OMG vacation with a non WLS peep is eye opening

I can't wait to do a zip line!

I don't go out to eat much anymore but when I did go out with my girlfriends recently- one is vegetarian and can't eat bread or many carbs beyond that as she had colon cancer a few years ago. And the the other is an ex model- yoga- runner- gluten free gal.. so, When I would go out with them before, I would be the one asking the waiter for more bread! Not this time around!But, it's the portions that get me! i cannot believe what restaurants serve as one portion! Seriously, I only order things that i KNOW can be heated up for next days lunch. So much waste kills me!

I am lucky that DH and SIL (aka BF), have always been slim and eat as if they had WLS. They never snack/graze! SIL eats about what I do now (I never noticed that when I was obese - LOL). DH eats more at a meal, but he weighs 55 pounds more (which I LOVE because I used to be about 50 pounds heavier than him)! All our friends (who definitely eat way more) know that I had WLS so they are used to me getting an appetizer and only eating half of it.

I was at a 3 day music festival 2 weeks ago with non WLS people and man was I shocked. Breakfast in the morning at the hotel, than stopping for snacks at a gas station before heading into the festival. Usually walked through some of the tailgating going on in the parking lot and they would stop for drinks and food there. Once in the festival is was tons more junk food and lots of beer. And of course on the way back to the hotel we had to stop for some sort of fast food. I did not indulge once in any of this. Stuck to meat m eggs at breakfast, no snacks, got grilled chicken at the festival and brought protein bars with me to have after the festival once back in the hotel room. A year ago I would have been right there with them, eating all the wrong stuff and not caring about it. They all knew I had WLS and didn't push anything about it. Most of them actually waited for me to offer food I wasn't finishing. Really was an eye opener to me of how reckless I was eating before the surgery and how much it's changed for the better since.

YES, that is what I was shocked at too. Don't get me wrong I use to eat this way...but it has been so long I forgot. We were no sooner down with breakfast and would be thinking of lunch and snacks

I think this is why I picked the DS. When I had surgery, I wanted to be able to eat like a "normal" person. I now know that there is no normal...maybe a society of overeaters?

But when I vacation with family, I can keep up with them, and sometimes outeat them. I actually end up losing weight on vacation, usually 1 to 2 lbs a week. Have no idea how that works.... for example I just came back from vacation this past month and ate out 3 times a day plus we'd pick up fast food or pizza for snacks: this was a typical menu:

Breakfast: we ate at a diner: I had 4 egg omelet with bacon and cheese, 2 slices of toast with butter and hash browns with diet soda (of course)
Lunch: Mexican food (i had the fajita platter with flour tortillas...however I only ate 1 of the tortillas...but did eat all the rice and re fried beans)
Snack: 2 slices of pizza
Snack: box of chocolates truffles (4)
Dinner: a pub type place: Meatloaf platter...mashed potatoes and gravy with mushrooms....mmmmmm it was soooooo good!!!! I love meatloaf.
Snack: Ruffles cheddar ridged potato chips
Snack: Protein bar

As I get older I try to eat healthy to live longer after seeing what my husband went through by eating like that. That is what I like, we are all different and there is no right or wrong...just what keeps up healthy and living

The good thing about the DS is that I malabsorb the fat that I eat...so eating like that is not actually as bad as it sounds

But you are right! There is no right or wrong.

I live with husband--a gourmet cook and foodie, and with my three teen boys. (Oldest has mov d out since my surgery though). College daughter and her friends come to dinner a lot too. So I am surrounded by non WLS eaters, and a lot of yummy food always.

Man, do those teen boys pack it in. And when their friends come over--those friends also eat a lot. As do the female roommates of my college daughter.

This is not easy for me. I try to have snacks on hand that are WLS friendly, so that when I feel triggered, I have something. Honestly, I go through stages where I get off track--mostly with little nibbles, like when a group of kid friends are over, or during the after school snack time of the day.

One thing that really helps me: even though I have obviously been obese, and I would say my husband's food obsessions contributed to that, we eat high quality food, and that is satisfying. Husband does value fresh, healthy, and high quality.

He has also become more health conscious as we have aged, and he tries to limit carbs in his own diet. (His "limit carbs" still involves plenty of desserts though!).

A long time ago, when we as a culture still thought dietary fat made you fat, and we all were buying/eating nonfat food, I saw a documentary on Julia Childs. She was saying that Americans overeat because they are never satisfied. She said, in her opinion, if something is deliciously cooked, and beautifully presented, even if it has high fat sauce, you will eat much less of it and fewer calories overall, because your senses are satisfied. If food is not really delicious or intriguing, then you oveeeat because you somehow think that more will satisfy you.

So, quality and real deliciousness can lead to eating less IMO, and help me as a WLS person. Now, the teen boys, they just eat more because it is so delicious. ?

You have my admiration for the daily challenges you overcome. I guess I it had been awhile for me and again I remember eating like that years ago but it just faded... Yes, teenagers are bottomless pits when it comes ti eating