Question:
How are post-ops

This is not high on the "important questions" scale, but I am curious how everyone is handling the parties, need to bake cookies for the family, and all of the food around this time of year. My family is baking a lot less this year even though there are plenty of people capable of taking over more of the baking. I have just decided to do a couple of easy recipes that my small children especially love and I don't care for as much. If the olders want something else, they can make it. So far, though I haven't felt terribly deprived. I guess feeling the extra room in my pants and looking in the mirror helps. Are there any "creative" ways you are dealing with all the excitement of the holidays? Thanks, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!    — Dot W. (posted on December 23, 1999)

December 23, 1999
I guess I'm handling the holidays about the same way as you're handling yours. I bought a couple of rolls of cookies for my daughter to make. I asked my son if he wanted to bake, and he said yes to chocolate chip cookies, so I bought the stuff for him. He may not get around to it until after Christmas. My husband and I are having the same meal that we had on Thanksgiving...turkey with all the trimmings. However, we removed every gram of sugar and fat that we could. Desserts were all sugar free and low fat. When we have a party to attend, I eat my dinner before I go, and decline on most of the stuff I'm offered. I do, however, have a bite of something every now and then. I am able to be satisfied with just a bite. Most of the "sinful" treats don't appeal to me anymore. I've been sick from sugar, and also too much sorbitol. I've also been sick from too much fat. For me, the illness is a "permanent reminder of a temporary feeling" In other words, getting sick for so long isn't worth the temporary satisfaction of eating the wrong thing. I sailed right through Thanksgiving. I packed up half of the leftovers and gave them to my mother. I'm planning to do the same thing Christmas. Good luck to everyone, and Merry Christmas.
   — Peggy51

December 23, 1999
I got real selfish as I started losing weight and realized there is no obligation nor need to bake for others at holiday time or any time for that matter especially, if like me you tend to taste as much as you give away. I realized that the gift of ME was more important than jeopardizing my success. If the need is there to give those things away ... go to a bakery and buy cookies and package them up immediately and give them away immediately .. or make them gifts that aren't food ... such as salt dough ornaments, the dough recipe was on the Mortons Salt Boxes for a bazillion years. As for meals ... pick and choose wisely and trim away all the fat and sugar you can out of a recipe. Equal also has a wonderful recipe book for free that has great deserts sugar free! Good Luck and happy holidays!
   — Sherrie G.

December 25, 1999
i just make sure that i have lots of stuff around that i can eat...sugarfree jelly belly, low fat veggie dips, chex mix modified, crax and cheese. i dont eat alot in 1 sitting but that way i dont feel so sorry for myself. i do this all the time, not just for christmas. good luck julie
   — julie S.