My mum is here in Greece for a visit from the UK. We took her up the nearest mountain yesterday for a ride out and on the way back down we stopped in a taverna to eat. This was only my second 'eating out' experience since being banded 6 weeks ago.

I hated it :cry

The Greeks love food and a taverna means lots of the stuff. I thought I would be Ok but the food looked and smelled so good. I avoided my beloved bread alright but watching the other two tuck in while I sat taking tiny bites and waiting for the minutes to tick by, made the whole experience miserable :think .

What made it worse was that I made myself feel bad...I had only lost half a kilogram this week after weeks of losing at least 1. I have had 1 fill but still don't feel restriction so my diet is willpower based until I go see the doc again. I think I ate too much (DH said I ate more than at home) and yet it was still so little compared with what used to be...

How do I get to enjoy going out to eat again...it's not something we do all the time but has always been something I loved...any advice you guys?

I'll start with a disclaimer that I don't cook and never eat at home. I used to blame my weight on my travel schedule and not eating wholesome meals but I've come to realize I can still eat out and make some pretty good choices.

Today I went to applebee's and had a tasty bowl of tomato basil Soup... I was totally full when I finished and noticed everyone else was still eating but it didn't bother me. I guess the key is once you get restriction you won't feel so "deprived"

I used to get so depressed over that "deprived" feeling... the feeling that everyone else could do things (eat things) I couldn't... Now I'm so happy to say it's gone.

I'm sure you're sick of hearing "when you get restriction" things will be better, and I know it's so hard to wait. But the good news it eating doesn't have to be a struggle for the rest of your life now we have "HOPE"

I love being able to ask for a to-go box, instead of the desert menu!

We eat out at least twice a week still. That's huge for us, because pre-op, we'd eat at HOME maybe twice a MONTH. For sh!ts and giggles (and a few tears) I added up all of our food expenses for one month and we were over $2000. And it wasn't because we were eating tons, we'd just go to fairly nice places, eat what we wanted, and leave a good tip. It really added up when we did it for the entire month. So think of all the $$ you'll save.

I've never felt deprived, mostly because I order what I want, and eat enough of it that I'm no longer hungry. If someone has something that looks good, I take a taste and that's enough. I'm 2 mos out and have never once felt bad or like I was missing out when I've seen someone's big portion, or seen people eating things I'm too afraid to try but enjoy (rice, bread...)

To keep from eating more than I do at home, I ask for a box when I order. (I tell them to go ahead and bring it b/c I know I'm going to need it). When the food comes I eyeball about a cupful, set it aside, and box up the rest so it's not even an option to eat more... otherwise I'd sit there and pick at it, eating way more than I need to. Then I make sure that it takes me as long to eat my mini-meal as it takes the others to eat their mega-meals. If I don't finish what I set aside, I add it to the to-go box. If I finish and I'm still hungry, I'll have a bite or two of something on DH's plate. Hey is -- when I'm NO LONGER HUNGRY, I stop eating. I don't judge it by WHEN I'M FULL. Big difference.

Look to your company and conversation for enjoyment, and not portion size. Just keep reminding yourself of how totally worth it it's going to be one of these days.

Wheetsin: thank you for sharing your take on how you approach the eating out thing. I haven't yet done such an outing (not on solids yet)...but when I do, I will try and take my cue from you and approach it in the same way!! It sounds great.

I dont eat out too often but when I do I want to enjoy whatevery it is I ordered. What I found works for me is as soon as the order is brought to the table, you know how they come back to see how everything is, usually within the first couple minutes of you actually getting your meal, that is when I say oh, could you bring me a to-go, "I didnt realize it would be soo much". That makes them happy, I get my box in short order, win - win situation.

hey Alie, have some patience, its ok that you lost 1/2 kgr this week!

its great actually! i believe that now you ate a little more you will lose

1 kgr this week! i still enjoy the tavernas but in smaller amounts!

i eat everything except the bread i suggest you to prefer to eat

meats and salads aren't them delicious? :rant:

The feeling of power it gives me to say no to that food far surpasses the pleasure of actually eating it.

You have to work at getting to the point where it has no emotional power over you. I cant imagine how hard losing weight must be if you sit at a table actually being upset that you cant fit more in. You need to learn to be happy with a taste of this and that, and you'll be full afterall.

And go easier on yourself. If you're full but ate less than what you would have previously that's a huge achievement. The band is for life, and you should be working on a new lifestlye, not a set of rigid rules. YOu cant go to a restaurant your measuring cup!

What matters is where your weight is at a few months from now, not whether you lost 1/2kg this week or 1kg. If its going down over time you're doing fantastically well, one meal here or there matters not at all and you need to learn to enjoy eating out in a different way.

Eating out will get easier. I'm sure that going to the places with TONS of food isn't as common as going to a place with normal portions right? And if you don't go out very often, and when you do go out, you eat a little more than you would at home, that's still ok. Half a kg a week, is still good!!

Eating out, and eating less when other people eat more will get easier, and then you'll get to the point where you cannot BELIEVE how much others are eating!! I went out with my fiancee the other day for lunch, and got steak and eggs. I felt like I ate so much food, but there was about 3/4 of it left on my plate.

It gets easier.

I try to order from the kids menu or I ask them to leave off the bread, rice and any pasta that would come with the meal. I ask for a small bread plate and I have my meal off that. The rest gets boxed up or taken home for hubby to have for lunch at work. I have also added shrimp or an extra side to hubby's plate and just had that and a bite or two from hubby's plate. I have an almost 5 year old daughter and we often split meals. Yesterday we had chinese take out and we split the orange chicken. (I order it with grilled chicken not breaded) You would be amazed at how good most places are about allowing smaller portions. Olive Garden for example has a wonderful grilled chicken kids meal, it comes with pasta, I sub mashed potatos or broccoli and it also comes with soup, for around $5. I have that and I am usually done for the day. Eating out will get easier, and cheaper. I just miss a nice med-well grilled steak, I have to have to med now and that is just a bit too pink for me, so I get chicken. ~Mandy

Eating out will become easier, believe me. Don't look at it as if you are loosing something really nice just because you're not able to eat huge portions as everyone else and as you did before getting banded because you're not. Try to look at it from the bright side: you'll be saving so much money in food and restaurants that every now and then, you'll be able to buy something extra nice just for your pleasure! :confused:

Also, focus on the fact that getting out to eat it can also mean a well spent romantic moment with your darling one, or just for fun with friends. We can properly enjoy a meal and have fun even if we don't stuff ourselves with food - it took me ages to understand this... now, if I go to a restaurant with my 7 year old, I share a meal with him, or if I go out with DH or friends, I try to go for a salad and something else on the side and if I see that it is too much for me, I ask my friends to have a bite and see how good it tastes (from the portion I set aside untouched, of course...)

You live in Greece? - that's great! you probably have lots of good healthy food choices from the mediterranean typical diet used in traditional greek cooking and that must be wonderful.

niki

I have a question for those of you on solid foods...do you eat your meal in a specific timeframe? I was told by my physician to eat my whole meal in 10-15 minutes....?

lookingout; If I had to eat my whole meal in 10-15 minutes, I'd be starving! I've heard alot of doctors say about 30 minutes, which is pretty reasonable for the most part. If you try and scarf your meal in 15 minutes, I think you'll be causing your self some trouble. I'm not one to say to not listen to your doctor, but eating too fast and not chewing well is one of the big factors in causing a PB (Productive Burp, food comes back up). Also, many of us have what's called 'first bite syndrome' where basically you take the first couple of bites and it just kind of sits there for a bit before you are able to continue with your meal. I've had it sit there for an hour or more (in which case the meal is usually over with and I just have to try again later).

If you post a new thread with this same question, you are bound to get a whole bunch more answers. :confused:

30 minutes or 1 - 1 1/2 cups is what my doctor told me. Call your doctor and see why he set such a low time limit. I agree with Marimaru - if I imposed a 10 - 15 minute rule I would try to eat too fast and hurt myself. As it is I usually have to allow 5 - 10 minutes for the first few bites.

To keep from eating more than I do at home, I ask for a box when I order. (I tell them to go ahead and bring it b/c I know I'm going to need it). When the food comes I eyeball about a cupful, set it aside, and box up the rest so it's not even an option to eat more... otherwise I'd sit there and pick at it, eating way more than I need to.

This is By far the bst Idea I have ever heard, We eat out about three times a week and I have struggled with easting more then I should, because I pick at it and say just one more bite.

thanks for the Tip! Hey waiter bring me a to go box STAT!:confused:

Hey, thanks sooooooooooo much you guys! I went back to work today, and there was food everywhere. 30 minutes seems much more reasonable. I'll ask my dr. next time I see him, but I keep on emailing him about port pain (I think that is what it is) and other random paranoias. I think I can do this. Marimaru and Donna B--Thanks sooooooooooo much!!!!!

How do you know if your band has slipped? Does anyone know how it feels? I was just wanting to know. I have a 9.75 inamed 4 cc band, and I am at 3.6 cc. The dr wants to puit more fill in, but I;m having a hard time keeping alot of foods down. There is no way I want anymore fills. I had my band Aug 24th, 05, and I've lost 80 lbs already. I don't want to loose much more. Someone email me if you have had simular problems. Thanks