Most bariatric surgery patients experience a wide range of holiday eating anxieties which can actually ruin a perfectly good holiday around family and friends. Prior to surgery, holidays meant family, friends, and lots of food to indulge in and enjoy; often at a glutinous rate simply because holiday foods are “special” because they are only provided during the season and they are prepared so carefully which adds guilt if you don’t partake of it.

How many times do you hear these phrases said at a holiday gathering?

• That’s ALL you’re going to have? I worked so hard on that dish…
• You better eat this now, because it won’t be here for another 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, please…
• Have more, there’s plenty…
• Take some of this home with you if you’re not going to eat it now…
• Oh nonsense! You’re allowed to eat a lot today…
• You should have worn your FAT PANTS to gorge yourself like the rest of us…

This list could fill a book, right? Such comments add enough stress to non-surgery individuals who carefully watch their weight, let alone you who have had bariatric surgery and have to be careful what you eat, how much you eat, and how often you eat. So you are NOT ALONE in the feeling some anxiety about being around all of the special food at gathers this season.

Here are some tips to ease holiday eating anxieties:
Prepare your mind for the event: Have a plan! Reflect on past holiday experiences, and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you. Think about where you will be, who you will be with, what foods will be available, what are your personal triggers to overeat, and how can you minimize them. Once you have thought about all of these things, make a plan of action. It’s much easier to deal with a difficult social eating situation if you’ve already planned for it.

Predetermine what you will eat and what you won’t eat: Making decisions ahead of time will curb your gut reaction to “cave in” to the urgings by others to eat what you shouldn’t eat. Reflect on past holiday experiences, and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you. Have it in your mind what you will say when the pressure is on.

Never go to a holiday party hungry…NEVER! This is self-sabotage in the worst way. Eat healthy before you go. If needed, take along a few foods that are WLS-friendly to you. Don’t request an extra effort on your host.

Take small baby-like bites: If it’s too much for a baby’s mouth, then you’re putting too much on the spoon or fork. Take a small plate with small portions of food, and then take small bites of each item, then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking.

Talk more than you eat: The holidays should be about PEOPLE, not food. Focus on the people.

No-guilt in tossing it: Take small bites of each item, and then TOSS the rest away when no one is looking. This spares hurting the feelings of loved ones. Tossing out the unwanted, uneaten portions is just a “different” way of consuming…So don’t feel guilty about it.

Change the food-subject: Rather than mourn the loss of your favorite Holiday treats by crying to others, brag on the fact that you’re feeling so much healthier and you’re dreaming again of all the great things that are in store for you now that you are slimming down. Don’t allow anyone to pity you for not eating like you used to eat.

Never try a new food at the party: Not knowing how you will react to the food carries the high risk of making you ill and calling for a quick retreat to the bathroom or feeling sick for an hour or so. Only eat things that you are absolutely certain that you can tolerate.

Wear a “knock-out” outfit: WOW your friends and family this Holiday season by wearing a special outfit that you feel very proud to be seen in. The stress of not eating so much will be far away to you when you feel good about yourself and look great, too.

Make your visit brief: If you are getting too much pressure from others or are experiencing too many anxieties, leave the gathering earlier than you originally planned. It is perfectly acceptable to have a pre-planned “way out” when you need one.

Remember this most of all…The more prepared you are ahead of time, the less you’ll feel nervous about those awful holiday eating anxieties.

Now go out and have fun!

 

How are you preparing for your next holiday gathering?

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124

 

With the holiday season quickly approaching it’s a great time to plan ahead for those holiday gatherings. You may have heard the phrase “A plan to be prepared, is a plan to succeed,” something like that is often discussed in our weight loss surgery support groups.

Here are some tips on how to survive this holiday season:
1.) Don’t skip meals! When you anticipate a high calorie dinner or party coming, eat less at your other meals. Skipping a meal will make you edgy, nervous, and hungrier. You shouldn’t go to any type of party hungry. Instead, eat a little fruit or half a sandwich before you go so that you will have a little buffer against stuffing yourself full.

2.) At a dinner or cocktail party, don’t fill yourself with appetizers, especially those that are breaded, fried, buttered or covered with a sauce. Instead, choose fruit, hard cheese, shrimp, or raw veggies. Avoid high calorie party foods like cheese spreads, fruitcake, guacamole, quiches, chips and dip, pates, and rich canapes. Seafood or veggie snacks tend to be more nutritious and a little lower in calories.

3.) Bring a long a low-calorie hostess gift, fresh fruit tray or relish tray, or anything else that you might like to munch on. That way you will know for sure there is at least one thing you can eat a lot of.

4.) Limit yourself to one reasonably sized helping. Move away from food just as soon as you’ve filled your plate. Stand away from the food; get involved in games or conversations.

5.) Find yourself an interesting person to talk to. It’s hard to have a great conversation with your mouth full. Hold your drink with both hands. That always helps to keep your hands busy and not reach for chips or other little tidbits to munch on.

6.) If you are invited to cocktails before dinner, arrive late, thus less time to eat or drink before dinner.

7.) Freeze any baked goods in individual portions so you can thaw out exactly what you need when guests arrive, instead of having high fat, high calorie goodies always around the house.

8.) When planning a get-together, take the emphasis off food. Focus instead on activities such as miniature golfing, skating, touch football, softball, trimming the tree, etc.

9.) If you are thinking of drinking alcohol, try wine spritzers instead (2 oz. wine in club soda or ginger ale with a lemon twist). Remember each gram of alcohol has 7 calories.

10.) When attending barbecues, avoid high fat meat items such as hot dogs (each hot dog has about 17-18 grams of fat). Try a smaller size hamburger instead and eat side dishes such as green salads and fresh fruits instead of potato chips or potato salads high in fat.

 

How are you preparing for your next holiday gathering?

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124

 

Food is an important part of many holidays, celebrations, family and cultural traditions. In fact, special occasions often center around food. As a result, many people gain a little (or a lot of) weight between Thanksgiving and the New Year. What’s to blame? Perhaps it’s all the tempting treats available during the holiday season or the pressure from family, friends and coworkers to overeat. Maybe it’s the increased emotional eating (whether it be from holiday stress or holiday joy) or the extreme laxity with eating and physical activity regimens in anticipation for the strict “new diet and exercise plan” you’re going to start January 1^st.

Regardless of the reasons, it is not necessary to avoid holiday festivities in an attempt to maintain your weight. Consider these 8 tips for fully enjoying the holiday season without gaining weight!

1. Focus on weight maintenance vs. weight loss during the holidays. If you are currently overweight and want to lose weight, this is not the time to do it. Maintenance of your present weight is a big enough challenge during the holiday season. Don’t set yourself up for failure by making unrealistic goals for yourself.
2. Be physically active every day. Often, our busy holiday schedules (or lack of structured schedules) bump them off their exercise routines. Physical activity can help relieve stress, regulate appetite and burn up extra calories from holiday eating.
3. Make a plan. Think about where you will be, who you will be with, what foods will be available, what foods are really special to you (that you really want to eat) vs. those that you could probably do without, what are your personal triggers to overeat and how can you minimize them. Once you’ve thought about all of these things, make a plan of action. It’s much easier to deal with a difficult social eating situation if you’ve already planned for it.
4. Take steps to avoid recreational eating. While some foods are more calorie-dense than others, no food will make you gain weight unless you eat too much of it. At parties and holiday dinners, we tend to eat (or keep eating) beyond our body’s buy phentermine cheap online physical hunger simply because food is there and eating is a “social thing.” To avoid recreational eating, consciously make one plate of the foods you really want. Eat it slowly—enjoying and savoring every tasty bite. Then, when you’re done, pop a mint or stick of sugar-free gum in your mouth, get a tall glass of water and sip on it throughout the night, or position yourself away from the buffet table or food trays to keep yourself from overeating.
5. Reduce the fat in holiday recipes. There are plenty of low-fat and low-calorie substitutes that are amazingly tasty. Try using applesauce in place of oil in your favorite holiday breads; use egg substitutes in place of whole eggs; try plain nonfat yogurt in place of sour cream. Magazines are full of reduced calorie and reduced fat holiday recipes. Give them a try, and share your cooking creations with friends and family.
6. Choose your beverages wisely. Limit your intake to 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks per occasion. And, what out for calories in soda, fruit punch and egg nog as well.
7. Enjoy good friends and family. Although food can be a big part of the season, it doesn’t have to be the focus. Holidays are a time to reunite with good friends and family, to share laughter and cheer, to celebrate and to give thanks. Focus more on these other holiday pleasures, in addition to the tastes of holiday foods. The important thing to remember is balance and moderation. It’s OK to eat too much once in a while. Just relax, enjoy the holidays and remember what the season is all about.
8. Maintain perspective: Overeating one day won’t make or break your eating plan. And it certainly won’t make you gain weight! It takes days and days of overeating to gain weight. If you over-indulge at a holiday meal, put it behind you. Return to your usual eating plan the next day without guilt or despair.

What are your suggestions and ideas on Holiday Eating?

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124

Learn more about weight loss surgery at Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians www.RMAP.com (801) 268-3800

With the holiday season quickly approaching it’s a great time to plan ahead for those holiday gatherings. You may have heard the phrase “A plan to be prepared, is a plan to succeed,” something like that is often discussed in our weight loss surgery support groups.

Here are 5 tips to consider as you prepare for your next holiday gathering:

1. Prepare your mind for the event – Have a plan! Reflect on past holiday experiences, and evaluate what lies ahead this year for you.
2. Bring a meat or vegetable appetizer – Bring something that you can eat so you won’t go hungry or risk binging on fattening fare.
3. Put a healthy twist to your favorite recipe – You can enjoy some of your yuletide favorites without sacrificing your goals. Let’s say you grew up eating the classic green bean casserole. Choose a fat-free mushroom soup instead of the heavy cream version, and spring just a handful of fried onions atop the casserole as opposed to the whole can.
4. Start new traditions – Plan to take a walk or play touch football with relative instead of having an extended food fest. Regular exercise will help you maintain weight loss.
5. Give away leftovers! – Don’t keep leftovers lying around. Donate the excess to a local homeless shelter or put it in leftover containers for family members and friends to take home.

 

How are you preparing for your next holiday gathering?

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124

 

Many of our patients after weight loss surgery tell us that the scariest part of Halloween night isn’t the ghosts and goblins but the ever-abundant Halloween candy that appears at home and at the office this time of year. Our surgeons and members of the expert team at RMAP share their expert tips to help you avoid the temptation of Halloween goodies, at home and at the office:

• Buy candy you don’t love. – It will be easier to resist opening those bags and diving in.
• Out of sight, out of mind. – Ask your co-workers to keep their candy jars and bowls inside their desks or stashed in a cabinet in the break room.
• Replace the candy with better choices.
• Take a walking break. – Getting away from your desk for a breath of fresh air can invigorate you and help you get over those slumps that are often mistaken for hunger.
• Manage your hunger. – Planned meals will keep you feeling satisfied and make you less likely to raid the candy bowl.
• Bring your water bottle. – Keep your hands and mouth busy by drinking your water.

 

How Can I Prepare Myself for Halloween night?
Prepare yourself for the onslaught of costumed kids with some alternative “treats” to avoid having to purchase candy. Some ideas for alternative trick-or-treats are:

• Packs of mini play-dough container.
• Miniature bottles of water or all natural juice boxes. Kids are always thirsty when out and about trick-or-treating.
• Spooky collection of Halloween “frights” like plastic eyeballs, rubbery rats and fake fingers.
• Halloween pencils and mini activity books or pads of paper.
• “Birthday landfill,” a collection of all the little gizmos and gadgets from party favor bags throughout the year.
• Temporary tattoos and/or stickers.
• Small bags of microwavable popcorn.
• Light-up glow sticks, which can usually be found in a pack of 15 at Michael’s or Target for only $1.

 

What Do I Do with My Child’s Halloween Candy?
Your child’s candy can be the greatest temptation of all. One alternative is to hide it from yourself. Have your ghost or goblin pick out his or her favorite candy and then limit your child to a piece (or so) a day until it’s gone, (throw away the non-favorites). If that option is tempting, then we suggest two methods for getting it out of the house:

“The Barter” – Allow each kid to keep a few pieces and then trade in the rest to you for a quarter (or dime or nickel) each. From there you can go off to the toy store or dollar store to spend the candy money on some toys! (This method can be used all month long or even all year long!)

“Halloween Witch” – Encourage your kids to pick out five pieces of their favorite candy to be enjoyed that night. Leave the bulk of their candy out on the front porch for the mysterious “Halloween Witch” who will miraculously leave a non-candy surprise (like a game or a toy) in its place. Bonus: tell them the “better” the candy the “better” the surprise!

 

What do you do to prepare for the tricks and treats of Halloween?

We’d love to hear from you,

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124

 

With the holiday’s right around the corner, it is a good time to start thinking about how to beat the urge to calorically splurge. Several patients on our Facebook Support Group have offered their suggestions that have proven to help them during this wonderful, but trying, time.

Top Ten Holiday Survival Tips:
1.) Focus on the people and not the food/drink when at a holiday function.
“I actually enjoy these events more now, as the focus is on spending time with people I like and focusing on them instead of the food.” – Amy

2.) Bring food you can eat and enjoy.
“If you are going to a potluck type event, bring something you can eat. Meat and cheese trays are popular and WLS friendly.” – Amy

3.) Healthy stocking stuffers.
“Instead of filling your children’s Christmas stockings with sugary goodies, add oranges and their favorite sugar free chewing gum.”

4.) Don’t forget your water…but spice it up!
“Add a little variety to your party sipping options: lemon or lime slices, fresh mint or crystal light. Tomato or vegetable juices are also reasonable options.” – Amy

5.) Drink your Bloody Mary virgin.
“No one can tell by looking at your glass that it is [sans alcohol] and it’s buy phentermine hydrochloride 37.5 mg tomato juice all spiced up and yummy. You usually get a celery stick to munch on too!” – Kristen

6.) Use fun party cups.
“If you are the host put your water in a cocktail glass or other pretty glass. If you are at a party with a bar, ask for your drink in a cocktail glass instead of a plastic glass.” – Amy

7.) Remember, you can eat Thanksgiving leftovers later.
“Do not feel like gorging at Thanksgiving dinner will be the only time to enjoy the annual tasty meal. Leftover turkey is still yummy the next day!

8.) Keep desserts out of view at work. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
“If you have coworkers who bring a lot of candy to work, see if it can be put in a place that is out of your way, but convenient for others.” – Amy

9.) Use closed containers to prevent munching mindlessly.
“Use a container with a lid so you don’t pick up a piece without thinking.” – Amy

10.) Exercise.
“This increases your output to defeat your input. And it motivates you to no sabotage your hard efforts by eating inappropriate foods.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Links to similar articles:
5 Strategies for Holiday Gatherings after Weight Loss Surgery
Healthy Holiday Eating after Weight Loss Surgery
Dealing with Holidays and Special Occasions

 

www.RMAP.com
Rocky Mountain Associated Physicians
801-268-3800
1160 East 3900 South, Suite 4100
SLC, UT 84124