Friday night we (hubby and I) always go out to dinner. Our children are grown and it's what we do on a Friday night. I am on this damn liquid diet so that was out of the question. So we sat in and watched a movie.

Today his club is having this big outdoor fund raiser with a BBQ grill and booze and a band. I love the outdoors and especially live music. So he went and called me twice to see if I was going to go. I said I didn't thnk so. I am not sure if I am ready to be around all the food and drinks while I am stuck on a diet of Protein shakes.

Today I am thinking if my social life is goingto take a nose-dive. I mean I could be sitting there enjoying the music, but I would worry about tortured by so much temptation. I know I could do it, but why put myself through it?

Summer is starting and all the social invites start to pick up...the BBQs, outings, etc. Plus what are we going to do with our Friday and Saturday nights? What am I suppose to do at social events? I can't sit home every weekend

Nah, that won't happen!

My social life has not changed whatsoever. I still go out to eat, out to lunch, meet for coffee, go to BBQ's, etc. If there are no healthy options for food, I eat what I want, just less of it. I rarely feel deprived and I think most people will say the same, stand by for more opinions.....

p.s. Example: Last night we went to Joe's Crabshack for dinner. I ate my side salad and some shrimp and fish off my platter of fish, calamari and shrimp, plus a few fries. I was perfectly satisfied and I lost 1/2 pound today. Of course during the liquid stage you can't eat that, but when you are eating again it will be fine!

Nah, that won't happen!

My social life has not changed whatsoever. I still go out to eat, out to lunch, meet for coffee, go to BBQ's, etc. If there are no healthy options for food, I eat what I want, just less of it. I rarely feel deprived and I think most people will say the same, stand by for more opinions.....

Thanks SO much I really, REALLY need to hear that! I love seafood and the thought of never truly enjoying another meal was depressing. Today's a depressing day because I could be at that event outdise listeningto music-but nope...just me and my dog watching QVC...might head to GNC to reutrn some stuff..whoo hoo what fun!

Hey I still love food, I'm sure we all do! I just can't eat as much of it most of the time, and it's easier to make healthier choices now

Glad that this info helped! I think I was worried about how it would affect my lifestyle too, because hubby and I traditionally gto out to eat on the weekends. We still do

Thanks SO much I really, REALLY need to hear that! I love seafood and the thought of never truly enjoying another meal was depressing. Today's a depressing day because I could be at that event outdise listeningto music-but nope...just me and my dog watching QVC...might head to GNC to reutrn some stuff..whoo hoo what fun!

What you're going to find after you're eating solids again, and getting on with your banded life, is that your INTEREST in food will be as high as ever, but your NEED to eat like you once did will be reduced. You can still go out, you can do what you want, but you won't be as tied to the food involved.

I go out all the time, eat in restaurants frequently, and I have a great social life. And I've also lost a lot of weight while doing so. My family and friends have learned not to worry about me - that I'll find something to eat at the event or in the restaurant that suits me. And they can eat like they always did. Above all, the social aspects of my life are actually better than ever, because I'm not hunkered down over a plate or two of food, stuffing my face the whole time. I actually have the option of participating in the conversation or whatever, without having to keep one eye on the food table, waiting for them to cut the cake, or whatever. It's life-changing to be freed from the chains of eating all the time.

Dave

I agree with Dave. I eat out frequently (3 times since last night)...I find that since I am eating less I can participate more completely in the conversations that are going on and I really enjoy my food because I am taking my time and actually tasting the food rather than shoving it in as quickly as possible.

Just to give you an idea of the types of things I eat...last night at a Japanese restaurant I had 3/4 of a Snow Crab roll and a piece of Fish Tempura, this morning at Breakfast I had 3/4 of a mushroom and cheese omelet and tonight for dinner I had a turkey burger with mushrooms and Swiss cheese on a bed of lettuce (I choose not to eat bread but my band doesn't prevent it). These are very typical selections for me and I don't feel deprived at all...

I am not banded yet but my husband and I have talked about going out to eat after the band and we will just share a plate. That way he won't over eat, neither will I and we will save money to boot! I usually go out to lunch every day...and I probably will go out every other day after the band......eating the rest the next day, or just buy kids portions or appetizer. You will be fine and feel more like going out..maybe start going out dancing after dinner!

I agree with all of these other posters. I'm at a fairly good restriction at this point but my husband and I (empty-nesters) eat out all of the time. Depending on the menu, sometimes I'll just order an appetizer, sometimes maybe a side dish and steal a couple of bites of my husband's entree, or if there is an entree selection that I think will make good leftovers, I'll go ahead and order a meal. (I do have a terrible time with warmed up chicken or fish though). I've had dinners that easily lasted me for three separate meals.

I don't eat any bread and haven't really since surgery. If I'm at a dinner and everyone is just raving about the bread in the basket on the table, I've peeled off a little bit of the crust to suck on so I can get a little taste of the flavor, and I basically let it dissolve in my mouth. I know this sounds lame - but it seems to help me feel like I'm not totally left out of the "amazing" bread.

With each fill, it took me a good week or so to figure out what kind of restriction I would have. But at this point I can eat almost anything... especially at dinner time - my loosest time of the day!

Thank you everyone!! It felt so good to read that everyone still goes outto eat and attends social functions without a problem! I think I just had a meltdown yesterday so some reason-I mean I was teary-eyed most of the day. My hubby came home and said "How about goingto the movies?" That was sweet of him because we rarely do that but it was a little late so I opted no to take him up on the offer. I can see that he tends to avoid eating in front of me. I don't care if he eats-really I don't, but I guess he's trying to be sensitive.

Thanks again for cheering me up! This forum has been so inspirational to me!

The liquid diet and the post-op period when you're on liquids is really hard to do at a restaurant (though there's still always soup) but you'll be able to eat out just fine. Remember not to fill up on appetizers (unless that's your whole meal) and so far I've had no problems with heating up leftovers. At this point the only restaurant I'd have a really hard time eating at would be one where everything is fried... like my husband wanted to go to Popeyes when we were traveling yesterday, and we decided against it because I had no idea if they had anything there I was willing to eat.

Hang in there NJ! all really isn't lost as you can see from all of the posters here (and there are more out there who have not posted here) eat out some more than others, but it can be done! Yesterday my DH and I went to the local strawberry festival. I did have to think about how and what I was going to eat and I survived just fine without cravings, without feeling deprived. I had 10 garlic fries (all that I could eat), marinaded teriaki chicken on a stick and had a large dark chocolate dipped strawberry. I was full, happy with myself and amazed that I was not craving more! On the plus side, I got in over an hours worth of walking. On the daily side of things we go out to eat alot and I have yet to come across a place that I cannot find anything to eat from.

Remember, even if you do fall off the "wagon" forgive yourself and get right back on! There are a lot of helping hands willing and ready to help you come back on board!

I feel like your social life will change in some aspects. I know that for myself, the beginning was hard. I never had to do a liquid diet pre-op but had to do (only 1 week) it post-op. It was hard to not eat out with my family...especially when they were mentioning pizza, mexican, chinese...etc. (Excuse me while I drool!) But you can do it. If getting healthy is what you truly want, then nothing will get in your way. You've tasted BBQ before. You know what it tastes like, smells like, etc. It's STILL going to taste like that in the future when you've reached your goal. The beginning is hard, but eventually you'll be eating out again. Eventually you can go see a movie again. This isn't forever...you won't always be on liquids. You can do this!

While I don't have much of one, I still go out, just choose wisely and ge a doggy bag

Whe you're on liquids, your social life might suffer, but the band is meant to give you a better life, not take it away. No one knows I'm banded so when I have to do liquids it sucks, but I am able to be normal most of the time.

Don't worry it will get easier.

Thsisme,

Where's your strawberry festival?? There was one not too far from my house this weekend but we didn't get to go.

kristi

Hang in there NJ! all really isn't lost as you can see from all of the posters here (and there are more out there who have not posted here) eat out some more than others, but it can be done! Yesterday my DH and I went to the local strawberry festival. I did have to think about how and what I was going to eat and I survived just fine without cravings, without feeling deprived. I had 10 garlic fries (all that I could eat), marinaded teriaki chicken on a stick and had a large dark chocolate dipped strawberry. I was full, happy with myself and amazed that I was not craving more! On the plus side, I got in over an hours worth of walking. On the daily side of things we go out to eat alot and I have yet to come across a place that I cannot find anything to eat from.

Remember, even if you do fall off the "wagon" forgive yourself and get right back on! There are a lot of helping hands willing and ready to help you come back on board!