How to enjoy Christmas following Bariatric Surgery

Society tends to associate Christmas with over-indulging, however we assure you that you can still enjoy the festive season after weight loss surgery. That’s right, you can have your ham and eat it too!

Most people look forward to the holiday season and everything it entails, so if this is your first Christmas after weight loss surgery, you might be feeling nervous about the impact it will have. But if weight loss surgery greatly reduced your enjoyment, it wouldn’t be a viable long-term solution! Instead, we encourage patients to lean into their lifestyle changes, and use them to your advantage.

Here are our top tips for surviving the silly season with your sanity & weight loss goals intact:

Enjoy protein first
This is a rule bariatric patients are already familiar with, but it’s particularly great at Christmas as it means you don’t miss out on the ham, turkey or prawns! Then enjoy the fresh salads and veggies, and finally a small serving of potato salad if you can’t go without.

Put your fork down between bites

This is a great habit to get into every day not only during the festive season. As you will be having smaller portions, take the time to savour each mouthful. Slowing your pace down is not only good for post-surgical digestion, but it will also prolong your meal, and enable you to socialise. Enjoy your food and if you find you’re eating too quickly remember to listen to the clues that your body is sending you to slow down.

Spark up a conversation, tell that silly joke from the bon bon and enjoy your meal. Also remember not to jump in to the next course too quickly. Get up and have a walk around the yard. Ask the kids what they got from Santa and maybe even help the host to pack the dishwasher. All of these ideas will be appreciated by your host and your tummy!

Guard against portion sizes & snacking
Using a smaller plate will ensure you don’t go overboard, and it won’t look like your meal is smaller than everyone else’s. We also recommend that you try to eat in one sitting instead of grazing across the day. This means one nutritious meal (meat, veggies, salad) eaten mindfully instead of grazing on high-calorie snacking foods such as chips and dips throughout the day.

Allow 30 minutes between drinking and eating

The easiest way to do this is accept a drink on arrival and keep in mind you don’t have to finish it all. You will find that you will not keep on being asked for a drink/top up if you slowly sip yours. Pace yourself and even ask when lunch/dinner will be ready so you can plan ahead. Remember to leave time too after finishing a meal for a coffee or tea if you desire.

Don’t drink your calories

This may sound simple enough but it is very easy to lose count of how many festive drinks we have. This isn’t just alcohol either! Full sugar drinks can quickly increase your calorie count for the day. Whilst it’s fine to use some of your daily intake on drinks, they do not offer you any nutritional value. Some high sugar drinks will actually make your thirstier and alcohol definitely lowers your inhibitions, leading you to seek out salty snacks once again of no nutritional value. If you choose to drink alcohol, it is imperative that you DO NOT drive. Remember one standard drink could put you over the limit.

Treat yourself
What’s Christmas Day without some pav? Weight loss surgery is not designed to take the joy out of eating, so if you feel like it (and you’re not full), let yourself enjoy a small piece of dessert. Just try to choose a lighter option, and savour it slowly.

This is where the 80/20 rule comes in to place the majority of the time. It is important to persist with your post-surgery routine, meals and goals, however allowing yourself that 20 percent of leeway to enjoy a dessert on Christmas day or have a drink with friends or family, is not going to send you backwards on your journey.

Prepare your responses
Between work, social & family events, bariatric surgery patients often receive comments about how little they’re eating. Being ready for these comments will help you navigate the day. Remember, the way you choose to respond is completely up to you.  If you have been open about your recent surgery, feel free to remind and even educate those around you on how your quantity and maybe even consistency of food has now changed. You might be surprised how interested people are. 

On the other hand, if you would prefer some privacy, do not feel you have to continue the conversation. You can steer the discussion by saying that you have already been to a lot of Christmas events and are happy to take it easy with food and alcohol for the day. You can always say you will catch up with them individually another time for a more in-depth conversation about your recent choices. 

This is also a consideration if you’re attending multiple gatherings, or trying to do two Christmas meals in the one day. You won’t be able to eat as much – and people will notice – so having responses ready ensures that you’re comfortable and able to enjoy each event.

Beware the booze
Your body handles alcohol very differently after bariatric surgery, so be aware of this and even opt for non-alcoholic options. If you do choose to drink, do it slowly and safely.

Remember to take your supplements

As you pack your bags and pressies to go and enjoy your break, throw in your supplements. Get a small container and count out how many you will need. Set a reminder in your phone and commit to taking your supplements. Remember that this is a busy time of the year and your eating pattern may not be on track for every meal. Making sure you take your supplements will stop you from feeling the effects of deficiencies and ultimately allow you to enjoy your holiday. If you feel that you are not having enough protein, have an extra scoop of protein powder in your coffee or yoghurt. A little extra is better than a lot lost. Take care of yourself!

Re-gift the rubbish

You may have asked for no chocolates or yummy treats this year, however unfortunately, you still need to be prepared to receive tempting food and treats or have leftovers, and therefore need to have a plan for what to do with it.

Yes, a small treat here and there is not the end of the world, and keeping lean protein leftovers may be valuable for meals in the days that follow, but if you’ve got boxes of shortbreads and chocolates lingering for the next month, that may cause trouble. To help with this, you can always regift these to friends or family, otherwise dump them before they cause you to dump

The true meaning of Christmas
If you tend to associate Christmas with eating, now is the time to find a new meaning to the festive season. Choose to focus on the quality time spent with your loved ones, or on developing non-food related traditions such as decorating to host Christmas or going for a Christmas day walk.

Remember, Christmas day is not just about food and alcohol. Think of how you slept the night before, or how you breathe better. You may have bought a new outfit that you really admire yourself in to wear for the day. Take more time getting ready, look in the mirror and appreciate the journey you have been on so far. Remember Christmas day is a DAY. There are always going to be DAYS, but how exciting that you are going to experience them from now on as the newest version of YOU!