Coping Skills when invited out for dinner - ThinnerTimes - Gastric Bypass Forum, Lap Band Forum, and Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Forum

Vim&Vigour · 11-11-2007, 07:13 AM

oooooooooo

coptergirl · 11-11-2007, 08:52 AM

Always be prepared. If going to someones house while you're still in the liquid phase, bring your own, and sip water. Same goes for a restaurant. If you are eating, start with proteins like cheese or shrimp if at someones house or do a protein based appetizer if at a restaurant.

I always (even at almost 2 years out) have a protein snack with me like a protein bar or something - just in case

coptergirl · 11-11-2007, 09:01 AM

Thank you

The TT didn't realy hurt although I was (and still feel) tight. Would do everything all over again b/c it was sooo worth it

I will be keeping an eye on your progress

jerseygrl684 · 11-11-2007, 10:27 AM

I was wondering this myself. I have surgery on the 26th.. and my company xmas party is the 15th.. Im going to have to bring my own drink.. as ghetto as its going to look, i have no choice.. I dont want to dump or puke at the party... especially when not EVERYONE there knows about the surgery...

bloomer001 · 11-11-2007, 06:24 PM

Here is what I do, and it may be wrong, but it has been working for me.

Eating out - I am usually with at least 1 person who knows my 'eating' habbits. First comes the drink, my pouch won't tolerate plain water, so I get unsweetened iced tea 1/2 tea and 1/2 water. Then if I can I order off the kids menu, if not I get the smallest thing I can with lots of protien and ask for a box when I order. When I must go to a business dinner, (and I don't suggest this at all) I don't eat anything but a protien drink for lunch, then don't even drink anything until dinner so I can eat something small and eat some of it, then push the rest around and talk while everyone else is eating.

At a friends house - I just eat little amounts and use the excuse of allergies or sinuses bothering me if pushed for a reason. *smile*

LisaBoston · 11-11-2007, 07:25 PM

It was very hard eating at someone's house for a very long time. I too brought some of my own stuff, but there was NO WAY that I could hide it from people. NO WAY! Potlucks were great, cause you blend in better and I could always bring something that I could eat. There was a time, when I ate before I went and then only had liquids at the event. Much safer for me, as I wasn't sure how mr pouch would react. Now he's more predictable....most of the time....I got ill this morning eating Steel Cut Oatmeal, yet had Domino's pizza last night for the first time and thought I would suffer for it after, and yet I did great.

I went to the firemans ball last weekend and packed my own "crystal light"....all they have is carbonated stuff and then I had one glass of red wine at the event and then stuck to my own drink. I could have added vodka to it if I wanted the booze, but I had so much fun dancing that I didn't want to feel yucky!

It does get much easier to eat out at about 3+ months out.

CeeCee · 11-12-2007, 07:02 AM

If it's a party, buffet-style, don't worry! It's easy to "graze" your way through them, and everyone is so busy schmoozing, they don't notice what you're doing.
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Going out- it's nobody's business but your own. If you still carry extra pounds, like I do, and someone comments on what you're (not) eating, just say "I'm trying to watch what I eat." Completely true; you are watching, very carefully. Your companions will assume that it's just another diet that everyone, young and old, fat and thin, does from time to time.
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I almost always tell my server. (I have even waylaid mine en route to the lady's room- subterfuge!) This accomplishes a few things. The server is now aware of my special needs, such as no need to put the cranberry sauce on my plate. They have let me order from the child's menu, even if it is not restaurant policy. They understand when I don't eat even a third of the meal, and are even more considerate when boxing leftovers.
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I plan to enjoy my holiday parties- I hope you do as well!

marine · 11-20-2007, 03:59 PM

Dear Vim& Vigour,
In business, I try first to order meat or fish with vegis. And then seat next to the "thin Skinny" colleagues. They anyway do not eat a lot, so my 1/5 only empty plate does not look too suspicious. I will try tomorrow, we have a meeting outside the company. Hopefully they will not be sandwiches for lunch. In any case, I will bring along my protein drink. I am obviously so fat still despite the nice weight lost, they nobody would be surprised if I say I am on diet (some mighteven think FINALLY she started :-))

I though many things were mountains, it seems much better once we are in..

take care

ladytonya · 11-20-2007, 08:37 PM

When I was early out, I would just get soup at restaurant and pick at it. Eat the broth and whatever else I could, depending on what stage I was. I've never kept my surgery a secret from anyone. I'd shout it from the rooftops! I'm not ashamed of what I did, and if telling 10 people how I've lost 215 lbs. in 11 months makes even one of them that could use it consider surgery, then I believe it was a good thing! I have referred MANY people to go to the info session and one is getting banded in January! When I go out with friends, everyone knows and we just have one big sharing table. It is great! I can have a bite of a few things and everyone else eats the rest of my plate so nothing is wasted. If I'm with strangers that don't know, I usually just tell them anyway because I can't keep my mouth shut about how wonderful this surgery is, so it's never been an issue!

Rachel · 11-20-2007, 09:30 PM

I haven't told a lot of people (that is another story all together), so when I go to peoples houses that do not know, I always make myself busy by helping in the kitchen and then I try to sit at the end of the table closest to the kitchen then if someone needs something you can just say you'll go get it you are closer.

I also would put food on my plate that I had no intentions of eating, very small amount and spread pretty thin on the plate. I would hold the fork and be involved in a lot of conversations. Pretend to eat and push the food together into a small pile and drink my water. Wipe my mouth etc

It is much easier if you are with your significant other, put things on your plate that will enjoy and then let them pick off your plate.

You will be paying much closer attention to what you are doing than the people that you are with. Have fun!