A Healthy Labor Day Post Weight Loss Surgery

If I weren't battling every creature known to man in my kitchen...er, having some household issues as of late, I would have taken pictures of all these suggestions but alas...it is what it is. There's always some drama going on in my life!

So let's talk about Labor Day. Unofficial last day of summer. Day before which the pumpkin takes over the affections and obsessions of most of the American public.

But for this day it's still summmer, we're still BBQ'ing and you still need a good plan. I've got you covered! Here's my top 5 picks for good weight-loss surgery eats.

Instead of ice cream, eat this!

It's 6 oz. Greek yogurt + 5 packets of no-calorie sweetener + 2 tbsp. PB2 (powdered peanuts). Although it's not pictured here you can serve it alongside apple slices or if you want to get really fun make some little fruit kabobs out of banana and grapes and dip them!

Don't ditch the dip!

Ok, in all fairness I love dip. I will never tell you not to eat it. But eat smart! Instead use:

Protein Onion Dip

• 10-12 oz. unflavored Greek yogurt (your choice, the more yogurt, the less "salty" it will be)
• 1 envelope of dry onion soup mix

That's it! I've dressed this up with festive diced veggies before and even spinach (make sure you strain it first) and it's all gone ever great! As for what to dip...that's a personal choice but I will say I love veggie crudites. Just slice up your favorite veggies (for me that'd be zucchini, squash, cucumber and carrots) and get to dipping! Remember, it has lots of protein so don't ditch the dip!

Make a faux-pas

Or have a faux hit with fauxtato salad! This replaces the potatoes with cauliflower and swaps out a few of the higher fat or sugar-added options with better choices but it preserves all the taste!

For the hot-dog lovers in the house...

It can be hard skipping the hot dog with bun (even if we do know a bun means certain gut death). I've got you covered! This single-serving chili-dog ramekin can be customized the way you want it. You love sauerkraut on your dog? Throw it in there! Are you a basic relish/ketchup/mustard kind of person, consider making up a batch of my "Everything Sauce" and toss the dogs in that. The point here is you don't have to deprive yourself. And for guidance on choosing the right dog, click here. 

And if you must have pie...

Make this pie. It's a Mocha Toffee Protein Pie but in you can use this pie making method to make any flavor YOU like. It takes about 20 minutes to make, an hour to chill and I swear people will swarm to them like moths to flames. I have a mostly-eaten-by-non-ops pie memory to prove it!

Creating a Healthy Home Environment: OAC "Your Weight Matters" (#YWM2013) Session Recap

This session was on Friday, August 16th and was lead by Eliza Kingsford, MA, LPC, Clinical Director of Wellspring Health. She's also been featured on Dr. Oz and Dr. Phil (whoa).

First I want to say this session was totally not about what I thought it was about. But...it was awesome.

She started by telling us about the National Weight Control Registry. This effort, started in 1994 by Drs. Rena Wing and James Hill, both of the University of Colorado, is the largest investigation into long-term successful weight maintenance. Check out the website. It's actually pretty cool.

For our purposes, Ms. Kingsford outlined a few habits of people who successfully maintain weight loss (for 2+ years). Like did you know:

• 78% of successful weight loss maintainers eat breakfast every day?
• 75% of them weigh themselves at least once a week?
• 90% exercise at least an hour a day?

Nik interpretation: a successful maintainer is engaged in their health. BUT, Kingsford points out that they also see their process in a very specific way as well. Maintainers:

• tend to think of themselves as living a healthy lifestyle not as being on a diet.
• as such, they accept that stalls are a part of the process. They look at the long-term span of weight loss over day-to-day fluctuations.
• they tended to have started by making just one healthy lifestyle change. Once they got that down, they added another and another.

Nik interpretation: a successful maintainer has realistic expectations and a sustainable plan.

According to Kingsford, some key parts of successful maintenance are:

• self-monitoring (logging your food intake, your exercise)
• positive coping (learning alternate ways to deal with life's ups and downs)
• social support (healthy people who hang with healthy people tend to stay healthier longer)
• and stress management 

To successfully lose and maintain, Kingsford says, you must recognize there is a problem then accept the nature of the problem (Did you gain because you are eating too much? Too much of the wrong things? Other factors?) then develop a plan but, more importantly, develop "stick-to-it-ness." (Or, a sustainable plan that you can stick to and progress from.)

She gave some practical advice on setting yourself up for long-term success. One of the recurring themes throughout the presentation was about setting S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely) goals. I want to digress for a moment to emphasize the importance of this! Put your goals against that measure and you'll begin to see why some of your goals simply don't work. For instance, consider the following goal:

Goal: I'm going to become more active.

Ok, how exactly do you measure that? And how do you know you completely got to where you want to be?

Now consider this goal.

Goal: I'm going to walk for 30 minutes three times a week.

That's a S.M.A.R.T. goal. Why is this important? Because we sometimes have a hard time accepting both when we are and when we aren't measuring up to our expectations. Being specific helps you achieve success and success builds upon success. That being said, let's return to Kingsford's tips.

• Have a realistic weight goal. You are NOT the BMI (Body Mass Index). What's the right weight for YOUR body?
• Accept stalls and plateaus. They are a part of the process. If you are living a healthy lifestyle (versus working toward a specific numerical weight loss goal) you will be motivated to keep up your healthy lifestyle in the face of a stall.
• Plan both for success and damage control. That means that, yes, sometimes you will mess up. But you can't let that make you give up or descend into a free-fall of bad decision making. You have to press on!

Lastly I want to leave you with a sage piece of advice she gave. Our relationship with food was learned. That means it can also be un-learned. We can create new habits. But it takes work. And time. And patience. Setting yourself up with unrealistic goals only shoots you in the foot in the long run. So examine your goals and habits. Are you pushing harder than you know you can in the long-term? Do you have an all or nothing attitude. You might want to change that. The National Weight Control Registry shows us evidence that those processes do. Not. WORK!

Exciting News for Foodies in Canada AND New Ways to Get BF Resources!

Admittedly not the most earth shattering blog post BUT good stuff is happening over here in the Foodie Nation. I felt like it required a bit more elaboration than a Facebook or Twitter message so here goes!

Visit he New "Shop BF!" Page

I've started using a service called Recomonk for the "Shop BF!" page. Recomonk allows me to put all the items you can order to support the blog in one place! What does that mean? It means all in one page you can:

• View things I sell personally (like The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes) as well as things you can order through other companies (Quest Bars, Amazon and Netrition orders)
• You can access BF's download products ("The Bariatric Foodie Pre-Op Prep Kit" and "The Bariatric Foodie Back-on-Track Toolkit")
• I am beginning to upload Bariatric Foodie's FREE downloadable resources (BF Basics series, The "Play With MY Food" Cooking Contest recipe book, etc.)

Side note: If you have a blog or website where you'd like to offer this kind of consolidated store-front, email me (at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com), I'll help you get set up!

This page is a work in progress but I wanted to note the following:

• If there's a product you love that isn't in the store, email me (at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com). I'll add it!
• For Amazon, Quest and Netrition, once you click on any of the links, anything you buy (whether it's that product, a different one or something totally not related to bariatrics) will help support Bariatric Foodie. Yes, even auto-ship orders count!
• I've made a special category for Canadian Foodies so your products will be easy to find and also preceded any products from Amazon Canada with the word "CANADA" for easy finding!

And as a special incentive for my Canadian Foodies, for the remainder of the year, any profits from you guys ordering from Amazon Canada will go toward setting up a "BF Canada Shipping Fund." I've always wanted to open up shipping of giveaways to Canada but could never afford it! This is an easy way to help me include you guys in giveaways! (For folks living overseas...I'm still working on it!)

The Amazon Canada search box

On the right hand menu, under the regular Amazon search box, you'll see one for Canadians. I don't know why Amazon can't just have one site, but I digress.

You can order any product from Amazon Canada starting from this search box and also support the blog. And remember my fall sales proceeds will go toward a special fund to help me include Canada in BF giveaways!

I hope these improvements will help Canadians feel included! I am continuing to work on even more ways for this site to be more user-friendly so stay tuned!

Margaret's Lower Sugar Zuchini Bread (featuring Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb)

his is the last of the Laughing Cow recipes and for this one we didn't put the cheese in it but on it!

Like I said before, the original plan was to have an exotic pork smashed meatball topped with the cheese but alas the recipe went terribly wrong somewhere. It was dry and crumbly and just didn't taste very good (PLEASE NOTE: See? Even I have recipe fails sometimes!).

Thankfully Margaret had two loaves of wonderfully yummy smelling zucchini bread on which we could try our Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb cheese. Now, I know what you're thinking. "Nik, traditional zucchini bread is sweet. You put garlic & herb cheese on it???"

Notice that in the recipes I suggested for the cheese (Savory Cheesecake w/ Sausage & Crab Topping and Grilled Pear with Herb & Cheese topping, respectively) I've played with the notion of how sweet, savory and salty go together. Many folks see "cheesecake" and think dessert, but my savory cheesecake is more like a healthy, comfort food dinner. And many people might scrunch their noses at a pear stuffed with cheese and basil then drizzled with caramel but then you'd be missing out on some intense culinary pleasures.

So bottom line: Play With Your Food, people! It can be very rewarding.

Again, I'm going to send you to Margaret's blog, Feed My Sleeve, for the full recipe BUT I wanted to provide a few swap notes:

• You can use an equivalent amount of Carbquik or Atkins Mix (note this product is being discontinued by Atkins! I'm so sad! But that is to say the price in that link is NOT the normal price. If you come across a bag locally, grab it!) for the flour she suggests, although it's noteworthy that she made hers with wheat flour which would be acceptable if you are making it for the family. Again, your guts, your home, your choice!
• If you use CQ or Atkins alone you do not need to add the baking powder called for in Margaret's recipe. It already contains baking powder.
• However, if you want to replace any part of the CQ/Atkins with protein powder (in this case I think 2 or 3 scoops in place of 1/2 c. of flour would probably work fine) you need to leave that baking powder in!
• For my dumpers: Splenda Brown Sugar Blend does have some real sugar in it. Take heed! If you want to avoid all sugar, get your favorite sugar substitute for baking. Since Splenda measures 1:1 for sugar just measure your sugar substitute against sugar and you should be fine. You don't necessarily need a brown sugar substitute (although you may want one for the sake of color). In traditional recipes, brown sugar is used when a certain texture is desired (the molasses in brown sugar can make things more dense, surfaces more crispy, etc.) or for color. 

Since Margaret endowed me with a HUGE zucchini from her garden that's held up well through my recent travel, I think I actually might try my hand at making mini-zucchini loaves (much like my mini-banana loaves) out of Atkins Mix. If I do, I shall report back!

The Science Behind Will Power - Session Notes from OAC Your Weight Matters (#YWM2013) Convention

Since I decided to give each educational session it's own post AND since the conference is over, technically I can go in any order I want, right?

There's a reason I'm posting this one first. Read until the end to find out why! WARNING: This is a highly condensed summary of what I heard. When the full presentation becomes available, I'm going to try to remember to come back and post the link!

This session was led by Dr. Sean G. Connolly, a psychologist in private practice who is studying the oft misinterpreted concept of will power. Dr. Connelly is based in San Antonio, TX for the past 30 years and for the past 10 has worked with weight-loss patients. He also works with many bariatric practices.

In this session, he gave us an overview of what will power isn't, what it is, how it works and how we can use that knowledge to us it, much the way we use our altered anatomy, as a tool to achieve our goals.

First off...what is will power?

Dr. Connolly says we often think of will power in terms of something we have or don't have. That's the wrong way to go about it. Will power is a muscle of the brain which means that like any other muscle, you can:

• Learn how to use it correctly and effectively
• Strengthen it with exercise
• But when you don't exercise it, it loses its strength

He also cited research that indicates something else that's very interesting. It's so important I need to underline it. As humans, we have a finite amount of will power (finite = set amount). If you use it all up you have to build it up again to be able to use it.

Don't believe me? Consider this. Ever notice that the checkout line at the grocery store is loaded with stuff you should not eat? That's not by accident! Marketers know you've likely exercised a lot of will power in the store (with regards to things like the nutrition of your food choices, the price or quantity) and that by the time you make it to the checkout line some of your will power has been depleted. So when you are in that state you are more susceptible to making bad decisions.

Dr. Connolly also pointed out that will power is a function of the brain that can't be separated from other functions. So that is to say that using will power takes away energy from other brain functions and vice-versa. This does not mean that will power is bad! It just means we should recognize that if our brains are engaged in other processes (dealing with extreme emotion, for example) our will power can be weakened.

Ok...so how exactly does one build up their will power?

Dr. Connolly says to exercise your will power you can try something called "delayed gratification." The concept is not so much about saying "no" as it is about saying "not right now." He cited a study where two groups of children were given marshmallows. One group was told not to eat the marshmallows until the group leader came back and that if they did this, they'd get more marshmallows. The other group was simply told not to eat the marshmallows until the group leader came back.

C'mon...what do YOU think happened? Of course the kids who were promised more marshmallows delayed their gratification so that they could get more. This is powerful evidence that if there is a will, we can exercise will power!

So how do you delay gratification. He suggests starting with some small abstention like staying off social media for a short length of time or not practicing a habit for a day. These acts will help exercise your will power muscle.

So...what happens if my will power muscle gets tired?

According to Dr. Connolly you are more prone to making bad decisions. But your will power being tired can be linked to many other things like:

• Your body being tired - so get more rest!
• Being under exceptional stress
• Being depressed
• Being presented with too many choices at once

His advice is to not put yourself in will power struggles when you are tired or feeling unusually stressed or depressed. It's just a losing set-up. This is NOT to say that you give in to every whim you have. But this would not be the time to intentionally expose yourself to temptation either.

What other factors affect will power?

Dr. Connolly cited other things that affect the will power. This is where my notes get a bit sketchy as my computer got wonky! The one thing I do have noted is that spirituality and beliefs can be a powerful will power catalyst. I can personally attest to that. Every year I do a Lent promise in observance of the season leading up to Easter. I find I am able to abstain from nearly anything (yes, even peanut butter one year!) for that forty days - even things I could not abstain from before.

But it doesn't have to be religious beliefs only. Moral beliefs, any beliefs. One might say that a person who decides to become vegetarian after deciding they don't believe in killing animals is practicing will power by nature of their beliefs. People who boycott companies that make products they like because the company has done things they do not like are practicing will power based on beliefs. Get the picture?

So what this all boils down to...

Will power is a muscle but also a tool. It can wear down and you may have to build it up but, as Dr. Connolly points out, one set back does NOT mean you've lost your will power! It's something that is bound, by its nature, to have high points and low points. Therefore we'd do well to heed the following tips:

• Again, don't put yourself in the position of having to exercise will power when you are tired, stressed or depressed
• If you know your will power will be tested, try using "If/then" visioning to help. That's just a fancy way of saying something like "If I go to Aunt Martha's and she offers me those cookies I've always loved, then I'll pop a piece of gum and politely decline." Like that.
• Recognize that sometimes you'll need to ask for help when your will power is low. That's nothing to be ashamed of.
• Be accountable! That helps you exercise will power when it's hard to do so. Make S.M.A.R.T. goals (Specific, Measureable, Achievable, Realistic, Timely) and share them with friends. Then report back on how you did. It helps!

...now that you're all educated, let's do a challenge!

Since we now know we can exercise our will power muscle to make it stronger, I'd like to challenge you to exercise your will power muscle.

In the comments of this post, tell me one thing you will abstain from doing for a full day next week. You need only commit to abstaining one of the days of next week between Monday and Friday (August 26 - 30, 2013). Don't overdo it! Remember, we're exercising a muscle. Just like you wouldn't lift too much weight at first, neither should we try to exercise drastic will power.

Anyhoo...leave your commitment to abstain in the comments. Then on Saturday (September 1) I'll post asking you to be accountable and say how you did. I want you to pay particular attention to:

• Was abstaining easy or hard?
• How did your thought process/decision-making process change as a result of abstaining?
• Did you have to make any trade-offs to make it work? If so, what were they?
• If you ended up violating your abstention, what were the circumstances? Were you trying to exercise will power in another area of life?

"So, Nik...what's the reward? What's my 'delayed gratification?'"

Good question! To those who take on the challenge and check-in you'll be entered to win some of my OAC swag (and I got a lot of good stuff)! But remember, this exercise is about deciding NOT to do something, not to do something. And since will power is a muscle we're working to develop, try not to make it anything unrealistic (remember: S.M.A.R.T. goals!) So think about it and decide what you're not going to do next week to exercise that will power muscle!

Your All-Access Pass to OAC "Your Weight Matters" (#YWM2013) General Sessions!

I think I've decided I'm going to cover each session I attended as a separate blog post because there's just too much information to try to fit it into daily recaps.

But I wanted to start off to linking you all to the general sessions that were web-casted live during the convention. These were powerful sessions that went into subjects that are on many of our hearts and minds! I'm going to post the video directly with a link to the video on YouTube. In addition, I HIGHLY advise you all to check out the Obesity Action Coalition YouTube Channel for more great stuff!

The Roller Coaster of Life: The Ups & Downs that Can Affect a Woman's Weight
(Running Time: 50 min., 7 sec.)

My big take-away from this session is that there are many forces, that have nothing to do with self-control, that can affect a woman's weight. While none of these are an excuse to "let ourselves go" (as the proverbial phrase reads) they are things we should take into account if we face challenges in our efforts to live a healthier life. We tend to internalize those challenges and blame ourselves, even for things over which we have no control!

View this video directly on YouTube!

Weighing Success Beyond the Scale: Identifying & Maintaining a Healthy Goal Weight

(Running Time: 50 min., 5 sec.)

I think this was an important message because we tend to think of a healthy lifestyle as a means (diet, exercise) to an end (ideal body/body weight). But sometimes our personal goals just aren't that realistic and setting all our hopes on an unrealistic goal can be toxic. Some points that stood out from this one for me were:

• It's a myth that there is a "correct weight for your height." There are many other factors at play.
• People who exercise and eat the same do not lose the same! That is to say you can do everything right and so can the post-op next to you and you can get two different sets of results. Another compelling reason NOT TO COMPARE!

View this video directly on YouTube!

Understanding & Managing Food Addiction

(Running Time: 44 min., 9 sec.)

This was perhaps THE most affirming session for me. I am a food addict. And I don't take that term lightly. Studies show that the very brains of food addicts work differently than those who do not suffer from food addiction. So as much as we all like to say "I am addicted to popsicles" or "I wish I could get addicted to the gym!" addiction is a very serious disease and this session goes over some animal research that gives us a greater glimpse into food/sugar addiction in particular. WARNING: If you identify yourself as a food addict some of this may hit home hard. Watch it in a space where you can react freely.

Watch this video directly on YouTube!

Teaming Up to Tackle Obesity (presentation after opening mix & mingle)
(Running Time: 1 hr., 53 mins., 53 sec.)

Corey Louchiey and James Thornton are both former NFL players who are personally battling obesity. In this session, which also includes their doctors, they talk about the struggles of overcoming obesity (James through bariatric surgery, Corey through traditional diet & exercise). What's amazing to me about these two men is that they report not being particularly close until they started their journeys. Now they support each other through the up's and down's. I love that one method of weight loss was not put above the other. Both are valid choices!

Watch this video directly on YouTube!

Margaret's Chicken Roulade featuring Laughing Cow Light Swiss

This recipe is dedicated to all those people who think that eating tasty, healthy food has to be laborious.

Margaret is here to tell you that's not true!

She was our fabulous host for the Laughing Cow cheese party and a great friend of mine!

This is the picture of her chicken roulade, but I'm sorry, I'm gonna send you over the her new blog, "Feed My Sleeve" for the recipe and instructions. Be sure to bookmark her page as she's going to feature her world-class cooking (she cooked for Gordon Ramsey as an audition for Master Chef!) from a weight-loss surgery perspective!

But here also are a few "bonus" pictures, taken by my very own Grade Diva! (My oldest daughter)

Margaret spreading the Laughing Cow cheese onto her pounded chicken breasts.

Margaret rolling up the roulades after stuffing them with asparagus and other yummy veggies! (You can use whatever you like.)

This roulade sauce also doubled as the topping for the savory cheesecake!

...and of course I have to give a shout out to Widget, Margaret's impossibly adorable dog!

Pregnancy & Weight-Loss Surgery: Information from OAC "Your Weight Matters (#YWM2013) Convention"

One of the cool parts about the Obesity Action Coalition's convention was sessions called "Lunch with an Expert." These were table discussions where you could ask an expert in certain fields direct questions about their expertise. Since you guys sent me to this conference, I tried to pick lunches that addressed some of the questions I get from you guys.

The first one I attended, on Friday, was on pregnancy & weight loss surgery. It was led by Dr. Robin Blackstone of Scottsdale Health Care Bariatric Center. She's worked a lot with patients who were preparing to conceive and post-ops who have gone through pregnancies.

She started off where a lot of GYN's start off - by advising about birth control! She said that it's important to be on a good method of birth control, especially in your losing phase. A woman of childbearing age is very fertile during this time because of hormonal changes brought on by rapid weight loss. She also pointed out that during the rapid weight loss, our bodies go into ketosis. Ketosis can affect a fetus. So it's best to get cleared for pregnancy before actively trying to conceive. She did note, however, that in the event of an unplanned pregnancy, don't panic. Just know your pregnancy will probably be deemed riskier and require a bit more medical intervention.

IMPORTANT: She told us that traditional birth-control pills are sugar-coated and thus people who had malabsorptive surgeries might not break them down properly. She said to ask your doctor to prescribe you a pill that is at least 3 mcg (or 0.2 mg), which increases the likelihood of absorption.

From there, we talked about preparing to conceive and she had some great wisdom to share:

• When you are preparing to conceive, it's best to let your bariatric surgeon know about it (or it might be most effective, as she stated, to inform your bariatric nurse coordinator or an equivalent). At the very least, they should know just in case your obstetrician needs to consult with them, however, they may want to request a set of labs before you conceive.
• Dr. Blackstone advised to pay particular attention to thiamine levels. Thiamine deficiencies can cause major birth defects so you need to make sure yours are at a good level going in.
• In general, Dr. Blackstone suggests patients trying to conceive take an extra B-complex vitamin daily.

Then we talked about when you are actually pregnant. There are several situations she's experienced as a doctor and she wanted to make sure patients are prepared to deal with them.

On eating/eating more:

• Barring any special medical condition, it isn't really necessary to take in a lot more food during pregnancy. Instead, she advises patients eat healthy meals more often for stable blood sugar.
• She said this several times, so I think it bears mentioning. The human body is designed to support the baby through this process, therefore the baby will take what it needs from your body. Don't go overboard on anything "for the sake of the baby."
• Make sure to maintain your protein levels at about 60-80g a day (or whatever your nutritionist recommends).
• Unrelated but related: Studies now show that most women need only gain about 20 lbs. during pregnancy (in the case of a singleton pregnancy, multiples would be different).

Medical Tips

• IMPORTANT: People who have had RNY or the Sleeve should NOT get the traditional 2-hour glucose test (where they make you drink the syrup-y stuff). Not only will it likely make you sick, but it doesn't always return an accurate reading. Request a blood glucose test instead!
• IMPORTANT: If you experience any abdominal pain (around the area of your stomach/sleeve/pouch, rib cage, etc.) get it checked out! She told us the story of a doctor in an ER who was stumped by a pregnant woman's severe abdominal pain. She was a Lap-Band patient and her band had slipped pretty severely. They were able to get it out fast before it did any harm, but take that as a warning: ALWAYS take abdominal pain seriously!
• I also want to re-stress the many small meals throughout the day. Dr. Blackstone warned that pregnant women have to work especially hard to keep their bodies out of starvation mode. It shuts down your metabolism and can be counter-productive to your pregnancy)

On freaking out about gaining weight:

• Find a weight-loss surgery specific pregnancy group (online or in person) where you can talk openly about your fears without judgment.
• If you feel extreme anxiety about your weight gain, seek psychological help!
• When seeking psychological help, find someone who has worked with bariatric patients before. 

On exercise after childbirth:

• Do it! Exercise after childbirth has many benefits.
• The baby gets more oxygen when mom exercises.
• Mom has more stamina/energy when she exercises
• Mom's body is better prepared for childbirth when she exercises
• You can do most any exercise form you did before pregnancy, however, some modifications to movements may be necessary. Check with your OB/fitness professional to design a workout that's right for you and your baby!

Whew! That was a lot of information for one hour but Dr. Blackstone really was great. I hope this information is helpful to all my Foodies who are planning families!

Grilled Pears with Herb & Cheese Topping (featuring Laughing Cow White Cheddar Cheese)

I'd love to tell you I thought of this recipe all on my own. That it was some figment of my imagination bourne of my vast culinary experience that I just knew would hit the palate the right way.

But I'd be lying.

In truth this recipe is an amalgamation of a bunch of things I've seen: on Food Network, in magazines, at fancy dinner events. So I can't say with confidence that this was an original idea so much as I can say that I guard my food memories very well. Which, to be fair, is a skill!

This was another of the recipes we made at my Laughing Cow cooking party. Fresh off the defeat of "Pork Meatball-gate" I was feeling a bit less than confident about my recipe skills. But we forged on and I'm so glad we did because this was yummy! It's easy to make but feels gourmet. It's savory, sweet, chewy and crunchy - it hits all the pleasure zones!

Grilled Pear with Herb & Cheese Topping
(Makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil + 1 tbsp. melted butter
• 2 pears, cut in half, cored and seeded
• 1/3 c. ricotta cheese
• 4 Laughing Cow White Cheddar cheese wedges
• 1 tbsp. basil (we used fresh leaves from Margaret's plant), rough chopped
• 4 tbsp. sugar-free caramel sauce
• 1/3 c. sliced almonds

Directions:

Combine olive oil and butter in a bowl then, using a food brush, brush the cut side of the pear and grill about 7 minutes or until tender and it's developed grill marks.

In a bowl, combine ricotta and Laughing Cow cheeses and mix thoroughly. Add basil and mix again. Refrigerate mixture until ready to serve.

Set a dry skillet (meaning no non-stick cooking spray) over medium heat and allow it to get hot. Add almond slices and gently toss about 3 minutes or until slices darken and you can smell the almonds. Remove from heat.

To assemble the dessert, place a pear on a plate, fill the cavity with the ricotta/cheddar mixture, drizzle with caramel and top with toasted almonds!

This was one of those desserts that was really complex and I loved it. The basil really stood out and tasted fresh against the slight salty-ness of the cheese, which complimented the caramel and the almonds gave the thing a "pie crust" kind of feel.

My advice? Make this next time you have someone over to dinner. It looks gorgeous, it tastes divine and it will put you squarely in the dinner host(ess) hall of fame!

OAC "Your Weight Matters" (#YWM2013) Recap - August 15, 2013

Today's recap is not that eventful. I took two planes. I did NOT take Spirit Airlines which means the planes got where they were supposed to go when they were supposed to get there. Yay!

Upon arriving in Arizona, I had three thoughts:

1. Damn, it's hot!
2. This landscape is gorgeous!
3. I am about to be among "my people!"

And I was! The first two people I ran into was my pal Beth, aka "Melting Mama" and fellow Foodie, Nannette!

This is a record year because I've seen her and fellow food blogger Shelly, aka "Eggface" three times this year. Considering Shelly lives in Southern California, Beth in New England and me in the Mid-Atlantic, that's quite a feat!

The main event today (besides registering) was the Meet & Mingle. After registering I took some time to go through my "swag bag" and found this:

They gave us the menus for all planned meals with nutrition information AND a worksheet to calculate how many calories and how much protein we planned to consume at each meal. Kudos, OAC! I like this a lot. 

The Meet & Mingle was a great event as well. They had a decidedly more health conscious menu than other conferences I'd been to this year. There was some stuff of the starchy variety (keeping in mind this conference is not exclusive to weight-loss surgery patients) but there was also this:

A beautiful tray of veggies with some nice dips. I sort of used this reception as dinner (because a Foodie is on a budget!). I sort of missed having meat, but I dealt.

So the main event was the talk, "Teaming Up to Tackle Obesity." This consisted of a panel of two bariatric surgeons, dr. Archie Roberts and Dr. Henry Buchwals and two former NFL football players Corey Louchiey, who lost weight with diet and exercise and James Thornton, who lost weight after having bariatric surgery. I LOVED this panel for several reasons:

1. There was no emphasis on one method being better than the other. Both were treated with equal validity.
2. Both men spoke on their struggles with eating more healthfully and changing their lifestyles. (And many of those struggles were the same!
3. These two men didn't know each other well before they both decided to change their lifestyles but are now good friends who support each other, without judgment or comparison, in healthier lifestyles.

This was so encouraging to hear. I believe WLS is one of many options for gaining control of obesity. The two doctors recognized this and also the fact the people look up to athletes. That admiration has value and they wanted to capitalize on it to be able to capitalize on that to motivate people to change their lives.

Me & James Thornton, former NFL player who is "Teaming Up to Tackle Obesity."

After they talked they took questions and one person asked James Thornton what he'd say to people who told him he took the easy way out. James said that there is no easy way. No magic bullet and that he'd let people know that the reality is that any method of losing weight is hard. 

I have an amendment to that. (Indulge me another soap box moment this week.) After James spoke one of the surgeons made a remark about people not saying the same thing when a person has gall bladder surgery or heart surgery, about "taking the easy way out." This is true but in my opinion there is a reason for that.

When you have gall bladder problems and have to have surgery for it you don't apologize for having gall bladder surgery. When you have heart surgery, even if it was caused by some behavioral pattern, you don't apologize for having heart surgery. And the world doesn't expect you to. But in some way - whether overt or subtle - many WLS patients apologize for having to have WLS. We apologize for not being able to do it with diet and exercise alone. We apologize for not being born with ideal genetics. And in many ways we apologize for being human.

Let's work on that, ok? Because in reality if you look at your so-called "skinny" friends, many of them probably have the same habits you did back in the day. But you might not consider them bad habits because that person did not end up obese as a result. So stop apologizing for being human, for making mistakes and for needing medical treatment for a medical condition that is likely threatening your health and future.

That one simple shift in thinking has the power to do so much. So think about it, ok?

In the meantime to follow what I do on Friday, August 16, you can:

• Follow the hashtag #BFYWM on Twitter. I'll be using it to post updates.
• Stay tuned to the Bariatric Foodie Facebook Page. I'll be posting pictures and quotables there as well.
• Tomorrow night I'll post my Friday recap.

I hope you guys are enjoying my coverage so far. If you have questions about anything I've seen or done, leave a comment. I'm happy to address anything you want to!

Dear Foodie: How Do I Get Motivated to Work Out?

Dear Foodie:

How do I get motivated to start exercising?

Signed,

Feeling Like A Slug

Dear Slug,

Exercise was actually a hard one for me at first. I knew going into my surgery that I was probably never going to be a gym rat. And I worried that I wouldn’t be successful because of that fact. But as I write, I’ve lost 180 lbs. without being a gym rat and without doing anything I don’t feel comfortable doing. So here are a few tips to inspire you:

1. Don’t (necessarily) exercise, be active! In my case, I found ways to move my body without doing the gym rat thing. I love to walk so that’s my main form of exercise. There are so many benefits to just being active. Most experts agree you should get about an hour of physical activity a day but that does not mean you have to do a structured exercise program. Walk, dance, chase the kids, whatever!
2. Find something you love doing and do it! I realize this can be daunting for someone who was morbidly obese, and may not have been used to moving his/her body with any great regularity. But think about what kind of movement makes you happy and then focus on doing that. If you love it, you’ll keep doing it!
3. Start slowly! Nobody is expecting you to run a marathon, or whatever, immediately. And you shouldn’t expect that of yourself either (confession: I’m terrible for putting that sort of pressure on myself, that I didn’t go far enough, hard enough, whatever, when you, and I, need to remember to be kind to yourself!). 
4. Try an assortment of things, especially if you don’t have a clue what you’ll like. Cycling (outside or check out a spin class), swimming, walking, kayaking, belly-dance, even games for your X-box or Wii…whatever! This also has the added benefit of safe-guarding you against stalls. Keep those muscles guessing as you figure out what you like!

As I said before, I started off with walking. And I didn’t go far at first but slowly I pushed myself to go further and further. Soon I was surprising myself with the number of miles I was logging. And, on a recent weekend, I was shocked that I actually ran on a treadmill. Me? Formerly obese me!

I would be remiss not to point out (cuz Nik said so) that anytime you plan to start a physical activity routine you should check with your doctor and heed common safety tips.

But in the end you just have to commit to start. That’s the hardest part. I’ve heard it said before that the hardest part about exercise is showing up. That’s so true! But if you can focus on showing up, doing things you like to do and progressing slowly but steadily, you may just come to love moving more.

"Dear Foodie" is Julia Weaver, who is 20 months post-op from RNY gastric bypass surgery and has lost 180 lbs. and counting!

Do you have a question about post-op life to ask Dear Foodie? Email your questions (with the subject line "Dear Foodie") to bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com.

Foodie Review: Quest Pasta (formerly "Pastabilities")

By Traci McGowan

OBLIGATORY "FED" DISCLAIMER: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Bariatric Foodie discloses that the product being reviewed was provided free of charge. All of Bariatric Foodie's reviews are fair and unbiased. The information contained therein has not been reviewed by the US Food & Drug Administration and is not meant to replace professional nutritional advice. Always seek the consultation of a nutritional or medical professional to address any questions or concerns you have about a food product! 

I got a package of Quest Pasta (formerly “Pastabilities”) from Nik a little over a month ago. To be honest: I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the thought of another review of a non-noodle…noodle. The first brand I tried tasted like Gummy Bears in marinara. I’ve also had a pouty pouch – certain foods are touch or “urp”.

To get motivated, I recruited my friend Anne as note taker/photography assistant (test subject). I tossed out a few ideas of what could be cooked up with the Quest Pasta Spaghetti Noodles, none brought excitement to my tiny kitchen space. Finally…I opted to wing it.

Traci's Sesame Shrimp, Steamed Asparagus & Roma Tomatoes & Basil

Ingredients:

• 1   Package Quest Pasta Spaghetti Noodles
• 12 Mid-sized Shrimp (deveined & devoid of tails) – I used Vannamei White Shrimp
• 10 Fresh Asparagus Spears
• 8   Pearl Onions
• 2   TSP Sesame Seeds
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2   Firm Roma Tomatoes
• Dried Basil
• Garlic Powder
• Small Steamer Pot
• Skillet
• Food Processor (I used my Ninja)
• Test Subject (optional)

Directions:

Snip the tops and root bottoms off the pearl onions and peel the skins. Rinse the asparagus spears, cut into quarters. Place the onions and spears in a steamer pot. Lightly sprinkle the pieces with garlic powder (not garlic salt) and cracked black pepper. Place the lid over the steamer pot and on the stove over low to medium heat.

Rinse the shrimp under cool water in a colander, remove tails, and then set the shrimp aside.

Open the Quest Pasta Spaghetti Noodles over a strainer. They smell fishy, don’t freak out! Rinse them well in cool water for three to five minutes until the odor has gone away, be sure to pull them apart while you’re rinsing them. Suggestion: After the noodles have been rinsed and pulled apart, put them in a food processor (i.e. Ninja) and give it two or three quick pulses. The noodles will resemble rice. Trust me, THIS is an awesome option for Foodies who can’t handle 100 feet of pasta.

Next, sauté the sesame seeds with 1 teaspoon of cracked black pepper in a skillet with olive oil for 1-2 minutes until most of the seeds are brown. Important: The seeds cannot be left unattended, they’ll jump from brown to burnt before you know it. Lower the heat, add the shrimp, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, and lastly add the Quest Pasta noodles. Turn the heat up on the steamer pot while you cook the items in the skillet. The water will evaporate away from the noodles and their color will change from translucent to something like dirty rice. Once you’ve arrived at a place which resembles the picture, turn off the heat and cover the skillet with a lid. Turn the heat off on the steamer pot, do not remove the lid until you’re ready to serve.

Chop one Roma tomato, place in a bowl and add one teaspoon of olive oil and mix well. They should look wet, NOT soppy (too much oil will create sop). Lightly sprinkle dried basil leaves over them and mix again.

Next, plate your meal.

I served Anne first, but she would not partake until I had prepared my plate. This is by far the best thing I have ever cooked. The noodles are terrific, they absorbed the flavors of what they were cooked with (kinda like tofu). The Ninja was an act of genius (no pride here) – I had no problems with them after a few quick pulses. They didn’t get stuck, nor did I feel the meal for the next five hours.

Everything together became a wonderful flavorful explosion of…wow! Even the steamed asparagus and pearl onions were incredible.

Quest – you totally nailed it (can I get a box for free??). I didn’t know it, but this is what I’ve been looking for in my meal plans.

Foodies – you’ll love them! Cook the noodles with something light and fun! This meal was approximately 170 calories and 22 grams of protien

Vegan/Vegetarians – GREAT option, would go well with tofu for you.

If I had ten thumbs, they’d all be up!

Hey, if you want to try them for yourself AND help out Bariatric Foodie, order yourself a bag from here. And next month look for the Foodie Review of their Spinach Fettucine noodles by our resident "Foodie Guy," Dana!

OBLIGATORY "FED" DISCLAIMER: Per the guidelines of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Bariatric Foodie discloses that the product being reviewed was provided free of charge. All of Bariatric Foodie's reviews are fair and unbiased. The information contained therein has not been reviewed by the US Food & Drug Administration and is not meant to replace professional nutritional advice. Always seek the consultation of a nutritional or medical professional to address any questions or concerns you have about a food product! 

Traci is a recovering couch potato and closet know-it-all (not really, she’s just smart) who resides just north of 8 Mile in Yupburbia. In her spare time she enjoys number crunching, movies, curling 30lb dumbbells, and collecting sneakers. Traci had RNY-Gastric Bypass in May 2011. She has lost 142 pounds, 33 inches from head to toe, 16 pant sizes, and sleeps with her food. Traci has recently started instructing a Boot Camp class on the weekends and hopes to create a health & fitness program focused on young persons in her area.

You can learn more about her adventures in fitness on her blog Sneaker Porn Diaries.

Bariatric Foodie goes to the Obesity Action Coalition "Your Weight Matters" Conference!

Don’t worry, I’ve left behind some good recipes to tide you guys over while I’m gone. But then I won’t really be “gone.” I’ll just be busy blogging for you guys at the Obesity Action Coalition “Your Weight Matters” Conference in Phoenix, Arizona!

I wanted to let you all know my (tentative) plan for how I’m going to communicate with you during the conference.

• If you want live, moment-to-moment updates, be sure to follow the hashtag #BFYWM on Twitter (You are following Bariatric Foodie on Twitter, aren't you?)
• If you’d prefer recaps periodically throughout the day be sure to stay tuned to the Bariatric Foodie Facebook Page. I’ll be sharing quotes, notables and photos there.
• If you want an in-depth look at the sessions I’ve attended I’m going to post daily recaps here on Bariatric Foodie. I expect my recaps will go up pretty late at night, especially for my East Coasters, so check back often!

And I want to take one more opportunity to say THANK YOU! I am only able to attend this conference because you guys routed your Amazon, Netrition and Quest Bar orders through Bariatric Foodie and ordered copies of the “Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes” during the month of June! I’m really proud to say that my Foodie Nation came through in this way and I will proudly represent you to everyone I meet in Arizona!

Let’s do this! 

Foodie Fitness Corner: How to Go From Frumpy To Fabulous at the Gym

By Hillery Kelly

Most people would agree that workout clothing should be comfortable and functional.  But while I was at the gym the other day, I started to wonder, is there such a thing as TOO comfortable?  Is there a point where you surpass the comfort “okay” mark and enter into the frumpy category?  

Now you might ask yourself, “Why is it even important whether I look frumpy at the gym? After all I’m only there to sweat!” Here’s my personal take on the matter.

Many of you have already discovered that 90% of exertion is mind over matter. And the fact is that when you feel better, you do better. Good, well-fitting workout clothes can be the esteem booster that you need to get in there and become a gym BEAST.  

So in the spirit of living our best bariatric afterlives (as Nik would say) here are the four most common gym-style faux pas I’ve seen and how to correct them:

1. Bras that offer no support.  Ladies I’m pleading with you here.  PLEASE spend the extra money to get good workout bras; it really does make a world of difference.  While your breasts don’t have to touch your chin, they should NOT rest on your navel!  A good sports bra will provide support, prevent bounce and correct your posture, which prevents back injury.
2. Old, run-over sneakers.  Most experts suggest changing your sneakers a couple of times a year and more frequently if you run frequently or train/run marathons/triathlons. Excessive wear on your workout shoes cause knee, IT Band and Hip issues. I speak from experience; old worn out sneakers will cause your back, knees, and hips to hurt!
3. Super baggy workout pants.  Not everyone wants to wear running/ yoga tights or capris in the gym when they work out, I get it. But stop it with the sweat pants that are two sizes too big!  Not only are they unflattering, they offer you no compression or support.  If modesty is a concern, choose boot-cut or flared leg compression pants that balance out your proportions and give you a flattering shape while compressing the “jiggle” in the thighs and bottom.
4. Long, baggy t-shirts.  So you’re not quite comfortable enough to bare the batwings in a workout tank.  But let’s be honest here…that snoopy t-shirt from 1997 isn’t doing you any favors and despite what you’ve convinced yourself, it doesn’t hide or mask the tummy jiggle.   Go for a workout t-shirt that is made with wicking fabric that offers some core compression.  It will keep you cooler, provide core compression and stabilization, and mask the loose tummy jiggle.

Now I know what you’re saying.  “I don’t want to buy workout clothes when I’m losing a lot of weight and won’t be able to wear them soon.” Yeah…I can’t exactly support that argument for several reasons.

• First there are lots of affordable workout clothes at Wal-Mart, Target, Burlington, TJ Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, and countless other places (Nik reports getting workout clothes at Family Dollar!). You don’t have to spend a fortune to get functional workout clothing. 
• Second workout clothing should be sized DOWN. When you do that, you get more compression AND your workout clothes last longer. Don’t believe me? Check out the photos of me below. All these clothes were purchased (and worn) 50 lbs.  (or six months) ago and are just now beginning to lose compression. 

In the end I’m not saying you need to be Heidi Klum in the gym. But investing in yourself is important. You’re investing the time to get physical activity. Why not make some small investments that will make that time more enjoyable and help you produce better results? 
Because you’re worth it!

About the Author:  Hillery is a year post-op (gastric bypass). She is a chemist and environmental engineer residing in the suburbs of the Nation’s capital….a country girl at heart turned city slicker! She fully admits to being addicted to makeup, skin care, hair creams, soaps, lotions, and potions of all price ranges…an equal opportunity product junkie with a special passion and love for lipstick.  Read about her makeup addition, product reviews, and anything worth dishing about in the world of beauty at www.platinumpjs.com.

If you've got a fitness question or concern, hit Hillery up at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com

Savory Cheesecake with Sausage & Crab Topping featuring LaughingCowQueso Fresco Chipotle

Like I’ve said many times on this blog, I draw inspiration from many places. The neat thing is that my brain retains stuff a LONG time.

The inspiration for this recipe was an episode of Diner’s, Drive-Ins and Dives, which I tend to watch while on the elliptical machine (not to be confused with 30-Minute Meals, which I watch on the treadmill or Jersey Shore, which I watch on the recumbent bike).

Guy Fieri was in Florida at a place where a man made a savory cheesecake topped with a Sausage & Gator sauce. I loved the idea of the savory cheesecake. Being a Mid-Atlantic girl, I did not love the gator part. (SIDE NOTE: To be fair, I wonder if Gator meat is to Florida as crab meat is to Maryland?)

So that was my suggestion for this shindig. Now I did something I rarely do at this party. I went in with a “blind recipe.” This means I had the recipe all worked out in my head but I’d never made it before, had no idea if it really tasted good. I usually never do this. And the failed pork slider is a good example of why! I like to think I’m as humble as the next guy but my ego suffers when people don’t like my food!

Thankfully, this got thumbs up from all the party-goers. I have Margaret to thank for the topper. We used leftovers from her Roulade salsa and it was MARVELOUS! The cheesecake made it feel like comfort food. I wasn’t sure if I’d like a savory cheesecake but now I can say with assurance I do! And this one is good because it’s made in a mini-springform pan! So for most of us, this is no more than three servings.

Savory Cheesecake with Sausage & Crab Topping

(Makes two mini-cheesecakes)

Ingredients for the Cheesecake:

• 1/3 c. cottage cheese, blended to smooth out the lumps
• ¼ c. ricotta cheese
• 4 triangles Laughing Cow Queso Fresco Chipotle cheese
• 1 small jalapeno pepper, de-seeded and chopped fine
• 2 tbsp finely diced onion
• 1 egg (or ¼ c. Egg Beaters)
• For the crust: 1/3 c. whatever high fiber cereal you like, crushed (we used Shredded Wheat) + 1 tbsp butter

Ingredients for the Topping: (this is my intended sauce not Margaret's sauce - we went where the mood took us - but when she sends along her recipe, I will post it!)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil (or non-stick cooking spray)
• 1 log Andouille sausage, cut into half-rounds 
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tomato, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced (skip if you don't like any heat)
• 1/2 c. real or imitation crab meat
• 1/2 c. of water OR white wine (your body, your choice)
• 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence (or your favorite fresh or dried herb blend)
• 1 tbsp. tomato paste (which Margaret says is unnecessary for most sauces but I like to thicken it up a bit!) 

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl (or a zip-top bag as we discovered), combine cereal crumbs with butter until well mixed. Press mixture into the bottom of a mini-spring form pan and bake for 10 minutes.

In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, ricotta and Laughing Cow wedges. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add jalapeno and onions and mix again. Add egg and mix again until thoroughly combined.

Pour half of mixture onto the crust in the mini-spring formpan. Refrigerate the rest until you want to make it (it’ll keep about 3 days in the refrigerator).

Place the mini-spring form pan in a small baking dish and surround it with hot water.

Put the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until it is set (it should develop a “crust” on top and be semi-firm to the touch). Turn off the oven but keep the cheesecake in the oven until the oven is cooled (about another 15-ish minutes).

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, heat your oil in a pan and add your sausage. Cook until they have a slight crisp on them. Add all veggies except garlic, jalapeno and tomato and saute about 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, jalapeno and tomato and crab meat and drop your heat down to medium. Allow it to simmer for about 10 minutes (the tomatoes will release a good deal of liquid but don't worry if you get some pan crud). If you do get pan crud after the 10 minutes, lift it with the water or the wine by pouring it in the pan and gently scraping it off the pan with a wooden spoon. Add tomato paste and herbs and stir in completely and allow it to simmer about 5-7 minutes more. 

When the cheesecake is done run a knife along the perimeter of the pan before releasing the spring form and lifting the ring. Then, using a butter knife, gently slide the cheesecake off the bottom of the pan and onto a plate.

Top the cheesecake with the crab and sausage mixture and serve!