WLS and the Holidays

I have been a member of the weight loss surgery community for a little bit over 2 years now. I have found much of my support by watching YouTube videos and joining up with support groups online. One of the groups I follow on YouTube brought up an important subject that I found I had a slightly different feeling about than most of the responses I've seen posted. The subject is basically on whether we are stressed over what struggles the holidays may bring for us, food wise. I realized after about 3 videos that I didn't share the same feelings as most everyone else. For me, I am very stressed over what's going to happen over this holiday season.

 In my family, food has been the focal point of just about every family gathering. We gather together, each family bringing one or two dishes that they only break out for special occasions, and we eat until we are all so sick that we either pass out or become lethargic for most of the rest of the afternoon. There is no judging anybody on how much food is on the plate, there is no questioning about if you should or shouldn't be eating that third piece of pumpkin pie, it's just talking, eating, and enjoying one another's company.

  My problem is that I still struggle on a daily basis with making the right food choices. When I wake up in the morning I have to tell myself "okay, you are going to choose protein first. You are going to stay within your calorie limits, you are going to get in your water, and you are going to have a stellar day". There are days where I listen to myself and then there are days when I basically tell myself to screw off and eat cookies and candy until I feel ill. Luckily, the days of cookies and candy are very few and far between.

  I already know that the second the holiday meal is placed, buffet style, on my mother's kitchen counter, I will be drooling for a bite of every single thing they have there. I am fully aware that I will not be able to consume the massive quantities that I was once able to consume, pre-WLS, but I am also aware that I have no control when it comes to these specific foods. They are comfort foods to me. The foods that only come out during holidays and everybody starts drooling a week in advance in anticipation of eating that egg noodles and gravy dish that Grandma always made.

  Do I dread the holidays? No, not really. Do I stress over them? Yes. I stress because I know what kind of mental battle I have ahead of me. I know that I'm going to be fighting myself not to go overboard after I am full. I know that nobody in that house is going to raise an eyebrow if I decide to go for seconds and that I am the only one capable of stopping myself from a carb-induced coma. I may do just that, OR, I may just have a completely stellar day and not have a single thing to worry about. No matter what goes into my mouth over the holidays, I will own up to any extra pounds I may (or may not) gain and I will move forward the next day and do my best to stick to what I know is right. Until then, let the holidays begin!