Do or Have you felt like this?
I feel anxious about this. I also feel like this when we leave for an entire day from the house such as the lake, or other trips, and also its really high anxiety if/when we leave for overnight trips or to be gone for a few days/week. I don't feel like this going to work everyday because I have a cabinet full of protein powders and drawers full of other protein stuff. I am never alone! I can go weeks on end without using anything but my favorite protein powder... BUT I have the comfort of knowing it is there JUST IN CASE I NEED IT. That brings comfort to me.
I'm the one who brings five suitcases for an overnight stay. Only, half a suitcase is clothing, the other 4 1/2 are protein products! I am not joking, I get so worked up that there will not be enough food there for me that is friendly, or that I will have a low blood sugar episode, or that I will just feel or fall ill while there and need some sort of protein infusion! As funny as this might sound, it is a very real fear. And I think that it goes back to the first few months of my wls and the stricture that I had. My protein was so terribly low, and I was in the hospital for dehydration and malnutrition and stricture. Ever since then, I just cannot go away from the house for many hours without packing bags. It was hard Sunday when we went to Renfest NOT to pack up my kitchen cabinets!
I also do not like having the control taken from me over what foods I have access to. In this instance, its the retreat center who will be choosing and serving the foods. I don't have control over my choices, but they will be placed before me, and either I like it or I don't... does that make sense? So, I must have those things from home as a backup plan. Not to mention, its not a matter of just taking ONE protein bar, ONE protein cereal and ONE protein chips. I am toooo picky and never know what flavor so I will take THREE of everything (that's conservative guestimate) just to be safe. Now, I may only eat one tiny item while I'm gone... but at least it will make me feel better knowing that I had choices besides what they offered, that they were good choices, and also that they were many varieties of flavors and types.
Now, when I shared this with Tim... "You know what to do, what to take, now just do it. You're not on a learning curve anymore." In other words, stop obsessing over it... He also said that if I HAD to, I can eat what is put before me (just stay clear of sugars of course), but I still do not like that feeling of lost control of my choices.... I am working on telling my fears TO REMAIN SILENT! Lol....
Does anybody else ever feel like this? Maybe its just me, its probably just me.
Beth
Stacey
Good to see you on the board! I would take a snack size bag of beef jerky or some nuts. You can always find chicken at a park...just take the breading off. You are a creative person, I'm sure you will return with a great story of how successful you were.
Have a great time and don't let yourself worry about dumb ole food. It's just food, after all.
Smooches!
Freddie
I went to New Orleans over the weekend and did not bring any special food with me. I ended up eating lots of boiled shrimp, crab, and crawfish (which my pouch seemed to like).
On Sunday we had a family gathering and it was filled with finger sandwiches, 7 layer mexican dip, grilled steak, etc. Instead of eating something I shouldn't, I got creative and took the finger sandwiches (chicken salad) and ate the insides but not the bread.
That satisfied me and got my protein in for the afternoon.
Don't worry.. bring a few protein bars and worst case you can live off of them for a couple of days.
She is a dear precious woman with a positive attitude. She is a pleasure to have around. She has moderate dementia, but the one thing that gives her pleasure is to get in the car for a drive and go out to eat. Every time we get in the car to go somewhere, she says "are we going to go eat? I am trying to let her live out her life with what ever gives her pleasure. So most of the time we go if she wants to.
At first, I felt so out of control every time we went to a restaurant. Then I realized, I had control the only thing out of control was my thinking I don't have control. I realized that the going out to eat thing that I though was a "trigger" that would take me back to my old eating habits, was just in my head. What I really liked about going out to eat was the social experience and, not really the food. (What a discovery after 57 years of eating the wrong things in restaurants and fast food joints!) LOL
Now I drink a home made shake or RTD BEFORE I go or just don't eat and do the shake thing or something else when I get back. I have started eating when I got back more often than not because there might be something I can eat at the restaurant and I don't want to eat twice. I have learned already not to let the food take control of me. I HAVE CONTROL OF ME for the first time in a long long time. It is very empowering!
I think Tim's right. You know what to do, just BREATHE as our friend Scott would say, and go enjoy your life with your beautiful new body and have FUN! Let it go. It will be OK. YOU DO HAVE CONTROL.
Let me add that you are such an inspiration to me. You can do this if anyone can!
Cathy you always have great stuff to say! I know I will pull on my big panties (my adult ones, not my plus size! which by the way is not a thong, LOL) and get through this just fine. I might have to pay for an extra cot just to store my protein on... but that's ok!
I wanted to add, I do eat regular food. I sometimes order a pasta dish at Olive Garden. I eat a few bites of pasta with my chicken breast. I like a 1/2 breadstick every now and again... I've learned not to be afraid of the food itself... but I guess the reason it really bothers me is that I am very controlled with my eating. I like choices. I am spontaneous (within the limits of my gastric rules that is), and I never ever know what to eat. Tim has spoiled me in that he doesn't ever assert what he wants for supper or any other meal. We always get what I want. Now I don't get a choice, it makes me a bit nervous.
So I am going to pack some protein bars and shove some protein powder in baggies down in my blender bottle and let it be done! Oh, and some Kay's Naturals. Oh and a rock n roll bar. And some Atkins varieties. And maybe a few pieces of sugar free chocolate. Oh gosh! See, its starting already! LOL. Just kidding.
on 5/19/09 2:30 am
This is a very relevant thread because I am going to a dog show this weekend in Harriman, TN and will be gone from Friday evening though Sunday afternoon. I intentionally made reservations at a hotel that has a fridge in the room so I can take cottage cheese, cheese, deli meat, protein RTDs, prepared Crystal Light, etc. I'll also take some protein bars, small cans of tuna and hard boiled eggs. This has breakfasts, lunches & snacks covered, but I'm quite sure, as is the routine, I'll go out to dinner with friends.
I went to a one day show last weekend, where all I had to worry about was dinner. I was so proud because I ordered grilled chicken. It came with all you can eat breadsticks (didn't touch 'em), salad or soup (got the minestrone and ate about half), the chicken (ate one breast half, took home the other), rice (passed on that) and green beans (eeew, canned & overcooked). It was tough watching my friend Joy eat breadsticks like she was a wood chipper, feeding them down the hatch! But I didn't touch them. My dog friends know about my surgery, so she said, "I'm not even bothering to hand you the basket!" Whew. I appreciated the support!! Sometimes the food police can come in quite handy!
Now, when I go out with friends, I'll remember what you said, Cathy: it's about the social event, not the food itself. I think that will help jostle me into continuing to make better food choices. It's not about the food, it's about the friends.