Angela Sperry-Wenke

I will be the first to admit that with getting back into the swing of life and work and a new love, it is easy to let those old bad habits creep back into our lives. We all fall victim to this in some sort or fashion and it is the one thing as weight loss patients that we fear. This is probably the one thing we fear the most that we will start up our old bad habits that got us to being overweight in the first place. I am about 16 months out and I am the first admit that I have allowed bad habits to sneak back into my life, not as bad as before surgery but regardless they did creep back in. My bad habits include soda, and occasional fast food. We call this the comfortable phase, you are now comfortable with how you have to live and eat post surgery and then life in general just happens and we can tend to slip back into those old habits. Alot of people suffer from this problem they lose all the weight then think “hey I can reward myself with a cookie, or stopping for fast food, or a soda” But I remember seeing a saying a long time ago that said we are not dogs, we do not need to reward ourselves with food and this is so true. Why do we always use food as a reward, or something to make us feel better. The truth is food is something we need to survive, it should not be used as reward. If you are thinking of having weight loss surgery, you need to understand that the surgery is not a cure all. Your mind is a powerful tool and is something we need to work on or it will sabotage our weight loss journey. The one thing I noticed is my bad habits creeping back in and I refuse to let them ruin my weight loss or rule my life. The most important thing to remember is that we will have trips and falls along the way, the difference is are you going to let this slips and falls define your new life or are you going to get up dust yourself off and start over. For me I am going back to putting protein first in my diet, being good about making sure I get my vitamins in and staying honest by providing a weekly food journal to give you all an idea on how much I eat and what I eat throughout the week. For More Great Recipes and Articles please visit my blog Bypass Princess today and follow me on my journey to getting healthy and happy!

Mine started to fall out around the 5 month mark also and it came out in hand fulls at first and scared me, and made me cry. I knew I would have hair loss but I do not think I understood to what extent. The good news was by month 8 it was really slowing down and now a year and half out my hair is healthier and thicker than ever. So it does get better just hang in there I know it is really hard!

Honestly I did not have full energy until probably day four to really get up and walk around. On that particular day I went with my friends to get some supplies for my diet over the next weeks and we walked around Walmart. It felt great but I still got tired quickly. The good news is you will bounce back pretty quickly good luck!

So when I first started eating out after surgery I would literally do my research before I went to the restaurant to make sure there were healthy options I could eat there. Some of the hardest things when eating out is finding a low calorie option that you an tolerate especially if you are going with friends and family and they have no food restrictions and can eat whatever they want, darn them lol. So here are some great tips to try when you are going out to eat that might help you along the way. Drink water only: It is best not to drink 30 minutes prior to or 30 minutes after eating, but let’s face it we all get thirsty so rather than drinking your calories it is best to order water. This is one I still have to work on lol. Decide what to order before you go: If you are worried about what is on the menu and what you can eat, do you research before you go. Now a days with your phones and technology most restaurants have menu’s right on their website so you can do your recon before you go. Bread or no bread?: Bread can be really hard for people after surgery, but if you enjoy your bread it is better not to depry yourself just remove another option from your menu like no dessert. Same thing with tortilla chips and salsa it is OK to have some just don’t go overboard with your carbs. The worst thing you can do is to depry yourself of the things you want most you just have to learn to control what you eat. Avoid Greasy Appetizers: Alot of times when I would go out to eat I would feel left out when others were ordering appetizers so a great alternative to an unhealthy and greasy or fried appetizers is to choose a low calorie soup or side salad option. This allows you to eat when your friends are eating their appetizers but you will not feel guilty for your choices. Put Your Fork Down Between Bites: As gastric bypass and sleeve patients we need to chew often and eat slowly so a great way to make this happen when out with friends and family is to put your fork down between your bites. This allows for conversation and allows you to slow down between bites. This also will allow you to truly taste and savor each bite you take in, and by eating slowly it will allow you to listen to your body and when it is feeling full. STOP eating when you start to feel full: Learning your body and most importantly your pouch learn when to put down the fork and stop eating. When you start to get that full sensation it is time to STOP and maybe even ask your server to remove your plate so you are NOT tempted to eat more. Enjoy your company and talk alot: Talking with allow a few things one it will allow you to slow down eating, and two it will more than likely prevent you from over eating. For More Great Recipes and Articles please visit my blog Bypass Princess today and follow me on my journey to getting healthy and happy! Or Follow Us On Facebook at Bypass Princess Journey

So you have lost tons of weight and you are feeling amazing about yourself, should you jump on the dating bandwagon and dip your toes in? The answer is YES, if you go into the dating scene with your eyes wide open. When I started dating at the first of last year it was all new to me, I had been in a long marriage for 25 years and I honestly didn’t know what I was looking. The only thing I knew for sure was I wanted so much better than what I had for 25 years, I knew that I deserved so much better. Alot of woman who start off dating after weight loss surgery usually go the online dating route, which is completely normal that is how I met my fiance. But to be honest with you be prepared that 90% of what I met online, and my friends whom were online dating is alot of guys out for one thing, SEX. So while there are alot of sleazy guys out there I also met alot of nice guys, that just were not my type for one reason or another. Now being totally upfront I should also mention that online dating can work, that is how I met my fiance and that is how my brother met his wife so it can work. Just being aware of the pitfalls will just keep you alot safer. Only Reveal Information When Necessary- One of the things on your mind is probably how soon into the dating process should I reveal that I have had weight loss surgery or lost alot of weight. For me I wanted to be upfront and honest from the get to so I actually put this information into my profile, this was a blessing for me because if the potential person did not mention this when I talked to him then he obviously did not read my profile. But this choice is completely up to you, on when it is comfortable to reveal that you use to be obese, and now you have a new healthier lifestyle. Don’t be a Discouraging Personalty- Your number may have dropped and you might not of met your goal weight as of yet. During this process you might be frustrated or upset, but do not let your potential date know this. Do not tell your potential date how you hate your new body, or your lifestyle because you want to promote this as a new fun and wonderful healthy version of yourself. Plan your Dates and Meals in Advance-Since you have a healthier lifestyle it is important when setting up dates that you plan on going somewhere to eat on your dates that you are comfortable with. You don’t want your date to think you can’t eat anything but at the same token you want to eat somewhere comfortable for you and your new healthier lifestyle. I actually kept a list of restaurants that I was comfortable eating at as a backup for when someone would ask me to go dinner, this way I knew there were options that I was comfortable eating from. Be as Confident as you can-Bottom line you are a NEW person now, and along with your new body and lifestyle you need to work on your self esteem. Whenever I would go out on a first date I went into it with the mindset that any guy would be so lucky to have me. This may sound conceited but it is true, you are a catch and you should come across this way to any potential suitor. If you are nervous practice with your friends with small talk, smiling, and picking out just the right outfit that makes you feel confident and beautiful. Learn to LOVE all of you-This includes your new body, I promise you if you feel uncomfortable about your body they will notice this too. Learn to LOVE yourself before you start the dating process, that is why I waited 5 years to date. I did not want to get into a dating situation without first loving myself first and foremost. For More Great Recipes and Articles please visit my blog Bypass Princess today and follow me on my journey to getting healthy and happy! Or Follow Us On Facebook at Bypass Princess Journey