Remember “Tales from the Crypt,” the spooky show with the talking skeleton?  Yeah, that’s what the scale reminds me of.  It’s a moment where fear overshadows all the “healthy” things I did this past week to make that dial one pound less.  Only much to my dismay, the dial doesn’t budge or it even went up a pound from last week.  (Enter your own curse word here)!  Now no matter what or how many positive things happen today, I will take my mind right back to the scale and pout.  Perhaps I will even think of all the possible things I did wrong this week.  Sound anything like you?

After having weight loss surgery, the scale becomes a friend to you.  The pounds come off pretty fast at first and that number is exciting to see.  After awhile, the weight slows down, but the number is still getting lower each time.  Less excitement, but the positive feelings are still there.  Then all of a sudden the weight loss halts for a week or so and all positivity flies out the window.  You are outraged!  Let me just calm you down, though, by saying plateaus happen to everyone trying to lose weight.   It’s not YOU doing anything wrong (unless you are having 3 cheeseburgers a day of course).

Are you bored, excited, angry, sad, anxious, or happy?  Do you find yourself eating every time you feel one of these emotions?  Emotions are a natural part of life and keep us human.  When we use food to cope with these emotions, however, it is easy to become dependent on food every time an emotion arises.  This can cause overeating and send all of your good intentions in a downward spiral.

Weight loss surgery helps provide early satiety to prevent one from overeating, but when one is eating to cope with emotions the sense of fullness is disregarded at times.  Complications can be band slippage, dumping syndrome, vomiting, and the like depending on which surgery you had.  Remember, there will always be times of overindulgence and that’s okay.  The problem lies when the overindulgence arises from emotions and occurs time and time again as a habit.

I get it.  You’ve lost a ton of weight with bariatric surgery and have been keeping up with a solid walking program.  Now what?  You’re ready to challenge yourself and break through any plateaus that may arise.  Perhaps you even find yourself enjoying the inner athlete inside you and yearn for more.  Or you may be like some folks who absolutely despise any physical activity besides the walk from the couch to the fridge.  Regardless of which describes you, I hope to give you ideas to vary up your cardio routine and fall in love with the “endorphin high” that comes with it.

First of all, I encourage you to take a 2 minute mental note by answering some basic questions about working out.  These answers will help you decide what type of cardio you will enjoy the most.

Healthy eating is like reading a book once you have lost some weight.  If you are doing what you are supposed to after weight loss surgery, you are eating nutritious, well-balanced, small meals several times throughout the day along with being physically active.  Hopefully the rapid weight loss that comes after surgery has motivated you and encouraged you to find out even more about proper nutrition and physical activity.  Every day is a new page and you can’t wait to find out what new, healthy meal you can create or which dish to choose as a more nutritious option when eating out.  Or maybe you aren’t this way, but you wouldn’t mind learning a new thing or two today.  Either way, do you know much about the organic debate?

Organic farming simply uses naturally occurring chemicals or traditional remedies to control pests and diseases.  Does this make organic farming better, the same, or worse than conventional farming techniques?  That’s for you to decide.  Does this make organic products more nutritious than non-organic products?  This I can answer with a solid no.  An apple is an apple and has powerful nutrients no matter how it is grown or picked.  A non-organic apple will have more pesticide and chemical residue than its organic counterpart, however.  I don’t know about you, but consuming pesticide and chemical residue does not sound appetizing to me. Going 100% organic can get expensive so I am listing the dirty dozen and the clean fifteen.  Your best bet is to choose organic versions of the dirty dozen and conventional or organic of the clean fifteen simply to prevent the amount of pesticides you are consuming per day.  According to the Environmental Working Group, those who consume the recommended 5 fruits and vegetables a day from the most contaminated sources consume an average of 10 pesticides per day, while those who consume the clean fifteen or organic versions of the dirty dozen consume less than 2 pesticides per day.  Quite a difference!  Here is the list for your reference:

Get strong and love every minute of it!  Resistance band workouts can be done anywhere, including your own home during your favorite television show.  Here is a sample workout to try the next time you turn on that tube:

**Try to do 2-3 sets of about 10-15 reps.  Since resistance bands are lighter than weights, you can do more repetitions if needed.  Most important is that your last rep shouldn’t be too easy.  If it is, keep going with more reps or tighten up on the band for more tension.

Obese Adults with a BMI of 30-40 with at Least One Obesity Related Comorbid Condition Now Qualify for LAP-BAND® System Procedure When All Other Conservative Weight-loss Therapies Have Failed

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Allergan, Inc. (NYSE: AGN) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the expanded use of the LAP-BAND® System, Allergan's gastric band, for adults with obesity who have failed more conservative weight reduction alternatives, such as diet and exercise and pharmacotherapy, and have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30-40 and at least one obesity related comorbid condition. Currently, approximately 37 million Americans have a BMI of 30-40 and at least one comorbid condition,^1,2 underscoring obesity as a growing health epidemic in the United States and the need for additional effective treatment options.

Valentines Day is next week. Are some of you wondering how you are going to celebrate with that special someone? Splenda has come to the rescue. Here is a recipe for Raspberry Heart Cookies that will make sure you and your special someone feel very special this Valentines Day and you don’t have to feel guilty. Happy Valentines everyone!

http://splenda.tastebook.com/recipes/1397187-Raspberry-Heart-Cookies

Leisha Blaylock, RN, BSN, CBN

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Gastric Bypass Surgery, Dallas

We all know that the best way to lose weight is with a healthy diet and regular exercise. But if you're among the millions of people who have tried everything and still can't lose the excess weight, then bariatric surgery may be an option for you.

Gastric bypass surgery, which changes the anatomy of your digestive system to limit the amount of food you can eat and digest, is the most popular bariatric surgery in the United States. Most surgeons prefer this procedure because it's safer and has fewer complications than other weight-loss surgeries. It can provide long-term, consistent weight loss if accompanied with ongoing lifestyle changes.

We have known for years that the benefits of weight loss surgery include safe long-term weight loss and the resolution of multiple obesity related conditions including: Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, resolution of Sleep Apnea, and a significant decrease in back and joint pain. Now, we can add one more benefit to the list!  Researcher Gladys Strain, PHD, director of research for laparoscopic and bariatric surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College presented recent findings at Obesity 2010 that showed weight loss surgery may improve memory.