Before & After: Living & Eating Well After Weight Loss Surgery

At 278 pounds, Susan Maria Leach couldn't fit into a roller coaster seat, couldn't tie a bathrobe around herself, couldn't even ride with her husband on the back of his Harley. Enough was enough. Susan underwent gastric bypass weight loss surgery. Now Susan weighs in at a mere 135 pounds. Her book, Before & After, is the story of her incredible journey from being too big to enjoy her life, to being able to truly enjoy life to its fullest.

Now Susan can fit into that roller coaster seat, completely tie that robe, and ride on the back of her husband's Harley.

More than one hundred thousand people had weight loss surgery in 2003, and as those pounds continue to drop, the number of people opting for the surgery continues to rise.

Part memoir and part cookbook, Before & After includes a foreword by Susan's surgeon, comments from a nutritionist, and a section on frequently asked questions. It is an intimate account of Susan's own transformation, as well as a universal guide for those who have undergone or are considering the procedure.

After her own success, Susan participated in support groups for weight loss surgery patients. There, she discovered that people had as many questions about life after surgery as they had about the operation itself. Before & After answers those questions and many more. An accomplished home cook and longtime culinary enthusiast, Susan quickly became known as the "lady with the recipes."

Determined not to give up good food and a flexible lifestyle, Susan worked hard to develop recipes that meet her nutritional requirements, yet are delicious and satisfying for her, her family, and her guests. The 100 recipes — which include everything from Roasted Salmon with Mango Salsa and Italian Meatballs to Belgian Chocolate Cheesecake and Lemon Meringue Pie — make about four servings, but each comes with a measured serving for WLS people along with a calorie/carb/fat/protein count. Susan 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 Susan's own inspirational story, where she shares her ups and downs, her tips and techniques, but mostly it's a book about hope for anyone who has a serious weight problem.

"Weighing 278 pounds and unable to tie her bathrobe closed, in June 2001, Leach had her stomach reduced to the size of an egg. But her battle with food didn't end there. Like all those who undergo weight-loss surgery, Leach must diligently watch her food intake; eating more than a few bites of a dish or ingesting too much sugar will result in 'dumping,' a bodily reaction as unpleasant as it sounds (it involves food emptying from the stomach too quickly). Leach's journal of her post-operative year (which followed her loss of 143 pounds) shows that she remains just as obsessed with food as she was before surgery. Leach isn't exceptionally self-reflective and doesn't analyze what readers might find most helpful: how her relationship with her husband has changed. He grows jealous of her girls'-nights-out and tries to force her into eating key lime pie, even though it will make her sick. Later, in a q&a section, Leach matter-of-factly answers such inquiries about weight-loss surgery as 'Does insurance cover it?' and 'How fast should one lose weight?' In the book's final third, Leach provides more than 100 tasty (and dump-proof) recipes for protein shakes, main dishes and holiday meals. Many of the recipes can be found in other low-fat cookbooks, but Leach's recipes for desserts are unique (e.g., Lemon-Almond Sponge Cake). Although her journal may paint an overly rosy picture of post — weight-loss surgery life, those who have undergone or are considering such surgery may find it helpful. (May)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Since losing 143 pounds through WLS (weight loss surgery), Leach has developed these recipes to fulfill her nutritional requirements, yet also appeal to her family and friends.

Susan Maria Leach gained her knowledge of weight loss surgery through her personal experiences and research. She holds a degree from the University of Vermont in Medical Laboratory Technology, specializing in microbiology, hematology, and blood chemistry. She lives with her husband, Ty, and her cats, Sushi and Ziti, in Florida.