Search the Community

My date is March 30th which is 10 days away. I started this journey on Feb 1st but I am self pay. I had to do an upper GI and talk with a dietician over the phone. I am struggling with no alcohol, no cigs and mostly liquids. My doc said to have 2-3 Protein shakes and one light meal per day. The hardest part for me is the mental part. I get mad at myself for allowing myself to get this big and have to resort to removing most of my stomach. I have been grouchy some too. food funerals before my pre-op diet started last Wednesday. I keep going back and forth in my mind but when I see a photo of me or catch myself in the mirror, there is no question about doing the surgery. Again, the psychological part is the hardest and I don't find that much online about it. Anyone else having these feelings?

yes there were 9 of us in the pre op class for Drs Smith and Ferrara. we were told if we had drank a soda that day that is was our last. we were told to do high protein (according to our individual nutrition guidelines) lean meats, eggs, chez, etc, that we could eat all veggies except corn, peas, beans and potatoes, nothing deep fried, no sweets, no alcohol, no bread of any sort (sliced, tortillas, bagels, chips, etc) and at least 64 oz of water a day but we could drink as much non carbonated, sugar free drinks that we wanted. also we could not have any fruits (juices, whole, or otherwise). i started a week earlier because i knew we would be required to do it. i followed my dietician's instructions for high protein, no carbs and lost a total of 14 lbs in 3 weeks but i was also walking a mile 3 times a week which doesn't seem like much but i've had 3 knee surgeries (1 on the left and 3 of the right, 2 of them back to back in less than one year on the right) so for me at my weight that is a good bit of effort. my surgery date is this tuesday oct 7th and i'm so excited!

Among the huge list of foods I hope taste nasty after surgery, chocolate is close to the top. I also hope cheese, mashed potatoes, wine, any kind of alcohol, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, soda, chips, Oreos and snack cakes find themselves on my "Foods You Couldn't Pay Me To Eat" list.

The purpose of the pre-op diet is to shrink fatty livers so low-fat is very important. Clear soups are lower in fat than creamed soups. One gram of fat has 9 calories. One gram of protein or a carb has 4 calories. One gram of alcohol has 7 calories. Try entering your food into FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal or another site to help you keep track.

Although I agreed with SOME of the logic of Spartan's post, he was wrong in other ways. Well, he is first wrong in his presumptuous and rude attitude toward the OP for her personal decision. Let's say that she had done something to be sorry for and let's say that she owed her family or the greater society for her "grievous" wrongs; there are aspects of everyone's lives that could stand improvement, that negatively affect other sentient beings, and linkages can always be made from those actions to a negative effect on society in general (in fact, this is almost always a popular excuse used by certain people in society in order to demand a legislative control on the personal and private behaviour or speech of others). But, the link to a negative effect on society of a private and personal action is usually tenuous and, Spartan should admit that, even if the links were not tenuous but very real, his justification is still just an obvious excuse to be rude to strangers. You can tell by his tone. Come out of the closet, put on your big-boy pants, and be rude in the open without recourse to false justifications. Also, any negative effect of her private actions upon herself that radiates to her family is up to her family to attempt to influence through shame or an intervention. As long as the actions are afflicted on herself, even if their effects indirectly emotionally interfere with another's feelings, it's the business of her friends, her family, and herself. The next problem is of a logical, not moral or emotional, nature. He justifies his shaming of the OP also by claiming that some (as he admits, not all) fat people deal with food in the exact same manner as a drug addict. He proceeds to make a generality about the entire overweight community's one true way to weight-loss, as suggested by him. And then, he shames a dieting person, whom he doesn't know, but who is non-compliant with his idea of managing food addictions. Now, I agree with the view that, at least, many obese people feel that they have a genuine food addiction (in the literal sense, on par with other addictions). I also agree that, if it is on par with an official addiction, they should avoid even a little bit of their trigger food, in the same sense that drinking just one shot of alcohol wouldn't be a successful strategy for a recovering alcoholic. However, you can't umbrella all people struggling with weight under the same psychological motivations and prescribe the same treatment for all. For a good fraction of obese people, the problem that needs control might be of portion-sizes (or of other kinds), as in, general over-eating, and a sedentary lifestyle. Those two categories apply to me. Because I now understand the underlying motivations or nature of my struggle with my weight, I also know that, actually, I can have one chocolate bar and not go into a day or week long binge. I could psychologically tolerate a wrap in the morning (I don't because I rarely went to fast food places, even before my band, and I probably couldn't get it down now) and not use it as an excuse to carry on binging because "my diet's ruined, so I'll have to start again on Monday." My problem is that I would overeat with good foods too. I never have been in the habit of eating bad foods, with the exception of chocolate. Even before the band, I stopped drinking soda altogether as a child, I always love eating vegetables, I'm a vegetarian (not for anything noble, like animal rights hahaha), and I really dislike sugar-based candy. I just have a serious problem with stopping myself from eating until I'm stuffed and an extreme distaste for exercise. But, how would your strategy help me? I still need to eat, so unlike the alcoholic who could potentially physically live without his addiction, I can't. The band, for me, is a perfect implement. I am barely on a diet right now. Yet, I calculated that my average loss is 2 pounds a week since I got the band 6.5 months ago, and the rate of loss is getting faster with more fills. It's effective and steady weight-loss, at a rate recommended by researchers. And guess what? The theory that you shouldn't deprive yourself unnecessarily of a treat works very well for me. I eat one to two chocolate bars a week. That's usually the limit to my unhealthy eating, although I don't abstain from special occasions (less than once a month). So, I never feel like: "I can't wait until this is over, when I've lost all my weight, so I can get back to real eating!" I could literally go on like this until the end of my hopefully prolonged life. I never said that about any diet before now, because nothing helped with portion control. If I want a treat, I'll have it. Psychologically, this is the best strategy for me. Making small but regular changes that I can maintain for a lifetime and getting the band for the problem of portion-control. And, that was a rather weak attempt--trying to say that other dieters will come on this forum and be negatively influenced if they read our strategy of moderation and managed indulgences. By that same token, you should be held responsible for anyone that reads your posts and adopts your general aura of ill-will and misanthropy. Crap, I am atrociously long-winded today. I just can't be concise. I still maintain that if you keep reading passed a decent length, you've brought the head-ache on yourself

I am 57 and working on improving health, so didn't really drink much before surgery either. First alcoholic drink was a wine glass of (still/non-bubbly) hard cider - very similar to white wine, at about 4 months. Maybe 8oz at the most. It was good tho, and I had no ill effects :-)

Thanks to everyone (Well, some)! I'm only asking because I want to know what other people have done. I understand that everyone's plan is different, but I don't understand why. If your plan says alcohol after 4 weeks, why does mine say no alcohol for the rest of my life? There has to be a reason your plan says 4 weeks. So I think it's okay to veer to someone else's plan for a second. Cheers to that. I'm having wine at the wedding tonight. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Hi. I had RNY on November 12, 2015. And, yes, I take Xanax daily for panic and severe anxiety disorders. In my case, RNY did make a very noticeable difference in how xanax effects me. In the first 3 or so months, it hardly worked for me at all. I had terrible anxiety. Now, at 5 months out, the medication hits me hard when I first take it, but doesn't last as long in my system. U G H!! It's sort of the same reaction as others have stated in the forums here about drinking alcohol. As time goes on, it seems to be leveling out. I thought I'd lose my mind a few months ago! As my body adjusts to malabsorption, I expect my reaction to my Xanax therapy to get back to somewhat normal. Even though it's been rough, I'm getting through it. It's the only problem I've had with my surgery. Keep in touch with all your doctor's about any concerns you have. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. My physical health is fantastic, and I hit my weight goal today!! Good luck to you and your upcoming surgery.

@@LowBMISleever "My comment was for the OP, but I don't take anything I said back. If it offends you that alcoholic beverages are empty calories that cause weight gain, then there's not a lot I can say. It's factual information. On a side note, I rescue dogs and your name implies you do too. I support that :)" You were complaining about the entire conversation and it not being 'supportive' to you. I know alcoholic beverages are empty calories and that's not something that's 'offensive' to me...I'm just not a huge believer in demonizing something that is allowed on our plans (most everyone here is allowed alcohol at some point) and something that I know is going to become a part of my long-term life. I don't like being nannied by strangers, and it seems I particularly dislike it when that stranger is calling people out for being non-supportive of HER dislike of alcohol use in a thread titled 'alcohol'. That's all. And yes, I'm a big rescue supporter and I'm glad you are, too. I've got two awful little rescues running around right now, barking their fool heads off and making my heart feel full <3 All of us have something in common at the end of all of our differences, don't we? Peace

Enjoy your alcohol. It definitely makes a ton of sense for morbidly obese adults trying to lose weight to drink empty calories that additionally impairs their judgement. cheers! I liked this app because everyone was so supportive pre-op and answered my questions honestly. Not sure I belong here anymore. I understand why the veterans don't stay. @@ShelterDog64 My final thought, we have all allowed ourselves to eat and drink ourselves obese - it's gluttony and addiction. That's why we are here. We deserve to be scolded when we go off plan, just like anyone else with an addiction would be scolded for going back to their drug of choice (mine is Pasta & wine). I understand that YOU are not going off plan for YOUR program. My comment was for the OP, but I don't take anything I said back. If it offends you that alcoholic beverages are empty calories that cause weight gain, then there's not a lot I can say. It's factual information. On a side note, I rescue dogs and your name implies you do too. I support that Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Wow! Diet drinks-huh? Well, I don't drink that often, so I suppose that when I do, I'll just take it straight. One night out would only be two drinks max for me. Let's face it, alcoholic beverages is not my problem. But I know the carbonation in drinks can be very very uncomfortable, so I'd have wine. I love a good, cold Pinot Grigio or a Sangiovese! Red is good for ya, and there's no carbonation ; ) Stay away from artificial sweetners. Bad news.

I am definitely on the moderation band wagon. I eat pizza and wings and drink alcohol and have cake and bagels and ice cream cones in the summer. I eat crap from convenience stores and fast food places. But I do so in moderation while eating healthy, bariatric friendly food 80% of the time. Too much sugar or fried food or alcohol or coffee will give me gastritis and carbonation is impossible. But I didn't do any of these things until I was under my goal weight. And although I don't track or count or measure my food I am mindful of what I do eat and how it affects my weight. I get 60-80g of Protein everyday, at least 80oz of fluids, I take my daily Vitamins and I have my bloodwork checked regularly. If I pop even one pound above my bounce range I go back to strict protein and veggies or even the preop liquid diet until I am back down. You should also know that after a years or two your restriction will lessen and you will not be able to rely on your sleeve for portion control. Anyone can learn how to eat around their sleeve and if you don't address and change your eating habits early on then you WILL regain. You will likely have a harder time than your wife because of her malabsorption I have a couple friends that have had bypass and if I ate like they do I would be right back where I started. There are many ways to be successful after WLS..... VSGAnn and I are nearly identical in our starting weights/heights, final goal weight and maintenance success. But the details of our success are different in a lot of ways. And I'm sure there are a hundred other versions of success out there. But there are also a hundred ways to fail. There are common denominators in the successes and failures, and only you can figure out what works for you if you decide to have surgery. In the end, postop life is about choices, not rules.

I received my call within a day or two from my pcp referral but I did have to wait a couple months for the orientation. It was hard for me because it took me years to be willing to do the surgery and once I decided I wanted it -I had to wait. I don't know what to recommend regarding losing weight now versus waiting until orientation. They will weigh you at that time and consider that your starting weight. I didn't receive my pre-op goal weight until two weeks later at my surgeons appt. I know some people were able to fast track a bit. I am not sure what qualifies you to do that unless they just asked. Some people had to drive further so they were able to schedule appts on the same day rather than waiting. Again, not really sure about all of that. It seemed to me as long as you were working hard and doing all they asked and not really a concern for them-they seemed to work hard to get you through. Actually for me I think it was exactly 4 months from orientation to surgery date. But I was nervous too so it was ok with me. I also worked hard to keep losing weight even past my pre-op goal weight. They really liked that. My goal is to get the weight off so I wasn't going to stop just at their goal. They said it made my surgery go much smoother. I haven't heard anything bad about any of the Drs. I had mostaedi who was absolutely wonderful. Very nice man. They told us in orientation they always have two surgeons in the room. I don't know for sure but baggs was doing surgery that day too so it may have been both of them. No matter what I have complete faith in my dr. And again, can't say enough nice things about the staff after the surgery. People were over the top nice and helpful. I know everyone has their own experiences but I really hope you guys have as nice an experience as I did. I really believe their strict program helps ensure success. They want you off caffeine, stop alcohol (I would recommend now because they will ask). No smoking, etc. really get in touch with why you overeat. Pay attention to when you are hunger versus bored etc. They will go over everything in orientation. Your binder is your lifeline and you are required to bring it to every meeting etc. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I found a listing of Low Carb Foods.... Proteins Most proteins come from animal sources and are extremely low in carbohydrates. It's important to exercise some care in choosing processed meats such as hot dogs and sausages. Try to select processed meats with no added sugar and less than two grams of carbohydrates per serving, and overall try to limit intake of processed meats. Instead select Protein sources like the following: Poultry Beef Lamb Pork products Seafood eggs Game meats Unsweetened whey protein Dairy Most full-fat dairy is low in carbohydrates; however, you should limit quantities to one to two ounces daily. Heavy cream Full-fat cheeses Butter Full-fat sour cream Cream cheese Vegetables You can eat most vegetables in relatively unlimited amounts on a low-carbohydrate diet plan. It's best to avoid or minimize starchier vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, beets, peas and corn. Limit quantities if indicated below: Leafy greens Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower and broccoli (in moderate amounts) Summer squashes such as zucchini and yellow squash Artichokes Peppers Onions (1/2 small onion) Sprouts Celery Mushrooms Asparagus Green Beans Jicama Sea vegetables Leeks Eggplant Spaghetti squash pumpkin Fruits Limited amounts of fruit can be part of a healthy low-carb diet plan. Limit daily intake if indicated: Strawberries (one to two ounces) Blueberries (one to two ounces) Blackberries (one to two ounces) Cantaloupe (one to two ounces) Rhubarb Peaches (1/2 peach) Nectarines (1/2 nectarine) Avocado Tomatoes Squeeze of lemon or lime juice Olives (one to two ounces) Nuts and Seeds Nuts and seeds are great snack foods for low-carb diet plans; however, quantity matters. Limit daily intake to one to two ounces unless indicated otherwise. All nuts should be either raw or dry roasted, and beware of honey-roasted products or those that contain other added sugar. Flax seed (two tablespoons) Chia Sunflower seeds Cashews Peanuts Almonds Unsweetened coconut (or coconut milk) Macadamia nuts Walnuts Pecans Pine nuts Pistachios Nut butter (one tablespoon) Herbs and Spices Herbs and spices are generally low-carbohydrate foods. Limit to one or two tablespoons. Below is a partial list of low-carbohydrate herbs and spices: Basil Oregano Rosemary Thyme Garlic Pepper Cumin Chili powder Turmeric Tarragon Fats Pure fats contain no carbohydrates. Consider one of these options: Butter Olive oil Walnut oil Coconut oil Fish oil sauces and Condiments If you use them in limited amounts, a number of jarred sauces can be part of a low-carbohydrate diet. Limit quantities if indicated below. Check for added sugar and avoid those that have sugar in any form. Salsa (1/4 cup) Marinara sauce (1/4 cup) Hot sauce (two tablespoons) broth (two cups) Mayonnaise (two tablespoons) salad dressing (two tablespoons) Mustard (two teaspoons) Tartar sauce (two tablespoons) Vine gars Libations Limited amounts of alcoholic beverages can be part of a low-carbohydrate diet. It is important to note that the body processes alcohol differently than other nutrients, and this can cause blood sugar to be erratic. Limit alcohol intake to occasional drinks, and limit quantities as suggested below. Beware of mixers, which often contain high levels of sugar and carbohydrates. Dry white wine (three ounces) Dry red wine (three ounces) Low-carbohydrate beer such as Michelob Ultra (one beer) Hard liquor such as whiskey or vodka (one shot)

This is going to gross some people out, I'm sure. But I'm a week post-op, still on Clear liquids, and I'm absolutely sick of sweet anything. My pain medication is even sweet--some disgusting pineapple analog, I think. I quit taking it just to get away from the ghastly syrupy taste and texture. The Gas-X chewable is faux-cherry. Gah. Multi-Vitamin chewable is sweet. I want some character in my clear liquid diet, drat it!!! So, I got my husband to buy a bottle of cocktail olive-thingies, all briny and stuff, and a bottle of pickled pearl onions, plus some Perrier, and a bag of Key limes (those little bitty ones). Poured some of the Perrier Water over ice, added some spoonfuls of the liquid around the olives and onions, squeezed in some lime juice, and took a sip. I started *DROOLING* it tasted so good to me. Sour, salty, a little bitter...and no carbs or sugar. I may try tonic water next. Also, I think I've hit on a winning combination for the next party I go to, so I have a drink to carry around without drinking anything alcoholic and that'll actually taste good (to me). My doc said to not drink carbonated stuff, and I think Perrier is close enough to not-carbonated (plus, I don't exactly drink it every day) that it won't be cheating. Those sour onions and the olives were delicious, though...How silly is that?

I was 2.5 months out when I tried to drink a hard cider for my birthday. I had maybe 1/4 C. before I passed out on the couch. Tried again this last weekend, got maybe 1/2 C. down and got super sleepy again. I'm wary of trying hard alcohol, I think it may be a little hard on my sleeve.

It is, it's absolutely stupid and a great way to lose a band to infection. Alcohol and a sterile needle does not make for sterile technique. It's NOT like drawing blood, whole different ball game.

I started using edibles about 9 months ago to replace the alcohol “vice.” I have a fatty liver and although have never been a heavy drinker, it gave me the incentive to just stay away from alcohol altogether, and gave me an “excuse” to not drink even socially. I found that the high from marijuana was much preferred over the intoxication from drinking, you can be totally chill but still have control over your actions. The problem with marijuana is I get the munchies really bad and have no control in that area. I am afraid to do edibles or vape post op for fear that I would not overeat again. I’m only 9 days out so my new habits need to be more solidified before getting high again ... thoughts?

I threw up once when I had Cookies and Water, and I probably took too big of bites. I have had scares, but the only time anything has came up was once. And I learned my lesson to limit my drinking and eating at the same time. What are some dense Protein foods that can keep you full? eggs are apparently dense protein, dont do **** for me. Doesnt help that I cant cook. Doesnt help that I can eat a full bag of cereal and not feel a thing. I dont know how to take personal responsibility when I THOUGHT that was the point of the sleeve, to help me out. All it did was make me hurt like hell for two days, hurt bad for another 7, then be sore for another so and so weeks. TJL, Im mid summer. I have been taking my Vitamins once a day, maybe three days a week or four, when I want to be taking them twice a day seven days a week....Maybe thats why Im losing hair so fast. Its a bit disgusting. And guys Im not an alcoholic........I dont know why you got that picture. Alcohol now gets me soooo drunk that before I used to control myself, now its harder. I remember taking a shot of a 100 proof vodka and almost immediately felt it. It just goes through me.....

Just a couple of other things I wanted to mention, though for the most part it's already been said. As long as you're over 18 and your parents don't have any kind of medical proxy over you, your counselor can't tell them anything. Don't hesitate to be honest, that's why you're going there! As far as telling your doctors the truth, please, please, please do that too. Remember this: they work for you! Every time you see them, they get paid a ridiculous amount of money (whether you're self pay, have insurance or use assistance doesn't matter, they still get paid), and it's in your doctor's best interest to see you succeed. They can also refer you to a nutritionist who can help you figure out what you can eat that meets your nutritional needs and that is still within your culinary skill level. Don't let embarrassment damage your health. Also, I hope you don't take offense, but you might be helped by some assertiveness training too. I took an assertiveness seminar a few years ago and it made a huge difference in the way I carry myself, and how I live my life. You've got to practice it every day, and might need a refresher from time to time if it doesn't come naturally (it doesn't for me, and I could use a "tune up" at the moment myself), but it might help you reach a point where you're willing to step up instead of sublimating your needs to what you think other people want from you. It's also a good way to help you "lose your inhibitions" without alcohol . As long as you're still breathing, there's not much that can't be fixed if you really want to fix it - you can do this!

I have heard the same harsh comments as many people have...just cut back, exercise, diet, drink more water, eat more veggies...you name it, and I have probably heard it. I didn't choose to be overweight, it just seemed to creep up on me slowly and before I knew it, I weighed 300 pounds...from having kids, from not being active, from being a good cook, from marrying into an Italian family. I had WLS after my husband said to me that he was concerned about me and my health, and that he wanted me to be around so we could enjoy retirement together. He didn't want me to sleep all day and not be able to go for a walk, and mostly he could see how I was depressed from my weight. He is my biggest supporter, and he didn't care how much it would cost, just "get it done". So, after years of yoyo dieting, trying every fad diet in the land, I was banded and I have to say it is the best money I have ever spent. I do not regret it for one moment because you see, I am a food-aholic...just like an alcoholic, but with food. I was not able to help myself. Now, I have learned healthy eating habits and choose the foods that appeal to me. I no longer crave the chips, chocolates, ice cream, cake, cookies, popcorn that used to rule my life. Now when I get a hankering for something to eat, my thoughts turn to protein, veggies and fruit. But I know this would not have been possible without my band. My band is a reminder to me each and every day of the new me, and I am going to be on this wonderful journey forever. So, when someone gives you a bunch of grief because you have decided or did have WLS, tell them to walk a mile in your shoes, and tell them to be sure to climb those stairs 2 or 3 times a day, and then tell them it is not a crime to want something better for yourself, to want to be around to see your kids or grand kids get married, to see them graduate. My bi-weekly trips to my dr's office are fantastic. I get excited to get on the scale and see that it has moved backwards, closer to a new me. The dr is proud of me too, and I can tell you, that goes a long way in my book of "good feelings". So if you are contemplating WLS, I say B-R-A-V-O. YOU GO AN 'GET'ER DONE'. You will probably find the road a little bumpy at times, but so worth it. I LOVE MY BAND Zil Banded 8/19/2011, starting weight, 299, weight loss to date 76#s, and another 65 to go...hoping to make it by 11/1/2012. Oh, BTW, it did take me 5 months to get into the green zone and that was with fills every 2 weeks.

Since we are on one of my favorite subjects...alcohol ..I have a question. Those of you that are saying that you aren't able to drink as much as you did before, etc. Did you drink a lot at all before? On a normal night out.. how many drinks would you have? I haven't had a drink since this whole thing started... so almost a month...that's a long time for me. I normally drink a few times a week.. just being honest..so I'm just curious how much you drank before being banded as opposed to now...that you can feel so much of a difference.. does that make sense?

Well as I said before, I'm not Dr. Phil's biggest fan but I knew his opinions on the matter so I used some of his wisdom. I'm not going to argue it anymore because it's futile in my opinion. We all come here from different backgrounds and types of families and when you've been raised in one of alcoholism/chaos/violence you tend to be more sensitive to it, brandyII.

You may be one of the unlucky ones whose hunger doesn't go away with surgery. And I will say that your surgeon's idea that you must stay on 800 cal a day to lose weight flies in the face of scienc. Stand back, I'm going to use MATH! If you were maintaining your (heavy) weight by eating, say, 3500 calories a day, then that's your maintenance for that weight. So now, if you are eating 800 calories, you are in a deficit of 2700 calories a day, which means you'd lose three quarters of a pound per day on average. If you're eating 1200 calories, you're in a deficit of 2300 calories a day, which means you'd lose two thirds of a pound per day on average. Yes, different macros (protein, carbs, fat, alcohol) do work differently in your body, but ultimately your body is bound, like everyone's, to the calories in-calories out equation. I suspect what happened to you is twofold: 1. You're in a lengthy stall (search up "three-week stall", it happens to almost all of us, it's incredibly frustrating, it's not always at 3 weeks, and it can last a month for some people). It's because your body has depleted its glycogen and is probably somewhat dehydrated (it's hard to drink enough right after surgery), and your fluid balance is adjusting itself. 2. You're frustrated and not tracking what you eat. Unfortunately, this is something that has to be done. You can't fix your diet if you don't know what your diet is. And that means, at least for me, pre-prepping meals and weighing things out. I just pop a tray in the microwave a few times a day and have it all specced out. I use MyMacros+ for tracking. One of the big culprits is cooking oil/fat. How many people measure the oil they put in a pan to cook their, say, chicken breast? Nobody except bariatric patients—everyone else just sploops some oil in a pan until it looks right. I actually have a bar jigger on the counter so I can measure in 1/2 ounces and full ounces. Track your food. Literally track your food. If you find you're not losing weight on 800 cal a day, spend a week eating 1000 cal a day to see if it'll shock your system. I am at about 1400-1500 cal a day a little short of three months post-op, because I work physical work and am very active (gym, running, hiking, etc.) and need the calories to be able to function. But I still track each and every day. The surgery isn't bullshit. If it were possible to just severely restrict calories without it, nobody would get the surgery. But there are thousands of people here, myself included, who found success with the surgery that wouldn't have been possible without it.

PCOS Health Review Hi, Two articles today: new research on berberine, and importance of vigorous exercise. 1) More Good News about Berberine There's a never-ending flow favorable research about berberine extract. For example, just this week a paper was released that said: "Our study found that administration of berberine alone may improve the menstrual pattern and ovulation rate" in women with PCOS who were not ovulating. They also reported: "Berberine can also decrease sex hormone binding globulin, insulin resistance, total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein ["bad"] cholesterol in normal weight polycystic ovary syndrome women." That's quite a mouthful but essentially they are saying that berberine extract can help you to reduce some of the factors that are contributing to your PCOS. This was a study of 98 Chinese women with PCOS who were not ovulating and who took berberine extract for 4 months. You can see below that their ovulation rates improved over time. Berberine and ovulation Other studies have shown that berberine extract can reduce obesity, improve insulin function, protect the liver and kidneys, and help to prevent diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and possibly Alzheimer's. It also has an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. Berberine has also been shown to relieve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is a problem for up to one-half of PCOS women. It appears that when you take berberine, a lot of it ends up in the liver, where it helps to clear out fat and help the liver to normalize itself. Once again, it appears that a berberine extract supplement may be helpful to you. Get automatic 10% off at checkout + free shipping for recommended berberine extract and all other supplements if your order is over $85 (expires midnight Tuesday). 2) How Vigorously Did You Exercise Today? So what's best…walking, bicycling, weight training or "high-intensity interval training"? Well, it's all good! Anything you can do to keep moving will reduce insulin resistance in your muscles, help you control weight, and cause you to feel better about yourself. However, emerging research is showing that the intensity of your exercise is a crucial factor. The University of California at San Francisco recently studied 326 women with PCOS. They compared women who exercised vigorously, exercised moderately, or were sedentary. The women who exercised had better metabolic and hormone control over their bodies. But those who exercised vigorously had the best metabolic control of all, and their weight was less that the other groups. The researchers said: "every hour of vigorous exercise reduced a patient's odds of metabolic syndrome by 22%". That's a huge drop! (Note: metabolic syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome have many overlapping characteristics). The next time you go to exercise, put some oomph into it. If walking is all you can do, step up the pace. If you go to the gym, review what you're doing and see if there is some way you can increase the vigor of your exercise without hurting yourself. And above all, have fun! There's no doubt that exercise is an essential and central component of PCOS control. Best of health! Bill Slater, Editor PCOS Health Review co-author of "The Natural Diet Solution for PCOS and Infertility" "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment." -- Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama PCOS Health Review is a newsletter providing natural health information for women with PCOS or ovarian cysts. PCOS Nutritional Supplements Store: www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/store You can get in touch with us here: newsletter@ovarian-cysts-pcos.com Sources: Li L et al. A Single Arm Pilot Study of Effects of Berberine on the Menstrual Pattern, Ovulation Rate, Hormonal and Metabolic Profiles in Anovulatory Chinese Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. PLoS One. 2015 Dec 8;10(12):e0144072. Yan HM et al. Efficacy of Berberine in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. PLoS One. 2015 Aug 7;10(8):e0134172. Greenwood EA et al. Vigorous exercise is associated with superior metabolic profiles in polycystic ovary syndrome independent of total exercise expenditure. Fertil Steril. 2015 Nov 6. pii: S0015-0282(15)02031-2. Unsubscribe from this newsletter or update your email 110 NW 51st St. Seattle, Washington 98107 United States