Thanksgiving Ramblings

Boy, oh boy oh boy!  My husband has been home from surgery for about a week and a half so we actually did Thanksgiving before his surgery, which was really soup and salad, not high fat  high calorie regular Thanksgiving.  As the holiday approaches and even right after surgery I found myself watching food network even more then I had before. I don't know why, it doesn't cause me to eat unhealthy food, but I have been noticing protein cravings like crazy, is this normal? Now with Thanksgiving so close, I am kind of feeling like I am grieving because I can't eat all the food that I used to. I think about how much I loved eating stuffing, buttery mashed Potatoes and hot rolls and pumpkin and pecan pie, what a carb fest Thanksgiving is!  Holy Turkey Batman!!!!  Now mind you I don't want to eat those things, I guess I am just missing that I could eat that amount, that in that other life that would have been a well rounded meal, which also made me round!  I hope I am not the only one who is feeling this way.  Because Charles will just be acclimating into soft foods we opted to stay home, watch the parade and cook a small turkey and some green beans, which will be plenty for both of us.  I just find it so odd with people because I get full on so little so fast and everyone else is stuffing themselves and I am sitting there wishing I could have more but know and am happy that I can't, and my mom tells me she wishes she could be full on two bites like me....I guess this is head hunger? It's just really odd.  I love being able to go shopping at the grocery store and have that craving for sugar voice in my head silenced.  It really amazes me how much food I walk by in the store now and don't even have a desire to pick up.  I think back to how much sugar and carbs I used to buy each time we would go to the store and how I used to get a large chocolate frappacino from mcdonalds each time we would go by on our way home, and now I just wave as we go by.  It's just soo weird and a little sad. I guess I must miss that.....I am sad to say I have tried sweets and a roll or I tried some chick noodle soup last week while I was sick with a cold and the sugar is too sweet and icky and the carbs did not settle well in my stomach and has made me not want to eat it again anytime soon. This is such a strange journey but I am still glad I did this.  I hope I am not the only one who has gone through this.  Wish everyone a happy thanksgiving!

Smiles:),

Lisa

I think I'm "normal" when I say this..........

It takes about 6 months to get used to "new normals"......... the amount, plate size, speed and overall things that you now do..... those are life long typically "American Habits" you have to break.....

We live/lived in the land of large amounts of processed foods....... the quantities are just way out of wack and combine that we are "special" with the tendencies to be sensitive to weight gain.

That said, than after the 6 month revelation, there are future phases as you progress into as you hit goal/maintenance and this whole process becomes boring and not the excitement of seeing the scale drop numbers.

This is when you "can" eat a bit more and the "testing" begins on tolerances matched with some complacency........ and the wheels can fall off the wagon real quick......

At 4 years out I can tell you that my Thanksgiving/holidays are pretty normal in the sense that I don't feel deprived at all....... I will still eat protein and veg based meal with some planned for "extras"........

Stick to it..... don't let anything or anyone get in your way...... developing a strong baseline and foundation during WL tends to play out long term......develop the skills to "keep it together".....

frisco

Frisco,

I always appreciate your replies and your words of wisdom. I always forget to think about the timing of things.  I am always concentrating on this minute. I have to remind myself that 6 months from now I will not feel as deprived, but I will have to manage not becoming complacent.  Developing that baseline I think is really a good idea.  I think also for this year eating at home on Thanksgiving is a saving grace, I just don't think I could tolerate being around all of it.  And I know most of it is mental.  The best thing so far has been losing the compulsive desires to grab everything that looks good and eat it or put it in my cart, I can actually look at something, thinks it looks good, and walk away.  I have made a good start and feel like I am on my way to a bright future!  Thanks so much for your response, it helps to know you understand......

smiles:),

Lisa

I am only 5 weeks out and yesterday at the grocery store I was wanting cookies and chicken noodle soup with the noodles mostly.  I told the kids I would buy them a treat since it is a weekend and a friend was sleeping over.  Instead I bought my no sugar added fudgcicles, which they love.  I knew it was too much if a temptation for me.  Anyway I found myself feeling sad also that I can't eat what I want.  No cookies with my coffee on Sunday mornings.  I ate my fudgcicle and was better when I got home.  Now Christmas and cookies will be hard to be without but we can do it.  

Brandy

My therapist and I discussed this. She had a good point when I said I was mourning not doing some of the traditional things I was used to, like baking Christmas cookies, but since I didn't need them, I wouldn't do it. She pointed out I could still bake them for someone else.

I have to decide if I can trust myself to be around them or not and let that determine whether I will undertake this effort this year. At the moment I am leaning toward no, and finding a new tradition. We do decorate gingerbread houses every year and we will be doing that this year but I don't really want to eat the stuff we decorate with, luckily.

I find that thinking of things in terms of was and is is helpful.

Laurie

Thanks Laurie,

i am going to try and start some new traditions with my kids.  I work so much we rarely have any special time just as a family.

brandy

Hi Laurie,

Thanks for your response! You are so totally right!  I used to love baking, loved the sugar and especially at Christmas.  In the last several years we have been pretty tight on money so we make treats for gifts.  This year because of the surgery I am rethinking if we should be making all this sugary goodness and giving it to the people we love and contributing to the problems that made me have surgery to begin with, so maybe I agree with your therapist. I don't remember how long it has been since you have had surgery, but I know I couldn't make all those treats without taking bites here and there and licking spoons.  If you have the strength to do it I really admire you, it would be too much of a temptation for me. Yep, I would be ok with the gingerbread houses too, the types of candy you use to decorate them is always the really concentrated sugar and I never liked much of that kind of stuff.  Starting new traditions will serve your family and theirs/ your health!  Good advice, I will try the "was" and "is" and see if that helps.  After all a good part of it is about perspective, right?  Best wishes this Thanksgiving!

Smiles:),

Lisa

Brynn,

thanks for responding!  I remember early on the grocery store was just daunting but  that part for me as gotten much easier over time......I'm glad that grieving is a normal part of this, it helps to know its a feeling that will go away.  I think Thanksgiving is hard with all the breads and Potatoes and Christmas is going to be hard with all the cakes and cookies. I think for me the sadness is  not being able to eat more. Three small bites of chicken just doesn't seem like enough, even though my stomach says it is, it feels incomplete for some reason.  It's all a process.....we must stay strong!

Smiles:),

Lisa

On your chocolate mocchiatio shakes - have you found any protein shakes you like that will satisfy that craving? There are so many recipes for delicious shakes & coffee drinks!  A lot of recipes here on this site & on www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com.

I'm really enjoying coffee now- use protein powder in my coffee in the morning . Using sugar-free Torani syrups in my coffee makes it a delicious treat- yes - I miss the cookies with coffee - but am enjoying my coffee!

i liked Frisco's post above!

Hang in there - this is a journey - we all have to take it a day at a time!

 

Hi Butterfly!

No, I have had struggles getting my water and protein in from the beginning.  I can't eat artificial sweeteners at all or soy, lactose or gluten.  It has been a pretty difficult journey in that sense because I can't exchange a regular Popsicle for a Popsicle with nutra sweet for example. I just fall back on the basics and hope I can have some coffee at some point but the acid in it really makes my tummy hurt.  I am trying to not replace foods but eat differently.  I agree with you, Friscos post was awesome!  I will check out egg face though, I have been to her site before and she has some great ideas, I keep forgetting about it! Thanks for the ideas and the reminders!  I will do my best to hang in there, this has been the first time I have actually felt sad, other then my meltdown early out of surgery when my husband had some French fries and I started crying because of the smell, lol, it is Definately a journey. Best wishes to you......

Smiles:),

Lisa