** new topic: what are the challenges you forsee this holiday season?

I would have to say for me holiday breads...that was my big issue before and I still fight that battle. I will also volunteer to be clean up and dish crew but please allow me to opt out of cooking all the holiday treats.
I also wonder about travel. I will have to do the lunch packing thing with the flights to the west coast. But with that being said I am going to a very big city so I will have more options if I look and it is home so I know it well.
My family is supportive and will help me but the actual travel will be a big concern.

What do you all worry about with the upcoming holidays? d you have any ideas that helped you survive since surgery you plan on implementing this holiday?

FOOD! 
Don't need to say any more-on pre-op medically supervised diet for insurance approval.

I'd have to say CHOCOLATE!!! HOwever now that we are living in a bigger city it might be GOING OUT TO DINNER!!! We love to go out to eat!!! Being so close to all these great restaurants, might be challenging

Stupid Sugar... no dumping here.  I do stay away from it for the most part, but those Christmas Sugary goodies are already calling.  Will just eat real food hopefully protein oriented first. 

What will I have a problem with? Turkey, with the stuffing (you cant eat turkey without stuffing), gravy, mashed potatoes, candied yams, and dinner rolls with butter oozing out of them.

It is OK to eat green beans, Cole slaw, and deviled eggs, so I may put them off until another day. With Halloween, I just had my fill of pumpkin pie (sugar free, and used fat free Carnation, no crust).

If you want more, I could go on but I have to go fix breakfast. What will I eat?...John

Sol....you are funny! I am pretty good around the holidays but then this will be my first year to do the traditional baking I refused to do the last two years!  So that may be my downfall!  Lord give me strength!!

My tiny aunt  (size 0) makes TONS of holiday goodies -- peanut butter balls covered in chocolate, toffee bars, coconut balls with chocolate, and more that I think I have blocked from my memory.  LOL  I have discovered that I don't dump on sugar, which is most unfortunate.  I was hoping that I would, but Halloween proved otherwise.  I do try to abstain from it 100%, but I've had a couple of little Tootsie Rolls and a pumpkin muffin with no adverse reaction at all.  Too bad!

I"m trying to program my brain to stay away from any sweets made with real sugar.  That's what got me to my highest weight and I do NOT want to go back there.

I just think that the holidays are so food-centered that it's hard to resist the temptation.  This is my first holiday season since surgery.

My biggest challenge is going to be keeping the peace with relatives that keep telling me to eat!
Some people just don't get it.

Leslie