Marcher's the last of the mistakes we hope no to make

If we are having a problem with these things we need to see the problem and start working on it. 6th Mistake: Grazing Many people who have had WLS regret that they ever started grazing, which is nibbling small amounts here and there over the course of the day. It's one thing to eat the three to five small meals you and your doctor agree you need. It's something else altogether when you start to graze, eating any number of unplanned snacks. Grazing can easily make your weight creep up. Eating enough at meal time, and eating planned snacks when necessary, will help you resist grazing. Make a plan for what you will do when you crave food, but are not truly hungry. For example, take up a hobby to keep your hands busy or call on someone in your support group for encouragement. 7th Mistake: Not Exercising Regularly Exercise is one of the best weapons a WLS patient has to fight weight regain. Not only does exercise boost your spirits, it is a great way to keep your metabolism running strong. When you exercise, you build muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even at rest! 8th Mistake: Eating the Wrong Carbs (or Eating Too Much) Let's face it, refined carbohydrates are addictive. If you eat refined carbohydrates they will make you crave more refined carbohydrates. There are plenty of complex carbohydrates to choose from, which have beneficial vitamins. For example, if you can handle pastas, try whole grain Kamut pasta--in moderation, of course. (Kamut pasta doesn't have the flavor some people find unpleasant in the whole wheat pastas.) Try using your complex carbohydrates as "condiments," rather than as the center point of your meal. Try sprinkling a tablespoon of brown rice on your stir-fried meat and veggies. 9th Mistake: Going Back to Drinking Soda Drinking soda is controversial in WLS circles. Some people claim soda stretches your stomach or pouch. What we know it does is keep you from getting the hydration your body requires after WLS--because when you're drinking soda, you're not drinking water! In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population. The best thing you can do is find other, healthier drinks to fall in love with. They are out there. 10th Mistake: Drinking Alcohol If you drank alcohol before surgery, you are likely to want to resume drinking alcohol following surgery. Most surgeons recommend waiting one year after surgery. And it is in your best interest to understand the consequences of drinking alcohol before you do it. Alcohol is connected with weight regain, because alcohol has 7 calories per gram, while protein and vegetables have 4 calories per gram. Also, some people develop an addiction to alcohol after WLS, so be very cautious. Depending on your type of WLS, you may get drunker, quicker after surgery, which can cause health problems and put you in dangerous situations. If you think you have a drinking problem, get help right away. Putting off stopping drinking doesn't make it any easier, and could make you a lot sicker. Hopefully we realize if these things are a struggle for us and we start to find ways to cope with our problems. None of us are alone in this struggle. Life is great, Rick

Yikes! 6,7, and 8 are big ones for me. I try not to graze too often but find it's easy to do when I'm bored. Exercise is a continual struggle. I certainly do much better than pre surgery, but probably not as much as I should be doing. The carb monster attacks me sometimes too. I try to stick to whole grains as much as possible but those crackers sneak their way into my eating plan from time to time. Thanks for these reminders. Happy Thursday! Hugs, Stephanie

Stephanie, Guess what it sounds like you are human. We all have some things we struggle with. We just try to do the best we can with the tool we have been given and live our lives. I think a little guilt can be a good thing and help to keep us on the right track. Just don't try to be obsessed by it. Have a great day, Rick

you're such a wealth of information Rick! I've started grazing and caught myself doing it! At first I would "graze" just to get enough protein in for the day, but the habbit went from "grazing" with protein to just grazing.. I'ts something I have to stop doing before I do harm. thanks for bringing all these subjects to light, they're so important in our new lives!