An out of the way place to eat??

I posted this on the Main Board too. I would like to share a place that I have found that may work out for some of you.  It usually takes awhile to get there but alot of the time their food can work with WLS patients...SO WHERE IS THIS GREAT PLACE PRAYTELL?  Your local hospital cafeteria.  Twice I have gone into two different hospitals and have found great soups that were fantastic.  Before WLS we would joke about hospital cafeteria food.  Maybe it needs a second look if you are visiting someone or if home or work is close by. Just my thoughts...Brian

Interesting. I will have to keep that in mind I travel A LOT and often look for healthy alternatives while on the road. My old standby is Wendy's Chili. A small is only about 200 Calories, is loaded with protein and almost no sugar. JP

I too eat Wendy's Chili every day.  Just a few oz, but I like the protein it gives me.  I add some of my own cheese (non fat string cheese) or if I am on the run use Wendy's cheese.  Again, we don't think about the one place that usually can serve the best meals for our bodies...The hospital.   One other thing for those guys on the go looking for good food choices, I try and keep some nuts (peanuts, walnuts, almonds) in my car in case of am stuck in the middle of nowhere.  It also may be good to have a protein bar in there too.  The problem is some of these may not keep well in the summer heat.  Just try not to be stuck without the right foods available.  Try and plan ahead.  Brian

I definitely travel with protein bars and cashews, too. You can always it a Wal-Mart and get some cottage cheese, shakes, etc.. JP

Maybe it was the more distal positioning of my RNY but the fat content of Wendy's chili really bothers me.

Might be. I know mine was proximal. Wendy's chilli has been a staple of mine since I started on mush. Put in the blender it turns into the consistency of thin refried beans. JP

OK, please forgive the dumb question, considering I have already had RNY: I have seen the distal / proximal distinction, and I know they mean far / near, but I don't know which is which in WLS. My surgeon cut my intestine about 18 down from the stomach (halfway through the jejunum). Is that distal or proximal? Thanks, Joe

Joe, Proximal/Distal question? "Proximal is that it is where less than 150 cm of intestines are by-passed and Distal is greater than 150 cm of intestines by-passed." Try this link- http://www.thinnerself.com/expectations.html Fairly good idea from there.... and here’s what the ASBS offers in regard to Prox/Dist Gastric Bypass… Proximal – A proximal RNY patient has less than 150 cm of intestine bypassed. Most RNY's are proximal. The Proximal patient still has a mal-absorption of food and sugar, though to a lesser extent than a Distal patient. The result is still weight loss, though it may be considered that the patient has less of a worry about mal-absorption of nutrition. Distal - This refers to the amount of digestion bypassed. A distal RNY means that over 150 cm of intestine is bypassed - the section that processes sugar. Thus the distal RNY patient does not process sugar and has a greater mal-absorption of food and nutrients. The result is a more rapid weight loss, but a need for closer watch of nutritional intake. An RNY patient may refer to their surgery as a "Distal RNY Fobi" procedure, or a "Distal RNY". Distal RNY is usually reserved for patients with a weight exceeding 400 to 450 lbs.

Best Wishes- Dx

Thanks very much. Guess it is good to be proximal, if you can. Joe

Ditto on the hospital cafeteria. I have worked in hospitals for the last 20 years and the food and nutrition has improved greatly. Now not all hospitals are the same, but modern hospitals have plenty of choices for WLS individuals. Prices are usually pretty fair too. Just remember, if the food is really good, the cafeteria is usually crowded during lunch. Thanks for the info on distal vs proximal, I was wondering that myself.