For many Americans, Thanksgiving marks the first day of a five-week holiday party circuit filled with incredible foods and decadent desserts. Joyful celebrations with co-workers, family and loved ones almost inevitably include high-calorie cakes, cookies and cocktails – making it near impossible to focus on weight loss. A more realistic plan is to aim for weight maintenance rather than trying to shed excess pounds during the holidays, experts say, and to wait until January to resume a more restricted diet.

Here are three smart strategies to keep your waistline in check through the final weeks of 2010, so you can start the New Year with a positive outlook. Read the full story

Weight loss surgery patients require unique vitamin supplements before and after their procedures. Which supplements they need often depends on the procedure. Read the full story

Bariatric nutrition is big business, as more Americans turn to weight loss surgery for the treatment of obesity. Two major players in the nutritional supplement market rolled out new products at this year’s ASMBS conference, aimed at helping post-op patients achieve optimal health. Read the full story

In the latest episode of Melting Mama’s Reality Bites, host Beth Sheldon-Badore shares “pearls of freakin’ wisdom” on what life is really like after weight loss surgery — regardless of which procedure you had — and tackles the topic of getting enough vitamins and nutrients post-op. Although not a doctor or dietician, Beth has learned from her own diligent research how to avoid nutritional deficiencies, and she shares her best practices on getting enough of the good stuff (with a teaspoon of humor to help the medicine go down).  She’ll also give the inside scoop on a couple of choco-licious protein powders, and wag a finger at those who claim that weight loss surgery is the “easy way out”. Click on the player to see what Melting Mama’s got in store, and be sure to share your thoughts in the Comments box below!

Products mentioned in this episode:

• BSN Lean Dessert Protein Powder
• Syntrax Nectar Sweet Protein Powder

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Leading bariatric-specific nutritional supplement manufacturer to be exclusive nutriceutical replacement sponsor of WLS News

IRVINE, California (December 22, 2008) — Bariatric Advantage^®, a Division of Catalina Lifesciences, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, California, has entered into an agreement with the Weight Loss Surgery Channel securing the right to be the exclusive nutriceutical replacement sponsor of WLS News for the first half of 2009.

WLS News is a weekly online newscast covering stories from the world of weight loss surgery, including new research findings about the outcomes of bariatric surgery, human interest stories, and special events for bariatric surgeons and members of the weight loss surgery community. The program’s viewership represents the ideal target market for Bariatric Advantage nutritional supplements, which are specifically formulated to meet the unique dietary needs of pre-operative bariatric surgical candidates and post-operative bariatric surgical patients.

“We are committed to bringing the highest caliber production quality and expert guidance to our viewers, and likewise committed to partnering with the highest caliber sponsors for our shows,” said Craig “Big-T” Thompson, founder and president of the Weight Loss Surgery Channel. Read the full story