Hi all....I just needed to reach out for some support. I am feeling very discouraged about my holiday eating. I have to confess that I have not been making good food choices (portions are not bad but my food is very "messy" and unplanned). I have been heavy on the carbs and even had a few drinks which lower my defenses. To top it off, I was going to the gym regularly but then pulled a muscle in my back and couldn't go. In that week, that little food monster, aka "the devil" crept into my head and helped me to slip a bit. It has only been a week but, for a compulsive overeater like me, this is the beginning of a very slippery slope. I know other's have had slips in the past and would just like tips to pull out of this short and stupid rut! I know better than this....I just need a kick in the butt!

Thanks,

Katie

Katie,

This has been my third Christmas with the band and I still overate and feel like a slug today. I can't really give you any pointers for avoiding the problem, but you are absolutely right...you need to get back on track. I think the first step is to get all the holiday junk out of your house. I still have a lot, but I have teens at home and it will be gone very quickly. Next, pick up the exercise. I don't know how much you exercise, but now is not the time to take a break. Last, get back to your healthy diet. The problem with eating carbs is that they always make you want more carbs. I don't plan on doing liquids, but I will cut out as many carbs as possible for a few days. For me, it's like detox. I need to get this sugar out of my system. There is one more thing that I do...I schedule an appointment with my doctor for sometime in January. Other years, I've gotten a fill, but I don't think I'll need one this time, but I figure it's my "insurance". I don't want to slide too far. It's one thing to overeat at the holidays and have to lose a few pounds in January, it is quite another to begin the descent back into obesity.

So far, I've managed to have my holidays and come back in January with a nice loss by the end of the month. I'm planning on doing it this year, too. You can do it, too. We are all human and we are programmed by years of tradition to overeat at the holidays. The important part is getting back on track. It's a skill we need to learn to be successful with this new life. Just because you've slipped a little, doesn't mean that it has to be the start of something bad...it can be the start of learning how to cope with your new life.

Good luck

Cindy

I'm afraid to get on the scale. I know I've made bad choices but I plan to hop back on the train to today. The best advice I have is to not get discouraged. If I get discouraged, I will keep making bad choices (eating wrong foods, stop working out, etc). Then I start to really gain and I become depressed. Once that happens it's a downward spiral. We all tend to make bad choices during the holidays (even those who don't have weight and/or food issues). The thing is to know what you did, accept it and move on. And if you have bad food in the house (in mine, it's candy bars), ditch it now. I threw out the scones and gingerbread on Christmas day and no one had touched the gingerbread. If it's not there, it won't tempt you.

I hear ya! It has been a slippery slope since Thanksgiving for me. Way to many holiday parties, tons of food at work then way to much food at home during the xmas holiday. Just hang in there. Do what the others have suggested, time to get the junk out of the house. I think you are on the right track if you are aware of things getting out of control and trying to put a stop to it. Just remember you are not alone with these temptations. The one thing that has helped me is basically just take it one meal at time - choose healthy, good foods to eat. If you mess up and eat one to many cookies or sweets dont beat yourself up about it. You are probably doing better at controlling your portions than you think. Hang in there!

Thanks everyone for the support. I really needed it! I still have 3 more holiday parties to go but I am planning on Protein 1st, dropping the carbs and no alcohol. I am a total carb/sugar addict so if I can steer clear of those, I think I will be in better shape!

Happy Holidays to you all! The New Year is going to be GREAT!

Katie

khath0620, I think it is a good idea to drop the alcohol. Remember it is a lot of calories for nothing more than a buz. I don't drink so this is easy for me to say; but I would rather eat a good cookie than have drink (yes I know alcohol does'nt have any fat!). Will you be bringing food to these parties? If so you might consider bringing shrimp coctail (expensive I know, and some bansters have trouble with shrimp); becuase they would be a good high protein, low fat option for you to eat.

I could have written the exact words. I am really down about my slips and gained a few pounds. I just got a fill last week and hope it helps. So far I don't feel any more restriction. Maybe it will kick in next week. I hope I can turn this around.

Peeps....

#1 no matter how good your restriction is - it isn't going to make your food choices - That's up to us...

Yes it's tempting to eat all that junk - but here's what I do - I make deals w/myself - My office is full of junk from the holidays - 5 lbs boxes of See's candy - Cookie - etc..

I make Xmas cookies w/my Grand Daughters - so I tell myself that I won't eat the junk in the lunch room so that I can have a few of the cookies I make w/my girls and I add a couple of extra days to my exercise routine..

If you know you are going to a party - eat light for bf & lunch so that you can have a treat or 2 - or a couple of cocktails.. But make limits on yourself before you get there... Say ok I am going to have a glass of wine and a some chips and dip - Stick to your deal

Then the next day - get back to eating healthy... And if you do over indulge - then hit the gym - say you normally work out 1 hr - then increase it to 1.5 hr for a few days or add an extra day or 2 of exercise - if you do this and go back to eating healthy and pump up the exercise you shouldn't gain anything and if you do it will come off in a day or 2..

Even pple who don't have a weight issue over indulge sometimes - but the diff between them and us is that they do it 1 day - not 24/7..

So Peeps - Pull up the bootstraps - make deals w/yourselves and stick with it - your health is much more important than eating that stupid cookie - it's only junk food - you have control... You really do - Look at that junk and say F you I'm no longer letting you control me - you are just stupid food - you can't have any control over me - I'm the one in control..

Good Luck Peeps - It's doable - I did it - I'm doing it - and life as a healthy person is so much better than a life as a morbidly obese person !!!

Katie,

This has been my third Christmas with the band and I still overate and feel like a slug today. I can't really give you any pointers for avoiding the problem, but you are absolutely right...you need to get back on track. I think the first step is to get all the holiday junk out of your house. I still have a lot, but I have teens at home and it will be gone very quickly. Next, pick up the exercise. I don't know how much you exercise, but now is not the time to take a break. Last, get back to your healthy diet. The problem with eating carbs is that they always make you want more carbs. I don't plan on doing liquids, but I will cut out as many carbs as possible for a few days. For me, it's like detox. I need to get this sugar out of my system. There is one more thing that I do...I schedule an appointment with my doctor for sometime in January. Other years, I've gotten a fill, but I don't think I'll need one this time, but I figure it's my "insurance". I don't want to slide too far. It's one thing to overeat at the holidays and have to lose a few pounds in January, it is quite another to begin the descent back into obesity.

So far, I've managed to have my holidays and come back in January with a nice loss by the end of the month. I'm planning on doing it this year, too. You can do it, too. We are all human and we are programmed by years of tradition to overeat at the holidays. The important part is getting back on track. It's a skill we need to learn to be successful with this new life. Just because you've slipped a little, doesn't mean that it has to be the start of something bad...it can be the start of learning how to cope with your new life.

Good luck

Cindy

Hi Cindy, my name is Betty. I just joined this support group yesterday and read this response you posted. What you said could have been meant for me. I had lap-band on Aug. 2, 2010. I have struggled with it from the beginning. After my first fill I did pretty good and managed to lose 33 lbs. After my 2nd. fill it has all been downhill for me. My biggest problem being losing my food and nightime reflux. I sleep in my recliner. Sometimes I eat well and it still happens..other times I totally am at fault. I have to cook a lot..hubby likes 3 meals a day. I just can't seem to get a grip on this. I am so disappointed in myself. Just had to vent to someone...I am going to take your advice to Katie and hope I can help myself. If you have any advice for me I would appreciate it. You have done sooo well. Congratulations to you.

Betty

I'm writing this from the waiting room of my eating disorder therapist's office lol. And I'm looking forward to discussing all of my holiday food issues with her - compulsive overeating really took over for me during these holidays. Everything we had been talking about in therapy just went out the window for me. I've found that beating myself up, telling myself that this is the start of yet another failure with a diet, etc is a SURE path to self sabotage. My therapist has said that this is the time that we really need to be good to ourselves. So I'm trying to give myself credit for a small loss over the holidays (I was also afraid to get on the scale, but life cut me a break w a small loss). So give yourself a break and just get back on track today!

Katie,

I totally feel the same exact way your feeling. I feel like i need someone to kick my ass and be like kristina get back on track!! I think i need my band tightened but i only got the surgery thanksgiving weekend so they wont do it yet. but i know i am eating way more than i should. Like u said its not the portions its just that i know i am eating the wrong things and carbs and everything today was my daughters 1st birthday party lots of food and Snacks and little picking food. I know tomorrow is back to work and i have a gym at work and i get to work out during lunch. ugh im frustrated!!

Hi Katie!!! Just get rid of all the junk in your house-either give it away to relatives to bring it into work and leave it out to share. Start working out slowly maybe walking the treadmill since you jacked up your back. Make sure to do it lightly so that you don't injure yourself further. Then make sure to stock your fridge with healthy fruits and vegetables. Good luck!!!