Ahhhh, the holidays...Thanksgiving was my first holiday with my new stomach. To my own surprise, I wasn’t anxious about eating. I had some snacks. That was not a great idea. They went down fine, of course, but snacking can really get you into trouble after weight loss surgery. You might not be getting the nutrition you need and you’re probably taking in more fat and calories than you want. Plus, a nibble here and a nibble there doesn’t quite fill you up, so over the course of a couple hours, snacking every fifteen minutes can allow you to really experience unsuccessful weight loss.
Dinner came and it was quite a spread, as you can imagine. I took a small plate and had maybe a tablespoon of the following: turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes and spoon bread. Were they the best options? No. But I was happy and sometimes you have to give yourself a little leeway. One family member looked at my plate and commented “That’s so sad!” His plate was heaping full and he went back for seconds. The thought of all that food actually made me sick. I was perfectly happy with my small portion.
Pecan pie has always been my favorite and so a while later when dessert was served, I had a bite of someone else’s and was happy. Christmas came and went and I did pretty much the same. A bite of this, a bite of that and I was happy. I didn't make the best decisions, but I ended up losing 6lbs over the month of December so I was happy. In previous years, I typically packed on an extra five...
I didn’t want to be the person that would test the limits and see what she could or couldn’t eat, but eventually, I couldn’t help myself. Luckily, I learned quickly. It is true that you can pretty much eat anything, but you will suffer consequences. It’s different for everyone, but too much sugar leaves me feeling nauseous and terrible. I can’t even think for a while until the feeling is gone. The sweet things that typically give me the most problems are ones of a thinner consistency. I can take a bite of a cookie and maybe feel a little icky, but a swig or two of chocolate milk and I’ll be lying down or in the bathroom for half an hour! I haven’t yet ventured down the ice cream path. I just know the liquid-like treat will cause me to have dumping syndrome and I don’t like the feeling. Do I miss ice cream? To an extent. It was an old favorite. But I’m not tempted to go to Graeter’s or UDF. I will occasionally have a weight watchers bar or a sugar free fudge bar or something.
The sugar issue is a major thing with me. It affects a lot of the decisions I make, so I’m actually glad I have that sugar intolerance. It forces me to stay in line a little more. The other day I ate just the peanut butter icing out of the middle of a piece of cake and I felt like I was dying! I still like to be social with friends. I don’t go out as much as I used to because I’m still working on myself and I don’t need the extra calories, but I’ve been out maybe four times since my surgery. Of course I enjoy a drink or two… that might be the understatement of the year! But I limit myself to about 3 drinks max. My tolerance is different than it was before. I can’t drink carbonation and I can’t drink too much sugar, so I’ve made my own little concoction: Tequila and water on ice with a splash of cranberry and lime juice. I’ve also been known to drink vodka and water with a splash of grapefruit. To me, it’s delicious. My friends, however, often tell me, “You keep telling yourself that!” The point: do what works for you! I have a friend who will drink Captain and Diet Coke. She’ll buy a liter of Diet Coke and let it sit open for a day until the carbonation is gone, then she’ll bring it with her and just buy captain on ice…
If you have had surgery and are a social drinker, please share what you like to drink or what works for you.
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