What are your tips and/or tricks in order to get through what is almost the hardest time of the year? THE HOLIDAYS!

For me, it's an emotional time and it's hard not to want to turn to food. I am trying to be more mindful and have a list of ready made "good" choices should I be compelled by my urges, but ... how do you deal? Do you have a plan? If not, come up with one (or five) and share it (them) pls....

On all kinds of topics to address this one: with the food pushers, with just great food in your face, with old habits wanting to creep in via familiar environments (which are triggers sometimes for me)..... what else?

I am surely not alone with this one!

Wishing you and yours a happy holidays though, for what it's worth!

xx

Everyone is different' date=' but I really do believe that part of overcoming our food demons is actually facing them and not ignoring them. Eventually we reach goal and we need to learn moderation and to control our emotional eating or we'll find ourselves trapped in lifelong diets.

I hosted Thanksgiving for a crowd just four months post op. I did not deny myself anything. I took tiny bites of whatever I wanted when I was hungry. I found that I had no desire to try certain foods at all (pie was way too sweet) but other foods were oddly compelling (I couldn't get enough of a Brussels sprouts with chestnuts dish and a fresh fruit arrangement had me back for pineapple over and over again). All in all, I finished the holiday feeling perfectly happy, perfectly sated and I didn't gain any weight. In fact, I continued to lose at my usual pace throughout the entire holiday season.

If you really want something, try a very small taste. Satisfy the urge and more often than not you'll find that the food memory is better than the food itself. Or perhaps it will just be really delicious and you'll be glad you didn't miss out.

Learn to say NO. Learn to say, I'm not hungry or I don't want a cookie or I'm trying to make better choices when someone pushes food on you. It's OKAY to pass up the cookie tray at the office without making a scene or hurting anyone's feelings.

The very best way to keep myself accountable is to record every single bite I put in my mouth throughout the day. If I ate an apple slice with cream cheese dip, I would go so far as to put the approximate recipe for what I ate into myfitnesspal. Why? To me, my success was worth the trouble. This was the best way for me to know if I had a little more flex or if I was losing control. Surprisingly, by allowing myself bites of what I wanted instead of trying to eat to my old stomach, I was able to eat pretty much anything I wanted without denying myself anything.

When I tried to deny myself, food was in charge. I was resentful of what I couldn't eat, envious of the portions on everyone else's plate and in a negative mood all around...which of course, can lead to emotional eating. Food was my every thought - either what I would eat or what I could eat or what I had to avoid eating. That's a ridiculous way to live your life! Do not give food that kind of power of you, and learn to accept it as fuel and yes, something that can be delicious. Find a way to make this happen that works for you, because food isn't going anywhere and neither is the holiday season!

You'll have to find what works for you. Avoid leftovers (except roasted turkey, Protein is always good!) and accept food gifts with grace and then share them so you won't be tempted to consume them yourself.

I really do believe that the best way to avoid feeling unsatisfied is to skip the fake stuff. If you're going to eat a food, make it good enough and high enough quality that a few bites will satisfy. Everyone is different, but for me, I was far more likely to eat three fake sugar, no fat Cookies because 1) I could justify it as a diet food and 2) my body wanted more, searching for the real sugar and fat it had been craving in the first place.

Your sleeve is going to stop you from siting down and losing control with a huge plate of food. But it is NOT going to stop you from eating a cookie an hour if you choose to do it, so try to keep your grazing under control.

Good luck. This is part of the challenge for everyone. Learning to live a new life with better habits is WHY you got the sleeve. Okay, and to be skinny, too. But really, you won't stay skinny if you don't do the other part. So approach this like a challenge and do your best to make yourself proud.

~Cheri[/quote']

I totally agree with sharing my treats. I get a lot of gooey treats at work during the holidays. I very quickly give them to the rest of the staff to enjoy. Seeing them devour them with delight makes my day.