NickelChip

As a kid in the 1970s and 1980s, I remember that "cereal" meant Cap'n Crunch (peanut butter flavor if you were lucky, or that one with the fruity "berries" if mom wasn't paying attention while shopping), and a sandwich was a slice of Oscar Mayer Bologna between two pieces of Wonder Bread (with French's yellow mustard and a side of Fritos, of course). And I couldn't have told you what a "serving" of any of them was, aside from whatever fit in my bowl or on the plate. It was easy to make all the wrong choices and think you were doing okay. I really wish we'd been taught the difference between healthy food choices and unhealthy ones. Although it is far from perfect, the newer My Plate guidelines are at least better, and easier for kids to visualize. And yeah, the idea that a piece of fresh fruit is the same as a candy bar "because sugar" is insanity.

I think this is like being pregnant and then hearing about someone who had to deliver her own baby on the side of a road during a blizzard. Does that happen? Sure. Is it statistically likely to happen to you? Probably not. But when nearly every person on the planet has social media, you will definitely find a terrible story if you try. Or even if you don't try, because that stuff is clickbait gold and it will find you. Turn off the TikTok and breathe.

I can't speak to the Unjury brand protein powder specifically, (maybe email the company to explain the warning if you're concerned), but I did find this study of protein powders and heavy metal, which concluded: "The data in the current study suggest that heavy metal exposure via protein powder supplement ingestion does not pose an increased non-carcinogenic risk to human health. Further, no carcinogenic risk was expected from As via ingestion of protein powder supplements. This study demonstrates that health risks of heavy metals in protein powder supplements should be conducted within the context of relevant background exposures and established health based standards instead of the presence of hazardous substances alone." Regarding Prop 65, I stayed at a lovely inn in the central coast of CA a while back. There was an antique fireplace in the lobby that had these beautiful glassy-looking tiles around the hearth . There was a framed sign warning that the glaze on the tiles contained lead, with the Prop 65 warning language about the state of CA knowing it caused cancer. I can only assume this was to stop me from prying off a tile, grinding it into powder, and snorting it, because how else would it be a risk? But the inn did not wish to get sued. I also had a friend who spent $1000 on a special ground quartz to fill her kid's sandbox because bags of regular playground sand have a Prop 65 warning on them. I tried to explain that it's because sand in a sand blaster on a job site can cause lung cancer if you don't wear protective gear such as a particulate respirator, but she was convinced sitting in the sand would cause her child to get a tumor. So, take Prop 65 warnings with a grain of salt (which is probably known in the state of CA to cause cancer).

I've been a lot more careful with my eating since July, but last week I had a business trip to Las Vegas. I didn't go completely crazy, but I was eating in restaurants every day and the food was so salty. Plus flying, which always causes me some water retention. I weighed myself Sunday, the day after I got home, and I was up 10 lbs! But I know this was almost all water because I weighed today and I'm back down to where I was before the trip. A big, salty Thanksgiving meal and a couple days of leftovers would probably do the trick!

Have you recently weighed in a little higher, like at your doctor's office for a physical? That may be good enough. When I was still in the nonsurgical program at my hospital, I weighed in at a BMI of just over 40. At that point, my doctor suggested I look into surgery. I was pretty shaken by hitting that number and I immediately made some changes, so 2 weeks later when I came back for my first appointment on the surgical side, I was around 39.8. They said it was fine, that they go by the highest weight for qualifying. And yes, I wore my heaviest shoes that time, just in case! I know that usually they will deduct a couple pounds for clothing, but they didn't for that highest weight, I think just to be safe. I do have a comorbidity, though, so I would qualify anyway. You might try a few days of salty foods before your next appointment, too.

Remission is a great way of looking at it. Without diligence in the form of lifestyle changes including good nutrition and proper exercise, the weight comes back. I should mention, when I was taking Saxenda and Wegovy, my insurance plus coupons covered all but between $25-50 of the monthly costs. At that price point I would consider taking it in the future if WLS wasn't enough to maintain my goal weight, but with 100 lbs to lose, meds won't get me there, whereas surgery hopefully will.

You must be so excited! I started in July 2023 and the wait is killing me. They told me 3-6 months when I started, but I kept thinking I would be lucky and end up on the shorter end of it. I guess not!

Fascinating article. Despite having taken several of them myself over the past few years, (including Saxenda and Wegovy), I'm very hesitant to embrace a world where weight loss drugs are the first line of defense against obesity. I say this knowing that at least some of my issue comes down to poor nutrition choices, made far too easy by an environment swimming in garbage foods and a culture that values quick convenience over everything else. When I commit to good nutrition, my weight decreases. I don't get skinny, or even "not obese" but I do lose weight. When the snacks and junk food make their way back in the house and I have stressful weeks with work where I'm at my desk for 12 or more hours and fast food feels like my only option because I'm too tired to cook, I gain weight. In about the past 60 years, we've gone from 13% obesity to 40%, with a 10x rise in severe obesity. This isn't just a weird thing that happened in a vacuum. There are pretty obvious reasons for this, some that could possibly be solved with significant changes to our food policies and investment in real nutrition instead of lining the pockets of pharmaceutical companies and massive food corporations. Much of our so-called food today has been designed to be addictive, by the same folks who brought us cigarettes, no less. That should give people pause the next time they're in the grocery store looking at all those shiny boxes and bags. On the other hand, in the days when only 1% of the US population was morbidly obese...that was my family. And some of my family lived really long lives, into their 90s. Except the ones who didn't and died young. And you don't know which you'll be until it's too late. Up until my 40s, I was one of those people who had healthy bloodwork despite being 90+ lbs over my "ideal weight." I didn't worry about my weight because I was healthy. But that changed rapidly with middle age as my weight went even higher. Now I take blood pressure meds and am prediabetic. My feet and joints ache and I worry what that means as I age. I wish I had done more to keep my weight lower when I was younger and developed better habits early on. I can't believe how ignorant I was of nutrition facts when I was in my teens and 20s. One thing I know is I can't afford $12k or more a year for the rest of my life to take these "miracle drugs." I'm not sure who really can or should. I'm grateful for surgery being an option, but it's not for everyone, and neither are the drugs. As a society, I would like to see more acceptance of humans in all sizes, and more focus on real health and nutrition instead of fads and gimmicks that make a few people really rich.

I read this article in the New York Times this week and thought it brought up a lot of interesting issues. With the alarming growth of obesity in young people, including children, there are a lot of questions about when should a patient become a candidate for WLS. With my upcoming surgery, I've had a few conversations with my teen/tween daughters about nutrition/healthy eating, as well as some of the possible genetic components of weight gain. Both of my girls are active and not currently at risk, but I know that my younger daughter is physically a lot like I was at her age, and I would do anything for her not to ever have to deal with weight gain the way I have as she gets older. I hope I can teach them both good habits now that they can carry with them. But what happens when a kid is already so large at age 16 that their quality of life is impacted? What's the responsible/ethical thing to do with regards to a surgery that can't be reversed? This is a very interesting read. In case you didn't read it, here's a link (it should bypass the paywall for non-subscribers until the end of November): https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/31/magazine/teen-bariatric-surgery.html?unlocked_article_code=1.7Ew.M7l-.QaJi8BjntPW_&smid=url-share

Sending you lots of positive thoughts for quick healing!

It's November 1st! Somehow, December feels simultaneously like it is just around the corner and also a million years away. I had my air cut today and scheduled the next appointment, and I had to move it closer by a week than I usually would because otherwise it would be the day of my surgery! So now I'll have no gray roots for my surgery

This is exciting to see the chances of hypertension remission. I just went to the eye doctor a few days ago and she showed me the photo of my eyes where she can see the difference in blood vessel size as a result of my high blood pressure, (even though it's fairly well controlled on meds). It really makes it hit home that these conditions have consequences you can see a picture of it, and I would be so excited if my blood pressure was no longer an issue. Also, this chart estimate a 12-month BMI that is lower than some of the other calculators I've seen, so fingers crossed!

I never knew the reason for the BMI of 40 or over until reading this, but it makes sense. Back in the 1990s, gastric bypass was an open surgery with a whole lot of risk. You just wouldn't do that unless you were in dire health or the future risk of dying prematurely was great. It's such a different surgery, or surgeries, now, yet the guidelines remain the same. Sometimes I wonder if more people would get bariatric surgery if those who had it talked more openly about it. Not to blame anyone who chooses not to, because people can be awful. But I wonder how many people in part believe they or others can diet and exercise their way thin if they really try because that guy they work with did it...except he actually had surgery and just doesn't say it. Only 2% of people who qualify getting the surgery is so sad. It kind of makes me mad that I would have qualified a while ago but no one told me until I hit that magic 40 BMI on the doctor's scale, even though I have other conditions that meant I would have met the requirements probably 10 years ago. Instead, I was put on Saxenda and Wegovy at different points, and neither one was a real miracle drug for me. Plus, my insurance only covered them for about 6 months, so nowhere near lifetime like you need. I think there's a lot of education that needs to happen out there on every level.

I love this advice! It reminds me of something I heard a long time ago, that when you're walking across the street, if you trip and fall, everybody knows you just pick yourself up and keep going from that spot. But a lot of times we act like when we make a mistake or have a set back in other parts of our lives, we somehow get dragged all the way back to the corner and have to start all over again, when it's not true at all.

I had my eye exam today and I was really hoping my prescription would be the same so I could hold off buying new glasses until after I've lost some weight. Unfortunately, based on the blurriness I've been getting when driving, I had a feeling it wouldn't turn out that way, and I was right. It was enough of a change that I couldn't get away with waiting. The whole time I was trying on new frames, I kept asking myself, "What will these look like if my face isn't so round?" It's hard enough choosing glasses as it is!

That's pretty cool that you're both doing it at almost the same time. Hopefully when one of you has a bad day, the other will be able to keep you both going, and you'll really understand what's going on.

I found a brand of stevia-sweetened dark chocolate on Amazon that does not contain sugar alcohol. You might try that for a treat at some point. No idea how it tastes! https://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Squares-Gluten-Free-Stevia-Sweetened/dp/B0BWKBM5MS

It makes me sad that the pandemic put a stop to the in-person support groups at my hospital (although there is talk of restarting next year). In the "before times" they used to do tasting parties where you could get together with other people at a similar stage in the process and try a bunch of samples of different products and flavors. If only we all lived in the same place, wouldn't it be great for everybody to bring a flavor of protein powder for everyone to try, like a really weird potluck (or the world's saddest wine tasting)?

Double check with your doctor because my nutritionist recommended those calcium chews starting at 2 weeks post-op along with the other vitamins. (I have to stop all vitamins a couple weeks before surgery and then not take them again until after the 2 week check-up). The Celebrate ones taste like a chewy candy, but I think they dissolve very fast and are specifically for bariatric patients, so they are probably fine and not the same as a real candy would be. But yeah, protein bars are so dense and dry, I can't imagine they would be good to eat for a long time. Which is sad because they're so convenient.

I don't have direct experience because I'm pre-op, but everything I've read suggests sugar alcohols are not a good choice because they can lead to gas, bloating, and other unpleasantness for gastric bypass patients. That's something I would probably avoid for quite some time, if ever. I also know my doctor's nutrition guide puts peanut butter into the final stage. On a personal note, I know that candy especially is a trigger for me, so I plan to avoid it along with other sweets and focus on natural foods in hopes of killing off those cravings. I definitely fear the slippery slope. But I would also check with your doctor about sugar alcohol in general, which I believe is different than sucralose or aspertame in how the body will process/tolerate it.

Oh my goodness, protein supplements have been an obsession. I bought a big tub of "chicken soup" and "latte" flavors early on and both of them were so awful. Anyone live in MA? I will gladly give them both to you. My nutritionist gave me samples of a few others to try from Unjury. Their chicken soup was better. Not enough to buy it, but better. I got a really good introductory deal on Syntrax Nectar Naturals, so I bought several flavors, and I love the peach the most so far. I've also liked the chai flavor of Ka'chava, though it's on the higher side for calories (240 with 25g protein) and has 7g fat instead of 5g as recommended by my doctor, so uncertain of whether I can use it. But it tastes really good. I also bought cherry limeade from Wicked protein (really refreshing) and pumpkin spice from Truvani (good, but their shipping takes a long time). I've specifically been trying to find ones without artificial sweeteners, which is so hard. I got two flavors from Vega, which were not too bad and pretty affordable. With all that, I should have some choices when the time comes. Oh, I've also stocked up on Celebrate One 45 in tropical twist flavor, and bought their calcium chews, which are a nice treat. I like the fruit flavors best, like eating a Starburst candy. You've inspired me to finally follow through on buying a new, bigger purse. I have been saying for a year that I need one, but now I have an ironclad excuse so I can carry a water bottle. Staying hydrated is hard.

I am 100% NOT putting chicken feet in mine! Also, you might check Amazon if you end up liking the Kettle and Fire brand. It turned out to be about $1.50 cheaper per carton than my local grocery store if I bought the 6 pack there. I have a monthly subscribe and save order to get the best price, and since my surgery isn't until the end of December, I'm buying one 6-pack per month and tucking them away so I have plenty for those first couple weeks when I know I'll want convenience more than anything else.

I really like Kettle and Fire beef bone broth, but it's pricey. I just found a recipe for Instant Pot bone broth, and my supermarket carries beef bones for $3.99 a pound, so I'm going to give it a try. As Catwoman mentioned, chicken bone broth is what I would just call...soup. I didn't know there were other ways of making it than simmering a chicken carcass for several hours. But I've never tried making beef broth of any kind, and I really liked the beef, so this will be interesting. I didn't even know you can buy just bones from the store! Since I don't cook with any cuts of beef that come with bones, this is an intriguing option that should be easier on the budget. This is the recipe I'm going to follow: https://theforkedspoon.com/instant-pot-bone-broth-recipe/

December 27th here! I started back in July when a visit to my doctor on the non-surgical side of the weight loss center yielded the suggestion that I consider surgery. I was all too happy to do so after 6 years of nutrition and then meds never yielded more than fleeting results. I did an immersion day in August where I learned all the rules, and then I needed appointments with psychologist and nutritionist before meeting with surgeon in early October. I was hoping for mid-November, but the earliest they had was end of December so I'm making the best of it. My doctor only requires 2 days of liquid diet, which means I can celebrate Christmas Eve but will be on protein shakes for Christmas, but not longer, which is nice. I'm grateful that the kids will be off school and won't need "Mom's Taxi Service" to get them to all their after school activities that week. In the meantime, I've been working on my nutrition, slowly eliminating processed foods, added sugars, artificial sweeteners, breads, snack foods, etc. I've made a lot of progress ridding the house of unhealthy foods and adding more vegetables into my daily diet. I've also bought several bariatric cookbooks and have been choosing some recipes to try in the next 8 weeks so I have practice with them. I'm hoping a few will be winners with the kids, too. We're all working on getting better with nutrition and I'm glad to have them excited about trying new, healthier options.

This is a favorite breakfast smoothie for me as well as my 15 year old daughter. I'm pre-op right now, just as an FYI, and my daughter is an active kid at a healthy weight who likes to start the day off with a quick, nutritious breakfast. I have a 16oz blender cup, and this fills it fully, but if you have a 22 oz or larger, it would let you make it a little thinner. For me, the ginger is key to masking any taste from the powder. I use the kind that comes in a squeeze bottle from the produce department. I don't add any sweetener and I personally love the natural flavor of it. The blueberries disguise the green from the spinach in case the color turns you off. You can weigh and measure everything to be sure how much you are getting the first time around, but I tend to just wing it now since I've done it so often. I may make some changes post-op based on nutritionist recommendations, but overall I think this is a pretty solid smoothie recipe that you can change up in several ways with different fruits. Oh, you can also use Greek yogurt instead of skyr if that's not as easy to find, but I'm a big fan of the Siggie's brand skyr. I also love to buy the mixed fruit blends from the freezer section to get lots of variety in one bag. All of the produce I use is frozen, including the avocado. Oh no! I just realized I entered hemp seed twice in my recipe. That should be a tsp of chia seed!