Hi all. Ok, so today I was out with a couple of friends, cruisin through the new City Center here in Vegas (shout-out: it's AWESOME). I thought things were winding down, but then one guy suggests we eat. Everyone chimes in, yes, yes, yes. So, I was feeling kind of stuck. None of these folks know about my sleeve, and I plan to maintain my silence with them. So I went along... and it was a VERY good experience. (Yahoo.)

I was starting to melt down in my head, as they wanted to go to the bar/grill near the Sports Book. I was thinking, "what will I eat?!" Well, thankfully they had Soup, chili, and some other light things I could nibble on that were acceptable. I ordered the chili... unfortunately it came with a massive amount of cheese and sour cream on it, but I worked around it for the most part. I was always a slow eater, so no one said anything when they were done, and I was still eating. I ate some of the "broth/sauce" on the chili, a few of the Beans (they are allowed on my mushies stage), and that was it. IT FELT SO GOOD! I felt "full" but not stuffed. I felt good. And, I was able to maintain my "cover" of the sleeve. I'm not even to the regular foods stage yet, and I have to wait til first of March, however, I feel like I'll be able to make better choices now, and be happy and still healthy going out... This was quite a revelation and made me very happy as well, knowing that on March 5, I will be going on a "work trip" out of town, where some co-workers will be there, and I think I'll be able to pull this off on my trip as well.

Just wanted to share with you all, as this was an emotionally scary and then happy day for me with my new sleeve!

Best to all! :001_smile:

Youknowit, congratulations on your first "eat out" experience. It is scary at first because it's all so new and it's hard to know how to react and respond. You did great. If all else fails, I think we can always do a bowl of soup or a cup of chili and be fine.

Congrats!!! I have not tried eating "out" yet but hope I can do as good as you did!

Glad to hear it went well for you. It definitely gets easier each every day.

I see how important attitude is. My first time out I was so uncomfortable and I was with my mother who was privy to my surgery. The discomfort was my own inability to accept that I could not eat as I pleased. It's easier for me now to eat out as I have a little more capacity for food. You did great.

So happy for you. I did chili on my first day out too!

Congratulations on handling it so well. Like Tiffy says it does get easier. I just got back from a two day trip with some girlfriends, and we ate out a lot, and I was able to keep my cover- lots of soups :thumbup1:

Thanks, all! It was a great experience, which I hope will be repeated in the future... And now, can I say I cannot WAIT for some REAL food?! :thumbup1:

We had a friend over for dinner last night. He did not know about the WLS. I started panicking because I know the ridiculously small portions I eat. So, I ended up telling him. He was so great about it - wanted to know the details & said that he could tell I'd lost weight. Whew! What a relief. Maybe telling my friends won't be so bad.

Now, telling my mom???? That's another story. :thumbup1: I will see her in the summer so I have some time to decide how to handle that one.

Well, I"m glad you enjoyed the dining out experience. I went too soon and wasn't too successful.

Mini-Me - it is interesting with whom people choose to share or not the WLS. I had a time in my life I had to hide stuff and I hated it so much. Plus, I am a terrible liar and will get it allllllllllllllllll mixed up. So never again, I vowed. I have told people I know well and people I hardly know about the surgery. Probably 30 people or more. No one really has any bad reactions. Most people are very curious, some know people that had it, some are planning to get it. Some people you tell and they never mention it again although you are a shrinking violet. But whatever, I think that part is funny. Some people are so uncomfortable with ANYTHING personal. I'm not, I don't care.

I had hard times when I first started eating out. Wait Staff comments as well as my fiance' getting used to me eating a few bites and being done added to my stress. Now I order half orders or appetizers when I can, or order off the kiddie menu if its something I like. Sometimes I just mooch off my fiance's plate. lol On the subject of telling people about your surgery, I've said this before, its a personal decision. As common as bariatric surgery is these days, I think people who see other people lose lots of weight in short periods of time kinda suspect. Those who know me always ask, sometimes I tell sometimes I don't. Attitudes vary greatly when it comes to this; jealousy, harsh judgments (i.e. you took the EASY way out....yeah right) most people are just curious about it.

That is great I have yet to encounter my first time out yet :blushing: We were sleeved on the same day Feb. 1 Congrats!

Hi Motherof4 -- We're sleeve sisters! Ya! It was a sudden "let's eat" situation, and I was caught off guard, but I managed. And, (fingers crossed) I have been starting to slowly try bites of "regular" food, NO PROBLEMS. Again, fingers crossed... but here's hoping this continues.

Sometimes it's hard to stay under cover.

I am going over to dinner tomorrow to a guy's house I started dating. I am afraid I am going to have to tell him. I don't want to, but I think it would make things a lot easier.

You do what you think is best... feel the situation out, and see how YOU feel about telling. If you don't want to, you don't have to. Keep us posted on your date and the "telling" ...

While I was still on liquids I had to go to a business lunch with a bunch of guys I work with, most I only see a few times a year. I ordered a cup of Soup, which I ate most of and some tea. Everyone was so busy talking that no one said anything about my not eating much. If you don't make a big deal about it, a lot of times people don't really pay much attention to what's going on with other's plates.

I HAVE had servers at a restaurant ask if I didn't like my food when I only ate a little bit. I just tell them I ate a large lunch/breakfast and would like a to-go box. My husband and I also share Entrees quite often, or I'll order an appetizer.