Question:
Eating while you are in an amusement park...
I had Lap RNY on 2/21/08 (down 38 pounds :-) and so far (thank God) I'm doing great. I'm on the soft foods stage and I've been able to eat everything (including steak - slow cooked to make it tender) that I'm supposed to eat without dumping or feeling sick in any way (of course I've stayed away from the fats and the sugars). Next month (4/25/08) my daughter has a cheerleading competition that will have us staying at a hotel and being in an amusement park all day for 2 days. I would appreciate anyone's suggestions on what to eat while I'm in the amusement park. I can't guarantee that our hotel room will have a refridgerator and a microwave or I would definitely take food with me. Plus it may not be very feasible to carry food when I'll be in the park for 10 hours a day. I'll definitely have to eat there. I plan to take protein mix for my water (it'll be easy to carry. I can take peanut butter & whole grain crackers and I can take fruit cups as well. I was thinking that while I'm in the park I can get a sirloin burger and eat the burger sans the bun. The park has a Panda Express but I haven't tried Chinese food and I don't want to eat anything new while I'm away. It also has a place that sells salads (which I haven't eaten yet but hopefully I will be able to by the then) that I can add grilled chicken to and they have ribs (can I get them without barbeque sauce?). It also has a Subway. I may be able to get a turkey and cheese sub and just eat the turkey and cheese. Everything else is pretty much fried foods. Help! I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks in advance for your responses! Marion — dsmuffin (posted on March 29, 2008)
March 29, 2008
I have a couple of suggestions. You could call the hotel, explain you have
some dietary needs, and request a small fridge if they don't have one in
the room - you could even offer a doctor's note from your surgeon if that
would help. I would also suggest you bring a small insulated bag with you
so you can bring what you need, just to make sure you don't get sick on
unfamiliar food and can enjoy youself. Good luck, and enjoy!
— obeseforever
March 29, 2008
I was four weeks out on my first trip to an amusement park. I spent well
over 10 hours there but i took my own cooler. We have little cards that
explain our food issues and I just presented that and they allowed me to
bring in my own things. I took Tuna and soft foods that i knew i could eat
and had my own drinks. It was a bit of a pian in the butt but worked
nicely. Have a great time.
— Alvernlaw
March 29, 2008
It looks like you are so in control of this! LOL You are going to do just
fine! I did the hamberger thing with no bun at about a month out while
traveling. It works out great! If you have a mini back pack you can fit
all kinds of stuff and be hands free!
I don't know if you are ready for almonds or beef jerky but those are my
fav travel snacks for high protein and soy crisps too. You could boil some
eggs too...Have a great time and I think you've already got a good plan!
— .Anita R.
March 29, 2008
Hi Marion,
I think you'll probably find things at the amusement park that you'll be
able to eat. If you choose to do the sirloin burger be sure to chew - chew
- chew! You don't want to have an episode while you're in the middle of a
place like that!
My suggestion is to try Subway. I often get their tuna salad wrap with
shredded cheese and lettuce. Ask them to cut it in half for you, as you'll
not be able to eat more than half - and perhaps not even that much. I've
found the wraps to be tolerable since they're very thin. Just be sure to
take the small bites as you've been instructed and to chew very well before
swallowing. You may even be able to tolerate the chicken teriyaki wrap as
well. I would recommend going very easy on condiments on either of these
choices.
Hope this helps.....and here's to you having a very enjoyable couple of
days.
— tonidaniels913
March 29, 2008
i would suggest the tuna at subway and you can get a small sub of turkey
and cheese or ham and cheese and just eat the meat and cheese, etc off the
bread. try to find you some things that don't require refrigeration to take
for you snack on. you might even try some reduced fat peanut butter
crackers (nabs), but be sure to chew chew chew. i used the LOW CARB slim
fast drinks at first and they would be good for you to carry along in your
purse,etc. just get a cup of ice to pour it over. they are low in sugar and
good protein. good luck, it will be challenging but you will be fine, hope
this helps...Holly
— RNlvnCARSON
March 29, 2008
What cheer competition??????????? My daughter does all-star cheer as
well??????? I had the lap band and refriend beans are ALWAYS my choices
when I am out. Most places have mexican food somewhere. E-mail me back
about the cheer compitition - [email protected].. Good Luck
— jhart
March 29, 2008
Get a small backpack and carry your food. You can make all the excuses you
want, but if you stray now, the cost is usually more than one day. I say
fight for what you reall want, weight loss. You are doing great. Patricia
P.
— Patricia P
March 30, 2008
Thanks for the ideas everyone! I had forgotten about beef jerky, lol. My
daughter and I usually buy it when we travel. I don't know why it didn't
occur to me this time. Have a great day!
— dsmuffin
March 30, 2008
the majority of big amusement parks will let you enter with a small cooler
-- most have rules about people who are on special diets -- call ahead or
check online -- i know that disney and universal studios allow this -- try
to bring some type of documentation with you besides your scar -- and you
shouldn't have any problem at all -- diabetics are also on special diets
and that is what brought this ruling to most amusement parks as they are
not diabetic friendly :) good luck and enjoy
— RCassety
March 30, 2008
You start to get creative when going out. Chinese you can have soup too,
hamburgers are good in a pinch. Bumble bee makes those little pkgs with
tuna or chicken salad and crackers. No refrig needed. I keep these at work.
Always safe tuna, cold cuts, etc You would be surprised when you pay
attention now that there is always something to eat somewhere. We just
never paid attention before! Stay away from bread. Hamburger no bread, etc.
Good luck. I am going to disney in a few weeks. I am sure I will manage.
People are very understanding places when you want to watch what you eat.
It is the way of the world today. Sounds like great weight loss so far and
a good attitude. Good luck!
Linda
— Linda R.
March 30, 2008
My surgery was 1/14/08 and I'm down about 55 pounds.
I travel quite a bit. I generally take my New Whey Liquid Protetin and mix
it with water. One vial has 42 grams of protein so I'm getting 3/4 of my
protein and 16 oz. of liquid at the same time. For the rest of my food I
just get bites off my husband's or daughters plate. If I'm alone I just
order something that's going to have protein and know that I'll be throwing
part of it away. If you're like me and many others, no matter how hungry
you are and how scared you are that you'll be tempted to eat more than you
should, you CAN'T. After a few bites (especially at the beginning) I'm
full and I "know" from the feeling in my pouch that if I eat
another bite I'll feel sick. For me I think it's a low-level dumping
feeling....I'm just stopping before I'm completely there and I have yet to
throw up once. I too am able to eat anything...but again I can't eat much
of anything so that is keeping in the right place and I am losing weight so
it works for me.
Hope this helps.
P.s. I have to add, that being able to eat so little is the best thing
about the surgery since the weight comes off, but mentally it's the hardest
thing to deal with. ONce I'm full though, it doesn't bother me that I
can't eat more....it's just in the preliminary when I'm thinking about what
I'm going to eat and then reality sets in that's hard to deal with. I'm
thrilled though with my weight loss and I KNOW I couldn't have done it any
other way. Eating is temporary and being obese was permanent and
heartbreaking for me until the bypass.
— cjjordan
March 30, 2008
Looks like some GREAT suggestions. The only one I caution is the Beef
Jerky, you are still pretty early and the jerky will swell in your pouch
and could be very painful.
Take care and have fun!!
— Tomi D.
March 30, 2008
You got many of the solution in your own email, but call the hotel, and
tell them about your diet requirements. I have to be on the road for my
business and the hotels, with advance warning, have been very helpful. One
hotel let me use the refrigerator in the office the employee use, and other
arranged my dinner for 4 nights out with local resturants that had a meal
meeting my requirements ready shortly after I arrived and identified
myself. When I am driveing and there is nothing but highway truckstops and
fast food, I go to a subway and order a turkey sandwich and just eat the
meat, chease, and veggies. Toss the bread. I did that one day with a
burger kink, but they helpped me. I ordered a wapper hold the bread and
mayo, and they did it my way. Stay away from the panda express because
there is carps in the rice, and they ause pasta in many of the mixtures. I
also carry a small cooler that I go to a local food store and get cottage
cheese fat free and skim milk to make my shakes and I add the water and
canned, "No Sugar Addres" Peaches and Pears that I carry with me.
THe brand I use is delmonte, and the are in can opener free cans. I carry
9 oz Zip Lock container for the extra from a can for my next meal. I have
even gone to a deli and order sliced lean lunch meat and part skim cheese
while on the road. Have fund withyourdaughter, but remember you are saving
a life for her; Yours!
— William (Bill) wmil
March 30, 2008
Save some of your money!!!
You can bring a shaker and your protien powder for the hotel room itself.
You can bring protien bars for the park. Keep in mind that the food at the
park will be stupid expensive -- by not allowing food in, they have a
captive audience, you know?
Everyone is different, I guess -- I am 4 months out and still have
difficulty with most meats. I live on cottage cheese and stuff like that --
again, you can bring your own for the room. Low fat ricotta cheese is also
a great protien source - and yogurt. If Subway is a must, you can get any
sandwhich as a salad. You should be able to handle salad by then, but if
not, you should be able to ask for a couple of scoops of tuna and some
cheese on the side. Then you can make your own "roll ups". Be
prepared, but try not to take the fun out of the trip by worrying about the
food! Dani
— zandeldm
April 1, 2008
I went to Disneyworld 6 mnths after my surgery, and I ate the typical
"park" food, but I did take snacks with me that were healthy. I
drank water all day long. I did fine, plus all of the walking you do
really burns up the calories!!!!!!!!
— daisyrock3
April 1, 2008
Subway has wraps. You can get it with chicken and cheese or even tuna. They
can cut them in thirds and you can eat the right portion.
I am 4 1/2 months out and 75 pounds lighter. Subway has helped by allowing
me to EAT OUT!
— DOREN
April 2, 2008
Great answers and ideas so far. I have a friend with dietary challenges,
so here are our solutions: call ahead to the hotel and request a
minifridge. Instead of ordering sandwiches and taking off the bread,
request the sandwich without bread. (We do that all the time, and have
never had problems with getting our order.) You can also keep a small
cooler in the trunk of the car to carry along extra snacks/liquids. We
fill a small jug or 2-liter bottle 2/3 full with water, then freeze it. It
stays frozen a day or two in the cooler and keeps everything fresh. Good
luck on the trip and enjoy the rides!
— sandra17
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