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style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Time sure flies, and it’s hard to believe it’s “Back to School” season already! I hope you have been meeting your summer goals – but not to worry if you haven’t. We have plenty of ideas for closing out the summer on a strong note. Here’s the run-down of this newsletter. Back to School Time: Packing a WLS Lunch Member Spotlight in the Newsletter: Meet catwoman7! Back to the Grind after Summer Vacation Enjoy the newsletter, then do something good for yourself – whether it’s stocking up on local produce, scheduling that first surgeon consult, or taking an after dinner walk. Then login to the BariatricPal forums and join the conversations! Can’t wait to see you there. Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Back to School Time: Packing a WLS Lunch Sending your kids back to school probably means getting back in the habit of packing a lunch. Their lunches are probably pretty regular: maybe you send them off with a sandwich, a piece of fruit, and a few snacks to get them through the day. Whether you have children or not, there’s a parallel to a children’s sack lunch after getting weight loss surgery. You probably take a more active role in your own meals, and that can include packing your lunch way more often than depending on a restaurant or vending machine to supply it for you. If you don’t know the first thing about putting together a healthy lunch or you’re having trouble coming up with easy, portable lunch ideas, here’s a little bit of help. Protein Is the Centerpiece Gourmet meal or sack lunch, protein is the essential component of any meal after weight loss surgery. Pair it with veggies, fruit, or a little starch for a nutrient-packed meal. You have all kinds of options for a brown bag lunch. Here are few ideas. Fat-free tuna salad on whole-grain crackers or cucumber slices. All-natural turkey breast and low-fat cheese slices rolled in lettuce leaves. Greek yogurt or cottage cheese with berries or sliced melon or peaches. Greek salad with low-fat feta, grilled chicken breast, romaine lettuce, olives, and tomatoes. Don’t Forget the Snacks You may not be eating much food right at lunchtime, but you may need some additional snacks to keep you going through the morning and afternoon. Think protein, fiber, and portion-controlled as you pack your lunch. What about…? String cheese/cheese sticks. Almonds or other nuts. Cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks. Grapes and tangerines (clementines). All-natural jerky: beef, turkey, fish, or soy. Protein bars or shakes (and if you’re looking for some great-tasting ones, check out the selection at The BariatricPal Store. Use coupon code BPNLAUG2016 to get 10% off of your first purchase!). Invest in Some Containers A brown bag works okay, but you might want to bump it up a notch. A reusable lunch bag isn’t just better for the environment. It can also keep your food insulated. Add a few small containers with tight-fitting lids to your collection, and you’ll be ready to take leftovers, salads with a separate container of salad dressing, and dips such as peanut butter or hummus. Insure Nutrition We are always thrilled to welcome a new newsletter sponsor into the BariatricPal family, and this month, Insure Nutrition is giving us the pleasure of doing just that. Our latest sponsor, Insure Nutrition, is an online company that specializes in getting health insurance coverage for nutritional supplements. Its Post-Bariatric Surgery Nutrition products includes Premier Protein shakes in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors and OptiSource High Protein drinks in caramel and strawberry flavors. Checking if you are eligible is easy. Insure Nutrition encourages you to use its online form to find out if you qualify. Our sponsors help make BariatricPal newsletters and other services possible. We encourage you show your thanks by considering them first for your bariatric needs. Unjury and Opurity BariatricPal is proud and excited to announce two new sponsors for our newsletters. The new sponsors are Unjury, a supplier of wonderful tasting, highest quality protein supplements, and Opurity (from the makers of UNJURY), highest purity vitamin supplements for bariatric surgery patients. Their support lets us keep BariatricPal newsletters coming to you each month. Unjury was founded by a master’s degree dietitian who has been helping patients since 1974. It is committed your health. You know the importance of getting enough protein after weight loss surgery, but you also know that meeting your protein goals can be challenging. Unjury makes your task not just easier but actually enjoyable. Product flavors include Chocolate Splendor, Chocolate Classic, Vanilla, Strawberry Sorbet, Chicken Soup Flavor, and Unflavored. These ready-to-use protein powders come in single-serve and multi-serve containers, and contain high-quality whey protein to keep you full and nourished. Launched in 2007, Opurity is dedicated to using the purest ingredients in its supplements. Opurity Bariatric Multivitamins have two unique big advantages: First, each multivitamin requires only one tablet per day*. Second, Opurity is so dedicated to quality that it is unique in using no ingredients from China. Choose from chewable orange-berry multivitamins for gastric bypass and gastric sleeve patients or for lap-band patients.Opurity also sells chewable calcium, vitamin D and folic acid/vitamin B-12 chewables. All supplements come with a 100% satisfaction guaranteed. They return policy is: “Yes you can return it.” Support from Unjury and Opurity helps us continue to bring you the services you enjoy on BariatricPal, so please support these two brands! When looking for your bariatric surgery supplements, first visit Unjury.com and Opurity.com. Purchasing from these companies helps support BariatricPal. Thanks to Unjury and Opurity for your generous sponsorship, and thanks to BariatricPal members who support our partnership! *You still need calcium and sublingual B-12. Member Spotlight in the Newsletter – Meet Catwoman7! We’re delighted to put this month’s spotlight on catwoman7. She’s a RNY gastric bypass patient who has lost well over half of her body weight. She started at 373 lbs. and is down over 200 lbs.! Catwoman7 had been thinking about surgery for 10 years. She had planned to wait until she turned 65 so Medicare would cover it, but realized she may not make it to 65 if she didn’t lose some weight! So, she changed her health insurance policy to a more expensive one which covered the surgery and got surgery done at age 55. Her surgeon recommended RNY or VSG. Since she already had gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), she opted for RNY gastric bypass. It turned out to be a good choice – besides the remarkable weight loss, she hasn’t had an episode of reflux since surgery! Catwoman7 says life has changed a lot since surgery. She no longer sticks out in a crowd. People don’t stare at her anymore, and men who are looking at her aren’t just looking at her weight! She doesn’t have to worry about fitting into things anymore: she won’t get kicked off planes, she doesn’t need an extension belt, booths aren’t an issue anymore, she can wear regular-sized clothes, and she can use a standard scale. Life is a lot more comfortable all around. Exercise is easier, she sweats less, and she can do every pose in yoga class. She can cross her legs, paint her toenails, and tie her shoes. Her arthritic joints ache less. She doesn’t have to fear meeting new people or getting her photo taken anymore. There were some challenges along the way. The food restrictions were tough. Also, catwoman7 didn’t feel completely “normal” in the initial post-op stages, although that passed and now she feels great! Now, her biggest challenge is hunger, which returned around 6 months post-op. She is aware of it, and is careful not to snack more than she should or to let bad habits creep in and cause regain! Catwoman7 started out using BariatricPal for information and advice. She continues to visit it every day to keep her focus. She says it’s like a support group. Her advice to others is to stick to the plan. Remember, “you have given yourself an incredible gift – don’t blow it!” The weight will come off with patience. Thanks, catwoman7, for being in our member spotlight and sharing your story and advice. If YOU can think of someone you’d like to see in the spotlight, let Alex Brecher know. Send a PM with the subject line “Member Spotlight.” You can select yourself, too! We want to hear your story! Back to the Grind after Summer Vacation The summer can feel a little different than the rest of the year. Even if you don’t have a long vacation or get the chance to leave town for a while, the summer months can feel a little slower and more relaxed than other times of the year. When you also consider the heat that can zap energy and weaken willpower, it may not be much of a surprise if the scale isn’t showing quite what you’d like. It’s not yet panic time, though! Getting back on track can be as simple as taking small steps. Here are just a few ways to get back to the basics – the same tried and true basics that successful weight loss surgery patients everywhere depend on. Hit your numbers. Get your 65 or more grams of protein per day to fight hunger and stay nourished, and stick to your recommended calorie limit – often 1,200 per day in the post-op period and 1,400 or more per day while losing weight or maintaining. Hydrate. Boost metabolism, fight hunger, and increase energy by drinking plenty of water all day (except at meals, of course!). Keep a full water bottle at your side to remind you to sip, sip, sip. Get moving. If the heat is still too much for you to safely and comfortably exercise outdoors, consider your indoor options. Larger gyms and smaller workout studios can be cool, comfortable places to get in some cardio and weights, and explore options for fun group fitness classes. Watch your portions. Portions can creep up if you let your guard down, and just a little bit of awareness about portion sizes can get the pounds to start coming off again. That’s about it for this newsletter – I hope it was useful to you. Thanks for all of your support for BariatricPal, and see you on the boards! · Unsubscribe from all BariatricPal E-Mail.

4 months out Breakfast - 100g of greek yogurt mixed with vanilla Protein powder and 1/2 a banana or some berries or i have the fruit with Protein Powder and Water in a shake lunch - all sorts of things today i had a beef and vegie Soup, tomorrow is chicken laksa, i often have the little tin tunas with salad or chicken meatballs with salad dinner - again all sorts of things. Tonight was laksa, last night malay chicken curry. I also have three snack a day. These are usually things like roasted chickpeas, protein balls, sliced deli turkey, 1/4 of a Quest bar - approx 50 calories a serve. I average 650 to 700 calories most days. I cook on weekends and freeze individual portions so i have tons of variety in my freezer like chilli, beef stew, roasted beef and gravy, chicken catattorie, chicken curry, lamb madras etcetc Sent from my SM-T350 using Tapatalk

At least initially after surgery, instead of trying to fill a bottomless hole, the struggle is trying to stay on top of the fluids and Protein that we need while not being hungry. It really is a different world. Instead of the pre-op goal of minimizing calories, while maximizing volume, we have to focus on maximizing nutrition and minimizing volume. Next time, instead of the Cookies, try some protein (turkey, cheese, or even some Greek yogurt if you want something sweet) and see how that goes. Since you are pre-op, you could even have something filling like Peanut Butter on celery.

From your most recent post it sounds like you now have the information needed, but I'll copy and paste below what Tijuana Bariatrics sent me last year (it could have since been updated) in case anyone else is seeking it: Pre-Op Instructions Gastric Sleeve, Plication and Lap Band Use any prepared canned or powdered Protein drink. You may purchase these in any health food store or many grocery stores. Please be sure it contains at least 15 grams of protein per serving. 1 Protein Drink at Breakfast 1 protein drink at lunch Dinner: salad with Protein (chicken, fish, egg, etc), small amount of low fat dressing, or fat free dressing or olive oil and vinegar. 1 protein drink in the evening if needed You may also take 1 Metamucil capsule per day if needed for hunger. Start this phase the day before surgery: Do a light breakfast the day prior to surgery and take only Clear liquids after that. This consists of broth, Jell-o, sugar-free juice, any clear liquid You may have nothing to eat or drink after the midnight preceding surgery or 8 hours prior to it. If you are a Same Day Surgery arrive with an empty stomach and wear compression stockings during your trip. You may take needed medications (such as heart or blood pressure medications) with sips of Water the morning of surgery as directed by our Doctors. Do not take any aspirin, Advil, Nuprin, Aleve or any other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication for 7 days prior to surgery. These medications cause unnecessary bleeding after surgery. This includes baby aspirin and most arthritis medications. If you are not sure, please check with our Doctors.. For headache or minor pains you may use Tylenol. You may restart these medications the next day after surgery. Do not take any herbal medications for 7 days prior to surgery. Bring comfortable shoes and slippers to Mexico, you will be asked to walk several times per day. Please bring your medications in properly labeled pharmaceutical bottles for documentation of dosages. You will be on a liquid and soft food diet for two weeks after surgery. Stock up on sugar-free liquids: Crystal Light, sugar free fruit juices, apple sauce, yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free jell-o, thin Soups and caffeine-free teas. If you do not like the flavor of chicken broth, make chicken noodle Soup and strain out the solids. Avoid all carbonated beverages (fills the stomach with gas). Avoid sugar (extra calories that fight against weight loss). Caffeine makes you urinate more and can lead to dehydration. You will need to drink plenty of liquids to prevent dehydration after surgery. Sport drink bottles with measurements on the side will help ensure you are drinking enough liquid. You will need to drink at least two quarts (2,000cc) per day to prevent dehydration. You will not be able to gulp liquids so you will want to drink small amounts throughout the day. RNY/Bypass, Mini Bypass and DS Start this phase 2 days before surgery: Take a laxative (any laxative that you usually use). Take only clear liquids after that. This consists of broth, Jell-o, sugar-free juice, Gatorade and any clear liquid. You may have nothing to drink after the midnight preceding surgery or 8 hours prior to your surgery. If you are a Same Day Surgery arrive on an empty stomach and wear compression stockings. *Please follow the pre-op diet as instructed below 1. BMI’s 30 to 31 no diet-only clears liquids the day prior to surgery 2.-BMI's 32 to 39 - 7 days 3.-BMI's 40 to 49- 10 days 4.- BMI's 50 to 59- 14 days 5.- BMI's 60 to 69- 21 days 6.-BMI's 70 and over- 1 month

i'm 3.5 weeks out and still on liquids until next week. (my diet seems longer than most others i read about). i cheated by starting purees about a week early, at the 3 week mark instead of the 4 week mark. i had some mashed sweet potato with greek yogurt one night and then last night i had refried Beans with greek yogurt and a few slices of mashed avocado. i also ate a few bites of a Protein bar instead of a shake one morning this week - i chewed it until it was liquified and swallowed it and it wasn't worth it, i won't do that again. i felt fine but it tasted so gross to me to chew it for that long. i'll just wait until i can have regular food again to eat a protein bar! calorically, i haven't done any 'cheating.' i've just fast-forwarded my plan a little bit due to the sheer insanity that comes with only drinking liquids for 5 straight weeks (i had a 2 week pre-op too!). i feel ok about it. puree stage has a lot of flexibility so i don't plan on cheating for my puree weeks!

I just had yogurt and cottage cheese so far, smooth sailing so far. The baby spoons help a lot. I was a huge food guzzler. Happy to hear you are feeling so well. Since its fresh in your mind, how did switching from clear to all liquids to purée go?? How has everything gone? I hope I feel as good as you. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

16 lbs gone onto pureed foods. who knew I'd be so happy to eat yogurt and cottage cheese? went out and bought some baby spoons. don't know how ill feel after 2 weeks, but im so excited now.

I had my GSV done on August 24th. Been home a few days now. Experiencing some pretty bad nausea and diarrhea.. I am eating okay a little more than they say I should. I have had dumping twice. Cannot do anything with real sugar in it which is fine but I can't wait to be able to eat some savory foods. I am sick to death of this sweet (artificial sweeteners) in the shakes and the yogurt and the everything else you can eat post surgery.

I don't like it, but I like it better than greek yogurt (BTW, I like Dannon regular or lite yogurt). Both are basically pretty gross to me. Phase 3. No veggies or fruit yet. What can I do with this cottage cheese since I seem to tolerate it. Anything to make it more bearable?

I stick to high Protein for the most part: eggs, tuna, salmon, Greek yogurt, and some veggies. On a not so good say I might add some rice or Pasta. I also have a drink from time to time. How bad do u think that affects weight loss? Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App I'd say that the "drink from time to time" is as wide ranging in impact to your weight loss as rice and pasta. Rice and pasta have zero value to you now and will certainly keep you from achieving ketosis (if that's a state you hope to get in). drinks, on the other hand, may not keep you out of ketosis for long. Depends on the type of liquor and the macro content of the mixer. I've got out for an evening and had vodka or tequila with a low calorie mixer in a 2-4 drinks......and used ketone strips the very next morning and found that I was still in ketosis and chugging along. You have to find what works for you and you have to establish priorities. For me.....my overall priority is to lose the weight that has been a burden to me. I am doing this to be healthy and enjoy my life. I can go out and have fun without losing sight of those priorities. I've learned that if I have the skinny margaritas or vodka and diet mixer.....then that is done in absence of any type of eating. Since the alcohol is empty calories....then I have to ensure I've chosen carefully earlier in the day and met my protein goals and also made some room in my calorie budget by burning some off in the gym. No longer do I go out....pound down beer and then order something horrible to eat later. My actions have to align with my priorities and have some fun times within reason. You have to find what works for you and figure out what you value. For me....it's to let pasta and rice go. I haven't missed them at all. I found spaghetti squash makes a great substitute. Great advice! Thanks Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

At 13 days post op and in the puréed phase I finally felt normal, I was able to get in a Protein shake for Breakfast, Greek yogurt for lunch, string cheese around three, and two bites of puréed chicken around 7. However, I woke up the next day and hurt with every sip I tried to take, this is so frustrating!!! I need to be back at work but do not have the energy and I know this is because I'm not getting enough food. Has this happened to anyone else? Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I stick to high Protein for the most part: eggs, tuna, salmon, Greek yogurt, and some veggies. On a not so good say I might add some rice or Pasta. I also have a drink from time to time. How bad do u think that affects weight loss? Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App I'd say that the "drink from time to time" is as wide ranging in impact to your weight loss as rice and pasta. Rice and pasta have zero value to you now and will certainly keep you from achieving ketosis (if that's a state you hope to get in). drinks, on the other hand, may not keep you out of ketosis for long. Depends on the type of liquor and the macro content of the mixer. I've got out for an evening and had vodka or tequila with a low calorie mixer in a 2-4 drinks......and used ketone strips the very next morning and found that I was still in ketosis and chugging along. You have to find what works for you and you have to establish priorities. For me.....my overall priority is to lose the weight that has been a burden to me. I am doing this to be healthy and enjoy my life. I can go out and have fun without losing sight of those priorities. I've learned that if I have the skinny margaritas or vodka and diet mixer.....then that is done in absence of any type of eating. Since the alcohol is empty calories....then I have to ensure I've chosen carefully earlier in the day and met my protein goals and also made some room in my calorie budget by burning some off in the gym. No longer do I go out....pound down beer and then order something horrible to eat later. My actions have to align with my priorities and have some fun times within reason. You have to find what works for you and figure out what you value. For me....it's to let pasta and rice go. I haven't missed them at all. I found spaghetti squash makes a great substitute.

Some of my favorite meals early on included: rotisserie chicken (cause it's so moist), frozen broccoli microwaved to real soft, canned green Beans cause they were soft too, fish (fish is THE BEST!) and doesn't much matter what kind, mashed cauliflower with butter, yogurt of course, eggs and omlettes, oatmeal (only need 1 pack), chicken and egg salad mixed together for extra Protein, zucchini and squash (yum), 1/4 of a turkey Subway sandwich, and for dessert ice pops, pudding, and those little sherbet cups and of course FRUIT!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm surprised, as that is higher in fat, carbs & calories and less Protein dense than many other options. Such as: Plain fat free Greek yogurt or Dannon Light & Fit Greek Fat free cottage cheese or ricotta Egg whites or egg substitute Turkey or chicken breast 93% lean ground turkey or beef, etc......

I stick to high Protein for the most part: eggs, tuna, salmon, Greek yogurt, and some veggies. On a not so good say I might add some rice or Pasta. I also have a drink from time to time. How bad do u think that affects weight loss? Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App I'm not sure because like I said everyone is different, but for me if I added any starches like the rice and pasta you mentioned my weight loss would stop completely.....and I don't drink so I can't really say other than the drink is just empty calories. You know yourself better than anyone so do what works best for you. Good luck.

I stick to high Protein for the most part: eggs, tuna, salmon, Greek yogurt, and some veggies. On a not so good say I might add some rice or Pasta. I also have a drink from time to time. How bad do u think that affects weight loss? Sent from my SM-N910V using the BariatricPal App

I could maybe eat 4 oz of yogurt but my meals are 2oz and I maybe go slightly over to 2.2 or 2.3 with a berry or piece of veg from time to time.

I can eat a 5ish ounces of yogurt but only about 2oz of chicken. 6 weeks yesterday. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Ick. meat. I used to love it. Now, (7 months) I can have a little of a rare steak and that's about it. eggs, yogurt, cheese, nuts and Protein shakes have been my go to. But this weekend I made a foray into the great unknown and made my very first ever tofu dishes! Tofu parmesan and tofu pumpkin pie. Admittedly, the pie was better but the parmesan was actually pretty good. Even hubby, who never has leftovers, ate it again the next day. He also ate the rest of my pie but I'm trying to forgive him. This weekend, I'm going to try tofu bbq and maybe some tofu tacos. Or Tempeh. I hear that's good in tacos. Pinterest, here I come!

I think that yogurt and onion soup mix idea is GENIUS. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App There are so many dried soup/dressing mixes you can use. I particularly liked the spinach dip one.

I think that yogurt and onion soup mix idea is GENIUS. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'm on day 8 of liquids. I can have Protein shakes, strained Soups, yogurt, SF Jello - this has been my hardest day yet. I've got a week to go Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

These are good. Seems super easy to add the flax or chia seeds to yogurt, also, since i eat a lot of that. Thanks, guys!

i can tolerate a lot but when it comes to most dairy I get a stomach ache and have to use the bathroom. even lactose free yogurt. I don't know why..i still eat some but I pay for it right away hopefully it gets better )

@@dede_mont Guacamole is a great puree. Black bean soup pureed and strained is excellent. This is gross, I know, but I was not a sweets person and craved anything savory. I would mix different seasonings (like french onion soup) into plain greek yogurt and let it sit over night. Like making a chip dip? Then I would eat it. On a spoon. My kids thought I was disgusting but... I still do that for veggies. Plain greek yogurt blended with avocado is yummy. Cottage cheese is nasty but I forced myself to eat it with salt and pepper like twice.