It Ain't Over 'til the Thin Lady Sings: How to Make Your Weight-Loss Surgery a Lasting Success [Paperback] Review

Oh yawn, I thought. Another book by a gastric bypass patient explaining how to make things work long-term. But this book is certainly different than several others I've read by post-bypass patients. The author is a certified addictions counselor, and she tackles one of the most difficult aspects of weight loss by ANY means, be it weight-loss surgery or a diet and exercise regimen and that is the psychological aspects of what cause us to overeat and become obese in the first place. There is some very basic information about WLS itself and about post-op care and eating, but not much.

It is refreshing to read a book that doesn't give lists of what you can and can't eat, huge recipe sections, long lists of do's and don'ts. It's also refreshing to read a book in which the majority of the content is not all about the author and her story from fat to fit and how fabulous life is now. This book is about YOU. There are some anecdotes about the author's personal experiences and the experiences of some of her clients (she facilitates WLS support groups and deals with chronic overeaters), but it's mostly exercises encouraging you to find your own answers and gives you tools to help you work through your own "demons" and to develop strategies to let go of the old behaviors and develop healthy new ones. It also encourages you to come up with a post-op program that works for YOU rather than just following someone else's lists of do's and don'ts. This is an aspect of obesity in general and WLS in particular that I feel is very neglected and this book is a welcome addition to any collection of books dealing with WLS.

That said, I do feel it's somewhat incomplete with regard to the lack of information about the surgery itself, physical followup care, and I don't believe it emphasizes enough the importance of putting protein first, and her protein recommendations run lower than my own research indicates is necessary. The vital necessity of vitamin supplementation after gastric bypass is also not addressed forcefully enough, I don't think. As an RN working in a GI clinic, I talk with many post-ops who are quite malnourished down the road and find that their supplementation is very underdone. But since so many others of these types of books are just the opposite--emphasizing the physical aspects but ignoring the psychological, I do feel this book is an essential addition to any WLS patient's library, but I cannot say that it is a complete and comprehensive guide to WLS.

I myself am a year post-op RNY, and I did find the book very helpful, although not always pleasant, as some of the psychological things I have put on the back burner and it wasn't easy dragging them into the light. Still, I believe for long-term success, the author is absolutely correct in stating that these things MUST be addressed. The book will remain on my "keeper" shelf and I intend to drag it out periodically to refer to. Well done, and many thanks to Michelle for writing this book!

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Product Description:
This sensitive, sympathetic book helps readers determine whether or not weight-loss surgery is right for them. Author Michelle Ritchie shares both her personal journey as a successful weight-loss surgery patient and her professional advice as an experienced weight-loss counselor. In sometimes funny, sometimes painful prose, she discusses her life before and after surgery and bluntly analyzes her own complicity in her obesity. As she describes her four-year battle to maintain her new, healthy weight, Ritchie emphasizes personal responsibility, reminding readers that surgery is not a quick-fix solution but a tool that works only as well as the choices patients make after the procedure. Also included are a detailed description of gastric bypass surgery; its pros and cons; tips for keeping weight off after surgery; daily food plans and sample shopping lists; information on cross-addictions; and a thoughtful discussion on intimacy and relationships after surgery.

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A Guide to Weight Loss Surgery: Professional and Personal Views (The Praeger Series on Contemporary Health and Living) (Hardcover) Review

Whether you are overweight or just know someone who is, this book offers a personal point of view from a physician who has been there and tried all sorts of dieting solutions, etc before deciding that surgery was the appropriate solution for her.

She deals with the emotional issues of being overweight, the various attempts at dieting and exercise and combines this emotional roller coaster with the understanding of a physician.

Finally, she discusses objectively the decision process toward solving her overweight problem, why she made the decisions she made, how to determine what is best for the individual, and finally what to expect before , during and after varoius surgeries if that route is chosen.

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Extraordinary Taste [Paperback] Review

I love this book.I had WLS in April of 2007 and the recipes in this book are perfect for the stage I am in right now.The recipes keep the meat moist and easy for a RNY patient to eat.The foods are not bland though, and I love spicy.My favorites are the "Fiery Cheeseburger" and "Chicken Verde Quiche".Fantastic!!!The author uses easy to find and inexpensive ingredients.She is not promoting an online business that sells expensive protein powders and vitamins.Don't get me wrong I love my protein shakes and find them to be an invaluable way to get the recommended protein in, but it is refreshing to find a bariatric recipe book that is not hawking anything.She just offers easy, healthy and delicious recipes.I wish I had purchased this sooner...it is my new favorite and I have a lot of cookbooks.

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The REAL Skinny On Weight Loss Surgery: An Indispensable Guide to What You Can REALLY Expect!! (Paperback) Review

This is not a technical manual on WLS, and it's not meant to be.It's a very well rounded book that humerously provides pre-surgery, surgery, and post-surgery information.As a pre-WLS patient, I have found it to be most helpful in "real-life" presentation of all the information gaps that exist for pre-WLS patients. Very digestible read!

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Product Description:
Written for REAL people, by REAL people, about REAL stuff! If you're a REAL person considering weight loss surgery, this book will give you the right information to make the decision, whether or not it's REALLY right for you! If you've already decided on surgery, then we'll tell you what it's REALLY like to live day to day as a weight loss surgery patient, and how to find a good bariatric surgeon and multidisciplinary practice who'll help you live a healthier, happier life. Plus, the book is updated with REAL info on the LAB-Band procedure; REAL info on the gastric sleeve, sclerotherapy as an alternative to re-operation for weight gain, and other procedures and potential treatment options; REAL info about hidden costs related to bariatric surgery, and tips to deal with them; and REAL answers about skin issues, protein diets, co-morbidities, and other scary thoughts. No celebrity life stories. No unrealistic Hollywood expectations. Just real life experiences, tips, and information to help you make the decision that's right for you.\n

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Before & After, Revised Edition: Living and Eating Well After Weight-Loss Surgery (Paperback) Review

Just got my book in the mail today and I've not put it down.I am a post RNY surgery patient and I bought Ms. Leach's original book at the start of my journey almost 3 years ago.I bought several books on the surgery but found Ms. Leach's to be my bible.This book offers a soft cover which makes it easier to lay open on the counter when using her recipes (the book actually stays open to the page). You can't beat the price.The valuable information contained in the book is a must for anyone considering the surgery, recovering from the surgery or like me 3 years post op.Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

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Product Description:

At 278 pounds, Susan Maria Leach couldn't lie in bed without gasping for air, wasn't able to fit into a restaurant booth, and could barely buckle the belt in an airplane seat. It would have been easier to allow life to pass her by than to continue fighting her weight problem, but she made the difficult decision to take back control. In 2001, Susan underwent gastric bypass surgery and started on a journey that would not only cut her body weight in half but would change her life.


Before & After is both a memoir and a cookbook-an intimate account of Leach's own transformation as well as a guide for those who have undergone or are considering the procedure. As Leach has learned in the six years since her operation, weight-loss surgery is not an event with a finish line or a goal weight-it is the beginning of a new way of life.


This edition of Before & After has been updated with all that Leach has learned on her post-op journey. It includes a foreword by Leach's surgeon, advice from a nutritionist, answers to more frequently asked questions about weight-loss surgery, a whole chapter on meal plans for different post-operative stages, suggested menus for early food stages, additional questions and answers affecting longer-term post-ops, and new information about products that have entered the marketplace.


Most notably, this edition showcases a wealth of new recipes that utilize the latest in light and healthy ingredients for smart and savory results, including everything from Asian Meatballs with Peanut Sauce and Turkey Tenderloin with Apple Chipotle Chutney to sugar-free Pistachio Gelato and Lemon Almond Sponge Cake. Each recipe makes about four servings, but includes a measured serving for WLS people along with a calorie/carb/fat/protein count. Leach has recipes for every step of the way, from tastes-like-the-real-thing milk shakes for those first post-op days to an entire Thanksgiving menu.


Before & After is a journal of Leach's own inspirational story, where she shares her ups and downs, her tips and techniques, but mostly it's a book of hope for anyone who has a serious weight problem.



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