HOLIDAY TIPS

I read this article in Barbara Thompson's WLS newspaper and it has some good ideas for all of us.... HOW TO SURVIVE THE HOLIDAY SEASON The holiday season will soon be upon us and it can be a very dangerous time, weight-wise. Studies have shown that we gain as many as 5 pounds during the holidays. Most go on to lose 1 or 2 of the pounds and then retain the rest. Year after year, this can add up and we can slowly and steadily creep down the path to where we started before our surgery. Here are some tips for getting through with as little damage as possible. THINGS TO DO RIGHT NOW: Start planning now for damage control. Step up your exercise and tighten up your eating. There will be many days when your eating will be a little less than controlled, so this helps to get you in a healthier frame of mind. Don't approach the holidays as a time of depravation. You will just need to make smart choices. Don't plan on losing weight during the holidays. Concentrate on maintaining. Scratch cookie or goody making off your calendar. Why make yourself miserable by having all of that around to tempt you? THINGS TO DO DURING THE HOLIDAYS: Without fail - exercise the day of a party. At a social function, grab a small plate and fill it with healthy foods. Most deli meats, other than salami, are low fat and good choices. ****tail shrimp, veggies and fruits are excellent. Try to just taste the high-fat, high-calorie foods that are calling you. Eat especially healthy food before going to a party and do not arrive hungry. Consider taking your own healthy dish with you If there is a buffet, examine all of the dishes and plan an attack strategy. Put a few moments in planning exactly what you will and will not eat. Wear something smashing to remind yourself how far you have come. Another clothing consideration is to wear something that is tight fitting so if you do start to over indulge, you will feel it. Be careful of alcohol. It can quickly lower your resistance. If you are going to have alcohol, try a very light wine spritzer (wine with soda). Follow the 30 minutes rule and don't drink within 30 minutes of eating. At a party, get away from the food area. After you fill your plate, move as far away as possible. Work on de-emphasizing food during the holidays. Do group walks after a big meal, plan holidays around board or card games with lighter snacks, or sit with family and describe funny things that happened when you were growing up. THEN THERE ARE THE EMOTIONAL ISSUES Examine the holidays of years past. If they were emotional disasters before, don't expect that they will necessarily be different. Prepare yourself emotionally, and don't have your hopes up. Watch out for food pushers. Don't let anyone bully you into eating. Check your Body Mass Index http://www.obesityaction.org/aboutobesity/bmi.php prior to going anywhere that you will be with family. If anyone says to you that you are too thin, you can say with confidence what your Body Mass Index is and what it means in terms of your weight category. Understand that family members who may not say a word about all of the weight you have lost may either be embarrassed that you are getting smaller than they are, are jealous, or feel uncomfortable about mentioning weight. If you do overindulge, don't beat yourself up. You may end up going into a depression that will cause you to eat more. The holidays can be difficult. But they also can truly be filled with much joy. After surgery we have to learn to adjust to many new things in our lives and the way we approach them - holidays included! Let's all get through the holidays! Hugs to all....Barbara

Barbara, Thanks for the tips. I'll have to look for something smashing to wear for my next gathering. Have a great weekend, Rick

don't forget to post pics of you in your smashing get up

great ideas with T-day amoungst us! a few days ago the weather guy said it would be 65 and sunny on Thursday. I checked it today and its suppose to be 55 and showers hopefully the showers don't start til later as I plan to drag the family out (probably screaming and kicking) for a walk (ssshhh they don't know it yet ) happy thanksgiving everyone!