Question:
One month after my surgery we're hitting the road for a July 4 camp out .

Fortunately, I'll be traveling in a motorhome. Any suggestions for what I can eat? Since it's a family campout, and I haven't told the family yet, how do I explain my bizzare eating habits? Lynda    — Lynda B. (posted on May 29, 1999)

May 30, 1999
By July you will be on soft foods. I would suggest taking chicken breast that has been marinated and broiled, boiled potatoes. Chunk the chicken into small pieces and small slices of potatoes. Put them both in Campbell's 98% fat free cream of chicken soup. You can eat that cold or reheat it. Chew very slowly and thoroughly. Take bananas. If they notice your small portions, just say "I am trying to reduce my caloric intake." They will just assume you are on another diet. By keeping the chicken and potatoes in the cream of chicken soup, you keep the meat moist. This will allow you to puree it by chewing.
   — Deborah L.

May 30, 1999
First of all, do you ever plan to tell them? If that is no- then I would suggest if you're on regular food- fresh fruit or tuna fish (well-refrigerated), salad. If you're not on regular food yet- I suggest you tell them so they can share in your joy and victor. Sheila Winters - RNY- March 26 99- 60 lbs gone. (and counting) GOOD HEALTH
   — Sheila W.

June 4, 1999
I usually tell the truth. That way, I can remember what I said. At the one month mark after my surgery, I was still on baby food. If you are still eating baby food, I think that would be a little hard to hide. I had one friend who had the surgery and for some reason she couldn't be completely honest about it. She chose to tell people that she lost her 102 lbs because she "changed her eating habits." Well, as those of us who have had the surgery know, that is partially true and could be used as a reason for loosing all that weight. My thought on that is this: I know people would not be dumb enough to believe that I would wait till I was 50 to suddenly change my eating habits and loose 150 lbs. If I could do it now,, why wouldn't I have done it much earlier. I opted to go with the whole truth. I have only used the "changed my habits" excuse was when it was someone who was extremely ugly to me when I was "fat" (their words) and now that I am "not fat", they wanted to be all nice and sweet and find out how I lost all that "FAT" Sort of my own personal retaliation I guess. Except for those two icidences, I have told the truth about the subject.
   — Peggy W.