Sizzling Hot BamaGal

Ladies and Gentlemen stand on your feet and put your hands together for our own BamaGal who has been named by Jimmy Moore one of the Sizzling Hot New Low-Carb Blogs for 2007!!! This is no ordinary blog shout-out - this is HUGE!!!! Jimmy Moore is a leader in the grass roots low-carb movement and he knows a good thing when he sees one. Diane started her blog in March 2007 and is now a leader in the low-carb community. Way to go Diane!!!

As you all know, an understanding and practice of low-carb is key in our success in weight management with weight loss surgery. If you haven't bookmarked Diane's blog, Back Across the Line, then don't walk, run to your favorites page and click SAVE now. Diane is the most current and accurate researcher when it comes to the low carb lifestyle with a little weight loss surgery and bipolar disorder mixed in for fun.

Glad to have you here at LivingAfterWLS, BamaGal and I am proud to say I knew you when you simply left comments -- now my friend, YOU are leader of the pack and I am your #1 fan.

Fat Burn: Catching the Regained Weight

Early this summer I found myself in the same fat-pants as many post-WLSers a few years out: I had regained some weight. About 16-18 pounds over my best weight. I blame it on stress eating and relaxing the rules. Actually, there were no rules and it showed. I knew I had to do something, for myself and for the weight loss surgery community that is such a part of my life. Afterall, I often answer emails giving advice to people just like me who have found the scale creeping upward. And here I was experiencing the same feelings of shame and failure that I try to help others cope with.

On June 6 I announced my plan to the Neighborhood, our online weight loss surgery community: "Like many of us WLSers who occasionally get off track the time has come for me to clean-up my diet, get back to basics, shed a few pounds and return to my best life with WLS. So I've been doing some (re)reading and note taking, reviewed my personal self assessment(s). I have my plan and I'm working it."

Read my full post and conversation: Going Into Fat Burn: Reclaiming my LAWLS Life

My plan started with a fat-burn detox that was three days of eating nothing but animal protein, as much as I could throughout the day. It takes the body approximately 4 hours to metabolize food (give or take some with the WLS). When the body is in metabolism it is also considered "fat burn" mode. Protein has the highest thermic effect of food over fat or carbohydrates. The thermic effect of food is how many calories it takes to digest the food. When the body is given only lean protein it doesn't have any easy nutrients (carbs or fat) so it must work to digest and metabolize the protein into fuel. Some nutritionists and scientists believe it takes more calories to digest protein than the protein contains.

Review: Protein First Rule

So far I've lost ten pounds. That's about right for two months although I do dream of the good old "rapid weight loss phase" of gastric bypass. Now, I haven't worked my plan without bumps and bounces. In fact, in July, I lost and gained the same two pounds the entire month. I have identified two reasons: first a change in my gardening activity. Since the heavy early-season work was accomplished the light maintenance hasn't required as much physical effort from me. I find it interesting to note that the "LIVING" activity plays a role in weight loss and health. So I must either increase my formal exercise or find a replacement "LIVING" activity. Secondly, I'm eating quite a bit of carbohydrates in the form of seasonal fruits and veggies. I know for me to lose weight I need to reign-in the carbs (even the good ones) but I just cannot give up the joy of summer's bounty.

On a positive note, I'm now on decaf-coffee exclusively using the Emergen-C for my little "boost". And I have not allowed white starches or processed food into my body.

Yesterday I stopped by my nutrition center to be weighed and have my body mass measured. The news is good!! My initial measure on June 4, 2007 indicated 32.7% body fat - 13% excess of my 20% goal. Yesterday my body fat measured 28.6% - 9% excess of goal. So I've lost 4% body fat.

I'm about half-way to my comfort weight and anxious to get there. So I made a plan:

--Continue with the high protein low carb eating, enjoying but not indulging the summer veggies.
--Increase my exercise from 40 mins/day to 60 minutes 5 days a week (emphasis on cardio).
--Continue to record my food, exercise & moods.
--Office Motion: Walk 5-minutes every hour including up-down stairs, 15 minute walk at lunchtime.
--Deep-clean the basement and garage for "LIVING" activity (that should be fun! ha-ha).

Eight pounds to go back to my comfort zone. I can do this!!!! And if you are frustrated by a weight gain after weight loss surgery it is possible to get it under control and take it off again. No, it isn't easy and sometimes I want to bang my head on the wall because I have to fight my weight every day of my life. But I am willing to fight so I never go back to obesity.

If you have successfully beat a regain let me hear from you. I can use all the help I can get!

Thiamine Deficiency and WLS

I just finished reading another great piece of research and information from our own Professor Bama (aka Bamagal) regarding Thiamine (Vitamins B, B1) and thiamine deficiency in gastric bypass patients. This is an extremely important issue, particularly for those in the first two years of post-gastric bypass. Bamagal writes, "As you can clearly see, this can be very dangerous. We're talking about your brain here people." Please take a moment to read Diane's post. Be informed and pay attention to your health. As she said,

That's why I preach proactive health care. You must take an active part in your own care. You must seek out knowledge to make you a better health consumer. If there is one thing I've found out over the years, you can not blindly listen to your doc.

If there is only one blog you read regarding weight loss surgery make it Back Across the Line. There is no other web resource where you can go for current and straight forward information on weight loss surgery, bipolar disorder written by one with nursing credentials AND real life experience. Thanks Bamagal for providing this leading edge resource.

Have you experienced the symptoms of Thiamine Deficiency? How has your medical treated it? How have you proactively tended your own health care?

Hair Loss Cause - Blood Circulation

Hair loss is a concern for most new weight loss surgery patients. We have heard the stories about patients losing their hair during the first year of massive weight loss. Many of us take vitamins believed to improve the health of the hair and prevent hair loss including silica complex and biotin. But here is another approach to avoiding hair loss: improved blood circulation. Mr. Silva writes, "Blood circulation is one hair loss cause that you can work on. By doing some of the recommend techniques listed here you can help yourself to have better hair for a longer time."

By Rudy Silva

One hair loss cause that is not discussed much is poor blood circulation in your scalp. This must be included in any discussion or listing of what causes hair loss or what can improve hair growth. What is important in blood circulation is the quantity and quality of the blood reaching the hair root. If your hair root does not get a good supply of blood, lymph, oxygen and nutrients, it will shrink and die.

Reduction in blood to the scalp is one hair loss cause that is caused by yet another body condition - tension or stress. Excess stress causes muscles to tighten and reduces blood flow to the furthest parts of our body - feet, hands, and head. Capillaries become constricted and feed your hair follicles and hair roots less blood.

Stress also works with androgenic hormones to tighten the scalp, making it thinner, and making it more susceptible to hair loss. Women, however, seem to maintain a thicker scalp which is a better condition for continuous hair growth.

Your blood circulation can also be caused by harden crystals that form from sebum and hair perspiration. These crystals plug up the follicles causing surround tissue to harden and then restrict the flow of blood to the follicle. Use of apple cider vinegar as a final rinse during shampooing and using jojoba oil as a hair gel will help limit these crystals.

Any arthritis or tightening of neck muscles can restrict blood flow to the head. Here you need neck massages. Regular exercises or movement activity will help you increase your blood circulation to your head.

In the hair loss cause due to blood circulation, moving your head below your heart regularly can bring more blood into your scalp. For those of you that have high blood pressure or circulation problems, you need to avoid these techniques. You can lie in bed with your head hanging over. Bring you head near the floor and count to 10 then bring it back level with your body. You can repeat this 6 - 7 times once or twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. Also you can increase the count from10 to longer times as you continue to do this exercise.

The are also slant board that are sold, which allow you to lie on the board so that your head is near the floor and your feet are up in the air and the height will be determined by the angle of the slant. You can also do a yoga head stance, if you are doing yoga.

If you want scalp massage to be effective you need to do it at least twice a day. Place your fingertips on your scalp and move the scalp in two directions - forward and back and in a circulating motion. Do not rub or scratch your scalp to avoid breaking off hair or damaging your scalp.

Blood circulation is one hair loss cause that you can work on. By doing some of the recommend techniques listed here you can help yourself to have better hair for a longer time.

Rudy S Silva is a Natural Nutritionist. You can get more tips and information on hair loss and hair growth at: http://www.4hairloss-help.com Rudy also writes a weekly newsletter giving natural remedies that you can use to keep you healthy. Go to: http://www.natural-remedies-thatwork.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rudy_Silva
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hair-Loss-Cause---Blood-Circulation&id=677739

In Praise of Star Jones Reynolds

Star Jones Reynolds has been taking a media and blog-lynching for years. First because she was fat, next because she did something to gain control of her weight and health, next for refusing to share her private medical information with the public. And now for publicly disclosing a very personal and private matter: she had gastric bypass surgery.

If you are looking for Star-Bashing then move along, you won’t find it here.

Star Jones Reynolds is more representative of the weight loss surgery community than one might think. Her predicament vs. the average desk-jockey-Jane is that of full public exposure. Granted, she elected a career in the public spotlight, but she is a person and deserves to protect her private life as much as you or me. When an average-Jane such as myself had gastric bypass and chose not to disclose it to my co-workers I did not have to see my big butt splashed on the tabloids with speculation and accusation. Oh sure, there were whispers behind my back as my ever-shrinking body told the tale of rapid weight loss. But I ignored it and stuck with my story, “changed my diet and I am exercising regularly.” Which actually is the truth – to this day – 8 years post-op.

You see, medical history is nobody’s damn business but your own. As far as I’m concerned there is too much disclosure of medical history. I don’t want to know about polyps in the president’s colon or kidney stones being passed by my co-worker down the hall. Details about Aunt Madge’s diverticulitis qualify as to much information.

Now, what would be the reason that Star or me would keep our little surgical solution secret? I don’t know about her but I felt ashamed that I needed help, drastic help to take control of my health. Plenty of times I heard the chants, “Eat less, move more.” No kidding, easy to say those words little miss skinny-minnie-eat-anything-you-want-and-don’t-gain weight. How about we strap a hundred pounds or so on your almighty back and see how much you move and how friggin’ hungry you get! I felt enough shame on my own and didn’t need anyone else to serve me a super-size portion of guilt. And that shame haunts me.

And another thing, talk about stomach stapling, gastric bypass or gastric banding to just about anyone and I guarantee they know “a friend of a friend who got that done and things went bad.” It’s tough enough to make the decision to have surgery, why add to the mental torment with stories of a friend of a friend?

People on the outside looking in say weight loss surgery (gastric bypass or gastric banding) patients take “the easy way out” of obesity. The obese are viewed as slothful, dumb and weak. Ms. Jones-Reynolds proves that theory wrong. She is an educated and ambitious black woman who created a perfect storm of stardom and success in a world where the odds were against her. Really, how many morbidly obese black (or white for that matter) women rise to the level of success she achieved? And so what if along the way she neglected her health, as so many of us do? And so what if she chose the best medically available option for her long-term success? Losing weight by any means is tough work. The easy way is staying fat.

Weight-Loss Surgery Myths Dispelled

As a celebrity she no-doubt observed the way other celebrity weight loss surgery patients shed their weight in the public fishbowl. Any public figure paying attention to that would think twice before “coming out” with the humiliating information, “I have an illness for which I am being medically treated for the sake of my health.” If her illness were something with a cause ribbon such as heart disease or cancer she would have been applauded and praised for taking advantage of state of the art medical science. But obesity, no, that’s a disease of shame and disgrace.

Obesity and Your Health: How WLS Can Help

And what if down the road she regains a few pounds? Most of us do, including the celebrities whose worth is measured by the scale. She will then face another public lynching as the bloggers and the press guesstimate her tragic rebound to the land of the binge-eating bulge. What is so skewed about this, a relapse with a “real” disease is cause of public empathy and humaneness. Regained weight, on the other hand, is a feather in the cap of those “I told you so” critiques who think someone else’s weight is their business.

It is no wonder Star Jones Reynolds, me, my brother and thousands of the weight loss surgery patients living amongst us keep (kept) our dirty little secret to ourselves for so long.

Kudos to you Ms.Jones-Reynolds. I wish you the best of health and happiness. You’ve earned it the hard way.

3 New Weight Loss Surgery Videos

We have three new informational weight loss surgery videos for you!

Click to our Video Index to watch these new informational programs - they are at the top of the page under "NEW"

Obesity and Diabetes: A Strong Connection
Four Fast Facts to Determine if You're a Candidate for WLS
Weight-Loss Surgery with Fewer Scars and Less Pain

Also, check out the Gastric Banding videos - they are up and running again.

The Neighborhood:Community Upgrades & Membership

Our LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood - the online community we call a safe haven circle of friends - is now a little over 16-months old. During this time weight loss surgery patients from around the world have connected and shared their living after weight loss surgery experiences. Pre-ops have come aboard, asked questions and shared their excitement. And old timers have shared the wisdom that comes with experience. The Neighborhood has not been without struggles and the growing pains have been at times frustrating. But I wouldn't change a thing in my day, it is the Neighbors who empower me to keep doing my best with weight loss surgery.

We have adjusted our registration process to make it easier to successfully join the community, to keep spammers out and our borders safe. We now offer two levels of membership (described below). If you previously had problems registering please drop by again. I think you will like what you find.

Welcome to the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood forum - our safe haven circle of friends. We pride ourselves in being the premier online destination for those seeking empowering weight loss surgery support in a safe online environment.

I'm ready to be empowered!
Take me the registration page

We have two levels of registration so that we can provide for the specific needs of all those seeking long-term positive support in their weight loss surgery journey.

MEMBERS: Non-expiring free membership is open to anyone with a valid email address. Once registered you will be placed in the "Members" group and have access to the following forums: Welcome Neighbors, Introductions, Bulletin Board. The Town Square - LivingAfterWLS Knowledge Center including the forums WLS Chat; Power Tools for LivingAfterWLS; Diet, Nutrition & Supplements; Exercise & Fitness; Pre-Ops & Newbies; Men & Weight Loss surgery; Obesity, Health and Wellness. And access to The Picket Fence: LivingAfterWLS Social Center including the forums: Picket Fence, Celebration Page and Community Kitchen.

In addition, Members may participate in Live Chat, read the hosted Neighborhood Blogs and view the Gallery of photos. Members will not be able to create a blog or create a picture gallery due to the expense of bandwidth and hosting.

Registration Page


PREMIER CITIZENSHIP: For those who wish to take advantage of all Neighborhood amenities we offer a paid subscription. Once subscribed you will be placed in the "Citizens" group to enjoy the full benefits of the Neighborhood including creating a hosted blog and hosted gallery album. The cost of registration is minimal: $10/1 month; $24/3 months or $60/12 months. The small fee is literally pennies a day to enjoy the advertising-free supportive and empowering environment in the Neighborhood.

Premier Citizenship includes access to the following forums in addition to the ones listed in the free membership:

In The Town Square: Emotions & Mind Games; Embarrassing Questions; Maintainers; OOOps! Regaining; Hi Mamma! Post-WLS Pregnancy; The Family Table and (permission required) the Mental Health and Nurturing Neighbors protected forums.

In the Picket Fence Premier Citizens will enjoy Good Feelings...Oh Yea!!; The Venting Rock; Talents, Hobbies, Crafts and Entertainment and the permission required "Brass Button Singles Lounge, a protected forum.

Registration Page

If you are enjoying a free membership package and wish to upgrade to the Premier Citizenship simply go to "My Controls" and under options select "Purchase Paid Subscriptions". We accept PayPal or payment by check in the postal mail system.

Thank you for taking time to register and become a valued member of our community.

Sincerely,
Kaye Bailey and the LivingAfterWLS team

Product Recommendation: Emergen-C

It's not very often that post here to recommend a product, but today I'm giving a shout-out for Emergen-C - The vitamin and mineral drink mixes that dissolve in water. A nutritionist recommended the "Energy Booster" formula to me. She explained that the Emergen-C products work well with our bodies because the vitamins and minerals are easily absorbed. Now, I tend to be a bit skeptical when it comes to things like this, but I tried the product and I do believe it makes a difference in my energy levels. In fact, I've replaced one of my two morning cups of coffee with one cup of the energy booster formula.

Emergen-C makes several different formulas including the Immune Defense Formula, the ElectroMIX Packets Electrolyte Booster and the "Super Energy Booster" that I'm taking. The energy booster is rich in B-vitamins, and minerals including potassium, magnesium, zinc and several others. Now, a caution, there are 6 grams of sugar in each single-size serving. If you are sugar sensitive use caution.

I'd love to know if some of you are using this product? Has it made a difference in how you feel? What other vitamin drink mixes are you using?

Declare Your Independence

Presented with permission from our Living After Weight Loss Surgery Neighbor Judy Petite:

"Happy Birthday, USA! This month, this nation celebrates a time when we declared we would no longer be governed by another entitity that did not have our best interests at heart. No, our forefathers declared that our nation would freely and independently be in charge of its own affairs.

Have you read the Declaration of Independence lately? Have a look: Declaration of Independence

In this document, Thomas Jefferson listed the reasons for breaking with Great Britain. What a writer that man was! The bottom line was that the Colonials were being treated as second-class citizens while being taxed at first-class rates. He outlined the steps they had taken to correct the situation, but to no avail. The King retained his iron grip on the Colonies. The drastic step of revolution was the only chance to break that grip.

I can liken the feelings I had when I chose to undergo weight loss surgery! I was sometimes treated as second-class by others, but more importantly I actually considered myself to be second-class -- not as good or worthy as others. Yet I still had to live in the world, and my unhealthy body had more and more difficulty accomplishing the everyday tasks of getting around in life. I was ruled over -- governed -- by a tyrant called Morbid Obesity! I had tried to correct it -- diets, organizations of all kinds. Obesity retained its iron grip on me. The drastic step of WLS was my only chance to break that grip.

In choosing weight loss surgery, I declared to myself that "I am and of right ought to be free and independent from the bond of obesity" and that "Obesity's grip on my life is and of right ought to be totally dissolved". My declaration of independence!

The choice of our founding fathers for Revolution was a serious one. They pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor. They followed through on that pledge and they succeeded.

The choice for WLS requires our pledge to ourselves as well! Life will never be the same. We commit ourselves to follow the rules, to be honest with ourselves, to change our habits to healthy ones. If we follow through, we can succeed!

Exercise is one of our most effective tools in our WLS revolution. It will rebuild the body that obesity injured; it will help us banish the pounds and it will help us keep them off. My commitment to regular exercise is my daily declaration to myself -- "Morbid Obesity ain't the boss of me!!!"

If you are not from the USA, I hope you'll forgive my patriotic post, but understand the spirit in which I share it. Whatever nationality you are, you too can break free from the tyrant of obesity!

Please feel free to post here regarding your fitness routine for July. Are you enjoying the outdoors? Are you building up your muscles, working on flexibility, building up your cardiovascular system? What do you love about your fitness routine?

Is exercise a challenge? Why? Tell us -- let us help you. In order to get the best result from your Revolution, exercise MUST become a part of your daily life. Don't hide from it! Bring it out, and let's work together.

Happy birthday, USA! And happy independence day to WLS'ers everywhere!

Judy"


Well said, Judy! Thank you!

Portion Control Plates

A Canadian study recently found that diabetics were able to lose 5% of their body weight over six months when using a plates and bowls that clearly mark appropriate portion size. The plates are decorated to indicate portion size for carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, cheese and sauce. They are just large enough to hold an 800-calorie meal for men and a 650-calorie meal for women. The bowls hold a 200-calorie serving of cereal and milk.

The plate is manufactured in the UK and includes a diet program; The Diet Plate.


What I found interesting about this concept is that many of us adjust our dishware after weight loss surgery as a means to help with portions. Kim uses a salad plate for her meals. I use custard cups for soft foods like cottage cheese or jello. And I believe Sweet Meliss is still using her tiny dishes that she bought prior to her gastric bypass. Read this terrific entry from her Big Grandma No More blog on November 11, 2005:

From Sweet Meliss on Big Grandma No More blog (November 11, 2005)

"Walked into an oriental store and spent time looking at these really cute Japanese dishes. Bought myself a tiny plate, a matching 3 ounce tea cup with a cover that when flipped over can also be used as a tiny plate. Pretty bamboo design. Wallah I have my first WLS dining set. I have this clear blue glass dessert dish that I can use as a tray and set these dishes on and have my meals. I think I have just started my collection of minature dishes."

Smaller dishes, it seems are another useful item in our Power Tools resource box. Are you using smaller plates to help with portion control? What about smaller spoons and forks - I have heard some people do that. Do you believe the smaller dishes would have enabled your weight loss pre-WLS? I know I tried that method but it was so much work refilling my plate 2-3 times that I gave it up!

Please share you thoughts - comments are moderated but checked and approved frequently.

Happy Dining!

Checkups key to success of obesity surgery

From Reuters: By Megan Rauscher

Seriously overweight people who undergo gastric bypass surgery to shed pounds should try to make as many scheduled post-op doctors appointments as possible, according to a new study. It shows that follow-up care is a key component of the long-term success of the weight-loss surgery.

With gastric bypass surgery -- the most common method of "bariatric" surgery -- surgeons reduce the size of the stomach, which substantially limits the amount of food a person can eat.

"Weight loss following gastric bypass varies from patient to patient," note Dr. Jon C. Gould and colleagues of the University of Wisconsin in Madison in a report to the annual meeting of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Continued and long-term follow-up care at a dedicated bariatric surgery clinic may impact the amount of weight that is lost, they add.

The investigators took a look back at 85 adults who had gastric bypass surgery at their center and found that the results were best in those who attended follow-up appointments for at least 3 years after they had the surgery.

Patients who attended every scheduled post-surgery follow-up appointment for 3 to 4 years lost 74 percent of their excess weight, whereas patients who kept every appointment for only 1 year lost 60 percent of their excess weight. Patients who missed appointments in the first year lost 56 percent of their excess weight.

"Our follow-up routine calls for visits at 2 weeks post-op, 6 weeks post-op, 6 months, and then annually after surgery indefinitely," Gould noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health. "If we identify problems, we bring people in more often." The follow-up visits include meeting with a dietitian and medical health professional and often a health psychologist.

The most common reason given for missing scheduled appointments after gastric bypass surgery was lack of coverage by the patients' insurance company.

"This study shows that the more you put into bariatric surgery, the more you get out of it," Gould said in a written statement. "Patients must continue to attend their bariatric medical appointments and insurers should provide coverage for these visits."

In 2006 an estimated 177,600 severely obese people in the United States had bariatric surgery, according the American Society for Bariatric Surgery estimates. About 15 million or 1 in 50 adults in the US have morbid obesity, which is associated with a number of other diseases and conditions including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep disturbances, asthma, cancer, and joint problems.

Comedic Take: WLS is the EASY way out!

We have a community game that we play at the LAWLS Neighborhood called Fun Friday. Each Friday one of the Neighbors composes a question and we all join in the fun of answering it. Last week's question from Too Slim Stu was "If you were a stand up comedian, what would be your best three jokes about your surgery and subsequent life??"

This of course resulted in some terrific and funny posts about post-WLS living. One of the best came from our Fitness Diva aka JudyPetite. She's an oldie, but a goody when it comes to WLS - she had stomach stapling in 1986 (21 years ago) and is living at a healthy weight today. With her permission I share her comedic take on WLS - The Easy Way Out!

To read all the responses link here: Fun Friday June 1. And don't be shy - add your funnies here too! After all, if we can't laugh about this LAWLS way of life, who can?

They told me that if I wanted to lose weight I had to eat less and exercise more. Well, I didn’t want to feel deprived, and I hated to exercise! So, I chose “the easy way out.” Yes, friends, I had WLS.

So I check into the hospital and first thing is they give me a series of enemas until “everything runs clear.” As I’m struggling to clean up again and again (and believe me, when you weigh 300 pounds, cleaning up IS a struggle), I’m thinking to myself “Yeah, this is great! What could be easier!”

I have the operation, and now I can take in about 2 ounces of liquid. They put me on a liquid diet. I’m sipping broth – yum! I graduate to sugarfree jello and pudding, oh wow – easy, easy! They okay cream soup – whooppee! Well, the first time I try it, a tiny piece of chicken gets stuck in my tummy and I’m doubled over for hours! Oh, why didn’t I do this before now??

So, I lose a bunch of weight, the hubby approves and of course I get pregnant! Man, how easy can it get – between morning sickness and stuck food, I now know the inside of my commode like a mechanic knows a muffler!

What an easy time I've had! Since my surgery, I've lost weight, gained it back and lost it again. I've had to be admitted from the ER when the scar tissue in my stomach built up to where nothing could get through at all. Here I am, the former 300-pounder, literally starving! I've had hernia surgery, and, after 20 years I still find myself hanging headfirst over the commode a few times a month. Yeah, what a way to take it off, huh?

Every time I see somebody trying to work the gym into their schedule or say no to a second helping of something, I think WHAT’S WRONG WITH THIS PERSON? I mean, why don’t they just gain about 100 pounds so they can qualify for WLS and stop putting themselves through all this agony?

I’ve been at a healthy weight for about the past ten years. I can eat pretty normal now! But I found out that to keep from gaining it back, I have to eat less and exercise more. Yeah, folks – through WLS, I learned THEY were right all along. But just think – I learned it THE EASY WAY!!! (ba-da-BING)

Refresher: WLS High Protein Diet

This is a previously published article I'm pulling forward in response to questions lately about the high protein diet. It was helpful to me to re-read exactly why the high protein diet works - and then recommit my focus to high protein eating. I hope you find this refresher helpful too.

Gastric Bypass Patients Succeed Eating High Protein Diet
By Kaye Bailey

The first rule for successful weight loss and weight maintenance after Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) is Protein First – that means eating protein for three daily meals, and protein must be 50 percent of food intake. Some bariatric centers advise as much as 70 grams of protein a day. The gastric bypass diet should be high-protein, low-carbohydrate and low-volume. This is what successful WLS patients will eat for the rest of their life if they wish to maintain weight loss after surgery.

Animal products are the most nutrient rich source of protein and include fish, poultry and meat. Dairy protein, including eggs, is another excellent source of protein. Nuts and legumes are also good sources of protein, but sometimes difficult for the bariatric patient to consume. Tofu is another remarkable good source of vegetable protein and there are many quality flavorful products on the market for making it easy to incorporate into the diet.

Science is proving that a protein rich diet will prompt weight loss and increase energy. The body contains over fifty-thousand different active proteins all made out of the same building blocks: amino acids. Amino acids are made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen as well as sulfur, phosphorus and iron. Many diseases – including obesity – indicate an amino acid deficiency.

WLS patients do not have the luxury of eating high-carbohydrate foods. They must eat lean protein or they will get sick, anemic, and weary. Weight loss will cease if patients eat processed carbohydrates instead of lean protein. Dumping or vomiting may also result if patients do not eat lean protein for the first half of every meal.

The distinction must be made between high fat proteins and lean proteins. A gastric bypass patient cannot tolerate high fat proteins such as bacon, fatty beef or sausage products or greasy fried chicken: these foods cause nausea and vomiting. In fact, many WLS patients report even smelling high fat foods, such a fried chicken, makes them nauseous. In addition, these high fat protein rich items are contributors to obesity, clogged arteries and heart disease. High fat foods should be avoided by anyone wishing to control their weight.

Kaye Bailey © 2005 - All Rights Reserved

Protect Your Self-Care When Others Tempt You To Stray

One of the challenges we face as we evolve with our weight loss is protecting our boundaries and efforts for self-care. At times we may feel derailed by others who do not understand the changes taking place with our bodies and our lifestyles. The following article by Linda Dessau has some great hints for protecting our self-care and boundaries without feeling guilty.

Protect Your Self-Care When Others Tempt You To Stray
By Linda Dessau

So, you've set your self-care goals and you're all set. You've even considered the ways you'll sabotage yourself - but wait! What about those well-meaning friends and relatives who:

~ With all good intention pass along clutter from their house to yours – "this would look great on you", or "I can't use this but maybe you can". (Surroundings & Structures)

~ Seem to dwell on the negative or tell stories about how unfair life is. (Emotions & Thoughts)

~ Invite you to have "just a bite", or encourage you to stay out "just a little longer". (Lifestyle Habits)

~ Shy away from your new found honesty and assertiveness. (Friends, Family & Peers)

They probably don't mean any harm but they may DO you harm if they steer you away from the self-care goals you've set for yourself. So how do your put yourself first and get selfish when others are tempting you to stray?

1. Be very clear yourself. If you're unsteady in your commitment that will show through.

2. Ask for what you need. No one can read your mind or know what would make things easiest for you. What request do you want to make?

3. Live by example – don't preach. Just like you weren't ready to take on healthy goals at other times in your life, those you love may not be ready now.

4. Plan ahead. Think of how you will say no, prepare alternatives or plan an "escape route". Do what you have to do to take care of yourself.

5. Be honest. Talk about your goals and what they mean to you. AND if you're going to throw out or give-away that clutter or leftover birthday cake as soon as you leave, you don't have to mention it.

6. Choose who to spend time with. You may choose to spend less time with someone who has unhealthy habits. Think about who it is you'd like to spend more time with - who makes you feel good about yourself, champions your efforts, or is a model of healthy habits and self-care? Focus on spending more time with those people.

As time goes by and your daily practices become more of a habit, you'll protect your self-care without even thinking about it. Until then, hang on for your life!

(c) Copyright 2005, Genuine Coaching Services.

Linda Dessau, the Self-Care Coach, is the author of “The Everyday Self-Care Workbook”. To find out more about the book, or to receive one of her free monthly newsletters, visit http://www.genuinecoaching.com/resources.html

Photoshopping Thin

Much has been said lately about the media's mis-representation of female bodies. I think many of us who are recovering from morbid obesity can say we have been intimidated or frustrated with unrealistic images of women in the media. Common sense tells us that yes indeed, these photos have been altered. But still, seeing perfection on the glossy pages can be intimidating. I found this post over at "Back in Skinny Jeans" and WOW! What an eye opener this photoshopping demonstration is. Take a minute to view the video link - I think you will be amazed at what can be done digitally. As Skinny Jeans writes, "Photo retouching software is a powerful tool for reality distortion." Read her full post: Photodropping away 100 pounds from this model.

Click Here for more great videos and pictures!

Strawberry Season

It is always good to see strawberries in the market - for me this means summer is close. As a WLS-post op I find strawberries to be well tolerated and an enjoyable seasonal addition to my diet. Here's what World's Healthiest Foods has to say about strawberries:

Strawberries are in the peak of their season this week.

This week we celebrate the fragrantly sweet taste of strawberries. They are the most popular berries in the United States and for good reason. Strawberries are a great addition to a summer salad or your favorite morning cereal, plus hundreds of dessert recipes feature strawberries. Because conventionally grown strawberries are listed among those foods highest in pesticide residues, we recommend you select organically grown strawberries whenever possible. Although strawberries are now available throughout the year, in many areas, this is the time of year (April through July) that they have the best flavor and are the least expensive.

Nutritional Value
One cup of strawberries provides 136% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin C, the primary water soluble antioxidant in the body, 25% DV for vitamin K, 21% DV for manganese and 13% DV for dietary fiber. They are also a rich source of a variety of phytonutrients, which help provide antioxidant protection against cellular damage.

I love strawberries just as they are, but also enjoy including them in salads or dipped in a small amount of chocolate for a special dessert. Try these recipes:


Strawberry-Banana Smoothie
Chocolate covered Strawberries

Maintenance Rocks! Changing Seasons

Ok - I'm going to take a moment and toot my own horn..... (forgive me 'o ye gods of humility)

Today was *change-over* day for me. Seasonal change-over, that is, where I bin-up my Autumn & Winter clothes and shake out my stowed Spring & Summer clothes. I cranked up my "Tropical Vacation" play list and got busy folding sweaters and shaking the winter-woogies out of the shorts and tank tops. I welcomed back some old friends from my first goal weight summer. Little shorts, tank dresses and sassy shorts-'n-top sets. Many of these were from my original (and costly) shopping freenzy late summer 2000 and early spring sale 2001. Today my *MOMENT* came when I realized that these ancient things still fit. WLS Maintenance is possible. That for many years I've been the same friggin' size (save it for the occasional 10+ or 10- fluctuation). Whoooo-hooooo!!!!

The bad news??? I really don't need to buy another piece of clothing - - I've got a closet a'plenty. But what about all those darling Spring fashions calling my name? Ahhhh... that be the dark side of maintenance.

I cannot believe how profound the "little clothes" memories are for me. As I unfolded each item and organized my dressing area it was a living scrapbook in fiber, buttons and thread. No doubt a freakish waste of gray brain matter, but I remember my first "normal" girl shorts, my first bra-top tank dress and my first ever Guess Jeans. And here they all are ---- ready for another good Summer run.

Yes --- I struggle --- last fall my weight was well above my appropriate weight. But today I'm in my game, I'm living my life and my little clothes are ready for fun fun fun in the sun.

now where'd I put that sunless tanner.......

May is National Fitness Month

May is National Fitness Month - lead by the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness. I was doing some research on their site and found some interesting bullets that support what so many of us have come to learn --- take a look. And take some time this month to give your body the gift of a little extra movement. You deserve the benefits you will glean from it!

Adults 18 and older need 30 minutes of physical activity on five or more days a week to be healthy; children and teens need 60 minutes of activity a day for their health.

Significant health benefits can be obtained by including a moderate amount of physical activity (e.g., 30 minutes of brisk walking or raking leaves, 15 minutes of running, 45 minutes of playing volleyball). Additional health benefits can be gained through greater amounts of physical activity.

Thirty to sixty minutes of activity broken into smaller segments of 10 or 15 minutes throughout the day has significant health benefits.

Moderate daily physical activity can reduce substantially the risk of developing or dying from cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers, such as colon cancer. Daily physical activity helps to lower blood pressure and cholesterol, helps prevent or retard osteoporosis, and helps reduce obesity, symptoms of anxiety and depression, and symptoms of arthritis.

Poor diet and inactivity can lead to overweight/obesity. Persons who are overweight or obese are at increased risk for high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and some types of cancer.

Obesity continues to climb among American adults. Nearly 60 million Americans are obese. More than 108 million adults are either obese or overweight. That means roughly 3 out of 5 Americans carry an unhealthy amount of excess weight.

Too Young for WLS?

We hear a lot about the obesity crisis in children. The media calls it an epidemic and the government calls it a grave social problem. I often receive letters from parents asking for advice on when children should be able to have WLS.

I don't have a definitive answer. The argument psychologists make is that children are not emotionally old enough to handle WLS. The medical community argues that you should not alter the organs in a body that is still maturing.

It seems to me that children and teens are too young physically and mentally for the surgery. But you know, looking back, if I could have undergone WLS and the following transformation at age 18 or 19 it would have spared me years of physical pain and emotional torment. Of course we can all play the "what might have been" game. But one cannot help but wonder what different paths our life would have taken. Was I emotionally ready at 18 or 19 to be the fat girl in a skinny world?

CNN reports on a new government study being conducted on teens who undergo WLS. An excerpt from the article reads:

"Surgery has been effective in treating extreme obesity in adults. Researchers want to find out whether adults and adolescents who have the surgery have significantly different health problems and whether there is any benefit to having the operation earlier in life.

"The researchers are responding to the growing problem of extreme obesity among the young.

"We know bariatric surgery is effective for weight-loss. We just need to carefully document how teenagers respond," said Dr. Thomas Inge, associate professor of pediatrics and surgery at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, which is leading the study.

Read the full Article: Researchers study benefits, risks of teen weight-loss surgery

Just about a year ago we discussed this topic in the LivingAfterWLS Neighborhood: Too Young for WLS. With this new study announced I feel it is time to revisit this topic. Are you in favor or against WLS for teens? Has your view changed due to your own experience with WLS? What are your current views? Do you know a teen who has had or wants to have WLS?

It is important to evaluate the effect of obesity vs. surgery when considering surgery as a tool to treat obesity. We have two informative webisodes that address the toll obesity takes on the body and lifestyle of those suffering from this illness:

The Hidden Costs of Obesity and
Obesity and Your Health: How WLS Can Help

What's in a Name?

Yesterday I was doing a media interview about life after WLS and the reporter asked me, "What should I call this surgery?" I didn't understand the question at first but he clarified, "Do I call it gastric bypass, lap-bad, weight loss surgery, bariatric surgery, obesity surgery, fat-loss surgery, stomach stapling or what?"

Now, personally, I prefer to lump all of the procedures together under Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) because it is a general term that is widely recognize and it leads people via search engines to our site, LivingAfterWLS. Bariatric's is not a well-recognized word and obesity surgery just sounds belittling to me. Then the other terms are more procedure specific.

So I'm putting it out to the Neighbors - what term do you prefer and/or use to describe your surgery? What terms do you like and what terms do not set well with you? What other terms have you heard that I didn't mention here?.......

If you are only now considering surgery for weight loss here are some helpful videos that explain the different procedures and expected results:


Getting Read for Weight-loss Sugery: The Process


The Hidden Costs of Obesity


The Pros & Cons of Gastric Banding Surgery


Talking to Your Primary Care Physician about WLS