This year will be my first Thanksgiving with the band. We're spending it with my in laws, whom I love dearly but they are the most food centered family I have ever met! I know my band will be a big help, but I'm afraid of grazing. Any lap band veterans have some tips to help me survive Thanksgiving with my Italian in laws?

I'm not a veteran, as this is my first Thanksgiving also, but I would be glad to share what I did, so that maybe it will help you.

I actually made a contract with myself and with my bari-friends at the clinic where I had my surgery. It's given me a plan, and making me accountable to that plan. I've included it to give you an idea of where I am coming from:

1) I plan to at a minimum maintain my weight loss.

2) I plan to ask my sister in law for a small plate at dinner.

3) I plan to not eat seconds.

3) I plan to focus my energy on my family.

4) I plan to choose foods that are not only the most healthy for my journey and my body, but the foods that are a treat, in other words, the foods that I don't get to eat on a daily basis.

5) I plan to make sugar free chocolate cream pie, which will be my dessert. I may give myself the permission to taste 1 other dessert.

6) I plan to not graze on appetizers, rather I will go and spend time with my 6 neices.

7) I will make memories this year that do not revolve around the plethora of food is, because it's not the food that matters.

8) This is just another day. IT IS NOT A DAY FOR ME TO GORGE! It is a day for me to enjoy my family and be thankful for all of them. I am not giving thanks to the food on the table.