Hi,

Usually, this time of the year, I would be baking on weekends......several types of Cookies, cheesecakes etc. and making holiday treats like chocolate dipped pretzels and home made chex mix. This year, I am not doing any of it. Having those foods in my house would not be good! They would be hard for me to resist or to limit myself to a small serving.

I feel bad about this however. My family is very supportive but I know my daughter misses the treats. She is almost 18 so she understands. But I have that "mom guilt" going on right now. Also, my 80 year old father lives with me---and I am sure he will be wondering where his butter cookies are.....but again, he is very supportive and understands.

I am sticking to my guns because this is too important to me. But it still isn't easy. I am sending my daughter to my brother's to bake cookies with his family.

There really isn't much purpose of this post other than to talk about one of my big challenges this holiday season.

I think you are making a great decision. As far as your daughter goes, I think you are setting a fabulous example for her about priorities and sticking to your guns. When she is out from under your roof, she will be tempted to drink and drive, try drugs, have to make decisions about safe sex. You are showing her that the fun thing and the tempting thing is not always the healthy or smart thing, and by you giving up your holiday baking, you are setting a great example about making healthy choices. Kudos to you! You sound like a great mom.

I think you are handling this well. You are thinking ahead and found a solution to it and let your daughter go to your brother's to bake! I do hope they can make butter cookies for your dad too!! They can be shared so she doesn't have to bring all of them home. This is a hard time of year to begin any kind of change and we have come to a decision and going forward with it to make a better person and life for us! I hope to be banded this month and for a while pondered going to my brother's as usual for christmas. I would be either on the pre surgery diet or liquids by then. I have decided I want to be with my family and they know I have changes I want to make....have to make.

I admire your resolve. I was just banded 10/25 and I too have a history of doing much baking during the holidays. In fact the other day I baked the pieces of a gingerbread train that my husband and I put together today. (Not decorated yet) I mentioned that I was not going to bake this year and got many complaints from my family and friends. I also have a family party at my house the week before Christmas. I have decided that I will bake, but I am making much less than I usually do so that after the company there will be little or nothing left and if there is some left I am taking it to work. My husband is good with this as he is also benefitting from my banding since I have so much less food in the house. LOL.

DON'T FEEL GUILTY...you will be happy with your decision once the holidays are done and you haven't gained any weight!

It is always good to have a family conference to tell them what your plan is. Tell them you need their help so that you can have a longer, better life by not carrying all that weight around. Don't ever think people know things- you have to open your mouth and tell it to them.

I myself am not a baker, but a really good buyer of baked goods. Or i was until i was banded on 11/29. Right now I am dieing every time I see the Pillsbury I think, commercial and they have star shaped sugar Cookies with frosting on them. OMG!

Oops, i hit the post button twice.

It is always good to have a family conference to tell them what your plan is. Tell them you need their help so that you can have a longer, better life by not carrying all that weight around. Don't ever think people know things- you have to open your mouth and tell it to them.

I myself am not a baker, but a really good buyer of baked goods. Or i was until i was banded on 11/29. Right now I am dieing every time I see the Pillsbury I think, commercial and they have star shaped sugar Cookies with frosting on them. OMG!

I think your daughter is old enought to make her own cookies. I will say however that for Thanksgiving I made my nephews their favorite cookies; but I did not eat any and sent them all home with them. I also plan on sending a final exams care package to the nephew in college.

I actually said i wasn't going to bake either but yest i did. but i also had the kiddos help me and we are giving most of it away. we make chocolate chip cookies- i ate a small one and felt like i was going to throw up, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate covered almonds, dark chocolate cream cheese fudge, chocolate fudge, german chocolate fudge and puppy chow. i figured it would be alot harder but it really wasn't for me. we had fun listening to the radio and dancing around.

All the advice above is great. You may want to pass on your recepies to the people who are dissapointed Make sure they take there leftovers home.\\think it's fantastic you are taking such a strong stand. I try very hard to not expose myself to sweets and high fat foods, such as fried.

Jackie,

I can so relate. I love to bake and cook and, particularly at this time of year, I get the urge to bake. Even one year post band, though, and I know it would be a huge mistake. I'd start off with good intentions, but it would be a cookie here, a cookie there and 10 extra pounds after Christmas. I did make pies and a fruitcake for Thanksgiving, but took it to my mother-in-law's for dinner and left it all there afterwards. They weren't the kind of things you could take a bite or piece out of, so they were safe. Cookies, though...uh uh.

Good for you for knowing your limitations and don't let anyone guilt you into baking if you know it will be your downfall. I mean, realistically, if you were an alcoholic, would you let your family guilt you into stocking up on alcohol for the holiday season? It's the same thing...really.

.

Hi,

Usually, this time of the year, I would be baking on weekends......several types of Cookies, cheesecakes etc. and making holiday treats like chocolate dipped pretzels and home made chex mix. This year, I am not doing any of it. Having those foods in my house would not be good! They would be hard for me to resist or to limit myself to a small serving.

I feel bad about this however. My family is very supportive but I know my daughter misses the treats. She is almost 18 so she understands. But I have that "mom guilt" going on right now. Also, my 80 year old father lives with me---and I am sure he will be wondering where his butter cookies are.....but again, he is very supportive and understands.

I am sticking to my guns because this is too important to me. But it still isn't easy. I am sending my daughter to my brother's to bake cookies with his family.

There really isn't much purpose of this post other than to talk about one of my big challenges this holiday season.

That my friend is one of my challenges also.. I love to cook/bake and this time of year its christmas cookies etc.. i havent done a single batch.. I feel guilty in a way like my family cant go without.. Well I guess if they are gonna want them they will have to go buy them for this year.. maybe next year we will be strong enough to do it... Good luck