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Dear BariatricPal Members, Happy Valentine’s Day! It’s a day that should be full of love and appreciation for the special people in your life. It can be a challenging occasion for weight loss surgery patients because of the chocolate and other decadent foods, but don’t worry. This newsletter has tons of tips to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day without the extra calories. Gifts That Say “I Love You” (and I Want You to Be Around Forever!) Your Valentine’s Day Meal (with a recipe) Valentine’s Day Menu Reminders for Eating Out Love Yourself Take a look at the newsletter for ideas and inspiration to stay on your WLS diet while enjoying this festive day, and then come to BariatricPal for more conversations. Happy Valentine’s Day! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Gifts That Say “I Love You (and I Want You to Be Around Forever!)” A box of chocolates, a dozen freshly baked frosted cupcakes, and a basket of dried fruit and candied nuts are just a few of the standard Valentine’s Day gifts. These treats may come with the best of intentions, but other gifts can be more meaningful. Select a Valentine’s Day gift that supports health and, at the same time, lets the two of you spend quality time together. Consider some of these gifts that say “I love you” and have another message. “I want us to feel good…together.” A couples massage or other spa treatment lets the two of you relax together while the pampering energizes your body. “I want us to be healthy together forever.” A cookbook with WLS recipes is an invitation for your significant other to spend some time with you in the kitchen as you both follow a healthy lifestyle. “Let’s commit to some time together, healthy eating, and some exercise.” Some seeds, seedlings or gardening tools are what you need to start a garden. If Valentine’s Day is still too early for gardening because of the cold weather, the two of you can can take some time to plan your garden. As the months progress, you can garden together and cook fresh vegetables as you harvest them. “You’re my greatest inspiration.” A gift of matching workout clothes or fitness equipment for both of you sends the message that you value your partner as an inspiration and a workout buddy, and that you want him or her to be as healthy as possible. “We’re committed to this.” Registering both of you in an upcoming 5k fun run/walk and showing the training schedule for the two of you to complete together shows your commitment to each other’s health and happiness. Valentine’s Day WLS Menu Eating right always makes you feel proud and healthy. On Valentine’s Day, your dinner can go one step further and set a romantic tone for the rest of the night. Many traditional Valentine’s Day menus can leave you feeling stuffed. Worse, they can cause complications after weight loss surgery. For example, Pasta can lead to obstructions in lap-band patients, sugary desserts can give gastric bypass patients dumping syndrome, and rich foods can make vertical sleeve gastrectomy patients feel nauseous and overly full. These effects can quickly dampen the romantic mood! With a bit of planning, you can make a special Valentine’s Day dinner that fits into your weight loss surgery diet while it kindles the love in the air. Stick to the rules you know, such as focusing on Protein, eating slowly, and watching your portion sizes. Try the following menu, or use it as inspiration for your own creations. Starter: Stuffed Portabellas Remove the stems from 2 portabella mushrooms and cook the caps on the stovetop or in the oven or the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix 4 egg whites and 4 slices of turkey ham. Divide the egg mixture evenly into the mushroom caps and bake until the eggs are cooked. Serve the mushrooms in halves or quarters with an optional dollop of fat-free Greek yogurt. Main Course: Turkey or chicken Cutlets with Mashed Cauliflower Slice 2 red peppers into strips and grill them. Sprinkle 1 ounce of parmesan cheese on each of 2 turkey or chicken breast cutlets, and top with basil and bell pepper strips. Roll each cutlet and stick a toothpick in it to hold it together. Bake them until the chicken or turkey is thoroughly cooked. Then slice the rolls in half-inch-thick slices so that the pieces look like pinwheels. Serve with tomato sauce. Using pinwheels instead of serving the entire cutlet helps you with portion control. For the cauliflower, thoroughly cook a bag of frozen cauliflower and cook a peel small sweet potato. Mash the cauliflower and the sweet potato with 2 tablespoons of reduced-fat margarine, and add garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to taste. Dessert: Chocolate-Dipped strawberry Slices Mix together one-half cup of fat-free yogurt, one-half cup of unsweetened baking cocoa (not sugary hot cocoa mix), and one-half cup of calorie-free sweetener of your choice (such as Equal, stevia, or Splenda). Add skim milk slowly until the mixture resembles a thick sauce or thin dip. Serve sliced strawberries on the side and dip them into the chocolate sauce as you eat them. Reminders for Eating Out Are you taking going out to eat at a restaurant on this Valentine’s Day? Enjoy the break from the kitchen, but don’t forget your common sense. A main dish at a restaurant can have over 1,000 calories, and that is before you add bread or chips, appetizers, beverages, soup or salad, and dessert. A typical restaurant can make weight loss surgery patients feel sick. However, you can use these reminders to stick to your weight loss surgery diet while you enjoy this special Valentine’s Day dinner. Ask the server not to bring rolls, breadsticks, or chips, and skip the appetizers and dips. This is a great time to study the menu as you look for weight loss surgery-friendly options. Keep your portion sizes small by ordering a kids’-sized meal or asking the server to pack up half of your dinner to take home. Or, make the night even more romantic by splitting a meal with your significant other. Ask for modifications when you order. Order broiled or grilled chicken or fish instead of fried options, ask for sauces and dressings to be served on the side, and substitute a side of steamed vegetables for potatoes, rice, or pasta. Eat your protein first and chew slowly, just like you do at home. Avoid caloric beverages. You shouldn’t be drinking fluids while you eat, anyway. In particular, avoid alcoholic beverages. They are high-calorie and they can give you poor judgment so that you overeat. Skip dessert and order decaffeinated coffee or tea instead. Since you are not allowed to drink fluids while you consume foods, your tea or coffee will signal the end of the meal. If you must have dessert, ask for some yogurt or applesauce, a piece of fresh fruit, or some cottage cheese. Have fun! Remember that the purpose of eating out is to celebrate the day, whether you are with your significant other or one or more friends or family members, or whether you are taking some time to yourself. Focus on the occasion rather than how much food you can eat. Love Yourself Don’t forget to show yourself a little love and appreciation on this Valentine’s Day, whether you are single, dating, or happily married. Set aside some time for yourself. You might be able to get away to go shopping or see an art exhibit. Even just a few minutes to yourself at home can be enough. Remind yourself how proud you are of yourself. Think about where you are in your weight loss journey, what you have accomplished, and what you will continue to work for. Remember how grateful you are for everything in your life – including your own personality. Feeling good about yourself is the best way to help others feel good about you. That’s what we have for our Valentine’s Day newsletter! We hope it was useful and motivating. Don’t forget to drop by BariatricPal to see what our members are talking about!

I know it's difficult but it would be better for your health in the long run if you quit smoking and didn't go back to it ever. This is of course, easier said than done. The journey to better health is paved with exercising self control, whether it be food, cigarettes, alcohol, etc.

Caffeine is fine for most people and anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't have the scientific evidence to back up their opinions. coffee does not cause ulcers. If you could tolerate coffee pre-op, chances are good you'll tolerate it fine post-op. I started drinking coffee again about 1 week post op. Nowadays I drink 2 cups a day just fine with a little fat free half & half. I compensate by drinking more Water during the day, which everyone should be doing anyway. As for the alcohol, it's about balance. It's empty calories - and the calories really can add up. Your surgical team may be concerned about transfer addiction if you are a food addict. It's a valid concern but as long as you don't overdo it, I don't see the harm. I have had the occasional drink since I've been sleeved and I tolerate it fine. Just don't expect to lose weight if you have a glass of wine every day. I'd stay away from beer and champagne. Carbonation = no bueno.

I'm 11 days post op. My surgeon calls for no alcohol, or coffee forever. I have committed to a lot of changes and really, nothing bothers me, giving up the weight loss struggle is worth giving up a lot of pre surgery habits. BUT.. I miss coffee! Decaf just doesn't give me the same satisfaction. I have scoured the internet to try to understand why it is so bad... that works well for me. But I can't find any convincing arguments against it. Only, IF a patient is suffering from GERD or acid reflux as it can result in more acid production, but from what I've read, so does decaf and he says that is ok. When I pressed the question with the NUT she said it is an appetite stimulant. Ummm, I just don't see that being an issue for me. If anything, I had my coffee in the morning and more often than not went all day without eating (I just get busy at work and don't think about it). I just know, I measure and pack my meals and plan my days, a cup of coffee in the morning is very unlikely to change what I consume during the day. Sooooo, my questions to others with more experience are: 1. What is your Dr.'s stance on coffee? 2. Do you have coffee and what if any effect does it have on you? I will stick with my surgeon's requirements. But if a year from now (or after I reach goal and am fully healed) and I can't find any real tangible reason so support a no coffee lifestyle, and given I still want it, I may have to step out and be a rebel

Did u have pre op nutritionist classes? Each program has their own guidelines unfortunately. I start my 14 day preop diet on Monday. I will have 5 EAS myoplex lite protein shakes a day, one serving of veggies, one serving of fruit and one serving of starch a day plus all the clear liquids I want (ff broth, sf Popsicles, sf jello, decafe coffee/tea w/out milk, creamer, sweetener etc and no carbonated beverages or alcohol). I plan on taking my one serving of fruit a day and adding it to one of my shakes with ice and making a smoothie in the blender. As far as your post op eating, that is very specific to what your nutritionist outlined for u. I will have clears only on day one and then clears and protein shakes from day 2 through 7. Day 8 I advance to soft foods ie: sf pudding, sf applesauce. Hope this helps. Good Luck!!!!

Well Warren PhD..here I am..a BONIFIED sugar addict! full responsibility & no guilt, just fact. scientific actually. Great Doc I had. MY PhD and I have worked very hard to come to the finale, the finish line if you will. it will never end, but I know where the line is now. I had (and still do) trigger foods, and triggered sweets. Long long story short..We, together discovered my triggers, which lead to other triggers, which lead to other triggers. Once established, she left it up to me, to either disregard the Pasta's,breads & chocolates (refined carbs) altogether, or learn discipline and moderation. I chose to not have sugar or process flour products in my life. That's discipline, not willpower. You are right about the 7 rules. . 6 out of 7 I do religiously, and I am also a case study in my area for a nation wide obesity study. My surgery was 3/1/2010-Gastric. I wanted my sugar/pasta 'addiction' under my control before I had my surgery. If having a 'politically correct' word for food addicts makes you PhD's feel self important for coining a new phrase for the Webster dictionary, by all means, give a prettier name. But I know what I am, I have live it for a very long time. Now I don't, but it will always be there with me, just like an alcoholic or a drug or sex addict.

According to hopkinsmedicine.org 80-90% of gastric and duodenal ulcers are caused by H. Pylori bacteria. Other causes are NSAIDS, smoking, caffeine, alcohol, and physical stress. food doesn't seem to CAUSE ulcers but can aggravate existing ulcers. By definition an ulcer is a break in the tissue, a sore, or a lesion and can be located anywhere in or outside of the body. Ulcers get their names from their location... gastric ulcer, peptic ulcer, duodenal ulcer, skin ulcer, etc. The type of ulcer you are referring to is totally different from the type that was mentioned.

I think it's more the thought. I smell the alcohol and get dizzy. Lol

Wait did someone say something about alcohol? I'm in! LOL...that is one of my favorite sayings...I barely had alcohol before surgery, so I'm NOT having any now...but the saying stands....

Wait did someone say something about alcohol? I'm in!

"Is there a safe one (or safer one)?" According to science, the short answer is "Yes". A Google search for "Safety of artificial sweeteners" returned 541,000 results. This link - http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/are-artificial-sweeteners-safe - is just one of several articles on WebMD on the subject of artificial sweeteners (there are links to many of them at the bottom of each page of this article). The bottom line is that all artificial sweeteners approved by the FDA for sale in the U.S. (including saccharin based sweeteners) are "recognized as safe". All have been tested. Some quite extensively, others less extensively. "Do you limit?" Other than avoiding ridiculously large quantities, there seems to be very little if any published information on any limits of consumption. That said, the debate over the safety of artificial sweeteners has been going on for a long time and will likely continue. Chemical content, processing, GMO and even the "natural" label are all controversial. The FDA, as of now, does not even regulate the use of the word "natural". The benefits of artificial, "low-calorie" sweeteners for diabetics and those on the weight loss journey are undeniable. They do not affect blood sugars and have either no calories or contain so few calories that they are not considered significant. "Reduced-calorie" sweeteners are usually sugar alcohols. They have about half the calories of sugar but some diabetics will experience an increase in blood sugars with sugar alcohols. So the decision to use or not use artificial sweeteners continues to be a subjective one. And for those who opt to use them, the choice more often than not will revolve around taste. Estimates are that 7 out of 10 people in the U.S. use artificial sweeteners.

Hmmm... Let my chime in. I have 3 kids. Ages 17, 19 and 22. If they were to go out and "party" I'd much rather them forgo the pills and liquor and instead use marijuana. It's safer. Period. I could lose my child over a pill OD, alcohol poisoning or even drinking n driving. But, if my kid were to smoke "too much" pot what are they gonna do? OD? No. Eat? Probably. How can you come here and post, when you, personally, have never even tried it? Oh yeah, because your children had it blown in their faces. Well, not to be morbid, but if their parents had been abusive in a different way-say being burnt with a curling Iron, would you be against curling irons? The parents were the ones abusing those children. Pot didn't make them do that. They weren't sitting there smoking pot and then all of a sudden not care about the welfare of their children and decide to abuse them. They already had that tendency and blowing it in their face was only one way to act that out.

I can agree to disagree I just can't see not legalizing it because it MAY be harmful to others, through my research I find the benefit outweigh the risks. I don't know what I would have done during radiation treatments not having it, I was very sick without it. Everything and anything may be harmful to others. Stress and driving while tired is harmful. I just don't see how we can ban something that has been proven to have medicinal benefits where as things like alcohol and tobacco do not but they are legal and socially acceptable. We can't guarantee people won't drink and drive, text and drive, or drive tired, or under the influence of prescription medication (all extremely dangerous). all we can do is encourage people not to and educate them on making the right decision and enforce the laws that come with those rights.

I agree whole heartedly. And I agree that mj can be useful for those who need it medically. But I don't agree it should be legal for the general public. Even though I'm sure more than 75% of the world has at least tried it...I haven't. ...and w/o kids isn't all that bad...but when do you stop or how discerning can you be once you have kids or the smokers who have kids now? Among other things you mentioned taxes or paying down our debt by legalizing mj. My question is how can we regulate people when they are mentally impaied driving or if they have a mental disease and go on to harm other people. It's like the gun advocates...is it the gun or the person using it? That's an age old question what came first the egg or the chicken. So if you do mj I can't change your mind but legalizing it to pay off a debt is like putting spoiled food in front of a starving man. Making it easier to alter or mellow out a person isn't worth in my opinion the benefits vs the dangerous outcome. Right now we have so many pills that kill kids mj does kill but in other ways like smoking and driving a car. Alcohol come to mind onky because it also akters your mind reflexes etc. Maybe you're a very responsible person but not everyone is. Many teenagers don't have the mental or physical growth to not be negatively adversely affected longterm if they are into it alot. But bc of my stint of what happened to my daughter I am seriously adamant about using mj freely or legalized. I know I couldn't use it with my mental and emtional problems. And bipolar is a serious disease and if I didn't have to take the meds I wouldn't but spending most of my life on the edge or in complete darkness from deoression I need the meds so I can lead a reasonbly nirmal life. But smoking mj is a choice you make that alot of people ( except medically) cannot keep their wits about them. Being mellow is a part of me that I have to work towards like using more natural means. Tea to calm..not a threat, read quietly or sit quietly to calm my mind. I can find a number of things reasonably to mellow myself that doesn't include altering my mind with an illegal drug. You have your opinion and I respect you for it but I don't have to agree. Let's agree to disagree. I pray that your life isnt affected negatively while using mj. But think beyond your wants or needs in this respect where it does affect others in some cases a dangerous way that involves other peoples lives.

Sar u look amazing 18% body fat, so good! OD glad u found your purse. It pays to be good to the wait staff. Globe I bet money you will be down when u get back to the scale Feed that would be so nice to find a place with an arts focus. That's one of my moms fears just sitting around doing nothing. However except for her Bingo twicw a week and bible study once a week she simply sits at the tv. I hope to find a place with activities she can be social with others. Yes I hope I will know it when I walk in. My big turn off is the smell. Coops and Cathy the weather here sucks too. Way toooo cold ice and snow. I hope we are not in for an extreme summer. I can alwas add clothes to get warm but there is a limit to the amount of clothes I can take off when it is too hot Starting on valentines day is a nice idea. I think I will write the negative things I hear and turn them into positives then be sure to write the positive things I say to myself. And finally those with teenagers talk to them about what they do with their depression. Be sure they have a positive way to cope with the pressures of their worlds. I have run into some tragic situations with teens and 20s that turn to drugs, alcohol, and cutting when they are empty. Not to be a downer but, talk to your kids, be sure they know how to fill the hole in their souls when they are depressed.

Sar u look amazing 18% body fat, so good! OD glad u found your purse. It pays to be good to the wait staff. Globe I bet money you will be down when u get back to the scale Feed that would be so nice to find a place with an arts focus. That's one of my moms fears just sitting around doing nothing. However except for her Bingo twicw a week and bible study once a week she simply sits at the tv. I hope to find a place with activities she can be social with others. Yes I hope I will know it when I walk in. My big turn off is the smell. Coops and Cathy the weather here sucks too. Way toooo cold ice and snow. I hope we are not in for an extreme summer. I can alwas add clothes to get warm but there is a limit to the amount of clothes I can take off when it is too hot Starting on valentines day is a nice idea. I think I will write the negative things I hear and turn them into positives then be sure to write the positive things I say to myself. And finally those with teenagers talk to them about what they do with their depression. Be sure they have a positive way to cope with the pressures of their worlds. I have run into some tragic situations with teens and 20s that turn to drugs, alcohol, and cutting when they are empty. Not to be a downer but, talk to your kids, be sure they know how to fill the hole in their souls when they are depressed.

I'm sure you enjoy it. But I worry that altered states of mind like alcohol can have deadly effects. I have bipolar disorder and my unwelcomed altered states comecand go without a warning. So I don't partake. The really big reason that I'm against smoking anything on a regular basis...and mj is addicting but mind altering is that the air you smoke in is the same air your kids are breathing. We adipted two sisters...21 months old and 34 months old. The older one couldn't say a word besides gibberish. Her parents smoked mj and for fun would blow it into her face . It had alot to do with her mental capabilities. After 6 months with us she could talk and a pediatric psychologist said she had grown mentally 18 months in a 6 month time period. So smoke outside if you've got kids. It is a dangerous drug although if everyone else is doing it why not me? That's the mentality if most smokers. Health reasons I can understand but to smoke just for the heck if it sends a message to every kid that being a dope is ok and there's no harm in it. But just like cigarettes, chewing tobacci, pipes, cigars all have carcinogens in them. Have you really researched what your putting in your new healthy body?

It is really funny you ask this because I was just reading some pre-op diet info from my NUT before I logged on and read your question. It was talking specifically about sugar alcohols (usually end in 'ol', ie: sorbitol, mannitol) My NUT recommends avoiding them because sugar alcohols can cause gas, bloating, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Of course all things we do not want to risk having post op. Just some info I thought i would pass on....

I feel like sugar alcohols are the "artificial sweetener" of the future. In other words, its a scientific miracle that one day they will tell me causes cancer. I try to avoid them but don't always succeed.

I do net my carbs. Not sure if it's the right thing to do? I assume so since sugar alcohols are not supposed to mess with blood sugar, which is key.

I've noticed a lot of low Carb and Atkins friendly items state these things on the labels...what do we think about these concepts?

Wanda it is a really hard decision to make about putting your mom in a care home. No words can make you feel better but just know that we are all here for you and are praying for your mom. Kim your parents are doing pretty good. My in-laws lived on their on until they were 95 years old and my FIL took care of my MIL when when she started having dementia. He didn't want anyone to come in and help with the chores but finally gave in. They even had Meals on Wheels for Senior Citizens that was helpful for them. But then he told them to stop because it was too much food for them. Sheila you have done a great job hitting on all the posts! I wish I could do that...LOL Yes our thoughts on food is like a alcoholics mindset too.......I find that I do really good when I stay away from my crack which is sugar. Today I'm getting closer to my old low of 145 lbs. Just 2 lbs to go. I just couldn't do the 5:2 fast day, on some days I get to a certain point and I start getting light headed and a bit dizzy so then I start looking for food. Does this happen to anyone else and how do you handle this...? Florinda I couldn't life there..I would definately want to be right next to the bathroom. LOL My early morning needed to pee would not let me sleep. Will you be coming back to the states in 2 weeks? This is quite a transitional period for you not knowing where you will be..... Let us know how your doing... Off to start my day with healthy eating with little to no sugar... ;p

I started trying salad after a few months, I had some gurgles initially, but no ill effects after that. I don't really have that many, but I've never had an issue. Same with alcohol. I'll have a glass of wine on a rare occasion - and I did wait until about month 8 or so. I limit partly because it does effect me much quicker than before and I most times I just want to get the most out of my weight loss efforts until I reach goal. But it is a personal choice

I still don't do any salads & I'm almost 3 months out..Funny because I was craving them too..I don't think they reccommend them til after 5 months..Lettuce does not digest. You can have a cocktail, it might kick your butt fast...just remember alcohol dehydrates you badly, you might just find out you don't like it any more...I always drank Kahlur Sombreo's & I hate the smell & taste now..I don't eat any fruit either because of the sugar in it, so I stay away...

Hi all. I am 3 weeks post-op as of this past Monday and I am not going to try either of these things any time soon, but am curious about a couple foods. How does everyone tolerate salad and raw veggies? I was sent home with diet literature and it says that starting with stage 4 and continuing on that you may not be able to tolerate raw veggies. I want a salad so bad that I can’t see straight! How does everyone tolerate alcohol, specifically wine? We love vineyards/winery trips and wine festivals. About once a month we would pop open a bottle at home with dinner. I will miss that greatly if I can never do it again. It is one of our “us” things. Like I said, don’t plan on doing any of this tomorrow or even next week, but I am thinking about the future. Any insight or personal story would be helpful. Thanks so much for taking the time to respond!