in a large casserole dish and add 1-1/2 cups of water. Cover with lid or vented plastic wrap and microwave on medium-low (30 percent power) for half the estimated time. Turn meat over and rotate dish. Microwave on high for remainder of time or until fork tender. Vegetables may be added during the final 30 minutes of cooking.

Cooking Ahead
Some consumers prefer to cook corned beef ahead of time. It is easier to cut uniform slices when corned beef is cold. Cooking ahead also makes it easier to reheat and serve
later.

After cooking a whole corned beef, cut it into several pieces for faster cooling—or slice it, if you like. Place the beef in small, shallow containers and cool it in the refrigerator quickly.

Leftovers
Any corned beef left over from a meal should be refrigerated promptly—within 2 hours of cooking or reheating. Use cooked-ahead or leftover corned beef within 3 to 4 days or freeze 2 to 3 months.

Four Must Try Recipes from the Neighborhood

We are always looking for great weight loss surgery recipes that are economical, delicious, family friendly, and easy for our busy schedules. Over the years we've collected some great recipes in the Neighborhood Kitchen - here are a few that are getting quite a bit of attention lately. Just click the link to go directly to the recipe and let's get cooking!

Taco Lasagna by Beverley
"Made this on the weekend for my hubby's birthday everyone loved it. I had it for lunch again today and it tasted even better than last night."

Sour Cream Chicken Engiladas by smiles93536
OK so we all know that Mexican food is not the best type of food to eat. It is loaded with fat and calories...and ooo sooo good. I found another recipe and made it for dinner tonight. It is a keeper and will fulfill any jonsing you will have for Mexican food. A serving is 2 enchilada's and I ate both of them. I used the low carb taco size tortilla's so I am assuming that the carbs and calories are a wee bit less. Either way...it was within my caloric allowances.

Navy Bean Salad by ~Jane~
I've been playing in the kitchen this week! I tweeked some recipes from my grandmother, Betty Crocker and Martha Stewart, then I added some LAWLS You Have Arrived Finishing Salt and ZOWIE did it turn out nice!

Chicken Pizza by Steph Cott
It's Delicious! No crust, lots of vegetables. A great Day 6 and Beyond recipe. The chicken, once pounded cooks quickly. There is no reason to pre-cook. Keeps preparation and cleanup simple.

To get your copy of the ORIGINAL Neighborhood Cookbook shop the General Store.

Happy Anniversary Neighborhood!

2009 All Star Award - Email Newsletters

We have just learned that LivingAfterWLS has been awarded the Constant Contact 2009 All Star Award for Excellence in Email Marketing! That means the emails we provided to our LivingAfterWLS community free of charge meet the highest standards of excellence in the email marketing industry! I am so pleased with this and thrilled that we can continue to share with you, our loyal readers, quality material of interest, meeting the high standards you have come to expect. It is a beautiful day in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood!

LivingAfterWLS publishes three inspiring email newsletters that promote personal responsibility and positive self-empowerment as a means to succeed long-term with surgical weight loss. They are free to email subscribers whom we treat with respect and privacy never selling our list.

You Have Arrived is our flagship newsletter published twice monthly. You will find inspiring and motivational articles in addition to topics on nutrition, fitness, healthy cooking and bariatric news.

Recipe of the Week is our once weekly cooking and nutrition newsletter. Each week you will find great family friendly recipes using fresh healthy ingredients that will please your palate and enhance your well being while being mindful of the specific need of surgical weight loss patients.

Free 2009 Best of Cooking with Kaye Download
21-Page Download; 28 of your favorite Kaye recipes from 2009

Download Now

5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin is our monthly motivational newsletter that supports our back to basics program, the 5 Day Pouch Test. This program is for those who feel they are not fully using their weight loss surgery tool and is useful for those who have stalled weight loss, or perhaps regained some weight.

Sign up for Award Winning LivingAfterWLS Newsletters

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If you received a mailing from us, (a) your email address is either listed with us as someone who has expressly shared this address for the purpose of receiving information in the future ("opt-in"), or (b) you have registered or purchased or otherwise have an existing relationship with us. We respect your time and attention by controlling the frequency of our mailings.

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Fun Friday & Anniversary Party - Good Times!

This month (March 10th to be exact) marks the 4th Anniversary of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood! Please join us in celebrating this important milestone:
LivingAfterWLS 4th Anniversary

Are you ready for some good times?
Then join us for the LivingAfterWLS Fun Friday weekly game where we answer questions, get to know one another and win fabulous prizes! This week our question is presented by our fun and daring Fun Friday Hostess DarlingGwenda from Down Under who asks on behalf of Jeanne from SD, "What was the thing that you wanted to do most when you lost weight?" Go here to play:

Fun Friday March 5, 2010

For a look at our past prize winners visit the Fun Friday Hall of Fame 2010! You can link there to the original quiz game conversations and have a good laugh! As you will see, Fun Friday is a great way to jump in and participate in the Neighborhood, your weight loss surgery Safe Haven Circle of Friends. And just saying, not wanting to brag or anything, but last week I was a co-winner with Joy from NY! I told you it's a fun game! And did I mention there are fabulous prizes?

Other areas of interest:
Winter Heat Accountability Challenge
5 Day Pouch Test Support
Day 6 Accountability

LivingAfterWLS and The Neighborhood is your online resource for ALL surgical gastric procedures to help arrest obesity through weight control. We offer support for patients of gastric bypass, gastric banding, gastric sleeve, gastric revision and all others. Please join us!

Lap-band patients go here: Bandit Buddies
Gastric-Sleeve patients go here: Heart on Your Sleeve
Veterans of stomach surgery go here: Voice of Veterans

We look forward to seeing you soon in the Neighborhood!

For help navigating the Neighborhood click the Guidelines tab in the top toolbar for complete instructions.

CHEERS!
Kaye

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The Neighborhood Statistics:
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Registered Users: 8512
Total Posts: 148539
Busiest Time: 1668 users were online on 1st March 2010 - 07:12 AM

Happy Anniversary Neighborhood!

My how time does fly! This month (March 10th to be exact) marks the 4th Anniversary of the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood! Many of our Neighborhoods had not yet "Arrived" back in 2006 when the Neighborhood was born! And here we are today celebrating together in the common quest for health, wellness, friendship, knowledge and stewardship all sharing the common connection of weight loss surgery. The Neighborhood is billed a "Safe Haven Circle of Friends" and from behind the scenes we actively work to protect our community from invasion by hackers, spammers and those with malicious intent to harm or destroy our borders. More importantly, from the front side of the Neighborhood our steadfast citizens protect one another in a self-ordained Neighborhood Watch where Neighbor protects Neighbor and compassion is served-up kindly and regularly. It is often expressed that there is no other place like The Neighborhood on the Internet. And that, my dear friends, is because of the Neighbors, each and every one of you. I am so humbled an honored that many of you have made this your destination and your home in your weight loss surgery journey. When we first opened the community gates to the Neighborhood in 2006 I was skeptical at best and told my advisers I would try it for a year but doubted it would take hold. Now, four years later, I cannot imagine my weight loss surgery experience without the Neighborhood and without each and every one of you. Thank you for being here.

Please join me in a big cyber round of party0002.gif applause party0002.gif for the NEIGHBORS! Anyone can put-up an online community, but the community is only as good as the members it serves. And that is what makes the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood a true safe haven circle of friends.

Cheers to you my good Neighbors!!

Come join us - Be Our Neighbor