The First Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving

 

No, not the Pilgrims and the Indians! The First Thanksgiving With a LapBand!

 

One of the concerns a number of people had, and a few actually cared enough to call that day, was to see how I would do on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving- THE NATIONAL EATING HOLIDAY!

 

In the old days, friends would brag about how much they ate. (side note - nobody bragged around me this year, was it just who I met or that folks weren't talking food around me- interesting question)

 

I'm lucky, I guess, in that I just have ONE Thanksgiving meal. My sister and brother in law have TWO. One at 1 PM, and the second at 4PM. This year, my youngest niece and one nephew (the other was at home sick) apparently ate their fill at the 1PM meal and did not really eat too much at the 4PM meal.

 

I simply took each meal of the weekend slowly and decided what to eat. I was fine, as I pretty much was able to have whatever I wanted. Emotionally, I knew the old days of this being an EATING HOLIDAY were over, and instead tried to make it a family or a thankful holiday. Knowing that this day would come when I first started this journey, and that THEORETICALLY, I could eat whatever I wanted got me through it.

 

So, here is a meal by meal breakout:

 

Wednesday night dinner- Mom and I often go out to Mazoni's Oysters. In the olden days, 2 Rolled Oysters, Onion rings, Many ice teas and perhaps desert. This year- One Rolled Oyster and half a serving of Onion Rings. No beverages, no desert. I was full and fine.  The old evenings would often include some snacking, this year THERE WAS NONE. So, I ate between 1/3 and 1/2 of what I used to, and was full!

 

Turkey Day Breakfast- My Mom's church always has a Turkey Day breakfast- cooked by the men. In the olden days- Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Sausage, Biscuit with Butter and Jelly, Milk and OJ. This year- probably HALF the amount of Scrambled Eggs, 2 pieces of bacon and one piece of sausage. I am usually not a big breakfast eater since being banded, so I was concerned about a "big" meal at 9AM, as might it make me hungry for the rest of the day? Well, I never got hungry till 4PM. Lots of Beverages were drank all afternoon, so my thoughts are that THIRST replaced the POTENTIAL HUNGER.

 

Thanksgiving dinner- I guess I ate EVERYTHING that I would have in the past, except a roll with butter and jelly, and I found an alternative to gravy for less calories.

    Turkey- check.

    Gravy - skipped- a calorie choice. At Churchill downs last spring, I had turkey and they offered a spiced APPLE BUTTER for it. I tried it then and LOVED IT! As I knew I was being banded a few weeks later, I was looking for alternatives. So, One tablespoon of Apple Butter at 25 calories, and my turkey was tasty and moist. I am planning on this for all future turkey! 

    Mashed potatoes - check.    

    Sweet potatoes - check.

    Broccoli Casserole - check.

    Cranberry sauce - check.

    Dressing - check.

 

The only change was that I took 1/3 to 1/2 of what I used to. And NO SECONDS! I chose to skip the roll, as with a LapBand, there is simply so much you can eat, and I would rather have turkey or sweet potatoes or mashed potatoes. I stopped when I got  that full feeling. But I had tried a bit of everything. Emotionally I did miss having a roll a little bit, but I figured I'd eat one sometime over the weekend. And I did with leftovers a day or two later and everything was just fine.  

 

The nephew and I went outside and we tossed a football between dinner and dessert. I was not healthy enough to chase a 10 year old last year! And he loved it when I told him -run around the minivan and look up! And then the ball landed right in his arms! I let my niece join in and do the chasing, as I'm healthy - not crazy. The ball toss ended not because I was out of shape, but because it was cold outside! I never expected to be playing football again! NON SCALE VICTORY! AND A GREAT MEMORY!

 

A bit later we had dessert- SPLENDA PUMPKIN PIE. 250 calories per serving. I had Cool whip instead of ice cream on top. Check the recipe blog for all the info. The RELATIVES LOVED IT! I've been requested to make some for Christmas, as well as they want to try the SPLENDA CHESS PIE.

 

The Day after Turkey Day, I went to an ex girlfriends place for her and her hubby's annual day after Turkey Day party. Her hubby about had his jaw drop when I walked in as I've shrunk so much. Not having seen me for a year he was shocked. A few of the "regulars" did not recognize me either (NON SCALE VICTORIES!)

 

Knowing that sweets would be there, I made sure to take something that would be a good choice for me to eat- BUBBA's BLACK BEAN DIP. Which they loved! I had a bit of a pound cake, and then stuck to cheese, sausages and the dip. No beer, I took Diet lemonade. 

So, I had a great time, and not even counting the zero for lemonade vs. who knows what for beer calories, I probably had 1/3 or less than the olden days.

 

Saturday I convinced my Mom to allow me to make a PUMPKIN BREAD PUDDING from a recipe I had seen in the paper on Wednesday. My goal was to try it and make it with SPLENDA. So, I did, and it was 1/2 the calories of the original recipe. I even made the sauce with Splenda for ZERO CALORIES! It tasted great, and for a dessert, I would eat 1/3 of what I would have in the olden days.

Now one of the stressful things over the weekend was my Mom. We talked about this, and I know she was and is just worried about me. EVERY time I had a meal I heard "YOU ARE EATING TOO FAST, THAT WAS NOT TWENTY MINUTES". "THAT HAS TOO MANY CALORIES." " YOU ARE NOT CHEWING ENOUGH".  But I think seeing me eat PIE and BREAD PUDDING made her a nervous wreck.   

 

I tried to explain that THEORETICALLY, I CAN EAT WHATEVER I WANT with the LapBand.  I just need to follow the rules, eat slower, chew well, and avoid beverages with the meal and that's how it works. But, as she loves me and is worried, I guess she just needs time to see it work. I explained how I was trying to stick to a 1,500 calorie diet. and was pretty close to it, even probably on target on the actual Turkey Day. 

 

Well, after Turkey Day, I went to the official scales on Monday the 27th when I got back home. 

 

Guess who lost 2.5 pounds over the week of Turkey Day- ME THAT'S WHO!  

 

288.6

 

THAT IS 81 down!

 

And for THAT, on top of getting healthier and healthier, that is what I give thanks for this Turkey Day. (and for having a Mom that loves me and who worries about me)