How to Survive the Holidays With a Game Plan
December 23, 2019Make a Game Plan & Survive The Holidays!
The holidays can be a tricky time for weight loss surgery patients. Sometimes family gatherings alone may be somewhat stressful but then add off-program foods into the mix, and it can be a very trying time for bariatric folks. So, how can you survive the holidays?
Most of us have done very well following a routine during our regular run of the mill days. We usually have meal plans mapped out, likely grab similar, safe, and healthy foods, and balance our week accordingly. We typically navigate situations like eating out, alcohol, and liquid calories carefully, but then the holidays arrive, and often, what we usually do seems to fall by the wayside.
Survive the Holidays: Handling GREEN LIGHT Days
Start by grabbing a calendar and marking off the days that you have special events. When you see what your month looks like overall, it will help you to navigate what you need to do. No doubt you’ll have parties, work events and the like. Days that aren’t special days need to be 100% on track days. They will be the balance to your off-track eating plan.
These days will be filled with protein first eating. Food choices such as fish, chicken, eggs, fruit, Greek yogurt, and lots of vegetables should be used to fill you up and provide satiety. Minimize liquid calories and cheat eating on these days so that the holiday time period is mostly comprised of these “on track” type of days. These will be your “green light” days.
Next, circle in red the days that you will have very little control of your eating out. These could be parties held at a facility where you are not able to bring in food like at a restaurant or hall. These will be your trickiest of days. These will be the days that will be your “red light days.”
Lastly, circle the days where you will have SOME control of your eating because you will be able to bring in an item or two. These are your “yellow light days.”
Survive the Holidays: Handling RED LIGHT Days
Because you have less control of red light days, you need to STOP and plan ahead of time. If you are going to a restaurant and there’s an online menu, find it before you go. Choose your food taking into account that the more simple the ingredients are, likely the better you’ll do. Look for menu items like chicken and fish that are generally reasonably safe choices, especially if they are baked or grilled.
Look for vegetable sides and don’t hesitate to ask for double vegetables if you want to avoid needless calories.
Limit yourself to 1 drink if you feel the need to indulge, skip dessert unless it’s a bite of someone else’s and decline the breadbasket. Save the dessert for a special occasion like your Aunt Gertrude’s special cheesecake or pie. Restaurant desserts are typically nothing special and could be had on any given day. Spend your dessert calories on something that is WORTH IT to you.
If it’s a buffet-style meal at a hall, do the protein and vegetable options before anything else. A teaspoon or taste of other items will likely be more than enough on your plate if you feel you need to indulge.
One trick that can be helpful is to scan the foods in the buffet. Rate them on a scale of 1 to 10. Start by putting mostly protein on your plate. Then grab only a small portion of the 9s and 10s. If you don’t need that bun, don’t take it. If it’s something you can have every day, skip it. If it’s special, take a small portion to enjoy.
Remember that red light days are your biggest challenge! If you handle one, you can control them all.
Survive the Holidays: Handling YELLOW LIGHT Days
Yellow light days are a little more easily managed. Because these events are often at someone’s house, you can easily bring in a healthy treat. This not only gives you a safe option to eat, but if you want to eat a little less mindfully, it gives you an option to eat that will do less damage than say munching on chips or cookies throughout the night.
Some popular options to bring are a shrimp ring, deviled eggs, a vegetable or fruit tray.
Before you go to the event, eat very clean. Do not starve yourself before going, or you might binge eat when you get there. Have protein or other food choices that will fill you up before you go to the get-togethers.
Also, bring your water bottle. Have it in hand when talking with your friends. Keeping your hands busy can keep you away from the extra nibbles you don’t need. Move away from the food areas as well if you can.
No doubt, many of the guests will be drinking. Water down your drink if you feel the need to avoid an empty glass. Focus on your limit and stick with it.
Remember, the trick is not to let the time between Christmas and the New Year become a full week of off-track eating. Control what you can control. Plan what you can plan. Make healthy choices overall.
Most of all, if you do get off track, don’t beat yourself up. It happens to the best of us. The trick is not to keep going down that slippery slope. Eventually, you must draw your line in the sand, forgive yourself and move on. There will be lots of opportunities to get back on track.
So don’t let the holidays throw you completely off course when it comes to your weight loss journey. Start by thinking ahead now. It’s time to be your own life coach and prepare for the trying times ahead. Make a game plan and remind yourself that you owe it to yourself to stay on track as much as you can.
Happy Holidays!
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dawn Rudling Stefani had surgery in 2006 and has been an avid member of ObesityHelp since her pre-op days. Her OH username is “Diminishing Dawn.” She is an advocate and a strong supporter of the weight loss community, runs her local support group, and is an elementary school teacher. She is very active in weight loss surgery groups on Facebook and enjoys making new acquaintances with other WLS patients. Read more articles from Dawn! |
