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Thanksgiving depression



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Five weeks since having the surgery. Love the pounds I lost so far, but depressed about the oncoming of the holiday eating. I know I'm going to miss eating like I previously did. Because I have a family, I have to provide the traditional thanksgiving fest and such. Advice on how to get through this time of year without resenting getting the procedure.

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Five weeks since having the surgery. Love the pounds I lost so far, but depressed about the oncoming of the holiday eating. I know I'm going to miss eating like I previously did. Because I have a family, I have to provide the traditional thanksgiving fest and such. Any Advice on how to get through this time of year without resenting getting the procedure?

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I'm with you!!! I'm two weeks post op and if seems like all throughout this process there's been nothing but potlucks and invites out to eat. I just had friendsgiving on Saturday while being on liquids, and I have a potluck at work tomorrow.

At my friendsgiving, I just focused on the people around me. I ate my Soup and once I becAme full I just talked about whatever came to mind. It was almost liberating. I was able to concentrate on my friends and enjoy their presence, also I didn't feel sick afterwards from over eating. I'm just trying to see it this way.. Thanksgiving will be there next year too, but how much longer am I going to be around if I keep eating like I do??

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I'm with you!!! I'm two weeks post op and if seems like all throughout this process there's been nothing but potlucks and invites out to eat. I just had friendsgiving on Saturday while being on liquids, and I have a potluck at work tomorrow.

At my friendsgiving, I just focused on the people around me. I ate my Soup and once I becAme full I just talked about whatever came to mind. It was almost liberating. I was able to concentrate on my friends and enjoy their presence, also I didn't feel sick afterwards from over eating. I'm just trying to see it this way.. Thanksgiving will be there next year too, but how much longer am I going to be around if I keep eating like I do??

It was tough for me last year as I was sleeved on dec 12. I even baked several sweet Desserts and couldn't even have a bite of anything. I remember rubbing Vicks vapor rub on my nose to block out aromas and that helped quite a bit. I'm glad I enjoyed a full thanksgiving last year before surgery. Can't really consume much even at almost 1 year out now, but at least I can taste a bit here and there

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I'm 5 months out. I'm in the real food phase. Went to a bariatic cooking class. The subject was the holiday's. We had Turkey...Green Beans with orange and sliced almonds...Sweet potatoes...Sugar free pumpkin cheese cake. I don't feel deprived at all. Same tastes of the holiday without all the over stuffing yourself. I'm also jogging in the Turkey day 5K in the morning then dinner at 4:00pm with friends and family.

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To the OP ...

If I was recently sleeved (only 5 weeks ago) and had to cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family, I'd be much more likely to resent having to do all that cooking than to resent having had VSG surgery.

Just sayin'.

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I'm cooking tomorrow and no resentment here. I just know I'm going to cook a smaller turkey and a smaller meal this year. No huge army sized meals.

I like getting full of 4 to 6 ounces of food each time.

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I wish I could tell you how wonderful you'll feel by next Thanksgiving. It's all worth it. Hang in there!

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I'm 3 weeks post op and hosting a bunch of family who don't know I had the surgery. We'll suffer through this together. Remember, it's just one day, and you know that this year you're not putting on a ton of weight from eating too much. This might be my first Thanksgiving without next-morning guilt!

Good luck!

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I read something the other day that really rang true and I plan on using tomorrow...

The first three bites you taste, the rest is just eating.

I think this is so true! I am gonna take three bites of anything I want (anything you are cleared for at your stage) and be done knowing full well anything more wont really taste as good anyhow!

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I'm sorry you're feeling low about not being able to do the usual. I am 5 weeks out but I'm not missing the old way of eating at all (hope it lasts). I do miss crunchy textures, but I'm committed to seeing onederland before I even think about a chip. I am baking and cooking already for tomorrow and I've employed my siblings as tasters. I am so glad that I won't be gorging myself tomorrow! This time of year was always a prime excuse for me to quit dieting and exercising. There were a million things to do, decorating, shopping, wrapping...By mid-January I was always disgusted with myself. Repeat yearly. I'm glad to end that cycle and I'm so grateful for this tool and there is no way I'm going to take a day off; especially when I know there'll be another one next year!

Happy Turkey Day!

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
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