ObesityHelp Halloween Survival Guide: Support

1.

WLS Tricks and Treats for a Healthy Halloween

As weight loss surgery patients, we don’t have to be tricked by the Halloween “treats” that disrupt our healthy habits and lifestyle.  We’ve put together some suggested substitutes that are true treats when it comes to decreased carbohydrates, sugar and fat.  In addition, we’ve included an Activity Tip* for each high caloric food treat to demonstrate possibly how much activity it would take to burn off those calories.

2.

Shut the Food Flood Gates To Holiday Eating

For many weight loss surgery patients, October marks the time that the holidays begin. There are the cute little candy bars that are aplenty, then followed by Thanksgiving, and then the grand finale of December holiday eating. The three month long eating spree is followed by the rationalization and promise of turning over a new way and getting back on track.

3.

Halloween Tricks for those Sweet Treats

It is that time of year — the leaves are turning brilliant colors, the air is crisp, and the bags of those cute little Halloween candies line the aisles of practically every store you go to. Have you ever purchased your Halloween candy early on and then find the bags empty by October 31? Have you raided your kids’ bags of candy after they’ve gone to bed? You can have your own set of tricks to avoid the buffet of Halloween treats. Develop your own bag of WLS tricks for a lifetime of long-lasting treats.

4.

The Three T’s of Halloween: Tricking, Treating, & Transforming

It is that time of year — the leaves are turning brilliant colors, the air is crisp, and the bags of those cute little Halloween candies line the aisles of practically every store you go to. Have you ever purchased your Halloween candy early on and then find the bags empty by October 31? Have you raided your kids’ bags of candy after they’ve gone to bed? You can have your own set of tricks to avoid the buffet of Halloween treats. Develop your own bag of WLS tricks for a lifetime of long-lasting treats.

1.

Make The Glycemic Index Foods Work for You

Your body performs best when your blood sugar is kept relatively constant. If your blood sugar drops too low, you become lethargic and/or experience increased hunger. And if it goes too high, your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Insulin brings your blood sugar back down, but primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored fat. Also, the greater the rate of increase in your blood sugar, the more chance that your body will release an excess amount of insulin, and drive our blood sugar back down too low.

2.

The Not So Sweet Facts About Sugar

Do you realize that the average American consumes an astounding two to three pounds of sugar each week?  Sugar is disguised in many different forms such as sucrose (table sugar), dextrose (corn sugar), and high-fructose corn syrup. It is used in many foods you wouldn’t even consider.  It is added to bread, mayonnaise, peanut butter, ketchup, spaghetti sauce, and even in many microwave meals. Some restaurants even add it to their French fry batter.  It is used to add or enhance flavor.

3.

10 Tips to Tame Sugar Cravings

The pitfalls of sugar are that the more we eat it, the more we want! Why do we crave sugar? Sugar is a carbohydrate but nutritionally void, unlike other carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of the feel-good brain chemical serotonin. The taste and consumption of sugar releases endorphins that calm and relax us, and we can experience a “high” from eating it. Many of us can seek that “high” again and again by repeatedly indulging in sugar. You may need more than one strategy to blast away your sugar cravings. Use any (or all) of these tips or find the successful strategies that work for you.

1.

60 Ways to Avoid Emotional Eating

We don’t always eat simply to satisfy hunger. Many people also turn to food for other reasons... to celebrate, cure boredom, for comfort and even for stress relief. Emotional eating can sabotage your weight loss efforts. When you start to emotionally eat, try one of these activities instead, or create your own list that works for you!

2.

Food as Comfort - NOT!

For many people, food has been used as that fix/all to life’s upsets, successes, up’s and down’s. Sometimes, life can be just too much, and put more demands on us than we can cope with. It is a healthy choice to want to comfort ourselves. The problem is that food isn’t meant to be used for comfort. Food is fuel for our bodies, not a substance to provide comfort or love. While eating certain food choices may make you feel soothed for a short time, in the end you’ll probably feel worse, and regret the choice of turning to food.

3.

Hunger vs. Satiety

People who struggle with weight often have difficulty identifying the difference between physiological hunger and psychological hunger. This is sometimes referred as head hunger vs. real hunger.  Having gone through WLS, it is critical for us to know the difference between these two hungers.  We need to be able to recognize them. A simple way to look at the two types of hunger is to use this Hunger and Satiety Rating Scale.  It can help you to identify what type of hunger you are experiencing.