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There are several issues with alcohol, and different docs have differeing concerns about them. The basic initial concern is healing of the stomach, and that's where many docs come down to something around a three month limitation. Empty calories, too is a concern during the weight loss period, but that's no different than talking about Twinkies or any other kind of junk food. The biggie that some docs fret over is liver health - as obese patients, our livers are generally in pretty poor shape to begin with, and then they are further taxed with their role in metabolizing all of the fat that we are losing - they don't need any more stress from metabolizing the alcohol. So, that's where some docs come up with a no alcohol during the entire weight loss period policy - this is my doc's plan, and he's a bit more anal about liver health than most WLS docs as he also does liver transplants, and he doesn't want to see his bariatric patients coming back as transplant patients. The other concern is the prospect of transfer addiction - many of us were addicted to food, and with that taken away by the surgery, that addiction can be transferred to something else that was never a problem pre-op, like alcohol or gambling - so that is something to watch out for. The other thing to watch is that most find that their body's response has changed - usually feeling the alcohol's effects sooner and with less (things tend to go thru quicker, particularly liquids), but then they tend to recover quicker, too. Those are the major issues that influence the differerent surgeons' policies on alcohol and WLS, so take them for what you will. Overall, the occasional drink is not likely to be any more harmful than the occasional twinkie, but there are potential problems with it being a regular thing during the post-op period. Good luck, and may you have something to celebrate!

My doctor said to wait 6 months before any drinking. Be careful cause they say it doesn't take much for the alcohol to hit you Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using BariatricPal mobile app

So I'm 22 years old and had VSG surgery 2 weeks ago. I am very happy with my weightloss and honestly not being about to eat isn't bothered me in the way that I expected. I don't miss food that much but I miss the social aspect of it. I am a person that enjoyed very much cooking large meals and having dinners with my friends and family to show them that I care. Baking cakes for my friends birthday and just going out to eat in general. I honestly didn't realize how much of my social life had food and alcohol in it until I had this surgery. Now all my friends are having dinners and parties to celebrate new jobs and back to school, my best friend is a pilot and she just got her instrument rating and a big dinner to celebrate. I'm like torn should I not go and spare myself the agony of watching everyone eat and drink or do I just stay home and be a sour puss. Any suggestions and tips on how to be social without making everyone feel awkward will definitely help !!! Please I need it. And plus I'm moving to another country in a few weeks so I really want to be able to spend time with my friends now.

I can think of a couple reasons you'd be told no...1. it can irritate your stomach, especially when you aren't supposed to eat 2. It can hit you much more quickly than you are used to (especially when you aren't supposed to eat) 3. it can impair wound healing 4. It lowers inhibitions and can make you hungry, and if you eat prematurely you can reallly do some damage and of course 5. if you're still taking any pain med it can react badly. You just had major surgery so please do ask your doc. I don't mean to sound like a prude or someone who thinks any alcohol is bad; to the contrary I almost didn't get the band because I really LOVE an occasional beer and can't have it any more! LOL So please know I just mean this in a "good" way.....take care of yourself. And hopefully your doc will say "SURE having a couple will do you good" :thumbup:

Good Morning All. Still pre-RnY but have something else to share. I'm yodellng my yodel, honking my horn, ring my bell, whatever. I discovered something new to add to the vitamin lineup. It is called Wellesse Calcium and Vitamin D and is a,liquid. Shake it up and it tastes like a melted orange push-up treat. Containes calcium citrate our form of choice for calcium 500 units, Vitamin D 500 units and Magnesium 20 mg, color is from fruit/vegetable,so no artificial, no sugar, less than 1gr sugar alcohols and 125 mcg Boron. Cost me less than $10 at WalMart, so I imagine Meijier and Target might have it also. I've been a looking for Calcium Citrate pills every since my,preoprative lab results came back and I did have some vitamin/mineral deficiencies. Happened across this and so far I'm liking it. Like I said in another posting I'm now,on prenatal vitamins for the Fe(iron for you non- chemists) content. Wow, I got a few raised up eyebrows for that, I'm 72, not a typical prenatal,vitamins ingester! Doing pretty good,withbthat and my itty,bitty Vitamin A pills as long as they don't get lost,in the rug pile bouncing away. Yes it is the 2000s but my rug is still a " flower child" poor old thing!

For anti nasuae I keep a script on hand for generic phenergan which is called promethazine, you get about 20 pills and you can crush them, work quickly they are cheaper than the name brand and they are good for over a year. I think you can get the generic on walmarts 4.00 generic list now. The suppositories work but you don't get as many, they can melt if not kept in a cool place and they expire much faster. Also, Benedryl which you can get in liquid over the counter works very well, for children and adults. I also second the idea on Ginger tea and I use camomile mint tea if it is mild nasuea. I also will soak a cotton ball with alcohol squeeze out, and hold under nose, (careful around eyes) and breath slowly like in the hospital til it passes. Lastly, this winter I went to visit my daughters family who was in the mist of "flu" and on Tamiflu, so my Dr gave me a script to take with me just in case I started with symptoms, I filled it Luckily I didn't need it, but It is good til end of next winter. I used it last winter when I had it and it kept me from getting the worst of the flu, so if you think your getting the actually flu,, get in and get Tamiflu .

I’m assuming that post op diarrhea is normal due to the stages of eating . I just had a revision from band to rny on Thursday so I’m 6 days post op. I was just discharged Sunday . I’m on stage 1 of clear liquids still and protein. I’m gassy and every gas is watery stools and constant . I’m also on an antibiotic and the side effect could be the trots . I’m sure sugar alcohol had aggravated it too. I’m just worried about dehydration happening as I’m trying to stay hydrated . I did introduce a triple zero Greek yogurt today because I’m tolerating fluid fine just being slow as instructed . I have had waters, a premier protein shake , some broth, some high protein low sugar ice cream (Enlightened) so about 300 calories today . I’m probably extra gassy from the 3 net carb good for you ice cream but I was already pouring watery stools being just on clear fluids . I’m hoping that once other textures come back that this tapers off? Thursday they should start me level 2 since I ate Greek yogurt today as I consider it liquid once it goes in.

Well I used to not believe in the "honeymoon period" but I am a big believer now. Not in a bad way, but here is what happened for me personally. This is *just my* experience, yours maybe different I lost about -46lbs during the first 3 months post-op. Then I hit a wall. Month 4 I lost -2lbs for the whole month and it has been somewhat of a struggle ever since. I say struggle just because you might secretly be thinking that at 4 months post-op I changed something (downed MCD's or ate ice cream or quit working out) but quite the opposite was true. I worked my sleeve diligently every day, ate the right foods, weighed and measured, and tracked my food, and got to the point at about 8 months post-op that I was working out every single day. So it's not like I fell off the wagon and then bellyached about why I couldn't lose weight. I finally accepted that the honeymoon (again for ME) was over and I was just going to have to ride this out with diligence and patience. I'm closing in on 17 months post-op and guess what? I still exercise (not daily anymore...went back to work full-time and found myself with a whole lot less free time) I still weigh my food, still track it, still eat on my surgeon's plan about 90% of the time. I also didn't have any (ZERO, ZIP, NADA) alcohol until I was 1 year post-op (1 year and 1 week to be exact, Halloween party woo hoo, I had some wine...such a boozer, lol!) So I guess you could say I was a rule-follower and it is still taking me a looooooong time to lose the weight. So take it for what it's worth. I think the more you can lose right after surgery the better off you are cuz at some point it's going to slow down. WHEN is really hard to say, because it's obviously different for everyone. As far out as I am, I'm still losing...just very very slowly.

Hi Bandit, What everyone says is right on. People who lose their ports are the exception: the band and port are both part of a system designed to stay in place permanently. Infections and other complications can happen but they are rare. The vast majority of bandsters keep their ports and bands in place long-term. Regarding alcohol: You say it would be a shame if you couldn't drink anymore. Well, that's your decision. If you're in a place where you are seriously considering weight-loss surgery, then you must be coming to terms that MANY behaviors you now have are not working for you. Alcohol may be one of them. There are lots of reasons not to drink, banded or not, if you're trying to lose weight. But no, banding will not change your basic anatomy, and you will still be able to metabolize alcohol after banding the same way you do now.

So I when to see my doctor he cleared me to eat regular food, but I have some questions regarding wraps, breads(turkey sandwich) broccoli, salad and alcohol. I asked so many questions that I forgot to ask him about these. How did u guys eat on a regular diet.

Here is some advice I can give you. Eat off small plates (cake plates) this is a mind game when you see the plate is full. Put your fork completely down between bites. When you don't feel empty and more stop eating and you can eat somemore later. Try little bites of things to see if it still agrees with you or that you even like the taste of it. Use a table spoon when serving out your plate. Alcohol. hummm, I just tried it for the first time and what I had would have been a gulp for anyone else but it too me all day until I gave up on it. I hope this helps you and good luck.

It is a pretty ridiculous idea. I don't see how it can compare to refusing to sell alcohol to someone who is intoxicated or banning smoking. Smoking is not a life-sustaining need. Drinking is not a life-sustaining need. Eating is a life-sustaining need. If I were a smoker and smoked around others, I could cause them health problems due to second-hand smoke. If I were a drinker, I could seriously harm or kill someone by driving drunk. If I go to a restaurant and overeat, the only person I am hurting is myself. I just don't see the comparisons.

@@OKCPirate ... I look forward to hearing what your medico friends have to say. That study reported in Medscape (thanks for the link, @@butterfly23 ) is based on medical data from 200,000 patients of the US Veterans Administration. Many VA patients have other diseases and behaviors induced by poor self-care that often contribute to subsequent kidney disease and dementia -- diseases like diabetes, alcoholism, poor nutrition, etc. These initial diseases and the behaviors that lead to them are also the kinds of diseases and conditions that cause GERD and, consequently, prescriptions of antacids -- both H2 blockers and PPI meds. Oddly, the study authors assumed something I think they should not have assumed: "As the study authors note, both classes of drugs are generally used for the same indication." Instead, it's been my own observation that MDs prescribe PPI meds after H2 blockers don't lower GERD symptoms. That means to me PPI meds are prescribed for patients who suffer from GERD that is more severe. Patients with more severe GERD (caused or contributed to by greater degrees of primary diseases like diabetes, poor nutrition, alcoholism) might run a higher risk of secondary diseases like kidney diseases and dementia, due to their primary diseases -- not the antacids prescribed for their GERD. It's these kinds of correlations that lower my anxiety about the likelihood of PPIs *causing* kidney disease or dementia. As the lead scientist of the study himself said: ... as Dr Perazella cautioned, neither study proves that the PPIs actually cause adverse renal outcomes. "It must be remembered that these are epidemiologic studies that don't prove causation," he stressed. Indeed, the JAMA Internal Medicine authors themselves note that their study was observational in nature and did not provide evidence of causality.

has anyone happened to turn to alcohol instead of eating? I've read about turning one addiction into another, but can't find anybody to discuss this with. May 18, 2006 surgury date Dr. Choi, Danbury Hospital, Connecticut 65 lbs at this time of my "PLATO" Thanks, kdf:help:

technically it is, but I wouldn't do it. LOTS of calories, and the alcohol acts as a blood thinner so doing it before surgery can lead to excess bleeding.

Thanks for your message! Yes, you say it perfectly...unlike drugs/alcohol, we need food to LIVE, so it's always going to be there, always going to be around. It is completely up to me to know when to stop...it's just so easy sometimes to put it off until tomorrow...which is why I'm as unhealthy as I am. Good luck with your recovery and with the rest of your journey! I hope that everything works out great for you

My doctor cleared me to drink alcohol but not soda, due to the carbonation. Smirnoff is lightly carbonated. Does that mean I shouldn't be having it? I had a few sips and then had the realization. I can literally hear my tummy making sounds because of it. Anyone know if I can have it? Similar experiences? Any knowledge?

Brenda-A "pb" is a productive burp-I've never experienced one but from what I gather it's when you don't tolerate some kind of food (either because of not chewing or your pouch doesn't like it) and when you burp the actual food comes with it. A golf ball is the feeling like you've swallowed a golf ball-I've only had this a couple of times-once with meds and once with food-I think it's caused by muscle spasm, swelling (my doc calls this "pouchitis") or gas. Whatever the cause there are several different remedies to help-most people recommend warms sips of something. Check on the main site and there is a thread with all the definitions of these acronyms and many other good tidbits. I've only lost 15lbs since surgery so as you can read from my above post I've been discouraged as well. I also realize I'm mourning my love of food (cue violins please) and I had hoped that this would be offset by bigger wt losses but no such luck. (i've told this story before but it's very illustrative of my feelings): I was crying one day feeling very frustrated while I was cooking dinner for all the kids-I desperately wanted to eat spagetti (mmmm) I should point out at this point that my husband is an engineer who has never had a wt problem-but anyway he was attempting to comfort me (notice the word attempt) I told him that I felt like an alcoholic bartender while I was cooking and he looked at me and said "But I thought this is what you wanted" Nooooooooooooooo-I don't want to be hungry-I want to be skinny.Uh I meant to say healthy, yeah healthy. No really I want to be able to shop something other than the "Beautiful Woman" section. Plus size? Plus what? Hi Brenda-nice to meet another mom of many!

my dr said ok to an occasional drink. i dont like beer, wine, or hard alcohol except for strawberry margaritas.mmmmmmmmmmmmm....... any hoo, keep this story in mind, i only have 1 -2 margaritas a month (or less) but i found out the hard way that the type of tequila can make a huge difference, really good Jose Cuervo tequila=no problems, cheap tequila at a mexican resturant=major reaction !(i threw up every thing!) Before being banded i had no problems with the cheap kind. Good luck !

I, personally, would suggest another place. That atmosphere tempts me too much. Post bariatric surgery you have an uber low tolerance for alcohol. I'd be afraid I'd be tempted to have "just one" or even a sip and feel it too much.

© 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food! © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 1 Eating in Holiday Spirit – The Art of Cheating It’s never what you eat or do, it’s always how much you eat or move When it comes to food consumption, I am the master of cheating, at least according to the people around me. I never cease to amaze people when I am dining or “grazing” at a party or function, by consuming all the classical forbidden foods (and often in Herculean quantities), prompting the proverbial question, “How can you possibly eat like that and stay in such great shape?” The answer is: I will easily cancel out those excess calories by 3 p.m. tomorrow, or certainly by the end of the day, because when you really get the science of weight gain, weight control becomes a “walk in the park”—sometimes literally. It’s always been simple—it’s all about calories Now that the facts regarding weight control and calories have been globally publicized by the scientific community (washing out all other diet nonsense), most people finally “get it”. Instead of hearing dieters say, “Well, I heard it’s not the calories but…,” now most are saying, “I guess you were right.” Unfortunately, when it comes to weight loss, it generally takes more than hearing the truth before dieters finally get it. What I mean is, most had to experience the journey by trying everything new and old in an effort to lose unwanted poundage. Finally, dieters arrived at the realization that during any program’s short-term success, they were cutting calorie intake and/or adding movement calories creating the undisputable equation: eating less calories than you burn = mass reduction. Although they had to come to this conclusion on their own, causing many frustrating experiences, I never said, “I told you so.” Well, almost never. Okay, now that that’s out of the way, let’s get down to cheating the system, because as long as you know how it works, you can beat it. Beating the bulge by doing the math In mathematics, when you have the answer you can create any numbers that lead to the solution. Same in the case of weight control. The answer is to consume less or equal to what you burn and nobody cares how you do it. As long as your total caloric intake (TCI) is less than total caloric output (TCO) for ANY GIVEN TIME PERIOD, whether it be two hours or 20 years, you will have reduced mass. Getting the picture yet? One more thing to keep in mind, increasing your movements by 100 calories a day has the same effect as removing 100 calories from your food intake. Therefore, your take home messages of any given time period and calorie adjustments in or out are of equal value. Regarding the latter, it’s a heckof- a lot easier to cut the calories than burn them, especially when you consider that one average-size café mocha contains ~ 500 calories, which is equivalent to a very intense one-hour run. Party time – just manage the AVERAGE DAILY DEFICIT There is a certain caloric deficit that a person must average in order to manage body fat. Example: When you are maintaining weight, the deficit is zero, or calories in = out. During weight loss, the deficit is based on the goal, including the desired time frame. Your weekly mass change, shown by weight and/or body fat, validates whether or not your deficit is correct. Notice the key points: average deficit and goal, not the total number or type of calories used to achieve the deficit or goal. It is the deficit number that must be managed. Let’s look at an example: Goal: Lose two pound in November Our example is modest because most people/dieters would be happy just maintaining weight in November. But when you finally get the “calorie thing,” you gain complete control of your body, making anything possible. Because one pound of fat = 3500 calories, for the month of November you will have to burn 7000 calories more than you eat. Therefore: time period = 30 days, goal 2 lbs = average daily deficit of ~230 calories (30 days x 230 = ~7000 calories = 2 lbs). Because I am a typical gym participant, we will use me as an example: Conversation Corner With Neal Spruce A Newsletter for Fitness Enthusiasts November 2005 © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 2 At 180 lbs with a sedentary job and working out one hour, three days/week, my average daily calorie burn is 2700 calories (and of course I know this because I never take my bodybugg™ armband off). Using the 2-pound loss goal, I can choose not do anything different in my daily activities, which means my average daily calorie intake will have to be ~2400 calories. Let’s say during a “fun day” I really blow it and consume ~5000 calories. (Of course, some of those would be alcohol, which is generally the culprit that dis-inhibits my usual appetite restraints, leading to the excess calorie consumption). Theoretically, I can make it up in one day by not eating (not advisable), or by adding 2300 calories of movement (my hangover would probably prevent this strategy). Instead, I would usually alter two days to keep me on track because, factually, if I had been averaging a 230-calorie deficit for the last 10 days, my “binge” would have wiped out my 10-day results. See how easily plateaus can happen? You work hard and/or eat well for 10 days, blow it once, and you are back where you were 10 days ago. Remember, every calorie counts both in and out, because energy (calories) is neither created nor destroyed, only transformed. That said, it’s very simple to make up the loss when you know what you’re doing. Two-day remedy As long as I know I am going to blow it ahead of time, I always prepare by cutting the previous day’s calories in half. In this case, the day before the event I would consume four meals totaling 1200 (see sidebar); consume the 5000 calories on the “fun day” and repeat the 1200 calorie menu the following day, bringing my three-day calories-in total to 7400. Assuming I burned my 2700 cal/day average, bringing the three-day calories-out total to 8100, I am basically back on track, especially when you consider I participated in a function that goes well into the night where I will have certainly burned more calories than if I had stayed home and gone to bed…by myself. In summary, my three-day calorie deficit total was 700 (8100-7400), or an average daily deficit of ~230 calories, back on track and a heck of a good time! And remember, I did this all with food. But for every calorie I burn over 2700 for any of the three days, I can add back to my consumption. For instance, if I had gone for a walk in the park to shake the cobwebs out of my head or puttered around the garden for an hour, I would have burned ~300 calories more than normal, allowing a 1500 calorie total for one of the two 1200-calorie days or 5300 on the big night. Anyway, you get the picture: The more you move the more you get to eat (and that applies all the time). Additionally, you can make up the deficit over a longer period of time, such as 10 days of 560- calorie deficit. I just like my “pain” quick and done. Use the formula anytime you wander of course Best of all, you can repeat the above process anytime necessary. Just plug in the numbers and/or control portion sizes on make-up days. “Blowout” day’s calories don’t have to be accurate, just take a guess. Remember that 5000 calories is very difficult for the average person to consume in one day, but entirely possible during the holidays. The alternate method (non-bodybugg™, lack of desire or inability to count calories) is to simply cut every meal you consume in half during the two days you are using to make up for the “fun day.” The advantage of using Apex foods during the “catch-up” periods is that they are more satiating than most other foods of equal caloric value. And, more importantly, packaged Apex foods accurately count your calories, leaving no room for error. Life is easy when you understand and use only facts. And calories in and out are the simple facts related to weight control. You are now free to control your body composition—anytime. So, there you have it—the biggest, newest holiday tip from Yours Truly. Attached are the regular boring tips I give you every year—but they can also work. Sample 1200-calorie menu 7:00 a.m. Meal 1: Apex Breakfast Square – 230 calories with multi 11:30 a.m. Meal 2: 400 calorie meat of choice sandwich or large salad with favorite protein 4:00 p.m. Meal 3: 400 calories of chicken, starch of choice and salad with multi 8:00 p.m. Meal 4: Apex cookie – 160 calories with multi Any choice of non-caloric fluids © 2005 Apex Fitness Group™ 3 The Holidays are upon us with their abundance of stress and food. Here are 21 tips that will help get you successfully through the holidays without sacrificing your healthy lifestyle. 1. Exercise an hour a day, 4-5 days a week during the holidays. A brisk walk, run or bikeride will burn calories, relieve stress, and elevate your endorphins and mood. If you have to miss a workout, simply increase your daily activities. Be sure not to snack during this time. 2. Avoid eating no fat. Eating moderate amounts of fat at a meal can help you feel full sooner and keep you full longer, just don't overdue it. 3. Don't skip meals. Skipping meals leads to hunger, low energy levels and improper food choices. 4. Don't pass up favorite foods or deprive yourself completely. Moderate consumption is the key. 5. Don't tempt yourself by keeping trigger foods or comfort foods around the house. If you have them, it increases the likelihood that you will overeat. 6. Plan meals by keeping in mind the demands you'll have on your schedule that day. 7. Don't go to a party starving. Before you leave home, eat something light or drink a meal replacement shake. Also, drink a great deal of water the day of the party. 8. When you attend holiday festivities, don't station yourself near the buffet table. Make a clear-cut decision to distance yourself from all goodies. 9. Alcoholic beverages pack on the calories so if you're drinking alcohol, stick to light beer or a champagne spritzer. Watch out for the eggnog, it is high in calories and fat. 10. If you do find yourself feeling depressed, soothe your spirit with a massage, manicure, pedicure, or facial. Men can enjoy this too! 11. When you shop, eat before you leave home so you won't resort to cookie breaks. 12. To satisfy your sweet tooth, set limits. For example, you might allow yourself two decadent desserts per week; just move more the next day. 13. Just because it is the holidays doesn't mean you should give yourself the license to eat everything that passes by. Factor in the little extras into your daily intake. 14. Help out by saving fat and calories when it's feasting time. Make or buy wild rice stuffing, baked sweet potatoes, whole-grain rolls and angel-food cake with fruit. 15. If you are staying with family or friends, ask them if you can have a space in the refrigerator and keep foods on hand to snack on like lean deli meats, cottage cheese, nonfat cheese sticks, etc. 16. If you tend to overeat during family gatherings, plan and visualize what and how much you will eat before you go. Plan additional daily activities for that day or the following one. The additional activity can be anything from a longer shopping day to additional gym time. 17. If you want to really keep yourself honest and the same size during the holiday season wear your most form-fitting blue jeans. Another trick is to tie a string or ribbon around your waist under your shirt that will not budge with the bulge. 18. If you are at the mercy of the dinner host, eat modest amounts of the foods offered and fill up on foods with more fiber and volume and fewer calories. Make a small plate and skip the seconds. 19. Eat whatever you want on the main holiday feast. If you over-do it just go back to your regular plan the next day and move a little more. 20. Take a meditative moment at least one time each day to breathe deeply and clear your mind of all the clutter. 21. Enjoy the season, not just the food!

I don't drink alcohol, so this hasn't been an issue for me. I was wondering the other day if banded people can still drink beer, or if it's too fizzy. I guess it's carbonated, so should be on the no-drink list?

Phat, Me again. I almost forgot to mention - I was getting very gassy from some Protein products. Turns out many bars contain an alcohol sugar that causes gas. My nut says read the label, and avoid the ones containing sugars that end in "ol." Blew me up like a birthday balloon.

Yes, I am 5days post-op and had extreme diarrhea since coming home, except for today. I called my RD Friday and she told me to check the "sugar-free" liquids bec many contain sugar alcohols (sorbitol, sucralose, etc) which can promote it. My protein shakes are pea protein based and only have stevia, however it was also giving me loose stool. I also notices that my B-12 quick melts & calcium citrate soft chews have sugar alcohols. My RD suggested that i drink some Pedialyte and then advance to full liquids (hot cereal, cream of wheat/rice, grits) and non-dairy yogurt. Today (Sun), i only ate the Cream of Wheat, Cream of Rice and Grits made with high protein almond milk, non-dairy yogurt and drank water. I have had NO diarreha, but I also have NOT had a bowel movement at all today. Which, Im ok with for now, but I am about to try and drink a protein shake and hopefully my bowels will move w/out giving me diarrhea. I hope this helps a little. Sent from my SM-N920P using BariatricPal mobile app

I walked away from cigarettes November of 2016 then booze a few months later. I was already over 300 lbs and I knew I had to start somewhere. I've been reading up on addiction transfer and it's real. This is not specific to the subject but might help get you started: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19033853-the-emotional-first-aid-kit?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Ubhhurkvj4&rank=2 I'm also still fighting with what I call the "munchie monster" and I'm still working through my childhood traumas. I'm also re-reading Atomic Habits by James Clear and trying to incorporate little changes in my daily routine to ensure these habits and/or rituals become second nature. Alcohol destroyed my dad as it has many others. I hope you can find away to address what's really going on and start walking down a healthier path. I'm here to vent to or talk to if you need .