My family has always centered every event around food. My bday is day after tomorrow so the family is getting together tonight at my fav mexican restaurant. Yesterday my sister was having heart tests and so I had to eat lunch at McDs (where the rest of the sister's picked). My husband had to work on Valentine's day so he wanted to take me out this past weekend,,so another night out to eat. This keeps happening ever since I had surgery or I'm just more aware of it now. I can handle the fact that I will be going out to a restaurant but it's hard to know what and how to eat..plus have control over it. I'm still uncomfortable asking someone to share their meal or ask for a kids menu. If I order for myself, it's so tempting to dig in. Any suggestions?

I go out to eat all of the time. There is no way I can over eat so I stick to my small portions (even if I order the whole plate) and try to stick with something that has chicken or beef in it and with small bits enjoy. if there is some left over I take it home.... someone at my house WILL eat it.lol However, I do split with me BF most of the time.

Have faith in yourself to make the right decisions. You can do this!

Oh I can help here!! The first restaurant that I went to was a mexican restaurant and the folks on here gave me some great ideas. Order off the a la carte menu. Usually mexican restaurants have these. I got one cheese enchilada and a side of refried Beans. Went down perfectly and was enough food. I also had a couple chips and salsa, but it wasn't as satisfying as it used to be. Given your history, I'd avoid the celebratory margarita. Alcohol and sugar...bad mix on the sleeve (at least for me.) If your stomach can tolerate meat yet, you could try a chicken enchilada. And you probably want to stay away from the fried stuff.

Regarding other restaurants. I used to be embarressed about not eating, and I too have a hard time asking to order off the kids menu or a half portion (I even have a card from my surgeon to present to the waiter/ress that says I had weight loss surgery and would can't eat the normal portion, but I haven't had the guts to use it.) I typically order something lite, eat what I can, and then just ask for a container to go (even if you aren't going to eat it later. Saves having to answer questions.) The hardest places I find to eat at are the bars that my husband and I used to swing by on the way home for an easy dinner. They have NOTHING that I can eat yet nor am I going to drink....so we really have just cut those places out. I guess that's just one change that we have made. My husband has been really supportive and hasn't asked me to go to any restaurants where I can't get anything to eat. But if he really wanted to go there, I would and then just make the best out of it. I always keep a small, lunch size cooler bag with me too with sleeve friendly Snacks, so if I do know I'm going to be in that kind of situation, I can eat ahead of time and then just order a cup of Soup or something to be social.

Sorry for the long post, but I've been trying to figure this one out too. I hope this helps.

Thanks, Julie. I guess it scares me because when I eat out, I don't always know what I'm eating,,even if I think it's good for me. Some restaurants provide nutritional info but not all of them..I know this mexican restaurant won't. I'm also stuck at a stall so that bugs me too.

How long have you been in a stall?

I also saw you had a leak as well...how is everything with that. If meat is still too much stick to some re-fried beans and some cheese. that may be easier to tolerate.

I have been going to a sushi place and ordering a child's portion of teriaki chicken for just $2.00 and I can't even eat it all. It's great. I sometimes will order just an egg and chicken maple sausage for under $4.00. Meatball sandwhich with marinara sauce, cheese, on no bread. It looked beautiful. Couldn't eat most of it, so I brought it home and my DH took it to work for lunch the next day. Works perfect. I have no embarrassment because they are lucky I will eat at their restaurant!

Your sisters seriously wanted to go eat at McDonalds while your other sister was having TESTS done on her HEART?! Wow.

There are lots of ways to eat out healthy at restaurants. Soups and salads, appetizers, light and fit menus, ordering a protein-rich meal and just eating enough to satisfy you and taking the rest home. Works great.

Restaurants like Ruby Tuesday and Applebees have their light and fit items that are based on chicken, fish or lean beef. Those are my staples for eating out. Applebees has pretty fantastic buffalo wings too on their appetizer menu.

Oh I can help here!! The first restaurant that I went to was a mexican restaurant and the folks on here gave me some great ideas. Order off the a la carte menu. Usually mexican restaurants have these. I got one cheese enchilada and a side of refried Beans. Went down perfectly and was enough food. I also had a couple chips and salsa, but it wasn't as satisfying as it used to be. Given your history, I'd avoid the celebratory margarita. Alcohol and sugar...bad mix on the sleeve (at least for me.) If your stomach can tolerate meat yet, you could try a chicken enchilada. And you probably want to stay away from the fried stuff.

Regarding other restaurants. I used to be embarressed about not eating, and I too have a hard time asking to order off the kids menu or a half portion (I even have a card from my surgeon to present to the waiter/ress that says I had weight loss surgery and would can't eat the normal portion, but I haven't had the guts to use it.) I typically order something lite, eat what I can, and then just ask for a container to go (even if you aren't going to eat it later. Saves having to answer questions.) The hardest places I find to eat at are the bars that my husband and I used to swing by on the way home for an easy dinner. They have NOTHING that I can eat yet nor am I going to drink....so we really have just cut those places out. I guess that's just one change that we have made. My husband has been really supportive and hasn't asked me to go to any restaurants where I can't get anything to eat. But if he really wanted to go there, I would and then just make the best out of it. I always keep a small, lunch size cooler bag with me too with sleeve friendly Snacks, so if I do know I'm going to be in that kind of situation, I can eat ahead of time and then just order a cup of soup or something to be social.

Sorry for the long post, but I've been trying to figure this one out too. I hope this helps.

Thank you, Joiebean! Yes, you've been very helpful. I'll try the dinner you suggested,,sounds perfect. I don't have to worry about the margarita,,I don't drink My husband is super supportive, he always offers to share his food but he and I have totally different tastes and I don't like what he gets and I don't want to ask him to get something he may not like..it's just complicated!lol I did really well at Mcd's yesterday, I had the side salad with low fat dressing and a piece of grilled chicken (to order),,they didn't mind. It was very filling and tasty. I'm just winging it, hoping what I am having is good for me. It was so strange watching my nephew down a huge burger and my sisters salads were 3x the size of my tiny salad and they finished it off. Eating is so different now.

awesome food choices at McD's! They have great salads there and REAL chicken breast, which is nice You can absolutely eat healthy there and you're making good choices!

peacequeen....I totally hear you about watching other people eat now!! Just watch tonight when you go to the mexican place and they have the gigantic platters. When my friends and I went they each got the combination and from my perspective now (thinking how on earth I would get that all in my tiny stomach....let alone try to swallow it) I was astounded at how much they ate. No judgement, just amazed that I would have done that too if it wasn't for the sleeve!! I was just soooo in awe of it, I think a friend caught me staring at him...woops. Again no judgement....I was just thinking "there's no way I could swallow a bit that big...I'd choke! Or be in tremendous pain!"

You made a great choice at McD's. It is different being choosier with our choices, worrying about other peoples reactions or the staff. But I think a lot of that is US and how we think people are judging or thinking we are being complicated. Some people may be curious, but they don't really care as much as we think they do.

The a la carte menu is perfect for this situation. I also like to share fajitas and skip the tortilla. I can only eat a small amount of chicken or steak with a little bit of guacamole and sour cream, so this is usually my hubby or daughters plate.

Of course this would all depend on what food stage you are in as well. Earlier out, I would have a little refried beans with cheese dip and sour cream and guacamole mixed together. It would not take very much to fill me up at all.

A lot of restuarants have menus online so that you can look at the menu before you decide where to go. No matter where you will go you will have to be able to choose something that is in your current diet plan. You can always order soup and I know that we all get tired of soup really fast. Maybe a piece of chicken if you are at that stage and some mashed potatoes. I guess that it all depends on how far out you are and what you are currently able to eat. I always could have an omlette as I love breakfast anytime of the day. There will be more than enough and you can have left overs for a meal or 2.

I am going out with friends tomorrow night and have already told them where I want to eat so that I have some choices and NO BUFFETS. Why spend the money and eat just a little food.....crazy plus it just makes you want to eat more and then feel miserable.

I liked the chick fil a grilled chicken bites and their grilled ck salads were yummy too, minus the croutons, of course.

This is also why I still, at 10 months out, carry a little individual pack of almonds and a protein bar in my purse. :-) I can get a cup of coffee or a glass of tea or a bottle of water and be set up for a while with what I KNOW is sleeve-friendly and nutritious food.

Well, not too bad. My husband had the fajita's and I shared with him. I only had enough for a single small one. Ate 6 chips with salsa and had a tall glass of ice water. I still feel stuffed after eating only a little..but I did eat the tortilla so I may just be bloated. Then they blew this big horn,,threw a sombrero on me and embarrassed the pee out of me with a really loud happy birthday and a dude that CANNOT play the guitar.LOL Oh,,and they brought me a dessert (a weakness) I had a baby bite and gave the rest to the table to eat. I really had a blast and felt spoiled by all the attention.