Bariatric News April 2015 ` Group Health Bariatric Surgery This Months Topic Get Moving / Get Strong Bariatric Surgery is a lifesaving procedure, but in the end it s just a tool to assist you in meeting your weight loss goal. It s up to you to make the lifestyle changes that will sustain that goal. You must commit to making lifelong changes to your diet and daily habits. This includes exercise. The only way that you will be able to enjoy continued success is by putting yourself first. You must take care of yourself. You may have a family, a job and other responsibilities that encroach on your time, but we can tell you that if you don t take care of your needs first, in the end you don t end up doing your best in these other areas of your life either. Exercise is one of those lifestyle changes that will assist you in achieving and maintaining your weight loss goal and ultimately improved health. Exercise provides many health benefits as well, such as improved sleep, decreased stress and increased muscle mass. Let s get moving and get strong! Support Group Meetings Bellevue Wed 4-15-15 6:30 8:15 Central Wed 4-8-15 6:15 8:15 Everett Wed 4-22-15 6:00 8:00 Fed. Way Wed 4-1-15 6:00 8:00 Olympia Wed 4-8-14 6:00-8:00 Silverdale Thurs 4-16-15 6:00 7:30 Tacoma Tues 4-28-15 6:00 8:00 Back on Track Support Group Friday April 3 Friday May 1 Must be at two years out from surgery. Questions: bariatricpatients@ghc.org or 425-502-3454 Guest Speakers April: Julie to visit Tacoma Support Group May: Julie to visit Federal Way Support Group Upcoming Topics May: Get Portion Start June: Body and Mind Harmony Group Health Bariatric Web Page *On the GHC.org Web Site * http://www.ghc.org/bariatric-patients/ Copy and paste this URL to your favorites for easy access. Monthly newsletter posted the 1 st of each month (if the 1 st is a weekend/holiday, it will be posted the next business day). About 2 years of past newsletter issues are also available. 1 of 5
Get Moving / Get Strong Extra weight can make exercise hard to enjoy. In fact it s not uncommon to hear out patients say that physical activity of any kind is unpleasant. With weight loss you are likely to experience a decrease in the symptoms that make being physical active difficult. In order to commit to exercise and actually enjoy it, you will need to find something that you like to do. If it s something that is fun for you, you will treat it more like playtime and make it a priority rather than a chore. Start with a can do attitude. To be an effective exerciser, first develop some mindsets that will assist you in being more positive about becoming a more physically active person. Exercise is non-negotiable. It s a high priority and there are no excuses that are good enough to keep you from your exercise plan. Make a plan. What type of exercise interests you? How often will you do it? What time of day is going to fit your schedule the best? If at first, you aren t really enjoying it do it anyway. Give yourself time to adjust and feel comfortable with whatever form of activity you have chosen. If after a given amount of time, say a month, you decide what you hate what you have chosen to do, find a new activity but DON T STOP! Exercise builds muscle. Muscle burns more calories than fat tissue. Remember that these are not the only health benefits that you get from a more physical lifestyle. Research has shown that exercise reduces some two dozen physical and mental health conditions. Consistency is important. To truly learn to enjoy and maintain the fitness benefits of exercise, you must be consist in your efforts. Don t take breaks due to vacation, traveling for business, the craziness of the holidays, work deadlines and children s activities. You may not always be able to do your regular routine, but you can get creative to figure out how to fit exercise into your day when life gets in the way. There are many forms of exercise that you can chose from, such as walking, riding a bike, bowling, golf, tennis, swim, jump rope, yoga, dance or you can join a gym. In a gym you can choose from many different machines, take a class or take advantage of a personal trainer. For those that are new to the exercise arena, walking is great place to start. It can be done anywhere, doesn t require equipment or cost or a learning curve. The 6 week walking program outlined below may get your moving, one step at a time, to a more physical and healthier lifestyle, whether you are pre or post op. Now is a good time to start: Week 1: Take two 5-minute walks every day. Week 2: Take two 7-minute walks every day. Go at your own pace. Week 3: Take two 10-minute walks every day. Enjoy the scenery; concentrate on your posture and your breathing. Week 4: Take two 15-minute walks every day. You are now walking 30 minutes each day! Week 5: Increase to two 20 minutes walks each day. Week 6: Now increase your walking sessions to 30 minutes. Swing your arms and enjoy yourself! At 6 weeks, you are walking a hour each day. Now when life gets in the way of taking two 30-minutes walks don t just not do it at all. Take two shorter walks, whatever is going to fit into that particular day. Then return to two 30-minute walks. 2 of 5
Announcements Book Review The Bariatric Step s to a Healthier Future is now available online. As we update the booklet, we will post the most recent version on the http://www.ghc.org/bariatricpatients/ web page. Most recent updates: 10-17-14 Olympia Support Group now has a walking group that will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Capital Lake at 6:00pm. Meet in the Marathon Park parking lot. Maureen Bailey is the contact person. You can contact her via the Facebook page or her cell phone at 360-489-4927. Facebook: A patient has set up a facebook page for Group Health bariatric patients only. This a closed group and not officially endorsed by Group Health. This is private group. Please remember that those seeking medical advice should be advised to contact their provider. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/28525681500 1402/ Wait times continue to grow. Please be patient and know that you can contact Customer Service to express your concerns, if you wish (we won t be offended). 888-901-4636 Support Groups: please remember that all support groups are the responsibility of the Bariatric Program. Anyone with comments or concerns is encouraged to share those with us. bariatricpatients@ghc.org Another Facebook page to check out is: www.facebook.com/bodymindharmonycoach Check out this article that was recently in the Seattle Times. Very interesting. Weight loss surgery cuts risk of death among morbidly obese If you have a topic that you d like to seen covered in an upcoming newsletter, please email suggestions to: bariatricpatients@ghc.org Better Than Before: Mastering the Habits of our Everyday Lives This brand new book by Gretchen Rubin helps people master the task of developing good lifestyle habits. In reading the review of this book, readers are finding this book well written, insightful and very helpful. The author provides steps for breaking bad habits and establishing new and improved habits. With our topic of exercise and knowing just how hard it can be to incorporate that into our lives, due to busyness or just lack of desire to do it, this book is an excellent addition to your reading list. The author also wrote the Happiness Project, which also tackles the difficulty of change. Author: Gretchen Robin ISBN-13: 978-0385348614 ($15.60 at Amazon) Support Groups We currently have 7 support groups around the area. These groups are meant to provide support, encouragement and comradery, both before and after surgery. Please always keep in mind that each patient is different and their journey and experience will also differ from yours. Sharing your personal experiences is what the groups are all about. We want the group experience to be a positive one each and every month for each and every patient and support person. If at any time you are feeling unwelcome or have a poor support group experience, I would encourage you to address these privately with the facilitator of your group or by emailing Julie at: bariatricpatients@ghc.org 3 of 5
Try Making Your Own Nut Butters: Spread nuts, seeds and/or coconut in a shallow baking dish. Toast at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor. Add any liquid ingredients, any spices and salt. Process, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed, until smooth and creamy, at least 5 minutes and up to 10 minutes. Chai Peanut Butter 1 ¾ cup unsalted peanuts ¼ tsp. vanilla extract ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon ⅛ tsp. ground cardamom ⅛ tsp. ground cloves ⅛ tsp. ground ginger Pecan-Almond 1 cup unsalted almonds ¾ cup unsalted pecans 1 Tbs. honey ½ tsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. ground cinnamon Coconut-Sesame Cashew Butter 1 ½ cup unsalted cashews 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes 2 Tbs. sesame seeds 1 Tbs. canola oil or melted coconut oil No-Nut Butter 1 ¼ cup unsalted sunflower seeds ¼ cup ground flaxsee 2 Tbs. sesame seeds ¼ cup sunflower oil 1 Tbs. honey Recipe of the Month Asparagus Gruyere Frittata 2 tsp. olive oil 1 small onion, chopped 1 pinch black pepper ½ lb. fresh asparagus 4 eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded Preheat broiler. Rinse asparagus trim tough ends off and spears cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and pepper. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a 10-inch over-proof skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt, and stir until softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered 6-8 minutes until asparagus is barely tender. Pour in eggs and cook until almost set but still runny on top, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over eggs and broil until cheese is melted and browned 3-5 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges and serve Serves Size: 6 Calories: 137, Protein: 10 grams Sorghum Pancakes 2 cup sorghum flour (see page 5) 1 Tbsp. baking powder 1 tsp sugar13/4 tsp salt ½ cup non-fat dry powdered milk 1 Tbsp. canola oil 3 eggs 1 ½ cup water Combine dry ingredients. Stir in oil, eggs and water, mix well. Drop by spoonful s onto hot, 375º griddle and cook until golden brown, turning once. Calories: 150 (2 pancakes), Protein: 24grams 4 of 5
More Healthy Foods to Say Yes To Your Questions Answered 1. Asparagus: It s that time of year for an abundance of asparagus. Just 27 calories for 1 cup and is loaded with good for you nutrients. (see recipe on page 4) 2. Legumes: Dried beans, such as peas and lentils are concentrated coursed of fiber and can be swapped out for mean, pasta and can be pureed and used to thicken soups. 3. Whole Grains: Each ½ cup (about 1 ounce) serving of whole grains provides 2-4 grams of fiber and most are also good sources of protein. a. Amaranth: this plant based protein is high in fiber, magnesium and iron. It has a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Makes a great breakfast cereal and can be ground into flour or substituted for polenta in recipes. b. Millet: Mild flavored, good in both sweet and savory dishes. Good source of fiber, copper, zinc, phosphorus, manganese and magnesium. Use in soups or stews, pilafs, in place of rice and as a breakfast cereal. c. Sorghum: Sweet flavor and rich in protein, iron, fiber and antioxidants. It has a chewy texture that makes it good in cold salads or hot dishes like soup or pilaf. Also great ground into flour for a healthy substitute for regular flour (see recipe on page 4). d. Quinoa: The new hot food product. Quinoa is a great substitute of rice or pasta. You will find many recipes using this product. 4. Nuts and Seeds: A 1.5 ounce serving of most nuts and seeds provides about 3 grams of fiber. Both nuts and seeds are great toppers for salads or mixed into dishes instead of croutons. Grind in a coffee grinder and add to breakfast cereals or smoothies for added protein and fiber. Nuts and seeds also make delicious nut butters. See page 4 for some recipes using various nuts and seeds. Is there a clothing store for bariatric patients to donate to or to use and return? Not that we know of. We do recommend your local Goodwill or Value Village stores. Often there are local consignment shops and used clothing stores. Follow Up Appointments From time to time we get asked if patients can do their follow up appointments by phone or with their PCP. The answer is no, not in the first 5 years postsurgery. We outline prior to surgery the follow up requirement. It s an expectation that patients make that commitment. As a Center of Excellence for Bariatric Surgery, one of the requirements is that we do routine follow up on our patients for the first 5 years. These appointments need to be face-to-face and by a bariatric provider. This requirement is based on research and evidence that doing this follow up helps our patients to avoid problems and experience healthy weight loss, both short and long term. We know that many of your live a distance from Bellevue; however after that first year, it s only one trip per year. In the first year, it is very important that we see more frequently. How to Contact Group Health Bariatric Clinic bariatricpatients@ghc.org 425-502-3454 Do not email any medical concerns to this address. Please call the number above or email using My Group Health, with any medical concerns or questions about your surgery. 5 of 5