WLS Friendly Summer Menus

It's that wonderful time of year! Picnics, grilling, beach parties, reunions! No need to be left behind because of your weight loss surgery: this is your season to shine! There are dozens of great recipes you can share with family and friends as you celebrate summer while respecting your dietary needs. Today we present menus featuring some of our LivingAfterWLS and 5 Day Pouch Test favorite dishes so you can "protein first" and Enjoy! Take a look:

Menu 1: Light Grilled Chicken Luncheon
Grilled Chicken with Fresh Apricot Sauce
The fresh flavors of apricot and green onion compliment broiled or grilled chicken. Wake up your senses with this dish that provides 222 calories and 28 grams protein per serving. Easy & Delicious. Recipe

Healthy Deviled Eggs
Everyone loves picnic eggs and this healthy recipe is sure to get attention. Serve as an appetizer or a side dish to your summer meal. Recipe.

Melon with Kiwano Melon Sauce
A variety of colorful melon is served with a quick blender sauce in a pretty presentation. Only 36 calories per service. A sweet compliment to any grilled protein. Recipe.

Frozen Raspberry Desserts
Finish your scrumptious "Protein First" meal with a dainty serving of Frozen Raspberry Desserts. You'll enjoy the lightness of a creamy dessert featuring summer's rubys: Raspberrrys! Recipe

Menu 2: Sunset Supper by the Grill
Grilled Turkey Steaks
A sweet pepper-citrus salsa tops these tasty grilled turkey breast steaks. Featured as a Day 5 meal for the 5 Day Pouch Test, this recipe is a family favorite any day of the week. Recipe.

Mixed Greens with Vinegar Salad Dressing
Enjoy your turkey steaks with a generous serving of mixed greens dressed with an easy vinegar dressing. Add a little of the pepper-citrus salsa to compliment the greens. Recipe.

Chocolate Spice Brownies
Finish your light and delicious meal with these chocolate spice brownies: they get moisture and sweetness from canned beets, but that will be our secret. Everyone loves these! Recipe.

Menu 3: Spectacular Grilled Feast of Flavor
Grilled Garlic Jumbo Shrimp & Cherry Tomato Skewers
Fresh herbs, garlic, shimp and tomatoes skewered for a show-stopping "Protein First" main course that satisfies hunger of the eye and hunger of the belly. Recipe.

Potato Skins with Cheese & Bacon
Make these nutritious and delicious potato skins in advance, then reheat over the grill just before serving your appreciative guests. Recipe

Sauteed Baby Spinach
Use early summer baby spinach from the farmers market to make this quick and easy spinach dish that is low in calories and high in nutrients. This serves as a nice bed for the grilled garlic shrimp and tomatoes when plating your lovely summer meal. Recipe.

Sugar Free Chocolate Pie
For a grand finale finish to your meal serve cool and cream sugar free chocolate cream pie. Recipe.

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Summer Soups - A Healthy Choice For Weight Loss Surgery Dieters

By Kaye Bailey

Summer is a time of abundant vegetables available locally grown at affordable prices. Through the hot summer and into fall farm stands dot America's byways as local growers bring to the public an abundance of freshly grown vegetables, fruits and berries. People who control their weight with bariatric weight loss surgery (WLS) can benefit from a stop at the farm stand for fresh vegetables to transform into healthy soup.

A recent study from Pennsylvania State University indicates that people who include a daily serving of soup in their diet are more likely to lose weight and maintain a healthy weight than those who do not enjoy soup in their diet. A homemade vegetable soup is considered a low-energy-density food that is rich in fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. It is "low-energy" because the calories (energy) in the food are low in comparison to the volume of the food. For example, a 1-cup serving of vegetable soup is seldom more than 100 calories, depending on the amount of fat used in preparation. On the other hand a 1 cup serving of ice cream contains 300 calories making it a high-energy-density food with little nutritional value.

The study found that soup as a first course, or a mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack, is filling to the point that further calorie consumption through the day decreases. It is believed that soup helps sustain satiation because the fiber from vegetables slows digestion. In addition, carbohydrates from homemade vegetable soup tend to be low-glycemic and do not adversely affect glucose response in the same way simple processed carbohydrates do. As a result our metabolic process is steady and we do not feel an energy surge or drop that is often experienced when eating simple carbohydrates.

Many weight loss surgery patients who complain of "carb-cravings" find that eating a 1-cup serving of soup is an effective way to stop those cravings and curtail feelings of "head-hunger." People who feed "head-hunger" with simple processed carbs tend to eat significantly more calories without satiating those cravings. This eventually leads to weight gain, even after weight loss surgery.

A good homemade vegetable soup can be put together quickly and keeps for up to a week refrigerated. Consider soup making as a series of layers, starting with savory onions and garlic. Heat a healthy monounsaturated fat such as olive oil or peanut oil over medium heat. Add one chopped onion and a clove of minced garlic and cook and stir until soft and translucent. While the onion and garlic cook wash and chop the vegetables for your soup. Select fresh seasonal vegetables that are crisp and unblemished. Vegetables that are good in summer soup include zucchini and summer squash, fresh tomatoes, green beans, carrots, turnips, spinach, napa cabbage, green onions, and fresh herbs. Fill the soup pot with as many fresh vegetables as you like, add the herbs during the final minutes of cooking.

For liquid add low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth, tomato juice, or seasoned vegetable juice such as V8 diluted with water. Simmer the vegetables and liquid just until the vegetables are tender and flavors combine. For weight loss surgery patient a thick soup is desired to provide a denser meal and avoid a "slider food" that slips through the stomach pouch too quickly. Portions should be carefully measured at 1-cup per serving and this should be eaten in 15 minutes or less. Taking longer to eat soup will result in greater consumption and a decreased feeling of fullness.

In general, a 1 cup serving of vegetable soup will provide 3 grams of protein and 15 grams of healthy carbohydrate in addition to fiber and beneficial phytonutrients including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. While our dietary focus with weight loss surgery is to eat a high protein diet, a freshly made vegetable soup is a healthy nutritional compliment to that diet. Vegetables are known to lower the risk of many cancers, heart disease and stroke and strengthen the immune system. For many with weight loss surgery raw vegetables or salads may cause gastric distress, but most WLS patients report a high tolerance for vegetable soup.

Kaye Bailey (c) - All Rights Reserved

For more terrific weight loss surgery friendly recipes link to LivingAfterWLS Kitchen


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Article Source: Summer Soups - A Healthy Choice For Weight Loss Surgery Dieters

Danger! HOTSummer Weather May Lead to Dehydration For WLS Patients

Following bariatric surgery for weight loss patients are instructed in the Four Rules of weight loss surgery; the second of which is drink lots of water. This rule is of particular importance during the warm summer months when perspiration and elimination cause greater water losses and the potential for dehydration increases.

Water constitutes about 60 percent of an adult's body weight. In the body, water becomes the fluid in which all life processes occur. Water in the body fluids carries nutrients and waste products throughout the body; maintains cell structure and participates in metabolic reactions; serves as the solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose and other small molecules, acts as a lubricant around joints, the spinal cord and inside the eyes; aids in the regulation of normal body temperature and maintains blood volume. To support these vital functions, and others, the body actively maintains an appropriate water balance. When the body is short of water the condition known as dehydration results.

Dehydration is the condition in which body water output exceeds water input meaning we eliminate and perspire more fluid than we ingest. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, dry skin and mucous membranes, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure and weakness. When a message of thirst is unanswered the symptoms of dehydration may progress rapidly from thirst to weakness, exhaustion, and delirium and end in death of not corrected. Dehydration may easily develop with either water deprivation or excessive water losses.

To avoid dehydration and illness caused by insufficient water balance weight loss surgery patients can take the following measures to insure adequate water intake:

Lots of Water. The second rule of weight loss surgery is drink lots of water. During the initial stage of weight loss this is key in flushing fat and toxins from the body and keeping all metabolic processes functioning smoothly. To ensure enough water is consumed a good measure is to drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight. Water intake should occur throughout the day.

Fortified Beverages. Vitamin and mineral fortified beverages are beneficial to some weight loss surgery patients. The flavoring makes them more palatable making it easier to consume generous amounts of water. Be certain to enjoy only non-calorie fortified beverages that do not contain sugar or other high calorie sweeteners.

Green Tea or Sun Tea. Freshly brewed green tea or herbal tea served over ice and sweetened with non-calorie sweeteners is another good way to stay hydrated during warm summer weather. The health benefits of green tea and herbal tea may contribute favorably to a well-planned health and weight management program.

Water Containing Foods. Many foods contain a high percentage of water that contribute to body hydration. Enjoy vegetables and fruits such as strawberries, watermelon, lettuce, cabbage, celery, spinach, apples, grapes, citrus, and carrots. All of these foods contain more than 80 percent water which will contribute to hydration and provide a valuable source of vitamins and minerals.

Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Danger! Warm Summer Weather May Lead to Dehydration For Weight Loss Surgery Patients

Dark Meat Chicken and the High Protein WLS Diet

By Kaye Bailey

Chicken legs and chicken thighs are often left behind by those following the weight loss surgery high protein diet who favor the leaner lighter breast meat. For years dark meat poultry has been rejected by dieters as too high in fat to play a beneficial role in a healthy weight management lifestyle. But this nutrient dense meat has a place in the bariatric diet and in these difficult economic times dark meat poultry is an affordable choice at the market.

A 3-ounce serving of dark meat chicken, skin removed, provides 166 calories, 21 grams protein, 8 grams of fat (2 grams saturated) and 76mg of cholesterol. But meat should not be judged on its nutritional profile alone: dark meat poultry is an excellent source of the B vitamins niacin and riboflavin and a good source of zinc. And bundle packages of chicken drumsticks and thighs are ridiculously affordable too, often priced less than $1 a pound. Many nutritionists say that the benefits of the nutrient dense dark meat make it the preferred choice to white meat poultry provided the skin is removed before eating and a low-fat cooking method is used to prepare the chicken.

Weight loss surgery patients are prone to B vitamin deficiencies. In addition to B vitamin supplementation patients should regularly include foods that are rich in B vitamins in their diet. Niacin, vitamin B3, is important in the body's production of energy from food. Niacin helps keep the skin, nerves, and digestive system healthy and is required for normal growth and the synthesis of DNA. Riboflavin, vitamin B2, plays an essential role in the production of red blood cells, energy production, and growth. As we age it is believed we do not consume enough riboflavin and may become deficient in this important B vitamin.


Learn more about B Vitamins & WLS

At the market look for chicken thighs and drumsticks packaged separately. Thighs are available boneless and bone-in. My favorite piece is the whole chicken leg with the thigh and drumstick intact and the skin on. Ten-pound bags of chicken legs are available at most super-stores for around.75 cents a pound, a fine bargain when feeding a crowd. Chicken legs can be seasoned and roasted in the oven, skillet fried, or grilled outdoors. Poultry should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. A meat thermometer is the best method for testing chicken for doneness. Without a thermometer to test for doneness pierce the skin and meat with a sharp knife or skewer allowing juices to run. If the juices run clear the meat is cooked.

Serve dark meat poultry with fresh vegetables and citrus fruit. When eaten with poultry, citrus fruits, cabbage, broccoli, red bell peppers, kale, strawberries, kiwifruit will enhance iron absorption from the poultry thus promoting overall health and wellness.

Kaye Bailey (c) - All Rights Reserved

For more terrific weight loss surgery friendly recipes link to LivingAfterWLS Kitchen

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Article Source:  Dark Meat Chicken and the High Protein Weight Loss Surgery Diet

Do Not Let Dumping Syndrome Ruin Your Summer Celebration

By Kaye Bailey

Summer is a time to celebrate warm weather, sunshine, good friends and good times - often with food and drink. But for people with weight loss surgery celebrations bring the potential for a dietary crisis called dumping syndrome that has the potential to ruin a day of good old fashioned summer time fun.

Gastric Dumping Syndrome, or rapid gastric emptying, is a condition where partially digested food bypasses the stomach too rapidly and enters the small intestine. This causes the pancreas to release excessive amounts of insulin into the bloodstream and symptoms of hypoglycemia occur. Dumping Syndrome is most commonly associated with malabsorptive gastric surgery, specifically gastric bypass surgery. Patients will experience the symptoms of dumping syndrome immediately after eating or within three hours of eating. The symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, bloating, cramping, diarrhea, profuse sweating followed by chills, dizziness and fatigue. When insulin levels return to normal symptoms subside. Many patients experiencing dumping syndrome find comfort in lying down or sipping fortified water or energy drinks served at warm temperature.

Clearly an episode of dumping syndrome will disrupt any celebration and most weight loss surgery patients will benefit from taking precautions to avoid such an occurrence. Here are four basic dietary and lifestyle guidelines to follow that will help prevent a dumping episode from ruining your summer celebration:


Hydration. Drinking lots of water is the second sacred rule of weight loss surgery. This is of keen importance during the hot summer months when bodies release more fluid through perspiration thus becoming susceptible to dehydration. On warm days filled with outdoor activity be mindful to sip water throughout the day. As a guideline drink one ounce of water for every two pounds of body weight to ensure proper hydration. Vitamin fortified water or non-calorie sports drinks fortified to balance electrolytes may be enjoyed as well to prevent hydration. The symptoms of dehydration often feel like mild dumping syndrome, and some weight loss surgery patients report a higher likelihood of dumping syndrome when they are not properly hydrated.

Protein First. It is particularly important to follow the first rule of weight loss surgery, "Protein First" when partaking from an array of party foods including barbecue, picnic salads and sides, and bountiful desserts. Eating protein first will buffer foods that may potentially cause a dumping episode. Be wary of barbecue sauces that may be high in sugar or breaded and fried protein which is also known to cause dumping. If fried chicken is the only protein offered remove and discard the skin and breading and enjoy the meat without it. Remember to eat two bites of protein to every one bite of complex carbohydrate. When taking small bites of protein three forks will measure about one ounce of protein. The tight feeling in the gastric surgical pouch is a sign of fullness and the signal to stop eating. Avoid discomfort by following this signal and cease eating.

Taste Wisely. Celebrations are often a showcase for friends and relations to share their best dishes including gorgeous calorie and fat laden desserts. Who has not been tempted by the display of outrageous desserts at the annual family reunion? For the weight loss surgery patient unchecked enjoyment of such foods is likely to cause dumping syndrome in the short term and, in the worst case, weight gain in the long run. Patients can find a safe place in simply tasting one or two select desserts without imminent fear of dumping if they have stayed hydrated throughout the day and if they have eating a reasonable amount of lean protein prior to sweet indulgence. One or two bites of a sweet dessert should satisfy the palate and the persistent requests of a beloved relative who urges, "Come on, one little piece of my deluxe super duper chocolate mess is not going to hurt you."

Contribute Good Food. When the occasion allows take the opportunity to provide a weight loss surgery friendly side dish or dessert that you can safely enjoy and others may enjoy as well. It is a great time to demonstrate that healthy can be delicious and attractive. Present salads or side dishes featuring fresh seasonal ingredients and homemade dressings made of pure ingredients that are low in fat and sugar. Prepare sugar-free desserts or snacks following recipes that use popular sugar substitutes which, when enjoyed in moderation, do not cause dumping syndrome. Sugar free pudding and gelatin dishes also fare well at any potluck summer celebration. When a weight loss surgery patient provides safe food for a potluck meal they decrease the temptation to eat foods that are likely to cause dumping syndrome and ruin an otherwise fabulous summer celebration.


Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Weight Loss Surgery Patients - Do Not Let Dumping Syndrome Ruin Your Summer Celebration

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Five Healthy Foods to Improve Nutrition After WLS

By Kaye Bailey

Patients who lose weight with bariatric surgery generally set their sights on living a healthier life using weight loss surgery as a tool for weight loss and healthy weight management. Many patients are concerned they may suffer nutritional deficiencies as a result of the malabsorptive surgery such as gastric bypass because the surgery restricts the absorption of nutrients from food. Patients are prescribed dietary supplements to ensure their nutritional needs are met.

However, a mindful patient will also include healthy nutritional foods in every meal to increase their odds for nutrient absorption. Here are five powerful natural foods, that when included in the healthy post-weight loss surgery diet, may increase the nutritional absorption and overall health of the bariatric patient:

• Spinach: Well known as a good source of iron, spinach is also an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K as well as folate and magnesium. Fresh spinach is available pre-washed in the produce section of supermarkets. But studies indicate frozen spinach is also nutrient rich and it serves as a key ingredient in many egg and protein dishes. Spinach is also higher in protein than most vegetables with 2 grams of protein per 2 cups of raw spinach.
• Oranges: We know oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C which helps boost immunity and fight colds. Oranges also contain folate and flavonoids which are known to fight cancer. Now available year-round oranges are a low cost fruit that may be included in a healthy post-weight loss surgery diet as a snack or recipe ingredient.
• Garlic: Garlic has been used medicinally since ancient times and modern science suggests garlic may be effective in fighting cancer and heart disease and lowering blood pressure. Considered a vegetable, garlic is a low-cost flavoring for savory protein dishes. At the market select a full plump head of garlic with taut, unbroken outer skin. To use separate the cloves from the head and use as directed. To temper the pungent bad breath-causing flavors of garlic blanch whole, unpeeled garlic cloves for a few minutes. This will also make them easier to peel.
• Mushrooms: While trying to eat a rainbow of colors from vegetables, do not overlook the humble mushroom. While they lack the vibrant color we associate with antioxidant rich vegetables these little fungi deliver a similar antioxidant punch. While very low in calories, mushrooms contain compounds that seem to fight cancer by inhibiting certain steps in the formation of tumors. Look for clean, plump and moist mushrooms and clean by gently wiping with a damp paper towel or soft brush to remove dirt and debris.
• Yogurt: Yogurt is a significant source of calcium and provides a goodly amount of protein when included in the weight loss surgery diet. The live cultures in yogurt may help prevent digestive issues such as diarrhea and inflammatory bowel disease. A one-cup serving of low-fat yogurt provides 155 calories, 45% daily value of calcium, and 13 grams of protein. Enjoy yogurt with fresh fruit or include fat-free Greek yogurt as ingredient in recipes that call for sour cream, substituting equal parts Greek yogurt for the sour cream.

Spinach, oranges, garlic, mushrooms, and yogurt are commonly available affordable foods that can be easily included in the diet of a weight loss surgery patient. Patients who include a variety of fresh vegetables and fruits in their diet are more likely to obtain desired weight loss and sustain a healthy weight than those who rely exclusively on supplements for their nutritional health.

Kaye Bailey (c) - All Rights Reserved

For more terrific weight loss surgery friendly recipes link to LivingAfterWLS Kitchen

Join the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood: Your safe haven circle of friends making the most of their weight loss surgery experience. LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood

Article Source:  Five Healthy Foods to Improve Nutrition After Weight Loss Surgery

What Your Bariatric Surgeon Forgot to Tell You That Will Cause Weight Gain

By Kaye Bailey

This year nearly 250,000 Americans will undergo a bariatric weight loss surgery procedure that will alter the digestive system so significantly it will cause them to lose a dramatic amount of weight rather quickly as they engage in battle against obesity, the leading cause of preventable death in this country. Down the road a startling number of these same people will begin to regain weight and they will naively think the weight loss surgery has failed. In most cases the surgery has not failed: the weight gain can be blamed on excessive consumption of slurry food, something most patients were never warned about before going under the knife.

Slurry food, more commonly described as slider food, is a watery liquid food solution of simple processed carbohydrates containing scant nutritional value. The substance usually comes from crackers, pretzels, cracker snacks, popcorn, cheese snacks, potato chips or tortilla chips, or sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. The foods are chewed and washed down with liquids into the surgical stomach pouch where the gastric muscles churn them into slurry which slips directly into the intestine to be quickly processed and stored as body fat. Patients of all bariatric weight loss procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric banding (lap-band), and gastric sleeve, are prone to weight gain if copious amounts of slurry food are consumed.

 Surgeons instruct patients prior to weight loss surgery about the Four Rules of surgery. In short the Four Rules mandate a high protein diet, drinking lots of water, no snacking and following a daily exercise program. Masked between eating a high protein diet and no snacking is the unstated consequence that eating empty carbohydrate snack foods washed down with liquids results in weight gain. Bariatric surgery works to cause weight loss because it restricts the amount of energy (food) that can be consumed and in many procedures it inhibits the body's ability to absorb nutrients from food therefore disallowing storage of excess body fat.



Get Control of Slurry Foods - Learn How

After surgery many bariatric patients find the restrictive feeling following eating to be uncomfortable, yet it is the very nature of the surgical gastric pouch to cause a tight restricted feeling after a small amount of solid food has been consumed. This signals the patient to stop eating. Uncomfortable with this restricted feeling, many patients turn to softer processed simple carbohydrates or junk food that can be washed down with liquids creating slurry. The uncomfortable restricted feeling never occurs and patients can eat unmeasured portions without feeling discomfort. Soon the weight loss they were enjoying has stopped and weight regain begins.

 Many patients will mistakenly blame their surgical stomach pouch thinking it has stretched out or is no longer working correctly. However, patients who return to a diet of lean protein and avoid drinking liquids with meals will quickly discover the uncomfortable pouch restriction still occurs bringing feelings of fullness with small servings of food. Continued compliance with the high protein diet eventually leads to weight loss once again.

 For weight loss surgery patients protein is not always the most comfortable food choice because of the tightness that results following eating. However, for bariatric surgery to work correctly and sustain long-term weight loss and weight maintenance, a high protein diet void of simple processed carbohydrates must be followed consistently.

5 Day Pouch Test

Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved


Article Source: What Your Bariatric Surgeon Forgot to Tell You That Will Cause Weight Gain

Fresh WLS Reading for Lasting Success

Online Peer-to-Peer Connections Key in Weight Loss Surgery Success
Weight loss surgery is no different from other diet programs: it comes with rules. But perhaps the most important factor in long-term success with weight loss surgery is the empowerment that comes from peer-to-peer support. People who surround themselves with a positive support network are more likely to lose weight and sustain weight loss than those who go it alone. Learn more about the value of support systems for weight loss. 
Read Article and Neighborhood Conversation

Dark Meat Chicken and the High Protein Weight Loss Surgery Diet 
Often overlooked, dark meat drumsticks and chicken thighs can play a delicious and healthful role in the weight loss surgery high protein diet. Learn about the nutritional value and health benefits found in dark meat poultry.
Read More

Dining Out With Your Weight Loss Surgery Pouch at the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet
The All-You-Can-Eat buffet is a beloved American dining tradition where plentiful choice meets good value. But for the weight loss surgery patient whose gastric pouch can hold the volume of food that would fill a coffee cup the buffet can be torture.
Read more

Chained to a Desk? Five Sneaky Ways to Put Motion in Your Day
Like many office workers I start the day with good intentions of getting to the gym after work, but invariably interruptions happen and my workout session gets pushed off the schedule. One missed workout becomes two and next a week has passed and I have not laced my cross trainer shoes.
Read More

When Cravings Strike Practice Calm Response After Weight Loss Surgery
People who undergo weight loss surgery for the treatment of obesity know the surgery is only a tool in their overall weight management and sometimes food cravings will strike. Learning to practice calm response in reaction to food cravings is beneficial to the overall management of health and weight control. Learn how you can manage your food cravings with calm response.
Read More

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Personal Health Care Log

Good records are the key to early detection & prevention of disease. This 36-page guide helps men & women stay informed about important numbers, such as cholesterol levels and blood pressure readings, as well as recommended screenings for cancer, hearing loss and much more. Includes room to keep years of results in one handy guide. Record dates of medical/dental exams, weight, blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, vision, hearing, bone density, cancer screenings, contact information and much more. A must have for any health-conscious individual.!
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Online Peer-to-Peer Connections Key in Weight Loss Surgery Success

By Kaye Bailey

About 250,000 morbidly obese adult Americans will undergo Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) this year to have their intestines cut and rearranged in a drastic attempt to lose weight and put their obesity in remission. In addition to surgical intervention they will agree to follow a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, engage in daily physical activity, avoid snacking on empty calorie foods, and drink lots of water. Most will lose significant weight; enough weight so they will no longer be classified obese. Many will sustain that weight loss but sadly, others will regain some or most of the weight they lose. A lack of support network is often cited by those who regain weight as one reason they struggled to lose weight and keep it off, even with the drastic measure of weight loss surgery.

Support groups are old business for people pursuing weight loss. Many conventional mainstream weight loss programs are built around solid support systems. Most bariatric centers, as part of their surgical weight loss program, offer support groups to patients. In most cases support group attendance and participation is voluntary.

Join the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood - Your safe haven circle of friends who are living after weight loss surgery.

The Internet now provides a vast network of support groups that studies indicate are providing a viable method of peer-to-peer support, particularly in the life long battle of weight management. A 2002 study reported in the Journal of Medical Internet Research suggests that in a support group, members provide each other with various types of help, usually nonprofessional and nonmaterial, for a particular shared, usually burdensome, characteristic. The help may take the form of providing and evaluating relevant information, relating personal experiences, listening to and accepting others' experiences, providing sympathetic understanding and establishing social networks. The real time nature of online support groups is preferred by community members who may be forced to wait weeks before the next live group meeting is conducted at which they can share their concerns.

As the owner of an established weight loss surgery online support group I have observed members come and go. It is interesting to note that pre-operative WLS patients are highly active in the community asking questions and seeking knowledge about the WLS post-operative experience. They continue to actively participate in the community in the weeks and months following surgery. Almost like clockwork as patients achieve healthy weight goals, or perhaps struggle to reach goals, they drift away from the community and the support they valued during the phase of weight loss. Perhaps they leave because their improved health has given way to new lifestyle activities making less time for Internet connecting. Some admit leaving because they feel their weight loss does not compare favorably to others. Others have told me the WLS chapter of their life is closed once goal weight is reached and they chose to move along.

More important to note is that many former community members return after an extended absence only to admit that giving up their online support network was the first step in getting off track in weight loss and weight maintenance with gastric surgery. The accountability and shared empowerment that comes in a peer-to-peer support network clearly plays a key role in the success or failure of bariatric patients. Members who join the group to receive support and then stay with the group to return support report the highest level of personal success with weight loss surgery.

"In good online support groups, members stick around long after they have received the support they were seeking." John M. Grohol reports in his article, What to look for in Quality Online Support Groups. He adds "Members stay because they want to give others what they themselves found in the group. Psychologists call this high group cohesion, and it is the pinnacle of group achievement."

Kaye Bailey (c) All Rights Reserved

Join the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood - Your safe haven circle of friends who are living after weight loss surgery.

Article Source: Online Peer-to-Peer Connections Key in Weight Loss Surgery Success

The Reality of Food Cravings

Hot Off the Press!

Apples and Exercise Promote Body Fat Loss After Weight Loss Surgery
For some exercise enthusiasts carbo-loading is key to supplying the body with adequate energy for extreme workout sessions. But for the rest of us the simple apple may be the best carbo-loading secret around when it comes to supplying the body with energy before a workout. Read More

Three Keys to Lasting Weight Loss Surgery Success
Nearly a quarter-million people in the United States will undergo weight loss surgery this year to arrest their morbid obesity and lose weight. In spite of the drastic nature of gastric surgeries not all patients will reach a healthy weight and some may eventually regain weight they lost initially with surgery. Bariatric surgeries help arrest the disease by reducing the amount of calories a person may eat, but the surgery does not remove the disease. With patient compliance weight is lost and obesity can be put in remission.
Read more

Dietary Sensibility Prevails Even With Weight Loss Surgery
Even though the standard for pre-surgical education has been elevated for bariatric patients seeking treatment for obesity with weight loss surgery a certain silliness prevails among both patients and the public suggesting surgery is the easy way to lose weight and lifestyle changes are not necessary to affect weight loss. The notion that simply eating less of the things we were eating at the height of our obesity as a means to losing weight is absurd. Read more

Weight Loss Surgery, Vegetarians and High Protein Diet - Putting it All Together
Vegetarians who are suffering from morbid obesity and undergo weight loss surgery for the treatment of obesity are challenged to follow the weight loss surgery high protein diet when they do not partake of red meat, poultry, fish, or seafood. The first rule of a bariatric diet is to eat protein first: at least 60 percent of dietary intake should be protein. Low glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fat provide the remaining 40 percent dietary intake. Read more

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Personal Health Care Log

Good records are the key to early detection & prevention of disease. This 36-page guide helps men & women stay informed about important numbers, such as cholesterol levels and blood pressure readings, as well as recommended screenings for cancer, hearing loss and much more. Includes room to keep years of results in one handy guide. Record dates of medical/dental exams, weight, blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, thyroid, vision, hearing, bone density, cancer screenings, contact information and much more. A must have for any health-conscious individual.!
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Three Keys to Lasting Weight Loss Surgery Success

By Kaye Bailey

Nearly a quarter-million people in the United States will undergo weight loss surgery this year to arrest their morbid obesity and lose weight. In spite of the drastic nature of gastric surgeries not all patients will reach a healthy weight and some may eventually regain weight they lost initially with surgery. Obesity is not a simple cosmetic problem of excess body weight than can be corrected with surgery. It is a metabolic disorder where the body stores an abnormal amount of body fat. Bariatric surgeries help arrest the disease by reducing the amount of calories a person may eat and some surgeries reduce the amount of nutrients the body absorbs and stores as fat. The surgery does not remove the disease but with patient compliance weight is lost and obesity can be put in remission.

Chances for healthy weight loss and weight maintenance with surgery can improve with patient commitment to recovery. Patients must accept that the burden of treatment for their disease obesity is with them. Bariatric counselors tell patients the surgery is only a tool and it is up to the patient to use it correctly. This applies to all procedures including gastric bypass, gastric sleeve, and adjustable gastric banding (lap-band). There are three pro-active things patients can do to use their tool wisely:

Lifestyle: Accept that bariatric surgery brings with it an entirely different lifestyle that you must adopt for the rest of your life. Unlike conventional diets there is no finish line: surgery requires an almost religious-like lifestyle change. Patients must follow a high protein, low carbohydrate diet every day for the rest of their life in order to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. Patients will need to avoid simple carbohydrates including sugary snack foods and fried food. Snacking, when allowed, must be mindful including lean protein and low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. Liquid restrictions mean no beverages before or after meals and no drinking with meals: this helps the surgical pouch work correctly. Patients learn and accept that some things will make them sick, smells will affect them differently, and sometimes they will feel emotionally blue because of the irreversible restrictions of surgery. We have this life-changing surgery with all its restrictions and then return to the very environment in which we became obese: of course we suffer feelings of sadness at times.

Support: As with other life-changing disease, patients seeking treatment and recovery from morbid obesity with surgery benefit from support. While no one can understand another persons exact journey we can certainly share the collective experience of obesity, life long dieting and weight gain, and finally the somber decision to undergo treatment with surgery. While patients are likely to cluster to support groups both live and online before surgery and in the first year following surgery, there is a tendency to drift away from support groups as time passes. Evidence suggests, however, that solid support relationships are a key in sustaining personal efforts for health, weight control and wellness with bariatric surgery.
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Activity: The inclusion of physical activity as part of lifestyle change with surgery will make a difference in the long term successful weight management of bariatric patients. Early post-operative patients are directed to get 150 minutes of exercise a week, that is about 20 minutes a day. Patients who do this and more will successfully manage their weight loss and weight maintenance. Patients who regain weight often admit they never really got around to including physical activity in their new lifestyle. Studies indicate exercise need not be strenuous or exhausting. Physical activity simply must move us beyond the normal motion required of daily life.

Weight loss surgery patients tend to idolize their surgeons and bariatric teams crediting them with restoring their health. But long after the surgical wounds have healed and the routine checkups are simply annual office visits it is up to the patient to own their surgical tool and manage it in a way that keeps their disease in remission.


Read Kaye's Day 6: Beyond 5 Day Pouch Test

Kaye Bailey copyright 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Three Keys to Lasting Weight Loss Surgery Success

Sex After Weight Loss Surgery - When is it Okay?

By Kaye Bailey

People recovering from bariatric surgery for the treatment of morbid obesity often look forward to a healthy sex life that may have alluded them due poor health associated with obesity or simply the mechanics of sexual activity with a morbidly obese body. Surgeons are frequently asked how soon a patient will be able to enjoy sexual intimacy following bariatric surgery.

Bariatric surgery, although less invasive than it was 20 years ago, is still considered major abdominal surgery. Most of the commonly performed procedures including gastric bypass, adjustable gastric-banding (lap-band), and gastric sleeve, are done using the advanced laparoscopic method of surgery. Laparoscopic gastric surgeries reduce risk to patients and decrease hospital stays over the traditional open methods of surgery. This improves the rate of recovery from surgery. The minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures are performed by surgeons inserting cameras and instruments through small incision ports in the abdomen. While there is no large wound that requires healing, there is unseen internal bruising that will require time to heal.

Most doctors will advise their patients to avoid sexual activity for the first few weeks following surgery. The physical stress of surgery may rupture sutures or tear incisions and prolong healing. Patients should ask their surgeon when it will be appropriate to engage in sexual activity following surgery. It makes sense to think of sex as form of exercise: If your doctor clears you for physical activity, you are also likely safe for sexual activity.

Women who have recently undergone bariatric surgery are advised to practice a reliable form of birth control, even if they have been unable to conceive in the recent past. Pregnancy during the rapid phase of weight loss is not desired as both the mother and the fetus may suffer nutritional deficiencies. Most bariatric centers advise female patients to wait until weight loss has stabilized before attempting to become pregnant.

Patients are likely to proceed cautiously as they engage in sexual intimacy following major surgery. While focus should be on enjoying the moment with your partner it is wise to be aware of your body and listen to any warning signs it may be sending. Symptoms such as pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, or dizziness are warnings to slow down what you are doing, whether you are a man or woman. The pain may be attributed to angina, which is temporary pain or pressure in the chest when the heart does not get enough oxygen. If that is the case changing positions or taking a moment for rest may be beneficial. Prolonged or acute pain should not be ignored and medical attention should be sought immediately.

Sex is obviously part of an overall healthy life and something most people look forward to as they recover from significant illness, including morbid obesity. As weight is lost it is likely sexual activity and the desire for sexual activity will increase. On a basal level, an active sex life is a statement of good health: it says positive things about your overall level of fitness and your recovery from morbid obesity. It also may be sign of healthy relationships, another good measure of overall health.

Patients should always seek the advice of their doctors regarding sexual health. Sexual issues are important to discuss even if such a discussion tests our comfort level when we bring our concerns to our physician. Keep in mind your doctor is in the business of taking care of your health and that includes your sexual wellness; you cannot surprise your physician by voicing your most personal concerns about your sexual health.

We often say that weight loss surgery is our second chance at living and most would agree that a healthy sex life brings a satisfying component to our ongoing pursuit of health and wellness. Having realistic expectations for recovery is the first step in creating a healthy sex life following weight loss surgery.

Kaye Bailey (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Sex After Weight Loss Surgery - When is it Okay?

Can You Fly With Those Wings?

Bat Wings After Massive Weight LossBy Kaye Bailey

That hanging flapping upper arm of the song leader in the second grade was a great source of jokes for many of us as children. But after massive weight loss when we look in the mirror only to see our own arm flap waving back at us it is no laughing matter. A surgical procedure called brachioplasty may be the solution to correct what surgeons politely call "skin redundancy and laxity" following massive weight loss.

Recently, as thousands of people are losing significant amounts of weight with bariatric weight loss surgery, we are hearing more about bat wings and the reconstructive surgery many are turning to for skin removal and arm contouring. Bat wings might be fine if they could help us fly, but excess upper arm skin is a nuisance and embarrassment. While in most cases, post-bariatric patients undergo brachioplasty for cosmetic reasons, there are functional complaints resulting from the deflated flap of skin left behind by weight loss. Patients report rashes, skin breakdown, pain from skin pinching, and difficulty in finding clothing to fit the smaller torso while accommodating excessive arm girth. Patients also report embarrassment over the waving arm flap saying they preferred the more common embarrassment of morbid obesity to the stare-getting physical deformity of flapping bat wings.

Ideally a bariatric patient will have achieved weight loss and be maintaining a healthy weight in the Body Mass Index (BMI) "normal" range of 18.5 to 24.9 before seeking surgical treatment for bat wings. The skin should be deflated with very little subcutaneous fat remaining. The medical comorbidities common before bariatric surgery should be in remission such as diabetes, sleep apnea, cardiac disease and asthma and nutritional status should be favorable. In addition, before brachioplasty surgery is scheduled the patient must clearly understand the outcomes of the surgery.

Brachioplasty effectively removes excess skin following massive weight loss, however it unavoidably leaves a perceptible scar on the underside of the arm from armpit to elbow. Patients must understand they are trading unsightly excess skin for what some may consider an unsightly surgical scar. According to Dr. Michele A. Shermak, FACS, of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Maryland, "There are no effective scarless or minimally invasive techniques that can adequately reduce the skin laxity and excess associated with massive weight loss. Neither liposuction nor laser or light-based tightening therapies typically apply to the post-bariatric upper extremity."

The most commonly performed procedure is traditional brachoplasty in which a "T" incision spans from the armpit to the elbow. Skin is removed and the remaining skin is smoothed and closed with surgical sutures. A drain is placed in each arm and is typically removed after one week. Postoperatively the patient should be followed for wound and scar management. Brachioplasty may be performed as an outpatient, stand-alone procedure. However, it is often included with other procedures for excess skin management following massive weight loss, such as a lower body lift.

As with all surgical procedures there are risks. With brachioplasty the arm is prone to having more issues with wound healing due to the extreme need for mobility, leading to stress and shear forces. Other complications associated with brachioplasty may include discomfort, bleeding, postoperative relaxation of the skin leading to re-currrent laxity. Due to the risks of brachioplasty surgery and the overall complexity of the arm, it is critical to have the surgery performed by a board-certified plastic surgeon who is familiar with the anatomy, surgical procedure, and postoperative management.

Kaye Bailey 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Can You Fly With Those Wings? Bat Wings After Massive Weight Loss

Captivating Conversations in the Neighborhood

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Dietary Sensibility Prevails Even With Weight Loss Surgery
Ya know Kaye, this is the type of article that needs to be handed out, fully understood, and signed as an oath with serious repercussions, then followed strictly for a short trial period. Then and only then (unless the person will *literally die* within a few months without the surgery) should anyone even GET WLS! --Diana
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Day 6 and Carbs....
Ok, so I finished the 5 day pouch test. Did very well and I am feeling great! My question is this, how many grams of carbs is acceptable at this stage for our daily intake? My nut says we still need them, but they should be healthy ones. I am afraid to fall back into the carb lovin' fool that I am. Any suggestions would be appreciated! --mommazimm
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Where do the Sleevers Go?
There are plenty of sleeve patients with experience to share. I would really like to see this group identify and maintain Sleevers. How bout it? --BigManWalking
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The Benefits of Sleeve Gastrectomy in the Treatment of Morbid Obesity

 Hello Everyone! We are seeing more and more patients receiving the gastric sleeve procedure for the treatment of obesity. It shows great promise without many of the side effects from either the gastric bypass or the gastric band procedures. Here is a little look at the evolution of this procedure and how it works. Also, it is interesting to note that this procedure is showing great promise for the treatment of adolescent obesity because it does not have the negative nutritional impact of the other surgeries. Hope for our overweight nation.

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Topic: Benefits of the Sleeve Gastrectomy in the Neighborhood

The Benefits of Sleeve Gastrectomy in the Treatment of Morbid Obesity
By Kaye Bailey

In the vernacular language of weight loss surgery wearing a sleeve has nothing to do with a piece of clothing that covers the arm; wearing a sleeve describes a relatively new surgical procedure that is fast gaining favor for the treatment of morbid obesity. The procedure involves removing a portion of the stomach and the formation of a tubular stomach sleeve different in shape and function from the more common gastric bypass pouch. This procedure restricts food intake but is not considered malabsorptive which often results in dumping syndrome and vitamin deficiency in gastric bypass patients. It is believed that the sleeve procedure also reduces the amount of ghrelin and other hormones that are released providing a hormonal advantage to reducing caloric intake.

According to Dr. Gregg H. Jossart, Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery at California Pacific Medical Center, the sleeve gastrectomy is an evolution of prior procedures that has its roots in the earliest bariatric weight loss surgery procedures. The first open sleeve gastrectomy was performed in March 1988 as part of what is now called the duodenal switch procedure. By 2001 the open sleeve gastrecomy was increasingly used for treating super morbidly obese patients who were deemed too high risk for other metabolic weight loss surgeries such as gastric bypass or the duodenal switch. Doctors were seeing patients achieve a weight loss of 40 to 50 percent excess weight. Once the super morbidly obese patient achieved this initial weight loss they could undergo a "second stage" procedure, most likely the Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, which brought continued weight loss.

In the meantime advances were being made in laparoscopic gastric surgeries that were reducing risk to patients and decreasing hospital stays while improving the rate of recovery from surgery. Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures are performed by surgeons inserting cameras and instruments through small incisions using images displayed on TV monitors for magnification of the surgical elements.

Super-morbidly obese patients, those with a BMI greater than 58, are not always suited to laparoscopic bariatric surgical procedures due to the depth of adipose tissue. But techniques were developed by 2003 that made a laparoscopic approach to the sleeve feasible. A small study of super morbidly obese patients undergoing the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy indicated an average excessive weight loss of 33 percent. These patients were then able to safely undergo the second stage Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, also laparoscopically.

By 2009 several study groups at different stages post-surgery were all reporting favorable weight loss with the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. The results were so favorable in fact, results in weight loss were comparable to both gastric bypass and adjustable gastric banding. These results quickly popularized the procedure for patients seeking surgical intervention for the metabolic disorder of morbid obesity.

Todays laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which evolved from an open duodenal switch to open sleeve gastrectomy, is fast becoming the favored procedure for super-morbidly obese patients as the first stage operation before Roux-en-Y. For patients of lower BMI the sleeve procedure is effective as a single treatment for weight loss and presents another surgical option to the better known gastric bypass or adjustable gastric band (lap-band) surgeries. Bariatric surgeons are happily reporting that the long-term safety of the sleeve procedure is definite as the risk of marginal ulcer or small intestinal obstruction does not exist as it does with gastric bypass.

However, surgeons are seeking to resolve two main issues with the gastric sleeve. The first is a standardized pouch volume. It is believed a smaller pouch volume of 30-40cc will affect a more durable weight loss, but with this smaller volume comes problems. Jossart said, "Unfortunately this smaller volume increases the chance of staple line bleeding or splitting, especially near the gastroesophageal junction. Proper management of the staple line will ultimately optimize the safety of this procedure."

As with all surgical procedures it is critical to have the surgery performed by a board-certified surgeon who is familiar with the anatomy, surgical procedure, and postoperative management of the patient.

Kaye Bailey 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: The Benefits of Sleeve Gastrectomy in the Treatment of Morbid Obesity

Dietary Sensibility Prevails Even With Weight Loss Surgery

By Kaye Bailey

Even though the standard for pre-surgical education has been elevated for bariatric patients seeking treatment for obesity with weight loss surgery a certain silliness prevails among patients and the public suggesting surgery is the easy way to lose weight. Popular perception of surgical weight loss suggests that lifestyle changes including diet and exercise are not necessary for weight loss; the surgery does all the work for the patient by restricting caloric intake.

The truth is, in order to lose weight and maintain the resulting healthy body weight with weight loss surgery (gastric bypass, gastric lap-band, gastric sleeve) one must make significant lifestyle changes that include a following high protein diet, the elimination of processed carbohydrates and carbonated beverages, and avoiding or at least controlling snacking or mindless eating. In addition patients must engage in daily physical activity beyond the physical motions of the routine day. Patients must exercise. A lapse in adherence to the dietary or activity requirements of bariatric surgery will cause weight loss to cease and may potentially cause weight gain.

Diet & Nutrition After WLS

The notion that simply eating less of the things we were eating at the height of our obesity as a means to losing weight is absurd. Yet I have heard the hearty laugh of a post-surgical patient more than once when they explain, "I can still eat the same things I used to eat, just less!" Okay, how about we check back with that person in a year or so and see how that is working. Chances are the last thing they want to talk about, let alone laugh about, is weight loss surgery. The patients and the public that want to believe weight loss surgery is easy weight loss do not want to hear this simple truth: If the food you ate before surgery made you fat then eating the same food, even less of it, after surgery will continue to keep you fat. It is that simple.

Most bariatric programs explain to their patients that the surgical stomach pouch is "only a tool" for losing weight and some programs make patients sign a contract affirming they will use their tool correctly. To use the tool correctly the patient must follow the prescribed diet and exercise program. Not for just a few weeks or until goal weight is accomplished. The surgery is a permanent alteration of the human digestive system therefore the patient must make a permanent alteration of their behaviors in a conscious effort to use the tool for controlling the metabolic disorder we call obesity.

Even with surgery patients must diet and exercise to lose weight. To maintain that weight loss they will continue to follow the high protein diet and exercise requirements for the rest of their life. Patients who do this are happily successful with their "easy" weight loss surgery. Patients who from the first stitch ignored these requirements hoping the surgery would do the work for them are not laughing much now as they try to fade in the background doing the same things they have always done hoping for different results.
The Neighborhood - Your WLS Safe Haven of Friends

In my work I counsel patients of weight loss surgery who often ask me if it is okay to eat this or that. My job is not to fork feed these people, my job is to give them the power to rule their own fork. So I answer this question like this, "When you are looking at or longing for that deep fried food at the county fair use your dietary sensibility and remember that if it made you fat before surgery it will surely make you fat after surgery."

Kaye Bailey 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Dietary Sensibility Prevails Even With Weight Loss Surgery

Study Finds Better Way to Exercise After Weight Loss Surgery

By Kaye Bailey

Physical activity is one important component in optimizing the long-term effectiveness of weight loss surgery. Yet studies indicate that nearly 80 percent of bariatric gastric bypass, gastric lap-band, and gastric sleeve patients fail to meet the prescribed 150 minutes per week of physical activity. People with extreme obesity are markedly sedentary compared to individuals of normal weight simply because they do not have the mobility or respiratory capacity for exercise.

Morbidly obese people often have locomotive handicaps and muscle quality deterioration that truly makes aerobic exercise impossible. When instructed by surgeons to exercise 150 minutes a week many patients are frustrated not knowing how to begin an exercise program to accomplish the instructions. Few fitness centers are prepared to help the morbidly obese on their path to fitness as a "make it burn" and "work it off" boot camp fitness philosophy prevails. Extremely overweight patients are embarrassed and uncomfortable in a gym setting where they feel judged or scorned by those who are more fit and at a healthy weight.

A study published in Bariatric Times May 2010 by Wollner, Adair, Jones and Blackburn indicates that initiating a PRT (Progressive Resistance Training) exercise program prior to weight loss surgery may provide a feasible exercise option for obese patients seeking weight loss and improved health with weight loss surgery. The study finds, "Patients with obesity respond adversely to aerobic exercise compared to patients with normal weight and patients who are overweight. The repetitive movements and prolonged bouts of aerobic exercise training may not be feasible for this patient. We have found that approximately 80 percent of weight loss surgery patients fail to respond to doctors' recommendations to perform 150 minutes or more of moderate-intensity physical activity per week."

The study finds, however, that short intense bursts of PRT exercise combined with the direct supervision of an exercise physiotherapist may help address the unique biomechanical and psychological issues presented by these patients. In this study subjects completed rounds of nine exercises that addressed major muscle groups using strength fitness machines or free weights. A baseline test of leg and chest presses and a walking test was done with subjects to establish beginning fitness levels. The same tests were repeated after four weeks when the patients had completed eight PRT training sessions.

Most weight loss surgery patients report struggling with exercise because it is physically awkward or psychologically challenging. The authors of this study hope these findings will open a door for better pre-operative instruction for morbidly obese patients as they make physical activity part of their recovery from obesity. "Because of its powerful weight loss effects and health benefits, weight loss surgery can often be perceived as a "quick fix." Patients must be aware that exercise is a lifestyle change necessary for the long-term success of surgery. If ambulatory ability improves after PRT, patients may be better capable of performing aerobic activity." They concluded that ultimately the combined benefits of resistance training and aerobic training are necessary to promote optimal health.




Exercise Forum: LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood
Kaye Bailey - 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Study Finds Better Way to Exercise After Weight Loss Surgery

Flavor Your High Protein Diet With Condiments

By Kaye Bailey

Are you one of those people asking "what can I do to add variety to my same 'ole same 'ole chicken and fish?" If so you are not alone! Patients of weight loss surgery following a high protein diet quickly become bored with routine protein dishes but fear taking too many culinary liberties will take them off track from weight loss and weight maintenance. As a general rule people who undergo gastric bypass, gastric lap-band, and gastric sleeve procedures are told the first rule of weight loss surgery is to eat "Protein First". But nothing in the rule says it has to be boring.

I remember spending my first three years following gastric bypass eating chicken breast, canned tuna, shrimp and hard-cooked eggs day in and day out. Blah! A good friend put me on to her secret weapon that kept her palate pleased and honored her nutritional needs. Her weapon? Condiments! And I'm not talking your everyday ketchup, mustard, mayo. I'm talking salsa and balsamic vinegar and relish and fruit compote. Its all good. Great ready-made condiments are easy to find these day and they are a winner in the budget lottery, too. At first it may seem expensive to pay $5 for a jar of Bruschetta sauce, but considering that jar stretches to 20 servings you have quite a bang for your buck at just about one quarter per serving.

Here are a few of the best hints for putting some pop in your protein:

Salsa: use on eggs, cooked chicken, fish and beans. Stir into soups and stews for added flavor without the cost of expensive out-of-season tomatoes and peppers. Mix with plain yogurt for a delicious vegetable dip (not chips).

Balsamic Vinegar: Sprinkle on pan-seared chicken or fish as it cooks to add a deep acidity to the protein. Remove protein from pan, add a bit more balsamic vinegar to drippings, scrape and serve atop chicken for an easy and elegant sauce. Lightly douse fresh strawberries with balsamic vinegar and let macerate 30 minutes. Serve at room temperature for a delicious treat. Whisk together balsamic vinegar and olive oil for a quick and healthy salad or vegetable dressing.

Vinaigrettes for Variety, Nutrition and Flavor

Relish: Don't save this just for hot dogs. Use regular or sweet pickle relish to flavor tuna salad, chicken salad or egg salad. Stir a tablespoon of relish with yogurt or light mayonnaise for a quick and inexpensive tarter sauce for fish.

Fruit Compote: Fruit compotes are generally a blend of sweet and sour ingredients that enhance the flavor of protein while adding moisture to the dish. They are sometimes called fruit salsa. Look for specialty blends at the farmers market or whole food stores. Serve compote with grilled or broiled protein simply by spooning a small amount when serving. Or glaze meat with the compote in the final five minutes of grilling.

Kaye Bailey 2010 - All Rights Reserved

Article Source: Flavor Your High Protein Diet With Condiments

A New Kind of Dog

As a child I never much cared for hot dogs. Perhaps they were too salty or to messy or a burger tasted so much better. I'm still not a fan of processed hot dogs, although I do cook them regularly to use as training bait for my now not-so-little puppy. He loves them. But recently I've been thinking - What if I could improve upon the classic dog and make my own version? So I've been experimenting and share the results with you today. So use your imagination and join me on this doggy experiment! I'd love to hear what you do to make a better dog.

My recipe calls for using a seasoned ground meat mixture shaped in the form of a hot dog and cooked over high direct heat on the gas grill. I use ground moose meat because we have a lot of it and the texture is lean and tender. Ground chicken, turkey or beef work just as well. In my first effort I shaped the dogs and went directly to the grill, but they fell apart. For my next try I shaped the burgers in the morning and kept them refrigerated placing them on the grill cold: they held their shape much better this time. For particularly tender ground meat such as poultry the dog could be shaped around a skewer for support - just remember to remove the skewer before serving.

Kaye's You Have Arrived Dogs
Ingredients:
1/2 small sweet onion
1 cup button mushrooms, cleaned & quartered
2 pounds ground meat of your choice
1 teaspoon You Have Arrived Grilling Blend
1 recipe You Have Arrived Que-Sauce (recipe below)

Place the onion and mushrooms in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely minced. In a large bowl place the ground meat, minced onion and mushrooms, Grilling Blend and 1/2 cup of the YHA Que-Sauce. Working gently with your hand combine mixture. Divide into 8 equal portions (about 5 ounces each) and shape into dogs. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. Prepare grill to direct high heat and cook dogs, turning only once very gently. In the final minutes of cooking baste dogs with remaining YHA Que-Sauce. Serve with your favorite toppings with or without a bun.




Shop for the You Have Arrived Seasoning Blends

Per serving using ground game or poultry not including condiments or bun: 279 calories, 11g fat (3 saturated) 36g protein, 8g carbohydrate and 1g dietary fiber. 107mg cholesterol, 359mg sodium, 400mg potassium.

Per serving using ground pork not including condiments or bun: 329 calories, 25g fat (9 saturated) 20g protein, 6g carbohydrate and 1g dietary fiber. 82mg cholesterol, 319mg sodium, 434mg potassium.

Per serving using extra-lean ground beef not including condiments or bun: 296 calories, 20g fat (8 saturated) 22g protein, 6g carbohydrate and 1g dietary fiber. 78mg cholesterol, 330mg sodium, 431mg potassium.

Kaye's You Have Arrived Que-Sauce
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 small sweet onion, minced
1 teaspoon You Have Arrived Grilling Blend
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
dash cayenne pepper
Finishing Salt & ground pepper

Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add onion and cook until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook at a low simmer for 20-30 minutes until sauce thickens and flavors develop. Taste and season with the You Have Arrived Finishing Salt and ground pepper. Use as an ingredient in the dogs and also to baste grilled protein.

Stiff From Sitting? Try These Standing Leg Stretches

For people fighting obesity or morbid obesity the sedentary nature of our jobs works against us as we spend the majority of our working day seated allowing our basal metabolic rate to slow down. Not only that but our joints become stiff and muscles weaken from lack of use. It is hard to determine which came first: the obesity or the sedentary work environment. Experts in applied physiology report many of us do not stretch the large muscles in our legs often enough to counteract the daily stresses of prolonged sitting or standing. I happen to be one of those people.

Taking time to stretch our major muscle groups during the day is one thing we can consciously do to fight back against the deterioration caused from sitting. Doing the following four stretches once or twice during the day will help us become more flexible, will introduce more oxygen into the blood stream making us more alert, and will relieve the discomfort of stiff muscles and joints that results from prolonged sitting.

These common leg stretches are referenced in Joan Pagano's book "Strength Training for Women". She instructs us to push each stretch until feeling a gentle pull, but not pain, in the muscle. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds without bouncing which allows the muscle to lengthen. Breathe into the stretch, using the exhale to move deeper into the position.

Calf StretchStand with feet together and place left hand on a chair back for support. Take a giant step back with the right leg and press the heel into the floor. Bend your left knee over your ankle. Feel the stretch in the back of the calf.

Hip-Flexor StretchFrom the previous position, come up on the toes of your back foot, bend the back knee toward the floor and press the bottom of the pelvis forward. Keep the left knee directly over the ankle. Feel the stretch in the front of the right hip.

Quad StretchStand on your left leg with the knee soft. Bend the right leg and, holding the foot or ankle, bring the heel toward the buttocks. Feel the stretch along the front of the thigh. To intensify the stretch, press the bottom of the pelvis forward.

Hamstring StretchStand on your left leg, with the knee bent. Extend your right leg to the front, and rest your heel on the floor; with the toe pointing to the ceiling. Bend forward from the hip, keeping your upper body in proper alignment. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Turn around to perform the sequence of stretches on the left leg.

If you engage in a lunchtime walking program these stretches are a good warm-up to your mid-day walk. Warm-up exercises prepare you body for more active exercise and help to prevent injury. You can also follow your walk with these stretches as a cool-down to allow your body to return to a pre-exercise state. Both warm-up and cool-down exercises are important to a good exercise program.


Article Source: Stiff From Sitting? Try These Standing Leg Stretches

Slider Foods Spell Weight Regain For Weight Loss Surgery Patients

Slider Foods Spell Weight Regain For Weight Loss Surgery Patients
By Kaye Bailey

For most people eating sliders is a good thing. Popularized by the American food chain, White Castle, a slider (originally slyder) is a miniature grilled hamburger or cheeseburger on a steamed bun often served with onions and dill pickle and other condiments. They originally sold for a nickel a piece in the 1940s making it affordable to add a side of fries for just pennies. By all accounts this is a good kind of "slider" food.

To the weight loss surgery patient slider foods are the bane of good intentions and ignorance often causing dumping syndrome, weight loss plateaus, and eventually weight gain. Slider foods, to weight loss surgery patients, are soft simple processed carbohydrates of little or no nutritional value that slide right through the surgical stomach pouch without providing nutrition or satiation. The most innocent of slider foods are saltine crackers, often eaten with warm tea or other beverages, to soothe the stomach in illness or while recovering from surgery.

The most commonly consumed slider foods include pretzels, crackers (saltines, graham, Ritz, etc.) filled cracker snacks such as Ritz Bits, popcorn, cheese snacks (Cheetos) or cheese crackers, tortilla chips with salsa, potato chips, sugar-free cookies, cakes, and candy. You will notice these slider foods are often salty and cause dry mouth so they must be ingested with liquid to be palatable. This is how they become slider foods. They are also, most often, void of nutritional value.
5 Day Pouch Test - Stop the Carb Addiction

For weight loss surgery patients the process of digestion is different than those who have not undergone gastric surgery. When slider foods are consumed they go into the stomach pouch and exit directly into the jejunum where the simple carbohydrate slurry is quickly absorbed and stored by the body. There is little thermic effect in the digestion of simple carbohydrates like there is in the digestion of protein so little metabolic energy is expended. In most cases patients in the phase of weight loss who eat slider foods will experience a weight loss plateau and possibly the setback of weight gain. And sadly, they will begin to believe their surgical stomach pouch is not functioning properly because they never feel fullness or restriction like they experience when eating protein.

The very nature of the surgical gastric pouch is to cause feelings of tightness or restriction when one has eaten enough food. However, when soft simple carbohydrates are eaten this tightness or restriction does not result and one can continue to eat, unmeasured, copious amounts of non-nutritional food without ever feeling uncomfortable.

Use 5 Day Pouch Test to Overcome Slider Food Addiction

Many patients turn to slider foods for this very reason. They do not like the discomfort that results when the pouch is full from eating a measured portion of lean animal or dairy protein without liquids. Yet it is this very restriction that is the desired result of the surgery. The discomfort is intended to signal the cessation of eating. Remembering the "Protein First" rule is crucial to weight management with bariatric surgery.

Gastric bypass, gastric banding (lap-band) and gastric sleeve patients are instructed to follow a high protein diet to facilitate healing and promote weight loss. Bariatric centers advise what is commonly known among weight loss surgery patients as the "Four Rules" the most important of which is "Protein First." That means of all nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fat and alcohol) the patient is required to eat protein first.

Protein is not always the most comfortable food choice for weight loss surgery patients who feel restriction after eating a very small amount of food. However, for the surgical tool to work correctly a diet rich in protein and low in simple carbohydrate slider foods must be observed. The high protein diet must be followed even after healthy body weight has been achieved in order to maintain a healthy weight and avoid weight regain.

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Article Source: Slider Foods Spell Weight Regain For Weight Loss Surgery Patients