I am about 7 weeks post-op and have been having a few issues, but the most pressing one is handling holidays. The stress and pressure plus the constant stream of holiday treats everywhere... I have not broken down and eaten anything bad yet, but it is getting harder. Any advice?

*My one-month post-op showed I was only down seven pounds, which was stunning to me since I had been living on applesauce and protein shakes. Adding exercise helped but I find it so hard to do it every day and I don't know why? I feel like the weight is coming off really slowly and I've heard that's better for your skin, but I also feel like there's something wrong with me for not losing the pounds more quickly. Can anyone relate?

2 hours ago, WriterMom71 said:

Any advice?

Stick to the plan, don't stress too much, enjoy the season and make sure Kevin is not home alone.

Go out and walk around the stores, shops, malls, anywhere where there is Christmas Magic in the Air. It gets walking in and you can enjoy the air. I have never had an issue with the sweets believe it or not i am not a sweets person, but i will bake the crap out of them and give them away. I plan on making cookies and fudge for co workers and all and even for home. And part of Christmas will be candy canes with a marshmallow coated in chocolate dipped in crushed peppermint.. for the hot cocoa. Try to do things away from food or make alternatives if the sweets are a downfall.

Stick to your plan. Eat your meals on a schedule. Don't trust yourself to eat to hunger cues. Eat dense protein to your Stage and only a bit of veg/fat.

At 7 weeks post op I personally think you should not stick to your plan for those dates, I know we are different and react differently in our bodies. I think the plan is always executed year long so why should you pass up Holiday food related events, its part of the journey. Be social, merry and active. Walk the malls, help out around guest house (not that you don't), enjoy all facets of the Holidays that energy will keep you burning. Besides the surgery always keeps our body in some sort of famine and some indulging of calories help will help the metabolism. I treated Thanksgiving weekend as if it were cheat days, had family visiting from out of town. After all was said and done on that Monday I had lost a pound and lost 2 more the following days. The key is obviously is to revert back to your plan at hand once those days are over with. Also I am referring exact Holiday Dates like Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve & Day not the whole calendar month.

I was 3 weeks out from surgery when Easter came around this year, and I asked this very question to my RD. I knew I was going to be around family, and that I would be on puree at the time. Her answer was to take the FLAVORS I loved and make something healthy with it. So, because Stoffer's Veggie Lasagna was my go-to for Easter I made a soup with vegetables, protein powder and all that. IT WAS SO GOOD.

What I'm saying here is, flavor has a huge part to play in how humans interact with tradition. Trying to deny yourself EVERYTHING for the season will make you more likely to binge, which is never good. So work WITH your surgery. Do you love hot cocoa? Warm up a chocolate protein drink. Can't stand missing out on a Christmas ham? Have ham without the glaze, or find a new way to make it. Get peppermint extract to put in sugar free chocolate pudding, then freeze it (or whip it to make mousse.) Above all, know that these flavors will be back again next year when you can indulge a bit more safely than you can right now.

Find a way to make the flavors work FOR you, not against you. ❤️