#BFHoliday Challenge - the #PhotoFriday Challenge, sponsored by Big Train!

What does success LOOK like for you? That's what Big Train wants to know for this week's one-day challenge.

Big Train are the makers of Fit Frappe, a line of coffee-house style protein drinks that includes flavors such as mocha, vanilla and even chai protein!(Click here to read my review of Fit Frappe's coffee-based Espresso, Mocha, Vanilla Latte, Spiced Chai flavors and their non-caffeinated Chocolate and Vanilla flavors.)

This week they are challenging YOU to share your picture of success with the rest of the Foodie Nation. Here's how it works:

• Find a picture that represents your success, a photo that makes you feel proud of yourself!
• Share your picture on the Bariatric Foodie Facebook wall and on Twitter. When I do, reply to that post with your picture and tell us WHY it makes you proud.
• Everyone who does that will be entered to win one of THREE Fit Frappe prize packs (containing your choice of Fit Frappe protein powder and a sugar-free syrup), courtesy of Big

Questions you might have:

• "Nik, I'm shy! Do I have to be in the picture?" Nope. But it does need to be a that in some way represents success to you and you have to be able to say WHY. So it could be a pic of your first running sneakers or your airplane seatbelt fastened easily for the first time or even a healthful dish you learned to prepare. As long as you can speak on why that photo represents success, it counts!
• "Can it be my before/after?" Sure. But again, you have to say why it represents success to you and not just "Because I lost weight." Tell us what the photo means to you! 
• "I don't use Facebook/Twitter. How do I enter?"  If you absolutely don't use social media you can enter by emailing your picture and explanation to me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. IMPORTANT: Unless you indicate otherwise, I will consider your submission as permission to share the photo (only your first name, last initial will be used) to help inspire others. If you don't want your photo to be shared, that's fine but !

The official deadline to do this will be NOON EST Sunday, December 28. Everyone who submits their photos with explanations will be entered to receive one of three Fit Frappe prize packs, courtesy of Big Train!

After you have posted your picture on social media OR emailed it to me, you can earn some extra chances by:

• Liking Big Train on Facebook
• Following @BigTrain on Twitter
• Putting a thank you message on either their Facebook Page wall or tweeting to @BigTrain and mentioning @Bariatric Foodie.
• NEW! You can also earn an extra chance for encouraging your fellow Foodies. If you see someone's photo that inspires you, tell them so for an extra chance.

If you do any extra chance items, please leave a blog comment with your name, email address and tell me what you did so I can give you your extra chances!

I'll announce this week's winners on Sunday evening. Good luck everyone and Happy #PhotoFriday!

#BFHoliday Challenge - Week 4 Winners



I apologize , guys. I am really tardy posting this. I could give you the usual excuses but instead I think I'll just do what I haven't been able to do the last few days...focus!

Firstly, I want to thank CLICK Espresso Protein for sponsoring this week's challenge. Vitamin intake is very important and it's something we should all keep working at until we've found a sustainable way to be compliant!

So without further adieu, the week four winners are:

• Ahbra M.
• Patty Bombyk
• Kristin W.

All winners were notified earlier this week. Patty and Kristin, I see that you've already claimed your prize - thanks!

Ahbra has until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, December 26 to claim her prize or I have to redraw. Don't make me do it!

Congrats to the winners!

About this week's challenge

This week's challenge is going to be a one-day challenge, which will be held on Friday, December 26. It is sponsored by our good friends at Big Train, makers of Fit Frappe!

I'll post about the challenge tomorrow evening with all the details, so after all the presents are unwrapped, babies kissed, pictures taken and memories made, come back here and check out the challenge so that you can win yourself a prize pack, courtesy of Big Train!

#BFHolidayChallenge Week 4 - Time to Report Back to Win Some Click!



Can I just say...you all inspire me. Seriously.

This week has been tough. I've posted here and there about my vitamin intake (nowhere near what I'd planned to post) and even shared my personal "vitamin scare story." This is such a challenge to me!

In all honesty my struggle with vitamin intake is what make me believe the saying "failure is not falling down but refusing to get back up." So each time I forget a dose, I get back on that schedule and keep going. So long as I'm alive I'll keep trying!

I hope you did too because it's time to report back to win some Click Espresso Protein! Remember you have until 11:59 p.m. EST Sunday (December 21) to report back to enter to be one of three winners of a prize pack from Click which will include a canister of espresso protein and some other goodies.

How to Report Back

Let's keep with the way we've been reporting back, which is in the comments of this (and only this) blog post. Please leave a blog comment with the following:

1. Please confirm that you did actually take the challenge this week. (If you did not I invite you to join us on Sunday to find out next week's challenge!) Also share how you did.
2. Your name (first name, last initial) and your email address (That's important. If I draw a name with no email address I have to draw again!)
3. Please let me know if you did any of the extra chances listed below.

Extra Chances

You can earn one extra chance each for doing the following:

• Like Click on Facebook
• Follow Click on Twitter
• Leave a message on their Facebook wall thanking them for sponsoring the #BFHolidayChallenge (and be sure to tell them Bariatric Foodie sent you!)
• Tweet a message of thanks to Click and be sure to mention Bariatric Foodie
• Sign-up for Click's email list to receive exclusive recipes and discounts (if you're already on there, let me know and that's an extra chance)

Not to sound like a broken record but you have until 11:59 p.m. EST Sunday, December 20 to enter! I'll draw the winners on Monday. Next week's challenge will be announced sometime on Sunday.

Four Things You Should Never Say to a Person Who Had Weight Loss Surgery



This is inspired by a piece done recently on The Today Show: 6 Things You Never Say to Someone Who Has Lost Weight. Those things apply but I feel like there's things people say to us after our surgeries that are just wrong (and some are potentially harmful) so here goes.

"Yeah, I'm losing weight the hard way."

Ok so I should start off telling you that here at Bariatric Foodie we call folks who haven't had weight loss surgery "non-ops."

You. Non-op. Come closer so we can speak.

Imagine waking up tomorrow and your stomach was a fraction of the size it was before. Imagine taking your first bite of food in the morning and that bite of food makes you violently ill - and you don't quite know why. Imagine everything you eat makes you violently ill. Imagine going out to eat with friends and being done your whole meal before your friends have taken three bites of an appetizer. Imagine having the whole world see you shrink into a person you don't know and have never been before, all while you are supposed to be joyful (instead of freaking out, which is what you really are). Imagine having to remember to take vitamins every day. Imagine having doing the same workout you are doing "the hard way" except your body has only a fraction of the calories to sustain it. Imaging going through all that and having someone imply that you are doing things the "easy" way.

No matter what way you do it, losing weight is hard. So don't say that anymore.

"My sister's cousin's boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's sister had weight loss surgery and they gained all their weight back."

Firstly, no they didn't. That person is an urban legend. While folks who have weight loss surgery can regain, you don't personally know anyone who did and we know that.

Beyond that, if you believe in the power of positive thinking, this statement can be really destructive. It spawns fear, self-doubt, self-consciousness. Weight loss surgery patients live in a constant tension between adhering to many guidelines and trying to live a normal life. Many of us are already so petrified of regain that, for all intents and purposes, we've actually worked in earnest to develop eating disorders.

A better thing to say is "I wish you all the best" and leave it at that.

"You've lost too much! You need to stop."

On this one, non-ops, I have a bit of sympathy. Chances are your friend or family member was overweight or obese for a while before having surgery. And there's a good chance you only ever knew them that way. They are going through big changes. They are shrinking fast.

Rest assured your loved one is being monitored by an expert medical team. They have a bariatric surgeon, a registered dietician and other staff who monitor their weight very closely for the first two years after surgery. Very often their weight and health is monitored pretty closely even after that.

Each person has a different way to determine their goal weight. Unfortunately, it's not up to you to decide what that weight is. Telling someone they've lost too much is just as bad as telling them they have gained too much weight. It promotes low self-esteem and self-consciousness.

A simple "Wow, you've lost a lot of weight!" is both honest and much more respectful.

And lastly my personal favorite...

"You've changed since you had surgery."

My initial response the first time someone said this to me was "Well...yeah. Isn't that the point?"

My grandmother had a wonderful saying. "If nothing changes, nothing changes." Obesity is not just a disease of eating. Our environments, emotions and stressors can all contribute to our obesity. The only way to sustainably address obesity is to work at all of its causes in our lives.

That said, if your loved one suddenly is less tolerant of demands on their time, or they take longer to get ready to go out the door because they want to look nice, or they like to go clothes shopping, YES they have changed. No, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

On the same token some of us go through a serious "butthole phase" where we are a bit self-centered and hard to deal with (present company included). In those cases, address the behavior in particular. For example, if you find your loved one talks nonstop about their post-op life, you might say: "Hey, I know you've got lots going on, what else is happening in your life?" We go through stages after surgery and we are human. If we are being inconsiderate it may be a stage and we may not be aware we are doing it. But implying that it's bad we are changing isn't helpful or constructive.

If we're doing something that bugs you, talk to us respectfully about the thing we are doing instead of generalizing. Bonus: you actually have a chance of working it out when you do it this way!

What happens if I don't take my vitamins?

This week's #BFHolidayChallenge is to take all your vitamins every day. I often get asked, "What happens if I don't take my vitamins?" Here is my story about why vitamin compliance is a critical habit for weight loss surgery patients to learn.

It was late. Way late. So late, in fact, that I almost wondered why I was bothering with dinner at all. The day had been an absolute disaster and I’d have loved to sink into bed and pray for a better tomorrow, but unfortunately my two young children were hungry – and none too amused that it was 9 p.m. and they had not yet been fed dinner!

I decided to throw together something quick. Chili. The kids love chili, especially spicy chili. I figured this was perfect because it doesn’t take long to make, it produces lots of leftovers, and those leftovers taste better with each passing day.

So as soon as I got home from my class, I set to chopping onions and green peppers, browning ground turkey and draining cans of beans. It only took me about 30 minutes to make the chili and when it was done I called my children down to help set the table. I was determined we’d sit down to eat together.

My oldest daughter was the first downstairs so I set her to work. I pointed to the cabinet to ask her to hand me a…a…

What is that thing called? The thing. That you put soup in. And chili in. The thing???

Forgetting the word for "bowl" scared me and made me get my short-term memory loss checked out!

Yes, people. Standing there in my kitchen, rushed and stressed, I forgot the word for bowl.

Scared Straight

Now if any of you have had a family member with dementia, you can understand why I was freaked out by this incident. But as I thought about it later that night, I realized that my memory had been fairly shoddy lately. I’d walk into a room and not remember why I was there. I’d put my keys down and just a minute later couldn’t find them. And heaven help me if I didn’t immediately put an event on a calendar. I missed quite a few because I failed to jot it down, then forgot it completely.

There are myriad medical conditions that can cause memory loss. When I went to the doctor to inquire about mine, the doctor ordered labs and when they came back I got a stern talking to. My doctor asked one simple question that “outed” me, “Have you been taking your b12 supplement regularly?”

I had not. At that time I took it by injection. I was instructed to do so monthly. One fact I’ve since learned is that the less often I am required to do something, the more likely I am to forget to do it. So I forgot my monthly injection – for many, many, many months.

(NOTE: This was a problem for me because, as a RNY patient, I no longer have the ability to properly absorb B12 in the body's natural way - because that portion of my stomach is missing. So instead we need to take sublingual B12 which allows the B12 to be instantly absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin under your tongue.)

While my doctor was hesitant to deem that the only source of my short-term memory problems (after all I was also a working single mother and that carries a certain amount of stress which can also exacerbate short-term memory problems), the fact that mine was low at the time led us both to believe it was contributing to my problems. Again, my past freaked me out.

B12 is no joke!

My grandfather, before he died, suffered from dementia. At first he was thought to have developed Alzheimer’s Disease – a disorder that can only be 100% confirmed after death. As it turns out, he did not have Alzheimer’s Disease, but a very severe b12 deficiency. So hearing that I was low kind of scared me straight.

So what did I do? Well, several things. First, I asked if I could switch to a more regular regimen of taking b12. My doctor told me that I could switch to a daily sublingual tablet (one that melts under the tongue) instead of doing the monthly shot. (IMPORTANT: When figuring out what’s best for you, ALWAYS talk to your own doctor. My method and your method may not be the same!)

I also took advantage of an app called “My Med Schedule” to remind me to take ALL my vitamins, not just b12. It was easy to set up and I get daily reminders for all my vitamin doses. I still am not perfect about vitamins all the time but at least the reminder is there and persistent.

Lastly, I had to accept the fact that my short term memory problems might not go away, so I had to work with them and not against them. So I put my bottle of b12 tablets next to my toothbrush. I brush my teeth every day. When I brush my teeth, I see the bottle and I take my b12. I am the same way now with most things I want to remember. Put something I don’t want to forget next to something I can’t forget. I put my work ID next to my house keys, and my car keys are attached to my house keys, etc.

The Bottom Line

I share this with you all to encourage you to do whatever YOU need to do to stick to your vitamin regimen. In my case it vitamin B12 was low, but you can have many different kinds of deficiencies and they can cause many different kinds of problems. Here are a few things to think about:

·       Vitamin deficiencies can take a while to show up in lab work. I get a lot of folks who are a year or so post-op who tout their good lab numbers despite not being vitamin compliant. Remember your body usually has a store of vitamins it can draw on when deficient. Unfortunately that means that in some cases when your lab work comes back with a deficiency the stuff has actually hit the fan.

·       Some deficiencies can cause permanent damage. B12 deficiency is one of them. If you have severe memory loss, nerve damage, etc. as a result of this deficiency it can be irreparable and sometimes the best your medical team can do is help you manage.

·       WLS patients have DIED because of vitamin deficiencies. I don’t say that to upset you but to let you know this IS important. Failing to take your vitamins doesn’t have the same immediate negative effects as, say, eating sugar and dumping but it can be so much more harmful!

So I hope sharing my story has inspired you all, not only to take this week’s #BFHolidayChallenge, but to figure out a good, convenient and, most of all, sustainable system for taking your vitamins. Because you have to do it – for the rest of your life.

If you're unsure what vitamins you should take, here are the American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery guidelines for:

• RNY
• Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
• Lap-Band
• Duodenal Switch

If you've not had a conversation with your surgical practice about vitamins, make sure you talk about it the next time you are seen!

And if you have any questions about my story, leave them in the comments below. I’m happy to answer.

#BFHolidayChallenge Week 3 Winners

 

But first...have you checked out this week's challenge, sponsored by CLICK Espresso Protein? If not, go check it out!

Sorry I could not post the winners yesterday, but I am very, very, very encouraged by how hard folks went at last week's challenge. For some of you the challenge is what you were already doing, but for others it was very hard and I commend you all for doing your best!

The winners of the week 3 prize back of Torani sugar-free syrups are:

• Mary Ann Atzrott
• Jodi B.
• Maryann Forest

It was a big week for people named Mary Ann, eh? Congratulations, ladies! All three of them have been emailed and all three claimed their prize (thank you for making my life easier!).

After this challenge we still have two left. Like I said, check out this week's challenge, where you can win a fantastic prize from my friends at CLICK.

Keep on inspiring each other. You all inspire me!

#BFHolidayChallenge Week 4 - Sponsored by Click Espresso Protein!

Ok so I lied about something.

Well,  not really lied. I accidentally didn't tell the truth. (Isn't that the same thing.)

You see, I said last week's challenge was the most challenging for me and that's just not true. This week's challenge is far harder. That's why this week I'm going to blog about doing the challenge right along with you, Keeps me honest!

But first...

This Week's Prize Sponsor

CLICK! If you've never tried CLICK Espresso Protein Powder, you don't know what you've been missing! Seriously. (Well unless you hate coffee, in which case...yeah.) The folks at CLICK have made a rich, smooth coffee-based protein powder that packs lots of vitamins and minerals, along with 15g of protein per serving (making it the perfect post-workout recovery snack). It comes in Mocha (my favorite), Mocha Decaf, Vanilla Latte (not decaf) and Caramel (also not decaf). Aside from the Mocha Decaf, the others have the amount of caffeine equivalent to a triple shot of espresso.

I love the stuff. I love the stuff so much I have a whole selection of recipes I call Click Frapps. Heck, I love the stuff so much I wrote an e-recipe book for them called 50 Ways to CLICK! (You can download for free by the way.) You can check CLICK out for yourself at www.drinkclick.com.

This Week's Challenge

Ok so back to this being a challenging challenge for me. For some of you this will be easy. For me this has ALWAYS been hard.

This week, CLICK Espresso Protein challenges you to:

Get all of your vitamin doses, every day this week.

Oy. I mean...yay! For those who take the challenge - and report back at the end of the week - you will be entered to win one of THREE prize packs from CLICK, which includes a canister in the flavor of your choice AND some stylish CLICK swag.

Some Questions I imagine you have:

• "Nik, can you tell me what vitamins I should be taking?" No. That's both wrong and illegal (as I'm not a physician or a registered dietician. BUT I can tell you what the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends for RNY, Lap-Band, the Sleeve and the Duodenal Switch (DS). From there, you'd need to consult your surgeon or RD if you don't already know what you should be taking.
• "Every dose, Nik? Really?" As I've said in all the past challenges, do your best. As long as you are accountable it counts, so simply reporting back (whether you are successful or not) will get you entered. But I encourage you to pay attention to any roadblocks you experience in doing any of these challenges. Identifying them will help you in the long run.
• "I'm joining in late, can I still participate?" Absolutely. But once you accept the challenge you have to do your best to meet the challenge AND you have to report back in order to enter to win the prize. I will post here on the blog starting on Saturday, December 20 asking you to report back. You'll have until 11:59 p.m. EST  Sunday, December, 21 to enter.

If you have other questions leave them in the comments. Also (just for my curiosity) leave in the comments: ARE YOU IN???

#BFHolidayChallenge: Time to Report Back to Win Some Torani!

Are you all floating away yet?

I must say I read everyone's check-ins this week on Facebook and you guys showed UP to this challenge! For some of you this was easy peasy (as some of the other challenges probably are to others) but guess what? Even if drinking 64 oz. water/day isn't challenging for you, this week you reinforced a good habit and that is a beautiful thing.

Now it's time to be accountable so that you can win some sugar-free goodness from Torani! THREE of you will win a starter set of syrups (full sized bottles too, not the sample sizes!)

Since the report back last week was fairly uneventful, I'm going to do it the same way. Leave a blog comment with the following information:

1. Your name (first name/last initial will do)
2. Your email address
3. Did you take this week's challenge? (Last week I had folks who entered who did not do the challenge. If that's you - join us next week! But I do want to limit the entries to those who gave this week's challenge a try. Thanks for understanding!)
4. If you took the challenge, how did you do? Did you get 64 oz./day? If not, did you increase your intake over the amount you were getting before?
5. Please list ALL the extra chance items you did (see below).

Then of course there are bonus entries! If you do any of these things please put that in your blog comment so I can give you the # of chances you deserve!

1. Like Torani on Facebook or follow them on Twitter (if you do both, say so as you get one extra entry for each one).
2. Leave a thank you note on their Facebook wall or Tweet them a thank you. IMPORTANT: Make sure you mention that Bariatric Foodie sent you so I know to give you your extra chance! (Again, if you do both please let me know and I'll give you an extra entry for both.)

That's it! The winner will be announced Monday evening. And a new challenge starts tomorrow (Sunday, December 14)!

I hope you're enjoying the Challenge so far. Good luck, everyone!

#BFHolidayChallenge - Week 2 Winners!

Congratulations to the three Foodies who scored themselves a protein snack prize pack, courtesy of Kay's Naturals! I'm going to list the names of folks who won, with their comment number on the report back post. If you're not sure if it's you, refer to that post!

• Barbara (comment #12)
• Becca Smith (comment #38)
• April Crowe (comment #40)

Congrats, ladies! Here's what you need to do now.

Email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com with your full name and mailing address so I can get that prize sent to you! You have 48 hours to do this (so by 6 p.m. Wednesday, December 10, 2014) or I have to redraw. Don't make me do it!

Congratulations again. Remember, each week until New Year's there'll be a new challenge. The Week 3 Challenge, sponsored by Torani, is now up. Check out the details and win you some prizes!

#BFHolidayChallenge Week 3 - Sponsored by Torani!



But first...have you reported back on week 2 yet so you can win some Kay's Naturals protein goodies? If not, go do it! You only have until 11:59 p.m. EST tonight. Here's the link to report back.

So now that Thanksgiving is past us, and we're getting our activity and logging our food (I hope) it's time to work on something I personally have struggled with since my surgery nearly 7 years ago. But more on that in a moment.

This week's sponsor

As you saw this week's sponsor is Torani, maker of flavored syrups that I use in all kinds of ways, including in protein shakes, protein puddings, desserts and more!



Torani syrups are sold in stores, but I'd still encourage you to go to their website and check out the VAST selection of sugar-free offerings.  I have too many bottles to count, and later in the week I'll be talking more about my favorites. But first let's get to this week's challenge!

This week's challenge

This week Torani challenges you to:

Get 64 oz. of hydration each day this week

 

As always I anticipate a few questions:

• "Why did you say hydration, Nik?" Each of us is on a different program and for each program the concept of getting enough "water" is a bit different. My program, for instance, counts any liquid that is non-alcohol, non-carbonated and sugar-free. Your mileage may vary, but I definitely encourage you to follow your program as far as how you get your hydration. Not sure? Call your registered dietician or surgeon's office!
• "I'm new/I have "X health condition", I can't get 64 oz. of water a day!" I understand! That's why, as with all challenges, as long as you are accountable, it counts. So don't harm yourself trying to meet a number goal. Do the best that you can do and pay attention to the obstacles you face and how you handle them. THAT is the point of this challenge, not necessarily doing each challenge perfectly. The point here is that you should never go against medical advice to do a challenge.  If trying to meet this goal will be detrimental to your health, do what you can do and don't do what you shouldn't!
• "I'm joining in late, can I still do it?" Sure! But once you're in, you gotta try your best. Not for me OR for the prize but for yourself.

Other questions? Leave them in the comments and I'm happy to answer. Until then, get that water and remember to report back next week. If you'd like to be reminded to report back, click this link to sign up for a reminder e-mail.

 

Good luck and have a great week everyone! And look for the week 2 winners tomorrow!

#BFHolidayChallenge - Week Two. Time to report back to win some Kay's Naturals Goodies!

So how'd this week go? Did you track your food? Did you learn anything from doing it?

I realize for some of you this week was easy because many of you already track your food religiously every day. But I know that some of us never got into the habit or fell out of the habit and for you, I hope this was helpful and you keep it up! For what it's worth I don't track every day anymore. I do a tracking week every few months to make sure I'm on the up and up and I return to tracking when I feel like I'm not doing what I am supposed to do. My point here is that we are each different and we should do what works best for us but food tracking is a powerful tool for keeping your eating habits in check.

That's why I'm so thankful to Kay's Naturals for sponsoring this week's challenge! Their healthy snacks will be things you can feel good about logging because they are low in calories, high in fiber and in protein and they taste great. The three winners this week are going to get a treat!

Wanna be one of those winners? Here's what you need to do.

Please pay attention because this is different from last week!

So last week I used Rafflecopter for you guys to report back and many of you had problems with it. For this week, I'm going to keep it simple. To report back, leave a comment on this blog post with the following information:

1. Did you do the challenge? (To log your food every day? Don't worry if you came into it late, it's ok! And be honest - as long as you are accountable, it counts!)
2. Did you learn anything new about yourself from doing this?
3. Please list any bonus entries you did (see the list below).
4. Please leave your name and email address so I can contact you if you are the winner!

NOTE: To get to the comments, scroll down to the bottom of this post and look for red text that says the # of comments. Click on it to leave a comment.

You have until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time to submit your entry. If you'd like to earn some bonus entries, you can do any of the following, for one extra chance each:

• Share about the #BFHoliday Challenge on Facebook or Twitter. Be sure to use the following link so that people can learn what the challenge is: http://bit.ly/bfholidaychallenge
• Like Kay's Naturals on Facebook or follow them on Twitter
• Post a note of thanks on Kay's Naturals wall or on Facebook and or Tweet a note of thanks and mention that Bariatric Foodie sent you!

Good luck, everyone! And remember, Sunday starts a new challenge with a new prize!

#BFHolidayChallenge - Week One Winners!



Have you checked out the week two challenge yet, sponsored by Kay's Naturals? If not, here it is!

Thanks again to Quest Nutrition for sponsoring the first week's challenge. I was SO inspired by all of you. So many of you get your activity in last week, even in the face of Thanksgiving!

Here are the week one winners, who will each receive a free box of Quest bars:

• Kim O'Brien
• Susan Fowler-Thompson
• Sherry Lee

If that's you, email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com with your mailing address so I can get you your prize.

Not you? Like I said, there's a new challenge up this week - and there will be one EVERY week through the end of the year!

Remember to check the blog this weekend to report back and enter to win this week's challenge prize, sponsored by Kay's Naturals. Are you forgetful (like me)? If so, I've created an email reminder list. Sign up for it if you want me to remind you to report back!

#BFHolidayChallenge Week Two - Sponsored by Kay's Naturals!

 

 

Ok, week two. Are we ready? Great!

 

But first, a little bit of housekeeping. I'll keep it short.

1. If you'd like to receive reminders via email about the latest challenge and the prize entry deadlines, click this link. It'll subscribe you to an email list that will only be used to remind you about the Challenge.
2. The entry period for week one is open through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30. If you did the week one challenge (to get 30 minutes of exercise five days last week), be sure to get your entries in! On Monday I'll do the prize drawing and three people will win a box of Quest Bars!
3. If you are scratching your head going "What the heck is all of this about???" You might want to read this and then come back to this post.

The Sponsor

 

Ok...now we're ready to move on to week two. As the blog post title says, this week's challenge is sponsored by Kay's Naturals, maker of healthy and filling protein snacks, cereals and more. I've enjoyed Kay's Natural products since I was a NEW-new post-op (the protein pretzels gave me LIFE when the crunchy urge hit) and I still enjoy them today.  To check out their full array of weight-loss surgery friendly, diabetic-friendly and even gluten-free offerings, visit their website!

 

This week, Kay's is putting up THREE prize packs for completing their challenge.

 

The Challenge

 

This week is a tricky week even if you're not a post-op. You've got the Thanksgiving leftovers (keep an eye on Facebook/Twitter this week for ideas on how to remix your leftovers into WLS-friendly yummies!), you've got Christmas goodies starting to surface. I mean...it can be a land mine!

 

One good way to be mindful of what you eat is to log your food.  That's why...

 

During week two of the #BFHolidayChallenge Kay's Naturals challenges YOU to keep a food diary each day this week!

 

Here are some questions I envision you might have:

1. No it does NOT need to be online. If you already have an account with My Fitness Pal, FitDay, LiveStrong or the like, feel free to use it. Or simply keep a notebook where you log your eating. (Heck, keep random pieces of paper. It's really up to you!)
2. "But I joined in late, can I still do it?" Yes. Getting into the habit of journaling your food is always a good thing, so as long as you start this week and continue through the end of the week, it doesn't matter if you started late.
3. "Do I have to report my calories anywhere?" Um. No. But just as I did last week I'll throw up an accountability post on Facebook and Twitter. REMEMBER: The posts on Facebook/Twitter are JUST to  keep you on track and motivated. You still have to report back at the end of the week to enter to win the prize, k?

And, again, you don't have to "sign up" to do this or any of the Holiday Challenges - just do it and report back at the end of the week!

Reporting Back

 

Again, you'll report back this weekend (report back will start Saturday, end Sunday) and THAT is how you enter to win the prize, sponsored by Kay's Naturals. If you want to be reminded via email, sign up here! Otherwise, keep an eye on Facebook and Twitter. I'll be posting reminders when it's time.

 



 Until then, log that food! Good luck, everyone.





#BFHoliday Challenge - It's time to report back and enter to win Quest Bars!



 

Just joining in? Wondering what all this is about? No worries!

Click here to read about the #BFHolidayChallenge

Then check back tomorrow for a new challenge to start!



So how was this first week of the #BFHolidayChallenge for you? Good? Bad? Indifferent?

I hope it inspired you to get up and get some extra activity this week!

Now it's time to report back - use the widget below to do so and you'll be entered to be one of THREE winners of a box of Quest Bars!

IMPORTANT: Be honest when reporting back. As long as you are accountable, it counts! Nobody will see what you entered. There are also a few ways to earn an extra entry for the prize.

You have until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, November 30th to report back to enter to win this week's prize. On Sunday I'll also announce next week's challenge. There's a lot going on, am I making sense here? If not, leave a comment and I'll be happy to talk it out.

Good luck everyone. And good job!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

NOTE: If you have ANY trouble using the widget, you may leave your entries in the comments. But in the interest of the sanity of your friendly neighborhood blogger, PLEASE try to use the widget first!  But if you need to leave a comment make sure to leave the following:

1. Did you get 30 mins. activity 5 days this week? (Y/N)
2. Did you get 30 mins. activity on Thursday, Nov. 26 (Thanksgiving)? NOTE: Answer even if you didn't get all five days. You still get an extra chance for doing it!
3. Your Twitter handle and/or Facebook name if you used any of the extra chances (which were to share about the Challenge on FB or Twitter - if you choose to do that for one extra chance each leave your Facebook name or Twitter handle in the comments).

 

The Quest-Bariatric Foodie Holiday Challenge (#BFHolidayChallenge Week One!)

 

Looking to report back for Week One? Click here!

 

Welcome to the Bariatric Foodie Holiday Challenge!

Remember, each week will begin a new challenge from a new company. If you decide to try the challenge, report back so you can be entered to win that week’s prize. You ready? Let’s go!

This Week's Sponsor

For our first week, our prize sponsor is Quest Protein. Quest is a long-time friend of the Foodie Nation and maker of Quest Bars, QuestChips and now Quest Protein Powder (review forthcoming). The folks at Quest encourage you to #CheatClean with a host of products that are high in protein, low in carbs with the flavors you crave. To check out all of Quest’s products, please visit their website! And while you’re at it, give them a like on Facebook and follow them on Twitter as well.

For trying out the Quest-Bariatric Foodie Holiday Challenge, three of you will win a box of Quest Bars!

The Challenge

This week Quest challenges you to:

Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity FIVE days this week!

Here are the details:

• You don’t have to go to the gym or do an exercise class, but you should do some physical activity that raises your heart rate for at least 30 minutes for five days out of the week. (NOTE: Provided you are able. Always go with your medical team's advice. If you have a condition making it dangerous to raise your heart rate - don't do it!)
• You get a BONUS entry into the contest if one of those days is Thursday, November 27 (Thanksgiving in the US).
• Whether you meet the challenge or not – if you are accountable it counts! That’s NOT an encouragement to slack off! Try your best. But even if you fall short, you can still check back and be eligible to win the prize.

How and When to Report Back

***NOTE: You don't have to do anything to "enter" or "sign up" for the challenge. Just give it a try and report back using the instructions below. You can report back on THIS blog post starting next Saturday.***

This Saturday, November 29, at 12:01 a.m. EST, I will add a form to this post I will make a new blog post where you can report back (sorry for the change folks, tech difficulties!). You have until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 30 to report back. (So you'll have all day Saturday and all day Sunday to report back. That's not as much time as it sounds like! Plan accordingly. NO exceptions to the deadlines will be made.)

If you are signed up to receive the Bariatric Foodie e-mail newsletter (the sign-up form is directly above this post) you’ll get a reminder to report back. Otherwise I will be reminding people on Facebook and Twitter.

Again, there will be THREE winners, drawn from those who report back. I will announce the winners on Monday, December 1. (WARNING: If you are a winner you will have 48 hours to claim your prize or I have to redraw. I'll explain how to claim your prize when I announce the winners, but the important part to remember is to check back to see who won every week - it could be you!)

The Boring (but Important) Stuff

• This contest is open to ALL Foodies, world wide! This is made possible by your purchases of The Bariatric Foodie Guide to Perfect Protein Shakes, The Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Guide and The Bariatric Foodie Breakfast Book along with Quest Bar you begin by clicking the ad on the right menu bar and Amazon and Netrition orders you start through the search boxes on the right. Thank you!
• This contest - like all others - is subject to Bariatric Foodie's Contest & Promotion Rules.

So just to re-iterate:

• The first challenge week starts Sunday, Nov. 23
• The first prize is sponsored by Quest Nutrition
• Your challenge is to exercise 30 minutes a day, for 5 days this week
• You get a bonus entry for exercising on Thanksgiving
• On Saturday, Nov. 29 I'll put a form up on the blog to report back
• If you report back by Sunday 11:59 p.m. you'll be entered to be one of three Quest Bar winners
• You do not need to do anything to "sign-up." Just do it and report back!

If you have questions, please leave them in the comments or email me at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com. Otherwise, let's have some fun!

 

Nik's Peanut Stew

Don't ask me why, but I'm always hesitant to share recipes that use specialty ingredients. I guess I want you guys all to have fair access to the food I make, but I think my egalitarian attitude has prevented far too many recipes from going on this blog.

Well, the buck stops here!

I was poking around on Pinterest and found this recipe for West African peanut stew. I was searching on behalf of La Petite Diva (my youngest daughter) because she has been vegetarian for about a year now and so I figure she's committed enough for me to start thinking outside the box (she's my culinarily adventurous child).

So when I went to make it I thought I had all the ingredients but I didn't. And then in thinking about modifications, the inevitable happened. I started thinking "I wonder if this would be good if I added..." Yeah...I started playing with my food!

The result is REALLY yummy. The kid liked it. I liked it. Even though it's got peanut butter, that's not the dominant flavor here. It is noteworthy that this dish can be easily made with chicken (and if you've ever had Thai-style chicken skewers you can relate to the flavor of peanuts and chicken together) to bump up the protein. Just use my meat marinating technique to ensure tender chicken, grill it up and then add it into the recipe where I indicate below!

Nik's Peanut Stew
(Makes about 1 post-op + 3-5 "non-op" servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 onion diced (I used a regular yellow onion)
• 3 tomatoes diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 can of diced carrots, drained
• 1 tsp. of ground ginger
• 1 tsp. garam masala
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. tumeric
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 c. water.
• 1 c. creamy peanut butter (you can use chunky if you like the texture)
• 4 oz. tomato paste
• 1/4 c. hot sauce (I agree with the source recipe...Sriracha is best!)
• 2 cans of garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
• 1 bag (about 3 c.) baby spinach

Directions:

Set a soup pot over medium heat and allow it to get hot. Add olive oil, onions tomatoes and garlic. Sautee 2-3 minutes.

Add peas and carrots along, spices and water, stir, and drop your heat down to low. Cover the pot and allow the mixture to come to a boil.

In a mixing bowl, combine peanut butter with tomato paste (I do this with a whisk but a regular mixing spoon works too) until thoroughly combined. Ladle some of the veggie mixture into the bowl and use it to thin out the mixture before adding it all back into the pot.

Stir well then add the hot sauce. (My advice is to add it 2 tablespoons at a time until you reach a flavor you like. I like spicy food so I just went for it!)

Finally add the garbanzo beans and baby spinach and stir. (NOTE: If you are using cooked chicken meat, add it at this point!) Cover the pot and allow it to simmer on medium-low for 25-30 minutes (just to let the flavors love on one another).

I served La Petite Diva hers over brown rice and mine over cauliflower rice. I like this! It's tart, creamy and savory all at the same time. I love "eating outside the box!"

Here are some outtake pictures:

MEGA-Giveaway Event: The Bariatric Foodie Holiday Challenge Begins Sunday, November 23!



Can you believe the holidays are just around the corner already? (In my mind it’s still July)

The 2014 Bariatric Foodie Holiday Challenge begins this Sunday, November 23.

“What the heck is the Bariatric Foodie Holiday Challenge?”

Good question. Here’s how it’s all going down. I reached out to SIX companies we love and asked them for help motivating the Foodie Nation through the holidays. After all, this is a tough time of year. There are unhealthy influences EVERYWHERE.

To help, each week a company is going to “challenge” you to do a specific thing. If you decide to try the challenge – and report back! – you’ll be eligible to win

The first challenge goes up this Sunday, November 23. All the instructions (and deadlines) you’ll need on how to do the challenge will be in that post.

So just to reiterate:

• Each week for the next six weeks a company will challenge you to do something.
• If you decide to try the challenge – and report back – you’ll be entered to win a prize.
• Check back Sunday, November 23 for the first weekly challenge

(I’m quite proud of myself for designing a challenge that can be described in three bullet points. Those of you who have been around awhile know that’s not characteristic of me!)

No you do NOT have to sign up to do this, just check back! But I do want to know...who's in???

Nik's Roasted Red Pepper Puree Soup

Show here with two Parmesan crisps. To make, simply bake small heaps of Parmesan cheese in a 350 degree oven until they harden, about 12 minutes.

I like this soup. A LOT.

What I like best about it is its versatility. For newer post-ops this soup is quick, comforting and gives you something that is not sweet. For longer-term folks this is a great base to a bajillion other things!

Let’s get right to the recipe. This is a “semi-homemade” sort of deal. The recipe resulted from an overage of roasted red pepper bruschetta topping I made for a baby shower. So I decided to make it into a soup.

I’ll let you know both the semi-homemade and the for-real homemade versions of this. Here we go!

Nik's Roasted Red Pepper Puree Soup

• 1 medium yellow onion quartered
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled
• Any other random veggies you have hanging out (the above had zucchini, yellow squash, spinach and a bit of eggplant I had hanging out in the fridge)
• Non-stick cooking spray
• 2 (12 oz.) jars of roasted red peppers, preferably in oil (you can get any kind you like – in my store I saw it with garlic and one that was spicy. I chose the spicy one) Here's what they look like BUT don't buy online, get it from the grocery store!
• 1 small can of sliced black olives
• 1/2 c. water
• ½ c. fat-free half and half or milk
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the quartered onion, garlic cloves and any veggies you use (except spinach or other greens). Spray them generously with non-stick cooking spray and roast for about 20 minutes or until onions begin to caramelize (brown). Roast the vegetables before proceeding to the next step.

In a colander, drain jarred red peppers of the excess oil but do not rinse (if you buy peppers packed in water, you'll probably want to use a little oil - a teaspoon or so - in the next step).

Spray a small pot with non-stick cooking spray and allow it get hot. Place red peppers in the pot, along with any leafy greens (like spinach), olives, your roasted veggies and spices. If the mixture lacks moisture (there should be a little bit of liquid in there) add some water. After stirring, add your milk or half and half.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then drop the heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes. Add half and half. Then, using an immersion blender OR working in batches with a regular blender, puree the soup. Allow it to simmer an additional 10 minutes.

TO MAKE COMPLETELY HOMEMADE: When you roast the rest of your veggies, roast about 5 or 6 red peppers as well. When the peppers are done roasting you’ll need to let them cool so you can remove their skins. Because you are pureeing the soup you don’t need to slice them unless you want to. Instead of using non-stick in the pot with your veggies after roasting, heat 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil then add the veggies in to cook along with any water you use. That’s it!

So you can eat this soup straight up but it’s a bit rich. I didn’t take pics of all the ways I used mine (I had a big batch) but here are some things I did:

• For my vegetarian daughter I tossed some spinach/cheese ravioli and that became her dinner one night
• I added some jumbo shrimp and ate some over zoodles (noodles made with zucchini using a vegetable spiralizer)

One day for a quick lunch I combined some leftover cheesy mashed cauliflower with the soup and a few left over mini-crab cakes (from an event I attended) and made a super yummy lunch (picture below)

In my humble opinion this soup would also go very well with frying cheese. Never heard of it? It’s a cheese that’s sold in some supermarkets (Trader Joe’s sells it as do a lot of ethnic supermarkets). It’s a mild, buttery cheese that comes in big blocks. When you throw it in a pan, it crisps on the outside and gets soft on the inside just like…a grilled cheese sandwich! I think a hunk of frying cheese would go great with this as a dipper.

Any way you decide to have it, though, it’s gonna be GOOD!

Why Bariatric Foodie Will Not Be Selling Holiday Survival Kits This Year

This video is very shaky. Sorry! It basically says the same thing you will read below.
 

But first, let’s get everyone on the same page. With so many new Foodies each day, some of you are going “What the HECK is a Holiday Survival Kit?”

In years past, to help folks cope with the holidays, I offered a limited number of Holiday Survival Kits, containing WLS-friendly holiday recipes and two holiday-themed “protein shake sample kits” which came with everything you needed to make a holiday themed shake flavor, except perishables.

So now that you know what it is you are going, “Why’d you tell us about this if you’re not doing it anymore???”

I understand. Trust me.

As for the "why?" Frankly, we've gotten pretty big and I feel like there are better ways I can support you guys through the holidays than trying to sell 200 kits to more than 14,000 people!

So, without further adieu, here's are the ways Bariatric Foodie will help you get through the holidays with the least amount of stress (and homicide) possible:

• Check out The Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Guide on Amazon. This book contains all the recipes I’ve ever included in any of my Holiday Survival Kits. You’ll find WLS-friendly recipes (and recipe alternatives) for all your favorites, including baked mac ‘n cheese (hint: no pasta!), stuffing and even a no-sugar added cranberry sauce recipe. And my wonderful friend Joy Muller, of Kosher Bariatric, contributed to this book as well with some WLS-friendly kosher meals! The book also has all the recipes to all the protein shake sample kits I’ve ever sold.

• For the past two years, I’ve also done the “Bariatric Foodie Season of Giving.” That’s where I invite companies we love to spoil you guys rotten with prizes. I'm bring that back this year BUT with a twist. I'm going to use the prizes to motivate you all to stay on track during the holidays. Stay tuned for details!

• Lastly, protein shake sample kits aren’t completely dying. As a part of the Season of Giving, I’ll also be making up some sample kits from years past to give away, to help keep you motivated.

In addition, I’ll be using Facebook and Twitter to be a support to you as you prepare your holiday meals. I’ll not only be starting threads leading up to the big days, I’m also always available via email at bariatricfoodie@yahoo.com to answer recipe questions (about my recipes or anyone else’s) as well as answer questions about The Bariatric Foodie Holiday Survival Guide.

So that’s my plan and I’m sticking to it! I hope you’ll join me for a great holiday season, full of fun, prizes, motivation and inspiration.

Keep playing with your food!

#PWMF Recipe Contest Snack Winner: Kimberly's Espresso Protein Balls



We’ve come to the final recipe winner, so I suppose I should say something about when the free contest recipe e-book will come out, eh?

Setting an exact date is tricky, because as soon as I do the universe begins to work against it. That said, I will try my very best to have the e-book done by Sunday, November 9. IMPORTANT: Once the 2014 e-book goes up, I’m taking the 2013 e-book down for a while (don’t call me a meanie, my shopping cart software only lets me have so many files without charging me up the wazoo!), so use this link to download your FREE copy before it goes POOF!

Ok! Now that we’re done housekeeping, let’s talk snacks. I like snacks. Do you like snacks? Or maybe you’re a bit afraid of snacks. Understandable. There is a very fuzzy line between a snack and grazing and most of us just don’t want to take the chance. But a good snack can help you get needed calories and nutrients and keep your blood sugar stable, especially in longer stretches between meals (like the dreaded “lunch to dinner” stretch).

That’s why I included a snack category in this year’s contest. And here’s your winning entry!

Kimberly’s Chocolate Espresso Balls
(inspired by the Protein Power Ball recipe on the Bariatric Foodie site)

Ingredients:

• 1 c crushed Cracklin Oat Bran cereal (or high-fiber cereal of your choice)*
• 1/3 c. Chocolate PB2 (Nik Note: In the absence of peanut flour ¼ c. natural peanut butter + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder would do but note that raises the calorie count significantly – and no I’m still not telling you the calories, sorry!)
• 3 scoops of Click protein mix (any flavor; I usually do 2 scoops Decaf Mocha and 1 scoop Vanilla)
• 2 packets no-calorie sweetener
• 1/2 c. skim milk
• Optional: 2 tbsp. sugar free chocolate chips

Directions:

Put cereal, PB2 and Click into a mixing bowl and stir well.

Add Splenda. Stir well.

Add milk 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing after each. Stop adding milk when consistency is a moist dough, not sticky.

Stir in chocolate chips, if using.

Check the consistency of the mixture, by rolling a small amount into a ball. It should easily form a ball, but be dry enough it doesn't stick to your hands. If the mixture is too sticky, put it in the refridgeerator for 30 minutes. The cereal will soak up the excess moisture and make it easier to roll
Roll dough into balls, using rounded tablespoon-full will give you about 24 balls.

Place balls into airtight container and store in fridge. Note: the longer they are stored, the softer the cereal will become. They are best within the first 2-3 days)

Judge Maryann said she liked the recipe because it produced a snack that was snack-sized that is tasty and adds protein to her day! Here's Maryann's picture of the Espresso Protein Balls.