Soup: Warm Healthy Goodness in Every Bowl

I am a big fan of soup any time of year, but particularly right now in the middle of winter when the days are short and Wyoming is swathed in snow and frosty temperatures refuse to abate. But more importantly, soup is a friendly food for most anyone after a gastric surgery. Here, shared with permission, is a small section from the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual 2nd Edition (pages 130-131). Ham & Split Pea is one of my favorite bowls and popular with our many 5DPT friends. Take a look and enjoy a warm bowl today!The Joy of Soup:

It is not very often that I hear from someone who struggles with technical issues when eating soup after weight loss surgery. Soup doesn't get "stuck" going down and if we eat too much the discomfort is short-lived (compared to eating too much solid food that is poorly 
chewed and eaten quickly). In fact, when post-WLS patients discover soup it often becomes their go-to comfort food. When animal protein is cooked into a soup it is moist and succulent making it easy to chew, swallow, and digest. Cooked vegetables are more readily tolerated by many WLSers compared to raw vegetables. And grains like pearl barley or quinoa are portion controlled and digestible when included as an ingredient in soup. Perhaps it sounds cliché but there is truly joy in a simple healthy cup of soup.

Stock your freezer: Soups, stocks, and broths are easy to freeze. Use heavy-duty freezer bags or plastic containers, but be sure to leave some room for expansion as the liquids freeze. Identify the contents in writing, and be sure to mark down a use-by date (in general, three months). You can also freeze stock and broth in an ice cube tray and then transfer to freezer bags or plastic containers. When you're ready to use the cubes, melt them with boiling water.

Ham and Split Pea Soup

Split peas are a widely popular legume available year-round throughout the United States. They are an abundant source of fiber and protein and also supply a good amount of minerals including potassium, and the disease fighting B-vitamin, folate. A mild sausage compliments the flavor of split pea soup, but for a spicier soup select a hot sausage. Consider garnishing with sour cream to add richness and dairy protein.

Ingredients:
 8 slices bacon or 8 ounces bulk pork sausage
1/2  medium white or yellow onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, chopped
1 pound dry green split peas
16 ounces chicken broth
2 cups water
1 cup ham cubes
1 each bay leaf
ground pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated

Directions: In a large heavy Dutch oven cook the bacon or sausage over moderate heat, stirring until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Leave rendered bacon fat in pot and cook the onion and carrots until translucent and soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally for two hours. Add more water if soup is too thick for your taste. The soup should be dense in order to leave you feeling full longer. Discard bay leaf and serve warm topped with crumbled bacon. Nutrition: Serves: 12. Per 1-cup serving: 184 calories; 13 grams protein, 4 grams fat,  25 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams dietary fiber.

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5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual 2nd Edition

Paperback 180 pages

Weight Loss Surgery can profoundly facilitate weight loss in morbidly obese patients, but it is not a one-time fix. As patients soon learn vigilance is required to lose weight and sustain a healthy weight after surgery. Thousands of people around the world use the 5 Day Pouch Test to stop weight gain after WLS and return to the basics prescribed by their bariatric center. This proven 5 day program breaks habits that contribute to weight gain and restore one’s feeling of fullness after a small high-protein meal. If you think your pouch is broken or desire to get back on track with the WLS basics this five-day solution is for you. Revised in 2012 the 2nd edition features over 50 delicious recipes, current FDA, USDA, and ASMBS guidelines, extensive FAQ section all in Kaye Bailey's inspiring and empowering voice. It is time to get back on track and manage your WLS: start with the 5 Day Pouch Test. The 5 Day Pouch Test is suitable for all bariatric procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding, gastric sleeve and others. See our eBook publication of 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual: Link Here

Table of Contents

 

SKU #LAWLS-5DPT03
ISBN: 978-1-62890-183-2 SALE! $22.95



Learn more about the new second edition:
An Interview with Kaye Bailey

Recipe: Heavenly Deviled Eggs

Earlier this week we published our Cooking with Kaye newsletter that is full of great recipes for game time entertaining - think Superbowl! One of our most requested recipes, Healthy Deviled Eggs, was featured in the left-hand sidebar. Who doesn't love a good deviled egg or two? Or as we call them at our house, Picnic Eggs.

Newsletter link:
Cooking with Kaye: Dining on Man Food

Here is another terrific stuffed egg recipe that is lower in cholesterol and includes healthy chopped red and green bell pepper. This recipe makes 20 stuffed halves and a serving is two halves providing 8 grams protein and 5 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fat.

Incredible Egg

Heavenly Deviled Eggs

Ingredients:
12 large eggs
3/4 c nonfat sour cream
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
salt to taste
3 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
sweet paprika for dusting

Directions:
Cook eggs following boiling directions (below). Cool. Peel eggs, then cut lengthwise in half, and remove yolks. Discard 8 yolks. Arrange 20 egg-white halves on a platter. Chop remaining 4 egg-white halves very finely. Mash the 4 yolks with a fork. Transfer whites and yolks to medium bowl. Stir in sour cream scallions, green and red peppers, mustard, and salt. Spoon egg mixture into egg white halves. Sprinkle with parsley and dust with paprika. Keep chilled until serving. Enjoy!



 From the American Egg Board:

How to Hard Boil an Egg:

PLACE eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer. ADD cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. HEAT over high heat just to boiling.
REMOVE from burner. COVER pan. LET EGGS STAND in hot water about 12 minutes for large eggs (9 minutes for medium eggs; 15 minutes for extra large).
DRAIN immediately and serve warm. OR, cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water, then REFRIGERATE.

Recipes using Hard Boiled Eggs from American Egg Board

Kindle Sale: Save 12% Off 5 Day Pouch Test Manual eBook

Kindle puts 5 Day Pouch Test Manual on Sale!

The popularity of the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual (2nd Edition) has prompted Amazon Kindle to put the eBook download on sale saving customers 12% off the digital list price of $9.95 - You save $1.19.

Click the image below to check-out this sale and all our LivingAfterWLS publications available on Amazon Kindle and also in paperback on Amazon.

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Dining on Man Food: Cooking with Kaye Newsletter

Cooking with Kaye recipe newsletter - online in our Archive and delivered free to subscribers Inboxes.  Enjoy this special issue featuring 11 great recipes and interesting topic - men vs. women in diet and health management strategies.

Link to Archive: Cooking with Kaye

Cooking with Kaye: Wings to Fly For page 94

Greeting Article:  A recent assignment lead to me to looking into gender difference when it comes to the foods we eat while dieting. Turns out there is a big difference in how men and women approach dieting. And ladies, it may be that the guys are onto something. While women tend to diet to extremes cutting fat, carbs, processed foods and filling the void left behind with sweet fakes, men go for the gusto and enjoy manly foods --think bar food-- making small healthy tweaks to ingredients and preparation methods while controlling portions. Women tend to feel hunger is necessary for weight loss while men rarely go hungry, even while dieting.  In other words, men continue to eat and enjoy the foods they love, indeed the foods that contributed to their obesity, but they do so in a new and improved way.

One more big difference became apparent: men are not emotionally attached to food nor do they assign food moral values the way women tend to do. A man will over eat too much of the wrong foods at times but he is not likely to belittle or punish himself for "being bad." He will chalk a score for the other team and move on to the next play. For women, a single event of unhealthy eating can turn into a downward spiral of self-loathing and punishment, often in continued poor food choices.

In Today's Cooking with Kaye I share some of the things I learned about the differences between men and women who are dieting. Keep in mind, these are generalizations and I understand that one size does not fit all when it comes to dieting. I know there are many different behaviors to match our personalities when it comes to managing our health and weight with diet. I hope these generalizations, whether familiar or completely foreign to you, provide new insight into weight management. At LivingAfterWLS we talk so often about the WLS experience being a journey full of opportunity to learn, grow, and improve. No matter how different we all, we are all in this together

 Link to Archive: Cooking with Kaye

Super Great Recipes for Game Day

Enjoy Super Bowl Game Day and Delicious Food from Cooking with Kaye

 

 In what is billed as the biggest sports fan weekend of the year many of us will gather and enjoy good food, good sports, good advertisements and good times. It's Super Bowl 48 come Sunday. I don't remember a time when we haven't hosted the Super Bowl Party and there have been years since my WLS that I've resented all the "forbidden" good food on the pot luck spread. Over the years I've learned WLS and pot luck need not collide. With a bit of planning and mindfulness to the Four Rules we can enjoy the big game as much as anybody.

In my cookbook, Cooking with Kaye, there are many terrific pot luck perfect recipes everyone can enjoy. I've listed a few of my favorites as a starting place in your menu planning. So grab your copy of Cooking with Kaye and join me in the kitchen to cook-up a terrific game day meal.  Page numbers refer to the hard-back edition; page numbers will vary in electronic editions.

Turkey Chili - Page 75

Freeway Chef, colorful and festive, game day tailgate picnic favorite
Fresh ground turkey is increasingly available at major supermarkets. For the leanest preparation select all white meat ground turkey.
Try This: Prepare a variety of condiments to top chili including sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onion, diced avocado. ~ For a taco salad serve chili atop shredded lettuce and garnished with broken tortilla chips.

Honey Roasted Peanut Crusted Chicken Tenders

Page 86

From the method (page 85) for Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken
This is the basic oven-fried chicken recipe, the platform on which you will build your soon-to-be signature dish, “(insert name)’s Famous Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken”.  I call this a Country Road Chef recipe because it does take time and thoughtfulness in the preparation. However, once you have found your own rhythm in making crispy oven-fried protein it will likely fit into the Freeway Chef category for Pace of Preparation.
 

Gentleman Joes on English Muffins - Page 157

Freeway Chef, family friendly, perfect for buffet or tailgating
In a play on words I call these open faced sandwiches Gentleman Joes to avoid confusion with a distant culinary cousin called Sloppy Joe. The meaty sauce in our more genteel version is served on toasted English muffin halves and civilly enjoyed with a fork and knife. It’s not just good manners in play here, however. Studies suggest that meals eaten slowly with utensils versus quickly out of hand, create a better sensory experience and feelings of satisfaction are prolonged.

BLT Salad with Toasted Pecans - Page 45Freeway Chef, hearty and filling, classic BLT ingredients
The bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich – the BLT – is a diner classic. This salad takes the best of those flavors creating a meal that is sure to please anyone and meet our nutritional needs and weight management goals.
Try This: Lighten the fat content in this salad by replacing traditional pork bacon with turkey bacon. Be sure to drain and pat dry the bacon to remove excess fat. ~ Add shredded carrots or sliced green onions to the salad greens for a change of taste and texture. ~ Bacon is a great flavor booster for salads.

Zesty Hamburger Soup - Page 71

Freeway Chef, spicy flavor, crowd pleaser, freezes well
Spicy V8® juice takes this ordinary hamburger soup to spicy goodness that is a crowd pleaser and WLS friendly. Serve this at your next tailgate party.
Try This: Prepare this meal in your slow cooker. Simply brown the ground beef in a skillet, place browned meat in slow cooker with all ingredients except pasta, cover; cook on low 6 to 8 hours or high 2 to 4 hours. Add pasta in final hour of cooking.

Chipotle Steak Fajitas - Page 130

Indy Chef, colorful presentation, smoky chipotle flavor
The fajita is relatively new to the American food scene having gained popularity in the 1990s. The dish originated in the cattle camps of southwest Texas in the 1930s when Mexican vaqueros (cowboys) used skirt steak to make a fast meal of spicy meat and peppers wrapped in tortillas.
Try This: Use leftovers for lunch. Store tortillas separate from meat and pepper filling; heat separately in microwave and assemble for a warm midday meal. ~ For convenience purchase bottled fajita sauce and follow label directions.

Learn More:
Cooking with Kaye   


Cooking with Kaye: Methods to Meals is available in handy eBook format. See these fine retailers:

Amazon Kindle ~ Barnes & Noble Nook ~ kobo ~ iTunes ~ Google Play ~ Primedia eLaunch

Please Note:  For Kindle, Nook, and Apple users we highly recommend you purchase our digital products from your preferred App store for ease of product download and management on your various devices. Shop with our digital partners by clicking the links above.

 

Short on Time and Money? Try These Budget Meals

Rotisserie Chicken 
Who can resist the a golden rotisserie chicken warm for the taking after a long day's work. At about $7 per chicken this is one of the best bargains in the supermarket because the work is done for you and the cost of heating your oven is spared. We all know that chicken is a great source of lean protein when the skin is removed. In fact, a University of Minnesota study found that no significant fat is transferred from the skin to the meat when chicken is cooked. A single (3-ounce) serving of chicken (dark and light meat) provides 25g protein, 162 calories, 6.3g fat and 1.7g saturated fat.

You can get roughly 6 servings per chicken: $1.16/per serving

I like to buy two chickens at a time, remove and discard the skin and then pick the bones clean of meat breaking it into small shreds or pieces. Naturally, I'm going to nibble at the chicken while I'm doing this but I do not feel guilty, just comforted! Here area a few of the things I do with the chicken to make it last in a variety of ways. Adjust your portions to serve the number of people at your table.

-- In a small casserole layer chicken, low-sodium marinara sauce and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake until sauce is warm and cheese is bubbly. Serve warm with microwave steamed baby carrots.

-- Add 2 cups of chicken to 1 quart of low-sodium chicken stock and 1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables. Simmer gently until vegetables are tender. Serve warm topped with a sprinkle of cheese or chopped fresh herbs.

-- Scramble 2 egg per person. Remove to an oven safe plate and top with 3-ounces shredded chicken, a spoonful of salsa and a sprinkle of sharp shredded cheese. Place under preheated broiler until cheese is melted. Serve with canned black beans (rinsed & drained) and warmed in the microwave, if desired.

-- Chill shredded chicken. Chop 1/4 small onion, 1 rib of celery and toss with 1/2 cup shredded chicken, 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper to taste. Eat chicken salad at once or chill until serving. May be served with salad greens, if desired.

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Low-Sodium Meat and Cheese

The deli counter is a great source of meat and cheese. You can buy only the amount you need and usually pay less per pound than the pre-packaged deli meats. Deli meat and cheese are great for on-the-go meals and make sense for snacking as well. Here are a few ideas that work for me:

-- Take one medium-thickness slice of meat, spread with light cream cheese of your choice, top with a slice of low-sodium cheese and roll-up into a straw. Enjoy at once or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for later. Make several at a time assembly line fashion.

-- Mock grilled cheese sandwich. Coat a small non-stick skillet lightly with cooking spray. Add one slice of deli meat, top with a slice of cheese and finally another slice of meat. Cook over medium-high until meat is warm and cheese starts to melt. Turn over and continue cooking 2-3 minutes. Remove to plate and serve with a dill pickle spear and a slice of fresh fruit. Best to eat "sandwich" with a fork.

5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin: Top FAQs Right Now

5 Day Pouch Test January Bulletin 

 

January 5DPT Bulletin published to your Inbox and our newsletter archive. We answer the top trending questions you are asking about the 5DPT. Check it out!

 

Happy New Year! Thank you for joining me for our first 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin of 2014. I do hope your holidays were meaningful and inspired. And perhaps you are feeling a sense of excitement as we start this new year. I certainly am happy to start fresh in 2014 and have my sights set on dedicating myself to healthy behaviors and living well.

In this 5DPT Bulletin we address the questions people are asking right now about the 5DPT. One thing we have learned about our WLS community is that we have curious minds and an inquisitive spirit. We want to learn the things that support our ongoing weight management efforts. Some of the current hot topics include carbohydrate cravings and withdrawal, struggling on Days 1 & 2, understanding liquid restrictions, weight gain after the 5DPT, and living the Four Rules.

While this bulletin is a tad longer than our usual monthly publication we hope you will spend some time going over the topics. Sometimes it is the smallest nugget of wisdom that can make the greatest difference in our life.  I hope you find many helpful nuggets of knowledge here that serve you well in your life after weight loss surgery. Thank you for including the 5 Day Pouch Test as part of your experience.

I wish you the very best of health this New Year! You have the power to make this your healthiest year ever - Let's do it together! 

Sincerely,

Kaye Bailey

Check out the bulletin here: 5DPT January 2014

Q&A: 5 Day Pouch Test for Vegetarians

Individual Meal Plans:
Picky eaters, Vegetarians, Vegans

Question:
I don't eat many of the foods on the 5DPT plan, can you customize a 5DPT for my requirements?   

Answer:

I truly appreciate that people have unique dietary needs based on personal likes and dislikes, health requirements, religious reasons, and ethical reasons. In my work with WLS over the last several years my eyes have been opened to all manner of dietary peculiarities which is both fascinating and frustrating. I receive numerous requests from people asking me to custom-tailor a 5 Day Pouch Test plan to satisfy their specific dietary needs. Here are a few examples I've received:

"For ethical reasons, I could never eat chicken or meat. And I never eat anything with fur or eyelashes. Tofu and beans are out to so can you give me a high protein diet plan for 5DPT?"

"I am vegetarian. I will eat dairy and eggs but no meat of any kind (including fish, chicken or any other dead animal people think they can eat and still be a vegetarian)."

"I only like dark meat chicken."

"I detest canned tuna and salmon. Real salmon is fair and I've never tried tuna steaks."

"I have never been a lover of soups. Can you write me a different plan for the 5DPT?"

"After the liquid days 1 and 2 I'd like to follow a Vegan 5 Day Pouch Test, can you give me the meal plan?"

"I don't eat meat based jello or bouillon and eggs very rarely. Milk, cottage cheese and fish are Okay for me. What would my menu plan be for the 5 Day Pouch Test?"

"Brown food grosses me out. Do you have a plan without brown food?" (yeah, I don't get this one either!)

In the early days of the 5 Day Pouch Test I did try to create meal plans for different dietary requests. However, this involved me making a plan, testing it for the 5 Days with all of the recipes, making changes to improve results and testing it again before sending it  to the person requesting it. Because I will not provide a 5DPT plan that I have not personally tested this became an unmanageable challenge for me. Not only was creating individual plans time consuming and costly, invariably I would never hear back from the person or when I did there would be more dietary dislikes they forgot to mention and more times than I care to count I received the reply, "so these recipes will not work for me." With a one sentence email response they tossed in the trash an effort that was hugely inconvenient for me to accomplish and a total waste of my time. Can you imagine how disheartening this felt?

Over time I've accepted that people with self-defined dietary needs must take responsibility for making their own meal plan. This may include the help of a nutritionist and research via the Internet, cookbooks, nutritional references and even our LivingAfterWLS Publications. Once a person self-defines dietary peculiarities they must accept that general dietary plans are inadequate. It is up to them to deliberately develop a menu plan that  works to meet and sustain their health, weight, and nutritional goals.

What the 5 Day Pouch Test can do for picky eaters, vegetarians, vegans, and all other self-defined categories, is refresh them on the basic behaviors that make WLS work. That means following the Four Rules, observing the liquid restrictions, avoiding slider foods, and respecting the gastric pouch. Just like any person who undergoes WLS it all comes back to personal responsibility. That means vegetarians need to study vegetarian publications to learn the best source for non-animal protein. 

My advice to all:

Take the basic tenets of weight loss surgery, curate knowledge that supports your chosen dietary path, collaborate with others sharing your dietary circumstances, apply personal experience, and build a dietary health-management way-of-life that enables you to thrive. This is the responsibility of every person who desires to live a healthy balanced well-managed life with WLS.

With that said, the 5 Day Pouch Test does offer a few tried-and-tested vegetarian recipes and those are indicated on both the website and in the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual. These recipes follow the traditional definition of vegetarian and recipes are free of  flesh foods but may contain dairy products and eggs.

For more details on 5DPT and Vegetarian living see pages 76-78 of your 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual, 2nd Edition.

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LivingAfterWLS Publications

Save 25% and build your WLS Library with quality publications! Exclusively sold at LivingAfterWLS Kaye Bailey's work is internationally acclaimed and supported by bariatric centers, nutritionists, support groups, and people just like you doing their very best LivingAfterWLS with bariatric surgery.

Bundle includes: 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual 2nd Edition (2012); Day 6: Beyond 5DPT (2009); Cooking with Kaye-Methods to Meals (2012). Over 250 recipes; 600 pages of effective empowerment supporting your healthy weight management.  SKU #LAWLS-BWB3
Suggested Publisher Price: $82.95

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Fun Refreshing Snack: Jell-O and Yogurt Jigglers

From our blog archive this fun and satisfying snack. With football playoffs and the Superbowl in a few weeks this is a good recipe to revisit for those snacking occasions when we want to be part of the fun and enjoy our WLS way of life. Change out the Jell-O for your team colors and enjoy!

JELL-O and Yogurt -- Great Idea!!

This is a cool snack tip I just came across in Diabetic Living (Spring 2012): "To satisfy my sweet tooth I mix a little sugar-free gelatin powder into plain nonfat Greek yogurt. It adds flavor and sweetness." from Pan Bentley, page 22. I like this idea because it changes-up the sometimes tedious yogurt, and it is another opportunity to get gelatin in our diet which we know supports healthy hair & nails!! Plus -- can you say YUMMY!!! Give it a try and let me know what you think. And for more gelatin ideas take a look at this past issue of Cooking w/Kaye in our archives:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs008/1101189349792/archive/1104218782240.html#


Recipes: JELL-O JIGGLERS
There's no better way to eat JELL-O. JIGGLERS are available in tons of shapes and in every JELL-O flavor out there. It's everyone's favorite for a reason.

2-1/2 cups boiling water (Do not add cold water.)
2 packages (8-serving size each) JELL-O Brand Gelatin, any flavor

Kaye's Note: In place of the 2 packages (8-serving size each) JELL-O Brand Gelatin I use 1 package (4-serving size) sugar free JELL-O and 2 envelopes Knox Original Gelatin Unflavored. I then proceed with the recipe as directed.

1. Stir boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 3 minutes until completely dissolved. Pour into 13x9-inch pan.
 2. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until firm.
 3. Dip bottom of pan in warm water 15 seconds. Cut into 24 decorative shapes using 2-inch cookie cutters, being careful to cut all the way through gelatin to bottom of pan. Lift JIGGLERS® from pan.

Reserve scraps for snacking. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator. Kaye's Note: I enjoy tossing the scraps with yogurt and topping with granola or nuts for a refreshing and energy-boosting morning snack.

Protein First, but how much?

From our LivingAfterWLS Newsletter Archive
Link for the full newsletter free online: 5DPT February 2013
 
How much protein have you had today?

Protein shortfall puts our health at risk  

 

"As a group, we are not eating enough protein and this shortfall is putting our health at risk."

We know that after weight loss surgery we should follow a high protein diet. We call this "Protein First" - the first of the Four Rules of WLS. Mainstream studies of people managing their weight without bariatric surgery continue to indicate a diet high in protein supports weight loss and weight management in addition to promoting health.

WebMD recently reported, "Diets higher in protein and moderate in carbs, along with a lifestyle of regular exercise are often purported by experts to reduce blood fats and maintain lean tissue while burning fat for fuel without constant hunger sidetracking dieters." Researchers don't understand exactly how protein works to turn down appetite. They surmise that it may be because a high-protein diet causes the brain to receive lower levels of appetite-stimulating hormones. It may be due to eating fewer carbs and/or the specific protein effect on hunger hormones and brain chemistry.


How Much Protein Do You Need?
The experts are now suggesting dieters eat 120 grams of protein a day to get the potential weight loss benefit. They advise advancing protein intake gradually, "If you want to increase your protein intake, do it slowly over the course of a week.  To be on the safe side, check with your doctor before adding large amounts of protein to your diet."

120 grams = 20 ounces or 1.25 pounds protein/day

Bariatric centers are less precise in their protein recommendations. In fact, a 2008 study reveals nutritionists recommend anywhere from 60 to 105 grams of protein a day for patients following a 1,200-calorie diet. The recommendations vary so much that there is confusion in the WLS population about how much protein we need. What we do know is that as a group, we are not eating enough protein and this shortfall is putting our health at risk.


In 2011 a leading researcher and bariatric specialist reported, "We found that there have been few studies on protein intake recommendations for bariatric patients. Dietary protein ingestion among this population tends to be inadequate, potentially leading to a loss of lean body mass, reduced metabolic rates, and physiological damage. Conversely, a protein-rich diet can lead to increased satiety, enhanced weight loss, and improved body composition. The quality and composition of protein sources are also very important."


We need to turn this trend around. Today's 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin takes a look at how we can use our 5DPT experience as a catalyst to following and enjoying a high protein diet and the health benefits and weight loss that accompany it.  As we turn the page on summer stepping into autumn let's use the enthusiasm of "back to learning" to make a new commitment to the goals and health objectives that we valued so much when we underwent surgery in the first place.


Please consider this if you are using the 5 Day Pouch Test to get back on track. Take your knowledge and let it empower you because you are a good and worthy person. You are not your disease. I have met enough of you, my WLS Neighbors ,  to say this with complete conviction. You deserve to be your very best - obesity be damned for getting in the way!

You Can Do This!

5 Day Pouch Test Featured Articles

Watch for it ..... LivingAfterWLS Project 2014

I shared this little announcement in our LivingAfterWLS Neighbors Group - but in case you missed it here you go: Later this month we are introducing our "LivingAfterWLS Project 2014" which is a support program for long-term commitments to weight management with WLS --- watch your emails and social media to learn how to join - it will be a closed Facebook group. It is going to be fun and worthwhile! I've very excited!!! Please stay tuned....





Join our current open group on Facebook:

LivingAfterWLS Neighbors

Recipe: Cottage Cheese Crab Salad

Cottage Cheese Crab Salad

This salad is quick and delicious. There are two ingredients my husband refuses to eat: cottage cheese and sour cream. Funny thing, he ate two servings of this salad saying it was 5-Star top-notch delicious! HA!! I'll never tell.

I used plum tomatoes, the only fresh fruit I could find this time of year. The seeds and membrane were bitter so I seeded them and sprinkled a pinch of sugar on the inside of each one to bring out the natural flavor. Aside from that I made this as directed. Give it a try - you will LOVE it! Would make a great lunchbox meal and it works for Day 3 of the 5 Day Pouch Test.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 c. light sour cream
8 oz. imitation crab, pulled into chunks
1 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c. green onions, minced
1/4 c. celery, minced
tomato wedges and lettuce leaves

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the cottage cheese, sour cream, mustard, pepper, and garlic powder. Stir in the crab, onions, and celery. To serve buffet style, line a large serving tray with lettuce leaves and surround the edge with tomato wedges. Spoon the salad in the center. This is best covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated. To serve single servings, place one lettuce leaf in the center of a dessert plate, spoon 1/6 of the salad in the center and place two tomato wedges on the side. Serves 6. Celadon's note: This is so quick and easy and a beautiful presentation. When I feel especially extravagant, I use real crab.

Note: Makes 6 servings, each serving (without the lettuce and tomato wedges) provides: 62 calories; 1g fat; 412mg sodium; 5g carbs; 11g protein.

Thanks Kindle! Save $1.19 on 5DPT Manual eBook

Kindle puts 5 Day Pouch Test Manual on Sale!

The popularity of the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual (2nd Edition) has prompted Amazon Kindle to put the eBook download on sale saving customers 12% off the digital list price of $9.95 - You save $1.19.

Click the image below to check-out this sale and all our LivingAfterWLS publications available on Amazon Kindle and also in paperback on Amazon.

Please note - the sale price of our electronic books is set by the retailer offering them - we cannot extend coupons or make price adjustments for LivingAfterWLS publications offered by our distributors. 

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In addition to this store you will find our eBooks listed with our partners:

Amazon Kindle ~ Barnes & Noble Nook ~ kobo ~ iTunes ~
 Google Play ~ Primedia eLaunch

Please Note:  For Kindle, Nook, and Apple users we highly recommend you purchase our digital products from your preferred App store for ease of product download and management on your various devices. Shop with our digital partners by clicking the links above.

---

 

Reader Feedback for the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual:

5.0 out of 5 Stars (4 Reviews)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST have for WLS patients! September 4, 2013

By Kathy Cashatt

Format:Perfect Paperback

I had WLS 3 years ago next week. This book is the most helpful of all the many books I bought. As a matter of fact, it's place is in my kitchen drawer. It's always at my finger tips for referral. The recipes are the best too. My entire family eats the food I cook out of the book so I have to cook double. The 5 Day Pouch Test is a must have reference. The best help of all for WLS patients!!

5.0 out of 5 stars Must have for anyone with WLS September 4, 2013

By Karen Gomes

Format:Perfect Paperback

I have this book and live by it. Kaye Bailey is an advocate for those of us that have had weight loss surgery. She has written this book with love and experience. When I get off track from weight loss surgery and feel hopeless, I pick up this book and follow the five day pouch test. In those five days I feel back in control and empowered. Another plus to doing the five day pouch test is that I usually lose a few pounds as a bonus. I highly recommend this book to anyone who has had WLS. I have bought several of these books as gifts for my new weight loss surgery friends.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars must have November 4, 2013

By Jaycie L Gardner

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I had read all the information on line, but you just get so much more out of this book! If you are concidering doing the five day test I tgink this is a must have and so worth it!

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Real Thing October 14, 2013

By Judy

Format:Kindle Edition

I have had this book since it first came out, and am thrilled to see a Second Edition and that it's now available on Kindle!

I had my weight loss surgery back in 1986, the Dark Ages of WLS. In those days the procedure was relatively rare and quite misunderstood. Furthermore, although I initially lost a lot of weight, I regained a great deal of it. I considered my WLS to be a failure, and it became my dark little secret. I spoke of it to nobody, and even my own children didn't know I'd had it.

Eventually, I managed to get back on track and obtained a healthy weight, which I've maintained since 1996. But my WLS was all but forgotten by even me -- until I found Kaye Bailey out on the internet a number of years ago.

Kaye is the Real Thing. A "pouch owner" herself for 10 years now, she understands all the challenges faced by those who travel the WLS journey today. Even before the "5DPT" came to be, Kaye's emphasis was on LIVING AFTER WLS -- not merely trying to achieve the body one always dreamed of, but of LIVING every day of that journey. Even while dealing with setbacks, misconceptions and occasional stumbles and serious falls, Kaye knows that at the same time we can and should experience the JOY of life while learning to love ourselves and the God-given miracle of our bodies. Keep Reading

Hunger is Not an Emergency - Really!

From our archive:
 (LivingAfterWLS Blog April 22, 2008)
 

"Just this week I had a breakthrough moment when I read that naturally slender people do not treat hunger as an emergency. "Most of us who struggle with extra pounds tend to view hunger as a condition that needs to be cured - and fast," writes Judith S. Beck, PhD, author of the Beck Diet Solution. "If you fear hunger, you might routinely overeat and avoid it," she says adding, "Thin people tolerate hunger because they know hunger pangs always come and go, buying them some time."

Hunger defined: the painful sensation caused by a lack of food that initiates food-seeking behavior.

Hunger is not an emergency. Interesting, don't you think? Since publishing the 5DPT I've received tremendous feedback. Some people are amazed to not feel hungry, even on those difficult first two days. Others report "climbing the walls" hunger. I believe each of us responds differently to the 5DPT and there are certainly extremes between lack of hunger and ravenous hunger.

Here are some tricks for learning to treat hunger the way slender people do - a condition that comes and goes.

- Drink water or flavored water the curb hunger pangs.

- Ignore the hunger and acknowledge that you will survive.

- Establish a predictable and consistent eating schedule so your body becomes accustomed to when you will eat.

- Eat protein first thing in the morning and again at lunch and dinner.

-Supplement protein intake with Total Protein.

- Minimize visual cues that trigger hunger pangs (avoid/ignore media advertising, place snack foods in closed cupboards, avoid the office break room, etc.)

- Exercise. Take a brisk walk before giving in to hunger (this will rev your metabolism).

Finally, just as hunger is not an emergency,

it is also not a failure. 

 

If you feel hunger during the 5 Day Pouch Test then take one of the steps above to ignore it. And if you are still hungry then eat something from the approved list of foods for the day. Associating hunger with feelings of failure often leads to destructive eating and inappropriate food choices. The 5DPT is a powerful tool and a great step toward building a better relationship with food and your weight loss surgery."

5DPT Bulletin: Rock your WLS like nobody's business

When we treat obesity as a disease rather than a personal moral failure or emotional weakness we can rationally take the action which brings forth favorable results.

January2014:
5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin available in our archive and delivered to your Inbox. Great inspiration for your healthy New Year!


"Here we are, a fresh new start. First, let's think back to the beginning of this journey. WLS patients recall very well the research we did prior to surgery, the questions and answers, and the learning. As a group we are above average knowledge seekers. So it stands to reason that along the way, well after surgery, we again turn to education and learning in support of our weight loss goals. Today let's look at managing our obesity from a clinical approach rather than an emotional reaction. The medical community officially recognizes obesity as a disease. So its time we start doing the same."

Featured Articles:
Treating Obesity - The Disease
Learning & Practice
Success tips from the ProfessionalsComfort Eating is Okay if....

Link Below: 5DPT Bulletin January 2014

Goal Setting: Check Your BMI Today

Have you checked your BMI lately? Use the American Heart Associations online calculator to see your BMI status and make a plan for continued health and weight management with WLS. From the American Heart Association:

Body Mass Index (BMI Calculator)

The benefits of maintaining a healthy weight go far beyond improved energy and smaller clothing sizes. By losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight, you are also likely to enjoy these quality-of-life factors too.

• Fewer joint and muscle pains
• Greater ability to join in desired activities
• Better regulation of bodily fluids and blood pressure
• Reduced burden on your heart and circulatory system
• Better sleep patterns
• More effective metabolism of sugars and carbohydrates
• Reduced risk for heart disease and certain cancers

Your BMI is a good indicator of whether you're at a healthy or unhealthy weight. Find your BMI and what it means with our handy BMI Calculator.

• BMI stands for Body Mass Index
  This is a numerical value of your weight in relation to your height. BMIs are good indicators of healthy or unhealthy weights for adult men and women, regardless of body frame size. A BMI of less than 25 kg/m² indicates a healthy weight. A BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m² is considered underweight. A BMI between 25 kg/m² and 29.9 kg/m² is considered overweight. A BMI of 30 kg/m² or higher indicates obesity.
• Excess weight increases the heart's work.
  It also raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and lowers HDL (good) cholesterol levels. It can make diabetes more likely to develop, too. Losing as few as 10 pounds can lower your heart disease risk.
• To calculate your BMI:
  • Type your height and weight into the calculator.
  • Select a status option if you're under 20 years old, highly trained/athletic, pregnant or breastfeeding. If one of these situations applies to you, the BMI may not be the best method of assessing your risk from overweight or obesity.

This content was last reviewed on 01/10/2013.

AMA BMI Calculator