Holidays and birthdays post-surgery

SF candy is a poison to me.

when I am out - I hope there would be food I can eat - but I never count on it. I always have my own snacks - enough to last me at least 8 hours. With the small qty I can eat - taht really is like 3 snack types: i.e. jerky, nuts, protein shake. These foods can pack proteins and calories so it is easy for me to have enough, even if I am stack some where for close to a whole day.

When I am with others and they insist I get some food - i may put it on a plate and just spread around .. so people can thin I am eating... (and leave me alone). or tell them -"i'll have some later" or "thanks I had some, it was great..."

or simply say "I don't eat food like that" or "I don't like food like that"

in worse case - people get too pushy.. I'll tel them to give me some for later.."i am not hungry now, thanks"

I was at a baby shower on Saturday. There was nothing that I could safely eat. so I sipped on my protein shake .. and had a piece of my jerky I had had some nuts in the car...

we were there for a long time...I had some nuts on the way back and then dinner once we got home....

for food gifts, I just say thank you, and give it away, or open it to share right then and there, if it's appropriate.

i don't know what your family serves at functions, or if you have intolerances. I'm six months out and can tolerate pretty much any vegetable or protein at this point. But i still travel with a protein shake just in case, and there's jerkey in my car. But I've been to birthdays, celebrations, showers, funerals, and people's homes and restaurants. I've always had some option. There's always meat in my social circle I guess haha.

For my birthday, there was cake, I just didn't have any. Wasn't a big deal.

i also try to make get togethers less food centred to begin with, things like walks, games, projects etc.

when I was on liquid and Puree phase, I did as others suggested and just said no thanks or took a small portion and didn't eat it. I also have an easy out because there are a lot of young kids in my circle, which guarantees there's a hungry parent ready to hand off a kid so they can actually eat hahah

do what works for you.

Thanksgiving I brought everything for me to eat, plus a dish that I could eat that everyone could enjoy. I ended up eating from the meal and not touching my food - other than the dish I brought. I found I could eat the spiral ham and the yams (they only had a little butter and sugar and I ate from the top). It was perfect, but my family is pretty supportive. Someone made plain green beans with garlic and someone made a simple squash - all with me in mind. It was fantastic. But I didn't know that would happen and I was prepared with a nice meal I prepared. I was glad I didn't eat it because of all the great reasons I mentioned. I'm typing this at a meeting in Lake Geneva and the room is full of snacks. There is a candy bowl at the table 3 feet from me. I brought all my own stuff to eat just in case. So while everyone is munching on candy, I just pulled out a quest bar. No one knew anything was different. Planning is your best friend. Good luck.

I have just been bringing my own food. It is tough and the comments are made but we need some thick skin until people get use to our new life.

I just let everyone know that sugar and carbs make me very nauseous. As long as they get to eat their highly fattening food they are all ok with that, lol. I make sure to have something with me I can snack on and if I am given something I cant eat I bring it to work and give it to my team. they are most appreciative! I LOVE the locust comment.. so appropriate.

I actually cook a lot of foods for my family that I cant eat. I let them taste test for me and it works out fine.

Ceci

Eat like a nine year old boy. Have a few bites of meat, vut your veggies into little pieces and move them around the plate, and you're done.

People really don't pay ss much attention to what we eat as we sometimes think. When they do, just make it clear that you have a specific eating plan, and won't deviate from it.

And say NO to SF candy. Anything with sugar alcohols, such as malitol, sorbitol (anything ending in -tol) will make you want to die. And they sre not calorie free, either. Not much lower calorie than regular sweets.