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Surgery Date and Christmas Liquid Diet



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I got my surgery date! January 4th. My liquid diet starts December 21st...I know it takes dedication and perseverance, but does anyone have any ideas as to how to make Christmas eating bearable while not being able to eat solid food? Any holiday-ish recipes or anything healthy? Thanks guys!

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Congrats on the surgery date! You'll do great on the liquid diet. I can't be much help on what to make... my 2-week pre-op diet consisted of 3 Protein shakes per day, broth and sugar free popsicles, so not very festive.

My one bit of advice, when things get stressful, just remind yourself why you're on the liquid diet: #1 get your body ready for surgery and most importantly #2 get your head ready for the post-op diet.

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Thanks for the encouraging words, @@goblue9280! :) my pre op diet consists of the same things essentially.

I know it is part of the deal, not eating the way I used to anymore. My family does a big Christmas Breakfast every year. It's just our thing. I know I will be tempted to nibble on something! I think I'm going to have to get crafty with my Protein shakes and some sf Jello during Breakfast lol!

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Congrats I am waiting for mine. Please keep in touch would love to hear your progress

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I'm in the same boat! My liquid-only diet starts dec 17 and surgery is dec 28. I told my mom that I wasn't coming to Christmas dinner and she's not happy but she understands. I'll join them afterwards and am planning to have hot cocoa (sugar free and using high Protein almond milk) so it will feel festive.

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@@Ashley Cherradi

Will do!

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@@talkingmountain It is a wise idea, and I may end up following your example. It's easier to just come after everyone eats their big breakfast. I hope my family will understand if I do end up doing that. I completely forgot about hot cocoa! Such a great idea. :)

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If they don't, just pull a Kevin McCallister and make your family disappear.

"I don't want a new family. I don't want any family. Families suck!"

I hope my family will understand if I do end up doing that.

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Lol my family kinda sucks at Christmas time. So much tension and all those unresolved issues! But I love 'em to death all the same.

For really festive cocoa, stir in a tiny sprinkle of red pepper (or a tiny drop of hot sauce), a little cardamom & ginger if you have it, a little cinnamon, & top w a cinnamon stick!

Or for a minty recipe, stir in a drop of peppermint flavor in & add a sprig of mint or a sugar free candy cane (don't eat the candy cane unless it's one you can have, tho!)

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Get Syntrax nectar fuzzy navel and pretend it's a mimosa.

I also love Harney and Sons hot cinnamon spice tea. They have it in Decaf. They have Christmas spice but I haven't tried it.

It may not be easy, but you will make it through!

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My doc doesn't allow tea. Says the tannins in it irritate the stomach lining. But he does allow 1-2 cups of coffee a day. It's amazing how different everyone's requirements are!

Edited by talkingmountain

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My doc doesn't allow tea. Says the tannins in it irritate the stomach lining. But he does allow 1-2 cups of coffee a day. It's amazing how different everyone's requirements are!

You could have an herbal infusion (herb tea) instead.

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I had my surgery a week ago which means my liquid diet included Thanksgiving. As much as I wanted to be with my family, I knew I would be miserable smelling all those wonderful smells. So, I stayed home, drank my liquids and kept busy putting up the Christmas tree. It wasn't a great day (I had a 20 minute pity party) but it was the best decision for me. Good luck. It's only one Christmas in a lifetime of them. Besides, like me, this may be the first year you don't gain over the holidays!!

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Had my surgery jan 13th. Still on full liquids having food craving though

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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
      1. This update has no replies.
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