In America, 25 days to Thanksgiving.

Around the world, 53 days until Christmas.

60 days to New Years.

For people of the Jewish faith, sorry for not knowing the timeline until Hannikah

And there are other faith groups and ethnic groups having holiday season besides.

So the quick question: How do we, as people devoted to losing weight, handle all the turkey, dressing, tamales, cranberries, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc?

I know I already have 3 reunion meals to go to... and the only one at any of these who knows I have been banded is my wife. So it should be interesting.

So there's the question: Discuss.

This will be my 2nd holiday season with the band.

Last year was really tough because I still had the mentality of filling up my plate to the fullest with all the food I love. At a table with 12 people I was so self-conscious (they don't know). One, two bites of turkey and I was done. It was quite embarrassing and I had to excuse myself to go PB.

I have learned after dealing with Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and many family dinners and brunches that I just take a tiny tiny bit of food. I do tricks to make it look like my plate is fuller (like put a ramekin on my plate), then I push food around a lot and I even push some off onto my husband's plate. If I want more, I can go back, but I should not overload it because it is so obvious.

Also, the experience is no longer about the food, but spending time with family and friends, having a good time.

I did a dry run at thanksgiving dinner (turkey, turnips, mashed potatoes, gravy, veggies, pies, etc). It took me time to figure out what I could and couldn't eat comfortably. But I did find myself filling up fast. Most of my family know about the lapband, so I can take a child size plate. I find that helps, because the little we can eat, seems so much more on a small plate. Plus in my huge family (growing still), it frees up another adult plate.

I just had to seriously remember to put my fork down between bites.

teri

As always well written Jack

I'm glad this subject came up. I see my dr. on Nov. 5th, then it goes to the insurance for approval and then I'm not sure how long it takes until surgery.

I have been worried about the holidays since only my husband and kids know that I'm trying to get LapBand. I am worried that I may be on liquids only during one of the upcoming holidays. I didn't know if I should go ahead and tell my family and listen to the neg remarks that I'm not ready for or fake sick, lol. I thought if I said I didn't feel good that would give me a reason not to pig out like normal.

This Thanksgiving my college daughter age 20 & her friend are cooking dinner, something they both wanted to do as long as I supervise. This works for me I wont have to be in the kitchen all day tasting. I will sit down to my first Thanksgiving meal that I have not prepared in 23 years, have my normal size portions and enjoy my family.

I got through Easter and figure the same approach will work for all holidays/food festivals. I take a little of everything, move it around the plate, keep conversations going, and act as (or help out) the host. Revelation to me: no one was watching what I ate; most people are too busy feeding themselves to notice.

I'm pretty nervous about this... I may have just moved out of mushies by Thanksgiving and don't want to draw extra attention to myself but also don't want to get sick on anything.... I know we're supposed to get our protein first, but turkey is usually so dry... I don't want to have to drown it in gravy to get it down... that would defeat the purpose, ya know? We'll see..... but I'm still nervous about it, especially since we'll be with DH's family that day for that meal...

How do we, as people devoted to losing weight, handle all the turkey, dressing, tamales, cranberries, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, etc?

The word is up above in your question Steve..................Devoted.

My doctor has always told me to enjoy the holidays and I can. Since you have that devotion you shouldn't have a problem. There is nothing wrong with you having a bit of this and a bit of that.

You shouldn't worry about what other people may feel about how much you put on you plate. Taste and enjoy. Eat the amount you normally can as a banded person, enjoy the conversation, enjoy the company and be your normal self. You should by now be aware of your limit so that is the new you.

Don't think too much into it as this is your new life now and there shouldn't be any going back.

You will be fine........

Josephine

My family and I are, for the first time, helping our church with their community Thanksgiving dinner for those who are hungry and/or homeless. I intend to share dishes with the crowd that are healthy and in keeping with my new eating regimen. I will make squash and roasted veggies, lots of gravy, and I am bringing sugar free dessert. I'm sure there will be diabetics in the crowd, and they'll probably be glad to finally get to have some dessert on a big holiday. I won't over-do it, because the last thing I want to do is to be fighting someone for the restroom so I can barf. I have spent 41 years eating myself stupid at holiday time, and I did not go through all this 4 months ago to make myself sick for one day. I haven't touched a single piece of the kids' Halloween candy, and I don't want to. I have a bar os sugar-free dark chocolate, and I will let a square melt in my mouth if I need the chocolate fix!

This will be my very first holiday season w/ the band.

Last year I was banded but during the weightloss phase - so I couldn't eat.

This year I look forward to a full plate, a single full plate w/ a spoon full of EVERYTHING.

I agree with Jack.

I just dont worry about it, even devoting this much time and energy to thinking about what you DONT want to eat is not a normal way to think about food.

Yes, we eat a little more on the holidays due to all the celebration meals. So what?

I just go along, have a little of what's on offer, try not to drink more than a glass or two of wine and make sure I continue to get a good run in most days.

At worst I may gain a pound or two, very unlikely for me with a lapband. Most likely I will simply stay the same. When I was losing, I continued to lose. Its basically fresh healthy food - its not like a 10 layer three cheese lasagne - its meat, vegetables and some trimmings. Dont eat a lot of it, have just a taste of Christmas pudding, avoid all the nibbles before and after and dont drink too much and there's no real problem, it turns into just an ordinary meal. And dont eat leftovers for days, just get right back on your program.

i plan on eating the turkey dinner, probably some turkey, potatoes, sweet potato pie etc but taking a very small portion. I dont plan on eating any sweets, but i dont feel a sliver of pie would hurt me either. for me its all about moderation. Just like ive doing awesome my dd had a bday part at a pizza joint yesterday.. i didnt have cake but i had two deep fried buffalo wings and two french fries and it didnt hurt me at all and weight still fell off the next day. My thing is learning to stop when im not hungry not when i feel full because the full thing is uncomfortable. I only eat about 3 oz at a time, but still i end up feeling fulllll.. i get full from drinking too tho. it doesnt last long tho but it staves off hunger lol