From the Desk of Susan Maria…

My message for this month comes from a discussion on our BeforeAndAfterHelp.com board about frozen dinners that made me aware of just how many people don’t cook. I am a firm believer that knowing how to throw together a fast and healthy meal makes post op success more of a certainty than an accident. I am always shocked by the number of people who purchase frozen prepared fish, meats, and pre-packaged cooked chicken chunks displayed in the fresh meat case or stubbornly attempt post-op take out.

As people who were formerly morbidly obese, we have to identify what caused our problem, stop the behavior and never go back. My problem was not fast food, but big food - portion size. I would eat an entire huge restaurant entrée or a large serving of a meal I had prepared at home, or an entire cake (a sliver at time until it was gone). So for me, buying smaller pieces of fish, small steaks, or fewer shrimp is key – followed by only preparing foods that are good choices. Then I use my pouch size as a tool to do the rest.

Many of you had a problem with fast food, and you have to make up your mind that you just can’t go there. You don’t belong in McDonalds, even for a salad, as one day you will go back to a burger and fries. Same with convenience foods that are full of chemicals, fat, starches, and carbs; you have to change your habits or you will be back in the same situation sooner or later.

I want to encourage cooking! Not merely reheating, or microwaving but COOKING. If you haven’t actually cooked a meal for your family or even yourself in more than a week, promise me you will cook this meal in the next ten days.

Saucy Italian Chicken
Cut up about ten ounces of raw chicken tenderloins into one inch pieces. Heat two teaspoons of olive oil in a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Stir-fry the chicken using a wooden spatula until the chicken pieces are no longer pink – which takes about 3 minutes total. Pour in half a jar of Classico or Barilla Spaghetti sauce and heat until it is bubbling – 2 minutes. Then sprinkle on a handful of pre shredded mozzarella cheese - turn off the heat and let it sit 1 minute until the cheese melts. Serve with a handful of baby lettuce leaves and a few grape tomatoes that you have tossed with bottled salad dressing. Now that’s fast food that will keep you slim and healthy!

Can’t wait for our Las Vegas trip – the July dates are coming up soon! Be certain to purchase your Wolfgang Puck dinner tickets and Cirque du Soleil, The Beatles LOVE show tickets at BariatricEating.com or call 888.777.4202 for info!

Mangia!
~Susan Maria

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Kate’s WLS Journey Continues…

This month, Kate participated in a Q&A session with me to talk about her first few weeks post-op. We hope that our other new post-ops and our pre-ops find this information helpful!

Megan: So, tell me about your surgery! How did things go on the big day? What thoughts were running through your head as you were getting ready to change your life forever?

Kate: Well, the day of surgery I had to be at the hospital at 7:00 a.m. to check in. I was very, very nervous; at the same time, I was very, very excited to start my new life. After I checked in, they took me back into the prep room and that’s when I lost it. I cried and cried in the room by myself. After they got me all prepped up, my parents and sister came back to sit with me. About 5 minutes later they said it was time to go. I just prayed that I would make it through surgery and thought I would figure the rest out after surgery. I said a tearful goodbye to my family and they wheeled me into a holding area. I was crying so hard that the nurse said to me, “Are you sure you want to do this?” I had an immediate “YES!” to her, I was just nervous. They finally gave me some meds to calm me and took me into surgery.

M: Talk to me a bit about your recovery. How did you feel in the first days after your surgery? When did you notice that you were feeling better, and having more energy again? What was the hardest part of your recovery?

K: When I first opened my eyes from surgery, I thought to myself “What the heck did I just do?” I was in a lot of pain, but as soon as I found my pain medicine button, I was set to go. I really wasn’t uncomfortable at all. I felt really good. I was nervous when I first had to walk the hall, but after that first time, I was a pro. By the 3rd day after surgery I felt really good. I got to come home and didn’t take any pain meds after that. The hardest part about recovery was getting all the liquid in when you don’t feel like drinking anything.

M: Let's talk about nutrition--how's it going? What are you using to get your protein in? What vitamins are you using? Do you have any tips or hints for other new post-ops, or for our pre-op readers who are about to go through this themselves?

Nutritionally, I am doing really well. I am getting all my protein in and trying hard to get all my liquid in. I use protein shakes and bullets, and they help a lot. I am using Optisource vitamins, which aren’t my favorite. The best advice I would give is make sure you get your protein in everyday, because when I don’t I feel terrible. I have been very lucky that I haven’t had any problems with anything I have tried and I have tolerated everything.

M: Okay, reality time. Not everything is perfectly pleasant for everyone all the time--what has been hard for you?

K: The hardest part for me has been the psychological part of it. You go from eating a lot to hardly anything. When I look at my meal I still think to myself “This isn’t going to be enough.” Yet every time, it is either enough--or more than enough. Also the desire to eat hasn’t gone away. I sometimes still think when I’m bored “What can I eat?” But I know I can’t, so I don’t.

M: What is something that surprises you about your journey so far, either personally or with the surgery or recovery?

K: I am surprised how fast I recovered and how good I feel. I have so much more energy, and as I preschool teacher I need it!

M: What goals have you set for yourself at this point? What are you doing to make sure you reach them?

K: My goal at this point is to get all my protein in and exercise everyday! I am not at the point where I enjoy exercising, but I am enjoying how it is making me feel.

M: Okay, the question that everyone wants answered, but nobody likes to ask point-blank--how much have you lost so far? How does that make you feel?

K: I have lost 29 since surgery, but 46 in all! I am so proud of myself. However, when I look in the mirror I don’t see the weight loss, but everyone else does. But I really feel better and my clothes are getting bigger.

M: Almost done, I promise. Anything else that you'd like to share with your adoring fans, hahahaha?

K: I just want to say thank you so much for all of your support. I couldn’t have done it without all of you! And for the people still in the thinking stage, all I can say is DO IT! You will be so happy you did! The decision to have the surgery has literally given me a chance at a new life, and I am so excited about what my future holds.

M: Thanks, Kate, for sharing with us again this month! We all look forward to seeing what next month brings for you!

*Kate*


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The Trip of a Lifetime

One of our board members, Paula, recently took the trip of a lifetime. Here, she shares her experience traveling internationally as a post-op.

This February, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel to Dubai to visit my brother’s family. Dubai is a small “state” in the United Arab Emirates, which is located on the Arabian Peninsula. Before I had my surgery, I would have never considered flying fourteen hours in a tiny airplane seat. At 330 pounds, I would have just been miserable. I knew that this opportunity might never come again so I took it and was delighted I did.

I experienced a little bit of trepidation due to the fact that I did not know if I would be able to maintain my protein intake. Shannon, my sister in law, assured me that Dubai had everything America had in regards to quality meats and protein sources. With that in mind, I began to prepare for my trip.

I contacted Teresa and Susan Maria several times to obtain all that I needed for travel. I wanted to be “over prepared”. I obtained several packets of protein powder in multiple flavors. I also ordered some of the Protein on the Go bottles. I packed Protein on the Go bottles in my carry on along with protein sample packets and protein bars. I also carried almonds and protein chips because I was unsure about the in-flight meals. In my luggage, I packed a large container of protein powder along with refills for my return trip home.

I was very fortunate that the airline meals were wonderful and provided plenty of protein options. My hubby enjoyed the extra rolls and desserts. When we arrived in Dubai, I quickly learned that they catered to Westerners. They had everything from Hard Rock Café to Burger King. My favorite was the Mediterranean cuisine that was locally produced. There was an abundance of lamb, chicken and beef that was marinated in yogurt and spices then grilled. The spices were delicate and varied. There was also hummus, tabouleh salad and olives. We were able to enjoy a real Bedouin dinner out in the desert with belly dancing as the entertainment. My brother took me to a local grocery and I discovered Fage Yogurt!! I was in heaven. I ate more than I ever had since my surgery, but with all the walking I actually lost weight. I even rode on a camel--and I wasn’t worried about hurting the poor camel!

In Dubai, we attended the Desert Classic Golf Tournament and got close to Tiger Woods. We toured many historical sites and modern marvels. We visited an amazing shopping mall with a ski slope inside. But, best of all, I was able to show my new self off to my brother and his family. I was able to play with my niece and nephews for hours in the pool without passing out from exhaustion.

If you have the opportunity to travel, then do it. You won’t regret it. Most countries have bottled water that is safe to mix with your powders. Be adventurous and seek out the local offerings. Try different spices and flavors. One of my new favorite treats is real Arabian dates. They are nothing like what we have here in the states and they are melt-in-your-mouth awesome! I have also located several Mediterranean restaurants here locally--they provide my lamb and hummus fix.

Now, after a little trip to Vegas, my hubby and I are going to plan our next adventure! Traveling post-op is a wonderful experience!

~Paula

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Post-Op Pregnancy (It’s a Boy!)

We got a big surprise at 19 weeks. We had the 18-20 week ultrasound where they measure the baby and found out our little girl actually has boy parts! We had a 4D Ultrasound performed a week later and confirmed that our baby is indeed a boy! So Loren Alexis is now going to be named Devin Lawrence. We were shocked since we did a test early on that was supposed to be 95% accurate......Guess we are the other 5%!!! We really do not care if it is a boy or girl; we just want a healthy happy baby.

Baby is going to look like mommy. Here is a picture of me as a baby and the 3D of Devin. See the resemblance?

This month, we’re adding another new feature to our ever-growing newsletter—a special column just for singles! Malia will share her smart, sassy, single outlook on the world as a post-op with us…enjoy!

Hi everyone, I'm Malia! I am a single, childless post-op. I am two years out, and still moving along in my journey. Some of you know me from the BE.com boards, but if you don’t, I think you might like to know a little about the woman ranting about her singledom.

I'm not going to tell you about the importance of getting in all your protein, water, and vitamins. We all know that and there are people here who make that point much more eloquently than I can! Post-op life is an adjustment for everyone--but the biggest adjustment for me post-op was not re-learning how to eat; it was learning how to deal with attention from the opposite sex!

I'm sure I don't have to tell you all that when you are morbidly obese you seem to begin to lose sensuality. I was always the best friend; the girl that men came to when they had problems with other women. My (our) friend Megan likes to call it a case of being “Everybody’s buddy, but nobody’s honey.” It seems to be a fairly common problem for the single morbidly obese gal.

Now fast forward a year and subtract 100 pounds, and I have men hitting on me! It is a big change.

At first I thought that if a man showed me attention, I owed it to him to return it. That led to a LOT of bad dates! The worse I can remember was the man who thought it was a good idea to take me to a "gentleman's club". I don't know about you folks, but watching girls named LaChocolate and Cinnamon dance is not my idea of a romantic evening! Needless to say this was our last date!

Then there was the "feeder". I am very candid about my post-op status when meeting new people. But for some reason, this man kept offering me food. And not healthy things that I could at least try, but Pop Tarts, cookies, chips, and soda! When I turned him down and reminded him that I am trying to lead a healthy post op lifestyle, and following some very detailed directions, he responded "That is just was that lady online (Susan Maria) told you! You can eat whatever you want." Okay, can we say NOT supportive?!?! So he was also given detailed directions--to the door.

After that I sat down and had a long talk with myself about what I want in a partner. The main problem is that I was suffering from "Fat Girl Syndrome". Even though I have lost a good deal of my body weight, my mind had not caught up yet. Now I know that a man has to meet more criteria than just showing interest in me. I came to the decision that I have a great life! I have been given the chance to reclaim my health, I have a career that I love and lots of supportive friends. What I need is a man that can be just as supportive.

So what happens now? I leave the safety and comfort of my computer and get out. I remember—ME FIRST—this is about me finding what I want, not me making other people happy. And then I come back here and tell you all about it. Wish me luck!


~Malia

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Goal Setting and Exercise

I decided that taking my walking routine and adding some running to it would be an incredible challenge for me and really wanted to see if I could take myself to that level of fitness again. I started slowly. Because I was still heavy I was a little embarrassed to run in public, so I started out on my treadmill in my garage. I started by walking at a fast pace for just five minutes and then kicking up my speed to running for five minutes. I would spend 30 – 45 minutes doing this and eventually built up to where I could run for a 30 minute period. Once that was under my belt I took to the streets. Still being somewhat embarrassed I would run at night time, going around and around my court for as many laps as I could. I’d then cool down by walking a lap or two and then run another. I always thought that if my neighbors looked outside they’d think I was nuts – but I decided that I didn’t care.

Eventually I felt more comfortable and started running around the two mile path in my neighborhood. I remember the first time I made it the entire route without stopping – I was so excited!! When I got home I ran around giving everyone high fives! That was when I set my goal to run a 5K. I just wanted to prove to myself that I could do it. I wanted to take this once obese body and push it to its limit. To guarantee that I’d do this I went ahead and signed up for my first 5K – which helped me stay on track with my exercise regimen.

In preparation for the race I ran the route at least once a week. In between those days I’d vary my workout with shorter and some longer runs as well. I also did a lot of strength training for both my core muscles and my legs. I knew on race day strength would be important for endurance and for mental stamina as well. The night before the race I loaded my iPod with some upbeat, fast paced songs that would keep me energized.

On race day I was up early, and started my day with plenty of protein. My husband, who has been so supportive, came down with me and took pictures before and after the race. When the starter gun went off I felt a rush of adrenalin. I knew I needed to keep my own pace and not focus on the other runners around me. I tried to pretend that it was just me out there, doing my normal run. I didn’t worry about my time, just my goal of running the race without stopping to walk. As I came around the corner of the last stretch of road, there was a loud crow cheering on the sidelines. The excitement took over and pushed me over the finish line! I had made it!!

Accomplishing this goal came at just the right time in my weight loss journey. I was dealing with a plateau that I had been on for about two months. I was beginning to think that for me, this weight was the best I could do. However once I reached that 5K goal and accomplished it – I believed I could do just about anything! Reaching that goal gave me new energy and the stamina to get over that weight plateau that I had been struggling with for so long. I was able to tackle the challenge head on and to focus my energy on it.

I have another 5K in a week. I’m so excited and my goal this time is to beat my time from my first race. I encourage each of you to set an exercise goal for yourself. Maybe your goal is to get to the gym 4 days a week, maybe it’s to ride a bike again, maybe it’s to commit to exercise! What ever it is – just set it. I promise you that pushing yourself to reach the goal you set will spill over into other areas of your life and an added benefit will of coarse be added weight loss – who doesn’t love that?

~Lisa Hall

A lot of new post-ops complain that they don’t “like” protein shakes…the texture is off, the smell makes them gag, etc. As the number of bariatric patients increases, so does the quality of protein available to us, in my opinion. Almost two years ago, when I first began my WLS journey, my protein options were pretty limited—and I must say, I choked down some pretty horrific protein supplements. But, I looked at it this way—I had made a commitment to this, and if that was what I had to do, then that was what I would do. I knew I needed that protein to survive and to maximize my weight loss; not taking my supplements was never really an option for me, yucky or not.

Today, that huge canister of basic whey protein designed for bodybuilders that used to haunt my mornings has been replaced with canister after canister of Protein Delite and Whey Gourmet, bags of Matrix, bottles of AchievOne, cases of Micellar Milk, and the occasional New Whey Bullet for days when I’m just not feeling hungry. I look forward to my protein supplements each day!

I’ve had the privilege to help a few post-ops find ways to get in their protein after they’ve complained on and on about not liking their shakes. Here are just a few suggestions that I have for you:

• Invest in some of the sugar-free DaVinci Syrups. These are just fabulous—you can use them to flavor any of your protein shakes. Some of my favorites include Peppermint Paddy in a mug of steaming Matrix hot chocolate.

• Mix it up! Instead of drinking a glass of Protein Delite, one of my favorite things to do is mix a scoop of Coconut Almond into about one-half cup of plain, nonfat yogurt, and eat it that way…it’s delicious! Sometimes I add in a few raw almonds…mmm!

• When life hands you protein…make pudding! Use an RTD protein supplement, like Micellar Milk or the Extreme Smoothies to make up a packet of sugar-free pudding…yum! Great taste and extra protein!

• Bake it in—in recipes calling for milk, such as Susan Maria’s Egg Custards, substitute Micellar Milk—it’ll give you the extra protein and cut down on your carbs!

Don’t be afraid to “play” with your protein and find what works for you. Just make sure you find something that works for you, and stick with it. Experiment, taste-test, mix new concoctions…and have fun doing it!

(Hmmm, on that note, I think I’ll have a Matrix hot cocoa…now, which flavor of DaVinci should I use? I’m a bit of a syrup junkie, as you can see…)


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Men’s Corner

It’s actually quite simple! There’s no reason why you can’t be king of the grill all summer long and enjoy the outdoor cooking—you just might need to make a few small adjustments. One thing to keep in mind is that your stomach pouch wants moist, soft food…not over-cooked, dried-out meat! So, cook for juiciness; try wrapping your meat in aluminum foil and grilling that way to get the meat cooked, then finish it off over the open flame.

Some post-ops find that they simply cannot eat the ground beef used to make hamburger patties. It tends to be dense and tough on the pouch. Still craving a burger? Let me suggest the Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime burgers…they’re a soy-based burger, but they have an incredible flavor to them! I’ve fed them to several of my burger-loving friends, and they confessed that they were actually pretty good! They sit much more lightly in the pouch than ground beef tends to, and they’re a bit healthier for you, too. They grill very nicely right alongside your other food.

Be careful when it comes to sauces and seasonings…you’ll be amazed by how much added sugar some of the sauces on the market have! Inadvertently eating a too-sweet sauce can lead to a bad dumping episode, which will put the damper on any picnic! Susan Maria sells a wide variety of sauces that are sweetened with Splenda that will put a smile on anybody’s face. The Steel’s barbeque sauce is simply delicious! Or, if you don’t have any of the sauce on hand, steer clear of sauces, and try a dry rub to really kick up the flavor. There are a number of delicious rubs available, including some highly-recommended bariatric-friendly versions available through Bariatric Eating.

Another tasty grilling option is to grill some vegetables along with your meat. Cut up some zucchini, mushrooms (the baby bella variety are wonderful!), onions, red and green peppers, and whatever else you might like. Marinade them in light Italian dressing, or olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Wrap them in foil, and toss them on the grill with your meat. This will provide you with a delicious option when the temptation of potato salad, rolls, and macaroni salad get passed in front of you.

So, guys…get out there and enjoy your summer grilling parties. Just because you’re eating as a post-op doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy great flavor and great fun!