Frank's Place

Who doesn’t love ice cream? Frozen custard? Frozen yogurt?  Sorbet?  Gelato?  I love all of these frozen treats, but since my surgery do they love me? Not so much.

So I’ve been on a mission. Find a good tasting “ice cream” type of dessert that is low in calories and high in flavor. I’ve looked high, I’ve looked low and now I don’t have to look anymore. This week I found Arctic Zero, an all-natural, smooth and creamy ice cream replacement that tastes great and is guilt-free when it comes to fat and calories. Arctic Zero is a frozen protein shake that satisfies your ice cream craving.

Arctic Zero comes in pints and bars. 

The pints come in 7 flavors….Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Coffee, Cookies & Cream, Mint Chocolate Cookie, Strawberry, and Vanilla Maple. Each pint is only 150 calories. Yep, you read that right, only 150 calories for a whole pint!

The bars come in 4 flavors (vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and orange cream) and are only 85 calories per bar.

Arctic Zero is gluten free, fat free, contains no sugar alcohols, is suitable for lactose intolerants and has a low glycemic index which makes it suitable for Type 2 diabetics. And here’s the best part. Each pint has 14 grams of Whey protein and 8 grams of Fiber.

150 CALORIE PINT NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

85 CALORIE BAR NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

But how do they taste you might ask? So, ok, I’ll tell you.

I tried the Vanilla Bar and the Coffee ice cream.

 The Vanilla bar was awesome.  It was a nice size ice cream bar that has a chocolate covering. Each bite matches the taste of the chocolate with the smooth creamy coolness of the ice cream. It had no after taste but more importantly, after I finished it, I felt that I had just eaten a “real” ice cream bar…and I was satisfied.

 The Coffee ice cream was amazing. I would recommend that you keep it out of the freezer for a while, allowing it to melt a bit. It’s smooth and has a nice texture. I scooped a little into my bowl, then a little more and before I knew it I had eaten more than ½ the pint. But here’s the great part…that was only about 80 calories.

So if you’re like me and love your frozen treats, you have to try Arctic Zero.

And you know, it wouldn’t be Frank’s Place if we didn’t have a song, so…….(purple, my favorite color…lol)

The Ice Cream Song

As I stand behind the counter of Frank’s Place, the door opens and in walks one of my regulars. He sits at the counter and orders his usual (a big juicy cheeseburger, fries and a tall cold one). When his food comes, he reaches into his pocket, pulls out a coin and inserts it into the mini jukebox on the counter. He then selects song number 1018 (one of my personal favorites) and a few seconds later Old Blue Eyes himself is telling everyone how he did it “MY WAY”. As I listen to the lyrics of the song, I begin to understand that it can be applied to any “ending” in your life…..the end of a relationship, the end of a job and even the end of a year. So I listen to Old Blue Eyes and I reflect on those lyrics and this past year. 2011 was one wild year and yes, I did it MY WAY!

And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case of which I’m certain

I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

 This past year has been VERY full and VERY exciting. I traveled roads that I never imagined my journey would lead me. Some of the roads were smooth and some were filled with potholes, but each and every one was a new adventure, and each road was traveled “MY WAY”. 

Regrets I’ve had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way 

Yes there were times I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way 

Do I have “Regrets” about 2011? No. I tried some new and pretty AMAZING things this year. Were they all successful? No, but I tried. I faced all life had to offer and I “stood tall” and gave it my best shot. Some people think because you try something and fail, you should regret that you tried it. Well not me. Life is all about trying.  Mark Twain said it the best…

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Maybe I do have regrets about 2011. I regret I didn’t do more. I regret I didn’t explore every aspect of my dreams and my goals. But I’m excited that in a few short days, a new year is upon us. A year that will bring new beginnings and new opportunities. A new year that, as Mr. Twain said, I’m free to explore, dream and discover all that life has to offer. This year I will take a BIGGER BITE out of life, not afraid of failing but only afraid of not living life to the fullest! And through it all, I’ll do it “MY WAY”.

 I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing

To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

 
I have been truly blessed this past year. I have been loved, I’ve laughed and I’ve cried with so many of the wonderful friends, both old and new, that I’ve made along my life’s journey.

The bonds of friendship and love with my old friends have been strengthened and shared beyond anything I could have dreamed possible.

I treasure the new friendships I’ve made in 2011 and look forward to those friendships growing stronger as the years go by.

I’m blessed with the love and support of my wonderful family, who are always there for me even at times when they don’t understand what I’m doing and why.

So what has life taught me? One thing….always be honest with myself. Love myself enough to never compromise who I am. Always speak from my heart and be the best me I can be. Life isn’t perfect and neither am I.

In 2012, I pledge to always be true to myself and my beliefs, for without that I have nothing. I will continue to travel each and every highway of life…I know there will be detours along the way, but that’s ok, it’s better than sitting back and watching everyone pass you by. I will love and commit to my family and friends 110% of myself, because I understand that the more I give, the more I get back in return. I will love deeper, laugh harder and cry as little as possible. I will embrace my life and most important of all…..I will do it “MY WAY”.

Thanks Old Blue Eyes, I’m glad you did it your way. 

I want to wish everyone a very Healthy and Happy New Year! I hope I can continue to be a part of your lives in 2012 and remember…..don’t be a stranger….the food is good, the drinks are refreshing, the music is AWESOME, and friends are always here to lend an ear…..

Yes, the door is ALWAYS open at “Frank’s Place”.

My Way….Frank Sinatra

Family.

 Sister Sledge has a great song, “We Are Family” that sums up the meaning of the word.

 Webster’s dictionary defines it as follows:

 a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head : household

 a group of persons of common ancestry : clan

 a people or group of peoples regarded as deriving from a common stock : race

 a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation : fellowship 

Last night I was with my family….my LIPO family. We did what any family does to celebrate their achievements….we gathered together and had a party. And what a party it was! 

Last night, my LIPO family and I celebrated our “Prom” at our second annual dinner dance. 

What an awesome night it was! All the hard work and planning came together for a night of fun, good food, great music, dancing, sharing and family.

For some of our “family” the night started way before the party, as they arrived early to transform the room into a balloon paradise…thank you to all for your hard work, it paid off because the hall looked simply magical. 

As the time for our celebration neared, our “family” members gathered together, all dressed up and excited for the evening. Everyone looked fabulous. We hugged, took pictured, talked to friends we haven’t seen in a while and started having that comfortable and safe feeling you get when you’re with the “family” you love. As we danced and laughed and enjoyed our “Prom” night, I kept hearing the words of Sister Sledge’s song playing in my head…….. 

“Living life is fun and we’ve just begun
To get our share of the world’s delights
(HIGH!) high hopes we have for the future
And our goal’s in sight
(WE!) no we don’t get depressed
Here’s what we call our golden rule
Have faith in you and the things you do
You won’t go wrong
This is our family Jewel”

Yes, this family has just begun. We have been given a new lease on life and experiencing all life has to offer, like going to a “prom”, is something this family will continue to do….over and over! We’ll continue to get out and enjoy life as a “family”. From bike riding to crazy things like skydiving, this family has high hopes for our future and all our goals.

Some people outside of our “family” criticize what we do. They don’t understand what we are building and the feelings and common goals that we share. They can’t understand when Sister Sledge sings….. 

“Ev’ryone can see we’re together
As we walk on by
(FLY!) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won’t tell no lie
(ALL!) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We’re giving love in a family dose” 

Last night was a special night. It was one of the MANY memories that this “family” will share together. I look forward to our future. I look forward to our goals and dreams. I look forward to watching each one of my “family” members grow and develop as a person. I’m excited for all the new experiences we will share together. I’m excited for the growth of this “family”, as we continue to spread across the nation and welcome new brothers and sisters into our life.  I’m excited about working with our awesome LIPO team….from our Leadership team to our Board of Directors, each one is a true leader and an inspiration to us all.

Yes, we truly are a “family” and I enjoyed going to the LIPO “prom” with all of you last night. As the song says……”We’re giving love in a family dose”. Well last night I overdosed on the love and joy I received from my family….my “LIPO” family.

We Are Family

I’m sitting in Frank’s Place, trying to write my next blog and I’m drawing a blank. I mean I can’t think of a thing to write about.  So I do what everyone in America does when they have something to do and they don’t want to do it….I went on Facebook.

I’m on Facebook for about 5 minutes when I see several pictures of some good friends and I having a GREAT time doing something we never dreamed about doing. All of a sudden I knew what I was going to write about….thanks Facebook.

This past Saturday, I joined a bunch of my friends and went Zip Lining in Connecticut. If you don’t know what that is, it’s where they strap you into a harness and then attach you to a cable that’s up to 75 feet off the ground.  You then leave the platform and “zip” along the line until you reach the platform at the end of the line (at this course the cable length was up to 680 feet). Sounds “scary”…it could be. Sounds “fun”….it absolutely is!

The friends that I “zipped” with are members of the WLS Support group that I co-lead and that fact made this day so much more rewarding.  This special group of people would NEVER have been able to Zip Line through the air before surgery. In fact we estimated that the total weight loss of the friends that participated was about 2000 pounds. That’s right I said 2 0 0 0 pounds!!

Why did I do this…because I could. I did this because I want to enjoy my life. I did this because I was sick and tired of missing out on all the exciting adventures life has to offer. I did this because I heard the lyrics of my good friend Jon Bon Jovi’s awesome song “It’s My Life”. I did this because I wanted to “live while I’m alive”.

Let’s look at the words of this great song……..

 This ain’t a song for the brokenhearted

No silent prayer for the faith departed

And I ain’t gonna be just a face in the crowd

You’re gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud

“I ain’t gonna be just a face in the crowd”….how many times before surgery did I just WANT to blend into the crowd. How many adventures did I miss because I didn’t want to stick out, I didn’t want anyone to “see me”.

“You’re gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud”….today, I want to be seen. I want to be part of everything life has to offer…I want to shout out loud, from the top of my lungs, “My name is Frank and I’m enjoying life and I’m here to STAY”!

It’s my life

It’s now or never

I ain’t gonna live forever

I just wanna live while I’m alive

(It’s my life)

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said, “I did it my way”

I just wanna live while I’m alive

‘Cause it’s my life

Wow!  Did you read those words? I mean REALLY read those words?

It’s my life

And it’s now or never

I ain’t gonna live forever

I just wanna live while I’m alive

(It’s my life)

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said, “I did it my way”

I just wanna live while I’m alive

‘Cause it’s my life

“I just wanna live while I’m alive!”

  No truer words have ever been spoken. Before my surgery, I was alive but I wasn’t living.

“I did it my way.”

How many people have told me, “Oh you had weight loss surgery? You took the easy way out”.  EASY WAY OUT? Are you kidding me. There is nothing easy about WLS but it was the tool I needed to help me gain control of my weight, my life. Yes my friends, “I did it my way”.   

This is for the ones who stood their ground

For Tommy and Gina who never backed down

Tomorrow’s getting harder, make no mistake

Luck ain’t even lucky, gotta make your own breaks

“Tomorrow’s getting harder, make no mistake”

Each and every day it gets harder to keep the weight off. As the days go into weeks, months, and years, it gets harder and harder to maintain my weight loss. Foods that I couldn’t eat in the beginning, I can eat now. Tomorrow gets harder and harder and it’s up to me take control of my life and “make my own breaks”. Those “breaks” include exercising, watching what I eat and of course SUPPORT.  

 You better stand tall

When they’re calling you out

Don’t bend, don’t break

Baby, don’t back down

What a great way to end this post….stand tall, don’t bend, don’t break, don’t back down.

I will never give up. I had my surgery to change my life and that change is FOREVER.

So I went Zip Lining with friends this past weekend and I had an AWESOME time. But what’s next?

 White water rafting?

  Sky Diving?

 Who knows? What I do know is that I will ALWAYS live while I’m alive….cause It’s My Life !

It\’s My Life …Jon Bon Jovi

It’s been a little slow lately at Frank’s Place. I guess everyone’s at the beach or on vacation with their families.  So here I am, waiting for someone to drop in, when my good friend Kenny Chesney walks in the door.

 We sat at a table and started chatting about life….you know family, friends, good times and I start thinking about Kenny’s song “Don’t Blink”.

One line from the chorus “Trust me friend, a hundred years goes faster than you think….So Don’t Blink”, really hit home.

Next weekend, we’re going to have a big party for my daughter Liz who just graduated from college. She’s my second child who has graduated from college and my youngest will be starting his 2^nd year in September.

Where did the time go? It seems like only yesterday when I asked my wife if she wanted to “go out to see a movie”. Dating…proms…engagement…wedding…children…high school…college…..yes Kenny, you’re absolutely correct…Don’t Blink!

How many hours do we miss with our families because we have to “get ahead”? How many baseball games? How many school concerts? How many dance recitals? I have one question….is it worth it?

Yes I know we have to provide for our families, but we need to strike a balance between making a “living” and “having a life”. We need to strive to be the best we can be, but this includes being the best spouse, best parent, best sibling and best friend. We can’t spend all of our time teaching an employee how to handle challenges at work, but forget to teach our kids how to hit a curveball. We’ll talk to an employee for hours about their problems and concerns, but don’t have 10 minutes to ask our spouse how their day was. We need to remember that class trips are just as important as that “Big” meeting with a client.

Some of the best moments of my life have been watching my kids achieve great things and then seeing the smile on their faces when they look over and see that I‘m there cheering them on.

So as the summer days continue to dwindle, remember to slow down and stop making a “living” and start making a “life”. Take your family to the beach…. go for a bike ride…. have a catch with your son….sit down and “talk” with your daughter. Give someone you love a HUG just for the hell of it. Tell the people who are important in your life that you love them. Take a second to sit by yourself and enjoy the beauty of nature…”listen” to the rain…pet your dog…watch the flight of a butterfly.

 Remember what my good friend Kenny said….”life goes faster than you think….so don’t blink”.

I’m glad it’s been slow at Frank’s Place lately….maybe people are finally enjoying life…I hope so.

\”Don\’t Blink….Kenny Chesney\”

The other day, a dear friend of mine e-mailed me asking if WLS patients can take a certain drug. After sharing the answer with my friend, I started thinking about WLS and medications. You can take this but you can’t take that. This formulation works better than that formulation.Quick-acting vs. delayed release. There are just so many questions.

So I’m hanging out at Frank’s Place and in comes my good friend Huey Lewis (he was without the News). We started chatting and before you know it we were talking about one of my favorite songs…”I Want a New Drug”. This got me thinking. Wouldn’t be great if we could develop a new drug just for Weight Loss Surgery patients, a drug that would take care of all our problems, struggles, concerns and challenges. So the pharmacist in me started thinking and I came up with a brand new drug….just for us.

It’s called……. Solvital

Here’s the drug insert for our new drug.

Solvital®

Solveitallcillin tablets, USP

DESCRIPTION

Solvital oral tablets contain 50 mg or 100 mg of the problem solving chemical Solveitallcillin ( 17-solve-7α-it-3♥-all-cillin).

ACTIONS / CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY

Mechanism of action: Solvital acts primarily through competitive binding of the “No problem” receptors in the body. Solvital causes increased amounts of problems and worries to be excreted, while good times and health are retained.

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Solvital (Solveitallcillin) is indicated for a healthy and enjoyable post op life. If taken daily, Solvital will allow you to do the following:

1) Make correct food choices

2) Exercise daily

3) Eliminate grazing and binge eating

4) Eliminates the need to drink while you eat

5) Always chew your food and eat slowly

6) Never eat anything that will make you dump

7) Always, always, always remember to take your vitamins

8) Go to a support group meeting at least once a month

9) Stay positive and motivated

10) Work on relationships and friendships

11) Enjoy a long and healthy life

CONTRAINDICATIONS

Solvital is contraindicated for patients who just don’t want to live life to the fullest.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The following adverse reactions have been associated with the use of Solvital:

1) Excessive smiling

2) Uncontrollable laughing

3) Singing for no reason at all

OVERDOSAGE

In clinical trials, patients taking massive doses of Solvital were so happy and enjoying life so much that people always wanted to hang out with them.

DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION

The usual dose is 50 mg given once daily in the morning. The dose can be increased to 100 mg if needed.

HOW SUPPLIED

Solvital comes in 50 mg or 100 mg tablets

Yes I truly believe we need a drug like Solvital. I’m heading to Orlando this week for the ASMBS convention. I think I’m going to see if I can convince a pharmaceutical company to start developing Solvital. Until then, I guess we’ll just have to settle for Huey Lewis’s words of wisdom….thanks Huey!!!

I Want A New Drug….Huey Lewis & The News

I love the lyrics of the Bon Jovi song…  I’ll SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD…..

Gonna live while I’m alive
I’ll sleep when I’m dead
Till they roll me over
And lay my bones to rest
Gonna live while I’m alive
I’ll sleep when I’m dead

Gonna live while I’m alive…what a great concept. Before my surgery, I was alive but I wasn’t living. In fact at best I was just a spectator in life, watching everyone enjoy all life had to offer while I sat on the sidelines.

Gonna live while I’m alive…how much did I miss? How many years of fun with my wife and kids? Ride the roller coaster at the amusement park…I didn’t fit in the car. Play baseball with my boys and the other fathers…I couldn’t run or stand too long. Go sledding on a beautiful winter day….are you kidding me?

Walk the boardwalk with my wife on a lovely summer evening….only if the boardwalk was one block long. Anything longer than that and I needed to sit and rest for awhile.

 Gonna live while I’m alive… all I wanted to do was live. All I wanted to do was enjoy life. All I wanted to do was be NORMAL!  All I wanted to do was live while I was alive!

Gonna live while I’m alive…these 5 words have a totally different meaning for me now. Three and a half years after my gastric bypass and 170 pounds lighter, I’m living my life and I’m living it to the fullest, every second of every minute of every hour of every day! Since my rebirth, I’ve run six 5K races. I’ve completed a 30 mile bike race around Long Island. I’ve rode every ride (twice) at Disney and Universal Studios. I’ve zip lined with my kids in the Dominican Republic.

 Gonna live while I’m alive…I’ve taken dance lessons and enjoyed long and relaxing walks on the beach with my wife. I enjoy going shopping because now I can buy clothes off the rack without going to the “fat-man” shop.

 Gonna live while I’m alive…because that’s what life’s all about…LIVING IT! ENJOYING IT! LOVING IT!

I’ll sleep when I’m dead….before my surgery, that’s all I wanted to do…sleep. I could wake up after sleeping for 10-12 hours and after a few hours, I would need a nap. I felt great when I was lying down, my knees didn’t hurt. My back didn’t spasm. I wasn’t gasping for breath.

I’ll sleep when I’m dead….since my surgery, I lay down, close my eyes and after a few hours I’m up and ready to go again. I’ve heard so many post op’s say the same thing…they call it insomnia. I call it my body’s way of making up for lost time. All those years of sitting on the sidelines, watching while I wanted to be doing….my body is saying “Hey Frank, Let’s live while we’re alive and sleep when we’re dead.

Yes, I love the lyrics to this Bon Jovi song…..Thanks Jon for stopping in at Frank’s Place… I couldn’t have said it better!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi5jjrpptP4

 A cheeseburger. Nothing beats a juicy barbecued cheeseburger on a summer afternoon. Of course, there’s only one way to make a cheeseburger, right? American cheese, ketchup, tomatoes, and maybe a slice or two of bacon. There’s no other way to prepare a cheeseburger is there?

What do you mean some people like Munster cheese on their burger? Sliced onions…no way!!! Mustard…you put mustard on your cheeseburger? Are you kidding me?

Yes, there can be many different ways to make a cheeseburger. Is one way better than another? No, but I would never eat a burger with onions. But that’s just me…and that’s the point…it’s all about choices.

 We have choices in everything we do in life. Buying a new car? Some people like Fords while others like Toyota’s. Some people like a house on the beach while others love living in the city.

In the bariatric community we also have choices. We choose our surgeon, our procedure, and our hospital. Need a protein drink…there are choices. Have to take a vitamin…there are choices. There are choices in the foods we eat, and the exercises we do. Is one choice better than another? In a word, no.  If something works for you, then it’s the right choice for you. Sometimes we make the wrong choice or our choice isn’t right for us anymore. So we change, make a better choice and move on.

We need to remember one thing. A person’s decision to pick one procedure, surgeon or hospital over another doesn’t mean their choice is right or wrong. It’s just their CHOICE. One vitamin or protein drink over another isn’t right or wrong…it’s a choice. Everyone’s choices need to be respected and honored. Onions on my cheeseburger isn’t right for me, but it may be perfect for you. One protein drink may be right for me, but won’t work for you. That’s why I love choices. It’s choices that allow us to be individuals. Choices make the world go round.

So have a seat at the table and enjoy…at Frank’s Place we’re serving the cheeseburgers anyway you like! The choice is yours.

 Thanks Jimmy Buffet……watch?v=z8SocTjQi_g&feature=related

Welcome to Frank’s Place! So what is Frank’s Place? Do you have that favorite restaurant or club or pub…anywhere where you can hangout with your friends and just RELAX? Well that’s Frank’s Place.

I want Frank’s Place to have the feel of your favorite “hangout”…somewhere to chill with friends…talking about “stuff”…. all kinds of positive, fun and motivational stuff.

Had a rough day? Your boss driving you crazy? The kids have you running around in circles? Well leave that all behind for a little while and have a seat at Frank’s Place and let the stress melt away.

So come on in, pull up a seat, kick off your shoes and chat with friends, both old and new and let the stress and negativity of your life be replaced with fun, motivation and friendship.

I’m Frank and this is my Place….I hope you’ll make it yours.