Damn Holidays!

Bah Humbug - when is Christmas over? I am tired of seeing alllllllllll thissssssss FOOOOOOOOOOOOD! Last year was my first Christmas post-op, I just hit 6 months when the holiday rolled around. I worked in a very small office (less than 30 of us) and the majority of it was men so the holiday treats/goodies were just not around. At parties/dinners I went it was pretty easy to stay away from things because I was still a newbie and did not dare try anything new in public. I was still on that weightloss high and let me be perfect so it was just easier to say no. Now I am 1.5 years out and working in a new office... there is food/cookies/candy galore going around. Monday it was trays of homemade cookies, yesterday was homemade toasted nuts and minicheese cakes (thankfully the office vultures swooped down quickly and got all the cakes!), this morning donuts... oh and a christmas basket loaded with godiva. I am not a big sweets person and usually only have sweets as an occasional treat. Well its turning into treat after treat after treat! Im going to die a sugary death! Lets not even talk about the load of cookies my BFs sister sent home with us - I threw them in the garbage and lied and told the BF I ate them all - they kept taunting me from their little christmas wrapped package! I am not going to beat myself up or get upset that I have been indulging some, it is after all the holidays and compeltely out of the norm for me - but I will say its still hard to break old habits. Most old habits I had I dealt with on a daily basis so I have been able to work on them daily... but Christmas only comes once a year - this is only my 2nd time dealing with it! Thankfully tomorrow I am headed to Florida and away from the office of sugary death... I will be at my fathers house and his wife does NOT cook so there are no temptations (or food) there. When I get back to the office allllll the food/cookies/treats will be gone and it will be back to normal ole office of death.  I am looking forward to going back to my just say no self! I dont really need support or encouragement... just wanted to vent a little - come on and share your story!

I'm there too.  In addition to everything associated with the holidays, my GYN just put me on birth control pills.  I have all this food around me and I'm chock full of hormones.  Thank God for this surgery, or I'd have gained 15 pounds by now!

I suppose I can be thankful that I work from home, so if there are any temptations, I can only blame ME.

Makes me sooooooooooooo glad that I work at home, no cookies or candies around. As far as beating yourself up why WOULD you do that? I for one did not have this surgery to totally sit back like a robot and miss a bite or two of goodies, and yes I have had a bite or two but them Im so full I stop! I hope you have a great trip to Florida Jenn!!

Darcie

Jennifer, I am not in the same situation that you're in with all the stress of an office full of food glaring at me for 8 straight hours a day.  Thank Goodness!!  I admire you for being able to be in this situation and handle it the way you have. I just couldn't do it and stay the course!! I am worried that once I have the surgery (and if I have the surgery) all my family gatherings- (birthdays, holidays, everything) because of our distance to each other-center around food and what everyone is bringing to the gathering. I think, for me, I'll have to "just say NO!!" and stick to it.  I know how I am about giving in.  I've also read on the http://www.thinnerself.com/expectations.html website that "It appears to that most people lose around 70% to 80% of their excess weight or more.  However, it appears that only about 5% of the people who have this surgery keep it off."  This scares the heck out of me. I have so much at risk with all of my additional health issues for the surgery to either not work or be temporary. I think I"ll be more successful, if I don't give myself an excuse to fail. So, please excuse me if I pass on the fudge and cookies!! I'm not trying to be anti-social or whatever??  (How do you explain??) Best of luck to you and keep hoping for January 2nd!! Kelly :)

Most of the time I am in more control of my eating - its just hard when its up in your face constantly ya know? :-)  With anything family related my family all knows I had surgery... they always ask what I can/cant eat or if there is something special I want. I always insisnt on salad and veggies so I can fill up on that along with some sort of lean protein. For me balance is the key - at Thanksgiving I had a sliver of pumpkin pie and didnt eat the crust... it was deeeeeeelicious! I dont always say no but regulate on myself pretty well. If I do have a treat I make sure to ENJOY it and not just wolf it down and then want more.  If I go to a gathering at somebody elses house I also bring a healthy dish... healthy doesnt have to mean boring! For the WLS potluck I brought buffalo chicken dip - yummmmy... there are many things you can do to change recipies to make them healthy. For my BFs sister Xmas dinner this past weekend I made macaroni and cheese - I used RF cheese, light healthy butter (cant remember the same, the one with the omegas) and whole wheat omega rich pasta... mind you it still packed a punch of carbs because of the pasta but a lil spoon full was all I wanted - nobody had any clue it was semi healthy!! Early out to explain to those you didnt have surgery you can come up with a million excuses - oo Im not big on sugar, Im not all that hungry, I ate somewhere else before I came... the Dr said I need to watch this or that. Most of the time people arnt too pushy and really dont care what you are doing *shrug* I will say its much easier early out to say no to things, but as time passes it gets a little more difficult. Thats why I push for balance - I knew telling myself no constantly wasnt going to work. If I eat something 'bad' I work it into my day and still aim for meeting, not exceeding my nutritional goals. As for only 5% keeping it off - that is in no way correct... why would they keep doing this surgery if there was only a 5% success rate? Unless they are stating ANY weight gain - which it is typical for people to regain around 10% of the total they loss... they say people dip to their lowest then bounce back some. If they are saying 5% of people lose and NEVER gain that would make sense somewhat... but you cant 'punish' the people who are normal. I know its possible to gain weight back and it does happen to some, typically around the 2-5 year mark but I know MANY people who have been very successful and are  farther out.

hey!!! i resemble one of those office vultures thank you very much. i agree completely and very eagerly await the end of the "feeding" season...that and when they stop playing "last christmas" by wham on the radio.

Dont you have work to do? :-) Your office wifey is one of the worst vultures... nothing like 5 cheesecakes for one person! :-)

me?  don't you have work to do?  ...and she's not my wife, she just likes to yell at me and tell me what to do.

I just realized its almost your surgery-versary! How should be celebrate? More cookies n cheesecake? oooo I think that carrot cake is still in the fridge!! yes I have work to do, plently of it... :P