Well - it's here. This will be my first Christmas since I had my gastric sleeve. That means " food fest 2023" . ? Our whole family gathers together and brings tons of food. Our whole family is mostly overweight,too. I know I'm going to get the "you look skinnier since the last time I saw you " and "oh you have to try this- it's a new recipe " and "is that all you're having ?" I don't have a problem controlling what I eat - it's handling people who are trying to control what I eat ! I'd love any advice or tell me how you navigate a food based party. Thank you so much

Ahhhh yes the food pushers!! Honestly what I do is, take a little bit on my plate and just baby sit it all night. and if someone asks did you try "XX" I say its on my plate Im just not there yet. Honestly my entire family is overweight to and as long as I have a plate and at the table no one even notices what I am and am not eating. I baby sit my mocktail and just chat and enjoy the night.

7 hours ago, AmberFL said:

Ahhhh yes the food pushers!! Honestly what I do is, take a little bit on my plate and just baby sit it all night. and if someone asks did you try "XX" I say its on my plate Im just not there yet. Honestly my entire family is overweight to and as long as I have a plate and at the table no one even notices what I am and am not eating. I baby sit my mocktail and just chat and enjoy the night.

I do this too! I've found that if I just have some food in front of me, it doesn't matter and no one really notices. Also, I second babysitting a mocktail and chatting most of the time. If I get tired of the adults, I go hang out with the kids or teens for a bit and check in on their lives, too (because they're not as mean or pushy as the grown-ups! lol).

I've had 2 holiday seasons with family (who don't know I had surgery) and just coming up to my third! I've handled them all differently. The first was really tough because it would have been less than 6 weeks after my op so I just didn't go. Last year I made sure my partner was sitting next to me and then put most of my food (we get a huge loaded plate each) onto his, in small increments. I also ate 'in reverse order' - carbs first, then veg, then a tiny bit of meat (which halts everything for me, LOL). This year I will be able to eat like half a normal dinner (so a quarter of the massive dinner we seem to get served). I'll push the rest about on my plate and feed some to the dog. Like lots of the *always thin* people have done for years.

At various times over the last 2 years I have disposed of food - into bins and occasionally wrapped in serviettes into my handbag, LOL - and hidden food (eg ordered a chicken salad where I eat the salad and then hide all the chicken under the last few leaves). Just to deflect attention.

People who can be open about the fact they have had surgery just quote the surgery. If you're telling folks you're on a strict weight loss diet for your health that works too.

I do (really do) understand the special pressures of a family Christmas and I hope you get through it well. It gets better, I promise.

I’ve been fortunate in that my family has been quietly supportive. No one really says anything & in some cases will offer alternatives. Whenever others are hosting, I don’t make a fuss about what I can or can’t eat just make the best choices I can from the options. I’ve become adept of putting a little taste of a variety of food on my plate & saying thank you but I’m fine or this is plenty for now, maybe later. I happily sit there with my half empty plate while others’ are overflowing. I do allow myself a little more flexibility at Christmas: it is only one day a year. What’s funny is that I make most of the Christmas desserts yet I very rarely eat sweets any more. This is really the only day I do & choose a little bite or two of the things I enjoy most.

So many equate socialising with eating & drinking but really socialising is about being with people you love (or tolerate in regards to certain family members ?). Instead of eating, talk with those you’re with.