So I thought it would be helpful for us to sort of start a running tab of things that we think are going to be hard or challenging for us post-sleevers during thanksgiving, and how you plan to deal with those obstacles.

As long as we are at it, might as well post things that you think will be easy too!

Okay, I think this is going to be the hardest part about thanksgiving for me.

I have not told certain members of my family about my WLS. I have an aunt/uncle/cousins who are all ultra skinny, super healthy, and also super critical. That last part is some of the reason why I haven't told them yet. I only see them a few times a year, and they are not part of my inner circle of support people. My one cousin is okay, and I know he would be supportive if I told him. My other cousin is currently trying to do a life coaching/health program and is currently promoting a raw detox diet (she claims at 125lbs she was "fat" and felt terrible...I'm guessing she weighs about 105 now..don't get me wrong I'm all for healthy eating, but for her to say she used to be "fat"...ugh...she is about 5' 5"...aack!) So I know that my immediate family (both parents, brother, etc. even my own kids know!) will probably slip up and say something, but here is what I do not want. I do not want all of us sitting around the dinner table talking about how much have I lost, how much do I eat, and why I had 85% of my stomach removed. I will eventually tell my family that doesn't know, but I need to do it my way, in my own time, when I feel it is right.

Here is what will be easy!

NOT SHOVELING TONS OF food IN MY MOUTH! Thank you sleeve. For being full on 2oz of food. YAY!

(But as I think more about my challenge, um, I think I'm going to have to put more food on my plate than 2 oz of turkey. Guess that will fall into my challenge category also.)

Like you, my hardest part will be dealing with the critical eyes of my in-laws. My husband went and told his Biodad for no damned good reason at all. We see the guy maybe three times a year. All of that side of the family is thin. Infact, there is even one aunt who spends each holiday talking about how small she is, how she fits into what she wore in highschool. She's 110lbs and just has such amazing will power blah blah blah. I know his Dad has told everyone and I really dont' want to hear it. Not only that I don't care for ppl watching what I'm putting on my plate or staring at me the whole time. I don't think food will be a big deal there because I spend most of the time chasing my kids around. My inlaws keep random loaded guns laying under couches and on shelves so I'm on my kids the whole time there.

I am far enough post op that I have to admit I wish I could slacken the belly restriction and pig out. I am not going to lie, I am the one who helped my mom makes sure that all of our families favorite foods will be on hand. I want to eat it all dangit but I know I am going to have to pick and choose and even then it wont be much. I know I know I am supposed to be ohhhh so glad I can't binge but I will admit I am not. I am glad on a daily basis that my sleeve keeps me in check but as for every now and then ...nope I wish I could shovel it down. I guess those occasions were too often given my pre surgery weight was creeping up by leaps and bounds lol.

I am very very thankful for my sleeve though. I really am. It is just that my brain really really still likes food and quite honestly wants me to eat more then my belly allows.

The menu goes as follows:

Deep pit turkey

Ham

Chilli Beans (my mom makes killer chilli beans)

cornbread stuffing

mashed potatoes

gravy

salad

rice pilaf

green beans with bacon

cheesey hash brown potatoe bake

rolls

cranberry sauce

sweet potatoes

pumpkin pie

sex in a pan (aka the chocolate pudding dessert)

apple pie

pecan pie

Now how the heck am I supposed to choose? Suprisingly other then my grandma nobody else is really over weight. All eyes on the girl who had surgery though. Thanks a lot to my grandma for telling everyone about my surgery. After reading the above comments though I am very thankful that my family is supportive rather then critical.

Good luck to all you sleevers and enjoy the day as much as you possibly can. You/I did something wonderful for ourselves with this surgery and though it has its mixed blessings sometimes, it is such a gift and we all deserve it.

Well I'm on liquids and it's just me, DH and DD so it won't be too hard at all!! DH bought a package of turkey medaillons with gravey and a thing of mashed taters, green beans, rolls and apple pie! I'll cook that for them and I'll have whatever I feel I can handle that day that is liquid! LOL Now Christmas will be different - I should be right about to start regular food then and we are going "home" to visit family!

My biggest worry is eating too much or too fast. This is going to be a very stress full week. Neither DH nor I really care for Thanksgiving and yet we are doing it here we are not sure if there will be 18 or 19 or 23 coming I had already bought the turkey 21lbs when the number jumped from 12 to 18. Seven that are now coming are my in laws (hubby's brother and sister and her family) a more dysfunctional group you'd be hard press to find. And why you may ask are we even doing this well my husband's dad went into hospice care last week. DH's sister and her family live in the area but have had nothing to do with my FIL even though we have all known this was coming for a year now plan on visiting him next weekend and I have to have them at my table???? My BIL isn't nearly as bad but he is high maintenance, socially rude and an all around PITA and while he has been there for his dad these last four months he regularly gets overwhelmed by it all and lashes out at his dad not to mention that he has been coming down staying at our home every 2-3 weeks he comes down decides to take charge causes chaos gets overwhelmed and drives back home in a huff. And he rarely gives more then a few days notice he just let us knowing he was coming for Thanksgiving last week.

What will be hardest? Not planting my face in the mashed potatoes while mumbling to all "pour the gravy quickly." Potatoes are my complete weakness in any form. Sliced, diced, fried, baked, boiled, shredded or mashed. I too am the only one in my family with a weight issue. Again, I must be adopted.

But really, this is the scariest holiday of all for us right? We all sit down and eat until our pants need to be unbuttoned. Weird, I want to gorge and experience this feeling still.

My family is not aware of my surgery, minus my daughter & fiancé so everyone will know something is up when they see my plate. I plan to fill it up anyway with normal size portions unlike my man sized portions before. This year I don't need to compete for seconds.

Hopefully I will eat Protein first and eat slowly. Stay the course for success. It is a slippery slope ahead. Thanks for reminding me I need a plan.

ocgal

Well, I'm not cooking the 20 pound turkey I bought for 3 people Seriously, it's just me, my DH and my youngest son. So, I'm thinking we'll get a rotisserie chicken, I'll make some stuffing for them (god, I loooooooove stuffing -- maybe I won't make it), mashed potatoes (love them too, but can't get away with not making it), and green beans, and maybe a pie -- I know I'll eat the chicken first and then won't be able to eat anything else. sigh. And, if I don't make much of anything else, DH and son will eat everything before I can come up for air. That's the plan and I'm sticking to it

I am not cooking this year.....not really. I am doing the jalapeno corn casserole and a dish called Orange Fluff, that's it. My daughter is cooking everything. I cannot "taste" anything like before, if I did, I'd be full!! I don't enjoy cooking now like I did pre-surgery. I hope I will someday! We'll see. I cook dinner most evenings and do fine, but a big meal, I am NOT into it at all. Give me a little cornbread dressing, a little jellied cranberry sauce and my "required" protein/turkey and I'll be happy!!

Seriously, the most difficult thing I will have to overcome this Thanksgiving is grazing. Now that I can eat twice as much as I could last Thanksgiving, I'll have to be good about not snacking all day. I'm cooking a small Thanksgiving day meal for just the 3 of us, and I know we'll have leftovers. Afterall, I did buy a 12lb brown sugar glazed ham because my husband decided he wanted to have a ham this year. The most difficult challenge food-wise will be not eating all the yolks out of the deviled eggs before they hit the table, and not eating all the sweet potato casserole. I'm not making any of my normal sleeve-friendly alterations to our food this year, it's gonna be full on fat, carbs, and pure yumminess. I just want one day where I can splurge, plus I need the extra calories and carbs for 3AM Black Friday shopping adventures ! ! !

I already told my husband once the big meal is served. Everything is to be packed up, sealed off, and not opened until the next day. I know myself well enough to know if I leave it out, or if it's easily accessible, I'll be grazing all day.

I am pretty lucky.. my Mom and Grandmother know and they are both really supportive! I am looking forward to seeing everyone. I have to admit I am astonished with how much food people can eat now.. I never noticed before.

I'm on a liquid diet too, my surgery was two days after yours. Of the dinner you described, the only thing that sounds like liquid is the gravy? Is that what you plan on eatting? I have been wondering the same thing myself. I want to eat something. Would mash potatoes be really bad for us while we are on a liquid diet? I'd love some mash potatoes with gravy atleast!

\

Well I'm on liquids and it's just me, DH and DD so it won't be too hard at all!! DH bought a package of turkey medaillons with gravey and a thing of mashed taters, green Beans, rolls and apple pie! I'll cook that for them and I'll have whatever I feel I can handle that day that is liquid! LOL Now Christmas will be different - I should be right about to start regular food then and we are going "home" to visit family!

I'm on a liquid diet too, my surgery was two days after yours. Of the dinner you described, the only thing that sounds like liquid is the gravy? Is that what you plan on eatting? I have been wondering the same thing myself. I want to eat something. Would mash potatoes be really bad for us while we are on a liquid diet? I'd love some mash potatoes with gravy atleast!

\

Oh I'm not eating NONE of that!! That is just what I'll make for DH and DD!!! I'm being SUPER tight on my post-op diet!!!!!!!!! According to the info I got from my NUT I can't have potatos (mashed or baked) until like 3 weeks from now!!

So, what is on your liquid diet? How long are you suppose to be on a liquid diet before you go on puree?

Oh I'm not eating NONE of that!! That is just what I'll make for DH and DD!!! I'm being SUPER tight on my post-op diet!!!!!!!!! According to the info I got from my NUT I can't have potatos (mashed or baked) until like 3 weeks from now!!

My personal liquid diet lasted 9 days. All liquid, no pureed food, nothing remotely solid. Then after 9 days I moved to mushies and my mushie list only had 5 things on it. Cottage cheese, refried Beans, egg beaters, greek yogurt and SF pudding. Then at 3 weeks I moved to more solid, but still very soft Protein and can puree things as needed. I won't go full solids until 6 weeks.

That was my surgeon's plan. Your surgeon may have a different plan, and if you have questions ASK them, it's why you paid $$$$ to have this surgery so you can have support along the way too!

So, what is on your liquid diet? How long are you suppose to be on a liquid diet before you go on puree?

My full liquid diet isof the following (I may actually have each one though)

Milk

Carnation Instant Breakfast

Fat-free, sugar-free yogurt

juice

Strained fat-free cream Soups

sugar-free pudding

Sugar-free hot cocoa

Protein drinks

Next week (week 2 of full liquids) I should be able to add in

Fat-free/low-fat cottage cheese

egg substitude, scrambled

egg whites, scrambled