The holidays are right around the corner and that means office parties, gatherings with friends and big family meals. This will be my first holiday season since being banded and I thought we could exchange fears/hurdles and/or strategies/advise to get through them. I'll start.

My biggest hurdle is sweets, I love deserts. So whenever we have a family meal and there is desert I serve the coffee. Once the coffee is served I disappear into the kitchen and start cleaning up. This gets me away from the table while everyone eats. Sometimes I have one bite of my husbands plate, just enough of a taste to satisfy me.

My plan is to stay flat weight wise. Allow yourself small bites of favorites, then back to the Band Basics!

I don't have a plan yet ... Pumpkin pie is my favorite! Hope we all do well!

I'm having dessert!

I try really hard to watch what I eat during the Holiday season, I log my food, go to the gym and try to stay within my calorie limit. But Thanksgiving Dinner and Christmas Eve Supper and Christmas Day... I eat what I want to eat. I don't stuff myself to the point of being misserable.... I'd just throw up, but I enjoy the day!

I am doing Thanksgiving so I am in control of what is served. So a healthy Thanksgiving it is. I will make my fav- Turkey, cranberry sauce and spinch stuffing- but I will try to do everything as low cal as possible. I will only eat a little tiny bit of each rather than a huge serving of each.

Christmas will be harder, but I will fix myself one plate and do just a taste of each and that is it!!

The holidays won't be easy, but I don't think they will be horrible.

This will be my 4th holiday season since being banded 3 yrs ago. My first Thanskgiving was only about a month after being banded and I had no restrcition. I ate just like pre op. Christmas was a little better. But by the following year, I was ready to tackle the holidays! I luv turkey and the fixins - so I took a couple bites of everything. really, no actual plan. Before my slip about 6 mths ago, if I ate past satiation, I would throw up - and it's kinda gross to excuse yourself from your family and throw up where everyone can hear you! Definitely keeps you in check.

We're going out with my in laws this Thanksgiving. I will be bringing about 2/3 of my meal home with me. And yes, I will have some pumpkin pie! With whip cream too! After a few bites, I'm satisfied. For Christmas, we're going to Ca and spending it with my other in laws (my husband was adopted as an infant and found his birthfamily about 8 yrs ago and moved from Ca to Or to get to know them better) and my family.We're spending Christmas Eve with my family, then getting up on Christmas morning and driving the 4 hrs to my in laws for a huge family Christmas dinner. We've done it the last 3 yrs (I've only known my husband for 2 - met him right before Thanksgiving).

I don't usually make a plan to eat. I fly by the seat of my pants. Planning puts too much emphasis on eating and that's not what normal size people do - they don't plan their meals. They eat till they're satisfied, then stop. Thats my goal - to eat like a normal person. A normal THIN person, I should say!

Good luck!

Marci

Hm. We go to our friends house for Thansgiving and Christmas. The are American-Italian and their mantra is "Manja, manja!" But not for me. I plan on eating a tiny portion of Turkey (protein), Broccoli (veggie) and I want to bring a side dish. One that we all can eat, but don't know what. I was thinking a Sweet Potato Dish. I personally like sweet Sweet potatoes. At home, I just mash it with an Equal or two in it and a small touch of butter. But I'd like to make it more interesting, does anyone have a band/carb friendly recipe for sweet potators

The biggest problem I'm gonna have when the season starts is, cookies. To me, cookies is a big tradition of Christmas, especially cookie exchanges. I used to LIVE for that. But I'm not making cookies this year.How am I going to go to my friends house where they have a huge assortment of homemade cookies? Die?

The holidays are right around the corner and that means office parties, gatherings with friends and big family meals. This will be my first holiday season since being banded and I thought we could exchange fears/hurdles and/or strategies/advise to get through them. I'll start.

My biggest hurdle is sweets, I love deserts. So whenever we have a family meal and there is desert I serve the coffee. Once the coffee is served I disappear into the kitchen and start cleaning up. This gets me away from the table while everyone eats. Sometimes I have one bite of my husbands plate, just enough of a taste to satisfy me.

my first big holiday since my surgery also

i was concerned and asked hub how am i gonna do this...he said

you will use your (he calls it my baby plate) my small plate..we will take a small spoon

of everything (more turkey than anything since its protein) and do what i do every day.

eat my small amount and enjoy it..

def a mind thing. i think if someone wants something, eat it and get it over with

just dont eat the whole pie...

am trying a new xmas fruitcake for xmas this

a no back fruit cake made with melted marshmellows and no booze

wish me luck....