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W e i g h t L o s s

Welcome to the very first issue of ‘Reliable Weight Loss’ the newsletter of the Gravitas Weight Loss Surgery team at Spire Fylde Coast

Hospital. We hope that this electronic magazine (or ezine) will educate, inform and entertain our pre- and post-operative patients. If

there is something that you feel we should cover, feel free to drop us an email and let us know. We can’t cover every aspect of weight

loss surgery, and of course there is no substitute for a face-to-face consultation with one of the clinical team, so please don’t consider

this as anything other than our news and views forum.

Happy reading!!

C o n t e n t s

N e x t u p

►  Introduction►  Book review►  Staying on track in the summer holidays►  Recipe►  In my own words... A patients own story►  Clinic dates  and times►  Support Group news►  Blackpool Illumathon Walk

Also this month: Positive Psychology

"Imagine yourself ten years from now, after everything has gone as wellas it possibly could. You have worked hard and succeeded ataccomplishing all of the life goals you set for yourself. Visualise whereand how you'd be if all your current dreams came true. Imagine thatyou've reached your own best potential. Carry on with this journallingassignment for several writing session, perhaps every day for a week.Fill in all the details you can imagine. Describe your surroundings andyour feelings. Take time to let your deepest hopes and dreams rise to thesurface" Barbara Fredrickson PhD, Positivity, 2009

"Long term change requires looking honestly at our lives and realizing that its nice to beneeded, but not at the expense of our health, our happiness and our sanity."

Ellen Sue Stern

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Mindless Eating: Why we eat more than we think.

“Did you ever eat the last piece of crusty, dried out chocolate cake even though it tasted like chocolate- scented cardboard? Everfinish eating a bag of french fries even though they were cold, limp and soggy? It hurts to answer questions like these.

Why do we overeat food that doesn’t even taste good?"Brian Wansinkay. Mindless Eating, Hay House 2009

So begins chapter one of possibly one of the most important books on our relationship with food published in recent years. Its certainlyone of the most interesting, and most readable. I have to admit to a severe Amazon habit, but after I picked this up in the bookshop, I

paid full price to have it there and then, and proceeded to read it in one sitting. Oprah Winfrey’s magazine ‘O’ said ‘Brain Wansink’sdiscoveries might very well change your life’. He certainly has a fascinating job, devising studies such as the ‘Bottomless Soup Bowl’test where his University Department’s mock restaurant (yes, he has one!) serves guests soup in bowls that are constant refilled via atiny pipe in the base. This genius experiment demonstrated that people eating from a standard bowl ate around 9oz, or just shy ofa standard can of soup. People eating out of the bottomless soup bowls at...and ate...and ate. ‘Most were still eating’, he writes‘when we stooped them, 20 minutes after they began’. The typical person ate around 15oz, but some ate more than 2 PINTS!When one of these people was asked to comment on the soup, his reply was, “Its pretty good, and its pretty filling”!

Whilst you may not find a free soup restaurant anytime soon, these findings have a parallel in the US-size portionswe are now served popcorn at the cinema, and the portion sizes in takeaways and fast foods. But Wansinkayoffers more than dry science. Armed with the information on how you are being seduced into over-orderingand then overeating he suggests simple strategies for restaurant-goers: ask for the bread basket to be

removed - if its there, you’ll eat it; split a main course between two or have appetizers only,remember soft music and candlelight makes you eat more as you linger, share a dessert

as the best bit is the first two bites; establish a Pick-Two rule: appetizer, drink,dessert - pick any two. It may not be rocket science, but its

fascinating science nonetheless! RM

Facebook digest Fun in the sun for band patients.29/6 When I talk about the band, I quote research on the limits of willpowerfrom this chap...his evil smile is because he gets paid to sit people in aroom with cookies that theyre not allowed to eat before making themattempt impossible puzzles!

After all these years," Baumeister recently commented, "myrecommendation is this: Forget about self-esteem and concentrate moreon self-control and self-discipline. Recent work suggests this would begood for the individual and good for society

30/6 Thinking about our band patients results. Reckon I'm expecting morefrom each one these days, and as they push themselves a little harderthey're exceeding their goals, especially with me and Catherine right be-hind them giving the resources they need, when they need them.

30/6 On a day of strikes due to public sector cuts, its worth remindingeveryone that bariatric surgery SAVES the NHS milions. If you know any-one awaiting funding or who works in the NHS, please forward this link -we need to make sure that bariatric patients dont become a target for cuts.

12/7And this got me thinking ...in my experience weight loss surgery actu-ally makes people HAPPIER. So its not just about adding years to life, butlife, and happy life at that, to years. PM Cameron says 'You cannot capturehappiness on a spreadsheet ' - er, no, but you CAN measure increasedquality of life, freedom from pain, diabetes remission and resolution of de-pression. All of which MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY!

29/7 as A 22-stone former policeman loses his Court of Appeal fight toforce a health authority to pay for obesity surgery"His current treatment costs at least £30,000 and he's only going to getworse which is going to be more expensive for the PCT."

Send a friend request toRobert Macadam at Facebook.com

As the schools break up and all our thoughts inevitably turn towards a well-deserved summer break. If youre heading abroad for a period of rest andrelaxation, don't let your surgery get in the way of a great trip.

1. Check your holiday insurance icompany is aware of your surgery - andshop a round- we'e heard of some amazing deals for band patients whobought cover for band related costs abroad.2. Be prepared. If youre going somewhere where you think they may beunfamiliar with the gastric band, we can supply you with a couple of theHuber port needles for you to pack in your hold luggage. That way if youreunluck enough to need an urgent band defill, atleast the port wont bedamaged by a regular syringe and needle3. Enjoy the break. We understand that everyone does things theywouldn't normally do on holiday, so nobodys going to tell you off when youcome back to clinic! But just remember the empty calories in that ouzo willmake its way past your band all too easily!

"Be a friend to yourself, and others will"

Scottish Proverb

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This deliciousdessert can be

enjoyed anytime without falling too

far off the wagon!!

1 egg, beaten150 mls (1/4 pint) skimmed milk

Artificial sweetener to tasteGrated nutmeg

Serves 1Per Portion 130 calories, 12.0 g protein, 7.5 g carbohydrate, 6.1 g fatStir milk into beaten egg and add artificial sweetener to taste. Pour into a heatproof cup / ramakin / basin.Grate fresh nutmeg over on the top. Stand in a pan with a small amount water in. Bring with water to agentle boil and cook for approximately 10 minutes, until set.Eat warm or chilled, with a spoon pureed fruit.Suitable for Stage One, Stage Two or Stage Three diet.

Poached egg custard

"Becoming a mum for the first time in September 2007 made me take a long hard look at myself. I realized that I couldn’t go on hiding from the world. I hadconvinced myself it was easier to stay home than go out, and face peoples stares and comments about my size. But now I had a baby who needed me, and I hadto change. Having tried virtually every diet out there, succeeding in some cases, but failing in most, I knew I had to make permanent changes. After visiting my GPand securing funding, I was referred to Gravitas for consultations. I was overwhelmed by how caring and understanding the team were, helping me understand mysituation and options. I was supported by leading professionals to choose the most suitable options for me and my lifestyle. I opted for the two stage gastricbypass. I had the gastric sleeve done in August 2009 and the bypass completed in March 2010. Yes, there was discomfort after the surgeries, but Ifollowed the advice given, and I recovered really quickly with no infections or post op problems. I have never looked back since!! My life has changed hugely sincemy surgeries. I have lost over 10 stone so far and I delivered twins (a big shock!) in February 2011, having a normal pregnancy throughout. With the decision I made to make a permanent change to my life, and with the absolutely amazing support from Gravitas I am achieving what is important to me and my family. Since my surgeries I have gradually become more sociable, very much more confident, happy in my own skin, very active and a very hands on mum, which is a must with three boys under 4 yrs of age!! My whole experience has been so positive, but I knew it was what I needed so I was lucky I didn’t go through a period of resentment or denial post op. I owe Gravitas so much for what they have/are supporting me to achieve. Thank you all so much for helping me get to grips with my weight problem and ultimately get my life back!!"

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Calling all would-be catwalkmodels!

We’re looking for some ladieswith chutzpah to help us put on acatwalk show to demonstrate justhow amazing the results of weightloss surgery can be! We’re hop-ing that we can interest a localboutique to support us and we’llbe looking to interest the localpress as well. We reckon theshops could and should get onboard with this – after all what doall our patients end up spending afortune on after surgery? A newwardrobe! So if you are post-sur-gery and game for a giggle, let usknow…..the catwalk could await!

Why not join the girls from theGravitas Team, have some fun,support Trinity Hospice and enjoyexercising together? The midnightwalk is either 5 or 10 miles alongthe front, with Blackpool’s historicilluminations lighting our way.Please apply online, but let usknow, too. We’ll provide Gravitastee-shirts, a donation to supportyour sponsorship and healthysnacks at the end of the walk. It’salso a chance to meet others whohave had weight loss surgery andchat about our journeys, as wewalk. Happy walking!

Click here:

http://www.illumathon.org.uk/

Calling All Ladies!

Blackpool’s

Illumathon Walk

Saturday 3rd

September 2011

The Patient Support Group at Spire FyldeCoast Hospital meets around once a monthand is there for ALL patients, before andafter (or even just considering) weight losssurgery. Dietician Catherine Towers, whoruns the sessions between 7 and 9pm onThursday evenings in the Dining Room atSpire Fylde Coast Hospital, finds that it’s avery useful forum for pre- and post-op pa-tients to exchange views and information.Each meeting has a theme, focus or guestspeaker, so the at the 1 September meetingthe group will hear from Helen, a bypasspatient about her weight loss journey, andthe following meeting will give attendees‘The Low Down on Vitamins and Minerals’!The evenings are informal, fun and light-hearted with refreshments provided, andare very well supported. Make a note inyour diary to come along on the followingdates – there’s no need to book, just turnup, relax and enjoy the evening.

Thursday 1 September*Thursday 22 SeptemberThursday 27 October

* Due to holidays etc, we’ve postponedAugust’s meeting for a week until back-to-school time!

"The man that makes no mistakes does notusually make anything"

Edward John Phelps

The Long Term Support Group is now upand running, and is looking for new recruitsto help it address the needs of patients twoyears or more out from their surgery.

Chris Chadwick, Director at Spire FyldeCoast Hospital has kindly offered the use ofthe facilities at the hospital for the rest of thisyear while the group finds a permanenthome for its monthly meetings.

The group will meet in the Bariatric WaitingRoom at Spire Fylde Coast between 7-9 pmon the dates below, with refreshmentsprovided.

There’s no need to book or reserve a place,just come along for some peer support-you’re guaranteed a warm welcome!

Support group report

Long term support group update

Fashionista alert!!