How Did You Do Thanksgiving Day? Share Your Story

[Dr-Patient 830]

So, how did everyone do yesterday!? Did folks who hadn't seen you in a while see the 'new you' and Celebrate? How'd you manage the food? , etc. Share your day's happenings.

[missbrown30 148]

I am 143 today. I'm afraid this may change for the worst. Although I didn't eat much on Thanksgiving, I sure didn't eat right. I'm hoping that if I bust my butt in the gym all week it will stop me from gaining, fingers crossed

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving with my family. We rented a cabin at Lake Tahoe and cooked a great traditional dinner. I had planned to have my first post surgery glass of wine (I'm 6 months out), but decided to save those calories for dessert instead. I'm glad I did. My daughter brought German chocolate cake.

The food was great and I enjoyed cooking, but I could do no more than taste a bit of some of the foods and skipped a few high carb choices altogether. I ended the day just below 1100 cals, but my self-imposed limit was 1200, so I did ok.

I hope everyone's holiday was just as great and you were able to enjoy your family time without discomfort.

[samanthar 46]

I had a great thanksgiving. Most of my family hasn't seen me eat yet. And being in the pureed stage my meals are interesting. There were a couple jokes when I started up the blender. But it was all in fun. First time I could see plate between my food. And I wasn't disappointed that I didn't get a second plate.

[Dr-Patient 830]

This was my first Thanksgiving post-VSG. I had a nice day with a friend who came by.

I ate more calories than I've had in 51 weeks (next week--Dec. 4th--makes 1 yr VSG), but I'm happy to report my portions were definitely smaller. I even had sweet potato pie, which I hadn't baked since my surgery. OMG--delish! But again, slices were MUCH smaller than what I used to eat. My "pig out" was that I ate rice, a dinner roll and pie, not that I pigged out on tons of food.

Since I've been between 186-184 the past 2 months or so, I don't want to weigh the rest of this weekend because I don't want to (possibly!) see 190. I'll have a few leftovers today, then back to basics. By Monday, I should be a sure 184 again. I wanted to be at 175 by my surgiversary, but as in other posts, I've been less than rigid about all the rules. I'll eventually get to 175, then ~160 goal.

[WL WARRIOR 690]

My son and I went to my parents for a big get together with close and extended family. Everybody noticed that I looked healthier and lost weight. I never got so many compliments in one day! I've had a condition (similar to edema) for the past five years that caused puffiness in the face and Water retention. Since surgery, my symptoms have diminished and my face looks like it did when I was a teenager. I never expected this to happen so soon after surgery, but it sure is a relief. It makes me feel so much younger.

Even though there was a long table full of yummy holiday food, I only had 1/2 cup white turkey and 2 Protein shakes the whole day. I drank a Protein shake before arriving to prevent hunger that might have led to poor food choices. I even hiked 4 miles in the wilderness (my parents live out in the middle of nowhere) during mid afternoon. There is a place in the middle of the woods that contains a beautiful memorial where the ashes of past relatives remain. I haven't been able to find it the past few years because I would get too tired and turn back. The increased stamina I have gained since surgery helped me go the distance yesterday and I finally found it. It was very rewarding and relaxing.

[Dr-Patient 830]

Good for YOU!!! @@WL WARRIOR

[Babbs 14,680]

Copied and pasted from a thread I started this morning:

I'm a little over 3 months post surgery, and I've been in an ugly stall (gained a pound,and then stalled for about a week and a half now). I thought Thanksgiving would be the perfect time to up my calories and carbs to see if I can break the stall . I had my usual Protein shake for Breakfast while everyone else was having cinnamon rolls. I had a deviled egg and some veggies for lunch. I had 2 spoons of stuffing, and stuck with turkey and veggies and a spoonful of cranberry sauce for dinner. I felt satisfied and more importantly, IN CONTROL. Hopped on the scale this morning, weight still the same, but I wasn't mad. For the first time in my entire life, I didn't make a complete glutton of myself on Thanksgiving. And as everyone else sat there completely miserable and sluggish, I still had energy to clean up and even take a walk after dinner. So although I may not like the number on the scale this week, NONE of it matters compared to the feeling I have of being in complete control of my health for the first time in my life! That to me is success

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

Yesterday we drove to a posh hotel for a Thanksgiving staycation.

Breakfast - coffee / skim milk; Protein shake

lunch - assorted cheeses, Water crackers, chutney, chocolate covered strawberries

dinner - grilled salmon, butter/lemon sauce, grilled green Beans, fingerling potatoes

Protein - 73 grams

Carbs - 75 grams

Fats - 50 grams !!!!!

Calories - 1,024

Definitely not my typical 14 weeks pre-op menu. But I enjoyed every single bite. What's more, the portions were all small or appropriate, and I felt completely in control. :)

Edited November 28, 2014 by VSGAnn2014

[Miss Mac 6,261]

To Icanmakeit: There is no more beautiful a place on this earth than Lake Tahoe. I was through there on a bus tour in 2009 (You know, one of those that comes out of Reno and comes over the state line and around the south end of the lake, back into Nevada past the Ponderosa, Carson City, Bunny Ranch - no stopping - Virginia City - past all of those wild horses - back to Reno ..........lovely trip. I just wanted to stay at Tahoe. I had never seen an Alpine Lake before. What a overwhelmingly awe inspiring location for a Thanksgiving family get-together, and here I am stuck on the Illinois/Indiana state line!

Ok, Icanmakeit distracted me. Tony and I had a private Thanksgiving and our grown kids went to Celebrate with other in-laws. Tony is a Mediterranean-style home chef (he is from Malta, which is between the coasts of Tunisia and Sicily. Anyway, it was nice to have the preparation of the entire meal under our control. I had turkey with a little homemade cranberry relish, and some green Beans. I passed on stuffing that he had made for himself.

No dessert. We had a cheesecake that he had put up in the freezer, but we left it there and will bring it out on my birthday or Christmas. Today, I will have some bone broth made with the turkey carcass, carrot, celery, onion, pepper, and a little bouillion. So good!

[B Autumn 20]

Just got out of the hospital yesterday. I can barely stand the thought of Protein Shakes. Not a good time in hospital. Had to stay an extra day.

[S(he) be(lie)ve(d) 151]

I have to admit, I was a bit nervous beings though I haven't told my extended family about my surgery. But, it was a success!!! I started off my day normal with my Protein shake. We headed over after lunch. This year I did make healthier choices about what I put on my plate and my portions were small, but I did great! Nobody said anything. They noticed some more weight loss and knew I have been actively working on losing weight since last March. However, they did give my hubby a hard time since he didn't eat very much at all for dinner. He just ate to many appetizers. Ha ha! There was a veggie tray that I snacked on prior and had eaten a yogurt before arriving. When desert time rolled around, I knew there was no way that I would be able to down any of it, so I took it home. Later that evening, I ate half of my little piece of apple pie. Suffering didn't happen at all! When I weighed myself this morning, I didn't even gain an ounce! Woo hoo!!! It feels good to eat to live, rather than live to eat!

We all bring dishes so, it isn't just on one person to cook. This year, I made 3 dishes. Little did they know, they were all sugar free! Yep, I wanted to be able to have some of my own dishes too. I used Stevia. Everyone raved about how good they were and nobody noticed that the sugar was gone!

The one thing that stood out bigger than life to me, was how HUGE everyone else's servings actually were! And people went back for seconds!!! It just blew me away to think that used to be how I ate. To have a Bentley (sleeve) as a tummy, was still the best decision I have ever made for myself! Today I feel AMAZING vs sluggish feeling of the day after Thanksgiving Feast! What a huge difference! For that, I feel thankful!!!

P.S. This morning, on the 29th, I dropped 2 lbs!!! Even after eating half of my little piece of apple pie and half of my piece of cheesecake the next night. Who does that after Thanksgiving and yummy desert?!?! I was shocked beyond belief! Dang!

Edited November 30, 2014 by Jodi_S

[marfar7 1,528]

I started out the festivities by downing a glass of egg nog (with rum). Thats pretty much filled me so when dinner came, I ate about 2 bites of each thing (tradiional faire) and was able to push my plate away. No pie. Not cuz I'm not "allowed" but becuz I was too full.

My 2nd sleeved Thanksgiving/5th since WLS (banded in 2009) and I did well. About 16 lbs to goal. I know I won't get there during the next month (holidays) but will eventually get there. And I'm happy eating less of everything and losing slower than restricting myself.

Brought home a whole pumpkin pie (went to my SIL's for dinner) and it whispers to me everytime I open the frig. I will probly have a few bites tonite. After my healthy dinner of course.

All in all, I had a great day. If laughing burned enuf calories, I probly lost tons of weight yesterday. My nephew brought 2 of his fellow USC student friends (who had nowhere to go for Tgiving) and they cracked us up. Nothing like youth to make ur day. My 90 yr old FIL got a little drunk, couldn't even stay awake during dinner. I passed up the wine for dinner (cux I had egg nog + I was driving home) so I was proud of that. ME passing up wine? Rare...

[Kya Wolf 69]

I had a Protein shake while baking the cakes (Peanut Butter one and a cinnamon roll one). Then went for a long walk with hubby. Then we cut up the Peanut Butter one and kept about a fourth of it. We then took the rest of that one and the cinnamon roll cake to his job for the poor souls that had to work. I had a small plate with turkey and potatoes. We then hit the stores to walk among the madness. after we got back i still hadn't reached my personal goal for the day (10,000 steps), so we bundles up and walked around the neighborhood. Was a great day, not centered around getting stuffed, or getting stuff, lol. yes, i did have 1 piece of my peanut butter cake, a tiny one. it was awesome, and really good to be satisfied with just one.

[LipstickLady 25,682]

I am 18 months out and this is my second thanksgiving since surgery. Many of the people I ate with (inlaws) know nothing of my surgery and just like last year, they noticed nothing about my eating.

I intentionally avoided the Protein (gasp!!) so I could eat a bit more of the sides. I had a few small bites of stuffing, corn pudding, green bean casserole, mashed taters, half a deviled egg, half a roll, and no dessert. I rarely consume so many carbs so this was a treat and I don't regret a single bite.

I've had some leftovers today, and I don't regret them either. By tomorrow they'll be gone, I may be up a bit, but no big deal. I'll go back to normal by Monday and anything I've gained will be lost again.

I still consumed less than a cup or so overall, but it was food I rarely eat and won't have again until Christmas and then not again till next November.

I love my sleeve.

Edited November 28, 2014 by LipstickLady