Never Alone with WLS

You are never alone in this weight loss surgery afterlife. Each year thousands and thousands of people are proactively fighting their morbid obesity with weight loss surgery. Collectively we are banding together for the long-term to empower one another for enduring success.

The LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood is our online "safe haven circle of friends": men and women who are seeking and offering support. Our Neighborhood includes long-term success stories, new post-operative patients enjoying the exciting phase of weight loss, pre-operative patients who are curious and eager to start their new lifestyle, and WLS patients who may have experienced the dreaded regain but are getting back on track. This is a powerful group of people who are doing their best to be respectful of their WLS and the way of life it brings.

I invite you to visit our Neighborhood to see first-hand the empowering support that is available 24/7. As our New Year's gift to you we are offering a 15-month subscription for the price of an annual subscription ($60 or simply .13 cents a day). You don't have to travel the road of WLS alone: Please come join our safe haven circle of friends and empower yourself for long-term success with WLS. We need you as much as you need us.

Why does the Neighborhood charge a subscription fee?

Learn more about the Neighborhood Subscriptions

Happy 2007!

Greetings Friends!

I hope you are healthy and well and living as we begin a new year. One thing I love about the new year is a clean calendar. There is so much hope and potential in crispy white clean calendar pages just waiting to be filled with the signs of living: appointments, schedules, vacations and such. A new year is also a time of reflection and contemplation. For us at LivingAfterWLS it is also the time to complete the LAWLS Personal Self-Assessment Workshet, one of our tools of empowerment.

LAWLS Personal Self-Assessment Worksheet

We will be discussing this more in tomorrow's You Have Arrived Newsletter (January 3) but I thought you might want a head start in using this tool for your introspective look at where you have come from and where you are going. You can read more about this in the Library: LAWLS Personal Self-Assessment

Remember, the more tools we use in conjunction with our WLS tool, the stronger we become. Use the tools.

Best wishes to you and yours in the coming year!

Webisodes: Knowledge for Success

Note from Kaye

One of our goals at LivingAfterWLS is to provide
current, on-going useful information that enables
our subscribers and community members to embrace
their weight loss surgery and succeed beyond the
statistics. We want you to go further and achieve
more than you have ever imagined. As part of
this effort I am pleased to introduce you to four
new webisodes from our sponsor, Healthology. These
are brief informational videos narrated by Faith
Daniels. They all address life after obesity
surgery. I learned from watching them, and I know
you will too. Take a moment to watch: knowledge is
power.

Plateaus After WLS and How to Get Beyond Them

Over The Counter Medications - What You Need to Know

Relationship Rescue After Weight Loss

Making Exercise a Part of Your Life

LAWLS Neighborhood Cookbook

Order today and save $2 off the Cover Price!


At long last the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood Cookbook is here! It is beautiful. This is the first ever weight loss surgery cookbook written by the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood. 300+ recipes created by real life home cooks who are living well with their weight loss surgery. Focus is on the high-protein, low-fat, low-carb diet while paying attention to flavor and fresh, nutritious ingredients. Recipes are uncomplicated and accessible while respecting the needs and lives of busy weight loss surgery patients.

300+ recipes, tips, hints and ideas for feeding your body well after weight loss surgery. The first ever cookbook written for weight loss surgery patients by weight loss surgery patients. This beautifully bound hard-back book includes recipes for:

On The Go Protein

Protein Breakfasts

Healthy Snacks

Condiments & Sauces

Family Friendly Main Dishes

Sensible Desserts

Many of your favorites from the LivingAfterWLS Recipe of the Week are included. Recipes are indexed and contain important nutritional information. Guarantee your success today! Put this valuable resource in you WLS toolbox.

SAME DAY SHIPPING! Order Today - Cook with it Next Week!

Prefer to Mail Order? Download PDF Order Form

New Blog: Flights of a Fitness Angel

I am very excited to introduce you to a new blog: Flights of a Fitness Angel written by Judy. Over at the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood we call Judy the "Fitness Diva" for her commitment and enthusiasm for exercise. What makes Judy even more remarkable? She a 20+ year post WLS success story (note her entry for 11/26: "Weight this morning was 113).

Read her. Know her. Love her.

Welcome to the blogging world, Judy! You Have Arrived!!!

Chili Roasted Pecans with Dried Cherries

Hi Sandra - here is the nut recipe as pictured below. It's delicious, I hope you enjoy (in moderation, of course!)

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens "Appetizers"

This is a sweet-savory nut recipe sure to satisfy any hunger craving. It can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container at room temperature until time to serve.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups nuts.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
2 cups pecan halves
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3/4 cup dried cherries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine cooking oil and hot pepper sauce. Add pecans; toss to coat evenly. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine chili powder, black pepper, salt, cumin and oregano. Add to pecans; toss well to coat.

Arrange pecans in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until toasted, stirring every 5 minutes. Keep a watchful eye as they can burn quickly. Remove from oven and stir in dried cherries. Serve warm or at room temperature.

One ounce of dry roasted pecans contains 187 calories, 2 grams of protein, 18 grams fat (1 saturated), 6 grams carbohydrate and 2 grams of dietary fiber. Nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the healthy fats.

Nutty Perspective

This is a picture from our Thanksgiving appetizer table - it clearly demonstrates the smallness of an "appropriate" 1-ounce serving of Chili-Toasted Pecans with Dried Cranberries from a recent Recipe of the Week. Notice the 1-ounce serving size. Even with WLS it is easy to over-eat the appropriate 1-ounce portion.

By the way, one ounce of dry roasted pecans contains 187 calories, 2 grams of protein, 18 grams fat (1 saturated), 6 grams carbohydrate and 2 grams dietary fiber. nuts are rich in monounsaturated fats, the healthy fats. However, a little goes a long way!

It's all about portion control! Make a visual image and honor your body with healthy foods in appropriate portion!

Read more: Nuts a do or a don't?

WLS Webisodes!Knowledge You Need to Succeed

We have been working closely with our partner, Healthology, to provide you the best, most up-to-date information about weight loss surgery. Today we are pleased to present seven new Webisodes (short online informational videos) that offer the keys to WLS success. The videos are in the Library: WLS Videos

You will see the new titles listed in the right column under "Webisodes" - If you don't see them press F5 or Refresh to open the updated page. Take a look and let us know what you think - I know you will enjoy them and learn some valuable information that will further enhance your LivingAfterWLS!

Kaye & Team

Shrimp-Tortellini Soup

This was dinner tonight!!! Another great recipe from our forthcoming Neighborhood cookbook. This is so delicious, so easy and so quick. It meets every need of the health conscious WLS post-op. And it was created by none other than our multi-talented LAWLS webmaster scoop-diddy! Enjoy this sneak-peek at the Neighborhood Cookbook! It's what's for dinner!

Ingredients:
boiling water
1 c. dry cheese tortellini
pinch salt
1 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1 large portobello mushroom, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. Old Bay Seafood seasoning
1 (14-0z) can diced tomatoes
1 lb. ready-to-eat shrimp
1/4 c. asiago cheese
2T Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Heat a medium pot of water to boiling. Add a pinch of salt and the tortellini, lower heat to a simmer. Cook tortellini to al dente and drain. Set aside. In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the minced garlic, finely chopped onion, and chopped mushrooms. Saute' stirring frequently. Add Old Bay Seafood Seasoning to vegetables and garlic. Add tomatoes with juice, stir and bring to a simmer. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in ready-to-eat shrimp and cooked tortellini. Top with crumbled asiago cheese. Cover and allow to rest 10 minutes. Serve in soup bowls topped with Parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Contributor's note: This is a healthy take on a classic Italian stew. It is quick, tasty and healthful. Editor's note: It is important to cook the tortellini separately from the stew. If you cook it with the stew too much starch will be released and the tortellini will become mushy.

Recipe note: Serves 4. Per serving: 276 calories, 30 grams protein, 9 grams fat (3 saturated), 16 grams carbohydrate and 2 grams dietary fiber.

Vegetarian Omega-3'sNature's Fatty Acids

Cold Pressed Organic High Lignan Flax Oil

Several of our LAWLS Neighbors supplement their diet with Flaxseed - - I am one of them. Here is some information on why I add a Flaxseed supplement to my daily vitamin cocktail:

- Flaxseed is the most concentrated plant source of Omega-3s (good fat) found in nature.

- Flaxseed contains linolenic acid and linoleic acid which are essential fatty acids that cannot be made by the body therefore they must be obtained through diet.

- Flaxseed is a source of heart healthy nutrients and can support healthy cholesterol levels.

Huge Vitamin Sale: Buy 2 Bottles Get 4 FREE. No Coupon Code Required.

Dr. Andrew Weil in "The Healthy Kitchen" p. xxiii writes:

"One special group of good fats deserves particular attention. Omega-3 fats are a group of polyunsaturated fats that are absolutely essential for optimum health. The body needs them on a regular basis to synthesize hormones and build cell membranes, including those of nerve cells in the brain. Dietary sources of omega-3s are few and probably, most American's are deficient in them. That deficiency may underlie our susceptibility to heart disease, inflammatory diseases, some forms of cancer and a variety of nervous and mental disorders...The main source of these good fats is fish, especially fatty fish from cold waters: salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines and (to a lesser extent) albacore tuna. Non-fish sources are few: walnuts, flax seeds, hemp seeds and the oils extracted from them."

Because my diet is low calorie and low fat I feel the addition of a flaxseed supplement in my diet is an intelligent and informed way to ingest these good omega-3s. It is believed by many bariatric nutritionists that flaxseed oil in softgel supplement form is favorably absorbed by patients with a malabsorptive WLS procedure (gastric bypass).

I take Puritan's Pride product #1450 (1000mg Organic Flaxseed Oil).

Cold Pressed Organic High Lignan Flax Oil

VITAMIN SUPERSALE FROM OUR LAWLS PARTNER!!! Buy 2-Get 4 FREE!

Many of you know LAWLS is sponsored in part by Puritan's Pride Quality Vitamins. For the next few weeks they are having a fabulous sale - Buy 2 - Get 4 FREE. In other words, for the price of 2 bottles of Vitamin C you get 6 bottles.

Puritan's Pride Quality Vitamins

In addition to the link above, you can link to the Puritan's Pride website through any LAWLS Library page such as this one on Calcium. The Puritan's banner is front and center just below the search box - click it and you will be directed to this fabulous vitamin superstore. You can also find a link to Puritan's right here on the LAWLS Blog in the right-hand column. A small procede of your purchase goes to support LAWLS, but more importantly you get a great product at a great price.

In addition to my post-WLS vitamins, we purchase all of Jim's vitamins from Puritan's and pet vitamins as well. They also have a wonderful selection of children's vitamins and holistic products. Jim has been buying from Puritan's for many many years and personally swears by their products (and he is a picture of health!) I hope you'll give them a try. Let us know what you think. . .

Oh, one more thing - Shipping is $3.95 on any sized order! Can't beat that!!!

Puritan's Pride Shipping is Only $3.95 on Any Size Order!

If you have a question about any of their products post it here. If I can't answer it we will contact their nutrition support team. If you have used Puritan's in the past let us know what you think too!

Here's to our partner in good health Puritan's Pride Quality Vitamins!

Creamy Butternut Squash Bake

This recipe was featured in the LivingAfterWLS Recipe of the Week on October 1. It's quickly become a Neighborhood favorite with great reviews from all who have made it. Give it a try tonight.


Creamy Butternut Squash Bake

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
1/2 cup sour cream, light
2 Tablespoons margarine/butter blend
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Directions
Wash and dry butternut squash. Leave whole. Pierce skin with a carving fork in 4 or 5 places. Place squash on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake in a 350F degree oven for 40 minutes or until soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

When squash is cool enough to handle cut lengthwise in two pieces. Remove and discard seeds. Spoon out sqash into a casserole dish. Add sour cream and 1 tablespoon of the margarine/butter blend. Mash all ingredients together with a potato masher. Smooth mixture in casserole dish.

In a small bowl melt the remaining tablespoon of margarine/butter blend. Stir in breadcrumbs and parmesan mixing to moisten. Sprinkle crumb mixture atop squash and sprinkle with grated nutmeg. Bake in 350F degree oven for 25 minutes.

Serves 4. Per serving: 199 calories, 7 grams protein, 10 grams fat (5 saturated), 22 grams carbohydrate and 2 grams dietary fiber.

Subscribe to the LAWLS Recipe of the Week

Cranberry Apple Cream Cheese Mold

Since WLS I've become a Jell-O aficionado. Who among the WLS crowd isn't some kind of Jell-O expert since it is one of our early "safe" foods? The Kraft website has some terrific recipes and this is one of my favorites. Of course I always switch out the regular gelatin for sugar-free and in this case use the 1/3 fat cream cheese rather than full fat. This recipe is particularly good this time of year when the apples are so crisp and delicious. It makes a terrific side salad or dessert. If you can't find the sugar-free cranberry the sugar-free cherry flavored is a nice substitute.

Cranberry Apple Cream Cheese Mold

1-1/2 cups boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) or 2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Brand sugar-free Cranberry Flavor Gelatin
2 cups cold apple juice or cold water
1 medium red apple, cored, quartered and thinly sliced
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA 1/3 fat Cream Cheese, softened

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin in large bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Stir in juice. Remove 1 cup of the gelatin; set aside at room temperature. Refrigerate remaining gelatin 1-1/2 hours or until thickened (spoon drawn through leaves definite impression).

SPOON half of the thickened gelatin into 6-cup mold sprayed with cooking spray; top with single layer of apple slices, with slices slightly overlapping. Cover with remaining thickened gelatin. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set but not firm (gelatin should stick to finger when touched and should mound).

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with wire whisk until creamy. Gradually add reserved 1 cup gelatin, beating until well blended. Pour over gelatin layer in mold. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm. Unmold onto serving platter. Store leftover gelatin in refrigerator.


KRAFT KITCHENS TIPS

How To Soften Cream Cheese
Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese on microwavable plate. Microwave on HIGH 15 seconds or until slightly softened.

How To Unmold Gelatin
Dip mold in warm water for about 15 seconds. Gently pull gelatin from around edges with moist fingers. Place moistened serving plate on top of mold. Invert mold and plate; holding mold and plate together, shake slightly to loosen. Gently remove mold and center gelatin on plate.

Update from the LAWLS Test Kitchen

Hello WLS Bloggers!

I can't believe two months have slipped by since my last post here at the LivingAfterWLS blog. Boy time flies when a person gets busy. And busy I've been - testing and editing recipes for the first ever LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood Cookbook.

Earlier this year we enlisted the help and expertise of community members to share their recipes for our cookbook. We wanted recipes that complied with the weight loss surgery dietary requirements (high protein, low carbohydrate, low fat), recipes that were fast and easy to prepare and dishes that were refreshing and delicious to enjoy. After all, if you can only eat a few bites what you eat should be delicious!

The response to our recipe request was fantastic - we received over 300 recipes ranging from simple make-n-take protein roll-ups to elegant entrées for romantic dining WLS style. We even scored some pretty terrific healthy snack recipes and sensible desserts for everyday and special occasions.

Once the recipes were submitted it became my job as the lead cook in the LAWLS kitchen to test each recipe, calculate the nutritional content, double check ingredient lists, instructions and even spelling. Most of the time this was fun and exciting. Some days it got to be a drag when the weather was so pretty and I would have preferred to be playing outdoors. Overall, however, it was a pleasure to step inside the "kitchens" of my fellow WLS'ers and learn how they cook, what they eat and what is working for them.

What resulted from this collective effort is an original cookbook by WLS patients for WLS patients. I'm very proud of the contributions and effort by the Neighbors to share their recipes and tips for making life healthy and good through smart WLS cooking. The book is in the hands of our publisher now and will be ready for shipment come mid-November. I can't wait for the Neighbors to see their creation.

Order the LivingAfterWLS Cookbook: $14.00 (SAVE $2 off cover price)

Here are a few things I learned while editing the cookbook:

Ketchup, catchup and catsup are all correct spellings for a seasoned pureed condiment made from tomatoes. We used catsup in our book.

Chick pea is often written as two words, it is really one word: chickpea.

Parmesan is capitalized.

Spinach (fresh or frozen) is a favorite ingredient for many WLS cooks.

Most contributors made use of a variety of seasonings and herbs to enhance the flavor and appeal of their recipes. Fresh ingredients were emphasized by many. Processed ingredients were seldom called for.

There are an infinite number of ways to make stuffed eggs and most home cooks believe their recipe is the best.

Chicken, turkey and shrimp are top favorites for clean mean protein. But salmon, halibut, pork, beef and even scallops each make impressive appearances in the cookbook.

Finally - the most important thing I learned is that the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood abounds with great cooks who are feeding their bodies well and succeeding with WLS. Congratulations to all my Neighbors!

Mechanics of WLS: A Quick Refresher Course

I have found that occasionally re-visiting the mechanics of surgery helps me to remember to respect my new body. I don't want to take for granted the surgical changes to my body. These two quick videos, explain the mechanics of gastric bypass and banding. Watching them was a great reminder for me that I'll never go back to "normal". Take a look:

Understanding Gastric Bypass Surgery and Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery

What Are the Different Types of Surgery for Obesity?

Why LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood is Different

Earlier this year LivingAfterWLS added a community forum to the web-suite. It's called The Neighborhood: A safe haven circle of friends who are LivingAfterWLS. In a short time the forum has become an active support community of which I am personally quite proud.

I've watched several topics and posts the last few days that have truly made me appreciate how different the LAWLS Neighborhood is from other online WLS communities.

One thing that makes me particularly proud is the acceptance of the individual while celebrating in the united cause of living well. Years ago I left an active online WLS community because of the bigotry that brewed between the so-called "light-weight" and "heavy-weight" post-WLS membership. Perhaps some of you have seen this in your online travels. The heavy-weights treated the light-weights with disdain for their "cosmetic" surgery and the light-weights ridiculed the heavy-weights for waiting so long before doing something. It was ugly. Bigotry among our own people.

Morbid obesity is a disease and the best known medical treatment to put that disease in check is gastric surgery: banding or bypass. I don't care who you are or how much you weigh, when you take the plunge into weight loss surgery you demonstrate bravery, grit, determination and resolution to work with the tool to change your health and your life for the better.

We have people of all sizes here. The common thread is we all suffer from morbid obesity and are treating it with the best medical option available. Some recent posts could have taken us down the heavy-weight/light-weight path, but they didn't. All members of this community rallied for our Neighbors when it came time to support, commiserate and encourage. For that I applaud you all!

Thank you,
Kaye

Informational Videos

Are you in the "considering surgery" phase in your fight against morbid obesity? Are you wondering if you are to blame for your weight problem or is Morbid Obesity a disease over which you have little control? To answer these questions watch this video provided to the Neighborhood by Healthology, a leading producer and distributor of physician-generated health and medical information on the Web.

What Is Morbid Obesity and What Can Be Done?

You may also find these videos informative as you learn more about morbid obesity and what can be done about it.

Gastric Bypass Surgery, most commonly Roux en Y
Adjustable Gastric Banding (Lap-Band)

Please link to these brief, but informative videos, to learn more about these procedures to help you know what is right for you.

Understanding Gastric Bypass Surgery and Adjustable Gastric Banding Surgery


What Are the Different Types of Surgery for Obesity?

Preparing for Weight-Loss Surgery

The LivingAfterWLS website is funded in part by Healthology.

Intuitive Eating: Another WLS Tool

We all know that WLS is only one tool in our pursuit of a healthy body and mind. To that end we must constantly educate ourselves and indeed arm ourselves with other tools to work in tandem with the WLS so that we achieve our health and wellness goals.

One of the latest buzzwords is "Intuitive Eating". "Intuitive eating teaches a philosophy of making peace with food preferences and choices, with the understanding that balance and wisdom regarding nutrition will emerge." Elyse Resch, co-author of "Intuitive Eating: A revolutionary Program that Works" was quoted in this month's "Food & Fitness Advisor" from Cornell University. She claims that many of us label certain foods "good" or "bad" in a process of deprivation, which ultimately leads to bingeing and sabotage efforts at healthful eating. She counsels to quit judging food and take an intuitive approach to eating.

"Lifting the ban on so-called "bad" foods eliminates associated feelings of deprivation and guilt. Over time, intuitive eaters taper off from eating excessive amounts of these items and become more able to enjoy them in quantities good for maintaining a normal weight and healthy lifestyle."

So how can this philosophy work with the WLS lifestyle? Certainly in the malabsorptive-restrictive procedures (gastric bypass) certain foods must be banned or illness results. In addition, as you have heard me say so often, "If you eat the foods that caused obesity before surgery, they will surely cause obesity after surgery." So in a sense we in the WLS lifestyle do assign judgment to foods: crackers = bad, lean deli-turkey = good.

What I suggest and am in personal pursuit of is "learned intuitive eating." To that end I am approaching my food selections with the question, "Will this food choice give me energy, satiate my hunger, satisfy my taste and sustain my healthy weight?" By engaging in this dialog I'm becoming more skilled at intuitive choices because I want energy, satiation, satisfaction while staying a healthy weight.

What about you - - How can you apply the concept of intuitive eating in your WLS lifestyle?

Controversial Cauliflower

Recently at the LAWLS Neighborhood we had a lively discussion about using cauliflower for a recipe called mock fried rice. The recipe, provided by our good neighbor Keri:), sounds very good. However, cauliflower is one of the "controversial" foods bariatric dieticians debate, sometimes quite passionately, as a post-WLS do or don't.

Cauliflower is from the cruciferous vegetable group (broccoli, cabbage & Brussels sprouts) and contains high amounts of digestive enzymes that often cause gas, bloating and gastric distress. In some gastric bypass patients these symptoms are severe when cruciferous vegetables are consumed. It is believed that there is not enough stomach acid to neutralize the enzymes, thus the gas/bloating result. Some bariatric dieticians/nutritionists ban these vegetables, others say enjoy in moderation and yet others say learn what works for you.

So - there you have it! Who knew cauliflower could be so controversial?

I enjoy cauliflower occasionally if it is lightly steamed and eaten with protein. But because of the confusion surrounding these vegetables I have elected to not include them very often in the LAWLS recipes/menus.

What foods have you heard of post-wls that are controversial?

Read the Great Cauliflower Debate

Basics of Low-Carb Eating

Recently at LivingAfterWLS we've been focused on finding ways to beat the Carb-Monster. Most WLS post-ops, me included, learn the hard way that a return to processed carbs starts a wicked cycle of binge eating, grazing and ultimately weight gain. Sometimes we feel totally mired in the carb trap without means or will to find our way out.

I suppose the easiest advice to give a pre-op WLS candidate is "Never ever taste another processed carb again. Just don't go there." But in our carb-happy world that's tough advice to follow. Some of the best advice I've found comes from the low-carb diet camp (think Adkins). Here's an abreviated list of low-carb basics that not only expains why we get trapped in the carb cycle, but the benefits of getting out of the cycle.


Low-Carb Basics

Many people cannot eat large amounts of carbohydrate foods – sugars and starches – without making and storing body fat.

All carbohydrates, except for dietary fiber, are ultimately broken down into simple sugar molecules by the digestive processes.

The body will not burn fat for fuel as long as there is a steady supply of quick-to-burn sugar. Inversely, without sugar, the body will be forced to use body fat for energy.

The breakdown of body fat will produce energy for the body and ketones, which are eliminated in the urine.

Insulin levels are stabilized because the pancreas no longer has to pump out large amounts in response to sugary, starchy meals or snacks.

Without surges and dips in insulin levels, your blood sugar remains stable.

Ultimately a steady low-carbohydrate diet eliminates cravings and blood sugar swings. The presence of ketones helps control hunger. You lose fat and lose weight.