Jelly Belly No More

Dec 21, 2008

For years I've approached the holiday season with great trepidation. For someone who is struggling with weight issues and doesn't want to be, the smorgasbord of food laid out can be rather daunting. This year is a bit different for me. It's been a year since my weight loss surgery and I've lost 90lbs. I don't want a single fat cell to swell back up in victory, so I must tread lightly around the dinner table this year. I want to be especially leery of the fat content of the foods I'm consuming.

Right now, it's not very hard for me to eat small amounts of food before my tummy is telling my brain that I'm all done, but the choices I make still matter. If I eat the light meat of a roasted turkey, I may only be looking at consuming about 4g of fat and 190 calories. Not too bad. Then I add in some cornbread dressing, broccoli rice casserole, and a sliver of pumpkin pie and I'm looking at consuming about 700 calories and 25g of fat in one meal. Of course, I won't be able to eat an entire serving, but wow! I left out the rolls, smashed potatoes and green bean casserole. 

There really is no wondering why I've had such a hard time with weight. I live in a society that focuses on consumption. Food encompasses all of our holiday traditions and social gatherings. I certainly don't mean to place blame here, only making an observation and coming to realize that I have the power to recognize my surroundings and make the changes necessary to live a healthier life.

This year, instead of focusing on the food and how many calories I'm consuming, I'm going to focus on the ones I'm with. I'm going to eat my protein first and have a fresh fruit snack or glass of water a couple of hours before dinner is ready. I'm going to eat a bit slower and talk a bit more with my family at the table. This year I'm going to say thank you to my new body; not by filling it with a bunch of high calorie, high fat foods but, by recognizing that I have the discipline to ignore the treats. The food is not the reason for the season.

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