Daily Post--1/1/08

Hi all! This is our very FIRST daily post towards increasing participation and earning extra chances in the prize drawing at the end of the challenge! SO, here goes: With the holiday season winding to a close, I think it is a good time to ask what tips you can offer for a successful party-going experience? How did you manage the "buffets" and snacks that were out? What about alcoholic beverages? Did you resist completely or just limit consumption? How was the party experience different for you than it would have been as a pre-op?? Post away!! We've got to get this system working! Hugs, Lea

Lea, I hope you had a great New Year's Day! I am 6 months out, so the holiday eating arrangements were VERY different. Now when I go to gatherings or parties, I look for healthy choices full of protein. If protein isn't an option, I look for veggies or fruit, and just in small amounts. I avoid foods with heavy sauces or gravies, and luckily surgar makes me very ill!!! I am so glad that it does, it keeps me on track! I also make sure that I spend my time socializing and not hovering over a huge plate of food. As so many others before me have said...I now eat to live...not live to eat! If I go somewhere where there is a buffet, I think that just because there is one, doesn't mean I have to eat like there is one. I am just so excited to be losing weight, that I don't want to mess it up. This is my first challenge, and I am so excited to be a part of it! Thanks Lea!! Christy

Hello all, I am almost 3 years post op and 1 thing i have learned to do is ALWAYS assist the host. It keeps me away from the food and busy, so i may help with cooking, clean up or chasing the kids. Little do they know it's all selfishly motivated.

I stayed completely away from alcohol. It wasn't that hard. I had a small taste of wine (friends of mine are getting married and trying to decide on wines for the reception) and it burned going down. All done. As far as parties and stuff, I brought my own drinks (Crystal Light) and also brought something that I knew I could eat, in case there wasn't anything I could eat. Some of the places I went there was something I could add to my plate besides what I brought, like shrimp ****tail. Most of the food was off-limits due to sugar. I'm terrified of having dumping syndrome, especially in public, so I'm using that to my advantage. It's been my experience so far that going out is not that hard. You just need to plan a little and take responsibility for making sure there's going to be something you can have. This is way different than before I commited to this process, because before I would just eat/drink whatever. Now it's not only about what won't make me sick, but also what is WORTH eating to be sure I get my nutrition. Before, there was no awareness, no mindfulness. Now, eating is a thoughtful process. Thoughtful, but still enjoyable.

Well..I am still a pre-op..but working to lose as much weight as possible b4 my surgery date..that said today was a New Years Day party at my in-laws...it is always loaded to the gills with pasta (Italian family), pasta, pasta...but today there was some other more helthy choices from which I could choose..I opted for 2-bowls of salad and a little venison meat (interesting - but I figured it was protein)..I came armed with a large de-caff coffee with splenda and just sipped away...Since the cakes and cookies were in a side room I just stayed in any room but that one and got out of there without a bite had...I am now drinking my water, water, water...the only downside to this day is that I got up to take my daily walk outside - it was raining (or what I thought was rain - was actually an icy mix) and out go my dog and I...get about 2-blocks down the road and hit a patch of blac****scared me silly..but I kept going cause my husband sais I am nothin' if not stubborn...as I am so close to completing my 3-miles I hit a bad patch, try to overcompensate and twist my ankle...I hobbled the whole way home...praying that I don't slip again...I walk in the door, dog and I drenched, me grimacing and my lovely hubby sais "next time its icing out why don't you just ride the recumbent bike"...thanks dear..don't know why I didn't think of that...But, other than that today was a good day! But, for me the vacation is over and it is back to work, work, work tomorrow...I think I've had enough time with the kids and its back to school and daycare for them too...Happy New Year!

Hello!! I don't really have any tips or tricks as I just kind of ate what I wanted and made sure I didn't graze through the holidays. I did have a sip off hubby's wine cooler but other then that I didn't indulge lol. We really don't *party* so there wasn't to much work to stay on plan. *huggles* Felicia =0)

When I went to a party I made sure to take something I could have. Shrimp rings were my favorite this season. I did not have any alcohol this season but that is just because my husband is gone. If he were here we would of shared a bottle of champage on christmas and new years. I have a zip loc baggie with vanilla splenda in it so I could always have coffee. All my friends know I had surgery and I just tell them to plan as usual and I will bring something that I can have and share.

Lea, I need to update my weight. The weight I posted orginally was from a week ago. Today I weighed 200. I am only 9 weeks post-op so I did not do the party scene or have any alcohol this year. Right now I am to scared of dumping to try to many things. So, I avoided most situations this year! Happy New Year!

I was fortunate not to have to deal with any of those issues yet. My surgery was a week before Christmas so I simply said I was "feeling a little under the weather". That allowed me to avoid all of the Holiday Hubub. As far as New Years goes, my hubby was on call for work, so we hadn't mage any plans anyway. So I guess you could say that all in all, my tip is : AVOIDANCE. It'll be interesting to see how much this has changed for me by next year.

My trick was to just have the will-power to stay away from the carbs. When I got my plate I used the smallest plate possible (to avoid the "eyes bigger than the belly" predicament) and I went for the proteins first that way by the time I even got to carbs... I would be full and not even willing to try them. It worked for me. Also with the alcohol... I had 3 parties to attend.. Each night I drank water the entire night except for about 1/4 a glass of a DRY Red or White wine each night so all 3 night I didn't even have one full glass. Those were my tricks... but honestly... If you eat protein first, there wont be room for the other things you may be tempted to try! Krissy A.K.A NavyWife25