Vacation eating questions?

Hi All-

I am 3 months post op and have just been transitioned to a normal diet.  I am going on vacation on Sunday and would like to know tips or tricks for eating every meal in restaurants vs. preparing them yourself.

Any tips or suggestions are welcomed!

Thanks!

Grasshoppa, here's my wisdom:

Protein, protein, protein. Then maybe a bite of veggies.

Take a tiny bite. Chew to death. Wait a minute to see if anything happens.

Share with someone if you can. You will have to learn to live with wasting lots of food, but this helps avoid some of that.

Eat slooooooowly. Seriously, I wished I'd had one of those 1-minute egg timer things when I was early out. You need to space out the bites.

Don't order from the kid's menu. Most of it is crap. And a lot of places won't let you do it anyway (even with the mystical/mythical/magical card from your doc).

Consider appetizers, but try to stay away from fried stuff.

ALL SAUCE ON THE SIDE, but dry doesn't work either. Mayo/sauce with your turkey. You need a happy medium.

Look at sides like cottage cheese.

Tuna salad is your friend. Ask if you can get it on the side without any bread or salad or crackers.

Meaty soups (strained with a spoon) work great.

For me, ultra processed food in fast food restaurants just ripped me up until I was about 6 months out. BE CAREFUL.

Repeat after me (you'll know when you need it): "Oh, no, the food's great. I'm just not as hungry as I thought I was."

But most important: HAVE FUN!!!

Great advice Patti!

Thanks for the tips.  I have tried eating out a few times and as long as I can prescribe EVERYTHING about my meal I am fine.

Processed/fatty foods kill me--Dump City!

Thankfully our hotel has a fridge in the room, I thought worst case, I could just purchase some things I know work and eat my dinner in our room.  It could be worse right?  LOL.

Wish me luck.

Just don't punish yourself! It's a vacation!

Eating out is now all about the company -- not about the food.

For me, breakfast was the easiest food to eat in a hotel room. I can eat more than 20 g of sugar without dumping, so I'd just get non-fat/low-fat yogurt and sta**** in the room fridge.

So many hotels' continental breakfasts are super carb heavy. The yogurt saved me.

Dinner -- see if you can split with someone. And try to steer your companions away from buffets.

Good luck.

You continue to eat based on your diet plan.

Do not take home "doggie bags" unless you know you can, and will control yourself not to overeat.

Order senior portions, and no desserts opr other foods you are not allowed.

Use your own self-control  YOU are responsible for every bite that enters your mouth.  Vacation won't make you eat poorly, neither will spouses, boy/girlfriends, family, stress, or anything else force you to make poor choices.  Nobody will hold a gun to your head and say, "Eat that banana split or I'll blow your brains out".

Frankly, if you can not control what you eat, you wls was a waste of time and money.

Oldmedic-

You misunderstood my question.  This is not an issue of me not controlling what I eat and frankly I eat very little and control myself very well.  I did not undertake WLS on a whim.  This has nothing to do with self-control. 

My concern was eating out when others prepare the food.  I eat a healthy diet with very low fat.  Sometimes restaurants will add fat when it is not necessary, despite asking for the low fat version.  I was asking for suggestions on what to order or a special way to order foods from more experienced WLS veterans.  I was looking for suggestions, not a lecture from someone who does not know me!

Great advice Patti & OM.

Enjoy your vacation, Pink.

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions.  I am happy to report I had a very successful vacation and no eating difficulties!  All of the restaurants were understanding and did not even ask to see my card from the surgeon!

I am also happy to report I lost 6lbs while on vacation!! 

Thanks again!!