I have a birthday coming up in a few weeks. I am happy to report that I could care less about eating birthday cake or anything else for that matter. I am really enjoying just living life. My life no revolves around food. Yeah!

But, my loved ones are having a hard time getting adjusted to my new life style. I have not had an "recreational sugar" since March and I feel great. I know that as soon as I have even one bite, I will want to eat a ton of it, even if it means eating around my band. I have no urges to do this. With my birthday coming up, my loved ones are feeling confused as to what to do. Traditionally, they give me a nice dinner (either out or homemade) and a birthday cake. My meals will still be a half a cup of something mushy and I chose not to have cake or ice cream (even though they can be mixed together to be mushy). I am perfectly happy with just going to a comedy club or a walk along the river.

How have you dealt with loved ones and birthdays or other celebrations that were historically centered around food?

I live by the motto of "moderation, not elimination". I want to have a normal and healthy relationship with food. I will have cake, just not the whole cake. I will have ice cream, just not the whole half gallon. I was told by my trainer that whatever you eliminate and lose weight with is what you'll have to keep out of your diet to keep the weight off. I will exercise a bit more and burn more calories to create a deficit, so to speak, when I want to have a treat. So, I will not deprive myself of something I enjoy. I enjoy it for that moment, in moderation, knowing that this not the last supper.

True, we can actually have anything in moderation. Moderation is a new concept for some of us, lol, but I'm learning.

I have still had cake at celebrations since being banded almost a year ago. Depending on how my band feels that day I might have only half a slice or need to skip other eating to enjoy the cake. I enjoy greek yogurt or cottage cheese with lime juice, splenda and fruit though as both a treat and a staple. Its been on the table for Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter so I knew there would be something I could both eat and enjoy without worry.

Its all about your comfort level. If there is a dessert option you'd enjoy for your birthday then its your day it shoudl be there. You are still fairly new to being banded and onto intoducing food so I think a really beautiful yogurt, berries, whipped cream dish in a pretty pyrex bowl or pan would be great. I buy my berries frozen and then just deforst them partway before putting them on top so they are still a little crunchy as opposed to mushy and I can still easily chew the skin down.

Cheesecake might be another easy to digest option or even one of those beautiful Jello cakes with the jello layered with berries and whipped cream.

For the dinner, choose a side dish to use as your meal you'd ve excited to eat and will go down easy for you and let the others eat what they want to acoompnay it. Lke refrieded Beans with cheese or mashed potatoes baked and a little crusty on top in the oven. I actually really loved the mushy stage and many meals still eat mush.

Cheesecake is my weakness! :-(

Walmart sugar free angel food cake with sugar free marzetti glaze and free cool whip!