You may find some difference in acidity and taste, other than that, the bottled Realemon juice is great. Just shake well before using.

Hi,

I drink warm lemon water first thing when I wake up, for many reasons.

My question is: Other than the obvious benefits of using fresh food above bottled food...for those of you that know, would using fresh lemons for their juice actually have a benefit, nutritionally, above using bottled lemon juice? Purchasing fresh may be out of my financial/locational reach, but if I can be convinced otherwise, I'd switch to fresh.

Got any input?

The RNY and VSG forums both have daily meal posts that might be worth checking out for ideas. :)

Hello everyone

I have experienced gout flare ups off and on for the past 2 years. On 9/14/15, I had RNY surgery. I have been drinking protein shakes and eating small meals since surgery. Two days ago my gout flared up again. I have been to the doctor and started MORE medications. Does anybody have any idea what protein shakes will assist me in obtaining my protein goals and not increase uric acid? Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thank you.

ObesityHelp is a bariatric surgery website, which they openly state. >.>

As for myself, surgery saved my life and my sanity. I would choose it again in a heartbeat. I also value fasting and ketogenic diets, too, that you mention.

I've lost over 460 pounds. 300ish of those were by diet alone pre-op. At that point I was unable to lose more despite fasting, being on very low carb diets, etc. The only way I lost weight, and very slowly at that, was eating calories lower than many of us do after surgery, which caused me severe issues. I don't talk about this much, however I was, in fact, violently anti-WLS for many years. After getting over myself, I threw myself into researching surgery, and I discovered that it was very useful for many people, and, in fact, most people are very happy with it. Is surgery for everyone? Absolutely not. However, for many of us it works well enough that it's restored significant numbers of people to normal healthy weights after they were obese.

I'm familiar with Fung's work, and I'm one of the moderators on the Ketogenic Forums which are run by Richard and Carl. Carl also edits the new IDM podcast. Thus, I am very familiar with IF and fasting, perhaps more than the average person. I also don't talk about this much as I prefer to keep my forum realms separate and I don't want anyone to think I am needlessly handwaving as I pontificate enough. I only mention this now so you can understand that my opinions about surgery and ketogenic diets are both informed and well-researched.

I chose to have surgery. I had tried everything - fasting and ketogenic diets included. I'm a Zen Buddhist and used to fast 7-30 days at times. Again, I also used to weigh 750 pounds, 300+ of which I lost from following low carb (primarily ketogenic/zero carb) diets, so I know a lot about walking the talk. I have been on low carb diets for over ten years. I lost a lot of weight...however I began stalling and could no longer lose at a decent pace unless I cut my calories so low the doctor wanted to see me multiple times a week (300 calories). I am severely and intractably insulin resistant.

It is true that fasting can effect benefits similar to WLS, actually. However, there are stark differences.

For starters, the changes are significantly greater with surgery. Fasting and ketogenic diets *can* reverse T2 diabetes and reduce A1C. My A1C went from 11 to 6 with diet alone. However, my A1C refused to drop lower no matter what I did. After several months of only losing 2-3 pounds a month and being utterly miserable with being unable to eat anything aside from protein powder in order to stay super low calorie but still get my protein I needed, I took another look at surgery.

Fasting and such does not cause a permanent alteration to glucose metabolism. Most people also typically are all over the place diet-wise. Very few people on ketogenic diets do reduce their obesity; oh a lot lose weight. Some lose hundreds of pounds and do very well. For a variety of reasons, though, surgery works well for the majority of the obese...even more so than a ketogenic diet and fasting.

Surgery also works faster and the changes are stronger and more resilient. It immediately begins to reverse insulin resistance by permanently changing the enteroendocrine hormones that regulate obesity. A gastric bypass, for instance, cures diabetes in a matter of days. Several insulin dependent people can go off insulin usually after a few weeks if they are type 2. Surgery works very well, particularly the duodenal switch.

Having said that, while I understand your frustrations, I do not think that slamming surgery is going to get you the fellowship you seek. It's just as ruthless as people who may have shoved surgery down your throat. Forums typically serve populations that request services and that is how they manifest changes. Why don't you start fasting groups or ketogenic groups if that's what you want here? If you don't want to do that there are many other places as well.

There are many options and everyone must be well-informed and well-educated to make them. While you may not like it, surgery is one such option that has done many more people good than ill. Regardless, good luck finding what you are looking for. I hope you're able to find the change and support you need.