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Before & After, Revised Edition: Living and Eating Well After Weight-Loss Surgery
Source: Susan Maria Leach
MSRP: $15.99
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.
Reviews of: Before & After, Revised Edition: Living and Eating Well...
Review by:
Posted on November 21, 2008 9:40 PM PST
Price Paid: $0.00
Recommends this product or service? Yes.
The recipes are awesome
OK, I didn't buy this book for the recipes. Sadly, I bought it for a story of what life was like before and after, a bit of a personal spin on what to expect. (Since I haven't had the surgery yet but I'm doing more and more research.) It really felt like the author threw her own story in there just to make a good cookbook sell better. That being said, buy it for the recipes if nothing! They taste super.
Review by:
Posted on November 14, 2008 1:00 PM PST
Price Paid: $0.00
Recommends this product or service? Yes.
Good to have...mostly for the recipes
I didn't buy this book until after I had weight loss surgery, because I always hesitated. I really want to read more memoir-like books about weight loss surgery, but this one mostly focuses on the author's recipes. Her "story" only occupies about half (or even less) of the book. I wanted her to talk more about her journey, but no...the last half of the book is devoted to recipes.
The recipes themselves are great--I really enjoyed her spin on protein shakes (I made some and they actually tasted good and not gritty/gross like most of them turn out!). The dessert recipes are impressive, I find that when I make desserts from a book, I always tend to grab this one first.
The "revised" edition of this book is the most helpful, I would highly recommend trying to get the revised edition over the older copy, because the new one has more recipes and more tidbits and advice from the author and other sources.
It's a great book, but still, I was left feeling like I wanted the author to write a follow up book and leave out the recipes (however good they may be!).
