A food journal can be an extremely useful tool along the road to weight loss and improved health. Anyone who is considering or who has undergone weight loss surgery should start using a food journal to facilitate the process of forming a new and healthier relationship with food. Keeping track of what you eat and why, and how it makes you feel, can help you identify your problem areas and discover ways to target them.
After your Lap-Band surgery, your doctor will advise you to not drink with your meals. If you are used to drinking a lot of liquid during your meal - especially if you have ever participated in Weight Watchers or another weight-loss program that advises you to fill up your stomach with fluids - this can be a hard habit to break.
For many Lap-Band patients, progress can be difficult to accurately judge. Some find themselves becoming a slave to the scale and are disappointed when the pounds don't melt away as quickly as they would like. Others may see the numbers on the scale go down, but don't feel any different physically and don't detect any changes in their appearance.
You are here because you’ve already made a commitment to your physical health. Whether you have already undergone bariatric surgery or are just starting to learn more about it, congratulations! You are on the road to a healthier you. As many satisfied patients will tell you, bariatric surgery has truly changed their lives. They have more energy to keep up with their children, they have seen other weight-related conditions resolve, and they feel happier, healthier, and more confident.
About a third of weight loss surgery patients experience some hair loss due to stress from surgery and extreme changes in diet. Hair loss may begin three to four months after surgery and continue until approximately six months post-op. Some patients have reported losing half their hair during this time.
Nerve pain in the shoulder is not an uncommon reaction after LAP-BAND surgery. Although the actual site of the surgery is nowhere near your shoulder, pain can sometimes travel up to this area via a nerve known as the phrenic nerve.
LAP-BAND patients can usually reintroduce salads into their diets at two to three months after surgery; your doctor may give you the green light to start eating salads even sooner. Salads are a great way to get vital nutrients, including your daily protein intake. However, some LAP-BAND patients find they are unable to tolerate lettuce and raw veggies, so you may need to experiment to determine what works for you.
Protein is an important nutrient for Lap-Band patients: it is essential for maintaining muscle mass, growing healthy hair and nails, and achieving optimum weight loss.
Many Lap-Banders get their daily protein intake from protein shakes, but patients should exercise caution when using protein powders. Most – if not all – contain MSG, which can cause migraines and a multitude of other health problems.
March is National Nutrition Month, an annual campaign created by the American Dietetic Association to highlight the importance of making informed food choices and developing healthy habits.
This year's theme is "Eat Right with Color," a movement to encourage people to eat a variety of colors from healthy food sources. When it comes to fruits and vegetables, color is a cue that foods are full of phytochemicals, naturally occurring substance that help protect against certain chronic diseases.
A popular show in the TLC lineup, What Not to Wear returns on January 8, kicking off its eighth season with a woman who underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2006. After losing 170 pounds, she struggles with how to dress her new figure in clothes that are neither too skimpy nor too baggy. Makeover experts Clinton Kelly and Stacy London help her learn how to buy clothes that are both flattering and age-appropriate.
Now in its eighth season, NBC's hit show "The Biggest Loser" has garnered criticism from doctors and nutritionists not affiliated with the show. The rapid weight loss techniques used on the show can cause serious medical problems, including an irregular heartbeat and dangerous reductions in electrolytes and potassium. At least two former contestants have admitting to using dangerous fasting and dehydration techniques to lose weight. Earlier this season, two contestants were hospitalized following a one-mile race.
ABC plans to join in the weight-loss reality TV craze with its new show, Obese, slated for debut late next year.
Overweight for most of his life, David Smith found himself, at 650 pounds, friendless, jobless, and afraid to go out in public. He realized he had to change his life or his obesity would kill him. Though he contemplated suicide, he decided instead to reach out to a local TV station for help. David's story caught the attention of personal trainer Chris Powell.
