NO! to Holiday Weight Gain

5 Day Pouch Test November Bulletin - in our archive today!
Link Here: November 5DPT Bulletin

Too busy for the 5DPT? That's Okay! You can still use techniques and tricks to thrive during the Feasting Season.

November 2012 This is your year to say NO!  to holiday weight gain.

Greetings Neighbors!

To all of our Neighbors affected by Superstorm Sandy I send my heartfelt wishes and prayers for your safety and health. My heart aches for the suffering and destruction brought about by this act of nature. I am supporting your recovery efforts with a contribution dedicated to all LivingAfterWLS Neighbors to the American Red Cross. May peace be with us all.

This November 5DPT Bulletin is all about taking little steps to manage our weight with surgery. There is no question that the 5 Day Pouch Test has helped thousands of people get back on track with their WLS goals. One reason for this success is that the plan forces us to look at the very basics of the WLS lifestyle and return to the behaviors that helped us lose weight initially out of surgery. Sometimes all we need is a reboot, a reminder, an ah-ha moment of rediscovering a tool or technique we may have forgotten. Today's Bulletin is loaded with tools and techniques that work in our weight management and we can use them as part of a successful 5 Day Pouch Test or a less-dramatic reboot.  I know I need the occasional back-to-basics refresher course; I hope you will benefit from my experience.

Be sure to check-out today's Featured Recipe:Turkey Filled Colorful Peppers. Enjoy this on Days 4 or 5 of the 5 Day Pouch Test or anytime on Day 6!

We are all in this together!
You are more powerful than you think and
You Can Do This!
Kaye


Link to Bulletin

5 Day Pouch Bulletin: Bust a Plateau!

From the 5DPT Bulletin - May 2012

Greetings Neighbors!

If you are receiving this message from me it is because you signed up to receive it and you probably already know a little bit about the 5 Day Pouch Test and about me. Thank you.  

If you follow the 5DPT you know I always say don't do the plan for quick weight loss.

Do the plan to get back on track with our WLS basics and refresh your memory about the Four Rules, slider foods, and liquid restrictions.

Any weight loss during the plan is a bonus. I stand by this.

But that doesn't mean the 5DPT should not be used to bust a weight loss plateau.  In fact, many thousands of people have reported to me that the 5DPT is the one thing they tried that worked in breaking a weight loss stall.  It is not so much that the plan is magic, although who among us wouldn't like to believe in magic now and again! The plan breaks a stall and promotes weight loss because it returns us to the dietary due-diligence prescribed at the time of surgery and we focus on using the tools that make weight loss surgery work. Generally weight is lost in the first few days of the plan and this serves us well as a great motivator to continue with the plan and beyond knowing we are powerful and can work the tool to improve our health and manage our weight.

If you are frustrated with a plateau give the 5 Day Pouch Test a try. Get that scale moving again and renew your confidence in your pouch, your personal power, and decision to have surgery in the first place! You Can Do This!!!


See the full bulletin online

Is the 5 Day Pouch Test dangerous to my health?

The March 2012 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin is now live online in our archive. We answer the pressing question, "Is the 5DPT Dangerous to my health?"

Greetings Neighbors!

If you are receiving this message from me it is because you signed up to receive it and you probably already know a little bit about the 5 Day Pouch Test  and about me. Thank you.  

Recently someone wrote to say they were afraid to do the 5DPT because they read in a forum that the plan is dangerous. Dangerous how? I asked. Because it is a liquid diet, came the response.  Apparently there was some confusion about the plan as a whole. A liquid diet should only be followed under the care and supervision of a qualified health care professional. The 5 Day Pouch Test plan includes two days of eating liquid meals but the definition of liquids includes things beyond protein shakes and clear broth. Our Day 1 & 2 liquids include delicious soups made of wholesome vegetables and meat protein. It is not necessary to puree the soups as the chewing of braised meats and vegetables is a critical step in initiating the digestive process that leads to digestion and satiation. These soups are so wholesome and delicious that many people continue to enjoy the recipes beyond the 5DPT.

Soup Recipes

I am aware that some people chose to eat protein shakes exclusively for Days 1 & 2 and some even add a few extra liquid days into the plan. Once they change the plan that much they are no longer doing the 5 Day Pouch Test: they are doing a liquid diet or liquid fast and ultimately they experience disappointing results.

The 5 Day Pouch Test, with its two days of liquids as the plan defines them, is not dangerous to your health. When the 5DPT is done correctly the liquid days give your digestive system a much needed break from the off-plan foods you may have been eating such as snacky non-nutritional carbohydrates. By eating both protein fortified drinks and nutrient rich soups one achieves the greatest results, gently breaking a carbohydrate snacking cycle and relieving the intestinal inflammation that results from slider food snacking. Those who follow the plan closely report the greatest feeling of satiation and fewer symptoms of carb-withdrawal than those who eat only protein shakes or clear broth for two days.
 

The 5DPT as it is written and presented online and in print is an organized approach to getting back to the WLS basics both mentally and metabolically. When followed with attention to details we hear great success stories that include restored feelings of pouch tightness and satiation, lost weight, increased energy and overall improved confidence and mental well-being. 

If you are going to invest five days into getting back on track then do it all the way. Take the program as a whole and immerse yourself in doing it right. Build that storm of enthusiasm and recreate the excitement you felt leading into surgery and the days and weeks that followed. Learn about yourself. Take notes and use the 5DPT 2-page journal. Learn your strengths and weaknesses and harness that knowledge to do better on Day 6 and Beyond.

You Can Do This!

Kaye

Read the full Newsletter

5 Day Pouch Test: Build Storm of Enthusiasm

Happy New Year Neighbors!!

Did you know January is the most popular month for people to do the 5 Day Pouch Test?  Of course it is! We all want a clean start for a new year and I'm on board with that too. Are you resolved to make 2012 your best year of weight management with bariatric surgery? You are not alone!

In this 5 Day Pouch Test Bulletin I offer  effective strategies to make the 5DPT work for you. Nobody wants you to succeed at this more than I do and I believe in you. Together let's make this our best effort ever with the 5 Day Pouch Test and then move forward to Day 6! We are in this together and we are a powerful force of strong will and determination. Thanks for joining me! When we put our strength together anything is possible.


Happy 2012! Let's Start it Right!

You Can Do This!

Kaye

PS - Please see this notice about our Neighborhood Refurbishing project!

For informative and inspiring reading please visit
our  5 Day Pouch Test Articles Collection

Scared Straight About Life After Weight Loss Surgery?

In last week's LivingAfterWLS weekly digest we addressedtopics that cause trouble for us after weight loss surgery. Working on the "front lines" of weight loss surgery I speak with many many fellow patients who are several years into their weight loss surgery experience. Over time I've noted patterns and trends that seem common to us. This  newsletter reveals some of the pitfalls that we encounter along the route. I truly believe the more we learn from one another the better we can improve our weight management outcome. Take a look at a few of these below or visit the newsletter archive to see this edition in its entirety:


Scared Straight About Life After Weight Loss Surgery?


The fact is, we have no better reference resource available than each other.

So many of us go into surgery making hand-on-the-Bible type promises to not become "one of those people who gain the weight back." Did you make that promise to yourself or to others? The best way I know to keep this promise is to learn from others and to keep building on personal experience and knowledge. So when I share with you what I've learned it is in the spirit of fellowship knowing we are all in this together. You can count on me to be direct and honest about my own experience and what I have learned from you. Here are a few nuggets of knowledge that are golden and that I learned in the WLS-afterlife, not from my bariatric center:

-Eating a meal of lean protein without liquids causes discomfort that is supposed to signal fullness and satiation, but more often causes us to break the liquid restrictions or turn to slider foods. This eventually leads to weight gain.

Online Articles: 

Understanding the Liquid Restrictions    

Slider Foods Spell Weight Regainl

Reading:  

Day 6: Beyond the 5 Day Pouch Test 

Pages 80-83: Liquid Restrictions & Slider Food

-Regardless of surgical procedure the Four Rules work to help us lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.

The Four Rules  do not expire and most patients who maintain a healthy weight long-term follow the rules closely.

Online Articles:

Rule #1 - Protein First 

Rule #2 - Lots of Water 

Rule #3 - No Snacking 

Rule #4 - Daily Exercise 

-The classic WLS laugh-line "I can eat anything I want, just less of it" is simply bogus. It implies we can go back to eating smaller portions of the things we ate before surgery without consequence. Let me assure you, patients who return to a diet of things that led to their obesity before surgery will certainly cease to lose weight and most likely regain weight. This return to old dietary habits usually starts with grazing on pretzels (presumably diet friendly food) or soft crackers because they set better in the pouch and go down more easily than lean protein.

 Online Article:

 No Snacking. It's the Rule that Works 

This digest includes several articles and links that are meant to inform and educate all of us in the LivingAfterWLS community. I hope you will find them helpful in your journey. As we forge ahead toward better health I believe we each discover strong, capable, beautiful beings inside. May each new day be one of discovery, growth and empowerment.

Read the full newsletter online: LivingAfterWLS Weekly Digest Scared Straight

Understanding Weight Gain After Weight Loss Surgery

I am hearing from many WLS Neighbors who are struggling to get to goal weight or fighting back against a weight gain. If you are struggling - as we all do at times - please take a look at my article below that reveals 4 truths about regain and empowers you to understand why it happens to even those most resolved to beat obesity once and for all:

From 5 Day Pouch Test Featured Articles:

Four Truths About Weight Regain After Weight Loss Surgery
"Nobody undergoes weight loss surgery thinking weight regain will happen to them. But statistics indicate that 80 percent of those who undergo gastric bypass, gastric banding, or gastric sleeve weight loss surgery will at some point regain some of the weight they lost initially with the surgery. Learn four truths about weight gain after weight loss surgery."


 By Kaye Bailey

I was born with the disease obesity and by the time I was out of college it had advanced to morbid obesity. At age 33 my disease was treated with gastric bypass surgery which affected a loss of weight that put my disease, morbid obesity, in remission. Three years later I suffered a relapse of my disease with a weight gain of 20 pounds. Through dietary and lifestyle compliance, much like a person with heart disease who suffers a relapse, I was able to put my disease, obesity, back in remission. I will always have the disease of morbid obesity and am fortunate that I was able, at a young age, to be treated with the best medically available option.

The Facts:

• Obesity is a disease.
• Weight loss puts the disease in remission.
• Weight gain puts the disease in relapse.
• Like most diseases, victims of obesity are responsible to make dietary and lifestyle changes that work with medical treatment to keep our disease in remission.
• Like most diseases, relapses occur, obesity manifests relapse in weight gain.
• We are not the disease, we have the disease.

My Four Truths:
Regain Is Likely: It is generally believed that 80% of people who undergo weight loss surgery (WLS) will experience weight gain (relapse) of 10-30 pounds depending upon initial weight loss. It is further believed that 20% of those will relapse to their former weight and possibly gain more as the disease of morbid obesity advances. This relapse can be the result of failed gastric surgery (the surgery was improperly performed or medical device failure); a non-compliant patient who does not evolve their eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becoming more efficient at absorbing calories; and potential stomach pouch stretch. Dr. Anita Courcoulas, chief of minimally invasive bariatric and general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said, "Regaining weight down the road is a common phenomenon for weight loss patients. These patients need to be educated and prepared for it if it happens."

100% Conviction: It is my experience that 100% of patients who take to the operating table for the treatment of their disease say, "I'm not going to be one of those people who gain weight after surgery." You can bet the farm I said that - and imagine my embarrassment and shame when I did in fact become one of those people. At the time I didn't understand my disease had relapsed, in part because I had relaxed my newly evolved eating and exercise habits, but also because my body has a disease that wants to store excess fat. I thought I gained weight because I was a failure at surgery.

I failed AGAIN! I am not alone in my feelings of failure over weight regain. Dr. Courcoulas said, "These are people who feel that they have failed at everything they tried in their lives. If they feel that they are failing surgery, they're embarrassed and they don't want to come back for help." How sad for us. When a cancer patient suffers a relapse do they take it as a personal failure? I sure hope not. Popular media perpetuates the belief that weight gain equals failure. WLS celebrities are splashed across mainstream media and tabloids alike for weight regain. But the celebrity with cancer who suffers relapse? Charity benefits are hosted bearing their name and their bravery is lauded. With a relapse in obesity the celebrity becomes the brunt of jokes for late night comedians. No wonder we don't want to become one of those people but statistics are not on our side

I Am Not Obese. Since kindergarten the word "fat" defined me and I actually thought that was who I was because "You are fat" and "I am fat" were constant phrases in my world. By about age 40 I finally figured out that I am not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, "I am heart disease" or a leukemia patient say, "I am cancer"? We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person we are. View YouTube: I am me, not my disease

Relapse to Remission: Just like other diseases, obesity relapse can be put into remission. There is hope! As noted above there are (at least) four reasons for relapse including: failed gastric surgery; a non-compliant patient who does not evolve their eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becoming more efficient at absorbing calories; and potential stomach pouch stretch. Keeping in mind that statistically weight regain is likely, that you are not a failure, and that you are not the disease, you can pragmatically go about mapping a plan to fight your relapse.

•       Seek medical help and treatment: you are fighting a killer disease
•       Assess your eating and exercise evolution and return to the lifestyle prescribed at the time of surgery
•       Educate yourself on nutrition, physical and spiritual health so they may work in harmony to heal your body
•       Seek support, family, friends, community, and fellow patients to help maintain your personal motivation
•       Educate others to stop the ignorance and blame and promote the understanding of this illness we are fighting.

If you have experienced weight regain or simply need to get back on track please visit the 5 Day Pouch Test website. Thousands of people have gone back to the basics of weight loss surgery with the plan and have successfully used it as a powerful tool in their weight management with weight loss surgery.

Weight Gain is Not a Moral Issue

Lately the bulk of the email I have received is about weight regain: from people who have put on weight after losing it with surgery and people who are afraid they will gain weight after working so hard to lose it. As I think about it I have never met a WLS patient who is not concerned about the weight coming back. When you think about it, it makes sense. By the time we are morbidly obese we have probably lost and gained the same pounds many times over. We live in a world where being overweight and staying overweight is easy -- Losing weight is the opposite. Losing weight and keeping it off is akin to swimming upstream in a swift current.

There are a few things I hope you will remember about weight regain which may help you face it rationally with kind and gentle compassion:

Weight regain is not a moral issue. A person is not good if they lose weight and bad if they gain weight. Gained weight is a symptom of the metabolic disorder called obesity. When weight is lost and managed the disease is in remission; when weight gain occurs the disease is in relapse. Managing the disease is our responsibility and we are served well when seeking the support of others including our bariatric team, friends, family and WLS community. (Read: Four Truths About Weight Gain After WLS)

Knowledge is power. Not long ago I heard a bariatric surgeon say that patients regain weight because they were not fully educated before surgery. The fact is, life after surgery is quite overwhelming. I'm positive I retained only scant bits of information taught during my pre-op and early post-op recovery. What I know now is the pursuit of new information day in and day out is mandatory if I'm going to stay focused and enthused about weight management. The best place to learn about life after WLS is from other patients who are doing their best -- just like you -- to make this weight management experience healthy and effective.

It is never too late. If we have allowed our health problem to become a moral problem it is easy to suffer feelings of hopelessness. But it is never too late to make little changes which bring about a big difference in our life. Each new day, each new meal, each new step we take is an opportunity to nurture our body and being. It is never too late.

Today's LivingAfterWLS Digest will point you to several resources addressing the topic of weight regain after surgery. Take a moment to find something meaningful to you, and pass the word on to a friend who may be feeling down and discouraged. Remember, we are all in this together!


LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood

CHEERS - You Can Do This!
Kaye

Three Red Flag Warnings Leading to Weight Gain After Bariatric Surgery

By Kaye Bailey

Before undergoing bariatric surgery for weight loss it is hard to imagine that we could possibly ever become one of "those people" who gain weight after losing it with the help of surgery. Sadly, at some point most patients who have gastric surgery as their last hope for weight loss eventually regain some weight back. It can happen quickly and without fanfare. Here are three red flags to watch for that may lead to weight regain:

Snacking on Soft Carbs. Over the last 10 years countless bariatric patients have told me, "It seemed harmless at first to eat a few pretzels (crackers, chips, cookies, etc.) but pretty soon I was eating them all day and the weight started coming back." This is a common mistake made by weight loss surgery patients that eventually leads to regaining some weight previously lost with weight loss surgery. We turn to soft carbohydrates because, in most cases, they are comfortable in the stomach pouch, they taste good, and they are readily available. Unfortunately, soft carbohydrates defeat the function of the stomach pouch. When we eat a meal of lean protein and vegetable carbohydrates the food stays in our stomach pouch and we feel a sense of fullness or tightness that signals us to stop eating. Soft carbohydrates on the other hand pass quickly through the pouch and the sensation of fullness is not achieved, therefore we can eat soft carbohydrates seemingly all day. The first rule of weight loss surgery is "Protein First" and rule number three is "No Snacking." Remembering these rules will help us refrain from snacking on soft processed carbs, a habit that may lead to weight gain for bariatric patients.

Drinking Liquid with Meals. Generally speaking bariatric patients are instructed to cease consumption of liquids 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating. In addition they are told to refrain from drinking beverages with meals. The liquid restrictions are intended to keep mealtime focus on a high protein diet of lean animal, dairy and vegetable protein. The high protein food fills the gastric pouch and sustains satiation best when liquid is absent. When we consume beverages with our lean protein meal the food is washed through the gastric pouch before fully digested. Nutrients are lost as food is washed away and hunger returns more quickly. As we advance following weight loss surgery we tend to relax the liquid restrictions because it is not comfortable to eat food without liquid and dinner conversation is difficult with a dry mouth. An occasional small sip of water with meals may be acceptable and is unlikely to cause weight gain. However the return to full drinking with meals almost always leads to a weight loss plateau or eventually weight gain.

Avoiding the Scale. During the early weeks and months following weight loss surgery patients find themselves weighing frequently because it is exciting to measure our weight loss on the bathroom scale. In fact, for some patients in the phase of weight loss the relationship with the scale becomes a near-obsession. Sadly as life-long dieters bariatric patients intuitively know when the pendulum has swung from losing weight to gaining weight. Avoiding the bathroom scale is a loud red flag warning that weight gain is imminent. This is understandable, we have worked hard for weight loss and avoiding the scale allows us to deny or ignore what we already know: we are gaining weight. Patients who establish a weekly ritual of weighing on the same day of each week at the same time and place tend to be more accountable for weight gain and more likely to correct behaviors leading to weight gain at an early stage. Patients who find them self avoiding the scale are encouraged to engage in self-assessment to identify the cause of weight gain and correct behaviors quickly.

Before weight loss surgery we are told that gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding (lap-band), or gastric sleeve procedures are only a tool for weight loss. We are instructed to adopt a lifestyle that includes dietary and physical activity modifications. This new lifestyle is to be followed for the rest of our life in order to maintain weight loss and achieve improved health. As much as the surgery is a tool, so are we human prone to the ups and downs we call life. Red flags are also tools -warning tools- that when observed give us opportunity to make a correction and move forward in a favorable direction.

Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved
LivingAfterWLS
5DayPouchTest

Article Source: Three Red Flag Warnings Leading to Weight Gain After Bariatric Surgery

Four Truths About Weight Regain After Weight Loss Surgery

I was born with the disease obesity and by the time I was out of college it had advanced to morbid obesity. At age 33 my disease was treated with gastric bypass surgery which affected a loss of weight that put my disease, morbid obesity, in remission. Three years later I suffered a relapse of my disease with a weight gain of 20 pounds. Through dietary and lifestyle compliance, much like a person with heart disease who suffers a relapse, I was able to put my disease, obesity, back in remission. I will always have the disease of morbid obesity and am fortunate that I was able, at a young age, to be treated with the best medically available option.

The Facts:

• Obesity is a disease.
• Weight loss puts the disease in remission.
• Weight gain puts the disease in relapse.
• Like most diseases, victims of obesity are responsible to make dietary and lifestyle changes that work with medical treatment to keep our disease in remission.
• Like most diseases, relapses occur, obesity manifests relapse in weight gain.
• We are not the disease, we have the disease.

My Four Truths:
Regain Is Likely: It is generally believed that 80% of people who undergo weight loss surgery (WLS) will experience weight gain (relapse) of 10-30 pounds depending upon initial weight loss. It is further believed that 20% of those will relapse to their former weight and possibly gain more as the disease of morbid obesity advances. This relapse can be the result of failed gastric surgery (the surgery was improperly performed or medical device failure); a non-compliant patient who does not evolve their eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becoming more efficient at absorbing calories; and potential stomach pouch stretch. Dr. Anita Courcoulas, chief of minimally invasive bariatric and general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said, "Regaining weight down the road is a common phenomenon for weight loss patients. These patients need to be educated and prepared for it if it happens."

100% Conviction: It is my experience that 100% of patients who take to the operating table for the treatment of their disease say, "I'm not going to be one of those people  who gain weight after surgery." You can bet the farm I said that - and imagine my embarrassment and shame when I did in fact become one of those people. At the time I didn't understand my disease had relapsed, in part because I had relaxed my newly evolved eating and exercise habits, but also because my body has a disease that wants to store excess fat. I thought I gained weight because I was a failure at surgery.

I failed AGAIN! I am not alone in my feelings of failure over weight regain. Dr. Courcoulas said, "These are people who feel that they have failed at everything they tried in their lives. If they feel that they are failing surgery, they're embarrassed and they don't want to come back for help." How sad for us. When a cancer patient suffers a relapse do they take it as a personal failure? I sure hope not. Popular media perpetuates the belief that weight gain equals failure. WLS celebrities are splashed across mainstream media and tabloids alike for weight regain. But the celebrity with cancer who suffers relapse? Charity benefits are hosted bearing their name and their bravery is lauded. With a relapse in obesity the celebrity becomes the brunt of jokes for late night comedians. No wonder we don't want to become one of those people but statistics are not on our side

I Am Not Obese. Since kindergarten the word "fat" defined me and I actually thought that was who I was because "You are fat" and "I am fat" were constant phrases in my world. By about age 40 I finally figured out that I am not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, "I am heart disease" or a leukemia patient say, "I am cancer"? We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person we are.
Relapse to Remission: Just like other diseases, obesity relapse can be put into remission. There is hope! As noted above there are (at least) four reasons for relapse including: failed gastric surgery; a non-compliant patient who does not evolve their eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becoming more efficient at absorbing calories; and potential stomach pouch stretch. Keeping in mind that statistically weight regain is likely, that you are not a failure, and that you are not the disease, you can pragmatically go about mapping a plan to fight your relapse.

• Seek medical help and treatment: you are fighting a killer disease
• Assess your eating and exercise evolution and return to the lifestyle prescribed at the time of surgery
• Educate yourself on nutrition, physical and spiritual health so they may work in harmony to heal your body
• Seek support, family, friends, community, and fellow patients to help maintain your personal motivation
• Educate others to stop the ignorance and blame and promote the understanding of this illness we are fighting.

LivingAfterWLS
5 Day Pouch Test

Article Source:  Four Truths About Weight Regain After Weight Loss Surgery

Three Red Flag Warnings Leading to Weight Gain After Bariatric Surgery

By Kaye Bailey

Before undergoing bariatric surgery for weight loss it is hard to imagine that we could possibly ever become one of "those people" who gain weight after losing it with the help of surgery. Sadly, at some point most patients who have gastric surgery as their last hope for weight loss eventually regain some weight back. It can happen quickly and without fanfare. Here are three red flags to watch for that may lead to weight regain:

Snacking on Soft Carbs. Over the last 10 years countless bariatric patients have told me, "It seemed harmless at first to eat a few pretzels (crackers, chips, cookies, etc.) but pretty soon I was eating them all day and the weight started coming back." This is a common mistake made by weight loss surgery patients that eventually leads to regaining some weight previously lost with weight loss surgery. We turn to soft carbohydrates because, in most cases, they are comfortable in the stomach pouch, they taste good, and they are readily available. Unfortunately, soft carbohydrates defeat the function of the stomach pouch. When we eat a meal of lean protein and vegetable carbohydrates the food stays in our stomach pouch and we feel a sense of fullness or tightness that signals us to stop eating. Soft carbohydrates on the other hand pass quickly through the pouch and the sensation of fullness is not achieved, therefore we can eat soft carbohydrates seemingly all day. The first rule of weight loss surgery is "Protein First" and rule number three is "No Snacking." Remembering these rules will help us refrain from snacking on soft processed carbs, a habit that may lead to weight gain for bariatric patients.

Drinking Liquid with Meals. Generally speaking bariatric patients are instructed to cease consumption of liquids 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after eating. In addition they are told to refrain from drinking beverages with meals. The liquid restrictions are intended to keep mealtime focus on a high protein diet of lean animal, dairy and vegetable protein. The high protein food fills the gastric pouch and sustains satiation best when liquid is absent. When we consume beverages with our lean protein meal the food is washed through the gastric pouch before fully digested. Nutrients are lost as food is washed away and hunger returns more quickly. As we advance following weight loss surgery we tend to relax the liquid restrictions because it is not comfortable to eat food without liquid and dinner conversation is difficult with a dry mouth. An occasional small sip of water with meals may be acceptable and is unlikely to cause weight gain. However the return to full drinking with meals almost always leads to a weight loss plateau or eventually weight gain.

Avoiding the Scale. During the early weeks and months following weight loss surgery patients find themselves weighing frequently because it is exciting to measure our weight loss on the bathroom scale. In fact, for some patients in the phase of weight loss the relationship with the scale becomes a near-obsession. Sadly as life-long dieters bariatric patients intuitively know when the pendulum has swung from losing weight to gaining weight. Avoiding the bathroom scale is a loud red flag warning that weight gain is imminent. This is understandable, we have worked hard for weight loss and avoiding the scale allows us to deny or ignore what we already know: we are gaining weight. Patients who establish a weekly ritual of weighing on the same day of each week at the same time and place tend to be more accountable for weight gain and more likely to correct behaviors leading to weight gain at an early stage. Patients who find them self avoiding the scale are encouraged to engage in self-assessment to identify the cause of weight gain and correct behaviors quickly.

Before weight loss surgery we are told that gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding (lap-band), or gastric sleeve procedures are only a tool for weight loss. We are instructed to adopt a lifestyle that includes dietary and physical activity modifications. This new lifestyle is to be followed for the rest of our life in order to maintain weight loss and achieve improved health. As much as the surgery is a tool, so are we human prone to the ups and downs we call life. Red flags are also tools -warning tools- that when observed give us opportunity to make a correction and move forward in a favorable direction.

Article Source:  Three Red Flag Warnings Leading to Weight Gain After Bariatric Surgery

Avoid these 5 Day Pouch Test Mistakes

Four Things You Must Know about Weight Regain After WLS

This article was published in the January 10, 2010 You Have Arrived Newsletter (subscribe here for free) and has generated much conversation in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood. Here is the full article and Link Here to follow the conversation and join us!

Weight Gain After Weight Loss Surgery:
Four Things You MUST Know
by Kaye Bailey Copyright 2010 - All Rights Reserved

I was born with the disease obesity and by the time I was out of college it had advanced to morbid obesity. At age 33 my disease was treated with laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery which affected a loss of weight that put my disease, morbid obesity, in remission. Three years later I suffered a relapse of my disease with a weight gain of 20 pounds. Through dietary and lifestyle compliance, much like a person with heart disease who suffers a relapse, I was able to put my disease, obesity, back in remission. I will always have the disease of morbid obesity and am fortunate that I was able, at a young age, to be treated with the best medically available option.

The Facts:

* Obesity is a disease.
* Weight loss puts the disease in remission.
* Weight gain puts the disease in relapse.
* Like most diseases, victims of obesity are responsible to make dietary and lifestyle changes that work with medical treatment to keep our disease in remission.
* Like most diseases, relapses occur, obesity manifests relapse in weight gain.
* We are not the disease, we have the disease.

My Four Truths:

Regain Is Likely: It is generally believed that 80% of people who undergo WLS will experience relapse (weight gain) of 10-30 pounds depending upon initial weight loss. It is further believed that 20% will relapse to their former weight and possibly gain more as the disease of morbid obesity advances. This relapse can be the result of failed gastric surgery (the surgery was improperly performed); a non-compliant patient who does not evolve their eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becoming more efficient at absorbing calories; and potential stomach pouch stretch. Statistics are not available indicating which patient regains weight for what reason.

Dr. Anita Courcoulas, chief of minimally invasive bariatric and general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center said, "Regaining weight down the road is a common phenomenon for weight loss patients. These patients need to be educated and prepared for it if it happens."

2. 100% Conviction: It is my experience that 100% of patients who take to the operating table for the treatment of their disease say, "I'm not going to be one of "those people" who gain weight after surgery." You can bet the farm I said that - and imagine my embarrassment and shame when I did in fact become one of "those people." At the time I didn't understand my disease had relapsed, in part because I had loosened my newly evolved eating and exercise habits, but also because my body has a disease that wants to store excess fat. I thought I gained weight because I was a failure at surgery . Just one more diet I couldn't get right.

I am not alone in my feelings of failure over weight regain. Dr. Courcoulas said, "These are people who feel that they have failed at everything they tried in their lives. If they feel that they are failing surgery, they're embarrassed and they don't want to come back for help." How sad for us. When a cancer patient suffers a relapse do they take it as a personal failure? I sure hope not.

Popular media perpetuates the belief that weight gain equals failure. WLS celebrities are splashed across mainstream media and tabloids alike for weight regain. But the celebrity with cancer who suffers relapse? Charity benefits are hosted bearing their name and their bravery is lauded. With a relapse in obesity the celebrity becomes the brunt of jokes for late night comedians. No wonder we don't want to become one of "those people" but statistics are not on our side
3. I Am Not Obese. Since kindergarten the word "fat" defined me and I actually thought that was who I was because "You are fat" and "I am fat" were constant words in my world. By about age 40 I finally figured out that I am not fat. I have obesity, a disease. Have you heard a heart attack patient say, "I am heart disease" or a leukemia patient say, "I am cancer"? We are not the disease! We have a disease that is part of the whole person that makes us the wonderfully unique and powerful person we are. I must actively engage in mindful thinking daily to assure myself the things that I am that are not about my disease. The old self-loathing talk is much easier to indulge, we are so much more comfortable with it than self-kindness. But please join me in stepping out of your comfort zone and celebrating all the brilliant wonderful things that define you. You are not these disease. You are lovely spectacular beautiful you.
4. Relapse to Remission: Just like other disease, obesity relapse can be put into remission. There is hope! As noted above there are (at least) four reasons for relapse including: failed gastric surgery (the surgery was improperly performed); a non-compliant patient who does not evolve their eating and exercise habits; the active intestine becoming more efficient at absorbing calories; and potential stomach pouch stretch. Keeping in mind that statistically weight regain is likely, that you are not a failure, and that you are not the disease, you can pragmatically go about mapping a plan to fight your relapse.

* Seek medical help and treatment: you are fighting a killer disease
* Assess your eating and exercise evolution and return to the lifestyle prescribed at the time of surgery
* Educate yourself on nutrition, physical and spiritual health so they may work in harmony to heal your body
* Seek support, family, friends, community, and fellow patients to help maintain your personal motivation
* Educate others to stop the ignorance and blame and promote the understanding of this illness we are fighting


Struggling with Regain? Try Kaye's 5 Day Pouch Test - Get the Owner's Manual

3 Tips for 5 Day Pouch Test Success

People who have undergone weight loss surgery and later gain weight are often told to "get back to basics" but we are seldom given more in depth directions. I was told that when I reported a weight gain to my bariatric center. Many of us have feelings of hopelessness: we are lost without a place to begin the act of losing weight again.

Over the years with much trial and error I developed what is now internationally known as the 5 Day Pouch Test. In addition to following the food plan there are three key things we can do to make sure the plan is a success:

Plan Ahead - Do Not Leave it to Chance

Read, study, and understand the plan completely before you begin. Plan for five days with limited disruptions including life, work, and cyclical (menstruation). Create a meal plan for all five days and purchase the food to avoid tempting trips to the market. In advance cook a pot of Carb Monster soup and divide into 1-cup portions. Mentally excite yourself over the opportunity to make new friends with your old pouch. Prepare for carbohydrate withdrawal by having fruit on hand or a supply of Emergen-C. Announce your plan to those who will support you and ask for their encouragement. Visualize feeling wonderful over your 5 day rescue and redirection mission. Plan to succeed and you will.

Use the 5 Day Pouch Test Journal

Please do not stop reading, I know keeping a food and exercise log is inconvenient. But it is a waste of five days if we do not make a record of what happens and learn from that record. The two-page journal is not complicated. You track your food, activity, motivation, and energy levels. You record your weight. In so doing you learn how your eating and activity affect your daily function. You identify hunger trends and also learn how, with the 5DPT you arrested them, and you have a marker for making your Day 6 plan. Download the Free 5DPT Journal at http://www.5daypouchtest.com/tools/tools.html

Get a Buddy

Do not go alone. Get support. Get a partner. Get a buddy. I am repeatedly impressed by the momentum of the buddy system when people do the 5 Day Pouch Test. Almost like spontaneous combustion in The Neighborhood a group will organize and do the 5DPT together. And people who are not doing it join to cheer along their fellow Neighbors. Others report tremendous success when joined by a spouse, a friend or fellow support group member. Buddies offer support, encouragement, and accountability. Do not go alone.

Two online destinations for support: LivingAfterWLS 5DPT in the Neighborhood and Kaye's 5DPT Facebook Group.

Don't use the 5 Day Pouch Test as a Fad Diet

When I began developing what became the 5 Day Pouch Test the least of my worries was losing weight. I wanted to know if my pouch still worked or if I had ruined my tool forever. Next, I wanted to arrest the eating behavior that felt so destructive and so much like before surgery when I fork-fed my way into morbid obesity. Finally, I wanted to follow my surgeon's directions and "get back to basics" - I just needed to figure out how to do that.

With much trial and more error I finally honed in on what became the 5DPT. Over the course of five days it advances through the stages of WLS post-op eating and effectively breaks the commonly reported carbohydrate addiction we tend to fall into. Most importantly, it is a refresher lesson in the oddly effective rules that keep our stomach pouches in tip-top shape and working as they are intended to work. It is a wake-up call that in most cases the pouch is still working and when we follow the rules the tool does its job.

The plan was never intended to affect weight loss in five days. That is stated multiple times in the Owner's Manual, on the 5 Day Pouch Test website and in the Neighborhood.

The plan is like an airbag you hope you never have to deploy because it means you are in an emergency situation requiring extreme action to protect you. But if you find yourself in trouble wouldn't you rather have an airbag you can count on to save you from harm?

Many people do in fact report weight loss during the five days; some significant weight loss. That is a wonderful motivational by-product of the 5 Day Pouch Test plan. But more rewarding is the spirit of empowerment that comes from knowing our pouch still works and we are capable of following the very rules that helped us lose weight after surgery.

The smart people use this momentum to continue following the Four Rules, the liquid restrictions, avoiding slider foods, and making good sound decisions so they do not need to employ the 5DPT airbag again.

Greedy people, hungry for more weight loss, disregard the lessons learned and hop on the 5DPT-do-over wagon hoping to flush away more weight.

The good news is there are more smart people embracing the full program of the 5 Day Pouch Test than there are greedy people. I honestly believe none of us went into surgery thinking we would be the one to regain lost weight. None of us wants to fad diet, we are over that. But we do get off track and we do need to have a "back to basics" plan to get back on track. Often our centers are vague with advice and we feel foolish begging for answers. That is how I felt when I went to my center for help. And that is why I share the 5DPT with the world because I do not want anyone to feel foolish and left without hope.

I encourage you to take the plan as a whole and make it your great start to 2010. Get back on track and celebrate the basic principals that, once we appreciate them, are not so difficult to follow. Below I've listed three of the best things you can do with the plan so that you own it and it becomes your victory giving you momentum to go further and better than you ever dreamed.

You Can Do This!

Join the 5 Day Pouch Test group on Facebook

Dietary Sugar & Mental Illness Connection

Here's an interesting article and one more reason for us to avoid sugar. Take a look:

Is Dietary Sugar Driving You Nuts?
By E. Jean Perrins

Highly respected researcher Malcolm Peet has come across an extraordinary link between dietary sugar consumption and mental illness. This British psychiatric researcher has done an extensive analysis which proves a strong link between foods that contain sugar or convert to sugar in the body and the risk of developing both schizophrenia and depression.

According to his research, there are two ways that in-body sugar can influence mental health in a toxic way. As he reported in Psychology Today, first, sugar can suppress the activity and function of an important growth hormone in the brain called BDNF. This hormone regulates the health, functioning and maintenance of neurons within the brain. It also promotes new neuronal connections in the brain which support optimal memory function. BDNF levels in the brain are severely low in schizophrenia and depression. If sugar and sugar-forming foods are added to the diet, it can potentially bring on these conditions or make them worse. These two conditions very often result in shrinkage in the brain in areas which are affected by either depression or schizophrenia. In other word, brain damage can result.

Secondly, Peet discusses how sugar and sugar-forming foods triggers glycation in the body which contributes to a whole litany of chemical reactions that promote chronic inflammation. This is a different type of inflammation than results when the body needs to heal a small scratch or an insect bite. A little inflammation is necessary in the short term to trigger an appropriate immune response to heal a wound.

In the long term, a continuously irritating inflammation response in not a good thing, it actually disrupts the normal functioning of the immune system by making the various types of white blood cells lazy and unresponsive, in addition to causing problems in the brain.

There is increasing scientific evidence that inflammation is responsible for a whole string of serious and chronic illnesses and diseases, like arthritis, IBS, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimers, auto-immune diseases like Lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, not to mention gout and acid reflux. A number of mental health challenges arise as well. Even if these diseases are not yet present, scientists say the risk and the potential for them is there.

The definition of sugar and sugar-forming foods include the actual sugar itself, in addition to high fructose corn syrup, flours, refined grains, cereals, cakes, cookies, candies, chewing gum, donuts, baked goods, puddings, pastries, ice cream, and any other product containing sugar.

Cave men didn't eat sugar, because there wasn't any for many centuries. We did have an innate sweet tooth which guided us to eat whatever fruit we could find, when it was available. Because fruit was relatively scarce or unavailable because it was too high in the trees, we didn't have a problem with our sweet taste buds. When we discovered sugar cane a few centuries back, our sweet tooth became more of a curse. We developed cravings for sweet foods or foods that turned sweet in the body causing problems with foods we were not designed to eat consistently in large volumes. If you actually start reading labels in the supermarket, you will see how many products actually contain sugar or corn syrup. Some researchers are saying that corn syrup is even more dangerous than the toxic sugars in our bodies.

Peet suggests that as this research has come to light, he is encouraging his mentally challenged patients to cut out sugars and simple starches for a couple of weeks to see if they notice any improvement in their depressive symptoms. For the few that have had the courage and the determination of reduce their intake of sugars, breads, crackers and other refined foods, they have reported encouraging improvements in their mood, memory, mental clarity, focus and overall energy. Maybe it's time to look at how your mental state is influenced by your diet.

Jean Perrins is a former nurse and admitted health nut who writes health articles for a number of on-line and off-line sources. As an avid researcher, she knows how to squeeze every ounce of health in a body. To access more of Jean's articles, go to [http://www.drinkalkalineionizedwater.com]http://www.drinkalkalineionizedwater.com.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Dietary-Sugar-Driving-You-Nuts?&id=3481537] Is Dietary Sugar Driving You Nuts?

Hate Talk. It has to stop.

This morning I was bad talking to someone. Really harsh and hateful words. Ugly words. My husband was listening and at last told me, "Don't you dare talk like that to my wife." Yes - I was giving myself hate talk because I did not like the reflection in the mirror.

You know, I work with people every day to help them improve their self- esteem. I know the advice to give to others, yet there are days when I seem incapable of practicing what I preach. As luck would have it I have been filing paperwork this morning and came across a printed copy of the January 6, 2009 You Have Arrived Newsletter. The opening article really struck home with me today and I feel it timely to share with you as well. Today I will work on being kind to myself. How about you?

2009 - It's Your Time to Shine
by Kaye Bailey
Happy 2009 Neighbors! This is your year to shine and I'm going to help you with the 5 Day Pouch Test and our continued community support in the Neighborhood. In the Neighborhood this year we have already talked a lot about self-improvement and renewed personal commitment as we begin the New Year with resolve. After the buzz of the New Year dulls it may become easy to find reasons not to measure up to our resolution expectations. As we have heard lately, life gets in the way. But I suggest this year we don't resolve to live a better life: instead I suggest we expect to live a better life.

In 1980 the US Hockey Team, against all odds, beat the Russians to win the Olympic gold medal. It was a long-shot victory at best and when team captain Mike Eruzione was asked why they won he said the pundits had underestimated the team's intangible assets. He said, "Our abilities deserved seventh place. They were wrong because of the 'intangibles.' How can you measure desire, commitment, faith, passion, and courage? They weren't able to measure those 'whys.' There weren't able to see how much heart we had, how much pride we had, why we were so close as a team, and why we were willing to pay the price that enabled us to win. You ask why we won. We asked ourselves, 'why not?'"

I believe that as a community we can pool our desire, commitment, faith, passion, and courage to become a gold medal winning team of Neighbors who are doing our very best to thrive in a world where it is much easier to stay unhealthy. The power of collective strength is unstoppable. As is the course of human nature there will be times some are thriving while others are struggling: but together we can strengthen one another and we can meet our best expectations in 2009.

In this course of his studies on evolution Charles Darwin discovered that in sea turtles it is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor is it the most intelligent of the species that survive. The survivors are those most responsive to change. As weight loss surgery patients we have affected a major change on our bodies, our species. I consider that we caused a voluntary acceleration of evolution and because of this we must embrace and accept change with great enthusiasm. We don't have to be the strongest or most intelligent, we just simply have to move forward accepting this change and find what works.

Our surgeons have skillfully changed us physically. But the more difficult change comes from within. Within our minds, our hearts, and yes, our spiritual beings. When we embrace inner change our physical being will follow.

As part of embracing change I ask you to be kind to yourself. Be kind to yourself. This is a really important part of the 5 Day Pouch Test and LivingAfterWLS. Often people recovering from morbid obesity (myself included) put ourselves last on the priority list. Anything else feels selfish and we are giving people, right? Wrong. We cannot give fully of ourselves until we are healthy inside and out. And remember, you are never alone in this journey. Come see is in the Neighborhood.

Finding Diets That Work

This is part of an article from WebMD by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD. Titled, "The Worst Diets Ever: Diets That Don't Work" can be found in its entirety here:
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/worst-diets-ever-diets-that-dont-work

It is interesting to note that even with weight loss surgery we tend to seek diet programs and plans to help us lose weight or maintain a healthy weight. In fact, the 5 Day Pouch Test, considered by many to be a diet, has helped thousands of people get back to the weight loss surgery basics that we may have let slide. I have excerpted from Ms. Zelman's article three points for finding a weight loss or weight management plan that can work for us. These are good common sense tips that go a long way in supporting our healthy lifestyle.

Finding a Diet That Works
by Kathleen M. Zelman for WebMD

"There is no such thing as one size fits all when it comes to diet plans, and it's key to find one that fits your lifestyle. The best diet is one you can safely and realistically stick with for the long term, plain and simple.

"It should be flexible enough to fit into your real life and should encourage healthier eating by focusing on balance, variety, and moderation" says May. "I encourage my patients to enjoy eating the foods they love every day, mindfully and in moderation."

In fact, the best "diet" may not be a diet at all, says Yale University's David Katz, MD, author of The Flavor Point Diet.

"Forget about 'dieting' and instead, think about strategies to satisfy your hunger for fewer calories," he says. "Eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein can help manage your appetite."

Dawn Jackson-Blatner, RD, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA) recommends using diet books as a loose template for tips, strategies, and behavioral ideas. Or save your money and follow the three-step approach she uses with her own weight loss clients:

1. Take inventory of what you're doing now and identify your "weakest link." "Most people know immediately where they are vulnerable -- 3 p.m. snacking, monster portions, too much alcohol, (an) insatiable sweet tooth, or snacking all day long," she says. Katz suggests trying to identify what led to your weight gain and address it. For example, if you overeat because of stress, consider a stress management course. Develop a strategy to address areas where you're vulnerable so you can set yourself up for success.

2. Identify one to three small changes you can make right now in your diet and exercise habits. "Even though they want quick results, this method has proven to be safe, effective, and sustainable long term," Blatner says."

3. Reassess in a few weeks to see whether your changes are working; then make a few more small changes. "It takes about 12 weeks for you to see progress, and that is about the time you should incorporate a few more changes so you keep pushing the bar," Blatner says.

And remember: if you are struggling with weight control after weight loss surgery it is never to late to re-discover your tool. Give the 5 Day Pouch Test a try and get back in the game of healthy living. Thousands who had lost hope in their weight loss surgery tool have learned, with the 5 Day Pouch Test, how to work the tool again. You can do it too.

Are You Worth $24.95? 5DPT Owner's Manual

I have been asked by a few (very few) people if the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner's Manual is worth the $24.95 price. That is a touchy question for me as I am the author of the book and my company, LivingAfterWLS, LLC published the book (i.e.; paid the bill for publication). This was an extremely costly project for me and my company and certainly not a get-rich-overnight project. Not by any means. But here is how I answer this question on the 5 Day Pouch Test Website:

Still not sure about ordering the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner’s Manual? Ask yourself this:

• Am I worth $24.95?
• Is it worth that small amount of money to learn the secrets of the 5 Day Pouch Test and have a solid proven plan to get myself back on track and make this weight loss surgery tool work?
• Do I deserve to be my healthiest following surgical weight loss?

Consider the cost of gathering all the 5DPT information on your own:

2 (1-hour) consultations with a nutritionist: $140
1 (20-minute) office visit with my bariatric surgeon: $60
1 (20-minute) office visit with my primary care doctor: $60
Research time with the 28 books cited in the bibliography: 112 hours
Recipe testing: 52 recipes times 3 test runs:
156 meals @ $4/each meal = $624 dollars in groceries

Cost so far: $884 and 271 Hours.

Now that you have your information compiled it is time to put it all together and make a plan. You will need to test it and have others test it with you. Modifications will be made along the way. You might come up with a working plan.

Or, you can order the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner’s Manual and have all this information – plus the experience of others – right at your fingertips.

Are you worth $24.95?

Order the 5 Day Pouch Test Owner’s Manual Today and Get Going on the Road to Wellness with your Surgical Weight Loss Tool.

And don't forget - right now we are offering FREE First Class shipping and the FREE 2009 Success Kit! Talk about a great value!

You ARE worth $24.95 and this is YOUR Year to Shine!

Fabulous 5 Day Pouch Test in Review

Hello Neighbors!

Did you follow the 5 Day Pouch Test in the Neighborhood last week? This was our most active support conversation in the history of the 5DPT and we had lots of people supporting one another as we re-discovered the power of our surgical weight loss tool. Here are some clips from that conversation, you can read the full discussion here: 5 Day Pouch Test January 12.

"My 5DPT went well and it was such a frantic week it was nice to not worry about what to eat. I did not lose any weight but I feel less bloated and more in control, more at peace with my relationship with food. I am also more cognizant of my water intake - and I was slacking on that. So as far as I'm concerned the 5DPT was a success for me.

This is a reminder that the 5DPT is NOT a diet and not about losing weight. It's about getting back to basics, getting in control, finding the pouch again and feeling a sense of renewal. I'm looking forward to Day 6!!!

My compliments go to Donna Marie and all who participated this week. This has been our most active 5DPT weekly thread EVER! Way to go Pouchers!!! The ongoing support and accountability is a great motivator to all who participate. Thank you, each of you, for making this possible. I look forward to enjoying future 5DPT threads."
--Kaye


"Hello Everyone! I didn't post yesterday...but my day was great!! I'm feeling good. And I'm up early this morning & exercised for close to an hour! I'm excited and feel back on track & once again hopeful to get all this regained weight off! I've got a long way to go...but I weighed in this morning... and I'm 7lbs closer to my goal weight!!"
--Cassandra77


"WE DID IT!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!!! I am feeling SO good. I learned a lot this week. For starters, I know what the "foamies" are, and I found out I am not the only one with "the CLAW"! LOL! I also learned that my pouch is not broken, and I can have control. Most important of all, I came to a realization that I can't believe took me this long - planning my menu and having all my shopping done, and preparing things ahead of time is the absolute KEY to success for me. And, I learned that there is a great deal of support and encouragement to be had here, and I need to participate more! No one can be an island when it comes to this.I hope that all of you have learned some things as well, both about yourself and this journey, and about your friends here at LAWLS. You CAN regain control of your weight loss surgery tool, you CAN eat compliantly, and you CAN stop the regain!I had a successful Day 6, and am working on a successful Day 7. I already have my menu plans done for the week, and will be going shopping so I can have everything in the house and prepared. I lost 7 lbs last week! That means I went under the 200 lb mark, which was very important to me! And, I now have also set a goal, which I never had, so I have something to work toward.I want to thank you so much, Kaye, for this site and most of all for the 5DPT. You are a lifesaver to all your sisters in the WLS community, and you have impacted so many people's lives. God Bless you.Thank you to all of those who did the 5DPT with me this past week."
--Donna Marie

Go HERE and read a full week of empowering support and inspiration.

Pouchy Eve: January 12, 2009

Go to the Neighborhood to read more for January 12, 2009

It is dark here on Pouchy Eve and I feel the anticipation of a young child waiting for Christmas morning. I know that there are treasures and gifts to be found come sun up tomorrow and I'm ready!!! And I am excited. I am ready to feel lean, clean, mean and IN CHARGE of my pouchy, my fork, and my life.

I have protein shakes in the super-cold fridge and I have my soups and my tonic tea and my water ready to nourish me tomorrow. There isn't any *bad* or *tempting* food in the house. I talked with my husband and family about this at our family dinner tonight and they are here to help me. What the deal???? I cannot fail because I have done my homework. I am committed and I have a team.

Sounds like many of you have done your homework too. Way to Go!!!

Donna Marie -- Thanks for starting this thread and leading the Neighbors. I know you are new here but I already feel the power of your friendship and persuasion. What a great opportunity for me to be lead by one of our great sisters in the cause of health with surgical weight loss. Thank you.

Everyone else -- I'm with you. Sip-by-sip, step-by-step, minute-by-minute.


Here we go!

We can do this!!!

OK - time for sleepy tea and get some zzzzzzzzzz's! Tomorrow (here comes the cliche') is the first day of the rest of my life and I need to be well rested for the ride!!!


Let's keep this conversation going -- our collective power cannot be stopped.

Won't you be my Neighbor?