Life After Gastric Bypass

Although this excess skin tissue can appear anywhere, it is most commonly found on the abdomen, waist, upper legs and thighs, upper arms, neck, buttocks, and breasts. For some patients this excessive skin is simply a cosmetic concern. For others, excess skin can pose health and personal hygiene concerns.

Continue reading Plastic Surgery After Weight Loss Surgery

Almost daily I get these desperate cries for help from those who have hit a plateau in their weight loss and think something major has gone awry with the universe. Just like Chicken Little, they squawk that the sky must be falling because the number on the scale isn’t.

Once again, we have become so focused on ourselves and inexplicably convinced that we are different from everyone else that we assume the worst. Did the pouch break? Did the doctor do the procedure wrong? Have I done something wrong? Am I going to be fat again? I was losing two pounds a day, and now I am only losing two pounds a week. Something terrible is happening to me!

Continue reading Help! I’ve Plateaued and I Can’t Get Down!

After gastric bypass surgery, your eating habits will probably change dramatically. Not only will you be eating smaller portions, you may also find that you like different foods than before, that you have a bad reaction to certain foods (especially sugars), and that you need to boost your vitamin intake. This section includes a selection of scrumptious recipes that are perfect for “posties” like us. You’ll find a variety of flavors and cuisines, and all the foods are easy to prepare. Most of the recipes here were created by others who have had weight loss surgery, and who understand the dietary issues we face. All of the recipes are sugar free, and some include special instruction for adjusting the portion sizes. If you enjoy the dishes described here, a couple of our resident chefs have published cookbooks to help you eat healthily post-WLS. I encourage you to check them out. I also hope you will share your own favorite foods.

We’re always on the lookout for great new recipes based on the needs of those who have had weight loss surgery of any kind. If you have a recipe to share, please send it to craig@renewedreflections.com

The countdown has begun. The most dreaded event of the year is only days away. Everywhere people are talking about it, gleefully making plans with family and friends. But you feel anxious and vulnerable, wondering just how to manage an occasion that seems so normal to everyone else. Then one morning you wake up, and the day has come: Thanksgiving.

Continue reading Don’t Be A Freakin’ Turkey

Isn’t it amazing how gracefully we accept the self-appointed role as our own worst enemy? Some little thing goes wrong in our lives and we head straight for the refrigerator to drown our sorrows in a pint of Ben and Jerry’s. Heck, we don’t even need something to go wrong, we’re willing to give ourselves a little treat just because something went right for a change.

Hey, we deserve it, right? It’s a treat. It’s like Mommy kissing our boo-boo, or Dad patting us on the back when we hit one out of the park. While rewarding ourselves by cheating just a little bit is easy to justify, the truth is: We’re lying to ourselves and we’re all too willing to accept it. Continue reading Lies, Ice Cream, and the Department of Energy