Today, Tuesday 10th January sees the 1st episode of the new ‘Fat Surgeons’ series air on the REALLY CHANNEL.
You can follow two of Britain’s most sought after Bariatric experts, Mr Shaw Somers and Mr Chris Pring and their patients, on their remarkable journeys as they undergo surgery, cope with the after effects, and try to re-build their lives, whilst battling their food demons.
Each episode explores what life is like for overweight people who are about to undergo a procedure, or have already had an operation and are now living with the limitations and consequences of bad diets and over-eating.
The series will be both touching and educational. Episode 1 shows Guy Poingdestre and Irene Footer. Guy has lost an incredible 19 stone since he had a gastric bypass in 2007. His life hit rick bottom – when due to sleep apnoea, he lost his job as a bus driver, which made his eating habits even worse. Four years later he is still losing weight and has now found new love!
Meanwhile, Irene’s been a weight watcher for the last 30 years – she’s tried everything. With a BMI of 47, Irene is desperate to lose weight. Irene shows her freezer, it’s stocked high with small pots of her post-op diet liquidised food she has cooked from her cousin Carol’s bariatric cookery book. YES, YOU GUESSED, MY ‘RETURN TO SLENDER’ COOKBOOK! As a lifelong food obessive, how will she cope with her tiny stomach?
I hope you will all join Guy, Irene and myself on the sofa tonight Tuesday 10th January 9pm on the Really Channel to watch this new series.
Fat Surgeons is new and exclusive to Really, Tuesdays at 9pm from 10th January (Sky 248, Virgin 267, Freeview 20)
Sara says
Watched the programme. It was great to see success stories. I’m 4 months post op (gastric sleeve) and it was helpful to see someone further on in their journey.
The banana loaf which was baked looked fab- please could the recipe be posted on the website?
Carol says
Glad you enjoyed the programme Sarah…there are more inspiring stories to come over the next 4 weeks. I shall also be back in the kitchen for the next series with a bit of cooking (filming on Thursday next week but don’t know what as yet). The banana cake is in my new cookbook…to be published in about a weeks time (23rd Jan is the latest date from my printer). It’s called ‘Return 2 Slender…Second Helpings’ and will be available on my website as Return to Slender 1 is and also will be listed on Amazon Marketplace too. It will have new advice on eating out; mindful eating, upping the exercise and checking out those ‘red flag’ signs that can indicate regain, along with some new 50 recipes. It’s not a replacement for the first book more a companion to make sure you make the best of your surgery further down the line. Carol
Wayne Bradley says
Hi Carol
I watched the show tonight (17th Jan) and found it so interesting. Although I am not very large I am still overweight and am losing weight at the moment by exercise and careful eating. I would like to know if your recipies apply to those who have not had the operation? They sound very tasty….
Wayne
Carol says
They most certainly can Wayne. My recipes have been developed for all the family/friends to eat and are high in protein, low in fat and low in sugars – so perfect for weight loss and maintenance. In fact many WLS patients have said that their partners have often lost some excess weight by following this eating regime (I hesitate in calling it a diet). Try some of them out and let me know how you get on. Carol
Lesley says
Watched last night’s 17/01/2012 episode with husband. Absolutely brilliant programme. Husband felt rather sick when Shaw mentioned you hardly ever see fat old men. My husband has a bit of a gut but will most definitely do something about it now.
Carol says
Wow! I had to look at the programme again to catch that….Shaw is right! I hadn’t thought about it before but it’s so true. Sometimes to pass the time when waiting for someone I do a mental count of the overweight/obese people I see and they are definitely on the increase. What saddens me most is the number of children and young adolescents in this number. If his message has got across to your husband (even though he isn’t a wls candidate) then that’s great…sometimes we get the most incentive from the most unlikely places. Good to hear from you Lesley…keep in touch! Carol
Suzie59 says
Great programme and even though I am 10 months post bariatric surgery by Guy Slater and 8st lighter I still watch and wish everyone the best. I’m struggling a bit with what I can and can’t eat but find Carol’s website (and Carol) an inspiration and I’m so looking forward to book no 2. Keep up the great work everyone!
Carol says
Thanks for the lovely positive comments Sue. I am always happy to help with some suggestions for eating after surgery so if there is anything specific you would like to see please do ask. It’s a fallacy that eating after surgery is a walk in the park…we all know how ‘mindful’ we have to be and it can be anything but easy. My second book is being published tomorrow, called ‘Return 2 Slender…Second Helpings’. It isn’t a replacement for the original basic book but has more information for further down the line and some extra 50 recipes too. I shall be posting more about it tomorrow on the website etc. I’m sure all other WLS patients would want to wish you all the best too. CAROL
Andrea, 41 says
I am very glad to have watched ‘Fat Surgeons’ on the Really Channel as I discovered that there is someone out there who previously underwent surgery who has a clue about post-op cookery. I noticed that there are not that many good cook books out there and would love to buy both your books as soon as I can. I have currently have a gastric balloon inserted and have frequent trips to Sunderland for psychiatric (comfort food eater!) counselling and I’m on the list for a gastric bypass (hopefully!?)in the months to come. I have been on my journey since July 2010 and will be glad to continue with it for the rest of my life. Im am a little worried about taking vitamins for the rest of my life, do they actually get absorbed? Could you please recommend any recipes/foods to cope with a sweet-tooth and crunchy food obsession as really trying to avoid them and would like help with a healthy fall-back if in dire need? Thanks Carol, perhaps we may meet oneday? Andrea, 41
Carol says
Hi Andrea, good to make contact with you. I am pleased you liked the ‘Fat Surgeons’ programme and am happy to say I shall be doing more. Last week we did some more filming in my own kitchen and a bit more on my ‘story’ so look out for it in May. You’re right about the cookery books…very little around for the UK cook which is why I wrote my original ‘Return to Slender’ cook book. Yesterday also saw the launch of my second book ‘Return 2 Slender…Second Helpings’ with more advice and recipes. You can see more about it on the bariatric books page of the website. It does have some recipes in there which would help you with your sweet tooth and crispy snack urge. There’s recipes for brownies, a banana cake, muffins etc and also a snack spread for bariatric-friendly type crisps, poppers and sliders!
Re vitamins and minerals for life…this is so important to adhere to. There is little doubt that there won’t be as much absorption of these after wls so it’s vitally important to choose a good quality one and also to check with your bariatric team which ones you should be taking. I currently take a multi vitamin, calcium and iron but I know of others who take additional ones. This is also the reason why I have regular blood tests to ensure that I am not deficient in anything. I also work very hard to keep my food high in protein, low in fat and low in sugars. It’s all achievable Andrea you just have to be ‘mindful’ about all these things.
Good luck with your balloon…check out the website for news, recipes and advice to prepare you well for your bypass. Have you also registered for the free newsletter? Check out the top right hand corner of the home page. Next newsletter is due out soon.
Do keep in touch. Carol
Andrea, 41 says
Hi Carol! Many thanks for your reply and the advice! I am also going to prepare some soups and meals for when im eating pureed food and would like to know if 125mls is about right or too much for portion sizes when using small tubs for freezing? Also in relation to the calorie intake am i right in thinking that it might be around 1500 kcals per day or is it less? Thanks about the vitamin info. Im also wondering about the artificial sweeteners and if they are perfectly safe to use all the time as i heard they cause all sorts of problems with prolonged use? Whats fact and whats fiction? If you could let me know as im sure you or one of your friends in nutrition will know and put my mind at ease. Its not that im too worried but i did tell you that i had a sweet tooth and want to train myself away from sugar cookery and use sweeteners in things that i can eat in moderation. In the past ive made my own jam, chutney and baking and dont know if sweeteners will work in the recipes i have or if i need to tweek them? Any way thanks again and i will be in touch again! Andrea, 41