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Hello! Had my surgery on the 5th. It went smooth and had a hiadial hernia fixed at the same time. Because of that everything was more swollen than normal so it was almost impossible to ge****er in without throwing up. So my surgeon wanted me stay an extra day so that I can get that taken care of. Being away from my 3 very young kids is hard!

But.... Here are my fears now that surgery is over.....what to say to my extended family and friends when they start asking.

Holiday food! I am nervous that it may be depressing to not be able to have yummy thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.

Clothes! When to buy new ones? Is it worth it to just wait a while? Or is it more satisfying to get a few new things at each stage.

My amazing husband! He is being very very insecure.

Congrats on your surgery. The first month or so is difficult, but you will get through. Thanksgiving will definitely be different, but just focus on protein and you will be good. I missed food at your stage, but it does get easier. I chose to wear big clothes for a long time as I didn't want to pay to buy new ones when I knew that I would just be losing more. But I had a friend suggest I go to Goodwill to buy clothes. They are very economical there. Buying clothes now is so much fun. Good luck to you!

Hi Laura,

Good for you for thinking about holiday eating strategies! Holidays happen all through out the year! I find that planning ahead calms me.

Focus on the people you love. Plan special things you can do with those kids that doesn't revolve around food. Start new traditions.

I found it FREEING to have a structured plan that I applied to the holiday foods. Family members were too focused on their own plates to worry about mine. Protein? check! Low carbs? check! (I tracked my bite of mashed potatoes etc.) Pie? Nah, I have had plenty of pie in my life.

Not that it was easy in the moment and there was plenty of temporary grief. But, once the meal was over I felt terrific: no food hangover and a glorious feeling that I was no longer bound to my old toxic habits.

About husbands: they can be weird

About clothes: It is satisfying to buy new stuff that fits. It is unsatisfying when those same clothes don't fit weeks later. Don't pay full price. If you are inclined, consider selling on ebay to fund new clothes.

Best wishes for speedy recovery and journey!

Congrats on the beginning of your new life! It's up to you what you say to people - when I had a lapband, I didn't tell very many people, but with the sleeve I tell everyone. Why would you not be able to eat yummy thanksgiving dinner?? By then I think you will be eating real food - turkey, squash, even some mash potatoes are not bad choices. Also, you will probably be so motivated by the success you are having that you won't even mind passing up on the bad choices. If dessert is your thing, make some sugar free pudding and cool whip for dessert - get creative! Same for the other upcoming holidays. This is not about deprivation - this is a lifelong change. You have to make it work.

Thank you so much! It will definitely be such a life changer and I cannot wait!!

Welcome to the loser's bench

What to say to family: totally up to you, my immediate family knew before surgery. I haven't shared it with many friends. If friends commented on my weight loss I told them I was doing high-protein/low carb and exercising - totally true.

Holiday food: honestly, probably won't be an issue for you this year. You're so new and you'll be at the height of losing so your willpower will be super-high. It's next year that you may have issues!

Clothes: Do NOT - DO NOT! - invest in new stuff as you're losing. I wasted SO much money that way :-( There were lots of things I bought that I only wore once or twice. Even when I was "sure" that I wouldn't get any smaller...I got smaller. You'll need stuff that fits but go to Goodwill or consignment stores. Or get cheap things at Walmart to tide you over.

Hubby: Recognize that his insecurity is all about him...it's not really about you and it's not your problem to fix it or make him feel better. If he's got issues then all the reassurance and kind words and loving actions in the world aren't going to fix it. You need to focus on YOU - he needs to work on his own baggage.

I was completely honest with everyone. Even yesterday the lady at the accountant office didn't recognize me and asked how much weight I had lost and how I did it. I'm not embarrassed by my choice.

Holidays are tough but I agree with the person earlier who said this year probably won't be terrible because you are at the height of your best weight loss. But having a plan and not letting others talk you into a bite of this and a bite of that will help. I'm a bit different than other people. I eat sweets, just in extreme moderation (although not at all for the first 6 months).

also different from other people, I bought new clothes along the way. Not many and on sale, but I didn't want to look like a clown and buying second hand in my small town is difficult. I bought some jeans that only fit for a couple weeks....they were expensive and I sold them and bought some more.

My hubby was insecure....but we both were for different reasons. He's always said he likes big girls and when I was getting to the point I wasn't big I was afraid he wouldn't be attracted to me. He was afraid that I was going to be sexier looking and not be attracted to him. When we talked about it we realized we were fine. I'm not sure what he is worried about, but just be open and honest with your hubby and hopefully he will start to feel better.

good luck yo you!

Thanks everyone!

I also am having a lot of trouble keeping water down. Even in tiny sips. And I tried to take a nap and woke up choking on water. Any suggestions would be so appreciated!

You're two days post-op. Give yourself a break. Don't worry too far ahead. Your immediate problem is keeping water down. You may need a Rx for stomach acid if you don't already take one. That should help with the water problem. If you're still nauseated and can't drink enough water, call your surgeon and ask for Zofran or other anti-nausea prescription.

By Thanksgiving and Christmas, you and your sleeve will have had time to get to know each other. You'll be able to adjust your food choices and amounts accordingly. General suggestion -- keep away from the stuffing, candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pies, and cakes. Choose the turkey, if you can manage it by then, and a few bites of a high-quality carb vegetable like cooked green beans and carrots. It'll taste great after all those protein shakes!

psychoticparrot