Happy Valentine's Day!!!

I'm a single gal. And a bariatric patient. So for me...forget the heart-shaped boxes of chocolate candy (they would make me dump anyway), forget the dozen roses (they are pretty but would wilt...I'd actually much prefer a rose bush...Mr. Right...hint, hint...), I want a Valentine's Day gift that speaks to who I am and what I'm trying to accomplish.

In thinking about how to commemorate Valentine's Day here on Bariatric Foodie, I thought a lot of you might feel the same way. So I thought and I thought and I thought and...now my head hurts and I came up with the following "present."

BF Basics: Getting the most out of Bariatric Foodie!

The Google tells me that 45% of the traffic to this blog is from people who have never visited before. HI! I'm Nik. I'm sort of the ring leader here. But there are a lot of things to explore here at Bariatric Foodie so I thought I'd tap out this little piece of guidance to help show you around.

Recipes

That is why most of you are here (if The Google is to be believed). In addition to scrolling through posts, I also wanted to call your attention to the "Recipe Index" page (located in the menu just below my blog header). I'll admit it needs updating but MOST of the recipes I've created for this blog are there and sorted by what kind of dish they are. It's a great place to get started.

If you scroll down the blog, on your right hand side, there are categories. This is where you'd go if you were looking for, say, pureed foods...or protein desserts, or kid-friendly food. WARNING: You can get lost for hours perusing recipes. I advise you do that at home. I am not responsible for what happens if you start browsing at work, k???

Resources

There are several types of resources available for you on Bariatric Foodie, most of them are located on the "Foodie Resources" page, also located in the page menu below my blog header:

• The BF Basics Series: are sometimes one post, sometimes a series but provide good basic information on things you need to know. Check out our series' on carbohydrates, sugar, the nutrition label, even on being vegetarian after weight loss surgery!
• BF Survival Guides help you get through tough situations. From being forced to eat at Olive Garden, a sushi restaurant or a buffet to knowing how to behave on a food date post-op, these survival guides give you good, practical tips to use in the most challenging post-op situations. 

There are also some more in-depth or interactive resources available for purchase on the "Shop BF!", including:

• The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes. I have plenty of protein shake recipes here on the blog, but this guide breaks down how protein shakes work. What makes them thick? Thin? Foamy? Smelly? And, most importantly, how can you fix what you don't like!
• The Bariatric Foodie Inspriational Magnet Set: for those whose temptations wait for them in the fridge, these magnets have funny-yet-true pieces of wisdom to help you take pause and think about what you're about to do!
• Bariatric Foodie Toolkits: The first toolkit, The Bariatric Foodie Back-on-Track Toolkit provides recipes and resources to get you started back on the right track to good health. If you find yourself straying from your plan, this kit is a good investment and it comes straight to your email as an instant download! Look for more toolkits soon!

Keeping in Touch

There's lots of ways to keep up with the latest happenings at Bariatric Foodie, designed to suit many situations!

• If you're on Facebook or Twitter, like or follow Bariatric Foodie. I do daily polls, post great deals I find on protein, do mini-product reviews and more!
• Just above this post there is a sign up box for Foodie News, the Bariatric Foodie e-mail newsletter. This newsletter is by post-ops for post-ops and includes information, news, recipes, reviews and so, so much more.
• If you scroll down the right hand side of the blog, you'll see the icon to add Bariatric Foodie to your RSS feed. There are also icons to follow BF on Pinterest and YouTube!
• I say this all the time but it bears repeating. If you make something good and healthy, I'd love to feature your recipe. Email it to me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com! That's also the address to use if you have any questions, comments or concerns.
• ...I am working on a super-exciting new way for you to keep up with BF...details soon!

Supporting the Foodie Nation

I call the readers of this blog "The Foodie Nation" because we are all Bariatric Foodies. Not just me!

If you like what you read and experience here at Bariatric Foodie, consider supporting the Foodie Nation in the following ways:

• Do you like Quest bars? If so, order through the ad in the right menu bar and a portion of the proceeds helps keep the good stuff coming.
• If you shop on Amazon or Netrition (a health food site with a plethora of products and $4.95 flat rate shipping!) start your orders in the search box on the right menu bar and they, too, help support the blog.
• This just in! I recently introduced the Foodie Nation to a service called Kalorie Box, a monthly service that delivers samples of healthy food alternatives straight to your door. You can read our latest review of it here. But here's the truly exciting part: if you decide to give it a try, and order through this link, a portion of your purchase will support the Foodie Nation!

So...that's a lot of stuff! But we're a growing and dynamic community of post-ops who believe there is NO food you can't make weight-loss surgery friendly and there's absolutely no reason great meals can't be a part of your bariatric afterlife! 

With that, I invite you to stick around...explore...and enjoy!