Return to Slender After Weight-loss Surgery: Mouth-Watering Dishes to Nourish, Feed and Inspire You Paperback – 24 Aug. 2010

I seem to be the only person here to feel totally ripped off by this book.I had already bought a number of books on weight loss surgery, and felt pretty knowledgable and well prepared for my surgery, however, my bariatric nurse told me I would 'need' this book, so I felt obliged to buy it. I now feel she did not reccommend it for it's quality, but had other reasons.My main gripe is the price. I would feel fine about this book if I'd paid £4.99 and used Amazon's free postage rate. However, at present, the only way to buy this - and it's follow-up, 'Return 2 Slender' - is via the author's website, at a price of £9.99 each. I ordered both books and had to pay two lots of £2.50 postage (so a total of £24.98). When the packet turned up, there was £1.60 of stamps on a jiffy envelope - £3.40 less than I paid for postage.Secondly, I was shocked by the size/thickness (after all, it only cost £1.60, first class, to post the two books!). It measures 21 x 15cm, and has 105 pages - about the size of a good quality theatre programme.The book contains a total of 59 recipes, which are colour coded depending what stage you're at. They are described as:RED: 'Fluids' stage.YELLOW: 'Soft Foods' stage.GREEN: 'Eating For Life' stage.As a gastric bypass patient, the 'Fluids' and 'Soft Foods' stages were the ones I needed help with. As I'm looking to a future of being close to 'normal' again, the 'Eating For Life' stage doesn't worry me - there are plenty of low-fat cookbooks out there to help with that. However, the recipes are divided as follows:RED STAGE: 11 recipes (4 of which are fruit smoothies, and 2 of which are soups).YELLOW STAGE: (the above and) 19 recipes (6 of which are dips, 10 of which are pureed main meals, and 1 of soup).GREEN STAGE: (the above and) 29 recipes.So, nearly half of the recipes in this book (29) can't be used until you are basically over your surgery and normal again! One random example of a 'GREEN' recipe is 'Super Crunchy Muesli' (basically trail mix with a few dressings added) - crunchy, chewy, bulky... how on earth can anyone put this in a cookbook for WLS patients!That's another thing: A few pages in, the author lists 8 foods which may be problematic in the long term. She then goes on to use at least 3 of them in her recipes!One last issue I have is the quantities made. I don't fully understand them, eg: 'Serves 6, WLS portion: 1/2 - 1'. I'm only cooking for myself, so does this mean I'm making 6-12 portions? Not everyone wants to inflict WLS food on their family, so it would help if the quantities were smaller, and advice given on storage.By the author's own admission, this book is intended to be a cookbook, and not a weight loss surgery manual. I personally feel the two HAVE to go together. There are too many rules, issues and problems regarding post weight loss surgery eating to use merely the few pages of advice given here. Every other book on WLS that I have bought has several times the number of pages, roughly half dedicated to recipes and half dedicated to living with the surgery itself. You will need to buy at least one other book to understand WLS, and as that book will contain more recipes than this, don't bother with this one. As for it being the only UK based book, that's a slight bonus, however, the multitude of books from the US are such better value for money, and they're not THAT different from us - With the help of Google, you'll have no trouble buying everything you need.Buy instead: 'Weight Loss Surgery Cookbook for Dummies' - 336 pages, 176 recipes, £11.29 and free postage.

Having had bariatric surgery and been on a thin liquid only diet for a week I was desperate to find some recipes to feed my body and my soul. By pure chance I came cross this book on Amazon and ordered it straight away. It was just what I needed and I would recommend this to anyone planning to undergo bariatric surgery. Carol Bowen Ball, the author, has herself had a gastric bypass and she therefore understands the nutritional needs of the post surgery patient as well as the importance of making her recipes appealing.At the beginning of the book there is a lot of useful information including a forward by her surgeon Shaw Somers.To all you post surgery patients out there buy this book, make yourself some hearty nourishing dishes and you will feel a lot better !!

I researched a lot of books about Bariatric surgery before I went in for my op - this one and Return to Slender 2 were the only ones that suited the more English market and palette. Although quite a thin book, it does explain the Bariatric process clearly and has excellent tips and pointers so that you know what to expect as you progress after your op. I have tried many of the recipes in both books and can thoroughly recommend - They are fairly quick and simple to make and look and taste delicious.

I was recommended this book by a friend, who has also had gastric bypass surgery, mainly for the cheesecake recipe. The book arrived very quickly. I was surprised that it was fairly small, but it is packed with useful information and recipes. And (about time!) it's for UK readers - recipes in weights and measures we can use, and ingredients we can buy in local markets and stores on our side of the Atlantic. Hooray!!There are some good sites on the internet with post surgery recipes, but it's nice to have a book to sit with and plan meals which will be nutritional and appealing to both the person who has had the surgery and their family.I recommend this book to anyone else in the UK.

I had a RnY Gastric Bypass operation in November 2008 and having shed lots of weight I was struggling at finding a recipe book that is UK written until now! This is more than a recipe book, it has hints and tips from the early days post op to maintenance.If you are considering Weight Loss Surgery or about to go in for surgery then this is book is a must.I look forward to the follow-up!

good recipes

I have found this a very useful guide following gastric surgery. It offers practical help for meal ideas written for the uk resident. Being on a strict post-op diet has given me problems trying to find practical help. This offers a fast, easy reading solution. My thanks to the author

I looked for litrature on After weight loss surgery because I felt a bit in limbo, I had received advice from my dietician but wanted more. This book gives ideas, meal plans etc but maybe I expected too much from it.I don't think most people cook this way on a daily basis but it was still worth buying. Lots of ideas if youenjoy cooking as I do, so not a bad buy on the whole.