Gastric Bypass Barbie

Hot Air Balloons, Regain, & Ruby Red Slippers (Oh, My!)

This morning, while Enrique Elliptical and I were having our 45 minutes of cardio together, I got a visual of myself rising up into the air (like a balloon). I was frantically kicking and flailing my arms in a feeble attempt to stay on the ground, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop myself from drifting away.

Then, I visualized Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz. Remember how she got into the basket of the hot air balloon with the Great Oz, after he promised to take her back home? Remember how Toto jumped out at the last second, forcing her to dive right out after him? Of course, we all know what happened next: The balloon drifted away because it didn’t have enough sand bags to weight it down. No matter what Dorothy did, she could not stop it from happening.

Though the entire movie, she tried heroically to get home, but once she missed that balloon, we were all convinced that she’d be stuck in Oz forever. That is, of course, until Glenda (the Good Witch) returned to tell her that she’s always had the power to go home; all she had to do was wish hard enough and click her ruby red slippers together.

So, how does this little tale apply to me in my Bariatric After Life™? Well, the runaway balloon represents weight regain. Remember how I said that I’d visualized myself floating away, unable to keep my feet on the ground? Remember how Dorothy couldn’t keep that balloon on the ground either?

As it turns out, the balloon (and all of the things Dorothy tried in Oz) represented OUTWARD forces – things that were OUT OF HER CONTROL. The ruby red slippers were the manifestation of all that was INSIDE; her INWARD FORCES. Ultimately, she needed to fail at all of her externally motivated attempts so she could finally see that, only by looking inside herself, would she be able to achieve her dream of returning home.

This is what codependency is all about; the idea that we are affected by and seek answers from outward forces, when we really should be looking WITHIN.

What I realized after this little movie played out in my head was this: I have the power to control my weight regain. I am not a hot-air balloon that is leaving without me — I am Dorothy who knows there is NO PLACE LIKE HOME because I have always been there. I’ve always had the control to be where I most wanted to be — and that’s where I stand today.

Today, I had to remember that I have the God-given power within me to achieve whatever I need to achieve – and I don’t need a wise and powerful Oz to live a healthy and happy bariatric after life.

It’s such a simple lesson, it’s hard to believe I ever missed it. But, I guess life is made up of lots of simple answers – which I just like to make more complicated.

Hey, I think I need a pair of cute little ruby red pumps. Uh, so I can always find my way home.

Stairs

In my “before” life, I was terrified of stairs. This fear was NOT without basis, as I had fallen down my share of them and ended up with some pretty nasty (though not permanent) injuries. Interestingly, I had also fallen “up” them (which is a whole other situation). Either way, stairs were my nemesis and I avoided them at all cost.

If there were stairs to climb, I’d take the escalator or elevator.
If there were stairs to descend, and there were no other options, I’d white-knuckle it. One. Step. At. A. Time.

Heck, I had trouble with even ONE stair, as evidenced by two falls out of my motor home!

Poor MexiKen was utterly traumatized by my stair episodes, and still holds his breath when he sees me going up or down them. (Old habits die hard.)

Anyway, the point of the stairs is, before my bariatric surgery, they USED to represent horrible things to me:

• Fear
• Pain
• Trauma
• Effort
• Exhaustion

But, this weekend, as I explored Cincinnati with total abandon (and not the slightest hint of terror at the sight of a flight of stairs), I realized that stairs now mean something entirely different to me.

They now represent good things, like:

• Adventure
• Possibility
• Challenge
• New Heights
• Unexplored Treasures
• Beautiful Vistas
• Conquering
• Success

I’ve come to the conclusion that stairs are really just a metaphor for my weight loss journey. When I weighed 316 pounds, all I could see was a never-ending flight of stairs — hundreds and hundreds of steps between me and a healthy body. Taking the first step was unimaginable; scaling all of them would be impossible.

Before, all I could see was the totality of the stairs; an entire staircase.



Now, as I continue to ascend the steps — but for different reasons — I see each step as growth and opportunity. But, of course, this is all about perspective. I have a much different view of my life from up here.

For example, now when I struggle with 2-5 pounds, I realize that they are just “steps” — not an entire STAIRCASE. All I have to do is step UP, and I’m back to where I want to be. I don’t have to scale the entire thing like I did before.

And that is where the perspective comes in. The mistake I have made in the past is looking at the entire flight of stairs as if I had to get to the top in one step, rather than walking up — one, by one. Of course it seemed insurmountable to me. Of course I didn’t believe I could do it. Even at my best, I can still only take 2 steps at a time — and I’m in pretty good shape!

What I’ve learned in my Bariatric After Life™ is this:

• Stairs can represent something negative or something positive; I choose positive.
• Stairs can bring me to amazing new heights and wonderful adventures.
• Stairs can take me to places I would never have imagined I’d be
• Stairs can help me see things from a perspective I could never dreamt existed.
• Stairs are no longer my enemy; they are my friend. I know it sounds weird, but it’s all true.

This past weekend, in Cincinnati, I climbed up and down so many stairs, and experienced so many wonderful things. I met amazing people and saw beautiful views. I grew as a person, all because I stopped fearing the stairs, and chose to embrace them, instead.

Highlights from Obesity Help Conference 2010

Cincinnati, Ohio • August 21-22, 2010 • The Westin Cincinnati

I promised you some highlights on my latest adventure at the OH Conference in Cincinnati, and I’m delivering!

DAY 1: It takes a really long time to get to Cincinnati from Long Beach. Despite getting up at 4AM to catch a 6:50 AM flight, I didn’t arrive in Cincinnati (well, Covington, Kentucky, actually) until 3:45 PM (local time). After waiting for an airport shuttle that was never going to come (airport people told me it would; The Westin told me there wasn’t one. Oh well), I paid $30 for a roundtrip aboard the inappropriately named “Executive Limousine Shuttle.” Hmmm….

Checked into a lovely room on the 10th floor of the hotel, unpacked, donned my walking tennis, and headed for the riverfront! After walking 4 blocks in the wrong direction,(“Why are these street numbers going UP? D’oh!”) I managed to find my way to the actual RIVER. It is hard to lose the Ohio River, but if anyone can do it, I can!

Meandered around by the Great American ballpark (Home of the Cincinnati Reds), Bengal Stadium, the Steamboat Monument, The Underground Railroad Freedom Museum, and the world’s only floating theatre (it’s a live theatre on an old paddleboat.)

I have no idea how far I walked (because I don’t have a pedometer, and even if I did, I couldn’t figure out how to program it, so, until someone gives me an automatically configured device, I’m going to have to overestimate. I’d say I walked 20 miles, but it was probably closer to about 4 – roundtrip — including going the wrong direction first.

Returned to the hotel around 7:30 and decided to shower and shine so I could be presentable for packing out goody bags with Kim and the OH team. I was really sticky from my walk — it was “river humid.”

About 9 PM, I started hearing really loud music and figured the people in the room next door were listening to their TV set REALLY, REALLY LOUDLY! Not so. Turns out they have live music every summer evening in FOUNTAIN SQUARE — 10 stories down from me. Yes, that was loud music (or they were thin windows…I haven’t decided which, yet.) So, I wandered downstairs to hear the music and shake my hips a little to the rhythm. It was DELIGHTFUL!

Next, I meandered back to the hotel to help with the folder assembly for the events (it was 10:15 PM). After we finished, I was all amped and couldn’t THINK of going to bed. So, Connie (Dr. Connie Stapleton) and I decided to go WORK OUT in the gym on the 17th floor. No, there are no windows. No, there was no fan on the elliptical. Yes, I worked out for 65 minutes and made it about 5.2 miles. By then, it was around 12:30, but too early for bed (!!!) — So, we sat under an icy cold blast of air (all sweaty and junk) and chatted until 2 AM! I got to bed around 2:30 and arose around 8:15 because SHANNON WATTS was going to be checking in at around 9:45

DAY 2:

As promised, Shannon (of Revival Soy fame) arrived and, after taking care of some orders by phone, we were off to the races! We wandered around downtown looking for a restaurant (there were none; don’t ask) and, after about 2 miles, ended up back at the hotel, where we decided to catch a cab to Mt. Adams. We got there around 12:30 and it was simply ADORABLE! Beautiful little town

We decided to eat lunch at the FISH HOUSE and it was divine! We split a salad (that had gorgonzola crumbles, dried cranberries, some out-of-this-world-dressing, and some other stuff that I can’t recall because I had slipped into a food coma.) Then, we split a planked mahi mahi with orange pepper sauce, steamed asparagus and roasted potatoes. We passed on the bread (thank you) and couldn’t finish our halves of the meal. Not that we didn’t WANT to, but our pouches didn’t permit

Our server, Michael (who was terrific, by the way), suggested that we “walk to Kentucky.” So, we did.

I’m not exactly sure how far it was (again, I think it was 47 miles, but it was probably more like 4 or 5) — but the walk was so fantastic, I’d do it again tomorrow! We commenced in Mt. Adams, Ohio, then traveled along the river front on a winding path that took us through lovely parks, by old homes, and over the freeway! We finally arrived at the much ballyhooed PURPLE PEOPLE BRIDGE — which took us over the Ohio River to: NEWPORT, KENTUCKY! See? We really DID walk from Ohio to Kentucky! After enjoying an ice sugar free skinny cinnamon dolce latte while Shannon stood under the misters to cool off, we grabbed a cab and headed back to the hotel so we could freshen up for the Q&A.

DAY 2: 3:30

Yea! The OH Event is officially underway

We took up our seats in the front row (notch) in front of the table of panelists: Terri Black (3-year post-op and OH Support Group Leader), Yvonne McCarthy (10-year post-op aka Bariatric Girl), Dr. Connie Stapleton (Psychologist extraordinaire), Dr. Garth and Dr. Robert Davis (you know them from Big Medicine and the Davis Clinic in Houston), Chef Dave, and Annessa Chumbley (registered dietitian and really adorable lady Lots of great questions about things like vitamin deficiencies and whether or not you actually need to drink protein shakes and take supplements after a year post-op. Jury is still out on this one. Dr. Davis says, “No!” and many others say, “Yes!” Also met a lovely new friend who just so happens to be a 5-year post-op who lost 437 pounds. Yes, you read that right. She amazed us all with her vitality and joy for living I cannot remember her name right now (because I am terrible at that), but I will never forget her!

Next, it was off to the Meet & Greet, where we were entertained by Bo McCoy and got to eat some amazing Mexican food. There was shredded chicken, beef and sauteed bell pepper, but I didn’t have that stuff. I hung around at the black beans (seasoned to perfection), cheese and guacamole! No tostadas for me. I can’t stop, once I start those things! Oh, I think there was fresh fruit, too…maybe? I dunno, but after waiting my hour after eating, I was ready for iced-tea and it was gone (you snooze, you lose!)

Oh well, off to shopping and exploring! Me, Shannon Watts, and Amy Fekete were on a mission to find some shoes, so we raced over to Macy’s…which, inexplicably closed at 8 PM on a Friday night. What-ever.

Amy saved the day by offering to drive us around in her sexy yellow Camaro (with black racing stripes, of course!) After all, we couldn’t waste our hotness on the hotel, right? We crossed the bridge and headed for Newport on the Levee, where we, once again participated in some retail therapy. Unfortunately, none of us found a darned thing (Except me…I bought a light up pig flashlight for my daughter. Don’t ask. It made me happy.) Shan and Amy walked into the candy shop (I don’t ask questions…I just wait) and Shannon emerged with a block o’ sugar free fudge, which we decided was more like a cross between a brownie and fudge, so I named it “frownies” or “budge” — either way, it was rich and we decided we wouldn’t binge on something like that.

After that, it was back to the hotel (ostensibly, to go to bed so we’d be rested for the early morning check-in and registration!)

DAY 3: 5:30 AM

For some reason, Shannon and I did not sleep much. We laughed and scratched until she fell asleep mid-sentence. On her face. Television on. Remote control lost. I think it was about 1:45 or 2 AM. Since I can only talk to myself for so long, I finally turned out the lights (but left the TV on, because I am technologically challenged like that.) She turned it off at 5:25 and I awoke at 5:30. Probably because the TV stopped making white noise at me.

I made the most perfect shake I have ever made in a hotel room. Slurp. I now understand that the secret to a successful shake on the road is the Almond Breeze. I MUST pack Almond Breeze — every time.

Made it downstairs at 7:30 sharp and it was time to work with “Kim’s-husband-Dave” to get people signed-in! What fun, meeting all of the wonderful attendees. Sorry, no tee-shirts in MEDIUM! EEEK. I had a minor mutiny on my hands when I had to announce that. Funny how we bariatric people are so proud of our new (and shrinking) sizes, we have no tolerance when the small sizes are unavailable!!!

Meanwhile, in the main ballroom, Bo was warming up the crowd, readying them for an amazing day of information, laughs, and entertainment.

First Up: Dr. Connie Stapleton (Pscyhologist). If you’ve never met or seen Connie, she is freaking adorable! I am not kidding when I tell you she is like a little sprite or something — a ton of energy, all packed into this little body that wears fabulous shoes and the cutest dresses you’ve ever seen. Why didn’t I take pictures of her adorableness??? Why? Why? Anyway, she talked about Life After the Honeymoon — which is what happens in the Bariatric After Life™, when you stop losing your weight and have to find a way to not only maintain, but thrive and be healthy and happy doing it! I love how she compares marriage to bariatric surgery — so many similarities, it’s scary (LOL).

Next Up: Dr. Garth Davis (Bariatric Surgeon and co-founder of The Davis Clinic - a weight loss center in Houston). He talked about how critical it is for us to STOP polluting our bodies with processed foods and – yes — MEAT. Watch Food, Inc. and you’ll understand where he’s coming from. He explained about how people in the “Blue Zones” live longer, healthier lives by living active, organic, vegetarian lifestyles. His talk is quite entertaining and persuasive, and I am doing my best to limit — if not eliminate — processed foods and artificial sweeteners. It is not going to be easy, and it won’t happen overnight, but I’m onboard.

Next: Chef Dave…but I missed him (I’m sorry!)

I had to go shopping and this was my only chance. Fortunately, I found the most rocking LBD — little black dress — you’ve ever seen, so I guess it’s okay that I missed his talk. Unfortunately, Shannon didn’t find any shoes or a top, so she came home empty-handed.

LUNCH! We had fresh fruit, cottage cheese, salad, and a choice of egg, chicken or tuna salad. Unfortunately ALL of these had too much mayo, and if you didn’t recognize it with the first bite, you were likely to dump. I didn’t “go there”, but many others did, and paid the price. Ugh!

Next Up: Yvonne McCarthy, Bariatric Girl, 10-Year Post-op
Yvonne gave the neatest talk, and it was STANDING ROOM ONLY! My two favorite parts ? When she put 120-pound Tracy on her back and walked around to demonstrate how much she (Yvonne) LOST after bariatric surgery, and when she hung tube socks with golf balls around her neck to show how her boobs looked before surgery. Hey! I had some of those, too Anyway, her talk was inspiring, informative and FUNNY! She rocked the house — you go, girl! Whoo-hoo!

Next Up: Mary Jo Rapini, LPC. Oh my gosh, she is HYSTERICAL! She talked about sex and relationships in the Bariatric After Life and even had VISUAL AIDS (which, she explained, she was brave enough to get through airport security just for us. Trust me, if you see what I mean, you’ll understand how much she really does love us!) Anyway, her talk was funny, informative, open and really, really uplifting. If you have NEVER heard a real sex-therapist talk, you have GOT to hear Mary Jo. She will have you texting sexy messages to your honey-bunny in 5 minutes flat. Turn down the lights, light up the candles, turn on the music — and head to OH Houston so you can hear her for yourself!!!

There were other speakers, too, but I was off running around and I missed them (sorry!) There was also a professional panel, where all of the professionals who had spoken took questions from the audience. I also missed that (sorry again, but there’s always Houston.)

*** NOTE: I blame Shannon Watts for missing these events. She made me go shopping. I’m serious. I didn’t want to. I also didn’t want to buy all of those Starbucks iced sugar free skinny lattes…I mean it. She is VERY persuasive like that. She threatened to withhold my Revival Soy Chips, and I can’t very well let that happen, right?

Anyway, this is where my story ends, because I was hit with a very bad case of hormones (I’m being general here, so the boys don’t get squirmy) and I did NOT get to go to the ultra-fun prize giveaway event OR the fashion show and dance. I am still pouting about this, because I bought that LBD and no one got to see it (except Shannon. She made me buy it. Did I tell you that?)

So, Shannon (probably because she felt so guilty about the whole “forced-shopping” thing) stayed with me in the room and kept me awake so I wouldn’t oversleep and miss my plane. We laughed until I snorted and I said evil things about bedbugs, and then we ordered room service (!) at 3:15 AM (we split a lousy salad). Shan helpfully put the tray out in the hallway. In front of the neighbor’s door. But she caught it…and put it in front of ours…so I could trip over it on my way out at 5:25 am. But, I forgot to tell you about the part where I thought it would be a good idea to take a 15-minute cat-nap (from 4 AM until 4:15, because I had my alarm set and everything.) Did I mention my amazing ability to wake myself up when I snore? Yes, I can do this — much to Shannon’s amazement. Anyway, at 4:35, I miraculously awoke to realize I had overslept because my phone was on SILENT (from all of the seminars, of course). UGH! Just enough time to shower and shine. Fortunately, I had taken 2-1/2 hours to pack between 1:00 AM and 2:30, so I didn’t have to mess with that. Yes, I am a terrible packer when I am tired and have cramps. Okay, I am a terrible packer ALWAYS, but I am WORSE under duress. And when people are LAUGHING at me (Shannon).

No time for the sun to rise — it was off to the airport to catch and ungodly-early flight back home (and get through airport security with my Labrada Lean Body protein shake and Protein Blitz drink. No, I couldn’t take my sealed bottled water with me, because they “have that on the plane.” Whatever.)

I was home before I knew it — well, probably because I managed to snore-wake-sleep my way through both flights, while managing to leave my reading glasses in the super-cute case in the back pocket of the airplane seat — ugh. We landed at 12:05 and I was at curbside, with my check-in baggage — by 12:16. I am not kidding you. That is what it is like to fly into Long Beach — and back to MexiKen’s waiting arms.

Sigh. I hate leaving him, but I did it for YOU ;-* LOL.

PS –Before I end this “too-long-epistle”, let me give a loud shout out to my girls, Yvonne and Connie! We (and Shannon) managed to “sneak in” a couple of meals and coffees throughout the weekend, and it was simply lovely. I had a blast, girls! Let’s do it again SOON! Muah!

See ya’ll in Houston — November 5-6, people. There’s STILL time!
Discount Code: GBBarbie!

My Emotional Garage (and a bunch of bariatric boxes)

I don’t know about you, but our garage is the picture of semi-organized chaos. Now, this is no swipe at MexiKen, because he does the best can to keep a crap load of…well, crap arranged (after a fashion) in a mere 400 square feet of space. In all honestly, I rarely set foot in the garage, mostly because there isn’t much room to move around, but also because I’m afraid of what I’ll find…or what will find me!

Remember that I Love Lucy episode where they moved to the country, but had to store all of their junk in the Mertz’s apartment until the house became available? Yeah, that’s our garage, except that we have a small pathway that leads to the extra refrigerator (where I store all of my Protein Blitzs, Propel Waters and Labrada Lean Body RTDs).

The point is, our garage is filled with a ton of stuff. There’s stuff I’ve forgotten we had, stuff I never KNEW we had, stuff that isn’t ours, and stuff that has clearly begun to generate its OWN stuff. I have no idea where things are or why they are even there. Except for the beach chairs, the bikes, the ice chests, boxes of Christmas decorations (MexiKen is Mr. Christmas, trust me) and these little display cabinets where he keeps his miniature car and airplane collection “for his future grandson.”

That’s about all I know.

Don’t ask me where my wedding dress is (I don’t wanna talk about it), or where my high school memory boxes went. Don’t ask me who owns the jumbo Rubbermaid storage bins, those two mattresses, the futon, the ugly end tables, or the lamps without lamp shades. And DON’T ask me what’s up in the overhead rafters. I don’t WANT to know.

My point is, I couldn’t tell you about everything in my garage if my life depended upon it, which is unfortunate, because the state of my garage is really metaphoric to my emotional self in the Bariatric After Life™.

Hmmmm….You didn’t see that coming, did you?

Let me explain.

This morning, I had one of those “D’oh!” moments, where I realized that I was doing something seemingly innocuous, but which was most likely responsible for some nagging pounds I’ve been trying to shed.

Before I tell you what I was doing, let me paint a picture of how my emotional self (garage) looks.

Since I was born, I’ve been shoving stuff into my emotional garage. In the beginning, I’m pretty sure I wasn’t putting things in there in any sort of logical way, but over time (probably as space began to run out), I took greater care in how I jammed stuff in. Think “Tetris” and you’re getting close. I’d see an opening that “looked” like a perfect fit for an emotion, and cram it in, not caring what I was burying in the process. I mean, maybe I “needed” something that I’d carelessly relegated to the bottom layer. In the back. Maybe I “needed” to combine that thing just out of reach with the new thing I was bringing in. Maybe I needed to get rid of some of the junk that was accumulating. But, who would ever KNOW? Maybe OTHER PEOPLE were cramming stuff into my emotional garage without my knowledge. Maybe those people were also TAKING stuff out of my emotional garage (when I wasn’t even having a yard sale!)

The point is, much like the garage in my house, my emotional garage is packed to the gills with heaven-knows-what, and even though I have been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning, there’s still stuff I haven’t reached yet (and aren’t aware of). On the one hand, I have tossed out a TON of emotional garbage; on the other, I’ve unearthed emotional garbage, but set it aside when I wasn’t ready to decide whether to keep it or pitch it.

Of course, just when I feel like my emotional garage is in order, I turn around and look in the driveway, where I see all of that stuff I took out, but haven’t dealt with yet. (Okay, if this sounds a bit like something that actually happened with my physical garage, it is. We actually ended up with stuff for 4 other people in our garage, because they died and there was no place to put everything.) Ahhh, that brings up an interesting point: Why were we willing to take on OTHER people’s stuff, without really considering how it would impact our EXISTING stuff? Was it because we felt we HAD to? The plot thickens. Fortunately, we have successfully divested ourselves of a healthy 75% of the stuff, but we still have plenty more to contend with. And, SOON!

But, I digress (as usual). Back to my emotional garage.

While I’ve been cleaning my garage, I’ve gotten a tad lazy in my decision making about what I’m going to keep and what I’m going to pitch. One of the things I’ve “thrown away” (at LEAST 10 times) in the past three years is: COFFEE. Now, I realize that coffee is not everyone’s enemy, but I happen to know, it is not MY friend. That being the case, I continue to welcome it in with open arms, encouraging it to stay as long as it wants — while storing everything that comes with it in my emotional garage. That includes stuff like dry creamer, Splenda and now, protein. (Because, of course, I got tired of Coffee’s company and thought I could make it healthier by dumping in protein.) Apparently, in my mind, protein cures all evils.

Okay, time for the “D’oh!” moment.

A few months ago, I fully recognized what I was doing to myself, every time I carelessly tossed in more partially-hydrogenated-corn-syrup solids and artifical-chemical-laden-sweetening agents. Not only was I adding unnecessary calories, I was ratcheting up my threshold for “sweetness,” while pouring caffeine into my body (instead of water.) Yes, I even tried to justify it as a liquid. So, I stopped drinking it.

That lasted for a week.

And then, I got a bunch of RTD protein that I wasn’t crazy about drinking, but needed to use. So, as I often do, I deluded myself into believing that I could throw two rocks at one bird, making the coffee “healthy,” while not “wasting” the sorta-yucky-by-itself RTD. Sounds reasonable, right? How smart of me!

So, I was off to the races.

• Hey, I can knock back 40 GRAMS OF PROTEIN before I even leave the house each morning!
• Hey! I can add at least 20 GRAMS OF PROTEIN when my energy is flagging in the afternoon!
• Hey! I didn’t factor this into everything else I was already consuming every day.

Uh-oh.

So, I was gleefully (and willingly) ADDING about 60 (at least!) grams of protein to my daily consumption — and NOT allowing for the CALORIES THAT ACCOMPANIED those protein grams.

Here’s where the lightbulb hit me square in the noggin this morning:

I HAVE BEEN CONSUMING ABOUT 500 EXTRA CALORIES A DAY WITH PROTEIN COFFEE.

How does that sound, people? Does that sound like someone who is in this maintenance game for the long run? Does this sound like someone who was killing herself on the elliptical each morning, JUST so she could keep pace with the extra (wasted) calories coming in each day? What about the mornings I DIDN’T work out? Huh? How do I explain THAT?

Well…it *does* explain the pesky pounds….I have been feeding them a steady diet of proteinated-coffee-in-the-name-of-thriftiness-and-resourcefulness.

And WHY was I doing this? Because I decided to shove that particular behavior back into my emotional garage, without any regard for what was already in there.

Fortunately, it’s never too late to fix a problem like this, so this morning, the very instant I put 2-and-500 together, I realized that I didn’t NEED my (usual-every-day) protein shake (and the 300 calories that went with it), because I’d already CONSUMED about 400 calories before 9 AM.

That was the first step.

The second step was to eliminate the reduced fat cheese from my mid-morning snack of black beans. The third step (as I sit here drinking a NON-proteinated-mug-o-coffee), is to NOT drink another cup of this stuff (with or without protein) later today.

You know what? Progress doesn’t always happen in gigantic forward motions. Sometimes, you have to take a few steps back — you know, step outside of the garage — so you can see what you’re really dealing with.

Life is not limited to the boxes in one small corner; it is the totality of everything you’ve stored up (whether you KNOW it’s there, or not).

I can tell you this: Tomorrow morning, I will NOT be adding protein to my ONE cup of coffee, and I WILL add Almond Breeze, instead of dry creamer.

I am going to continuing cleaning (and clearing) my emotional garage – but, I’m gonna be a LOT more stringent on what I’m willing to put back inside!!!

What does your emotional garage look like? Are you ready for a mental yard sale?

Barbie Fashion Meets Bariatric Fusion

ABOUT THIS EPISODE: I review Amazing Protein from BARIATRIC FUSION.

ABOUT THE PRODUCT: Available exclusively @: http://bariatricfusion.com

ABOUT ME:  Cari De La Cruz happily maintains a 160-lb weight loss and loves to share about her amazing Bariatric After Life™. Through passion, humor and truth she helps others achieve success in their own weight loss journeys.

CREDITS:  I was not paid for this review, although I did receive some free product from Marc (thanks, Marc!) I use this product and it is PROVEN GASTRIC BYPASS BARBIE POUCH PERFECT™

Cross my Barbie Pink Heart.

* * *

MUSIC CREDITS:

CAN YOU FEEL IT?
Jock Rock ©1998
3rd Party

‘AMA’AMA
Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
©1993

THEY
Jem ©2005

BARBIE WORLD
Aqua©1999

No infringement intended.

Gastric Bypass Barbie Show
Created, Produced and Published by
Cari De La Cruz
©2010

All Rights Reserved.
No part may be used without prior, written approval.

Gastric Bypass Barbie is not affiliated with Mattel, Inc.
or its Barbie® Brand. Any resemblance is purely incidental
and unintentional (but, thanks.)

Rocket Ships & Purple Apes

This morning, while I was talking to Jim, I came up with (what I believe to be) two, profound analogies –– or are they metaphors? I can’t tell, so I will use them interchangeably –– for my for my Bariatric After Life™. The first analogy explains how I got to where I am, and the second explains how I will get to where I want to be.

Before I tell you what they are, understand that I’m absolutely certain they are not novel, and they have probably been written up in HUNDREDS of self-help books on the subject of “finding your authentic self.” But, since I’m not much of a reader (ironic, considering I’m a writer), I haven’t stumbled across them, so they are unique (and wonderful) to me.

Hopefully, they will be to you, too.

ANALOGY #1: My Colors

Since I’ve been voraciously reading (I know, ME, right? Didn’t we just talk about how I don’t read? Okay, sometimes I do…) a short, little, simple book that Yvonne (Bariatric Girl) generously gave me about a month ago (title withheld for now…), I’ve come to the conclusion that, a) I am co-dependent, and b) my inner child was wounded in ways I never imagined. With that said, I got to wondering what I would be like now “IF” certain things hadn’t transpired in my life. I likened it to painting on a big canvas or piece of paper (or wall, in my daughter’s case…LOL).

As a child, I’m certain I had a palette of favorite colors that I used to define my world. The way in which I used those colors was uniquely ME. It was my own style, method and creation. The reason I know this is the truth is because I distinctly remember an event in Kindergarten. I was 4-1/2 (December birthday) and I was coloring my “A, Ape” page with a purple crayon because I thought the brown was ugly, and I didn’t like the black. The teacher “helpfully” asked me if I “knew what color an ape” was. “Yes…,” I timidly replied. “Well, why did you color your ape PURPLE?” she “helpfully” asked (in what I interpreted to be an accusatory tone).

By this time, it was clear to me that I had committed an offensible crime, punishable by (what I was certain would be) a paddling when I returned from lunch. I never understood why some people got paddled when they came back from lunch, and I thought it was a “random” thing. Who knew you’d only get paddled if you broke a rule (like not eating everything in your lunchbag, or coloring your ape purple)? I felt this was really unfair because LOTS of kindergarteners left at lunchtime, which left us “full-dayers” directly in the line of “paddle-fire.” And, besides…what if I had lost my black and brown crayons? Then what?

Anyway, the point of this story is that gradually, people in my life added THEIR colors to MY palette, and they began to tell me how I SHOULD be using my colors. (Case in point: Ape = Black or Brown; Not Purple). Eventually, most of my colors and style were replaced by someone else’s, yet I internalized them as my own. In other words, I began to falsely believe that they were my colors, and that how I was living my life (or seeing the world), was my own, unique style.

This pattern continued as I took art class in Junior High. We had to do pen and ink drawings, but being left-handed, I couldn’t use the pen because the nib would always splay and cause the ink to splatter. I got marked down for not doing my art “properly.” Lesson learned: Art has rules.

In case you are keeping score, by this time in my life, I had learned:

a) Apes are not purple.
b) Art must be done a certain way.
c) Left-handed people cannot draw.

Okay, so I adapted. I didn’t pursue art because I couldn’t “do” it properly, and I clearly used the wrong colors. Well, as literal as the art thing is, the conceptual part is that there were lots and lots and lots of things I didn’t pursue or didn’t do, period, or just did differently because I was afraid to get in trouble. I was afraid to express myself incorrectly.

Ultimately, I guess I learned how to be *uniquely me*, according to someone else’s rules – a fact which clearly went on to play a starring role in my insatiable desire to attain control.

Since I couldn’t control anything *else* in my life, I destructively decided to control FOOD. Good plan.

So, now I’m working to rediscover my authentic colors and style in an effort to return balance to my life and beat the desire to binge. I don’t know where this will take me, or what things I’ll have to do to make this happen, but I’m eagerly waiting — box of crayons in front of me (most of them broken and kinda flat, and many colors missing…that’s just how I am), and a whole ream of clean, white paper to draw on. Maybe I’ll practice really, really drawing again. Hmmm…That’s a thought.

METAPHOR #2: Rocket Ships

I was watching a show on the history of NASA and the astronauts, and one of the things I remember from an episode with Buzz Aldrin (yes, mom, I spelled it correctly this time), was his description of what it felt like to blast off from the launch pad in a Saturn 5 rocket. As he described it, it was not a smooth ride at all. Rather, it was a frightening, quivering, forceful event, comprised of a colossal amount of noise and constant adjustment. He said that there were these thrusters that were really just massive gyroscopes, and each one had the job of keeping the rocket STRAIGHT. You see, rockets don’t just have one, really big exhaust flume — they have a lot of little jets that fire and spin to create the perfect alignment for lift-off. Buzz said it felt like he was sitting on a spinning top, and the crew was never really sure if they were going to clear the tower, because of all the leaning and constant correct.

See, it’s the job of the thrusters to control the upward motion of the rocket — this one shoots harder than that one, this one points that why, while this one tilts the other way… Sometimes a thruster has to exert less power to allow another to compensate. Have you ever seen footage of rockets that blast off, then veer directly into the ground? Problem with the gyro boosters…

Are you getting the picture? Like life, lift-off is NOT just a solid thrust of power, followed by an endless orbit! It is a series of corrections (and over-corrections!)

Now, here’s where this applies to my Bariatric After Life: Up until this morning, I mistakenly believed that my energy had to be channeled or focused into a single flume; but now I realize I need to distribute it over many, many “gyroscopic boosters” (for lack of a better expression), in order to keep me pointing in the right direction. I can’t just focus on “this” or “that;” I have to look at all of the energy sources and all of the energy requirements, and get them working together with the requisite “give and take.”

But, there’s more to this little metaphorical analogy! Remember how I’d mentioned that “restlessness” thing I’d learned from a fellow blogger? She’d wisely explained that the source of her desire to eat was directly related to her feeling of restlessness — not boredom! She felt that “recovery” would come from learning to “be okay” with the restlessness; learning to sit with it, until it dissipated.

Well, thanks to something brilliant that Jim said (as an aside, really…I swear, he doesn’t say much, but when he says SOMETHING, you’d better listen!) — he mentioned that he is also restless, and what he tries to do is FOCUS that energy into positive activities.

Did you read that clearly?

FOCUS. THAT. ENERGY.

Not wait for it to dissipate.
Not try to quell it or quiet it.

FOCUS IT.

Hmmm…Guess what? My RESTLESSNESS IS ENERGY (nervous, anxious, whatever you want to call it — but it IS energy.) This is completely OPPOSITE of listlessness! What a GIFT I’ve been given! I actually HAVE energy, I don’t need to FIND energy!

So, armed with that knowledge, and my newly minted rocket-ship analogy (or is that simile? I keep getting these metaphors mixed up), I am filled with powerful knowledge that should help me to conquer (or at least wrest control of) my binge problem. It’s not really about understanding it at all. It’s about using the energy I already have to overcome it.

Then I can focus on the more important things in life…like painting my ape purple, if I wanna.

Obsessively addicted to shows about obsessive addictions

I watch Intervention and Obsession on A&E all the time. I think I might be obsessively addicted to them, and I don’t know if that’s a good thing, or a bad thing.

As a food addict and a binger, I see a lot of myself in the people on the shows, and sometimes it scares me. I find myself wishing that I could be swept away to some 30- or 90-day recovery program where I could kick the food habit, once and for all. But, I realize that’s not going to happen and, at least as far as I can tell, my friends and family are not covertly planning any “meetings” for me….

You know, the dangerous thing about being a gastric bypass person who is also a bingeing food addict is that it’s easy to “justify” my addiction by telling myself things like:

• I don’t hurt my family
• I’m not spending money I don’t have on junk food
• No one is affected by my addiction
• My addiction is not illegal
• I can do my addiction in front of anyone, and I won’t get arrested
• I need food to live, but other addicts can survive without alcohol, drugs, gambling or shopping.

In other words, I tell myself all kinds of lies (with varying degrees of truth to them), and I come out being a good person who just so happens to like to eat too many (insert junk food item here) sometimes.

I guess what I’m saying is, whenever I watch Intervention or Obsession, I find myself shaking my head and talking to the TV, reacting to the absurd things that come out of addicts’ (and their loved ones’) mouths. I say things like,

“Are you KIDDING ME? You think you aren’t hurting anybody but yourself?”
“You think your addiction/obsession is your own problem?”
“You think giving the addict money or turning the other way is showing them love?”

Oh boy. it’s so clear when I see it on TV, and then then instant the self-incrimination starts to set-in, I just conveniently press the “Play” button on the internal recording. Then, everything is okay again.

“I don’t look like those people.”
“I don’t do as much as I did when I weighed 316 pounds”
“I’m not spending money on my addiction; I’m just eating what’s in the cabinet.”
“I am in therapy, so I don’t need an intervention”
“I am not doing anything illegal.”

Somewhere in that mess is the truth, and I’m unearthing it, one, ugly lie at a time. It’s a painful process, and sometimes it takes everything I’ve got NOT to feel like a failure. But then, I have a really good series of days where the Carb Monster is not lurking around every corner, and I’m on the top of my game, eating right, working out, and feeling good. Like today.

How could I be an addict if I still have a job, a life, hobbies and normal social interactions?

Isn’t *THAT* the big question? Stay tuned…

Barbie Celebrates Her 1 Year Blogiversary

1 Year ago today, I officially launched GastricBypassBarbie.com. Hard to believe, isn’t it? I mean, in those days, I didn’t know if anyone would find the site (let alone stick around and read my musings!) And if they actually did find me, I wasn’t sure they’d return! I vividly remember how excited I was to learn that 5 people had stopped by…or 1 person had left a comment. I was simply amazed that anyone would care what I had to say. Back then, I had no idea where the site would take me, how it would change over time, or how I would so radically evolve in the process!

Let me take you back to July 22, 2009.

I was 1-1/2 years post-op, and feeling as green as the day is long. A few, well-meaning people had “whispered” things into my ear that made me doubt whether I should even start a blog. They “helpfully” told me that I should “wait until I had three years of success under my belt” as a bariatric post-op; before I writing about my experiences; that way, people would “believe me more.” Other people told me that, since I was “so unusual” (in that, I’d lost more weight than the “average post-op,”) I’d just end up offending people, and no one would listen to anything I had to say, because it wouldn’t apply to them! In other words, there was a lot of negativity, disguised as supportive advice.

Fortunately, there was a lot MORE positivity and, being blindly optimistic, my passion for sharing won out! Well, *that* and I’m incredibly stubborn and impatient, so I didn’t want to wait. Of course, that didn’t stop me from wrestling with whether anyone would take me seriously for not having lived a very long bariatric after life. I had my doubts that I would find new and interesting things to say for longer than about a month; I wondered if I would always feel as enthusiastic, positive and successful as I did then. In July 2009, I was fresh, alive, inspired, largely unaffected by the online world…and filled with self-doubt.

When I pressed  the “Publish” button for that first time, I was both terrified and proud. After all, I had taken that first, big step –– even though I had NO IDEA where the road would take me.

Here’s how I would describe the Barbie from 1 year ago:

• Optimistic
• Wide-eyed
• Innocent
• Naive
• Encouraged
• Passionate
• Sensitive
• Thoughtful
• Motivated
• Healthy
• Focused
• Carefree
• Natural
• Reactionary
• Loving
• Generous
• Nervous

Well, I think it’s pretty clear to anyone who’s followed me over the course of the last 12 months that, while some things have remained the same, OTHER things are much different.

Here’s how I would describe the Barbie of today:

• Confident
• Focused
• Centered
• Grounded
• Guarded
• Positive
• Seasoned
• Aware
• Compassionate
• Skeptical
• Responsive
• Supportive
• Loving
• Generous
• Empowered
• Gratified
• Humbled

I’m sure I left out words from both lists, but I think you can see the idea. A lot of things can happen in 12 months, and my life is no exception. I wonder what the NEXT 12 months will hold? I guess we’ll have to wait until July 22, 2011 to find out

In the meantime, let me share a few, notable milestones from the past year:

1. I started seeing an amazing therapist (Jim) and we have made tremendous progress in ways I couldn’t have dreamed possible.
2. I have begun to find balance and harmony in my Bariatric After Life™ (work in progress)
3. I have become mentally and emotionally stronger, happier, more confident and deeper
4. I went to the 1st annual WLS Meet in Greet in Las Vegas as an exhibitor and speaker with MexiKen, Super Dave and Maid Marian Michele and made wonderful new friends and professional connections, including (in no particular order): Antonia Namnath – WLSFA.org, Dr. Bariatric, Sarah Will Be Skinny, Andrea JunglGirl, Lynnda, Mike and Toni, from BariatricTV, Ian McAgh and his lovely wife and son, T2Nashville, Tammy from Tennessee, Banded Wendy (and all the Banded Bitches), Nancy Weasel Hunt, ILTommyD (Tommy Dunmore from Illinois), JC (who had just begun his bypass journey about 3 weeks before the M&G), Amy Fekete (who videoed my talks), and a bunch of other people who are forever etched in my brain, but apparently not in my fingertips! You are not forgotten, I promise!
5. I launched my Youtube Channel (where, for the first time in my life, I do not run away from a video camera) and got to meet a bunch of remarkable people who comprise a vibrant and active WLS online community.
6. I joined Facebook and am rich with new and wonderful online friends.
7. I went to OH in Costa Mesa and made MORE wonderful new friends and professional connections, like: Dr. Garth Davis, Dr. Connie Stapleton (love her!), Yvonne McCarthy (Bariatric Girl), Teresa Dunn White (Celebrate Vitamins), Shannon Watts (Revival Soy) and many, many more!
8. I went to ASMBS in Las Vegas and — yes — made MORE wonderful new friends and professional connections: Susan Maria (Bariatric Eating), Dr. Guillermo Alvarez (Endobariatric, Piedras Negras, Mexico), Dr. Robert Davis, Dr. Marc from Bariatric Fusion, Eric, Kim and Kristin from Obesity Help and a bunch of other people whose names have escaped me, but whose impact on my life has not.
9. I participated in a photo shoot for the hospital where I had my RNY and will appear in their marketing materials. Billboards??? EEEK.
10. I will be attending the OH Conference in Cincinnati (crosses fingers) in August and Houston in November, and was even given my own discount code (GBBarbie) — How cool is that?
11. I have formed a team to participate in the Long Beach WALK FROM OBESITY (Team Barbie) in September, and already have 5 walkers and several sponsors.
12. I will turn “3-bariatric years old” in December.

This is, by no means a complete list but, it is from the heart. I mean, I knew my Blogiversary was coming up *soon,* but didn’t realize it was TODAY until I checked last night!  By golly, I was almost late to my OWN party (which is not hard to believe, if you know anything about me). So, while this is probably not how I envisioned my celebratory blog entry to read, it IS a finished blog entry, and it is published on the actual anniversary date, so I’m putting it squarely in the “success” column

Heck, maybe there’s a metaphor for my new life in there: I learn, I adapt, I risk, and then I do it all over again — whether I’m ready or not!

Anyway, I’ll leave you with this:

To those of you who have been with me from the beginning, I thank you for your encouragement and love.

For those who have discovered me along the way — and stuck around for the insanity — I thank you for your patience and fortitude.

For those of you who just found me today – I hope you will find something of value here on the site, return regularly, andl be encouraged to continue living the most fruitful and rewarding Bariatric After Life possible.

Most of all, to MexiKen, who continues to support and champion me as I forge my way through uncharted terrain, I give all of my love. I literally could not do this without his belief in me. He is my biggest fan (and I am his).

I’m not sure where this whole *thing* will take me, but I know this: Even though I don’t get paid a single penny to do it — but maybe one day will — I will continue to help others. It is my passion and my drug. My reward is knowing that, because I have chosen to be an open book with the online world, I have positively impacted others in ways I never imagined.

Though I have less “free time” than ever before, I am actually “freer” than I’ve ever been in my life, all because I am no longer ruled by “shoulds”, “colds”, “mights” and “musts.”

Thanks to all of you for your continued support, and let’s have fun in year 2!

Now, off to the elliptical!

What do you mean, “BARIATRIC LIFESTYLE?”

A lot of people ask me, “Hey, Barbie — just what do you mean when you say you follow a ‘Bariatric Lifestyle?’”

First of all, there’s really nothing magical or mysterious about my definition; it’s pretty straightforward. Following a Bariatric Lifestyle means I am committed mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically to honoring (as closely as possible) the guidelines, practices, habits and behaviors that will help me to successfully maintain the weight I lost after bariatric surgery.

Obviously, some days/weeks are better than others, but as long as I renew my commitment regularly by revisiting the basics, refocusing on what matters most — be it protein, vitamins and supplements, exercise, or charitable activities – I know that I will not secretly, quietly, unwittingly, deceptively or unintentionally slip back into the life I led BEFORE bariatric surgery.

Now, clearly, everyone’s “bariatric lifestyle” is different, because every BODY is different and, what “I” call a bariatric lifestyle might not be someone else’s definition. Furthermore, there are many people who will say, “But, BARBIE, there’s no such THING as a bariatric lifestyle! I don’t follow one at all! I just _____”

Well, to me, the “____” IS the bariatric lifestyle IF what you are doing is helping maintain the weight you lost after surgery. I mean, you’re either living a changed life, or you’re not. I’d go so far as to consider that the percentage to which your life has changed is directly proportional to the percentage of excess weight you are managing to keep off!

Consider this: If any one of us had done as pre-ops what we have learned to do as post-ops — and maintained those behaviors — we most likely would not have needed bariatric surgery in the first place. But, I know in my case, I simply wasn’t ABLE to. My body’s messages were seductive, destructive and downright impossible to ignore. I was a prisoner to my physiology and had adapted my psychology to perpetuate my obese condition. Even if I had WANTED to live a bariatric lifestyle BEFORE, I wouldn’t have been able to; trust me, I tried.

In MY case, what I did PRE-surgically (before) is radically different from what I do POST-surgically (after). This is due, in no small part, to the dramatic physiological changes that have transpired within my body (the messages my brain sends are different). SO, I’ve have changed my behaviors and have undergone a massive mental and emotional transformation. I am quite simply a DIFFERENT PERSON now (in the Bariatric After Life™) than I was before.

Now, don’t go parsing my words and looking for reasons that I am wrong in my personal definition. You can have yours and I can have mine and they do not need to be the same. AND, don’t try to tell me I don’t have a bariatric lifestyle, just because you say you don’t.

Ultimately, obesity is a multi-faceted problem with no easy (or permanent solution). I get it.

By my (personal) definition, the life that I am CHOOSING to live NOW is a Bariatric After Life. Should I (God forbid) someday decide to abandon the principles I’ve learned to keep me active, fit and healthy, then I will more than likely return to my morbidly obese state. In other words, I will no longer be living a bariatric lifestyle. It’s just that simple.

So, that’s MY definition of a bariatric lifestyle.

At the end of the day, should you choose to live your life as a bariatric post-op (or even as a bariatric pre-op, working to change your behaviors), as long as you don’t do after what you did before, then what you are doing now will (hopefully) contribute to a healthier (bariatric?) life after.

No matter what you are doing, I hope you are enjoying your life (bariatric or otherwise) as much as I’m enjoying mine. Oh, and don’t get me wrong. At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna — the Bariatric After Life is NEVER easy, but it’s ALWAYS rewarding.

Take Care!

FAQ: Vitamins and Supplements in the Bariatric After Life

I get a LOT of questions about the vitamins and supplements I take on a daily basis. (Probably because I comment a lot about the vitamins and supplements I take on a daily basis). Most of the questions revolve around what, how much, and why I take what I take. So, I figured I’d make it easy and just encapsulate it here. Bear in mind that I am NOT a nutritionist, doctor, nurse, medical professional, healthcare practitioner, or vitaminologist. I did my research, paid attention to people I trust, and have gleaned all of this stuff from their expertise.

What supplements do I take, and why?

Multi-Vitamin. I like Celebrate chewables the very best, but I also sometimes take Bariatric Advantage multi. Either way, I ensure that the formula includes Vitamin K. Why? Because it has been suggested that Vitamin K can prevent or treat osteoporosis and the loss of bone density. Some studies also find that it might have anticancer benefits, and indication is that it prevents hardening of the arteries, which aids in preventing heart disease and heart failure. You can get Vitamin K from many green, leafy veggies, but if you can’t get them all there (and who can?), be sure your multi-vitamin includes it.

B-12 (Sublingual)
First off, the reason you take this sublingually is, that’s the best and fastest way for the body to absorb it. Now, B12 is needed to prevent anemia and aids folic acid in regulating the formulation of red bloods cells. It helps utilize iron, is required for proper digestion, absorption of foods, synthesis of protein and the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. It’s ideal if your B12 supplement also contains folic acid (I buy mine from Trader Joe’s).

Possible signs of deficiency: Chronic fatigue, constipation, depression, digestive disorders, dizziness, drowsiness, enlarged liver, eye disorders, hallucinations (!), headaches, inflammation of the tongue, irritability, memory loss, moodiness, nervousness, palpitations, ringing in the ears, pernicious anemia (no, not promiscuous anemia) and other stuff.

Natural sources of B12: If you are veggie (like me), you must remember to supplement religiously, because B12 is found almost exclusively in animal tissue. It can be hard to spot deficiency because your body can store B12 for up to FIVE YEARS!

Folic Acid (as part of my sublingual B12)
Brain food. Folic acid is need for energy production and formation of red blood cells. It strengthens immunity by aiding in the proper formation and functioning of white blood cells. Aids in protein metabolism and may help depression and anxiety.

Signs of deficiency: A sore red tongue is one sign, but so are anemia, apathy, digestive disturbances (heck, I’m one BIG digestive disturbance since bypass – LOL), malabsorption problems (just what we need, right?) fatigue, insomnia and other junk. Important: Eat fresh fruits and veggies wherever possible because cooking them destroys the folic acid.

B-Complex (B1, B6, B12)
Why B6? Also known as pyrydoxine, it is involved in more bodily functions that almost any other single nutrient. It affects both physical and mental health and is beneficial if you suffer from water retention. This vitamin aids in potassium balance and is required by the nervous system for normal brain function. B6 helps the body absorb B12 and plays a role in cancer immunity.

Signs of deficiency: Anemia, headaches, nausea, flaky skin, sore tongue, acne, arthritis, conjunctivitis, cracks or sores in the mouth and lips, depression, dizziness, fatigue, hyper-irritability (and you thought it was all hormones!), impaired wound healing, weak memory and other stuff.

B1 (Thiamine).
This is also known as the energy nutrient and is responsible for many cellular interactions in the body. One of the key things is that it helps your cells use oxygen to convert carbs and other sugars into energy. Without adequate levels of B1, this process slows or stops altogether (eek!)

Possible signs of deficiency: Loss of appetite (okay, that might be a bonus), tiredness or feelings of extreme laziness, indigestion, constipation, muscle tenderness (like when you get charlie horses), numbness in arms and legs. It’s hard to overdose on B1, but still, you shouldn’t megadose on it

Of note: People who are at risk for B1 deficiency include: alcoholics and coffee or tea drinkers (basically, anyone who drinks more than 3 cups of coffee per day.) Why? Since you will excrete the B1 through your kidneys, you might need 5-10x the amount of B1 as other people Hmmm…maybe I should *stop* taking my vitamins with my coffee…

Natural sources of B1 include: Sunflower seeds (raw), tuna, black beans, lentils, asparagus and romaine lettuce. However, you kinda have to eat a LOT to get enough, so…while it doesn’t hurt to get B1 through food sources, it’s most likely not enough, so you must supplement!

Calcium
Okay, I’m not gonna go into the whys and wherefores of this stuff because everyone says something different. All you need to know is this: Most people agree that the best form for bariatric folks is citrate. How much you take is really going to depend upon your doctor’s advice, your bloodwork, and your own research. Again, depending upon who you talk to, you’ll be told that you need between 1200 and 2000 mg PER DAY of this stuff, over and above the calcium you get from food sources (like greek yogurt). The most critical thing you should understand is that, unless you are a professional, you mustn’t mix your calcium with your iron; separate them by at LEAST 2 hours. Also, don’t take more than 400-500 mg at a single dose, as your body will not absorb it. We all know that calcium is critical for bones and teeth, and we bariatric people don’t absorb it easily, so we are prone to brittle bone disease, osteoporosis and other stuff. Just take it, okay?

Iron
Here’s another supplement where your mileage may vary. Ferrate sulfate, elemental? Who knows, right? The bottom line is, just take it. Do your research, figure it out, and take it — BUT, don’t do it at the same time as your calcium and…try adding Vitamin C to help absorption. Some formulations will lead to constipation; others are more gentle, so find one that works for you. That’s all I’m gonna say about that (I’m no expert!)

Probiotics
Many bariatric surgeons have finally learned that probiotics are vital to the daily supplemental regimen of their patients — but sadly, many have not. Whether your doctor agrees or not is none of my business, but I’ll just tell you that I feel it when I don’t take it.

Why? Because I get bloated, constipated (especially if I take the wrong iron), am prone to yeast infections, fatigue and low immunity. Basically, probiotics (as the name implies) are the opposite of ANTIbiotics. They help put good bacteria back into your system (intestines and gut, mostly) to promote balance and good health. Probiotics keep your intestines clean and help you absorb more nutrients from the food you eat (especially protein!)

Find a good, stable probiotic (like Bariatric Advantage Chewable, or Jarrodophilus EPS capsule). These don’t need to be refrigerated, and each contains billions of live cultures — (no, you can’t see them move! LOL) The key to stability is, you want something that will last more than a year, or it loses its efficacy.

Fish Oil (EPA/DHA)
Omega 3 fatty acids are good for your heart, because they can decrease the risk of arrhythmias, lower blood pressure (slightly) and slow the growth rate of plaque in your arteries. You get Omega 3s from eating fish, but if you can’t eat enough fish, you can take capsules. Oh, you can also get it from flaxseed (which I just so happen to add to my morning shakes!) Now, you don’t want to go crazy with the capsules, just take 1 or 2 a day. This stuff also helps your skin and hair, so it’s a good thing.

Possible signs of deficiency: There are about a bajillion signs, but my favorite is listed as “aging.” Apparently, aging is a side effect of not taking enough Omega 3s. Okay, okay, I’m pretty sure that’s not what they meant, but still, it did stand out. I think they were referring to looking older than you are (wrinkles) feeling older than you are (depression, fatigue), and being prone to lots of nasty things (like alzheimers, diabetes, chorines disease, macular degeneration, obesity — um, yes, that would count, stroke, kidney disease and even cancer.) Bottom line: Just take it.

But, I hate it when I burp fish taste after taking a capsule.

Cinnamon Extract
Not only does cinnamon extract KILL the fish burps, it’s also great for maintaining health blood sugar levels! In other words, if you take one of these with each fish capsule, you shouldn’t experience peaks and valleys associated with blood sugar spikes. Oh, and it smells really nice, too.

Vitamin D3
First of all, Vitamin D3 isn’t really a vitamin at all, but is a hormone mainly used to signal the release and absorption of calcium and phosphorous from various body tissues. If you get sun, you should be able to synthesize Vitamin D3, but you can also get it in fortified foods like milk, butter, eggs, margarine, as well as beef, veal, egg yolks, liver and fatty fish. Yes, you CAN overdose on this stuff, but it’s fairly hard for us post-ops. Experts don’t agree on exactly how much you should take, and it is often contained in your quality multi-vitamin and calcium tablet, but I just take more because it can help with my depression (since I don’t get out in the sun too often) and it protects me from prostate cancer. Oh, I don’t have a prostate? Okay, then breast cancer. Either way, it’s good for boys and girls, so just take it.

Possible signs of deficiency: Rickets. Yup. You can get rickets, which is where your bones become brittle. Not good. You can also develop osteoporosis, which you won’t be aware of until the outwards signs are readily noticeable. In other words, you might not be aware of the deficiency until you break a bone, and by then, it’s kinda late.

Okay, so that concludes our presentation of the “ordinary” vitamin supplements that you hear about every day.

Now for the extra-ordinary vitamin supplements.

Ubiquinol + CoQ10
Ubiquinol is the pre-convered, active antioxidant form of CoQ10 which, when taken in this form, is ideal for those of us who are 40 and older. If you are under 40, then you can just take CoQ10.

Why take it? Well, it contributes to cardiovascular and cognitive health, increased energy and stamina and general health and wellness. It also regenerates other antioxidants (like Vitamins C and E) and may help protect your heart from free radical damage. So, what are free radicals (and why should I care, if I’m a political conservative)? Well, politics aside, free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that every cell produces every day. In other words, our bodies generate them. But they are also available eternally (like environmental toxins) Basically, these nasty little buggers break down our bodies as we age (and the side effects aren’t pretty). Antixoidants help combat the effects of the free radicals (which is a good thing). Essentially, I take this so I have more energy, feel better, and won’t get old. Okay, I’m kidding about that last part — but…maybe?

Natural sources of antioxidants: Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes, garlic (probably best not eaten with your fruit), and extra virgin olive oil (apparently, olive oil which merely *abstains*, but does not take a permanent vow of *celibacy* doesn’t count. Be careful here).

Milk Thistle
Why? It’s for liver health, and I had hepatitis in high school. Darn near killed me, so I do lots of things to protect my poor liver. Milk Thistle not only my liver from toxins, it also helps repair cells and promotes the regeneration of new cells. If you still have your gall bladder (which I do not), this stimulates bile flow and can help prevent and treat gallstones. It is also good for your immune system, digestive system, can help smooth the uterine muscle (thus minimizing menstrual problems), and control food and sugar craving (time to up my dosage…)

Why is liver health important and how can I be at risk if I don’t drink alcohol? I’m glad you asked. Turns out that diets which contain “excessive” protein and carbs can DAMAGE the liver. We bariatric types do eat a lot of protein, even though we don’t absorb all of it, but guess what else we do? We take VITAMINS — things like A, D, E and K can be dangerous to the liver if you take too much of them; same with iron. SO, you want to just watch your liver when you get your blood work done each year, and make sure to exercise regularly. That’s the laymen’s explanation, anyway.

Amino Acids
Basically, our bodies need amino acids to function, but our bodies don’t make all that we need. Therefore, we have to consume them in food or through supplements. You’ll typically be able to spot an amino acid because it ends in an “ine” — though not always. Now, any aminos that your body cannot produce on its own are called ESSENTIAL amino acids, and they affect different things.
These are the ones I take. There are more, but I don’t want to get crazy. Whoops, too late.

L-Glutamine (Technically, this is a semi-essential amino)
Protects muscle tissue and supports immune function; also serves as a source of fuel for cells lining the intestines. It is involved in more metabolic processes than any other amino acid and can help maintain balance during times of severe stress. Yes, I have that.

Glucosamine, Chondroitin with MSM
Promotes healthy flexible joints. I work out a lot and really trashed my joints — especially knees — when I was obese. This helps with stiffness. Some people doubt its efficacy, but I truly notice it when I don’t take it. No, not right away, but that’s because I am slow to notice sometimes – LOL.

Alpha-Lipoic Acid:
Antioxidant (hey, where have I heard THAT before?) that helps detox the liver! Again with the liver. This is one that I *don’t always take* and am *not sure I notice* anyway. I may not “renew”…

L-Carnitine:
It’s an amino acid derivative which is manufactured by the body and used in energy metabolism and for proper use of fats by transporting fatty acids into mitochondria (the powerhouses of cells). In other words, it can help you recover when you work out AND it reduces the accumulation of lactic acid (all the gain without the pain).

Benefits: Good for your heart, good for your thyroid, good for your kidneys, good for immune problems, cardiomyopathy and a bunch of other stuff. Most people don’t need it, however, people with a history of liver disease (hey, that’s me – again!) seem to benefit from therapeutic use

Quercetin with Bromelain Enzymes
Allergy support that maintains the proper functioning of the body’s histamine response. Brings natural sinus support. Quercetin is an antioxidant (there’s that word again) that supports the body’s inflammation response and histamine processes, while bromeliad increases the absorption of quercetin. The ‘ole 1-2 punch It is also a powerful inflammation response supporter AND (wait for it) protein-digesting enzyme! Hey, we need that. I take it because I am allergic to everything. Simply everything. My throat likes to swell and then I cough and gag — nice. This helps.

That concludes our presentation of vitamins and supplements in Gastric Bypass Barbie’s Bariatric regimen.

SO. How much of all this stuff should you take, and do you need it all?

I can’t answer that question; only you and your healthcare professional can make that determination. What I would suggest is this: If you are taking the vital supplements as outlined by the bariatric surgery guidelines, and still don’t feel “quite right,” look into adding some supplements (responsibly), based upon your medical history and particularly symptoms. I’d recommend adding slowly, doing your research, and monitoring your blood work closely. It is important to determine the proper dosage for your body, and also recognize that you can take too much (or too little) of something to derive the benefit, so be educated.

I hope you found this information to be useful, but if you didn’t, that’s okay too. You don’t need to ask me why I take all of this stuff, and you don’t need to tell me I shouldn’t be taking it, and you don’t need to tell me I misspelled “rickets”, or something.

After a year and a half of studying it, I KNOW why I take it, how much to take, and how to spell it — LOL.

GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HEALTH!