Article Body:
Most Bariatric Surgery Patients experience a good range of Holiday eating anxieties which may actually ruin a wonderfully good Holiday around friends and family.
Prior to surgery, Holidays meant family, friends, and much of food to enjoys and luxuriate in – often at a glutinous rate just because Holiday foods are “special” because they're only provided during the season and that they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it.
How many times does one hear these phrases said at a vacation gathering?
“That’s ALL you’re getting to have? I worked so hard thereon dish…”
“You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for an additional year….”
“It will hurt my feelings if you don’t eat this…..”
“These are very special ingredients I ordered specifically for this dish…”
“You can’t be NOT HUNGRY… it’s a Holiday!”
“Just ONE LITTLE BITE, PLEEEEEZEEEEZ…..”
“Have more, there’s plenty…”
“Take a number of this home with you if you’re not getting to eat it now…”
“Oh nonsense! You’re allowed to eat tons today!”
“You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself just like the remainder of us…”
OH, how this list could fill a book, right? Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, including those that have had the Bariatric surgery and need to take care what they eat, what proportion they eat, and the way often they eat. So you're NOT ALONE in feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gatherings this season.
I’d wish to offer some suggestions that have worked on behalf of me et al. during this most stressful time when Holidays equates to special foods and therefore the pressure to partake in them is much an excessive amount of out of hand sometimes .
1. Prepare you mind for the event: Reflect on past Holiday experiences and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you. Have it in your mind what you'll say and do when those food-pushers taunt you or down-right threaten you to eat during the “special occasion.
2. Anticipate the food: Reflect on past Holiday foods that are always provided to you within your social circle. Predetermine what you'll eat and what you WON’T eat. Making a choice before time will curb your gut-reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat.
3. Never try anything new at the party: Not knowing how you'll react to the food carries the high risk of creating you ill and calling for you quick get back the toilet or feeling sick for an hour approximately . this may draw attention to you, which are some things you don’t’ want. The host and guest will feel badly for you, so don’t put them otherwise you in such a situation. Only eat things that you simply simply are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.
4. Take baby-bites of the “special” foods: Literally, take a baby-bite if you absolutely must partake of foods strictly for the social expectations. If it’s an excessive amount of for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting an excessive amount of on the spoon or fork.
5. No-Guilt in Tossing it: during a event where you don’t’ want attention drawn to how little you're eating, take alittle plate with small portions of food, then take small bites of every item, then TOSS the remainder away when nobody is looking. this provides the looks that you’re “normal” and every one will assume you've got gotten your fill. This spares hurting the emotions of Great Aunt Gerdie who truly does cry if you refuse her special 60%-sugar/90%-fat/carb-loaded/stroke-on-a-plate pie. Tossing out the unwanted uneaten portions is simply a “different” way of consuming… so don’t’ feel guilty about it. All that matters is that Great Aunt Gerdie delights in seeing her pie disappearing.
6. Eat healthy before you go and convey your own essentials: Never attend a vacation party hungry… NEVER! this is often self-sabotage within the worst way! Enough said? Take along your own treats and drinks that are RNY-Friendly to you. Don’t request an additional effort on your host. you recognize what you would like , so take it with you. While they're eating pies and cakes, you'll have the sugar-free fudge sickles you brought along or those sugar-free pudding cups. And if they're serving only sodas or alcohol and you cant’ do them, bring your own herbal teas or no-sugar-added cocoa packets. this may cause you to , the host, and therefore the guests feel comfortable and no-one will feel that you simply are “suffering” as they eat your NO-NO’s.
7. Talk quite you eat: the vacations should be about PEOPLE, not food. So be social. specialise in the people; laugh with them, tell stories, hear their tall tales, play games, etc. If you are doing this stuff , you’ll be amazed at how well the gathering will choose you merely because you didn’t specialise in food. And when the food-pushers come along, just glance by them off into the space and make your exit because you “want to speak to so-n-so or your telephone is vibrating and you’ve need to excuse yourself for the call…. Perfectly acceptable to possess a pre-planned “way out” once you need one.
8. Change the food-subject: Others might want to cry boo-hoo with you if you retain telling them of all the foods you’re missing out on this year. Don’t do that! instead of mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats, brag on the very fact that you’re feeling such a lot healthier, your clothes are becoming baggier, and you’re dreaming again of all the good things that are future for you now that you simply are slimming down. Don’t’ allow anyone to pity you for not eating such as you wont to eat.
9. Wear a “knock-out” outfit: WOW all of them this season by wearing a special outfit that you simply feel very proud to be seen in. The food isn’t special to you anymore… you’ve swapped that for the special outfits you'll now wear! Let people whisper to every other how great you look instead of how little you're eating. the strain of not eating such a lot are going to be distant to you once you feel good about yourself and appearance good too.
10. Make your visit brief: if you're getting an excessive amount of pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, let leave the gathering before you originally planned. Maybe you’re tired, the roads are becoming bad, you realized you would like to try to to something… remember that “pre-planned” escape should be there for you if you would like it.
I can attest that these are tactics that I’ve used and STILL use in social gatherings when it's expected to eat special foods during special times. Granted, i'm three years post-op, so my anxieties aren't as high as they once were… but they certainly threatened my Holiday happiness not too long ago!
Remember this most of all…. The more prepared you're before time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful Holiday Eating Anxieties. Now go have fun!