Fall/Winter months and turning to comfort foods

I am a comfort eater so when its cold or storming and the snow starts to fly I tend to make more bad food choices. They are already predicting snow in just a few days and my mind is swirling with meals I want to make that just always taste better when it's a cold fall or wintery day. (Baked potato soup with lots of cheeses and bacon is at the top of my list.) I am going to try my best to practice portion control and to make good food choices these next few months, holidays and all, but it's going to be hard for me I know. I have to cook for the family and they don't like the food choices I am trying to make and the temptation to stray off course is always through the roof.

Before WLS I felt guilty if I ate for other reasons besides hunger. If I wanted to eat, but I wasn't hungry, I would try to "white-knuckle" it. Since then I've learned that it's perfectly normal and healthy to eat because I want some sort of sensation (crunch, flavour) or to comfort myself. So now I make sure I have foods on hand that will satisfy those needs without straying too far from my diet.

One of my comfort foods is the "hot chocolate" I make using a spoon of cocoa, a half-serving of protein powder, sweetener, ho****er, and a splash of (non-dairy) milk. Not only does this satisfy my chocolate cravings and soothe me, it helps me get extra protein (especially important since I am vegan). If you look hard enough, you will probably find similar comfort foods that are actually good for you.

Another thing I learned about myself is that I have days where I want to eat more, and days where I want less. I've learned not to stress about the high-calorie days, to trust that my body will naturally balance things out, and just focus on my average calorie intake. Next time you eat more than you think you should, notice if it's part of your natural pattern.

It might also help to look for comforting experiences that involve other senses. Enjoy a scented candle or herbal tea, cuddle with pets or children, take a hot bath, etc. Your post reminded me I should be doing more of this, because I have found it very helpful.

Are you following a low-calorie diet, or a keto diet? Whichever it is, perhaps someone can suggest a recipe for a potato soup with cheese and bacon that satisfies you and fits your diet. I'm hopeless in the kitchen, but one suggestion I have is to try adding protein powder to the soup to make it creamier and thicker, in place of cream.

I am hoping that once I have surgery, I can still turn to soups. I love making vegetable soups. Trying to figure out ways to incorporate proteins (maybe chicken or turkey etc) becuause I am not sure how protein powder will go

During the six months that I was preparing for surgery, my surgeon told me not to lose any weight because I was right at the weight where the insurance would pay for surgery. When I talked with my personal doctor about that, he suggested that I make it a point not to eat any white foods for that six months.

So nothing with flour, potatoes, rice, sugar, or cereals. He told me to make sure everything on my plate was full of color. I stuck to that strictly except for one slip up. I was at the office alone one evening. It had been donut day and the box of leftover donuts was sitting there. I ate one last donut before taking the box to the break area.

I also gave up Diet Coke. I believe that made it so much easier for me after surgery because I was not withdrawing from the starches and caffeine. Diet Coke had been my only source of caffeine. And I drank it by the liter.

I avoid flour, potatoes, rice, sugar, and cereal. I made soups with vegetables, meats, beans, split peas, or lentils. I also make chili in cold weather and I make beef stew with no potatoes. I buy frozen meatballs and heat them in the microwave with some tomato sauce. I don't miss the pasta.

Research the story of the Pima Indians. They were a lean, strong, and healthy people until the white man introduced them to white flour and white sugar. They quickly became obese and have a very high rate of Type 2 diabetes. I do not believe we would have an obesity problem if people stopped eating the white foods.

I suspect we all have a ( natural) instinct to eat more and to make fattier food choices in the fall. And many of us have come up with clever recipe hacks and other ideas that either give us the same taste in a bariatric friendly way or comfort us a different way ... like Wombat suggests.

When I joined Overeaters Anonymous one very helpful suggestion was to make a list of ten things that you could turn to when you're craving excess food ...mine were a hot bath with a book, binge watching tv without ads ( usually involves popcorn and a low cal drink but I consider air popped popcorn a "free" food, a twelve step zoom meeting which somehow always helps lessen that " restless irritable and discontented " feeling , fussing with my plants which is a kind of meditation for me, petting or brushing my little Persian cat, tidying if I'm in the mood particularly my dressing room. Somehow putting my clothes in color- coordinated order makes me appreciate the now-nice body they go on which I work so hard to sculpt and keep healthy ..sometimes a beach walk or a sidewalk walk ( with or without a friend) to good music helps ****ep my cellphone and wireless headphones charged !) . I can browse the internet for things I plan to buy , plan a summer slipcover makeover for my living room and terraces... complete a sewing project or three in front of the tv...or post on here

Potato Bacon Cheese soup very low fat: Microwave 3 large potatoes 10 min ****il soft when forked) , put in cold water, peel, mash. Dice one large onion diced and 5 cloves garlic while frying a bunch of ( the meatiest you can find ) bacon pieces on med-high heat dropping to medium-low , rendering the fat while not burning or over browning the meat.

Of course you can use turkey bacon or even fat free Canadian bacon or a smoked turkey leg to give a very similar taste very low fat but using real bacon with the fat thrown mostly out will taste the most authentic.

Drain almost all the fat, and toast the garlic and onion on medium heat stirring occasionally until golden. Do not burn the onions.

Place the mashed potato in the pan with 5 cups organic ( preferably ) chicken stock and the cheese packet (dissolved and mixed in water or fat free milk first ) from a package of cheap macaroni and cheese mix. Add either 2 cups fat free half and half or most of one envelope fat free dried milk reconstituted with water to pot . Taste for saltiness. If not yet salty enough consider adding one or two cubes of chicken starter....

I would also consider making it less carb-y and more healthy nay adding fresh broccoli florets or even riced (or florets of
) fresh cauliflower.

SOUP. That is what I have been living off of for the past few weeks. I made this week a cream of artichoke and italian wedding soup (no pasta). I make pasta fagioli (without pasta). Different textures and flavors. It works for me.