If you have had weight loss surgery, you probably understand the importance of eating nutrient dense foods. As a result of the surgery, a small stomach pouch is created, limiting the amount of food you can eat. This small stomach pouch fills quickly, which helps you feel satisfied with less food intake. It is therefore very important to eat healthy foods rather than to fill up on highly caloric, less nutritional foods such as sweets, fried foods, juice smoothies, milkshakes, etc. Highly nutrient dense foods contain more beneficial components such as protein, healthy fats, complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals than they do calories per serving. Whole-grain foods are an excellent example of a nutrient dense food source.

WHAT ARE WHOLE GRAINS?

Whole grains are grains that contain the entire grain kernel: the innermost germ, the endosperm that surrounds the germ, and the outermost bran that surrounds both.

• The germ contains B vitamins, vitamin E, trace minerals, and healthful unsaturated fats, phytochemicals and antioxidants
• The endosperm portion contains complex carbohydrates, protein, and smaller amounts of B vitamins
• The outer bran layer is full of fiber, B vitamins, 50 to 80 percent of the grain’s minerals and phytochemicals...click here to read more.

Interview with Jamie D. Dukes

After several years of playing college football and cherishing the dream of making it to the National Football League, in the spring of 1986, Jamie Dukes was accepted to the NFL as the offensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons. “Because I was smaller than some as far as stature, teams hesitated to draft me, so I signed as a free agent.” Jamie said. “I was an All-American and I knew that I was good enough, so I never gave up on my dream.” Right out of college and barely 22 years old, Jamie felt a deep sense of pride and accomplishment.

Over two decades later and after a series of victories on the field, Jamie experienced a similar feeling of achievement, this time, outside the football field. “I lost about 90 pounds less than a year after undergoing gastric banding surgery in July of 2008,” he said. “My friend and teammate, Deion Sanders, told me that if my head got any smaller, it would fall through my collar. I watched some of the tapes of our previous shows, and I was amazed at my own transformation. That was a pivotal moment in my life.” Recently, Jamie shared some of the highlights of his weight loss journey as well as his ongoing endeavors to bring awareness about obesity with ObesityHelp Inc.

OH: How did your weight problem begin?

JD: I was always a big kid, but I was also very athletic. My mom has been on the heavy side and my dad was a stalky guy, but neither of them was obese. As an offensive lineman for the Atlanta Falcons, I was required to be big and wide, so I used to carry a lot of weight. I was 44 when I had gastric banding surgery, and I was beginning to have health issues because of my excess weight. But worse than that was the fact that some of my teammates died of obesity-related health problems before reaching 44. I had known for many years that I had to lose weight; the question was how far I was willing to go to achieve that, and I had done the traditional diet programs that most people do many times. So I realized that it was time to take a look at different options and opportunities, and I chose bariatric surgery.

OH: How did you learn about bariatric surgery?

JD: I had learned about gastric bypass and gastric banding, and to be honest, I was prepared to do either one; I knew some people who had the gastric bypass and I knew some people who had undergone the gastric banding surgery. So from a research standpoint, I was familiar with the different alternatives that were out there. And I was prepared to undergo the bypass surgery, if the band didn’t work for me. I certainly realized that the bypass surgery was going a step further and that it was more invasive than gastric banding. So I didn’t have any qualms about making the decision to have bariatric surgery. Ultimately, I decided to undergo gastric banding surgery.

OH: How was your surgery?

JD: It was great. I will say, however, that I wasn’t crazy about the liquid diet before and after the surgery. But the procedure altogether was fantastic. Dr. Christopher Hart did a great job. Shortly after my surgery, I was back on the treadmill and doing some limited walking and so forth. I didn’t have any complications. So I have been very satisfied and very pleased with the results thus far.

OH: Did you have to bide by a certain diet program or an exercise regimen prior to your surgery?

JD: Not really. Dr. Hart encouraged me to lose as much weight as I could before the surgery. I was put on the liquid protein diet ten days prior to the actual procedure, and I had to stay on that diet seven days after the surgery. The diet basically consists of protein-rich soups and shakes.

OH: How has the surgery changed your personal lifestyle?

JD: Well, my diet had always been fairly healthy. As a family, we eat plenty of salads and lean protein and so forth. My main problem was the quantity of what I ate and the portion size. I was never an emotional eater either; I had to consume a lot of food in order to be fit for my job on the field. I consumed a 40-ounce portion as opposed to a 5- or 10-ounce portion. So now, not only do I eat less, but the slow digestion of food in my stomach sends a message to my brain that I have had enough and that I am full, so I feel satisfied with smaller portions and don’t crave food anymore.

OH: What role do your family and your friends play in your ongoing weight loss journey?

JD: My family, especially my wife, has been very supportive. Seeing my teammates die of obesity-related problems, I knew that I had to lose weight, if I wanted to live beyond age 44. My wife had little pet phrases that used to drive me crazy, but the reality was that she understood the problem, and she knew that I had to do something about the excess weight I was carrying. My family and friends have been very happy about the positive changes in my health. My daughter is really happy to see me healthy too.

OH: What does your current exercise regimen consist of?

JD: I generally work out about four to five times a week. I run on the treadmill about an hour and lift weights about three days a week. I try not to do a lot of weights because then I bulk up and start craving protein. So I have to be careful about balancing food and exercise.

OH: What are the challenges you face currently, if any? Do you have to lose more weight?

JD: Not really. Right now, I weigh about 295 pounds, and according to my doctor, my optimum weight is about 270, so I still have a few more pounds to lose. I was close to 400 pounds last year before the surgery. So I have lost about 90 pounds so far, which is really great.

OH: How did your partnership with Ethicon, Endo-Surgery, Inc., the maker of the REALIZE Band, came about?

JD: I saw two speeches: one by the former U.S. President, Bill Clinton, stressing the importance of service, and also President Obama’s ongoing message of community involvement and service motivated me to speak out. I have been involved in a number of charities, but at that point, I asked myself how I could get involved and help bring awareness about this particular issue that I felt passionate about. I’m a broadcaster by trade, so I am often asked about how I was able to lose the weight. I had my agent reach out to Ethicon and ask them if we can work together to create an initiative to help get the word out about obesity. I believe that until people go through this process, they don’t realize that making the decision to undergo bariatric surgery is far from ‘choosing the easy way out.’ There is a social stigma attached to obesity, and people who struggle with it are often looked down upon. The reality is that if you are diagnosed with cancer, it doesn’t matter how you get rid of it, but the mere fact that you get rid of the disease that is killing you. So for people to judge other people based on the fact that they chose bariatric surgery is somewhat silly and unfair. Being on television and having a public presence in that way, I figured talking about this issue would be my service.

OH: Did you talk about your decision publicly?

JD: Yes. I have done a number of TV and radio appearances where I talk about my journey. We are making an effort, so to speak, to create this movement and to bring this issue to the spotlight. Because a lot of the illnesses people are currently struggling with in America; heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, would not exist, if people weren’t obese. So if we effectively treat obesity and also make an effort to prevent it, we don’t even have to worry about these other illnesses that often result from it. I’m trying to be an effective advocate for this cause, to put obesity in a proper perspective.

OH: Are you a proponent of the REALIZE mySUCCESS™ program?

JD: Yes. Staying motivated after surgery can be one of the hardest parts of this whole weight loss journey. It's so easy to skip a day at the gym or eat the wrong thing, so I'm a fan of anything that helps people stay on track. You can keep a daily log of your activities and your diet, track your weight loss, and find recipes. Also, your doctor's office can have access to this information, so if they notice that for example you have a plateau, or you
are gaining weight, they can call you and offer help and professional advice. In that sense, the program is a great tool that keeps all the parties involved in communication. And you always know it's there if you need it. For me, the procedure has been a small component in this overall program that has helped me lose weight. The day-to-day challenges are having to exercise regularly and maintaining a healthy and balanced diet. So I refer to my band as one tool in my toolbox; there are several other tools I have to effectively use to achieve long-term success.

OH: What plans do you have for the future? Any books in the works?

JD: Yes, I have been working on a book, but it will be some time before it is completed and published. It will address different issues including ‘frenemies’ I have had to deal with in my own struggle with excess weight. By ‘frenemies’ I mean anyone who hasn’t been a positive influence in my weight loss journey, including my own inner voice that used to tell me to go ahead and eat that steak and lobster and cheesecake.

My goal is to continue this mission and wherever it takes me. I think that we are going to be successful and that the stars have aligned for our success. Many great organizations like the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association are beginning to realize that cancer and heart disease are often caused by obesity, so they are becoming willing to form alliances that will ultimately help the communities. So what I’m hoping to do, with the help of Ethicon and others, is to bridge those relationships, where we all work together toward a common goal, to quantify what the problems are and find solutions.

Editors note: Jamie Dukes will be speaking at the ObesityHelp Chicago event. For more information, visit:

http://www.obesityhelp.com/events/uzone,events/action,event_details/event_id,3001/

Hi from OH Events!

We’re really getting excited about the Chicago event on June 12-13! In addition to our main stage speakers, we have added speakers in our breakout sessions to provide a variety of information to all who attend!

The new breakout speakers are local professionals that include:

- Dr. Constantine Frantzides, Bariatric Surgeon
- Dr. Amir Heydari, Bariatric Surgeon
- Dr. Lawrence Zachary, Plastic Surgeon
- Tina Musselman, Dietitian from St. James Hospital

Product exhibitors include Bariatric Advantage, AchievOne Isopure, BJ’s Bariatrics, ARDYSS International Shapewear, Kay's Naturals, Celebrate Vitamins, Power Crunch and many others.

Encourage your surgeon to attend and ask if they have a discount code for you.

Come Join Us! 

Previously Scheduled Speakers Include:
	TLC's Big Medicine: Mary Jo Rapini, LPC Her passion is teaching all patients the sacredness and strength they have inside. She is the author of Is God Pink? Dying to Heal and co-author of Start Talking: A Girl’s Guide for You and Your Mom About Health, Sex or Whatever.
	TLC's Big Medicine: Dr. Garth Davis Dr. Davis will be outlining the subject matter of his new book, The Expert’s Guide to Weight-Loss Surgery. Come meet Dr. Davis!
	Bariatric Chef, Dave Fouts Saturday morning, Chef Dave will cook up some yummy weight loss friendly breakfast samples for us! Come see what’s in his recipe box!
	Former Atlanta Falcon Offensive Lineman and WLS Post-Op, Jamie Dukes "When I turned 43, I was more than 100 pounds overweight and realized that four of my former teammates had died before the age of 44. This was a real wake-up call for me."
	Fitness Expert , Jeremy Gentles, CSCS ObesityHelp's staff health and fitness expert will help you separate fact from fiction in order to design the best exercise program to meet your needs pre and post weight loss surgery.
	Bo McCoy, WLS Post Op & Motivational Speaker Have you joined in on one of Bo's conga lines yet? Bo is our host for events this year and he makes it his mission to get you motivated and out of your seat!

Most people struggling to lose weight or maintain their weight loss after weight loss surgery have learned from chronic dieting to be either-or thinkers. How many times have you started a diet only to find yourself eating something “off” the diet and saying to yourself, “I blew it, I might as well start tomorrow, or better yet, next Monday.” You are either on the diet or off it, and once you “blow” it, you may as well eat everything in sight until the next time you start the diet. Of course the problem, as we know all too well, is that this pattern repeats itself the next day and before we know it we have been waiting for the diet to start “tomorrow” for months or years. Along with the weight we may have gained over these years, perhaps the more significant problem is how entrenched our either-or thinking has become. We have heard our inner voice say over and over….” If I can’t be perfect, I might as well give up.”

Even after WLS has altered our pattern of failed diets and helped us to turn around our lives and stay on track with our plan for healthy eating for many months, this kind of either-or thinking can derail our ability to continue to stick to these goals after the inevitable slip. Let us look at an example of how this black and white, either-or thinking works… or more aptly, does not work in our struggle to succeed with our comfortable eating plan. Click here to read more!

Most of us are aware of the importance of adapting an exercise program into our daily lifestyle. Incorporating regular exercise after weight loss surgery is imperative in achieving maximum results and lasting benefits. In addition to helping you lose weight, regular exercise will improve your overall cardiovascular health, increase strength and stamina, boost your self-confidence and improve your emotional well-being.

But what kind of exercise is right for you? Everyone is unique, but many people find that exercising in a group setting can be more motivating and less intimidating than doing it alone. Exercise classes also create a synergistic environment where the enthusiasm and determination of others raises your own motivation level.

With so many available exercise classes, choosing one that fits your lifestyle, personal taste and fitness level can become an exercise by itself! Whatever you choose, be sure to consult your physician before beginning any program, since everyone’s fitness level and limitations are different.

Some of the more popular exercise classes include weight/resistance training, yoga, Pilates, spinning, boot camp...Click here to read more!

ObesityHelp is pleased to announce that we expect to launch the first phase of our new Health Tracker on Tuesday, May 26, 2009. This first release focuses primarily on providing you with the tools to track and monitor a number of “Body” variables such as weight, body fat percentage, BMI, and numerous body measurements.

Accessing your Health Tracker by can be done by clicking “My OH” at the top of any page on ObesityHelp.com. Then select Health Tracker on the left (this will replace what is currently "Weight Tracker").

You will be able to update all of your body variables by entering each value or use the sliders to increase/decrease values. You can also set a goal for each body variable.

The chart can be used to graph and compare body variables and view progress over time.

 Tickers can be created for any variable you are tracking in Health Tracker and with numerous ticker backgrounds and icons to choose from, you are sure to find one that fits your style. There will also be no more need to worry about copying and pasting HTML code into your message board signature line. With a single mouse click, your tickers will automatically be displayed in your signature.

Next on the roadmap is Nutrition Tracking but keep checking back here for some exciting new updates in the near future!

The female shape embodies the true sense of a three dimensional form in space. It not only represents curves in a two-dimensional hour-glass form, but also curves that are appreciated as the bust in the front and the buttock in the back. Unfortunately, the body lift procedure is a purely one-dimensional correction of the vertical tissue laxity. The standard body lift procedure thus results in loss of definitions and creation of a masculine boxy contour. It does not correct for the horizontal laxity nor for the lack of contours, curves, and projections. Click here to read more.

by Terry Simpson, MD, FACS

Getting to goal and staying at goal are two different prospects. There are a number of weight loss surgery patients who get to their goal weight, only to see it quietly slip away over time.

When we study the difference between these patients, a number of themes are striking. One of them is the use of exercise. A number of patients will engage in some fitness routine as they are losing weight, get to goal, and then stop. Does this mean that it is the lack of a work-out routine that allowed weight regain? Yes and no.

Here are the facts from our study: 77% of patients who get to goal and stay there have an exercise routine. Of those who got to goal, then lost their way, less than 10% have a fitness routine.

But there are some startling facts about the patients who have an exercise routine—many of them are using that routine not to lose weight, but to relieve stress. Many find that stress relief through a fitness regimen is far better than stress relief through food. Here are a few simple facts:

• Few people have the time to exercise enough to lose weight. While those dials that count calories on the various machines are inaccurate and unforgiving, the simple fact remains that improving fitness does have lasting effects. The main one is the ability to withstand a stressful situation.

• The portion size of food remains the key to weight loss – reducing the portion of food allows more weight loss than the amount of exercise an average individual can perform. My favorite example: the hamburgers (not a great food) I ate as a child were 290 calories less than the burger I buy today. For me to exercise that difference requires 2.5 hours of weights (not just looking at everyone else in the gym).

So, fitness provides many tools for those who want to lose weight and maintain that weight loss. It increases muscle mass that burns more calories, provides a way to relieve stress not using food, and makes one feel better.

Dr. Simpson’s workbook A Guidebook for Lap Band Patients-Getting to Goal and Staying There: Lessons from Successful Patients is now available at Amazon.com.

After weight loss surgery, and often at the start of a new diet, our excitement and motivation are high and our ability to choose the “right” foods and limit the portions come fairly easily. When a broader range of foods are reintroduced, we experience many competing thoughts about what we should and should not eat. As soon as we allow ourselves to eat the foods we like, that may have been forbidden during the many years of yo-yo dieting, it seems we lose the portion control mechanism that worked so well initially. With that first bite of a treat, we are off and running and eating way too much. We know that the goal is to be able to eat a portion of any food we like without overeating or binging. How do we accomplish this challenging task?

Eating with Awareness

The solution is to learn to eat with awareness. What are we trying to be aware of? One aspect of eating with awareness is choosing foods that have the potential to satisfy us in the moment. For example, sometimes we are in the mood for a creamy food that is sweet and cold. Foods have a variety of tastes and textures that create different sensations in our mouths and stomachs. In determining what foods will be satisfying, and it is helpful to consider the different properties that foods have. We can learn to identify and categorize these properties and determine what kind of satisfaction we are looking for at a particular time. Click here to read more.