Hi everyone,

I'm reaching out to veteran sleevers out there. I have to travel frequently for work and often have dinner with clients or colleagues, and I don't feel comfortable explaining to everyone that I've had a gastric sleeve surgery.

I've been struggling a bit on my first trip , overeating several times (ending up in the restaurant's restroom puking the extras !)

I know this is embarrassing and sensitive but don't laugh at me lol

What tips can you share in terms of what to order at restaurants, reasonings to explain the small portions (I say am on a diet etc..)?

I'd love to hear from you all

Thanks

Not a vet.. only 7 months out... If you know where you are going in advance, look at the menu online. Most resturants post nut value and calories online. It is comforting to know what I am going to order before I get there. Some people in my life know about the surgery and some dont. When eating with someone who doesnt know I order a meal. No one has ever noticed how little I eat. They are busy shoveling down their food. People do notice if I dont at least order a water to drink so I order a water and just dont drink it. If I go to a food day at work I carry around a plate of food. It prevents any questions and no one notices that I dont eat it. You will find food pushers..even when people know about the wls. Having something on your plate prevents the coments and constant "oh..you shoud really try this" or "you should just have a little". I dont usuaaly say that I am on a diet but I say that I had a late lunch or something. Hope this helps!

Good advice Holli

I am almost 2 years post-op. No one has commented yet on my small portions, but if they did, I would say that I'm not very hungry. I get comments on how slow I eat rather than my portion size and I find that eating slow keeps me from overeating and ending up in the bathroom. I order shrimp cocktail, steamed mussels, steak tip appetizers (all the protein stuff) and the waitpersons never blink an eye. They are used to skinny women only eating a little bit. You might want to laugh off comments about portion size with a retort like, "I have to keep my girlish figure!" or "I hate to exercise a lot so counting calories works for me."

I have done a few trips around the world since I had my surgery a few months ago. The best bet is always seafood.

Try to avoid the shared apettizer that normally starts the meal. It is amazing what you can push away from without anyone noticing. Just take a bit and leave the rest. I have made it through10 course Chinese banquets that way,

Asian food is the most sleeve friendly, just skip the rice. Europe is very tough. Lunches and airline meals all involve a wafer-thin slice of meat or cheese on a big baguette.

MIddle East was also easy. They serve dishes in a more communcal style and you can pick what you like while fitting right in.

This is very hard for guys, but it is surprising how little everybody else notices.

I know some sleevers get offended if a Water is set down with the meal, I always ask purposefully for water and a lemon. I usually take one sip before dinner. You truly do learn will power. I have been to bunco where I was ribbed by a bunch of women about not eating and there truly was nothing I could eat but a piece of cheese and some vegetables. I said I ate a huge dinner earlier and I passed on all the Desserts. They ate, I didn't feel bad. I usually order shrimp cocktail or chicken breast etc. I order Julienne type salads and pick out the meat and always take stuff home. I spend more time cutting things up and moving them around on my plate and nobody usually notices a thing. I always ask for a take home box when I order the food. I always ask for steam vegetables if they serve it or cottage cheese.. I always eat the meat first and usually leave the rest. Take control of the talking during the dinner, most people are concentrating no shoveling food in there mouth to pay attention to what you are eating if you are talking.

Nobody but my husband and son and parents know about the surgery and it's not a big deal. I have been to festivals, carnivals, huge affairs and haven't had a problem. I always say I had a late lunch.

When I go out to restaurants, I typically order off the side menu something that is protein. If I order a meal, I generally take a couple bites of salad, eat 2oz of the protein a perhaps a small bite of rice or baked potato. No one has ever said anything to me that doesn't know about my sleeve. In fact, I forget I have the sleeve and know that my eating habits are normal for me.....Sometimes if I'm a little bored I will move stuff around on my plate just to keep busy...

Not a vet.. only 7 months out... If you know where you are going in advance' date=' look at the menu online. Most resturants post nut value and calories online. It is comforting to know what I am going to order before I get there. Some people in my life know about the surgery and some dont. When eating with someone who doesnt know I order a meal. No one has ever noticed how little I eat. They are busy shoveling down their food. People do notice if I dont at least order a Water to drink so I order a water and just dont drink it. If I go to a food day at work I carry around a plate of food. It prevents any questions and no one notices that I dont eat it. You will find food pushers..even when people know about the wls. Having something on your plate prevents the coments and constant "oh..you shoud really try this" or "you should just have a little". I dont usuaaly say that I am on a diet but I say that I had a late lunch or something. Hope this helps![/quote']

All great great suggestions!

MIddle East was also easy. They serve dishes in a more communcal style and you can pick what you like while fitting right in.

This is very hard for guys, but it is surprising how little everybody else notices.

I agree with the "hard for guys" bit !

and it's hard for people to see a 200 lb + guy eating so little

anyway thanks for all the awesome answers everyone

How about ordering soup. I can get much more soup in than anything else. And that's a real meal.

French onion soup....never a bad one!

Soup and salad are pretty good covers for the WLS. You can eat enough not to seem so unusual. The issue is that you have to work very hard to get you protein in at other times. If you eat firm protein In the salad your capacity is back to being nonexistent. This may not be the best nutritional advice, but sometimes blending in feels important. If you do that you may need extra protein shake that day to help reach your protein goal.

Asian food is the most sleeve friendly, just skip the rice.

Be careful; asian food tends to have sugar added as part of the recipe.

I am also in a very 'business eating' work environment, I do Mortgages, and very often take Realtors and clients out. I haven't had to face it much yet, as I'm only one month out, but I have found the same sentiments that are echoed throughout this thread to be true. No one really notices how much I do or don't eat since they themselves are focused on their own eating. As the holidays are getting close, I plan to get through Holiday parties by nominating myself as the DD< so I can pass on alcohol withoout many side glances, I had a business luncheon today with my womens group, had french onion soup with no bread in it and light cheese, the cheese sank to the bottom where it sat. I ordered an entree which I silently slipped into a box and took to my father, and for dessert I ordered took a few small bites and sent the rest back, no one even blinked about it. The I'm not feeling well, I just had a big breakfast/lunch have seemed to work fine if anyone does inquire. Also, with the New Year coming around, it would be easy to tell people that you are doing a strict diet for New Years, few people question strong New Years convictions! Good luck to you!

Great advice. ...thanks