Dear subscriber,
Happy New Year! We’re proud to bring you the first issue of Surgically Slim in
2006.
Thank you for your support. Our subscriptions have increased from a standing
start of 0 in September to more than 300 today.
But it’s not a numbers game: it’s about giving you, our readers, the information
you want and need.
Please take a minute to let us know what you like—and what you don’t. Tell us how we can make this e-zine more helpful to you . . . and we will.
Sincerely,
The Mount Sinai Program for Surgical Weight Loss
In this issue:
New Beginnings
by J. Joseph De Simone, Ph.D.
2006.
A New Year and, of course, new resolutions. How many times have you
promised to eat healthier or exercise more only to resort to old
behaviors within a short period of time? How often have you
started a diet on Monday only to find by Thursday you had long
forgotten your intentions? If you’re like most people, the answer
is more times than you’d like to remember.
Whether
you are struggling with overeating or have had bariatric surgery and
are in transition, the key to long-term success is changing your
attitude about yourself and about your relationship with food.
To
remove the roadblocks to success, you must put behind you all those
Mondays and good intentions! Those failures can serve as reminders of
your past inability to lose weight, but don’t let them deter you from
becoming the person you want to be. Instead, focus on the hope of today
and the belief in your ability to do more than you think you can.
To
conquer overeating, put the past behind you as you reach for what is
ahead. The first thing to reach out for is your commitment to your
goals. Remember, a commitment is a promise that you do not break!
But
what are those goals really about? Breaking the vicious cycle of
promise, failure and guilt requires making a commitment to ourselves
even before we create our ideal food plan and exercise regimen.
Compulsive eating is generally an attempt to self nurture. Only through
self-love and compassion can we hope for a successful recovery.
You
do not have to carry along the defeats of yesterday! Today the
past has no place in your life! Focus only on today and let the past pass away.
We
must create a psychological foundation of success before we succeed in
the real world. By doing this, we can free ourselves from guilt and
self-condemnation, stay focused on our goals for a healthier and
thinner self, and realize that we can really make changes for lasting
results. So here’s to a new year and a new beginning!
Clinical psychologist Dr. J. Joseph De Simone conducts psychological evaluations for bariatric surgery candidates. He
also provides pre- and post-surgical psychotherapy treatment.
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Mount Sinai launches online support group
The
Mount Sinai Program for Surgical Weight Loss invites its patients and
support group members to participate in a new online support group.
Hosted by Yahoo!, the Mount Sinai Obesity Surgery Support Group provides a forum
where pre- and post-operative patients can:
- share their successes,
- ask for advice,
- post high-protein recipes
- and more!
Sign up here.
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Getting fit in 2006
Every year, exercising more ranks among the top five New Year’s resolutions people
make—and break.
How can you make this year different?
Set realistic goals. Fifteen minutes of walking can be tough if you’re not used to it.
Figure out your current fitness level, and focus on improvement.
Open your mind. You don’t have to take up running or go to a gym to exercise. You can
improve physical fitness in other ways you might find more fun:
swimming, gardening, golfing, bicycling. Lifting cans of vegetables
while sitting down will help build strength. Get creative.
Track your progress. Find out where you are, and monitor your improvement. Increase the
number of minutes you spend doing a physical activity. And don’t forget
to pat yourself on the back when you reach a new goal.
As
always, consult your health-care provider to determine the safest way
for you to become more active. Together, you can keep your fitness
resolution for 2006.
Make Surgically Slim YOUR e-zine: Give us your feedback
The
January issue of Surgically Slim is our fifth monthly installment. What
do you think? To help us make this newsletter more useful to you, send
us an email, and tell us what you’d like to see in upcoming editions.
- Are you interested in more recipes?
- More success stories?
- More insurance information?
- More fitness advice?
- More guest columns by experts?
Send us your feedback , and we’ll try to give you more of what you’re looking for.
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Try this healthy adaptation of a classic Filipino recipe
Chicken and Spinach Adobo
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Cooking spray
1 10-ounce package chopped frozen spinach, thawed
- Mix together vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, bay leaf and red pepper flakes
in a bowl.
- Pour
into a zip-top plastic bag, add chicken and turn bag to coat. Marinate
in refrigerator for 2 hours, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from
bag and reserve marinade.
- Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and sauté chicken over medium-high
heat for 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly.
- While chicken is browning, place spinach in 2 layers of paper towels and
squeeze out moisture.
- Remove chicken from pan. Then pour reserved marinade in pan and bring to
a boil.
- Stir in spinach and place chicken on top. Lower the heat, cover the pan
and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken and keep warm. Raise heat to medium-high and reduce liquid
by half, about 5-7 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Serving guidelines
For Lap-Band:
- Weeks 1-4: Puree 2 ounces cooked chicken with 2 tablespoons spinach and
sauce.
- Weeks 5-8: Chop 2 ounces cooked chicken and top with spinach and sauce.
- Week 9: Serve 2-4 ounces cooked chicken topped with spinach and sauce.
For bypass:
- Weeks 1-4: Puree 2 ounces cooked chicken with 2 tablespoons spinach and
sauce.
- Weeks 5-8: Chop 2 ounces cooked chicken and top with spinach and sauce.
- Week 9: Serve 2-4 ounces cooked chicken topped with spinach and sauce.
For BPD-DS:
- Weeks 1-3: Puree 3-4 ounces cooked chicken with 2 tablespoons spinach and
sauce.
- Week 4: Serve 3-4 ounces cooked chicken topped with spinach and sauce.
For others:
- Serve 4 ounces cooked chicken topped with spinach and sauce.
Calories: 168.97, Protein: 25.65g, Fat: 4.51g, Carbohydrates: 5.08g, Cholesterol: 94.12mg, Fiber: 2.59g, Sodium: 693.92mg
Reprinted from Eating Well after Weight Loss Surgery, by Patt Levine and Michele Bontempo-Saray, © 2004.
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Next support group meeting: Wednesday, February 1
Mark your calendars for the next Mount Sinai Support Group Meeting.
When: February 1, 2006, 6:15 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Where: Annenberg Center, 5th Floor – 100th Street & Madison Avenue
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© 2006, The Mount Sinai School of Medicine. All rights reserved.
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