I am celebrating Christmas tomorrow with my brother and his wife and my mom and I am thoroughly tempted with sweets and candies I could cry. My mom baked a pumpkin pie (my fav), she made candied pecans, my brother made and is bringing Chex Party mix, I could just sit and cry! I just went to the freezer and pulled out a chicken breast and put it in the frige to thaw out so that I can bake it tomorrow for myself to eat while others eat ham and rolls and other stuff that I'm not too fond of. However, the pumpkin pie is what's killing me here, don't want to gain any weight over the Holiday's yet don't want to feel, how do I say this, deprived for lack of better terms. I'm not really depriving myself as I know I need to eat healthy and want to and want to lose the weight but I am having the hardest time with tomorrow!

There is nothing wrong with enjoying yourself.. instead of having a full slice.. have a half.. it's all about portions!! I find it works better for me not to "deprive" myself.. everyone is different though!! In the beginning and now.. portions are hard for me .. with the good stuff! lol.. but .. I say to myself, it will always be there.. don't have to eat it like its going out of style! soo.. now, if I want a piece of chocolate.. I take a bite size.. and omg its perfect.. yes.. sometimes I could and just want to have the whole bag.. " damn mind hunger" but I say nope! and most of the time I am happy with just that. It is a life change, and I have to live with what I know will work for me.. you too.

Also.. If I am really wanting something.. I exercise harder that day. Have a great Christmas Donna!!

Hi Donna, hope you're much better healed.

As the above poster said just have a little bit of what you desire, don't deprive yourself because I know personally in the past if I have done so then I eventually cave in and have more.

This new lifestyle is not about deprivation like before, it's about making healthy choices everyday but when there is a special occasion it's ok to have a little of what you desire. This is how I see it. Just enjoy and don't stress and once it's over get back to your healthy choices.

Good luck!

We can enjoy the foods we want...well, the foods that are band friendly....

But no matter what, It's nice to know the band will not let me be stupid and over eat and make a pig of myself....

Unless I want to get sick and regurgitate.....

So it does not matter how much food is offered, the band will allow just so much and then that's it....only choice I need to make is what food type will I consume to make up that small portion? Protein or cookies?

That is the choice I need to make......

I agree with what was already said- have a small piece of the pie since you really want it. If that's your only splurge over the holidays, you did great!

Donna... You can eat the same things every one else eats. I ate ham all the time... Just about 2 oz of it instead of 8 oz every one else is eating. I ate mased potatoes...1/4 c of them, shoot you can have six or eight pieces of check mix as well... And if the pumpkin pie is calling your name... Take a tiny slice.... Just eat a bite or two. Nothing is going to happen... You will not gain 5 lbs on that amount if food.

And while the others are stuffing their faces you can busy yourself on your phone ap looking up all the calories counts and adding them into your food diary.

Seriously...very rarely did or do I cook something different for myself....I just eat tiny portions of what everyone else does.... They can gain the weight but I do not.

Hang in there.

Why can't you have ham? Since you're going to be with family weigh out your Protein my doctor says 3 ounces and then eat as healthy vegetables as you can find at the table. I try to eat as healthy as I can during the main part meal and then allow myself a very small amount of desert as a treat. Thin people enjoy dessert. The difference between them and us is they have 1 bite of chocolate or a very small piece of cake and they stop.

My mother will be making homemade chex mix and I plan on having some. It's the only day the year that I eat it and I will be taking any home with me.

Have a small slice if the pie but just eat the filling, skip the crust, that's where most of the fat and calories are!

I agree with the others. I didn't deprive myself over Thanksgiving and I'm not going to on Christmas, either. That includes a little bit of pot roast, a sugar cookie, and maybe eve a bite or two of apple pie. It's ok to eat like everyone else, just in much smaller portions.

If you deprive yourself you're setting yourself up for failure. How many times have we dieted in the past, felt totally deprived, and reached a point of "Oh screw this!" and gone into crazy pig out mode? This isn't a diet, it's a healthier way of life, and deprivation shouldn't be a part of that way of life.

Enjoy your holiday and the foods you love this Christmas, just in moderation

Thanks everyone for your kind words and your encouragement! @ Honk, I can have ham it's just the other day I threw it up and I really don't want it again...lol, so I decided to have a chicken breast instead. Also, my family makes an oyster casserole bake that I cannot stand, ew!, so no need to tempt me there, it's a Christmas tradition for that dish and I won't be eating that. The only things that were calling my name was the pie and chex mix. Today I got up and weighed and I was down 2 lbs, marking the 50 POUND mark for me so I believe with the mind set of that, nothing tastes as good as that. I won't deprive myself but it feels so good to have lost 50 lbs. Again, thank you all and I wish all of you a Merry Christmas and hope you all get to spend it with family and friends.

Donna

I agree with all the above eat anything you want and track it. Its about how many calories you take in and how much you burn off. my band wont let me eat to much which is the best part for me. So watch your portions and east what you want

Donna well done on the 50 pound and if you fancy a treat then go for it but nothing will remove the smile from your success x

I am celebrating Christmas tomorrow with my brother and his wife and my mom and I am thoroughly tempted with sweets and candies I could cry. My mom baked a pumpkin pie (my fav), she made candied pecans, my brother made and is bringing Chex Party mix, I could just sit and cry! I just went to the freezer and pulled out a chicken breast and put it in the frige to thaw out so that I can bake it tomorrow for myself to eat while others eat ham and rolls and other stuff that I'm not too fond of. However, the pumpkin pie is what's killing me here, don't want to gain any weight over the Holiday's yet don't want to feel, how do I say this, deprived for lack of better terms. I'm not really depriving myself as I know I need to eat healthy and want to and want to lose the weight but I am having the hardest time with tomorrow!

you so overthinking this in my opinion

the band will help you eat less

so eat and then stop at your allotted amount

you want a piece of pie, eat a small piece, have some of everything

the holidays is for spending time with family and friends..and being happy

if you spend any extra time pining for something, you wont be happy

i am very strict on my food but if i come across something i want, i am

gonna have a wee bit..eating a little bit of holiday cheer wont make you gain all your weight back..you have done so well, so keep going...

Congrats on the 50lbs! Thats a SUPER big milestone. Regarding your Xmas quandary - I guess I am alone on this... but I can not eat a little of this or that and minimize bad food choices by saying I am not going to deny myself etc... It causes me excessive mental anxiety and physiologically has negative consequences on my energy/sleep and CRAVINGS. The sooner I was able to seperate happiness and fullfilment from FOOD the happier and healthier I became/become.

Everyone is different with a different story and different consequences suffered prior to surgery - so it's not a "one size fits all" situation... as you can see on LBT, success abounds with differing approaches. Consider it is ok to just follow your food plan as you would on any other day - we are in a life or death struggle : ) I applaud that you are thinking and planning before the event and looking to the advice of others with the band and success.

Hope in your future is Power in Your Present!

Lee

Don't feel bad. I believe in pricing myself for goals met, and I also believe in portion control. Yes this is a commitment you made to change your lifestyle, but you know what Christmas and family gatherings come around once a year! I doubt you'll be able to eat a whole slice of pie anyway; so relax!! Eat whatever they are eating as long as you are eating healthy and don't overdo it! Then later, have 1/2 slice of pie! Then consider it a prize for all you've done for yourself!

Lee thank you so much for the insight.

Well today went very well. Mealtime came, the gross oyster casserole, yuck I hate it, lol, came out of the oven, did not tempt me, the corn pudding or corn souffle as some of you may call it came out of the oven, my brother had made sausage balls (I had three) before mealtime, I in the meantime had baked me a Marie Callender's turkey dinner under 350 calories and ate the turkey and had a spoon of corn pudding and my sister-in-law makes this jelled cranberry salad so I had a spoon of it, all was yummy and I didn't overeat. About 2 hrs later I did indulge in splitting a piece of homemade pumpkin pie with my mom. That was all for an early lunch. For dinner I ate light, half cup of cottage cheese with 2 crackers and for Breakfast I had a Protein shake, so that sums up my day! A lot of laughs and memories were had by all. It was great to spend time with my brother and he be in good health since he is in remission from colon cancer right now but still taking chemo so it was good he felt good today. All in all it was a blessed day.